Gadling http://www.gadling.com Gadling http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.gadling.com/media/feedlogo.gif Gadling http://www.gadling.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[New Website Maps The DC Area Homes Of Stars And Politicos]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/10/05/new-website-maps-the-dc-area-homes-of-stars-and-politicos/http://www.gadling.com/2012/10/05/new-website-maps-the-dc-area-homes-of-stars-and-politicos/http://www.gadling.com/2012/10/05/new-website-maps-the-dc-area-homes-of-stars-and-politicos/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Bob Woodward Home on BigwigDigs.com

What do Bill Clinton, Sylvester Stallone and Sandra Bullock have in common? In fact, all three have lived in the Washington, DC, area, according to Bigwig Digs, a new website that maps the former homes of celebrities.

OK, so the term "celebrity" is used loosely here. While Hollywood stars like Bullock, Stallone, Warren Beatty and Goldie Hawn have called Washington and its suburbs home, most of the stars on Bigwig Digs' maps are government-related, from former presidents to political strategists and insiders such as Karl Rove, Rahm Emanuel and J. Edgar Hoover. But there are also musicians (Duke Ellington, Dave Grohl), journalists (Bob Woodward, David Brinkley), sports stars (Mike Tyson, Alex Ovechkin), and more.

Continue reading New Website Maps The DC Area Homes Of Stars And Politicos

New Website Maps The DC Area Homes Of Stars And Politicos originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 05 Oct 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>celebritiesmapspoliticiansstar mapsStarMapswashington dcWashingtonDcwebsitesFri, 05 Oct 2012 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Three Ways To Stay In Cappadocia, Turkey]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/09/13/three-ways-to-stay-in-cappadocia-turkey/http://www.gadling.com/2012/09/13/three-ways-to-stay-in-cappadocia-turkey/http://www.gadling.com/2012/09/13/three-ways-to-stay-in-cappadocia-turkey/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Fairy Chimney Cave Dwelling in Cappadocia Turkey

In central Anatolia, about three hours south of the capital of Ankara, is Cappadocia, one of the most popular areas to visit in Turkey. Renowned for its "fairy chimneys" - wind-swept rock formations that sprout from the landscape looking like stone mushrooms, Flintstone dwellings and phalluses - and vast network of caves, many of which served as places of worship for early Christians, Cappadocia has an unforgettable mix of the natural, mystical and historical. It is for these reasons that Cappadocia was one of the first sites in Turkey to be named to UNESCO's World Heritage list.

While the technical boundaries of Cappadocia's UNESCO site lie within the town of Göreme, the Cappadocia region is vast, covering about 100 square miles. Within this area are dozens of towns, many of which are equipped with cave hotel accommodations, the region's most sought-after lodging. But with so many cave hotels to choose from - and so many new caves being dug out to handle the influx of tourists seeking that "authentic" Cappadocia experience, how do you know where to stay? I've stayed in Cappadocia on numerous occasions and can recommend the following towns for a vacation.

Continue reading Three Ways To Stay In Cappadocia, Turkey

Three Ways To Stay In Cappadocia, Turkey originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 13 Sep 2012 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Cappadociacave hotelsCaveHotelsfairy chimneysFairyChimneysGoremeGoreme National ParkGoreme Open Air MuseumGoremeNationalParkGoremeOpenAirMuseumMustafapasaTurkeyUNESCOUnescoWorldHeritageSitesUrgupThu, 13 Sep 2012 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Best Lobster Roll In Maine]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/09/05/the-best-lobster-roll-in-maine/http://www.gadling.com/2012/09/05/the-best-lobster-roll-in-maine/http://www.gadling.com/2012/09/05/the-best-lobster-roll-in-maine/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Best Lobster Roll in Maine

"Saturday Traffic Alert," read the subject line of an email from our vacation property manager.

