Gadling

How To (Legally) Stay In Europe For More Than 90 Days

Chris Owen — Thu, 10 May 2012 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Europe, North America, Austria, Finland, Germany, Italy, Norway, Spain, Budget Travel

Planning an extended stay in Europe, travelers are often focused on what it takes to be there longer than 90 days, what is commonly believed to be the limit for tourists. Armed with a desire to stay longer, travel blog Nomadic Matt found a way and shares it in a recent blog post.

Getting to the heart of the matter, Matthew Kepnes, founder of Nomadic Matt's Travel Site, blogs "when people talk about the '90 day limit,' they are talking about restrictions on the Schengen Visa, which is the visa rule that governs 26 countries in Europe."

The easy way to stay longer than 90 days in non-Schengen countries, says Kepnes, is to vary your location when traveling in Europe, moving to a different country near the end of 90 days. That starts the clock ticking all over again.

But those 26 European countries that are covered under the Schengen Visa are really more like states and staying longer than 90 days can be tricky.

"When most people ask me about staying in Europe, they mean staying longer in the Schengen zone. After all, it covers 26 countries and visiting so many destinations in 90 days can be a little rushed (it is an average of 3.4 days per country)," says Kepnes offering a solution that tells of loopholes and other ways to hang around Europe, legally.

See more at Nomadic Matt's.

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How To (Legally) Stay In Europe For More Than 90 Days originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 10 May 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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7 Great Hotels Where You Can Cook Like a Local

McLean Robbins — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Food and Drink, Asia, Europe, North America, Austria, Ireland, Mexico, Hotels and Accommodations, Luxury Travel

One of the best parts about a vacation? The food. We love trying local delicacies and adding to our recipe books with tips and techniques learned from our travels. Immerse yourself in native cuisine with these seven great cooking experiences that combine luxury travel with fun, hands-on cooking classes.

Time to Thai in Bangkok
Learn traditional Thai cooking in Bangkok at Lebua. You'll cook a five-course meal with a Thai chef in this three-hour class taught in both English and Thai for the exceptionally affordable rate of $160 per person. Combine it with an overnight at this all-suite luxury property for a true one-of-a-kind experience.

Game & Guinness in Ireland
Fish for wild trout and learn to make homemade chowder at the Guinness family's 18th C estate-turned-hotel in Cong, Ireland.

Green Gardening in Jordan
Garden alongside locals at the bio-garden at Radisson Blu Tala Bay Resort in Aqaba Jordan, then learn to cook traditional Jordan dishes like Mansaff (roast lamb in a saffron yogurt sauce) using the fruits of your labor.

Shopping and Tapas in Barcelona
Shop Barcelona's legendary Boqueria with Spanish Chef Roberto Holz, then prepare a Mediterranean lunch at Hotel Arts Barcelona.

Surf n' Seafood in Nevis
"Dive and dine" for your own spiny lobster at Four Seasons Nevis, then prepare it at a traditional Caribbean barbecue.

Food Safari in Australia
Discovery the bounty of Australia's Kangaroo Island at Southern Ocean Lodge. The hotel hosts an annual KI Food Safari. Activities during the six-day journey will include hands-on classes with the island's purveyors, who operate on a mostly small scale, sustainable and personal basis while tasting the unique products straight from the source.

Say Olé in Mexico
Learn the secrets behind perfect salsa, ceviche and more at one or three-day cooking classes (shown in the photo, above) at the luxurious Capella Pedregal in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. We'd suggest the three-day class - it includes a trip to a local farmers market.

7 Great Hotels Where You Can Cook Like a Local originally appeared on Gadling on Sat, 28 Apr 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Stunning Photos Of The Alps

Elizabeth Seward — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Biking, Climbing, Hiking, Skiing, Blogs, Photos, Europe, Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Switzerland, Camping, Ecotourism

The Alps is a beautiful mountain range. Spanning through Austria and Slovenia all the way through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Germany, France and Monaco, the Alps are a go-to spot for mountain-loving folks living in or passing through these areas in Europe. Taken from the Latin word Alpes, which may have been derived from the word Albus, which means "white," the Alps are certainly that. If you enjoy perusing jaw-dropping photography, you'll be happy to know that Nature Pictures has an Alps series up on their website here. This stunning collection of photos features the snow-capped peaks in several scenes. Whether partially lit from the sunrise, towering over a lake or contrasted against green pastures, this photo collection is worth the look.

