Gadlinks for Wednesday 10.28.09

by Brenda Yun on

Here’s a travel tidbit for you guys: Did you know that it was 95 years ago that the first rapid transit subway, the IRT, opened in New York City?

We have certainly come a long way in a century, and 95 years from now we’ll be just as astound at how travel times have changed. But let’s get to the travel stories circulating the Web right now, shall we? Here are some good reads to tie you over.

‘Til tomorrow, have a great evening!

More Gadlinks HERE.

Tailor your stay to you at the new Phulay Bay Ritz

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Imagine passing into the new year in the newest Ritz-Carlton in the world. On December 22, 2009, the company will open a new property, Phulay Bay, in Krabi, Southern Thailand. This is the world’s first Ritz-Carlton Reserve, an upscale brand targeting affluent travelers. It will consist of 54 villas and a pavilion boutique hotel.

“Ritz-Carlton Reserve will feature signature, one-of-a-kind boutique resorts positioned in unique settings, each with a distinctive personality and sense of place reflecting its history and culture,” said Simon F. Cooper, president. “A refuge from the expected, Reserve is for travelers seeking to discover a singular location and peerless resort that will offer guests’ exotic, hand-selected ‘hideaway’ destinations in a relaxed, casually elegant atmosphere. Phulay Bay in Thailand is a natural choice for the first Reserve,” he continued.

The experience at Phulay Bay will be focused on personalization, with guests able to “design” their own visits. If you’re looking for a meditation class with local monks, trekking by elephant or a sea plane tour of the region, the staff will put it together for you. Discretion is valued, with high aubergine walls and dense trees providing something of a barrier against the pressures of the outside world.

Istanbul’s hammams becoming more popular

by Sean McLachlan on

In Ottoman times they were the daily ritual of the wealthy and middle class. Hammams were a place to unwind and socialize while getting clean. But in the twentieth century with the rise of internal plumbing and changing attitudes, the traditional hammam declined. Many decayed or were converted to other uses.

Now hammams are becoming popular again. Turks are once again interested in their Ottoman past, and with the recent death of the last heir to the Ottoman throne, that nostalgia will probably increase. Cagaloglu, built in Istanbul in 1741, is on sale for $16 million. Another one in Istanbul’s Aya Kepi neighborhood, dating to the 16th century and built by the famous Ottoman architect Sinan, is on sale cheap for $3 million, but needs extensive remodeling. At the moment it’s being used to store lumber! Hopefully someone will buy this historic building and reopen it as a hammam. There’s also been a spate of new building, with hammams appearing in shopping malls and hotels.

While the big historic ones in Istanbul are impressive, going to a small-town hammam in Cappadocia was one of the more memorable experiences of my month in Turkey. It was so small, in fact, that they didn’t have separate men’s and women’s sections. Men and women went on different days. The smaller crowd made the whole experience more relaxing and the tellak (masseur) sure knew his business. As I lay on a warm stone bench he squashed me into the rock, kneading my muscles until tension fled in terror. The best feeling was when he stopped! It was only then that I realized how relaxed I was.

Lounging around a hammam is a great way to spend a couple of hours. So if you’re headed to Turkey, try a hammam. The small-town ones are more sedate and less expensive, but the big popular ones in Istanbul need support too.

Get out and go: Events around the world (October 28-31)

by Brenda Yun on

It’s time to look at the festivals and events happening around the world, and this week has a particularly spooky selection of happenings. It is Halloween weekend after all. If you’re close and have time, then you have no excuse to get out and go!

  • Denmark – Since the first Music Harvest in 1985, the festival has presented contemporary music from the USA, Russia, Britain, Germany, Hungary, Finland, Poland, Lithuania and the Baltic countries, as well as from Denmark. The event takes place in Odense. It begins Wednesday, October 28 and will continue until November 7.
  • Cambodia – Coronation Day a major religious holiday all over Cambodia and commemorates King Norodom Sihamoni’s Coronation. This event takes place this Thursday, October 29th.
  • Ottawa – One World Film Festival is a platform for filmmakers and the public to exchange ideas and information about issues of social justice, human rights and the environment. The event begins Thursday October 29 and continues until October 30.
  • Hong Kong – Wine and Dine Festival is part of the a range of food and wine events in Hong Kong. The event begins this Friday, October 30 and continues until November 1.
  • Las Vegas – The Professional Bull Riders Finals take place this Friday, October 30 at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas. The event is followed by the National Rodeo Finals later in the year and will continue until November 8.
  • Transylvania – Halloween in Transylvania is a special event that will be held this Saturday, October 31,. The festival includes tours, shows and celebrations that follow the footsteps of Bram Stoker’s novel character, Count Dracula.

If you make it to one of these events, let us know how it was. If you know of an even that’s coming up, please let us here at Gadling know and we’ll be sure to include it in the next “Get out and go” round-up.

‘Til next week, have a great Halloween weekend.

Expecting snow in Moscow this winter? Not so fast.

by Grant Martin on

The Russians may be able to tell us that Dmitry Medvedev is in charge of the country and get away with it, but rigging the weather is just too much. Come on now. It’s obvious that you’re up to something.

This year, Moscow’s Mayor Yury Luzkhov is putting forth the proposition of seeding clouds to prevent large volumes of snow from falling on Russia’s glorious capital city. The project, which would cost $10M to fund, could save money by cutting back on the $16M snow removal process currently in place — not to mention the fact that the skies would be chipper and blue more often.

Perhaps the funniest part of whole exercise is that the process wouldn’t stop snow. It would relocate it, directly depositing the white stuff all over the neighboring regions. It’s as if Los Angeles saw a tsunami coming and said “Um, we have a parade this weekend. You take it, Las Vegas.”

So if you find yourself in Red Square this winter snapping beautiful photos of St. Peter’s against a perfect blue sky, don’t send your thanks to Mother Nature. Instead, thank Mayor Luzkhov — or more appropriately, the residents of Lyubertsy, Russia, who will be digging out from under twice as much snow this year.