We were packing up after a blissful week in midcoast Maine, where my family and I had spent the days either on a boat; on the shore, finding leftover shells in the mudflats; or driving the rural roads of the St. George peninsula. In the evenings, we returned to the house where we cooked our own meals and usually collapsed into bed before 10. Seven days and six nights of pure idyll justified Maine's self-proclaimed title as "Vacationland."

But then reality struck: a traffic alert. The property manager explained:

"It happens every year from about the 3rd Saturday in July - through the 3rd Saturday in August - it's become a regular Maine tradition. The 'great Wiscasset bottleneck.' The small village of Wiscasset has a well known food wagon called "Red's Eats" right in the center of the village the [sic] develops long lines early in the day. As a result, traffic slows to figure out why people wait for hours to get a lobster roll (that we think is no different than lobster rolls elsewhere) and all those 'rubberneckers' build up the traffic lines quickly."


We hadn't heard a traffic report in over a week, and now, if we didn't leave town early enough, we would have to endure a traffic jam - for a lobster roll.

Continue reading The Best Lobster Roll In Maine

The Best Lobster Roll In Maine originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 05 Sep 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>diningfood network starFoodNetworkStarlobsterlobster rollLobsterRollmainemichele ragussisMicheleRagussismidcoast maineMidcoastMainemillers lobser companyMillersLobserCompanyreds eatsRedsEatsrocklandRockland MaineRocklandMaineSt. George PeninsulaSt.GeorgePeninsulathe pearlThePearlWed, 05 Sep 2012 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Alighiero Boetti At NYC's MoMA: Art Inspired By Travel And Geography]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/07/28/alighiero-boetti-at-nycs-moma-art-inspired-by-travel-and-geogr/http://www.gadling.com/2012/07/28/alighiero-boetti-at-nycs-moma-art-inspired-by-travel-and-geogr/http://www.gadling.com/2012/07/28/alighiero-boetti-at-nycs-moma-art-inspired-by-travel-and-geogr/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Have a look at the map above. In this globalized world, where countries are essentially brands, this map, which uses each country's respective flag design to delineate its borders, probably doesn't seem so unusual, save for that large red swath in Asia marked with a hammer and sickle. Created between 1971 and 1972, this "Mappa" is one of the signature works of art created by Alighiero Boetti, the Italian artist whose paintings, kilims, sculptures and mixed media pieces form an exciting exhibition at New York City's Museum of Modern Art (MoMA).

"Alighiero Boetti: Game Plan," which runs at the MoMA through October 1, 2012, is the first major exhibition in the United States of the works of Turin-born Boetti, who made art from the early 1960s until his death in 1994. Associated with the Arte Povera (Poor Art) movement in Italy, Boetti found a lot of his inspiration by exploring travel, maps, geography, stamps and postcards.

Gallery: Alighiero Boetti: Game Plan

One Hotel, Kabul, Afghanistan, 1971-79Map of the World, 1989Mappa, 1989-1994Close-up of Africa on one of Boetti's MappeTapestry of the Thousand Longest Rivers in the World, 1976-1982


[Photo above courtesy MoMA]

Continue reading Alighiero Boetti At NYC's MoMA: Art Inspired By Travel And Geography

Alighiero Boetti At NYC's MoMA: Art Inspired By Travel And Geography originally appeared on Gadling on Sat, 28 Jul 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Alighiero BoettiAlighieroBoettiArte PoveraArtePoveraBoettiitalian artItalianArtMoMAmoma+nycmomanycmuseum exhibitMuseumExhibitmuseumsnew york cityNewYorkCitySat, 28 Jul 2012 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Cheat On Your Cellphone Service With Tep Wireless]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/07/18/cheat-on-your-cell-phone-service-with-tep-wireless/http://www.gadling.com/2012/07/18/cheat-on-your-cell-phone-service-with-tep-wireless/http://www.gadling.com/2012/07/18/cheat-on-your-cell-phone-service-with-tep-wireless/#commentsFiled under:

Tep Wireless If you are a smartphone user and love to travel, this has probably happened to you: you return from a trip abroad to find your cellphone service provider has piled on hundreds of dollars for roaming charges and data usage. No matter that you purchased an international plan or topped up with extra data before you left. You're now faced with a huge bill and a growing ulcer from the stress of it all.

