Feb 6th, 2012 at 10:00AM: There's nothing like having a sealed train compartment full of Serbian farmers blowing smoke in your face on your 30th birthday. One of the strangest elements of expatriate life is that you sometimes find yourself celebrating major occasions with people you just met, rather than friends and family.
I had just started a tour as an American Foreign Service Officer in Macedonia right before my ...Click on a label to read posts from that part of the world.
Smoking posts
A Traveler in the Foreign Service: A birthday that went up in smoke in Belgrade
Feb 6th, 2012 at 10:00AM: There's nothing like having a sealed train compartment full of Serbian farmers blowing smoke in your face on your 30th birthday. One of the strangest elements of expatriate life is that you sometimes find yourself celebrating major occasions with people you just met, rather than friends and family.
I had just started a tour as an American Foreign Service Officer in Macedonia right before my ...Photo of the Day: Smoked Turkish cheese
Jan 5th, 2012 at 6:00PM:
It used to be a common expression to say that someone "smoked like a Turk," and I can confirm after living in Istanbul for nearly two years, Turks still love their smoking. Even after the indoor smoking ban of 2009, cigarettes and nargile (water pipes) are very common here. This portrait by Flickr user MichaelAV captures two of the Turks' other loves: çay (see the tiny tea glass on the ...Ritz-Carlton Dubai adds shisha sommelier to staff
Nov 2nd, 2011 at 1:00PM: Interested in smoking some hookah on your trip but nervous about looking like a novice? The Ritz-Carlton Dubai International Finance Center now has an expert on hand to not only show you how to properly smoke flavored tobacco, but also how to pair shisha flavors with food, drinks, and personal preferences.
The Shisha Sommelier position, which is part of the hotel's Shisha Terrace, is held by ...Belfast airport now charging for smoking
May 7th, 2011 at 9:00AM: Belfast International Airport has introduced a new charge. After deciding to charge people £1 ($1.64) to drop off passengers and £1 for a clear plastic bag to put liquids in, now passengers are going to be charged £1 to use the smoking areas.
Airport officials defend the charges saying it costs them extra to maintain separate smoking areas, which are used only by a minority of ...Photo of the day - Lunch in Serbia
Jan 20th, 2011 at 5:00PM:
One of the best parts of traveling is indulging in a few vices. The "hey, I'm on vacation!" attitude enables you to order dessert, have a glass of wine with lunch, and not worry about the calories you're taking in, especially as you figure you'll burn them off walking around museums or hiking the countryside. This photo by Flickr user eolone in Serbia shows some of the best travel food groups: ...Smoking ban takes effect in Spain today
Jan 2nd, 2011 at 9:00AM: Starting today in Spain, it is illegal to smoke in any enclosed space where the public gathers. This includes bars, cafes, and restaurants. It will also be illegal to smoke in school playgrounds and near hospitals. Smoking will even be banned from TV shows.
Spain joins a host of countries that have recently toughened up anti-smoking laws, including Finland, Egypt, and Syria. Countries with ...Scratch and sniff cannabis cards distributed by Dutch police
Nov 15th, 2010 at 11:30AM: The new government of The Netherlands has been cracking down on marijuana-serving coffee shops lately, and now it's setting its sights on marijuana cultivation.
Police are distributing 30,000 scratch and sniff cards to homes in Rotterdam and The Hague to help people identify the smell of cannabis. That's right, many Dutch people apparently don't know what pot smells like. Just because ...Global Exec Aviation and Blu Cigs partner to keep smokers satisfied
Nov 2nd, 2010 at 12:00PM: Global Exec Aviation would like to thank you for smoking. Sorta.
The charter airline is sympathetic to the feelings of smokers, a rarity in today's world. Spend a few hours on a plane, if you're in the habit of puffing, and the result is a nic fit with an intensity determined by the length of your flight. Cross the Atlantic, and that first opportunity to light up is impossible to describe.
...Top ten reasons Gadling readers would change hotel rooms
Oct 29th, 2010 at 10:00AM:
Though we try to be flexible, sometimes, there's something so wrong with a hotel room that you just can't stay. You may remember our article on A seasoned traveler's top ten hotel peeves, as well as An even more seasoned traveler's top ten hotel peeves. Those things are all irritating, but sometimes, there are issues with a room you couldn't even have anticipated.
