| Revellers hold up traditional red neckties during the 'Chupinazo,' the official opening of the 2005 San Fermin festival in Pamplona, Spain, Wednesday. (AP Photo/Jasper Juinen Template Id = 1 Template Name = Banner Creative (Flash) --> Source: The Canadian Press
Vietnam Airlines jet overshoots runway near Cambodia's famed Angkor temples
An airport near Cambodia's famed Angkor temples was closed Wednesday after a Vietnam Airlines jet overshot a runway in foul weather and plowed into a nearby field, a manager at the facility said. None of the 98 people aboard the Airbus A320 from Ho Chi Minh City was injured in the accident Tuesday evening at Siem Reap International Airport. However, the plane lodged into the ground and the facility must remain closed for about a day until the plane is dragged out of the way, the airport manager said. The plane "ran off the runway after landing under adverse weather conditions," said a statement from Khek Norinda, manager of Cambodia Airport Management Services Ltd., which operates the airport. "The entire aircraft is stuck into the ground and experts are on the field to remove the A320 by lifting it up and dragging it back on the runway." Ten flights _ eight of them international _ were canceled late Tuesday and the airport was closed until further notice, Khek Norinda added. Mao Has Vannal, the head of Cambodia's civil aviation authority, said authorities were launching an investigation into why the aircraft failed to stop and ended up 50 meters (164 feet) from the runway. "We cannot say yet if there was any malfunction of the system (in the aircraft)," he said. "We will do everything to remove this aircraft, because the longer it is blocking flight traffic the more tourism income we will lose," he said. Siem Reap is home to ancient Angkor temples, which server as Cambodia's main tourist attraction and earn hundreds of millions of dollars every year for the impoverished Southeast Asian nation. Mao Has Vannal said the Siem Reap airport receives direct flight from 14 foreign airline companies in Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, China and South Korea. In 1997, a Vietnam Airlines Tupolev TU-134B crashed while trying to land during a rainstorm at Phnom Penh International Airport after a flight from Vietnam. One passenger _ a toddler _ survived while 65 others were killed. Siem Reap is about 225 kilometers (140 miles) north of the Cambodian capital, Phnom Penh. Source: PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) - chinapost.com.tw
Magic Kingdom To Introduce Preschool Guide To Park
Orlando, FL (AHN) - Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom Park will now offer visitors a preschool guide to compliment the 107-acre park's primary map. It will highlight attractions appropriate for children under the age of six. The guide advises parents when to eat, stating, "earlier meals make it a lot easier on you and your kids. Take advantage of less traditional meal times." The family-friendly maps may only be around for the summer, as they are part of an experiment that began in late May. During that time, research teams will gather data and interview guests to determine whether to keep the maps permanently. The guides are currently distributed in six places: the stroller-rental area, City Hall, the guest-relations window, the baby-care center, the Tip Board, and the vacation-planning office. The map also points out emergency stations and clearly illustrates personnel uniforms in case of emergencies and so children can distinguish between workers and strangers. Source: Hector Duarte Jr. - All Headline News
Virgin Atlantic makes strong entry into the Caribbean area
Not all is grim in the airline industry, as Britain’s Virgin Atlantic Airways is demonstrating as it takes off on a high roll of expansion. Virgin Atlantic has just launched direct services between London and Havana and direct services between London and Nassau as part of the airline’s expansion in the Caribbean. The services will operate twice weekly between London Gatwick and Havana from July 7 and weekly between London Gatwick and Nassau from July 4, using a Boeing 747-400 aircraft. Virgin Holidays, a sister company to Virgin Atlantic, has become the UK’s largest scheduled tour operator to the Caribbean. It recently launched its most extensive range of Caribbean holidays in a dedicated 2006 brochure with a wide range of holidays to both Cuba and The Bahamas. As a result of the expansion, Virgin Atlantic has announced that it plans to recruit 1,500 staff over the next eighteen months as part of the airline’s plans. The new positions are mainly operational staff with as many as 1,100 cabin crew positions, 150 flight deck and 150 based at Heathrow and Gatwick airports, including many new engineering positions. Around 100 staff will be required at Virgin Atlantic’s headquarters and in office-based positions. Around 1,000 of these will be new positions and the remainder are a result of the natural turnover of staff. Virgin Atlantic currently employs approximately 8500 staff worldwide. As well as the new routes to Cuba and The Bahamas, the airline’s expansion for the next 18 months includes increased services to Shanghai, Las Vegas, Orlando and Port Harcourt this summer and new routes to Dubai and Jamaica due to be launched in 2006. In addition to the increase in the airline’s network, Virgin Atlantic’s fleet is also due to expand with seven A340-600 aircraft entering service by the end of 2006, taking the airline’s total number of aircraft to 39. Virgin Atlantic also released traffic figures which showed it has seen a 26% increase in business class travellers in its last financial year. The increase is attributed to three factors; a 5% increase in available seats, following the delivery of new aircraft and the launch of new services to destinations like Sydney, Delhi and Las Vegas; a partial recovery in the business travel market; and market share shift to Virgin Atlantic from rival airlines following the launch and roll out of the award-winning Upper Class Suite. During the 12 months ending February 2005 the airline carried 352,095 Upper Class passengers, up from 279,714 in the previous 12 months. This gives Virgin Atlantic an Upper Class load factor of 56%, the highest enjoyed by the airline since 2000. The Upper Class Suite was launched in November 2003 and is now available on all Virgin Atlantic’s Boeing 747-400 aircraft and Airbus 340-600 aircraft. It is now being fitted onto the airline’s A340-300 aircraft. The Upper Class Suite is now available on all flights to New York, San Francisco, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Sydney, Las Vegas, Orlando and the Caribbean (including the new services to Havana and Nassau). Source: The Bulletin International
Travel briefs: Venus flytrap trail
Sandy beaches, historic architecture and year-round fishing, golfing and boating are a few of the best-known attractions in the Wilmington-Cape Fear area of the North Carolina coast.