Some elect for a workaround, getting an unlocked phone and performing the old SIM-card switcheroo when traveling overseas - but that's not especially convenient. What is convenient is a Tep pocket Wi-Fi, a personal hotspot that lets you cheat on your cellphone service with pay-by-the-day Wi-Fi.

Here's how it works:

Continue reading Cheat On Your Cellphone Service With Tep Wireless

Cheat On Your Cellphone Service With Tep Wireless originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 18 Jul 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>roamingRoaming chargesRoamingChargesTepTep wirelessTepWirelesswifiWiFi HotspotWifiHotspotWed, 18 Jul 2012 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[This May Be The Last Year To See Lenin's Tomb]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/06/15/this-may-be-the-last-year-to-see-lenins-tomb/http://www.gadling.com/2012/06/15/this-may-be-the-last-year-to-see-lenins-tomb/http://www.gadling.com/2012/06/15/this-may-be-the-last-year-to-see-lenins-tomb/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Lenin's Tomb in Moscow Lenin's Tomb, the place in Moscow where the father of the Communist Revolution lies embalmed, waxen and puffy behind glass, is endangered. As Russians move further away from Communism, a majority - 56 percent - thinks that Lenin should be buried. Members of the administration of Vladimir Putin, who was just elected to a third term as President of Russia, have also voiced concerns about the aging tourist attraction.

"A body should be interred in the earth," said culture minister Vladimir Medinsky speaking on a radio show in Moscow this week. Medinsky suggested that Lenin could be buried in a state funeral observing, "all fitting state rituals, distinctions and a military salute in a suitable place" by 2013. On the other hand, the Red Square mausoleum where Lenin lies perpetually in state will remain. "It must remain. It would be possible to turn it into a museum of Soviet history that would be very well visited and could have expensive tickets," said Medinsky. Russia's remaining communists are against this move, of course.

Whether Lenin will be buried soon remains to be seen. But there is one component of this burial controversy that must have Lenin turning in his grave even before he is six feet under. Apparently, more than 2,000 Russians have already placed bets on the fate of Lenin's corpse.

[Photo Flickr/wordcat57]

This May Be The Last Year To See Lenin's Tomb originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 15 Jun 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>communismleninLenins TombLeninsTombmoscowrussiavladimir leninVladimir PutinVladimirLeninVladimirPutinFri, 15 Jun 2012 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA['Star Wars' Fans Rally To Save Iconic Set In Tunisia]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/06/14/star-wars-fans-rally-to-save-iconic-set-in-tunisia/http://www.gadling.com/2012/06/14/star-wars-fans-rally-to-save-iconic-set-in-tunisia/http://www.gadling.com/2012/06/14/star-wars-fans-rally-to-save-iconic-set-in-tunisia/#commentsFiled under: ,


Every single "Star Wars" movie, save "The Empire Strikes Back," uses the desert landscape and dusty villages of Tunisia as backdrops for the planet of Tatooine, the place where Luke Skywalker grew up. Specifically, Luke lived until the age of 19 at the Lars Homestead, the fictional name for a very real building that was, until recently, in danger of collapse.

To the rescue was neither Luke Skywalker nor George Lucas, but Mark Dermul, an avid "Star Wars" fan from Belgium who has been leading "Star Wars" tours of Tunisia since 2001. On a trip to Tunisia in 2010, Dermul discovered that the rounded hut that served as the exterior of the Lars Homestead in the film was in a state of disrepair. Dermul then set up the Save the Lars Homestead Project, working with the Tunisian Tourist Office and Tunisian government to secure the proper permissions to restore this movie landmark.