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Stunning Photos Of The Alps originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 18 Apr 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Vagabond Tales: "The Governator is better, yes?"

Kyle Ellison — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Stories, Europe, Austria, Slovakia, Transportation

Crossing borders can always be a bit of a hectic experience. There are long lines, scam artists, customs officials, new currencies, people offering to expedite your visa process for a fee, screaming children, rogue livestock, and occasionally people with guns. Dirty and dingy, border crossings are never the favorite part of my trip.

Luckily, however, I was once aided through a particularly tense border moment by of all things, an American politician. As any American traveler who spends copious amounts of time out of the country will tell you, divulging the fact that you are an American frequently involves being buffeted by a hailstorm of opinions/questions/debate over American foreign policy, war, clothing, oil, health care, politics, and lately, Justin Bieber.

This is because--and excuse me as I fabricate completely random statistics to argue a point--it's becoming apparent to me that about 70% of the globe knows more about American politics than 70% of Americans do.

Evidence? I offer three examples:

-A particularly smelly hitch hiker I once picked up in New Zealand was able to tell me how many seats the state of Hawaii has in the House of Representatives (2).

-The Kathmandu shopkeeper from whom I was purchasing a $1.50 plate of dhal bhat discussed with me the geopolitical ramifications of Hillary Clinton's recent visit to Burma.

-A mate from Sydney writing me to express his concerns about the upcoming vote in Congress to once again raise the debt ceiling.

The list goes on.

Although flashing the blue cover of an American passport will frequently lead to this uninvited political joust, I would like to thank one American politician for effectively waving me across international lines.

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Vagabond Tales: "The Governator is better, yes?" originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 23 Jan 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Locked up Abroad: It's only Christmas, why are the shops closed?

Dave Seminara — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Blogs, Europe, North America, Austria, United States

I'd never seen such a long line at a supermarket in my life. It was December 22, 2006 and I was hoping to buy a few items at a chain supermarket in Vienna, Austria. After waiting in line for about 15 minutes, it was almost my turn. But then an announcement was made, in German, the lights were dimmed and the people behind me in line dispersed- some left their items in their baskets, others took the time to replace their groceries on the shelves.

"Veer closed now," said the cashier, in English, sensing my confusion.

"But can't I pay for my things?" I asked, hopefully.

"We close at six," she said, pointing to a clock which proved that it was exactly six o'clock.

"Do you know if there are any other grocery stores in the area that are open?" I asked.

"Oh no," she said. "Everything will be closed until Wednesday."

My wife and I had just arrived in Vienna for a four day weekend, and it was only Friday night. We assumed that the shops and museums would be open on Saturday and again on Tuesday. It turned out that the city was practically sealed shut for four full days. Some shops had limited hours on Saturday, December 23, but all were closed on Sunday and Monday, and again on Tuesday for St. Stephen's Day.

Some restaurants remained open, but all the museums and other tourist attractions were closed. I didn't actually mind that, but the real kicker was the fact that the streets were so eerily empty. Part of the joy of walking a great city like Vienna is the people watching, and the site of empty streets and shuttered storefronts was depressing. As Morrissey once crooned, "I want to see people and I want to see life."

Fast forward to Christmas Day, 2011 in Falls Church, Virginia. I was about to make a sandwich from some leftover ham from our Christmas Eve meal and decided that some Swiss cheese would be the perfect complement to my lunch. I drove up the street from my house and found that both supermarkets we frequent were open. Not only that, but there were plenty of shoppers out and about. If the woman at the deli counter hadn't wished me a Merry Christmas, it might have been just any other day.

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Locked up Abroad: It's only Christmas, why are the shops closed? originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 27 Dec 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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10 reasons to travel to Ljubljana

Meg Nesterov — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Skiing, Food and Drink, Europe, Austria, Croatia, Italy, Slovenia, Airports, Budget Travel, Internet Tools, Luxury Travel

When I found cheap airfare from Istanbul to Ljubljana, I didn't find many other travelers who'd been there or even say for sure which country it's in. The tiny of country of Slovenia is slightly smaller than New Jersey and its capital city isn't known for much other than being difficult to spell and pronounce (say "lyoob-lyAH-nah"). After spending a few days there last month, I quickly fell madly in love with the city, and recommend to everyone to add to their travel list.

