Smithsonian in National Latino Musuem controversy

by Sean McLachlan on

The Smithsonian Institution is considering building a National Museum of the American Latino in Washington, DC, but is facing controversy over the idea.

The museum is planned for the National Mall, shown here in this image courtesy Andrew Bossi, and would complete a set of museums that include the National Museum of the American Indian and the National Museum of African American History and Culture. The latter museum is due to open in 2015. While a museum to the contributions of Latinos to American history and culture makes sense, it’s meeting opposition in Congress over funding and the concept itself.

Jim Moran (D-VA) says he doesn’t want each minority group going to their own museum and skipping the others. This reasoning would hold water if the other museums hadn’t been established already, but it seems a bit late in the day to be bringing forth this argument now.

The current financial crisis is a more persuasive argument against a new museum. The National Museum of African American History and Culture sported a $500 million price tag. Half of that was paid for with Federal dollars, something that’s not going to go over well in the current Congress. There’s also talk of a national woman’s museum, but that’s likely to face the same hurdles as the Latino Museum.

Latinos are the largest minority group in the United States and have been here since well before the country was founded. Many modern states, such as Florida, Arizona, even Missouri, were Spanish colonies before they became U.S. states.

Do you think there should be a National Museum of the American Latino? Should it be paid for with tax dollars? Tell us what you think in the comments section!

Travel caution urged but experiences await, what to do?

by Chris Owen on
Troubling events around the world can often bring official alerts and warnings against travel to protect us from harm. Savvy travelers know to pay attention to those words of caution, but not let them define their adventures. Connecting with experienced travelers can bring a fuzzy picture of what is actually happening on the ground into focus. A clear picture of the real situation from a trusted source can give the green light to plans that might otherwise have been put on hold.

Egypt has been in the news a lot lately with graphic images of demonstrators clashing with the Egyptian military in Cairo’s Tahrir Square. This week the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office issued a travel warning to avoid public places in Egypt.

Abercrombie and Kent (A&K) is an experienced travel company that has visited the world’s greatest destinations since 1962. They are well-known in the Middle East, including Egypt. When Egypt’s revolution caused travelers already there to scramble for a way out, A&K was prepared.

“A&K has six offices in Egypt so the company’s on-ground presence and expert destination knowledge really sets them apart from other operators” a spokesperson told Gadling, adding “When the crisis broke out, A&K was able to safely get all clients out of Egypt via charter planes. Other companies had to go through the Embassy’s so A&K was better able to do this task.”

That is just what we would want to have happen and surely a point in favor of aligning travel plans with an experienced source. Better yet, hearing details from sources that make a living on the ground in trouble-prone places can give more detailed, accurate information to fuel our travel decisions.

We asked a number of sources the big question: “Is it safe to travel in Egypt now?” Abercrombie and Kent think it is and provide us with reasons for their qualified opinion.

“The situation has improved dramatically in recent weeks. The U.S. State Department has softened its Travel Warning and both the French and the British have updated their cautions. Airports and financial institutions are functioning normally and popular tourist sites are open – and remarkably free of visitors. Beyond that, Egyptians are relishing their new-found freedom and a sense of optimism is palpable wherever you go; there is a sense of promise and exhilaration in the air that may never come again. Egyptians are finally exercising their right to political organization, demonstrations, and free speech just as people do all over the world. The vast majority of this has been very positive and has not disrupted daily life in any way. Throughout, neither tourists nor tourist facilities have ever been targeted in any way. With a stable political situation, crowd-free sites and a newly energized people, this is the moment to experience Egypt.”


Right about here I should probably admit that Egypt is my “…and then I can die” place to visit some day. I have been studying Egypt since an 8th grade Social Studies teacher required the class to copy intricate diagrams of Egyptian structures as a learning tool. Fascinated with the culture and architecture, it would be really easy for me to throw all caution to the wind and go there regardless of the situation on the ground. Luckily, sources like A&K are not blinded by life-long dreams and have a clear view of what is being done to protect visitors.

“Comprehensive security measures are in place at hotels and tourist sites, including bag screenings, metal detectors, and the visible presence of Tourist Police. Vehicles are not permitted to enter any hotel or tourist site without being thoroughly checked at the gate by security personnel and dogs trained to detect explosives. Each key tourist zone has its own security team comprised of tourist, district and state police. Regular patrols take place in the immediate vicinity of the sites and deep into the desert in the open places. We work with local authorities, tourist police, security officials, and our own team on the ground who are well aware of security and take the utmost precaution in all cases to protect our guests and to ensure that they have a flawless experience here. All these factors that play into our operations decisions-decisions that we take keeping in mind that guest comfort and safety is our top priority.”