But some visitors will be fascinated by what may be the region's most unusual offering: a Venus flytrap trail. The plant, which is native to the area, catches and eats live insects. But it stands less than 8 inches high -- contrary to its portrayal in Hollywood as a giant man-eater. Summer is prime viewing time for the flytrap. Just remember, you can look, but don't touch -- the plants are surprisingly fragile and it's illegal to poach them.
In Wilmington, Venus flytraps and related carnivorous plants can be found at the Herbert Bluethenthal Memorial Wildflower Preserve on the University of North Carolina campus at 601 College Road in Wilmington; in the carnivorous plant gardens on the Waterwise Trail at Airlie Gardens, 300 Airlie Road; in the Bog Garden, at the arboretum at New Hanover County Cooperative Extension, 6206 Oleander Drive; and on the nature trail behind the Alderman Elementary School at Independence Boulevard and Canterbury Road.
Nearby, you'll find the plants on the Flytrap Trail at Carolina Beach State Park, 1010 State Park Road; in the Cape Fear Conservatory at the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher, 900 Loggerhead Road, Kure Beach; on the Sand Ridge Nature Trail at Lake Waccamaw State Park, 40 miles west of Wilmington; in the Green Swamp Preserve near the town of Supply, about a half-hour from Wilmington;
Finally, you can buy one to take home at Flytrap Farms, also in the town of Supply at 1930 Civietown Road SW.
For more information about the area, visit www.gocapefearcoast.com.
TripAdvisor.com
NEEDHAM, Mass. -- Where do you turn for advice when you're booking a hotel sight unseen?
One source for opinions on the good, the bad and the potentially ugly is TripAdvisor.com. Search for a destination or hotel name and you'll find real travelers posting everything from horror stories about bedbugs and thefts, to glowing recommendations about wonderful service and breathtaking views.
The Web site started in February 2000. By January of this year, more than a million reviews and opinions had been posted, and by June, the number of posted reviews had doubled, allowing the Web site to celebrate having reached the 2 million mark.
In addition to those who write reviews, some 12 million people a month visit TripAdvisor to read what others are saying, according to comScore Media Metrix, a research firm.
Shelly Fowler of Phoenix travels a lot with her husband and for work, but hotels and restaurants were "always hit or miss" before she started using TripAdvisor a little over a year ago. "It was so nice to go online and know all the pros and cons of a hotel before you got there," said Fowler, who recently won a TripAdvisor contest for posting the best illustrated hotel review. "I don't book a hotel now without checking the reviews."
The Web site contains information on more than 200,000 hotels and attractions worldwide. You can also click through from TripAdvisor.com to book reservations for hotels and flights, or post a query on a TripAdvisor forum. Recent questions ranged from where to see bullfights in Mexico to what to do on a first-time visit to the Maine coast.
California drives
SACRAMENTO -- If you're visiting California this summer, you'll want to get a copy of "The Best of California Drives 2005" to help your trip.
The free, 36-page booklet has maps and suggested routes for itineraries ranging from the 185-mile Redwood Coast drive to the 261-mile Bakersfield Loop, which takes visitors from the agricultural Central Valley to the Kern River Valley and Lake Isabella.
The guide also includes a California Fun Spots card, which offers discounts at various attractions around the state, from Legoland to the Monterey Bay Aquarium to the San Diego Zoo and Universal Studios Hollywood.
You can order the guide online at www.visitcalifornia.com.