Gallery: 10 reasons to travel to Ljubljana

Here are some reasons to love Ljubljana:

1. It's Prague without the tourists - Ljubljana has been called the next Prague for at least the last 10 years, but the comparison is still apt. Architect Jože Plečnik is known for his work at Prague Castle, but he was born in Ljubljana and is responsible for much of the architecture in the old downtown and the Triple Bridge that practically defines the city. While Prague is a lovely place to visit, it's overrun in summer with backpackers and tourists. In Ljubljana, the only English I heard was spoken with a Slovenian accent, and there were no lines at any of the city's attractions.

2. Affordable Europe - While not as cheap as say, Bulgaria, Ljubljana is a lot easier on the wallet than other European capital cities and cheaper than most of its neighbors. I stayed in a perfect room above the cafe Macek in an ideal location for 65 euro a night. A huge three-course dinner for one with drinks at Lunch cafe was 20 euro, and a liter of local wine in the supermarket is around 3-4 euro. I paid 6 euro for entrance into 4 art museums for the Biennial, and the same for all of the castle, including the excellent Slovene history museum, and the funicular ride there and back.

Continue reading 10 reasons to travel to Ljubljana

10 reasons to travel to Ljubljana originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 13 Dec 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Photo of the day - Airplane window

Alex Robertson Textor — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Europe, Austria, Photo of the Day

An airplane window frames the outside world. There are few images more iconic, more suggestive of modern travel than a photograph of the sky taken from the interior of a plane, framed by an oval airplane window. This image, taken by Flickr user femme_fm, captures the super blue skies above the Austrian province of Styria. I love how the texture of the window itself is visible.

Got an iconic travel image? Submit it to the Gadling Group Pool on Flickr. If we love the way you've captured an iconic travel object, we might just select your image as a future Photo of the Day.

Photo of the day - Airplane window originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 25 Nov 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Austria comes to New York: a look at the Openhouse Gallery's Austrian pop-up shop

Jessica Festa — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 15:30:00 EST

Filed under: Arts and Culture, History, Learning, Business, Festivals and Events, Food and Drink, Photos, Europe, North America, Austria, United States, Hotels and Accommodations, Airlines, Budget Travel, Internet Tools, Nightlife, Women's Travel, Luxury Travel

This month, the Openhouse Gallery in New York hosted a free Austrian pop-up shop, which gave visitors a glimpse into what they could experience in terms of art, food, tours, culture, hotels, festivals, museums, and outdoor spaces if they visited Austria.

While the space itself was small, it had a lot to offer. The girls who worked the exhibit were extremely helpful and were happy to walk around with me to explain exactly what everything was I was looking at.

When first walking in, I was immediately struck by a giant painting by Austrian artist Gustav Klimt called "The Kiss". In 2012, Vienna will celebrate his 150th birthday with an array of event and exhibits in his honor.

If visitors needed help planning a trip to visit Austria, the pop-up shop featured a travel lounge, as well, with comfortable white, leather couches and a table of tour packets, culinary books, travel advice, and even an Austrian memory and matching game called Craz.

Continue reading Austria comes to New York: a look at the Openhouse Gallery's Austrian pop-up shop

Austria comes to New York: a look at the Openhouse Gallery's Austrian pop-up shop originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 19 Oct 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Austria comes to New York: wine and food pairing at Wallse

Jessica Festa — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: Arts and Culture, Learning, Festivals and Events, Food and Drink, Europe, North America, Austria, United States, Nightlife, Women's Travel, Luxury Travel

I have a new favorite restaurant in New York, and it is called Wallse. Located one block from the Hudson Promenade at 344 W. 11th Street, this ambient venue puts a modern twist on classical Viennese dishes, all within a dimly lit space that could also be classified as an art gallery, with contemporary pieces from artists like Julian Schnabel and Albert Oehlen on display.