Continue reading 'Star Wars' Fans Rally To Save Iconic Set In Tunisia

'Star Wars' Fans Rally To Save Iconic Set In Tunisia originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 14 Jun 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>save larssave the lars homestead projectSaveLarsSaveTheLarsHomesteadProjectStar WarsStarWarsTunisiaThu, 14 Jun 2012 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Play Mini-Golf Inside A DC Museum This Summer]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/06/14/play-mini-golf-inside-a-dc-museum-this-summer/http://www.gadling.com/2012/06/14/play-mini-golf-inside-a-dc-museum-this-summer/http://www.gadling.com/2012/06/14/play-mini-golf-inside-a-dc-museum-this-summer/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Mini-Golf Are you visiting Washington, D.C., this summer and looking for fun family activities? The National Building Museum (NBM), D.C.'s museum dedicated to architecture, engineering and design, will offer a 12-hole mini-golf course under its 159-foot-high vaulted ceiling.

From July 4 through Labor Day (September 3), visitors can play Museum Golf among holes with building-related themes. NBM enlisted the help of area design and architecture firms to construct holes inspired by actual buildings, bridges, landscapes, or monuments, including the White House and Eiffel Tower, as well as more fantastical ones, the likes of which will remain a secret until the NBM's course opens in July.

A round of mini-golf will cost $3 with museum admission or membership, or $5 without admission. While you're there, make sure you check out NBM's LEGO exhibit, which also closes at summer's end.

[Photo Flickr/mikethecat]

Play Mini-Golf Inside A DC Museum This Summer originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 14 Jun 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>architecturemini golfMiniGolfnational building museumNationalBuildingMuseumwashington dcWashingtonDcThu, 14 Jun 2012 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[National Geographic Magazine As An 'Instrument Of Doom']]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/06/13/national-geographic-magazine-as-an-instrument-of-doom/http://www.gadling.com/2012/06/13/national-geographic-magazine-as-an-instrument-of-doom/http://www.gadling.com/2012/06/13/national-geographic-magazine-as-an-instrument-of-doom/#commentsFiled under: ,

Vintage National Geographic Magazine CoverIt wasn't long ago when you could visit the attic or basement of most any home in America and find stacks of yellow-spined back-issues of The National Geographic Magazine. Thanks (or no thanks) to digital advances, that scene isn't as common today.

While there are still avid collectors of the esteemed magazine dedicated to history, science, nature, geography, travel and learning, there are far fewer than in 1974 when a science satire magazine, The Journal of Irreproducible Results, suggested that the sheer weight of all these collected periodicals would lead to the apocalypse.

In the March 1974 issue of The Journal of Irreproducible Results, George H. Kaub wrote the following:
This continent is in the gravest danger of following legendary Atlantis to the bottom of the sea. No natural disaster, no overpowering compounding of pollutions or cataclysmic nuclear war will cause the end. Instead, a seemingly innocent monster created by man, nurtured by man, however as yet unheeded by man, will doom this continent to the watery grave of oblivion.

Continue reading National Geographic Magazine As An 'Instrument Of Doom'

National Geographic Magazine As An 'Instrument Of Doom' originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 13 Jun 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>doomsdayhumorNational Geographicnational geographic magazineNationalGeographicNationalGeographicMagazineWed, 13 Jun 2012 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Photo Of The Day: Horseshoe Bend]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/06/12/photo-of-the-day-horseshoe-bend/http://www.gadling.com/2012/06/12/photo-of-the-day-horseshoe-bend/http://www.gadling.com/2012/06/12/photo-of-the-day-horseshoe-bend/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Photo of the Day - Horseshoe Bend

The very best travel photos should trigger two desires. First, they should inspire the viewer to want to travel to the place that is the subject of the image. And, second, they should instill in the viewer a curiosity about the art and craft of photography.

Today's photo of the day satisfies both of these criteria. Oilfighter used his Canon 5D Mark II DSLR to photograph sunset at Horseshoe Bend, the famous spot within the Grand Canyon where the Colorado River bends. In his description of the photo, Oilfighter tells us a brief story of why he decided to photograph Horseshoe Bend on that day. Additionally, he provides info on the lens and filter he used, thereby giving a welcome photography lesson to accompany this marvelous shot.