Kansas Cosmosphere
HUTCHINSON, Kan. -- A new gallery at the Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center tells the story of early ventures into space from both the American and Russian perspective in side-by-side exhibits.
The 4,000-square-foot Mollett Early Spaceflight Gallery focuses on the race to space between the U.S. and Russia, and includes artifacts from the 1950s and '60s. One section of the half-million-dollar gallery even includes Soviet space flight failures that were hidden for years by the Communists.
Statues of President John F. Kennedy and Soviet Premier Nikita Khruschev, who were key figures in the Cold War, stand in one section of the gallery near a display of the "Iron Curtain." There's also a reproduction of a concrete bunker where NASA scientists watched the first manned launch into space, complete with a periscope that lets visitors see film of the launches as scientists might have seen them in the early 1960s.
Nearby, a door leads to a view of the museum's 100-foot-tall Titan rocket, which launched NASA's Gemini spacecraft.
For details, visit www.cosmo.org/.
Vermont cycling
BARRE, Vt. -- Cyclists can take a ride back through time carved in the hillsides where generations of stoneworkers cut granite from more than 50 quarries, thanks to the Millstone Hill Touring Center.
The newly opened touring center, created by Barre native Pierre Couture, includes about 15 miles of twisting mountain bike and walking trails cut into the dense forests that lie in Websterville, Upper Graniteville and East Barre.
Starting out from the restored 1890s Carnes Barn off Websterville Road, which once housed draft horses that hauled granite, the trails go past old water-filled quarries, the rusting remnants of the granite trade, promontories and panoramic outlooks from the top of grout piles.
Yet few people imagined this hilltop spot as a tourist attraction.
"When I first started buying these old quarry lands, people shook their heads. I said I'm not buying the land, I'm buying the history," Couture told The Times Argus newspaper.
He was also buying his own history. His parents raised him on a 125-acre dairy farm that is now part of his 350 acres, which includes a restored barn that houses his Millstone Hill Lodge, a five-bedroom B&B.
All the trails were cut this spring. Although they are mostly single-track mountain bike paths geared toward technical riders, Couture said eventually he hopes to also create strolling trails for walkers and bird watchers, easier biking trails for kids and less accomplished riders, and this winter snowshoe and backwoods cross-country trails.
The Millstone trails are a few miles from Montpelier, a half-hour's drive from Stowe and about 45 miles from Burlington. Go to www.millstonehill.com/ for details.
Greenbrier resort
WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va. -- The Greenbrier has again received AAA Allied Group's Five Diamond Award.
The White Sulphur Springs resort has won the award each year since its inception in 1976. That distinction is shared with only two other properties, the Camelback Inn Marriott Resort and Spa in Scottsdale, Ariz., and The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, Colo.
The rating system represents a combination of the overall quality, the range of facilities, and the level of services offered. The ratings range from one diamond for the budget-minded consumer, to five diamonds for the ultimate in luxury.
More than 55,000 properties in North America are evaluated each year. Eighty-five properties received the Five Diamond Award this year.
Harry Potter
NEW YORK -- Forget pizza, champagne and a tray of midnight snacks.
At midnight on July 15, a couple of hotels will be conjuring up a late-night delivery not normally offered by room service -- a copy of the new Harry Potter book.
At the Charles Hotel in Boston, the "Harry Potter VI" package lets kids choose their room key out of a "Sorting Hat." After an outdoor showing of "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" in the courtyard, guests can attend a late-night Potter party at the nearby Harvard Coop store, or head to their rooms to start reading the new "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," which will be delivered to their doors at midnight. The package, which also includes a copy of the "Azkaban" DVD and some Droobles Best Blowing Gum, starts at $299; call (617) 864-1200 for details.
At the Affinia 50 Hotel in New York City, the "Harry Potter Book Party Package" includes a Harry Potter movie marathon in the hotel's Club Room, where chocolate frogs and other goodies will be served beginning at 11:30 p.m. At midnight, a wizard will appear to distribute books. The package starts at $339 and includes a copy of the book and continental breakfast. For details, call (866) 233-4642.
Pacific Surfliner
SAN DIEGO -- Surf's up ... and the train's coming.
The Pacific Surfliner is celebrating five years of service this summer as the second busiest route in the Amtrak system after the Northeast's Boston-to-Washington corridor.
The Surfliner runs up the Southern California coast with numerous daily roundtrips between San Diego and Los Angeles, and between Santa Barbara and San Diego. Stops include San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano and San Luis Obispo.
The trains even have racks for surfboards.
Go to www.amtrak.com for schedules and ticket information.
Villa rentals
NEW YORK -- The word "villa" suggests a certain level of luxury and spaciousness. But you can rent properties that meet the definition for as little as $500 a week, depending on size, location and amenities, with the help of several Web sites.
