2012 Tour De France Begins Today!

by Kraig Becker on

Cycling’s premiere event, the Tour de France, gets underway today with the world’s best riders preparing for another challenging race. This year’s Tour promises to be an exciting one as the teams go head-to-head through 20 grueling stages that culminate on July 22 with their arrival on the Champs Elysees in Paris.

The competition for the famed Maillot Jaune, or Yellow Jersey, which is worn throughout the competition by the race leader, should prove to be an interesting one. Former Tour champ Alberto Contador, widely considered the best cyclist in the world, is out of the race while serving a controversial drug suspension. His chief rival, Andy Schleck, is also out after suffering a fracture to his back in the Criterium du Dauphine at the start of June. This opens the door for any number of riders to claim victory in Paris, including defending champ Cadel Evans and Bradley Wiggins of the U.K. They’ll be pushed by Ryder Hesjedal of Canada, Robert Gesink from the Netherlands and Frank Schleck of Luxembourg.

When the race begins later today it will be on the streets of Liège where the cyclists will ride a short 6.4-kilometer (4-mile) Prologue that will determine the preliminary rankings before heading into the first road stage tomorrow. Stage 1 will be a mostly flat and fast affair covering 198 kilometers (123 miles) between Liège and Seraing. This will give the Tour’s sprinters a chance to stretch their legs before heading into the mountains in the later stages of the race.

The course designers did a fine job of mixing up the challenges this year. The race begins with the traditional flat stages, but eventually gives way to tougher medium and big mountain stages, which is where the race is usually won and lost. Two individual time trials will also go a long way towards determining who will wear the Yellow Jersey in Paris in three weeks time.

You can follow all of the action on the Tour de France website, where daily updates show rankings, stage results and individual highlights. For cycling fans, it is going to be an exciting event.

British Museum Highlights Strange Money From Around The World

by Sean McLachlan on


What’s this? A knife? A razor? Actually, it’s Chinese currency dating back to the 5th-3rd century B.C. It’s one of the many rare and unusual pieces on display in the newly reopened money gallery at the British Museum in London.

The Citi Money Gallery looks at world history through money, starting with the Bronze Age and going right up to the Age of the Credit Card. This has always been one of my favorite galleries in the British Museum because it shows the artifacts as dynamic parts of society, not simply objects to be admired. Trade, credit and the evolution of the state are all covered.

The refurbished gallery includes some current events as well, such as the rise of payments through mobile phones in Haiti. The 2010 earthquake wrecked the banking sector, and Haitians quickly adopted a form of payment through phone calls that is a leader in the world.

As much as we travelers want to break free of our everyday lives, money matters are still an essential part of travel. Whether it’s discovering that nobody takes credit cards in that remote third-world town or that your American ATM card won’t work in Europe on weekends, money seems to crop up again and again.

Sometimes that can be amusing, like when you change 20 dollars into Somaliland Shillings and get so many 500-shilling notes that you can’t stuff them into your pocket. Possibly the weirdest travel experience I had was in the early ’90s when I went into a bank in Iran and saw a big banner in Farsi and English reading “DEATH TO AMERICA.” Right under it was a teller’s counter with a sign saying “American Express Travelers Checks accepted here.” The Islamic Revolution is all well and good, but business is business.

Exotic foreign money also makes for interesting souvenirs and gifts. Check out our gallery for a sample of money and its use around the world.

[Photo courtesy Mike Peel]

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London Sets 21 Guinness World Records In Six Months

by Libby Zay on
Officials from the Guinness World Records have been hard at work in London over the past six months. More than 16,000 new record holders have been named as people from across the city attempt to beat more than 20 records. They’ve done a lot of strange things in order to take over the ranks, including the longest curtsey relay in five minutes, the fastest hula-hooping marathon, the longest line of fanfare trumpeters and more. Today, over 100 soldiers completed the 21st and final challenge: the record for “most people dipping egg soldiers simultaneously.”

A traditional British breakfast, egg soldiers are soft-boiled eggs eaten by dipping buttered strips of toast into the runny yolk. The soldiers pictured above lined up and ate their egg soldiers on command in a carefully orchestrated event. The attempt to beat such a large number of records was launched by London & Partners, the promotional organization for the city, in order to celebrate London’s people, attractions, universities, businesses, sports and transport. A full list of records that have been broken over the past six months in London is available after the jump.