Share your best travel images with us by adding them to the Gadling Flickr photo pool for a future Photo of the Day.

Photo Of The Day: Horseshoe Bend originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 12 Jun 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arizonaGrand CanyonGrandCanyonhorseshoe bendHorseshoeBendphoto of the dayphotographyPhotoOfTheDayphotosTue, 12 Jun 2012 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA['This Is The Place Death Delights To Help The Living']]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/06/12/this-is-the-place-death-delights-to-help-the-living/http://www.gadling.com/2012/06/12/this-is-the-place-death-delights-to-help-the-living/http://www.gadling.com/2012/06/12/this-is-the-place-death-delights-to-help-the-living/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Skulls at the National Museum of Health and Medicine

The horrors of war and the medical techniques used on the wounded in the battlefield are incomprehensible to those of us who have never donned a soldier's uniform. The National Museum of Health and Medicine, also known as the Army Medical Museum, puts these realities into context.

Founded during the Civil War as a center for medical study of gunshot wounds, amputations and other physical maladies, the museum was tucked away on the grounds of the Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., from 1971 until 2011. When the Walter Reed Center outgrew its facilities, a new building was built for the National Museum of Health and Medicine next to the Silver Spring, Maryland, annex of Fort Detrick. Its official opening was May 21, 2012.

Gallery: Objects from the National Museum of Health and Medicine

Infant and Toddler SkeletonsSkulls treated with trephinationBrain with a Gunshot WoundBrain and Spinal ColumnFace with exposed musculature

(Warning: Some readers may find the images in this gallery quite gruesome. View at your own risk!)

Continue reading 'This Is The Place Death Delights To Help The Living'

'This Is The Place Death Delights To Help The Living' originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 12 Jun 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>marylandmedical museumMedicalMuseummedicinemuseumswashington dcWashingtonDcTue, 12 Jun 2012 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Top 3 Places In The US To Experience LEGO-Mania This Summer]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/06/10/top-3-places-in-the-us-to-experience-lego-mania-this-summer/http://www.gadling.com/2012/06/10/top-3-places-in-the-us-to-experience-lego-mania-this-summer/http://www.gadling.com/2012/06/10/top-3-places-in-the-us-to-experience-lego-mania-this-summer/#commentsFiled under: , ,

LEGOs - show me a man, woman or child who doesn't love these little plastic building bricks and I'll show you three exhibitions that will impress them to pieces this summer.

National Building Museum's Towering Ambition LEGO exhibitLEGO(R) Architecture: Towering Ambition
National Building Museum, Washington, DC
Through September 3, 2012
The LEGO exhibit "Towering Ambition" has been wowing visitors to Washington, DC's National Building Museum since 2010. On display is the LEGO artistry of Adam Reed Tucker, one of only 11 LEGO(R) certified professionals in the world, who re-created 15 of the world's most famous buildings and monuments out of toy bricks. See scale models of the Empire State Building, Gateway Arch and Dubai's Burj Khalifa, also known (for the time being) as the tallest building in the world. For the final months of this exhibition, three DC-area design companies have contributed equally intriguing LEGO builds of other iconic landmarks which collectively total more than 75,000 bricks.

Continue reading Top 3 Places In The US To Experience LEGO-Mania This Summer

Top 3 Places In The US To Experience LEGO-Mania This Summer originally appeared on Gadling on Sun, 10 Jun 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>amesfloridahollywood floridaHollywoodFloridaiowaLEGOLegolandmuseum exhibitMuseumExhibitmuseumsnational building museumNationalBuildingMuseumwashington dcWashingtonDcSun, 10 Jun 2012 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Photos: Space Shuttle Enterprise's Epic Final Journey]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/06/08/photos-space-shuttle-enterprises-epic-final-journey/http://www.gadling.com/2012/06/08/photos-space-shuttle-enterprises-epic-final-journey/http://www.gadling.com/2012/06/08/photos-space-shuttle-enterprises-epic-final-journey/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Space Shuttle Enterprise on the Hudson River


Seeing NASA's Space Shuttle Program come to a conclusion has been tough on space travel geeks. Luckily, over the past few months, NASA has given us a few final treats as the shuttles make their way to their new museum homes.

