Global Gift Guide from T+L

by Adrienne Wilson on

Christmas may very well be a thing of 2006 past, but the spirit of giving is never ending! Perhaps you received something not so shimmery this holiday season. Maybe mom had it all wrong when you said you wanted a sari and picked up a kimono instead. Or let’s say you just happen to have so much money to burn your head is spinning and you are still ready to purchase for your entire circle of friends. Good for you! Whether you are making a return, exchange or a new transaction keep your eyes extra peeled for deals.

I stumbled on this Travel+Leisure global gift guide a few days before Christmas and meant to post sooner, but it makes no difference. There are some awesome finds here and reasonably priced. Okay, some are a little pricey, but it is a guide that truly caters to everyone I think. Gift ideas range from Colorado western wear to beach inspired gear to the far east like these jewels of India. I’ve got a few pals of my own with birthdays until the end of the year so I’ll be one of many still searching for the perfect trinket to package and ship.

Outsourcing to China: Airlines?

by Iva Skoch on

This is an interesting piece of news. A small regional carrier based in Arizona, Mesa Air Group, has just signed a deal with privatized Chinese carrier Shenzhen Airlines, to create a joint venture called Beijing Airlines, to operate in China.

Mesa currently operates only within North America, primarily doing contract regional work for United, Delta, and USAir/America West, in 43 states, using 200 aircraft.

No jobs will be outsourced or off-shored. Quite the contrary, this marks the first time that a U.S. carrier has ventured into the Chinese domestic passenger market.

Beijing will start flights next year, with small aircraft, and hope to include routes to eleven cities rapidly. Part of the reason is their desire to have 20 planes operating before the Olympics in 2008.

Word for the Travel Wise (12/25/06)

by Adrienne Wilson on

Wishing all who are celebrating this Christmas holiday a very merry day. May Santa bring you everything you wish for and more!

Today we say Merry Christmas in various languages:

  • Hawaiian – Mele Kalikimaka !
  • Catalan – Bon Nada!
  • Lithuanian – Linksmu Kaledu!
  • Dutch – Gelukkig Kerstfeest!
  • Persian – Krismas-e shoma mubarak!
  • Spanish – Feliz Navidad!
  • Swedish – God Jul!
  • Korean – Sungtanul chukaheyo!
  • Turkish – Neseli Noel!

Christmas Traditions Around the World

by Adrienne Wilson on

Something tells me we’ve surely done a post like this in the past, yet with each holiday season it never hurts to remind ourselves how individuals and families across the globe are spending their time on this very day. On this about.com page they list traditions from various countries which include Egypt, Argentina, Finland, and Papua New Guinea to name only a few. In the Philippines (the only Asian nation where Christianity is the religion chosen by the people), Christmas celebrations start up to nine days before with a mass called Misa De Gallo. The story continues and sounds pretty valid where some of the others seem a bit questionable, like Christmas in Micronesia and Iran. Who am I to say though? I’ve only celebrated the holiday in my home land, but I’d love to hear what traditions are practiced by our readers both near and far.

Mental Floss Geo Challenge

by Erik Olsen on

So you think you know the world pretty well, do ya? You can say all the state capitols and you bedazzle your friends during bouts of Trivial Pursuit? Well, a little bit ago, Adrienne posted a link to the San Francisco Chronicle Geography Quiz. That was fine and dandy and some of the questions were quite tough, but it was just a list of questions followed by answers. You had to scroll way down to find out if you were right.

Pretty lame. You’d of thunk that Silicon Valley’s paper of record would have come up with something more interactive than that. Well, the good folks at the magazine Mental Floss have done just that. It’s not as deep and involved a quiz as the CF Chron one, but you’re going to have a tough time I think getting a perfect score on this one. I scored 70 percent. Not bad, I think. I confess I wasn’t sure where Benin was. Yes, I knew Africa, but I wasn’t sure where. Anyway, see how you fare.