Dec 30th, 2011 at 4:00PM:
Procrastinated on sending Christmas cards this year? It's not too late to send a holiday greeting to say "Happy New Year" (or Mutlu Yillar in Turkish) with a travel theme. Turkish Airlines has a fun website for generating a virtual holiday greeting with a view of the wing. On Above the Clouds, you can choose a cloud image like a snowflake, Christmas tree, or angel and add a brief message ...Click on a label to read posts from that part of the world.
Holiday posts
Send a holiday greeting from above the clouds
Dec 30th, 2011 at 4:00PM:
Procrastinated on sending Christmas cards this year? It's not too late to send a holiday greeting to say "Happy New Year" (or Mutlu Yillar in Turkish) with a travel theme. Turkish Airlines has a fun website for generating a virtual holiday greeting with a view of the wing. On Above the Clouds, you can choose a cloud image like a snowflake, Christmas tree, or angel and add a brief message ...Mutlu Yillar (Happy Holidays) from Turkey
Dec 25th, 2011 at 3:00PM:
Christmas Day has arrived, and here in Istanbul, it's just another Sunday but you could be fooled by all the festive decorations. Much of the city is festooned with colorful lights and ornamented trees, but with a Turkish twist. Most of the population is Muslim, while unlike in more conservative countries, many families will roast turkeys, decorate trees, and exchange gifts on New Year's Eve. ...Video of the day: Season's Greetings from New York City
Dec 22nd, 2011 at 6:00PM:
We at Gadling love a good time-lapse video. Whether it's at a busy airport in Moldova or the many personalities on the streets of Laos, there's something about seeing life pass by at fast (or slow) speeds that's entrancing. With Christmas a few days away and Hanukkah in full swing, we especially love feeling festive without the crowds, the cold, and the hassle. Today's Video of the Day is ...
Skype offering free WiFi access in 50 airports this holiday season
Dec 20th, 2011 at 8:30AM: Video conferencing service Skype is giving the gift of free airport WiFi this holiday season, offering travelers in the U.S. the opportunity to place video or voice calls to friends and family while on the go.
Starting tomorrow, December 21st, and running through Tuesday, December 27th, Mac, PC, and iOS (iPhone, iPad, etc.) users will gain access to third-party WiFi hotspots in 50 different ...Go ice skating at your hotel in Miami
Dec 5th, 2011 at 5:30PM:
What's better than ice skating during the holidays? How about ice skating with the knowledge that the sunny beaches of Miami are waiting for you when you're finished?
Travelers escaping the cold for the balmy climes of South Florida can enjoy a little taste of winter with the Intercontinental Miami's Holiday Ice Rink. Through January 15, 2012, the full-size rink will be open at ...Gift Guide for Warm Weather Adventurers
Nov 29th, 2011 at 8:00AM: As December approaches and the holiday season draws near, those warm summer days that we enjoyed just a few months back are already a distant memory. But no matter what the calendar says, I guarantee the adventurer on your shopping list is already plotting his or her next warm weather escape. Considering summer really is just a short plane ride away, here are some suggestions for what to buy them ...Video of the day: a goaty guide to pronouncing foreign cheeses
Nov 12th, 2011 at 4:00PM: The holidays are Cheese Season. At no other time of the year are cheese and specialty food shops as thronged by dairy-seeking customers. They're hungry for a fix or searching for a gift, recipe ingredient, or the makings of a cheese plate. Cheese is love, and one of the easiest, most elegant ways to kick off a cocktail party or conclude (or make) a memorable meal.
With that in mind, the folks ...
Be a part of Christmas history in Weimar, Germany
Oct 22nd, 2011 at 1:00PM: Did you know that the first Christmas tree was erected in Weimar, Germany? Or, that one of the most famous Christmas carols, "O, Du Fröhliche" was composed there, as well? If you're looking to have a traditional Christmas as well as be a part of the holiday's past, then Weimar may be the perfect place for you.
In the early 1800's, on the night before Christmas, a man named Johann Wilhelm ...Photo of the day - Butcher at work
Sep 2nd, 2011 at 5:00PM:
Today kicks off Labor Day weekend, the last long weekend of summer. Maybe you have plans for one last getaway or at least plan to explore your own backyard. However you spend the next three days, we hope it doesn't involve real work, er, labor. This fellow photographed by Flickr user Bernard-SD in Lijiang, China is working diligently on stripping the meat from this sheep carcass. While we may ...Ramazan pide: a Turkish tradition
Aug 14th, 2011 at 12:00PM: We're halfway through the month of Ramadan (called Ramazan in Turkish), an important time for religious Muslims but also a time of many celebrations. Turkey is a largely secular country, thanks to founder Ataturk, who brought the country out of the Ottoman Empire into the modern world 90 years ago, and many Turks do not observe the fasting but do enjoy many of the traditions associated with ...Knocked up abroad: pregnant travel in the first trimester
Mar 16th, 2011 at 11:30AM: For more on pregnant travel, see parts 1 and 2 of Knocked up abroad: pregnancy in a foreign country here and here.