The journey of Space Shuttle Enterprise has been particularly epic because of its barge trip on the Hudson River this week. In order for Enterprise to get to the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum, located on New York City's Hell's Kitchen waterfront, it had to sail down the river past some of the city's major landmarks. In case you missed it, here are some photos of that most unusual barge journey past the Statue of Liberty, the new Freedom Tower being built at the World Trade Center site and the buildings of lower Manhattan.

Gallery: Space Shuttle Enterprise Sails Up The Hudson

Photos: Space Shuttle Enterprise's Epic Final Journey originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 08 Jun 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>hudson riverHudsonRiverintrepid museumintrepid sea air and space museumIntrepidMuseumIntrepidSeaAirAndSpaceMuseumNASAnew yorknew york cityNewYorkNewYorkCityphotosspace shuttlespace shuttle enterprisespace travelSpaceShuttleSpaceShuttleEnterpriseSpaceTravelFri, 08 Jun 2012 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Doomsday Bicycle Tour Lets You Ride To The End Of The World]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/06/07/doomsday-bicycle-tour-lets-you-ride-to-the-end-of-the-world/http://www.gadling.com/2012/06/07/doomsday-bicycle-tour-lets-you-ride-to-the-end-of-the-world/http://www.gadling.com/2012/06/07/doomsday-bicycle-tour-lets-you-ride-to-the-end-of-the-world/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Tour d'Afrique's Doomsday Tour of La Ruta Maya What do you want to be doing when the world ends in December? If your answer is exploring Mayan temples ruins, gazing upon volcanoes and waterfalls, and basking in Central America's warm autumn sun all from the seat of your mountain bike, then Tour d'Afrique has a pretty epic tour for you to consider.

Tour d'Afrique's Doomsday Ride is a 2,300-kilometer (1,429-mile) transcontinental bike expedition along the "Ruta Maya" timed to coincide with the end of the world according to the Mayan Calendar. The trek begins in San Jose, Costa Rica, on November 17, 2012, and follows a winding, but well-scouted, route through Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala and Belize. It concludes at the Lamani Mayan Temple outside of Belize City, Belize, on December 21, 2012 - the supposed date of the apocalypse.

Along the way, participants will get to check out Mayan ruins at Tikal and Copan; the great colonial architecture in the city of Granada, Nicaragua's erstwhile capital; and villages, markets, rainforests, volcanoes, crater lakes and many other slices of life and nature off of the tourist track. If you can't take off for the full five weeks of the expedition, Tour d'Afrique offers three shorter sections that average between 10 days and two weeks.

To learn more about the tour, the route, rates and schedules, check out Tour d'Afrique's La Ruta Maya - the Doomsday Ride Blog.

Doomsday Bicycle Tour Lets You Ride To The End Of The World originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 07 Jun 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2012+doomsday2012+end+of+the+world2012doomsday2012endoftheworldadventureadventure-travelbelizebike toursBikeToursbikingcosta ricaCostaRicacyclingcycling toursCyclingToursdooms+daydoomsdaygranada+nicaraguagranadanicaraguaguatemalahondurasmayan calendarmayan+end+of+the+worldMayanCalendarmayanendoftheworldnicaraguaTour dAfriqueTourDafriquetoursThu, 07 Jun 2012 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Photo Of The Day: Street Art In Rome]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/06/05/photo-of-the-day-street-art-in-rome/http://www.gadling.com/2012/06/05/photo-of-the-day-street-art-in-rome/http://www.gadling.com/2012/06/05/photo-of-the-day-street-art-in-rome/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Street Art (Graffiti) in Rome, Italy

Reserve your negative opinions about street art for a moment and consider this image of "Madonna and Child" spray-painted on the side of a who-knows-how-old building in Rome, Italy. Captured in the residential neighborhood of Trastevere by Flickr user AlexSven, the photo summarizes, at least for me, the living organism that is the Eternal City. The ancient and modern, the irreverent and the religious all co-exist in this magical city.