On Tuesday, I was invited to an Austria Gala Dinner held at this restaurant, which included mingling, learning about tourism in Austria, and, best of all, wine and food pairing. Upon arrival, guests were offered glasses of sparkling wine as well as hors d'oeurves like wienerschnitzel and tuna tartare. After networking and meeting people from Austria's tourism industry, guests sat at arranged seats to begin a wine and food pairing.

The first course included a choice of local market greens with spicy radishes and pumpkinseed oil or spätzle with braised rabbit, wild mushrooms, and sweet corn. I chose the second option, which was paired with a sweet white wine called Neuberger-Tinhof 2008. From talking to the Austrians at my table, I learned that spätzle is basically a type of soft noodle. The meat was tender and mixed with the sweetness of the corn was a perfect combination. Not only was the starter course delicious, but the servers never allowed anyone's wine glass to be empty for less than a second.

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Austria comes to New York: wine and food pairing at Wallse originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 19 Oct 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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10 interesting food museums from around the world

Jessica Festa — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Arts and Culture, History, Learning, Food and Drink, Asia, Europe, North America, Japan, Austria, Belgium, Germany, Hungary, United States, Budget Travel

While many people visit museums in order to learn about culture, art, or history, how many out there can say they've gone to a museum to see an exhibit on SPAM? Or to learn the processing history of salami? While somewhat out of the norm, these 10 interesting food museums from around the world will give you insight and fun facts into some of your favorite cuisine.

Burlingame Museum of PEZ Memorabilia
Location: Burlingame, California

From vintage Pez dispensers to new Pez-related items, come to Burlingame Museum of PEZ Memorabilia to learn the history of Pez as well as buy Pez products. The highlight of the museum is seeing the world's largest Pez dispenser, which is in the form of a 7 ft' 10'' tall snowman and can hold 6,480 Pez candies. And if you get sick of looking at Pez dispensers all day, the museum also has a Classic Toy Museum and a Banned Toy Museum on site.

Located at 214 California Dr. Museum hours are Tuesday-Saturday, 10AM-6PM.

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10 interesting food museums from around the world originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 13 Oct 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Exhibit at Austrian Cultural Forum in New York gives a new perspective on beauty

Jessica Festa — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 16:30:00 EST

Filed under: Arts and Culture, History, Learning, Festivals and Events, Stories, Europe, North America, Austria, United States, Budget Travel, News, Women's Travel

The Austrian Cultural Forum in New York is currently hosting Beauty Contest, an exhibit featuring 20 international artists focusing their work on their interpretation of beauty. Some of the artists call upon their own experiences being a gay/lesbian, transgendered, or exhibitionist living in eastern Europe, while others comment on beauty's evolution in terms of society. Visitors can expect these visions to be presented through an array of mediums, including sculpture, video, photography, and painting.

The majority of the artists working on this exhibit live and work in Vienna, Austria, however, there are still some artists who grew up in Austria and moved to New York, and others who have been raised in various American cities. Artists you may recognize include Cindy Sherman, Matthias Herrmann, Kalup Linzy, and Evangelia Kranioti.

The exhibit runs until January 3, 2012, and on certain dates there will be special events held as part of the Beauty Contest program:

October 19- A panel discussion will be held at 6:30PM, moderated by Gia Kourlas, the dance editor at Time Out New York as well as a dance critic for the New York Times. Other members of the panel will include French historian, dancer, and choreographer François Chaignaud, American author of The Man in the Grey Flannel Skirt Jon-Jon Goulian, Austrian dancer and choreographer Silke Grabinger, and the curatorial advisor for the exhibition Beauty Contest, Salette Gressett. The discussion will focus on "how emancipatory artistic reflection and practice has fought to reveal the hidden structures of repression toward gender, race, and age and to shake off antiquated visual preconceptions".
November 10- A performance by Austrian artist Maria Petschnig will take place at 7:30PM. It will consist of video clips and live action that suggests fantasies, transitioning from the sensual to the grotesque. The performance will question the difference between public and private as well as one's actual self verses the staged self.
Every Wednesday- Private tours are led at 5PM by co-curator Andreas Stadler.

The gallery is located at 11 East 52nd St. New York, NY 10022 (between Madison and 5th Ave) and the exhibit is open daily from 10am - 6pm.

