TGIF! Really. Thank goodness. Another summer week has passed us by and there are, as usually, tons of great travel reads to keep you occupied through the weekend. Here's the latest:
Did you know there is a Whale Shark Festival in Mexico next week from July 15-19? ...Click on a label to read posts from that part of the world.
United Kingdom
Gadlinks for Friday 7.10.09
TGIF! Really. Thank goodness. Another summer week has passed us by and there are, as usually, tons of great travel reads to keep you occupied through the weekend. Here's the latest:
Did you know there is a Whale Shark Festival in Mexico next week from July 15-19? ...Photo of the Day (7.10.09)
Our resident pilot Kent Wien took this awesome photo (click to enlarge) during a thunderstorm in London from the Kensington area of the city. We don't think Kent was flying a plane when he captured this lightning bolt (um, were you, Kent?), but even if he was, we think it ...Man hit by falling ice from plane
There have got to be better ways to get in the news.
David Gammon was relaxing in his garden near Bristol International Airport in England earlier this week when a plane flew overhead. The 76 year-old pensioner heard a whistling sound and got smacked in the thigh by a piece ...Help Wanted: one witch, pays £50,000
In these hard economic times it's nice to know there are still good jobs out there. Wookey Hole, Somerset, England, is advertising for a witch.
Wookey Hole, famous for its beautiful limestone caves, is home to a family theme park. The company that manages the park wants to ...Gadling Exclusive: Blickling Hall to open 17th century cabinet!
The dates have finally been announced! I know there are at least a few people out there who have been dying to know when Blickling Hall would open the doors to its famous 17th century cabinet. The designs on the inside, I'm told, are a sight to be hold, yet so rare that even ...Marylebone: decent digs in Westminster
There are plenty of luxury hotel alternative in London, and they're more than happy to let you spend as much as you'd like. Finding a hotel that's a bit more affordable but still in an interesting part of town, though, can be a challenge. When I set foot in the Marylebone ...And the happiest place on Earth is ...
... not Disney World!
Despite the theme park's claim, Costa Rica actually takes the top spot, according to the New Economics Foundation. This Britain-based independent research firm uses the "Happy Planet Index" to determine and rank the countries with the happiest people. ...List of World Heritage Sites grows by 13
The United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Committee just wrapped up its 33rd annual conference in Seville, Spain, where they added 13 new sites to their list of amazing locations around the globe, and made the unusual move of ...A big small-town hotdog in East Anglia
Let's face it: Bury St. Edmunds doesn't have a lot going on. The Abbey Gardens are the main attraction – particularly the internet-enabled bench. So, it's pretty easy to see why entertainment alternatives are generally limited. There are some fine restaurants in this ...Cambridge, England honors fallen American soldiers
Arlington National Cemetery has no parallel, yet for some families, it's not enough. If yours is not resting in Arlington, then the national treasure takes a back seat to the bit of earth that matters more to you. As many people as Arlington serves, there are large U.S. ...Going to the UK? Check your change
If you're planning a holiday in the United Kingdom this year, check your coins. The Royal Mint at Llantrisant in Wales churned out tens of thousands of 20 pence coins with no date on them, the BBC reported. The mix up happened because on the new design for the 20p coin the ...UNESCO adds sites to World Heritage list, and drops one too
The UNESCO World Heritage List has just gotten a lot longer. Officials meeting for the 33rd session of the World Heritage Committee have added more than two dozen sites of great cultural, historical, or natural value to the list, and they're considering more.
Among the new ...Blogger Kendra Bailey Morris
Where was your photo taken? At the 17th Street Farmer's Market in my hometown of Richmond, Virginia. I'm a produce stand junkie. As soon as market season begins, you can find me sifting through piles of fresh veggies, meats and other locally made delicacies nearly every ...Blickling Hall: a living British comedy
There are two ways to experience Blickling Hall in Norfolk, England: straightforward or quirky. The former is intended, with a veritable army of committed volunteers on hand to explain every detail of the Jacobean house. Soak in the tapestry, portraits and antique furniture. ...Travel quotations and underground philosophy
Travelers on the London Underground will soon get a dose of philosophy along with their overcrowding, noise, and proximity to body odor. The Evening Standard has reported that drivers on the Piccadilly line have been issued a book of quotations from famous philosophers to ...Layover: London Heathrow
Of all the airports in the world, Heathrow is probably my favorite to be stranded. The airport itself is nothing special, but thanks to some very efficient public transport, you can be in the heart of London in about 30 minutes if you find yourself on a layover. Shorter (2 ...18 unique travel experiences for the well traveled
So you think you've been everywhere and done everything? Is their something missing when you travel these days? Is the sense of adventure gone? Never fear, because the Times Online has compiled an interesting list of 18 unique travel experiences that are designed to give us ...Through the Gadling Lens: taking photographs at night
Recently, I received a note from a friend of mine who'd just returned from a vacation: I just returned from a vacation in which much of our activity was at night. I didn't carry a tripod, and I was dissatisfied with using either the auto setting on the camera (the flash ...Dine on the Queen's efforts at Tichwell Manor
The menu at Tichwell Manor has what you'd expect: sea bass, pork loin and sole, among other staples. They are prepared prudently and presented with an aim to impress. The trained eye, however, will find a gem that's not exactly hidden: organic red poll sirloin. The first ...Expats hit hard by economic downturn
It's a popular dream--move to a sunny, beautiful part of the world where life is cheap and say goodbye to the home country forever. But the BBC has found that the dream of many expats has soured because of the economic downturn. The article focuses on the tens of thousands ...