In a world where political unrest, rising crime and natural disasters seem almost commonplace, waiting for everything to be happy, safe and secure might take a long time. Aligning ourselves with trusted sources like Abercrombie and Kent can make a huge difference.

Take Gadling TV’s TravelTalk for example. After the recently-posted final episode of the Webby-nominated 12-part series on Thailand, I’m pretty sure our Stephen Greenwood would make a fabulous tour guide. Following his adventures in Thailand, I have him as a trusted source for Thailand information. He may not know the gross national product of Thailand (or maybe he does, I have no clue) but it is apparent that he knows the lay of the land and how to make some truly amazing travel experiences.

There is a lot to be said about experience when it comes to traveling, whether that of an individual or a travel company. If we have been some place a number of times, that previous experience can add a valuable filter to what we see in video and in print when events occur around the globe.

Safety in travel is important.

Caution in troubled places is too.
Equally important is for us to attain our travel goals.

Aligning ourselves with trusted sources can make that happen.

Find out how other travel sources responded to “Is it safe to travel?” as we continue to explore what to do when travel caution is urged but experiences await.

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*Breaking* St. Louis airport damaged and closed by tornado

by Grant Martin on

The historic Lambert Field in St. Louis was damaged by an apparent tornado last night, wreaking havoc on the main terminal and disrupting operations. According to the Huffington Post, “The storm lifted the roof off Concourse C and sent plate glass flying everywhere. Four people were taken to the hospital with minor injuries after glass shattered as the storm hit.”

All inbound flights were diverted, while operations ground to a halt internally. As of this morning, no flights are operating in or out of the airport.

If you happen to be flying through Lambert Field this weekend, be sure to check your schedule for any cancellations. American Airlines Southwest Airlines flies the majority of routes out of Lambert, so that carrier may see the largest disruptions. American currently has a travel waiver available on their site here while Southwest has one here.

Luckily nobody was fatally injured in the storm. Lambert Field, however, will remain indefinitely closed until repairs can be made.

*update, we just received this youtube video from inside of STL airport during the action. Scary stuff!*

(AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

Budgeting tools turn travel dreams into reality, even cruises

by Chris Owen on
If the high price of air travel has you concerned about your upcoming summer vacation, its not without good reason. Prices are going up. If you worry about that vacation because of the incidental expenses, you are not alone. Those add up. Even if you’re heading out for a road trip, hiking or camping, unknown expenses are tough to budget. Still, there are some good resources you can turn to for relief.

People who are smart about money will tell you to have a budget and stick to it. They will also tell you that the answer to your budget worries lies in the answers to two questions:

How accurate is your budget? and Can you cover the total cost?

That’s easy enough for them to say, but how do you know how much things cost in places you have never been before?


BudgetYourTrip.com might just some answers for you. At this free online tool, users can sign up and create a budget. They enter their travel expenses by category and location, and can view charts and graphs of their budget too. Now here’s the good part; the expenses are then anonymously combined with expenses from other travelers. All of the expenses for each location are then computed using fancy math and statistics. Those numbers are then broken down by category and displayed for everyone to see as average daily costs for each city.

On a sample vacation, BudgetYourTrip showed us that a week in Tokyo could be done for $376.56 which works out to $75.31 per day. Not bad really.

A good budget for travel is one we have to get right, from the beginning, or we’re just fooling ourselves. An accurate picture of all expenses and an honest look at your available funds to pay for it are the foundation for any plans that follow.

Another good tool, reviewed by Gadling’s Amy Chen earlier this year is the Mint.com money-management tool.

“You can create plans for saving toward retirement and buying a house” Amy notes, adding “but I’ll be primarily using the site for its Travel Goals, which help you set — and stick to — realistic travel budgets”

Tools like these can help point us in the right direction when planning travel. Web-based social applications can help too. Getting to “know” others who have been there and done that will open doors to first-hand information that few tools can provide. A good example of how valuable that information can be is found in all-inclusive or nearly-all-inclusive vacations.

All-inclusive land vacations are easy, everything is included. Cruise vacations, on the other hand, have an all-inclusive nature to them as much is indeed included in the price. But while incidental cruise expenses can be tricky, they don’t have to sink the vacation.

Cruise lines have all the answers for what is and is not included in the price. There really are no hidden fees here but to say “It’s a great deal because everything is included in the price” is just wrong. Savvy cruise travelers know to stop by the CruiseCritic.com message boards for the very latest information. I made a bet once with a travel agent that I could find out the answer to a question faster than she could by simply logging on to CruiseCritic.com, asking the question in the right place and waiting a few minutes. I won that bet easily.