The July issue of Travel + Leisure magazine is recommending six Web sites to help you find the perfect villa for your next vacation.
Of course, the sites also list five-star properties with weekly rents that exceed the average yearly salary, but affordable listings can be found too.
The Web sites are:
AKchapters.com, which lists properties worldwide (including a few castles) with an emphasis on France and Italy; weekly prices range from $980 to $53,000.
Homesaway.com, specializing in France, Italy and Spain; prices range from $5,500 to $30,000 a week.
Rentvillas.com, with listings throughout Europe, from $500 to $75,000 a week. Helpful guest reviews include categories such as "Enjoyed Most" and "Unpleasant Surprises."
Vacationspot.com, which has worldwide listings but emphasizes U.S. properties including apartments and condos, with prices from $450 to $6,000 a week.
Villasoftheworld.com, with a worldwide inventory ranging from $2,000 to $200,000 a week, including Mick Jagger's beachside bungalow for $13,000 a week on a private Caribbean island in the Grenadines.
Wimco.com, specializing in the Caribbean and Europe, with weekly prices from $1,000 to $52,000.
Mansions
NEW YORK -- Tour a famous mansion and you'll soak up history, culture, antiques, art, architecture, gardens and a compelling story about an interesting life -- all in one destination, in an hour or two.
The July/August issue of Budget Travel has compiled a list of the 10 grandest mansions in the country. They are:
Kykuit, built by oil magnate John D. Rockefeller in 1913 in Sleepy Hollow in New York's Hudson Valley, 25 miles north of Manhattan; (914) 631-9491.
The Breakers, built in 1895 by a grandson of the railroad tycoon Commodore Vanderbilt, in Newport, R.I.; (401) 847-1000.
Shangri La, built in 1938 by tobacco heiress Doris Duke in Honolulu; (866) 385-3849.
The Henry Ford Estate, built in 1915 by the auto baron in Dearborn, Mich.; (313) 593-5590.
Aiken-Rhett House, built in 1817 by John Robinson, a shipping merchant, in Charleston, S.C.; (843) 723-1623.
Winterthur, built in 1839 in Wilmington, Del., and renovated in the 1920s by an heir to the duPont chemical manufacturing fortune to house his enormous collection of art and furniture; (800) 448-3883.
Biltmore Estate, built in 1895 by another Vanderbilt grandson, in Asheville, N.C.; (800) 624-1575.
Monticello, built in 1769 by Thomas Jefferson, near Charlottesville, Va.; (434) 984-9800.
Hearst Castle, built in 1919 by publisher William Randolph Hearst in San Simeon, Calif.; (800) 444-4445.
Oak Alley Plantation, built in 1839 by J.T. Roman, a sugarcane farmer, in Vacherie, La., about an hour from New Orleans; (800) 442-5539.
Trout fishing
NEW YORK -- How do you catch trout in the West?
Let Field & Stream count the ways.
The outdoor magazine's July issue lists 50 rivers, lakes, hatches and other places where anglers can catch anything from an 8-inch brookie to a 30-pound rainbow.
Good places to bring your rod and tackle box include:
In Wyoming, the South Fork Snake River; waterways in the Shoshone National Forest and Beartooth Plateau; and rivers in Yellowstone National Park, including the Gibbon, Madison, Firehole and Lamar.
In Montana, the Kootenai River, the Flathead River, the Beaverhead River,
In Colorado, the Elk River and lakes and creeks near Steamboat Springs.
In Arizona, the Colorado River near Lees Ferry.
In Utah, the Green River.
Other notable destinations for fisherman and would-be fishermen include the Lone Mountain Ranch in Big Sky, Mont., which has a flyfishing school for young anglers; and the A-Bar in Last Chance, Idaho, a hangout for fishermen trying their luck in the Henrys Fork of the Snake River.
For details on these locations and more recommendations for trout fishing destinations, check out the magazine.Source : Associated Press
Chinese Airlines to Transport 28 Million Passengers From July to August
Chinese airlines to transport 28 million passengers from July to AugustA total of 28 million passengers will be transported by Chinese airlines from July 1 to the end of August, up 15 percent compared with the previous year, predicted the General Administration of Civil Aviation of China (CAAC). In the peak summer season, the demand and supply of market will be high, in terms of passenger and cargo. China plans to develop "red tourism" products, so passengers who go to visit the revolutionary sceinc spots will increase in next two months as many students have their summer vocation. Quite a few airports are already full, especially in famous tourism cities. CAAC will spend more efforts in ensuring aviation safety by controling pilots' overwork, strengthening aircraft maintenance methods, quarantine of airports. All airline companies will also arrange charter flights in popular destinations. Source: Xinhua News Agency - CEIS
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