Exhibit at Austrian Cultural Forum in New York gives a new perspective on beauty originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 11 Oct 2011 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Austrian pop-up store opens in Nolita, New York, in October

Jessica Festa — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Activism, Arts and Culture, History, Learning, Festivals and Events, Food and Drink, Europe, North America, Austria, United States, Budget Travel, Consumer Activism

Austria comes to Nolita, New York, this Fall from October 5-19, 2011, with the Taste of Austria pop-store store. For two weeks, the Openhouse Gallery will be transformed into an authentic Viennese coffeehouse, complete with marble tables, traditional Sacher wallpaper, and Sacher cups, under the name The Sacher Cafe. Along with delicious Austrian food fare, such as the Sacher Torte, a thick, chocolate cake separated by layers of jam and topped with whipped cream, there will also be cultural happenings. Enjoy a free film screening, sample some of the best wines from Austria, listen to a concert by Austrian composers, or sit in on some Austrian storytelling.

Aside from learning about Austrian culture through food, music, art, and film, patrons can also enjoy the fact that they are doing a good deed, as part of the proceeds from the event go towards helping City Harvest, a charity that works to feed the hungry in New York.

While almost all of the events for a Taste of Austria are free, you will still need to get a ticket. Click here to see the schedule of events and reserve your spot.

The Openhouse Gallery is located at 201 Mulberry St, between Kenmare St. and Spring St. Take the 4, 6, or 6X to Spring St., the J to Bowery St., or the N or R to Prince St.

Hours for the event are 12PM-9PM, Sunday-Thursday, and 12PM-10PM, Friday-Saturday.

Austrian pop-up store opens in Nolita, New York, in October originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 30 Sep 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video of the Day - Through the Alps

Stephen Greenwood — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Arts and Culture, Europe, Austria, France, Italy, Switzerland, Photo of the Day, Video

The Alps. Stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Germany and France in the west, it is one of the greatest mountain ranges in Europe and arguably the greatest range to navigate by car (or motorcycle) in the world.

Today's Video of the Day captures one man's motorcycle trip through Austria, Italy, Switzerland, & France along routes such as the Stelvio, the Silvretta, and the Grossglockner; all of which are extremely impressive feats of construction & maintenance. While there isn't any description or storytelling, it's a great way to experience the sights and sounds of the Alps.

Have you captured an amazing road adventure? We want to see it too! Share your videos with us in the comments below, or upload photos to our Flickr pool and it could be the next Photo/Video of the Day.

Video of the Day - Through the Alps originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 13 Sep 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Explore secret underground tunnels beneath Germany and Austria

Melanie Renzulli — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 10:30:00 EST

Filed under: Europe, Austria, Germany

A vast network of caves, tunnels, and chambers lie beneath the surface in parts of southern Germany and northern Austria, but not even archeologists know why they exist. Called "erdstalls" or, more colorfully, "goblin holes" (Schrazellöcher), these mysterious labyrinths, estimated to be about 1,000 years old, connect churches, castles, cemeteries, and other landmarks of the Central European landscape. Were they medieval escape routes from castles? Wine cellars? Elfin hollows? Theories on the erdstalls' utility range from the practical to the fantastical.

Not surprisingly, the entry points to many of these tunnels can also be accessed from the basements of old farmhouses and inns. One such inn is the Gasthöf Wösner in Münzkirchen, Austria, where innkeeper Vinzenz Wösner offers "guided crawls" of the tunnel network below his property. Wösner's erdstall, which extends for about 25 meters (82 feet) and ranges in height from 3 meters to just 0.7 meters (9 feet to just over 2 feet), is one of approximately 500 erdstalls that have been found in Austria. The German state of Bavaria, which has around 700 erdstalls, "is literally perforated with these underground mazes."

Have you ever had the chance to crawl through an erdstall? Do you know of any inns, churches, or other sites that allow you to access these odd underground networks? Let us know!

Explore secret underground tunnels beneath Germany and Austria originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 04 Aug 2011 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Auction of Hitler family portraits raises questions about Nazi memorabilia

Sean McLachlan — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: History, Learning, Europe, North America, Austria, Germany, United States

Family portraits of Hitler's parents are going up for auction.

