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The first curved coins from the United States Mint are on sale now. The limited edition coins include a $5 gold coin, a $1 silver coin and a half-dollar clad coin. The concave design, the creation of artist Cassie McFarland, features a baseball glove on one side and a ball on the other. It was designed in recognition of the National Baseball Hall of Fame, which celebrates its 75th anniversary this…
Construction work on the world’s first 1km-high building, the Kingdom Tower in Saudi Arabia, is set to begin on April 27. The $1.2 billion project has been plagued by setbacks since it was first proposed in 2011, but above-ground work on the Jeddah super skyscraper will commence next month, Building reports. Stretching at least 1,000m, the slender structure will be more than three times bigger than…
British entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson is looking to move into cruise shipping, he told the German business daily Handelsblatt on Wednesday. “We want to move into the cruise-shipping business with Virgin in the next few years,” Branson said. “We are already in negotiations with shipyards in Italy and Germany on the construction of big ships for Virgin Cruises,” he said, adding that the chances that…
Can “gentle persuasion” be used to cut waste? Psychology researchers at the University of Luxembourg say yes. Researchers at the university worked with two hotels in Swiss and Austrian ski resorts in early 2013 to persuade guests to use fewer towels each day. Three different signs were placed separately in different hotel bathrooms, all of which “gently reminded” guests of towel use in regards to the…
If you are planning a trip to Barcelona be sure to visit the newly restored mansana de la discordia - block of discord - which is a collection of three buildings including the colourful Dutch inspired ridged building Casa Amatller by Puig i Cadafalch, the Casa Lleo Morera which is a family-size version of the Palau de la Música and the Casa Batlló, by Antoni Gaudí which has Gaudi's distinctive wavy design.…
The first Ferrari theme park in Europe will come up in 2016 as part of the existing Port Aventura complex near Spanish seaside resort Salou. The 100 million euro (US$139 million) project will include a Ferrari Land theme park; the first and five-star Ferrari-themed hotel with 250 rooms; restaurants, shops and extensive simulator areas for race cars. The theme park will be targeted at “catering for all…
Oh no mum, not another museum! Thanks to Corinthia Hotel London, teenagers visiting London will never say that again. For children who don’t want to be dragged around the latest gallery, and want to experience off-the-beaten-track London activities, Corinthia Hotel London has developed the concept of the Crafty Concierge! The five-star London hotel has introduced the Crafty Concierge Facebook page aimed at…
Reaffirming their commitment to corporate social responsibility, Shangri-La Hotel, Qaryat Al Beri, Abu Dhabi and Traders Hotel, Qaryat Al Beri, Abu Dhabi implemented a green technology using coffee grounds as natural insecticide and fertiliser for both hotels’ foliage. The food and beverage team, in collaboration with the engineering team, initiated this green effort in making use of the food waste to…
Dubai, UAE; March 16, 2014: The Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture), the Emirate’s dedicated Authority for culture, arts, and heritage, has launched an Instagram competition, ‘Capture Creativity,’ to celebrate the inaugural ‘Dubai Art Season,’ the city’s umbrella arts initiative. Joining the #MyDubai initiative launched by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown…
Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), will increase its Abu Dhabi-Moscow services from seven flights per week to double daily on 1 June 2014, and then to triple daily from 1 October 2014. The UAE flag carrier commenced operations to the Russian capital’s Domodedovo airport (DME) in December 2008, and since then has carried more than 400,000 travellers. In 2013 passenger…
According to a ranking compiled by food blog The Daily Meal, the Ithaa Undersea Restaurant at the luxury Conrad Maldives Rangali Island resort is the most beautiful dining destination on the planet. Guests dine under a vaulted ceiling made of transparent acrylic that offers panoramic 180-degree views of the ocean and marine life. Schools of rainbow-colored, tropical fish and sharks glide overhead as…
Dubai, UAE; March 13, 2014: The fourth edition of SIKKA Art Fair, the contemporary artist-led fair of the Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture), the dedicated Authority for culture, arts, and heritage, has unveiled a culturally enriching programme with over 100 activities to be held over 10 days from March 15 to 25, 2014. Opening on Saturday, March 15, and marking the largest line-up of activities…
YouTube channel BuzzFeedYellow has created a tasty food video that shows you what people in different countries eat for breakfast. Which is your favourite? An ‘American breakfast’ of pancakes, bacon and eggs or the simple rice and miso soup of the Japanese? Does it make you want to travel? Watch the video below and let us know you're craving: )
My knowledge of Morocco is limited to the 27 times I have watched Casablanca (which was actually filmed in Hollywood). So, when I was invited to experience a new restaurant that offered an Arabic Night with a Moroccan twist, images of waiters with fez caps and Sam’s piano came to mind. But Medley was different. Chef Mama was courteous and welcoming. She walked around inviting each guest to try one of her many…
Editors and travel experts at Lonely Planet have curated an interesting list of off-grid cottages, treehouses and ‘earthships’ spanning Costa Rica, South Africa, Tanzania to Russia in a list they call the top 10 eco-stays for 2014. With Earth Hour, World Water Day and Earth Day drawing near, the list serves as a useful guide for travelers looking to green their vacations and support sustainable outfits and…
Summerland Resort Kempinski is set to open in Q4 of 2014 on the beautiful coastline of Lebanon, just outside the city of Beirut. A short drive away from Beirut's Rafic Hariri International Airport, the hotel will feature 153 rooms and suites, two restaurants and various cafes, including a poolside cafe and a Marina Club, and conference facilities.
On the year of the 20th Anniversary of the Samarkand Declaration on Silk Road Tourism, the 4th UNWTO Silk Road Ministers' Meeting convened to discuss visa facilitation as a means to further advance tourism development along the ancient trade route. At the meeting, UNWTO presented its Tourism Visa Openness Report for the Silk Road Countries, mapping out progresses made and challenges yet to be addressed in the…
Japan’s super-speedy bullet train is to offer passengers a chance to soothe their tired feet in a carriage equipped with footbaths. JR East will launch the service in July, with one carriage on the “shinkansen” bullet train having two 2.4-metre-long (8-foot) tubs facing windows. Bathing is a ritualised and highly-prized activity in Japan and the footbaths are intended as places for passengers to…