What's more, the word "graffiti" is an Italian word meaning "illicit scribblings or drawings on the surface of a public place" and is a type of art and protest that has been in practice since the days of the Roman Empire. So this street artist (or vandal, depending on which side of the debate you are on) is continuing a tradition that has lasted thousands of years.

Share your best travel images with us by adding them to the Gadling Flickr photo pool for a future Photo of the Day.

Photo Of The Day: Street Art In Rome originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 05 Jun 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>graffitiitalyphoto of the dayPhotoOfTheDayphotosromestreet artStreetArtTue, 05 Jun 2012 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[71-Year-Old Grandmother To Bike From Russia To France]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/06/04/71-year-old-grandmother-to-bike-from-russia-to-france/http://www.gadling.com/2012/06/04/71-year-old-grandmother-to-bike-from-russia-to-france/http://www.gadling.com/2012/06/04/71-year-old-grandmother-to-bike-from-russia-to-france/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

After having traversed Russia no fewer than 16 times by bike, what's next? For 71-year-old grandmother Yulia Mikhailyuk, the next step is a bicycle journey from the western Russian city of Tver to Paris, France.

According to Russia Today, Ms. Mikhailyuk, a former physical education teacher, took up biking only after her 50th birthday as something to do after retirement. Since then, she has cycled her way across the largest country in the world 16 times, riding from dusk until dawn, stopping only for half-hour meal breaks and to sleep in a tent along the roadside.

The trip to Paris is a new challenge for the senior cyclist, who is making the trek to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the Russian victory over France in the Napoleonic War of 1812. Ms. Mikhailyuk expects the 2,867-kilometer (1,781-mile) Tver to Paris bike trip to take approximately two months to complete.

71-Year-Old Grandmother To Bike From Russia To France originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 04 Jun 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bikingfranceinspirationlong distance bikingLongDistanceBikingparisrussiasenior travelseniorsSeniorTraveltverMon, 04 Jun 2012 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Video: Highlining Across Morocco's Todra Gorge]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/29/video-highlining-across-moroccos-todra-gorge/http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/29/video-highlining-across-moroccos-todra-gorge/http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/29/video-highlining-across-moroccos-todra-gorge/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Far inland from the heavily toured bazaars of Marrakech and Essaouira lies a part of Morocco that many travelers know little about. The Todra Gorge, located in the remote High Atlas Mountains, is a sort of mini Moroccan Grand Canyon with 1,000-foot rock walls that have been carved out over thousands of years by the Todra and Dades Rivers.

In the video trailer above, we see an assemblage of four adventurers called Somewhereelseland as they attempt to highline across the gorge. Highlining is the newest extreme sport, which requires thrill-seekers to cross an inch-wide nylon line suspended in the air. Think of it as slacklining at altitude or like tightrope walking in which the rope is merely a string and the walker carries no balance pole.

"No one has ever highlined in Morocco before," says Faith Dickey, Somewhereelseland's female highliner. Indeed, the location and the precarious nature of the sport leave us with a desire to watch beyond the three minutes featured in this video.

Video: Highlining Across Morocco's Todra Gorge originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 29 May 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adventureadventure-travelafricahighliningMoroccoTodra GorgeTodraGorgevideoTue, 29 May 2012 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Next Must-Have Adventure Gear? The 'Invisible' Bike Helmet]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/25/the-next-must-have-adventure-gear-the-invisible-bike-helmet/http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/25/the-next-must-have-adventure-gear-the-invisible-bike-helmet/http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/25/the-next-must-have-adventure-gear-the-invisible-bike-helmet/#commentsFiled under: ,

The Hövding Invisible Bike Helmet
Hate traveling with a bulky, plastic bike helmet? Say hello to the Hövding Bike Helmet, an ingenious invention out of Sweden that takes up only a sliver of space in your luggage and activates only upon impact, much like a car's airbag.