1. Longest marathon hugging welcoming the world to London
2. Longest curtsey relay in five minutes
3. Most entrants in an egg hunt competition
4. Largest reading lesson (multiple venues)
5. Most expensive chocolate egg sold at auction (non-jeweled)
6. Largest archaeological archive – Museum of London
7. Tallest costume to complete a marathon
8. Fastest marathon hula-hooping
9. Fastest marathon on stilts (7-9 were just three of the 29 Guinness World Records set at the 2012 Virgin London Marathon)
10. First recorded Mr. Punch puppet show – to commemorate 350 years since Mr. Punch first appeared at London’s Covent Garden
11. Most Portrayed human literary Character In Film & TV – Sherlock Holmes
12. Longest line of fanfare trumpeters
13. Oldest continually working film studio – Ealing Studios
14. Most people throwing mortar boards simultaneously – celebrating international students in London
15. Longest club DJ session relay – 100 DJs at Ministry of Sound for London based Charity OneLife
16. Largest parade of boats – as part of the Thames Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Pageant
17. Largest treasure hunt game celebrating The Mayor’s Team London Ambassadors
18. First underground railway system – to TFL and London Underground
19. Largest composite photograph exhibition by artist Clare Newton
20. Oldest bicycle shop – established in 1860 in Sutton, London
21. Most people dipping egg soldiers simultaneously

Inside The S. Pellegrino Cooking Cup In Venice, Italy

by Elyse Pasquale on

VENICE, Italy – Ink-black clouds gather over the iconic Floating City, poised to roll across the lagoon. From our aquatic position, somewhere between the Lido and Giudecca islands, we can see the approaching wall of water.

“Everyone, below decks. Get below decks…Now!”

I’m aboard the Timoteo, a traditional Venetian burchio, a medieval wooden barge owned by fashion executive Vittorio Missoni. With me is a jury comprised of ten of the world’s leading chefs. We’re in the middle of the S. Pellegrino Cooking Cup, a combination sailing and culinary competition, and we’ve just been hit by a storm.

On Saturday, June 24, 2012, the 12th edition of the S. Pellegrino Cooking Cup took place along an exhilarating 12-mile course from the Lido of Venice to S. Giorgio Island.

As accomplished sailing teams raced their boats toward the finish line, ten young rising culinary stars battled below decks – against time and gravity with limited ingredients – to create a winning dish. Imagine “The Amazing Race” meets “Iron Chef” in a unique gourmet regatta set against the stunning backdrop of Venice, Italy.

The Cooking Cup

Here’s how the scoring works: the S. Pellegrino Cooking Cup Trophy is presented to the boat with the best combined sailing time and culinary performance. The dishes are judged on four criteria: presentation, difficulty of execution, taste and proper pairing with wine and water.

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The Chefs:

Richard Ousby, Quay Restaurant, Australia
Martin Volkaerts, L’Air du Temps Restaurant, Belgium
Cai Chen, The Langham Xintiandi Restaurant, China
David Frenkel, Pronto Restaurant, Israel
Lorenzo Cogo, El Qoc Restaurant, Italy
Jöel Schaeffer, Jöel Schaeffer Restaurant, Luxembourg
Dennis Van Dop, Hofstede Meerzigt Restaurant, Netherlands
Anatoly Kazakov, Bon Restaurant, Russia
Jacob Holmström, Gastrologik Restaurant, Sweden
Jouni Ibrahim, Li Beirut Restaurant, United Arab Emirates

Chefs are limited to the ingredients selected by ALMA International School of Italian Cuisine – presented as a “mystery basket” and revealed just three days before the race. Four ingredients (rice, blue fish, legumes, fresh herbs) are obligatory. Four more items are selected from a list of eight, including eggs, breadcrumbs, celery and wine. Basics like salt, pepper, oil, garlic and onions are deemed “free use.”

Given only three days to strategize, the chefs must take into consideration uncertain weather conditions and a cooking time dependent on wind speed. With a volatile ingredient like rice dominating the dishes, this year’s Cooking Cup was designed to put the chefs’ skills to the test.

Race Day

7:30 a.m. – Venice is quiet; the city is suspended in a peaceful stillness. An early morning sun casts pools of golden light onto the Grand Canal as our water taxi passes beneath the majestic Rialto Bridge.

We’re on our way to the Rialto Market – a collection of covered stalls specializing in local produce and fresh, line-caught lagoon seafood – one of Venice’s go-to destinations for food lovers, with a history dating back to the 11th century.

