Spend a lot to taste a little: the $100,000 tuna

by Tom Johansmeyer on

This past week, two Tokyo restaurants shared the $104,800 tab on a 128 kg (282 lb.) bluefin tuna. If that sounds like a lot, the restaurant actually paid 9.63 million yen-same amount of money, just sounds like more. Okay, if you’re impressed by the sheer cost of this fish, it set the buyer back more than $372 per pound. Of course, it’s probably worth it. Wall Street Journal reporter Yumiko Ono describes the dish as “[s]mooth, succulent and a little on the light side.

Sushi from this pricey swimmer was available for only three days. Half of it went to Kyubey, a den of sushi delicacy in the Ginza district. A small portion came with a price tag of $22 and was also offered as part of a 10-piece, $60 lunch special.

Itamae Sushi snatched the other half of the expensive tuna. Instead of pushing customers to dig deep into their pockets, the trophy catch was included in a $32 lunch special open to the first 20 people to walk through the door. Did it make money on the win? Probably not. Bragging rights, however, are priceless.

Keep busy with 44 travel ideas

by Tom Johansmeyer on

If the entire world is too much from which to choose, take a look at The 44 Places to Go in 2009 suggested by the New York Times. Some are obvious, such as Reykjavik, which was been on everyone’s mind 2008. Others are easy, including Washington D.C. Our nation’s capital has plenty of hotels (including the funky Hotel Helix, photo at right), great public transportation and access via two major airports. Of course, there are a few destinations that probably wouldn’t occur to you otherwise. Here are some highlights:

  1. Beirut, Lebanon: two hotels are expected to open this year (including a Four Seasons), and dining at Al-Ajami is top-notch
  2. Fjallnas, Sweden: this is home to a luxury resort up by the Arctic Circle; rates start at €325 a night, but deals are available
  3. Copenhagen, Denmark: the city’s architecture is headed into the 21st century, particularly with the new zoo and theater
  4. Kazakhstan: no, I’m not joking; the new opera house is not to be missed, and a ski resort is in the works

Need more choices? Not a problem! There are forty more here, and after that an entire world in which to poke around.

The fall of the Khmer Rouge’s 30th anniversary

by Brenda Yun on

Yesterday, the country celebrated the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Khmer Rouge (1975-1979). The festivities were concentrated within the walls of the country’s capital and the site of the start of Year Zero, Phnom Penh. Based on conflicting reports, around 60,000 people crowded into the city’s Olympic stadium to remember the 2 million Cambodians who lost their lives during this horrible five-year genocide.

Ask anyone who has visited Tuol Sleng (otherwise known as the “S-21” torture prison during the Khmer Rouge) in Phnom Penh what his reaction was to this museum, and I’m certain everyone will agree they were appalled by the grim reality that nearly one half of Cambodia’s population was eliminated in one of the worst genocides in the world’s history.
I paid my visit to the museum two years ago. Its history and its people (who are some of the friendliest you will ever encounter) are living testaments to the perserverence of the human spirit. I arrived in Khmer country not knowing who Pol Pot was; I left Cambodia forever changed. This country still holds one of the dearest places in my heart.

Very little has been done to punish the members of the Khmer Rouge, but five of Pol Pot’s senior officers will likely be tried this spring — if not by 2010. Cambodians, while eager to see these men pay for their hideous crimes, are just as eager to look beyond this 5-year blip in their past. These are a most resilient people, and this country is one of the most fascinating in the world.

[via Reuters and the Associated Press]

Destinations on the edge: Baghdad

by Tom Johansmeyer on

There used to be one way to go to Iraq. You’d go to your local recruiting office, take an oath and sign a contract. Then, you’d subject yourself to a minimum of 16 weeks’ training under the most unpleasant of circumstances. Wearing your snappy new threads (and a Kevlar helmet), you’d be put on a plane. Today, things are a bit different. You don’t have to be a soldier or civilian contractor to go to Baghdad. All you need to do is buy a plane ticket.