Craig Gottlieb Militaria, a leading auction house in California, will be auctioning off paintings of Alois and Klara Hitler via Gottlieb's website from September 1 to 17. Gottlieb is also selling Hitler's desk set. The shop is open to prospective buyers by appointment.

The subject of Hitler and Nazi memorabilia comes up regularly here on Gadling. An article about a Hitler tour around Germany started a flame war, and my discussion about the other meanings of the swastika got some interesting and somewhat more level-headed responses. More than sixty years after the fall of the Third Reich, these symbols still elicit strong reactions.

This raises all sorts of questions about how we portray the past, and what should and shouldn't be included. In Germany and Austria, for example, it's illegal to display the swastika expect in specific historical contexts. My article on swastikas probably couldn't get published in a German magazine because it skirts the edge of the law. Other countries display these items freely. At the Imperial War Museum in London you can see a variety of Nazi items. An Orthodox Jewish friend commented that such a context is OK. It makes her wince to see it, but it's part of history and needs to be discussed.

On the spectrum of what's acceptable and what's not, museum displays are on pretty safe ground, although it took many years before a Hitler exhibition was allowed in Germany. But what about selling Nazi memorabilia? Gottlieb's store is full of SS items. He's even written a book on SS Totenkopf ("Death's Head") rings and currently has 44 such rings up for auction. Some countries ban selling Nazi memorabilia, as does eBay, yet an article in Forbes estimates the sale of these items to be in the hundreds of millions.

Gallery: Nazi collectables

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70s Pothead Aesthetics, Meet Austrian Art

Pam Mandel — Sun, 31 Jul 2011 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Europe, Austria

"I am going to take you to see the ugliest church you have ever seen," said Barbara. We'd been having a long lunch in her garden in the Graz suburb of Hitzendorf. The church was just a few kilometers away in the village of Thal, a place that has the dubious distinction of being Arnold Schwarzenegger's home town. There were four of us, Barbara, her daughter Anna, my husband Julius, and me. We got into Anna's car and about 20 minutes later, we parked next to a green temporary structure that had the words "Arnold Schwarzenegger Exhibit" stenciled on the windows in matching grass green.

A paved pathway led to the entrance to the chapel. Five bridesmaids in wine colored dresses stood in the doorway looking sticky and annoyed with the heat. A wedding party was ending; there were glasses of beer on a picnic table and kids running in circles. There was an odd vibe to the event; the Austrians stood at high tables set up on the church patio while the others - Czech, we surmised, after a survey of license plates - sat on benches under a sprawling chestnut tree. The bride and groom were nowhere to be seen, but a 1970 GTO with a spray of white roses on the hood awaited their getaway. Already, it was kind of a weird scene.

We slid past the bridesmaids who continued to glare towards the patio. The little side chapel was quite traditional; wooden pews and a somewhat austere altar, a crucifixion on the back wall. But the main church, well, it was as though Liberace had found Catholicism and liked it. It was like being inside an oyster, all irregular and curved and lavender and blue and pearly. Mirrors studded with Swarovski crystal reflected sunlight in to the body of church. The pews were sculpted plastic, the floor set with river rock. Overhead, stripes, lots and lots of stripes, and the altar? A series of thick glass panels. Vegas. I thought. Any minute, Sigfried and Roy will make a tiger appear from this altar.

Barbara was right, the place was a freaking eyesore.

Continue reading 70s Pothead Aesthetics, Meet Austrian Art

70s Pothead Aesthetics, Meet Austrian Art originally appeared on Gadling on Sun, 31 Jul 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Arnold Schwarzenegger museum opens in Austria

Sean McLachlan — Sun, 31 Jul 2011 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Arts and Culture, Europe, Austria

Arnold Schwarzenegger's childhood home has opened as a museum in Thal, Austria.

Arnie grew up in modest circumstances--his home didn't have running water or electricity. Despite these limitations, he started pumping up at an early age and his bedroom displays some of his exercise equipment. This dedication eventually led him to becoming Mr. Universe. There are also mementos from his movie career like Conan's sword and a couple of statues from the Terminator movies. Another section documents his time as governor of California.