Here, the chefs – paired with Italian translators/crewmembers – have less than one hour to purchase all competition ingredients before heading directly to the boats.

Once docked, a mad dash ensues. Teams speedily navigate the market’s narrow alleyways and aisles stacked with silvery fish and pyramids of brightly colored fruit.

Sweden’s Jacob Holmström, coached by his crewman, wraps his mouth around the Italian word for tarragon, “draaaagon-cello,” while gesturing at fresh bundles of the spiky herb.

The Australian team, led by chef Richard Ousby, finishes early. I catch them at a corner bar, gathered around a table littered with empty espresso cups, drinking Venetian Spritz – a bright orange, fizzy cocktail made with prosecco and Aperol.

The chefs grab their grocery bags and head to the island of S. Giorgio where they’ll board their boats and proceed to the starting buoy.

12:30 p.m. – The race begins. Today the winds are strong and the sea is rough. The boats hurtle around the length of Lido Island, expertly guided by their crews, tipping dramatically into the turns.

Down in the galleys, the chefs face the challenges of a moving kitchen. According to multiple crews, pots and pans went flying as the boats tacked into the wind at 45-degree angles. Israel’s David Frenkel later described how he managed to slice his fish – with one leg up, braced against a wall.

From start to finish, the entire race takes less than an hour. In the past, the race has taken up to three hours to complete. Across the finish line, the sails are dropped and chefs plate their dishes, to be passed directly to the awaiting jury.

The Jury

The 2012 Cooking Cup jury is a veritable “who’s who” panel of international culinary heavyweights, headed by Italian television personality, Francesa Barberini (Gambero Rosso food channel). Members include 2011 Acqua Panna & S. Pellegrino Young Chef of the Year, Daniel Berlin, and World’s 50 Best Restaurants chart toppers: Massimo Bottura, Sergio Herman, Mauro Colagreco, Luke Dale Roberts and Dmitry Shurhsakov – ranked #5, #21, #24, #74 and #99, respectively. Rounding out the jury are China’s Johnny Gu and Italy’s Davide Scabin and Franco Favaretto.

One by one, the sailboats pull alongside the Timoteo. Members of the jury crowd around a table, digging into each meticulously plated dish with gusto.

“This is [expletive] terrible!” The shout is accompanied by grimaces and followed by the swishing and spitting of wine.

It’s evident that rice is the make-or-break factor in this competition. Where some chefs fall short with gluey risotto, others excel by focusing on fresh seafood and creative flavor combinations.

A black veil suddenly drops over the city. All boats are called into shore; judging is temporarily suspended. Soaking rain slams the Timoteo. We dive below deck, climbing down steep, slippery stairs. The wooden boat lurches from side to side back to S. Giorgio Island, where the remainder of the judging occurs behind closed doors.

The Winner

With a strong finishing time and a dish that wowed the jury, 29-year-old Australian chef, Richard Ousby crushed the competition. Not only did Australia’s boat win the S. Pellegrino Cooking Cup, Ousby was separately awarded as the 2012 Acqua Panna & S. Pellegrino Young Chef of the Year.

The winning dish: charred mackerel with garlic custard, roasted onions and split peas served with a rice-infused tea.

Elyse Pasquale is a food and travel writer on the adventure of a lifetime. The objective: to fly 100,000 miles for 100 of the world’s best local meals in one year. With a philosophy that food is “living history,” Elyse believes the best way to understand and experience a new culture is through the cuisine. With two years of more than 50 food-filled journeys to 25 countries and counting, she takes culinary tourism to a new, mouth-watering extreme. Follow her adventures online at http://foodieinternational.com.

Four Myths about Paris and Parisians

by David Farley on
The founder of Lonely Planet guidebooks espouses a philosophy that through travel, the world can become a more peaceful place. It’s true. I can no longer count the times stereotypes have been completely shattered when I go to a new country. The Polish, for example, don’t need ten people and a ladder to screw in a light bulb. Likewise, the Mexicans aren’t shiftless, sombrero-wearers who use donkeys to get from one bar to the next. Other times, however, a stereotype can confirm a preconceived image we had before going to a country: many Italians really do speak with their hands. And it’s a fact that Germans drink a lot of beer. Similarly, the first time I was in Paris, in the early-’90s, I remember seeing designer-clad women walking down the Champs Elysees holding perfectly groomed toy poodles on a leash. I left France, having only spent 24 hours there with this image remaining in my mind.