If you’re looking to put the winter chill behind you, Iraq is certainly an option. Civilian flights now touch down every day at Baghdad International Airport. But, as you’d expect from airlines operating in a war zone, information’s not easy to come by. Royal Jordanian Airlines operates flights to Iraq. On its website’s route map, several Iraqi cities are listed, including Baghdad, Irbil (also spelled “Erbil” and sometimes “Arbil”) and Basra. When you try to book a flight to these destinations from the website, though, you’ll see that they aren’t available. To book a flight, give them a call to get more information. You can also roll the dice with Iraqi Airways, but I’d stick to known brands.

Play it safe by taking an Austrian Airlines flight to Irbil. Jumping off from JFK (New York) or DCA (Washington, D.C.) makes the most sense, and the latter is a bit less expensive. A round trip for late January will set you back around $2,000 for the cheapest fare available, so keep in mind that this insanity is a form of luxury travel.

Hey, adventure’s the new luxury. Drop the cash on a thrill.

If you really want to live life on the edge, you can be driven into the city by a “bodyguard.” This service provider is pretty much a guy with a car an AK-47 sitting across his lap. He’ll bring you into the country, but you’ll probably be nervous the whole way. Or, maybe the notion of a stranger in a war-torn country with a rifle across his thighs makes you feel comfortable. I don’t judge.

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According to several reports from the ground, the Baghdad airport itself is relatively safe. There are plenty guards all over the terminals, and they do take their jobs seriously. Photography is not permitted, a fact that the folks with the guns will make sure you understand (though not in a harassing manner). Once you’re on the outside, the rules change. Iraq is a war zone; there’s no other way to describe it. People shoot at each other. Hostages have been taken. So, you need to be smart when you make this trek. Follow the rules when you see people with weapons.

But, you don’t care. So, it’s time to find a hotel.

The normal means of booking a room do not apply to Baghdad. Scour the traditional travel sites, and you will be disappointed with each click of your mouse. So, dig a little. On RealTravel, you can get a bit of variety. Twelve hotels are listed, with rates varying from the Hotel Ishtar’s painless $67 a night to the Palestine International Hotel’s $150 room rate.

Don’t expect luxury. Howard Cornell, a contractor who served in Iraq, remembers stays at both Hotel Baghdad and the al Rasheed. He recounts in an interview with TraderDaily.com that the al Rasheed was a bit beat up on the outside but wasn’t so bad one you crossed the threshold. Hotel Baghdad? Well, it’s only good for “reporters for civilians with a pistol under the pillow.” In town, you’ll be able to get around on foot or via taxi. The cab drivers are comfortable enough with the tourist economy to quote rates in U.S. dollars.

If you’ve become immune to the safer thrills of skydiving and cave diving, war tourism is the next logical step. There are plenty of danger zones around the world; you have choices. Unfortunately, Afghanistan gets cold. Iraq will get you the adrenaline rush you crave, and you probably won’t need to pack a sweater.

Be careful when you tour Baghdad. Stay aware of your surroundings at all times, and you’ll have a fulfilling experience. This is a unique opportunity, and few will make this sort of move. When your co-workers brag of their luxurious or unusual travel exploits, having been to Baghdad will equip you to end their tales … quickly.

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[Thanks, Brian Sayler, for the galleries and photo of Sadam’s palace above]

Photo of the Day (1.5.09)

by Karen Walrond on

Have you figured out yet that I’m a sucker for a portrait of a happy child? And this lovely photograph by muzzman packs a quadruple punch: check out the great smiles on these four little ones, taken in Papua New Guinea. I was initially drawn to the image because it reminded me of an everyday scene in my homeland of Trinidad, but looking at it now, these really could be 4 children anywhere in the world, couldn’t they? Lovely shot.

If you’ve got some great travel shots you’d love to share, be sure to upload them to the Gadling pool on Flickr. We might just pick one as our Photo of the Day.