Reminiscent of the zippered collar of an athletic jacket, the scarf-like Hövding contains a folded-up "invisible" nylon hood whose trigger mechanisms are controlled by sensors that pick up on the abnormal movements of the bike rider wearing it. The sensors are charged via USB port.

Continue reading The Next Must-Have Adventure Gear? The 'Invisible' Bike Helmet

The Next Must-Have Adventure Gear? The 'Invisible' Bike Helmet originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 25 May 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adventurebikingdesignfashiongearswedentravel gearTravelGearFri, 25 May 2012 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Iconic Absolut Vodka Ads On Exhibit at New Spiritmuseum in Sweden]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/25/iconic-absolut-vodka-ads-on-exhibit-at-new-spiritmuseum-in-swede/http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/25/iconic-absolut-vodka-ads-on-exhibit-at-new-spiritmuseum-in-swede/http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/25/iconic-absolut-vodka-ads-on-exhibit-at-new-spiritmuseum-in-swede/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Quick! What's the first thing you think about when you think about Sweden? If it's not IKEA, smorgasbords, or cold winters, then it's probably Absolut, the vodka brand whose bottle inspired 850 works of Pop art from 1986 to 2004. Now, 70 of the best of those works of art are to be featured at the Spiritmuseum.

Continue reading Iconic Absolut Vodka Ads On Exhibit at New Spiritmuseum in Sweden

Iconic Absolut Vodka Ads On Exhibit at New Spiritmuseum in Sweden originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 25 May 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>andy warholAndyWarholartdrinkingkeith haringKeithHaringmuseumsspiritmuseumStockholmswedenvodkaFri, 25 May 2012 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[World's Largest Chocolate Sculpture To Go On Display In California]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/24/worlds-largest-chocolate-sculpture-to-go-on-display-in-californ/http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/24/worlds-largest-chocolate-sculpture-to-go-on-display-in-californ/http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/24/worlds-largest-chocolate-sculpture-to-go-on-display-in-californ/#commentsFiled under: ,

World's Largest Chocolate Sculpture
California dessert and pastry school Qzina has just broken the Guinness World Record for the World's Largest Chocolate Sculpture. Modeled after the Kukulcan Mayan pyramid in Chichen Itza, Mexico, the chocolate pyramid took more than 400 hours to construct and weighs 18,239 pounds.

Qzina's chocolate "architects" built an exact scale model of the Mayan temple to celebrate the school's 30th anniversary and to pay homage to 2012, the supposed end of the world according to some interpreters of the Mayan calendar. Measuring one-thirtieth the size of the original Mayan temple, the solid chocolate replica stands at six feet tall with a symmetrical base of 10 feet by 10 feet. Every last detail, from the number of steps up the sides of the temple to tiny figurines modeled to look like Mayan tribesmen, was created out of chocolate. More amazing photos of the chocolate pyramid are available in this Flickr set.

The chocolate sculpture goes on display on June 4, 2012, in the Qzina product showroom in Irvine, California, and will be destroyed on December 21, 2012, the last date on the Mayan calendar. "The method for destruction is yet to be determined," according to the Qzina website.

By the way, the previous world record for a sculpture made of chocolate was held by Italian chocolatier Mirco Della Vecchia, who built the Duomo of Milan out of 10,736.5 pounds of chocolate.

World's Largest Chocolate Sculpture To Go On Display In California originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 24 May 2012 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>californiachocolatechocolate sculpturesChocolateSculpturesGuinness World RecordsGuinnessWorldRecordsNorth AmericaNorthAmericaunited statesUnitedStatesThu, 24 May 2012 11:30:00 EST