Photo of the Day (11.2.10)

by Stephen Greenwood on
How often can you claim that you’ve drifted between two continents in one afternoon? Welcome to the Bosphorus; the liquid body that officially separates Europe & Asia. At a maximum width of 3,420m, it’s the world’s narrowest strait used for international navigation and its shores are home to the 5th most populous city in the world.

This photo, titled “Bosphorus Sunset” comes from Flickr user roxie88. I love the raw quality of this image; the off center and out-of-focus ship, the subtle lens flares. It’s natural, captivating, and preserves what I imagine to be a very special sundown.

If you left your professional camera at home & snapped some quick, unpolished snapshots from incredible places, we want to see them! Upload them to our Flickr group and it could be our next Photo of the Day.

Stockholm hotel starts cellphone check-in and room unlocking trial

by Scott Carmichael on

Swedish lock maker Assa Abloy may not be the first to develop a cellphone based hotel room key system, but with their live trial this month, they are the first to actually get a system in place.

Their technology allows hotel guests to check-in to the hotel, and use a special mobile phone to unlock their room. The system relies on a Samsung mobile phone with a built NFC chip, which uses the same kind of technology found in RFID credit cards.

During the trial, select customers of the Clarion Hotel in Stockholm will be given one of the phones, and after four month test period, the results will be evaluated.

The idea of completely keyless entry is interesting – but I’ve also had very good results with ATM style room key dispensers, especially since they can provide a key in under 30 seconds. As with all mobile phones, I’d hate to arrive at night, only to discover the the app has crashed, or that the battery has died. After the jump, you’ll find a video clip showing the system in action.

[Via: Engadget]

You can help save an ancient Egyptian palace

by Sean McLachlan on


The palace of Egypt’s most enigmatic pharaoh needs your help. Akhenaten ruled from c. 1351-1334 BC and is famous for his devotion to the god Aten, an aspect of the Sun. His worship became more and more exclusive over the years and while he wasn’t a monotheist in the strict sense of the word, he certainly alienated the priests of other temples. He also left the traditional capital and built his own by the Nile at Amarna.

Since 1997 the Amarna Project has been restoring this one-of-a-kind site for posterity. In the spring of 2011 they’re planning a major project to finish work on the Royal Suite, where Akhenaten himself lived. They’ve set up a webpage at JustGiving where you can contribute to the project. Conservation Architect Surésh Dhargalkar and his team will be doing the work, and the donations will go toward their pay and materials. You can read more about their work here.

Once Akhenaten died, the worship of the Aten fell out of favor and his city was abandoned to the sands. Thus Amarna makes a unique slice of time for archaeologists to study and an important place to preserve.

Special thanks to Andie over at the Egyptology blog for bringing this to my attention.

[Photo of Aten temple at Amarna courtesy user Markh via Wikimedia Commons]

Daily Pampering: Skiiers escape package at Capella Telluride

by McLean Robbins on

It may just be the first week in November, but the first flakes have already started to fall in Telluride, one of the country’s best ski towns. Poised at 10,000 feet above sea level, Capella Telluride, the area’s newest and most luxurious resort property, offers guests ski-out access, a full-service spa and award-winning on-site dining. With their new Skier’s Escape Package, skiing (or snowboarding) in style is affordable as well.

For $1,395 (plus 12.4% tax), guests will enjoy four nights for the price of three, plus full breakfast for two each day, a two-day lift ticket for two and a $100 spa credit. If more than one room is needed, the second room price is 50% off.

Just want to book a room? They’re also offering a 30% off promotion for the best available rate, some holiday exclusions apply.

Want more? Get your daily dose of pampering right here.

Aspen’s St. Moritz Lodge rolls back room prices to $69/night

by Laurel Miller on

Snow enthusiasts salivating over last week’s dump in the Colorado Rockies, don’t despair. A fall vacation in Aspen is affordable thanks to the St. Moritz Lodge’s “Roll Back Our Rates to 2006 Levels” promo.

Starting now through November 24th, get a low-season rate of $69/night for a standard Lodge room (double bed, twin, mini-fridge, TV, and private bath). If you’re a returning guest, call 800-817-2069 and receive a 10% discount. Early winter and spring ski season is still a screaming deal if you’re traveling with a friend or two, with standard Lodge rooms going for $99/night. It’s Aspen’s only hostel, and thus the best accomodation bargain in town.

Enjoy an outdoor heated pool and hot tub (summer/winter only), steam room, daily housekeeping, laundry, a well-equipped kitchen, free Wifi, coffee, and deluxe Continental breakfast, and a cozy lounge/TV room/library, and off-street parking.

The St. Mortiz is just 10 minutes walking from the hopping scene in the center of town and the Silver Queen Gondola, spitting distance from a handful of trailheads. Even if you don’t ski, take advantage of the gorgeous running paths and hiking/snowshoeing trails for free.

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Need more incentive? United and Frontier just announced they are increasing their flights into Aspen. In addition to the 14 to 17 flights per day from Denver International Airport (DIA), there are more direct flights from San Francisco, Los Angles and Chicago, and the newly added Houston-to-Aspen route. Delta and American Airlines serve Eagle County Regional Airport, an hour-and-half-away (FYI, this is the closest airport to Vail, 30 miles away). Colorado Mountain Express has shuttle service to/from DIA to Vail, Eagle, and Aspen, as well as Keystone, Breckenridge, Copper Mountain, Beaver Creek, and Snowmass.