I generally find Spain very laid back and relatively lagging in the world of technology -- it's what I often enjoy about being here.

It's somehow possible to stay away from the high-tech hysteria everywhere else, be it use of technology in your personal life (I don't know anyone here who cares about the iPhone), or in the professional sector (when I went to pick up my resident card in Madrid, my appointment had been noted on 3 different hand-written(!) lists.

So when I read that a group of tourists who were robbed in Barcelona about a year ago are finally going to get justice by testifying via webcam(!) from their respective country, I almost fell off my chair!

According to the Guardian, 24 British, Belgian, German, Danish, Portuguese, American and Australian alleged victims of a Romanian gang who posed as police to rob tourists in Barcelona last year, will see the culprits punished, assuming the case is revolved. Time differences between the countries are being coordinated, webcam identification of the criminals, and stories of the victims, are being heard. Apparently, all this "tech-justice" process was devised to quicken clearing the backlog of nearly 270,000 such pending cases in the country.

Tourists often get robbed when traveling and can never do much about it because they are leaving the country shortly, this webcam justice initiative by Barcelona has taken things to a new level -- I would never have expected such a thing to come out of Spain. Bravo!

The Nihon Sumo Kyokai Tokyo Grand Sumo Tournament kicked off in Japan this past Sunday, beginning two action packed weeks of Sumo excitement. Naturally, Gadling had room in the travel budget to send a couple of bloggers, so we captured some video from the first round of matches.

If you've never seen real Sumo wrestling in action, it's a pretty fantastic spectacle, complete with everything from traditional salt throwing and the closing bow dance to all of the white people in the only concession stand line that serves hot dogs and popcorn.

The concept is simple: the first man to push the other outside of the ring or (sometimes) off of his feet is the winner. But the delicacies of the game, the tradition surrounding the event, the excitement of the crowd, the roaming wrestlers in the hall and the energy surrounding the entire building are amazing.

If you're ever on holiday in Japan and considered looking into tickets, best pony up the fifty bucks for the cheap upper ring seats -- it's totally worth it.

Here's a way to win a trip to Europe for two. Here's one catch. You have to either travel to Europe and shoot a video of the experience--or have been there before and have a video on hand, or there's no hope for you. The European Travel Commission's, "You and Europe" contest is one where travelers submit video footage of their European trip to www.visiteurope.com. There it can be viewed by the public and the judges.

If you're heading to Europe this summer, you have time. The deadline isn't until September 30. After that the judges will decide who wins. According to the Web site, videos can be "funny, poignant, romantic, serious, or silly--capture an aspect of the culture--whatever captures your imagination."

Videos need to be no longer than three minutes. As a bit of advice, based on "an aspect of the culture," I wouldn't make this a Borat-style film where your interactions are the focal point. The Web site is pushing Europe to travelers. As darling and stunning as you are, you're not it.

To give you tips and ideas, there is a how-to video on making a travel video from CompulsiveTraveler that is geared towards the contest. You can also view what others have submitted for a shot of inspiration.

Hint: These are good. Make yours better.

Tomorrow is May Day when spring is to be celebrated by dancing around a pole, wearing a flower wreath, arranging a bouquet, celebrating workers or honoring the Virgin Mary. It depends on where you're from and when you grew up.

When my mother was a girl growing up in Appalachian Kentucky, she dressed in a white dress to dance around a May pole during a school-wide celebration. Early settlers of her town were steeped in the culture of Ireland, Scotland and England, so a May Day spin off in Celtic traditions was a natural fit. Here's a YouTube video from last year's May Day celebration in Cerne Abbas village in Dorset, England where folk dancing and the May Pole are still traditions.

I saw Les Misérables the first time in Singapore when the touring company came through. There were Chinese subtitles of the lyrics projected on screens at the sides of the stage or across the top. I can't remember which. Three of the cast members came to the school where I was teaching to talk with students about their lives as actors and about touring internationally. Afterwards, for a brief while, I had Les Mis fever. The symptoms being: the songs play over and over and over again in your head; you feel deliciously depressed and uplifted at the same time; and you feel like stopping repression somehow--somewhere--some way.