The Arnold Schwarzenegger Museum has already received a visit from the man himself, who gave it his approval. The BBC website has a short video walk-through of some of the displays.

If you're passing through Austria, Thal is just outside the city of Graz. Please visit the museum and send us some photos!

[Photo courtesy U.S. Navy]

Arnold Schwarzenegger museum opens in Austria originally appeared on Gadling on Sun, 31 Jul 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Israel, Chile, Slovak Republic among countries with highest adventure travel potential

Kraig Becker — Sun, 31 Jul 2011 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Activism, Arts and Culture, Learning, Europe, North America, Oceania, South America, Israel, Jordan, Austria, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Ireland, Latvia, Norway, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, Canada, New Zealand, Chile, News

A new study conducted by George Washington University, Vital Wave Consulting, and the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA) shows that Israel, Chile, and the Slovak Republic led the way in adventure tourism in 2010. The study, which resulted in the third annual Adventure Tourism Development Index, uses a mix of quantitative data and expert surveys to rank nations from around the globe on their approach and commitment to sustainable adventure travel.

The study examines what researchers call the "ten pillars" of adventure tourism. Those pillars include such things as infrastructure, cultural resources, adventure activities, entrepreneurship, and more. When those factors were all examined and ranked accordingly, for each country, a score was calculated that resulted in rankings for both developed and developing nations.

So exactly which countries earned high marks in the latest Adventure Tourism Development Index? The top ten developing countries included the following: Israel, Slovak Republic, Chile, Estonia, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Jordan, Romania and Latvia.Conversely, the top ten developed nations included: Switzerland, Iceland, New Zealand, Canada, Germany, Sweden, Ireland, Norway, Finland and Austria.

The ATTA is quick to point out that these lists are not an indication of how well visited these countries currently are as adventure travel destinations, although some are already popular amongst travelers. Instead, it is a general rating on the climate that exists in these places that make it possible to support sustainable tourism now and into the future.

Judging from the list, it appears that Europe is well ahead of the game in terms of promoting sustainable travel. Both lists are dominated by countries from that continent, which could come as a surprise to many travelers.

To read the entire report click here.

Israel, Chile, Slovak Republic among countries with highest adventure travel potential originally appeared on Gadling on Sun, 31 Jul 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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European Travel Commission launches Facebook contest

Chris Owen — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 08:30:00 EST

Filed under: Business, Festivals and Events, Europe, North America, Austria, Croatia, Poland, United States, Internet Tools

The European Travel Commission (ETC) today announced the launch of their new social media Facebook contest entitled I Wish I Were There. Hosted on the ETC's official Facebook page, the contest will encourage fans to photoshop images of themselves in their dream European destination and then post the new photos to the ETC Facebook page to be automatically entered to win a Grand Prize trip for two to Europe.

Choosing to vacation in Austria, Croatia or Poland, the Grand Prize winning photo will be picked from the top five photos that got the greatest number of "Likes" obtained by Visit Europe Facebook fans. The national tourism organizations of Austria, Croatia or Poland are sponsoring the prize which includes hotel stays, ground transportation and cultural activities for the winner and one guest.

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European Travel Commission launches Facebook contest originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 20 Jun 2011 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pillow Fight World Cup kicks off in Brooklyn

Meg Nesterov — Tue, 17 May 2011 13:30:00 EST

Filed under: Festivals and Events, North America, Japan, Austria, Sweden, United States

Eurovision chose a winner this weekend and the Olympics aren't for another year, so what sporting event will next unite countries and provide entertainment for the world? Tonight is the first-ever Pillow Fight World Cup and participants from Sweden, Japan, Austria, and, of course, the United States are expected to compete. Did we mention the pillow fight entrants are all female? Rest assured, this will be no fluff match. Austria is sending their entire league (yup, they have one) and the Americans have been training with the creator of Punk Rock Pillow Fight.

Get acquainted with the firm but supportive (like a good pillow) contenders on the official PFWC website and go cheer on Team USA tonight. Events kick off at 7pm at Brooklyn's Polish National Home. Tickets are $20 at the door but a select number are available free if you RSVP fast.

Pillow Fight World Cup kicks off in Brooklyn originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 17 May 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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