Ten years later, I moved to Paris. After scraping for as much information as I could about my adopted new home, I kept coming across similar themes: Parisians are rude, they won’t help you if you’re American and/or speak butchered French, etc. But after a few weeks in Paris it was clear to me: we’ve been misinformed about the City of Light and its inhabitants. Here’s how:

Myth #1: Parisians are rude.
Verdict: False.

The number of friendly people I encountered in the first two weeks of living in Paris far outweighs the number of uncouth. Big cities are chaotic places and no matter where you are you’re going to encounter rudeness. San Francisco and Prague, two cities that I spent a combined seven years in, are far more hostile places than Paris.

If you come to France and don’t make an attempt to speak the language, you’re going to get treated poorly. But if receiving courtesy and respect from your savage hosts hovers on the lower rungs of your priority totem pole, the exchange I witnessed one day between a wealthy, middle-aged American couple and a butcher will not surprise you. The American man asked the butcher if he spoke English – in English! No Parlez-vous Anglais? I enjoyed watching the butcher stare at them for a long five seconds before slowly shaking his head no, almost as if he were shaming them. In response, the American man just screamed his order at the butcher in English. Somehow this worked. He got his sausage. But the damage was done: the butcher probably went home that night and strangled his effigy of Ronald Reagan again. If you went around the United States and asked people in Erdu if they spoke Erdu, how many responses would you get that differ from the exchange above? Answer: unless you hit the jackpot and find an Erdu speaker, exactly zero. Peace through tourism will not come unless tourists stop thinking that they only need to show up in a country and everything else will be handed to them on a silver platter (after, of course, screaming in your native language.)

Myth#2: If you don’t speak perfect French or have a perfect French accent, the Parisians will pretend to not understand you.

Verdict: False.

I took a one-week intensive course before moving to Paris. I don’t speak perfectly. In fact, I can barely order my food in a restaurant. Still, no one feigned ignorance, pretending that I’m actually speaking Swiss German. Take an encounter I had in a department store one day translated into English:

Me: Excuse me, have you stuff for the skin of the face that I wear to clean at the morning and at the night?

Shop Assistant: Face soap?

Me: Yes!

Shop Assistant: Right this way, sir.

Myth #3: The French hate Americans.

Verdict: False

The French seem intrinsically opposed to any foreign policy the Americans initiate. Even September 11 was debated here. A book published in France while I was living there argued that the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington, D.C., were just a hoax by the Bush administration. As silly as it may sound, it was a best seller. After hearing about this I imagined having this kind of encounter in Paris:

French Person: Where do you come from?

Me: America

French Person: Oh, so you are Americain. You probably zink zat zee September 11 really happened, don’t you? DON’T YOU?!

The French and Americans are both extremely proud and nationalistic. We may butt heads occasionally, but that doesn’t mean they don’t like us or will treat you worse just because of the name of the country on your passport. (But if you tell them one more time, “We saved your ass in the war,” things may take a turn for the worse.)

When I first arrived to live in Paris and people would ask where I was from, my response was Prague (since I had just lived there for a few years and am still familiar with the language-besides who in France is really going to test me). But the response I got every time was, “oh…” So I changed my answer to San Francisco and it often led to a warm smile and further conversation (not necessarily about San Francisco).

Myth #4: The French carry baguettes.

Verdict: True

On the cover of my French grammar book, there’s a photo of a woman carrying a bundle of baguettes. Its kitschy appeal made me laugh. Then I went to France and saw people actually walking around with baguettes, as if they were contractually obligated. The French love their bread – and so do I. It’s great. But it’s more than just tasty. It really is a symbol of French pride. During a French presidential campaign while I was in there, far-right candidate Jean Marie Le Pen, laid down a bouquet of flowers in front of a statue of Joan of Arc in Paris. His supporters were behind him holding up baguettes to show their pride and solidarity. This made me wonder: what food item would Americans hold up? Hot Dogs? Apple Pies? Cans of Coca Cola?

Whatever the case, on your next trip to Paris try to let go of any preconceived notions of the locals and you just might learn something new.

Because as my good friend, Andrew Evans, National Geographic’s Digital Nomad, recently said: “A good traveler is one who constantly discovers that he or she is wrong about a given destination.”

[photo via Flickr, courtesy of Antoaneta]