One of the wonderful things about living overseas is being a part of something that has universal appeal, even if it just means sitting in an audience. Here's something that tops the feeling I had when I sat in the 12th row of the orchestra to the left of center stage.

For the 10th anniversary celebration of Les Misérables there was a concert at Royal Albert Hall that included 17 different Jean Valjeans from different countries, each singing a few lines of "Do You Hear the People Sing" and "One Day More" in their native language. I found it on YouTube. Watching it gave me a touch of Les Mis fever.

Welcome to Plane Answers, where our resident airline pilot, Kent Wien, answers your questions about everything from takeoff to touchdown and beyond. Have a question of your own? Ask away!

This question was submitted by Jim,

Hi Kent,

My question concerns how much advance notice pilots get when there are other planes in their immediate air space. In some of my travels, while at cruising altitude, I've seen other planes cross paths just below us. Knowing how many planes fill the sky each day and knowing that your reaction time is minimal, I wonder how pilots and controllers work together to keep all those planes apart. Also, what's the rule on how much distance must there be between planes when on the same route and at intersection points?

I've been thinking about John Muir and people who have such a passion that their whole life is dedicated to its pursuit. John Muir, as I wrote in a previous post, was dedicated to the preservation of nature. To really see the world as John Muir, the founder of the Sierra Club, saw it, hiking the John Muir Trail is one option. The trail winds 211 miles through mountainous scenery that includes three national parks: Yosemite, Kings Canyon and Sequoia.

Typically, people start at Mt. Whitney and head to the Yosemite Valley. The best time for hiking is July through September. The Pacific Crest Trail Association has a terrific guide that explains details about the trail and gives suggestions about planning a hike.

To enjoy the hike from the comfort of your computer screen, here is a video I came across with exquisite shots that vary between landscape, closeups and people. It's perfect for enjoying the earth and reinforcing why it's important to take care of it. Thanks to raceyjones for sharing on YouTube the 20-day hike he took on the John Muir Trail August 2006.

Afraid of heights? Don't watch this video, shot along El Caminito del Rey, a mountain walkway near Malaga, Spain. This narrow, gut-wrenching path is only 3 feet wide, pinned along the side of a gorge, nearly 700 feet above the river below.

Originally built in 1901 to allow local workers to cross between two nearby waterfalls, El Caminito has recently fallen into a sad state of disrepair. Many parts of the walkway have completely collapsed, leaving nothing but a metal beam and a wire between you and 700 feet of nothing. Not surprisingly, there have been a number of deaths along the trail, and the local government has tried to seal it off.

But for some adrenaline junkies, a warning sign, tall fences and the prospect of a fatal slip-up is nothing but a challenge. Check out this video and watch one man laugh in the face of death.

What is it about Spain that inspires thrill-seekers to the utmost feats of poor judgment?

On Anderson Cooper 360° last week, there was a brief video of a elephant painting a picture in Thailand as part of a show geared towards tourists. I wonder if this is a new trick? When I was in Chiang Mai a few years back, we went to Mae Taeng Elephant Park on a tour that included elephant, ox-cart and raft rides. I don't recall the painting demo. I do recall one elephant putting a foot on a tourist who was face down on the ground and thought, "That's brave." The painting looks quite tame in comparison. This video was shot at the Thai Elephant Conservation Center, also near Chiang Mai.

This morning, as I was huddled in a jacket that was way too thin watching my son's soccer game with the wind picking up by the second, I thought, if it was a little warmer it would be a perfect day for kite flying, particularly if it was warm enough to head to a beach. Rob & Shine posted this lovely YouTube video that was shot at Long Beach Peninsula during the Washington State International Kite Festival. This year's festival is the third week in August, so you have time to make it. In the meantime, watch the video. It's a real nerve tamer and I love the song. Enjoy!