There's no question that having a baby changes you: your body, your lifestyle, even your shoe size. One thing I hoped not to change altogether was traveling, as long as it was reasonably safe and comfortable for me and the baby. From the beginning of my pregnancy in Istanbul, my ...Winter holiday celebrations in Russia
Dec 31st, 2010 at 4:00PM:
In most of the western world, Christmas and Hanukkah have come and gone, but in Russia, presents are being wrapped in anticipation of tonight, New Year's Eve. In the days of the Soviet Union, religious celebrations were frowned upon, so Russians shifted their winter celebrating to December 31 and combining the traditions of gift-exchanging and New Year's revelry into one night. In the Russian ...¡Feliz Navidad! More Christmas traditions from Spain
Dec 25th, 2010 at 10:30AM: Merry Christmas from Madrid! Last year I covered some of the big Spanish Christmas traditions. This year I'd like to talk on a more personal level about how I and my in-laws celebrate. I'm married to a Spaniard. A Castilian to be precise, as regional identity is important here. Living in Madrid we have a very Castilian Christmas. My five-year-old son is pretty much Castilian too, although he's got ...Christmas travel begins -- are you wearing your travel pants?
Dec 24th, 2010 at 8:00AM: If you're one of the millions of Americans traveling this week for this Christmas holiday, you're probably already dreading the journey. Metropolitan streets across the country are jam-packed each evening, filled with worker bees fleeing the concrete jungles and filtering back across country roads to their home bases. Security checkpoints are stuffed to the gills, confusion reigns at the ticket ...Photo of the day (12.23.10)
Dec 23rd, 2010 at 5:00PM:
Just one shopping day left until Christmas, maybe two if you want to push it. Even if you aren't gift shopping, festive holiday decorations and frustrated holiday shoppers are everywhere. Flickr user jrodmanjr snapped this shot at San Francisco's Union Square in the reflection of a tree ornament. It's a beautiful composition and cleverly captures the festive street scene and shoppers ...Ten clear signs you're in the wrong city for Christmas
Dec 23rd, 2010 at 10:30AM: Christmastime is a special time for Christians, and also for non-Christians who don't mind the excuse to decorate, eat, and exchange presents. One of the main chagrins of perpetual travelers is that they often find themselves in the wrong city for Christmas. Being away from family is one thing, but sometimes, December 25 can roll by without feeling like a "real Christmas" at all. I feel weird even ...Four amazing edible Christmas displays at Walt Disney World
Dec 21st, 2010 at 12:00PM: At holiday time, the pastry kitchens in and around Walt Disney World must kick into overdrive, churning out all the holiday desserts served in the restaurants and bakeries at the resort.
But beyond the cookies and cakes, Walt Disney World's ovens are filled with some important construction materials - hundreds and hundreds of house and roof tiles, all made out of gingerbread.
Here's a look ...TSA your holiday ... or, "What Santa Claus looks like under the scanner"
Dec 20th, 2010 at 3:00PM: Ever wonder what Santa Claus is really hiding under that big red suit, or what he "sees" in Mrs. Claus? Thanks to new website TSA Your Holiday, now you can. Mr. & Mrs. Claus, Frosty, Scrooge, and even Ruldolph take to the scanners (no opt-outs here!) for their big reveals.
Says the site:
In a scoop of WikiLeak-ian proportions, Curley & Pynn has secured highly confidential images of ...The 10 easiest ways to improve air travel this holiday season
Dec 16th, 2010 at 3:00PM: It's time for you to drag your screaming kids, annoying spouse and endless amounts of overstuffed bags through the airport, as you find your way over the river and through the woods. Thanksgiving is behind us, and that's the really ugly time to travel, but Christmas is no picnic either. The gate areas and bars will be crowded, and it's going to be awfully hard for you to be happy while darting ...Top five best carry on bags for travel gifts
Dec 9th, 2010 at 11:30AM: If you're looking for a gift for a traveler this year, consider getting them a stylish, utilitarian carry on bag. Carry on bags make great travel gifts, because not only are they useful, but travelers are happy to have more than one -- there's nothing more depressing than having no options.
Carry on bags, in this traveler's opinion, need to have a few basic things:
a slot for easy access ...