We wanted to know what would ...Relief: Four airport perks coming soon
Oct 18th, 2010 at 8:00AM: There's nothing fun about going to the airport, and the regulatory climate isn't likely to change that anytime soon. Security will still be a nightmare, and you won't be able to bring your own water with you (at least not for a while). Fortunately, there are companies out there looking for ways to make your airport experience better.
So, what can you expect to see in your local airport in the ...Weekending: Sofia
Oct 5th, 2010 at 2:30PM:
Since moving to Istanbul, I've gotten the chance to travel to a lot of interesting destinations, from Beirut to Bosnia, that are much easier and cheaper to access from Turkey than America. For my first long (more than a weekend) trip, I went to Bulgaria for a week over US Labor Day and Turkish bayram (end of Ramadan holidays). Over the week, I traveled from the capital city Sofia to medieval ...New York City's Bloomberg proposes outdoor smoking ban
Sep 15th, 2010 at 4:30PM:
Thought you were going to light up a cig on your next trip to Central Park? Think again! Mayor Michael Bloomberg is trying to get a new measure passed that would prohibit smoking – outdoor smoking – in parks, beaches, marinas, boardwalks and pedestrian areas in New York City, according to the local Fox affiliate.
Even the mayor hasn't always been convinced that he could pull this ...
New Wisconsin hotel smoking ban: big fines, no choice
Sep 5th, 2010 at 10:00AM: Wisconsin has just cracked down on smokers from out of state. It's only the second state with a smoking ban that applies to every hotel room in the state. This differs from most smoking bans, like the one in Kansas, in which the properties can allow smoking in a certain percentage of guestrooms. Michigan is the only other state with a hotel smoking ban this severe.
The hotel business in ...Egypt plans smoking ban
Jun 10th, 2010 at 4:30PM: Smokers beware--there will soon be nowhere to run.
It started in Europe and North America, and now it's spreading around the world. Country after country is banning the use of tobacco in public places. Some countries are going even further. Finland plans to ban smoking entirely, while more limited laws are appearing in the most surprising places.
Even the smoker's haven of the Middle East is ...A smoking ban... in Syria!?
Apr 22nd, 2010 at 4:00PM: The War on Tobacco has struck the Middle East.
The government of Syria has implemented a ban on smoking in public places such as cafes, restaurants, and other buildings where the public gathers. It's the latest in a series of measures to reduce tobacco's role in society.
While not as comprehensive as Finland's anti-smoking laws passed earlier this year, they're surprising for an Arab ...Five places to puff in Manhattan: Tips for Smokers
Mar 12th, 2010 at 8:00AM: Yes, I know. Every time I write something for the smokers out there, the comments always fill up with an argument over smoking itself. For now, I'm just going to assume that there are some people out there who happen to smoke and travel. I have this sneaking suspicion that I'm not the only one. So, for those of you who enjoy a puff on the road, here are five places where you can smoke in ...Smoke if you got 'em: Washington DC to OK hotel smoking
Mar 7th, 2010 at 10:00AM: Non-smokers probably won't be too excited by the news, but cigar smokers will rejoice. The Washington DC City Council passed a measure last week that eases smoking restrictions on hotels in our nation's capital. The Special Event Exemption Emergency Act of 2010 carries an amendment that offers a way for hotels to be exempted from the city's smoking ban. If you prefer your hotels sans puffing, ...Drew Estate: A Destination for cigar smokers
Feb 8th, 2010 at 8:00AM:
If you like to light up a stick more than occasionally, it's time for you to consider a "cigar safari." This unique experience, offered by Drew Estate, which manufactures both traditional and infused cigars, is available up to 16 times a year at its factory in Esteli, Nicaragua. Spend four days and three nights soaking in the pool, sipping cocktails in the on-site lounge and sampling the entire ...Like to smoke? Rethink that holiday in Finland
Jan 14th, 2010 at 12:30PM: Finland is attempting to become a smoke-free country. A new law will ban the display of tobacco products in shops by spring and ban smoking in cars if you have a minor in your vehicle.
The Finnish government has made it plain that these are only the first steps to get rid of tobacco "once and for all," according to State Secretary Ilkka Oksala.
Oksala says "we are not afraid" of the tobacco ...World's fastest train delayed, perp gets away
Jan 2nd, 2010 at 12:00PM: The world's fastest train may be able to top 200 miles per hour, but it can be stopped with a barrier not even three inches long. A rider who opted to disregard the rules lit up a cigarette on the train as it ran from Guangzhou to Wuhan in China, causing a delay of two and a half hours. To put the inconvenience in perspective, that's about how long it takes the train to complete its journey of ...