There are dedicated sites for all kinds of travel too that offer similar quick and accurate information. Twitter (#travel, #cruise), Facebook travel groups and other social tools can also provide similar real-time information.

Flickr photo by Public Domain Photos

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Deal watch: Royal wedding vacation packages

by Chris Owen on

With the Royal Wedding just days away, its not too late to get into the frenzied madness with a royal getaway fit for you, the non-royal regular person. Here are some special offers from a variety of different resorts scattered around the globe with prices between $149 for a one-night getaway (just so you can say you did something special) to $2,250 for a four-night package (so you can say you did something really special).

Enjoy a royal getaway to the Sandpearl Resort in Clearwater Beach, Florida, when you book the Royal Romance Berries & Bubbly Package on April 29, 2011. The package includes accommodations in a luxury room or resort suite category of your choice, champagne and chocolate dipped strawberries on the night of arrival and complimentary breakfast for two each morning. A package savings of over 20 percent.
Rates start at: $299 per night
Valid for travel: April 29 through December 30, 2011
Reservations: Visit www.sandpearl.com and use promo code ROYAL in the Corporate / Promotion box, or call 1-877-726-3111 and ask for promotional code ROYAL.
Maybe the Caribbean sounds more like the royal place to be. The St. Kitts Marriott Resort is offering a free room upgrade and bottle of sparkling wine when their Escape For Two package is booked on April 29th, 2011, only.
Package includes:
– Accommodations (automatic room upgrade)
– 1 massage per person (per room, per stay)
– 1 facial per person (per room, per stay)
– Breakfast buffet for two, daily
– 1 Bottle of sparkling wine
– Spa amenity basket and welcome gift
Rates: From $238 per room/night, inclusive of tax and gratuity. Based on double occupancy. Subject to availability / blackout dates.
Reservations: www.stkittsmarriott.com / Promo code ES8

The CuisinArt Resort & Spa in Anguilla is offering the “Royalty in Paradise” package on April 29th, 2011, only also.
Package includes:
– 4 Nights in a beachfront junior suite
– 1 Romantic beachfront dinner for two
– 1 Bottle Veuve Cliquot champagne
– 1 Couples Rendezvous spa package:
– Couples massage
– Floral bath soak
– Anguillian coconut pineapple scrub
– Swiss duet rain shower
Rates: From $2,250 (A $925 savings)
Valid for Travel: April 30 – November 22, 2011. Based on availability, blackout dates apply.
Reservations: www.cuisinartresort.com

At Mexico’s CasaMagna Marriott Cancun Resort is offering the Royal Romance Package, available for one day only on April 29th, 2011.
Package includes:
– Transportation from and to the Cancun Airport
– Daily breakfast buffet for 2 adults
– One bottle of sparkling wine per stay
– Free upgrade to Ocean view (room already upgraded at the time of booking)
– 40% discount on Spa treatments
– 20% discount on food and beverage, and gift shop purchases
Rates: From $149 USD per night
Valid for Travel: May 1 – November 20. Based on availability, blackout dates apply.
Reservations: Visit www.casamagnacancun.com and input promo code L9Z

Also in Cancun, the JW Marriott Cancun Resort & Spa is offering the Royal Romance Package, available for one day only on April 29th, 2011.
Package includes:
– Transportation from and to the Cancun Airport
– Daily breakfast buffet for 2 adults
– One bottle of sparkling wine per stay
– Free upgrade to Ocean view (room already upgraded at the time of booking)
– 40% discount on Spa treatments
– 20% discount on food and beverage and gift shop purchases
Rates: From $189 USD per night
Valid for Travel: May 1 – November 20. Based on availability, blackout dates apply.
Reservations: Visit www.jwmarriottcancun.com and input promo code L9Z

Over in Curacao, the Hotel Kura Hulanda Spa and Casino is has their Royal Treatment Package which includes three night accommodations in a Deluxe Room and a half-day of pampering at the spa for two guests. Spa treatments include a 50 minute relaxing massage, 60 minute food reflexology and your choice of a Mini Facial or Gentleman’s Total Care Facial
Rates: Three night package: $1,180
Valid for Travel: Now until Dec 23, 2011
Reservations: Call 877-264-3106 or email reservations@kurahulanda.com

Not interested in a fabulous resort at discounted prices? How about a cruise then?

Priced at $2904, the Royal Caribbean Royal Wedding Package offers a wide range of royal wedding stuff like a tiara for the bride, a 12-rose hand-tied bouquet, strawberries and champagne, toasting flutes and a keepsake server each engraved with a crown and dinner at the captains table. Included are the services of a wedding planner and photographer along with a boutonniere for the groom, announcements and a wedding cake.

Oh, and if you happen to see the royal couple along the way, let us know would you?

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