The festival, which begins on February 16, 2010, is set to last 10 days. According to a report by the Korea Central News Agency, North Korea’s official news outlet, those attending the film festival “will watch documentaries showing the undying feats of General Secretary Kim Jong Il making an endless forced march for field guidance, regarding President Kim Il Sung’s idea of believing in people as in Heaven as a maxim at cinemas and halls of culture in Pyongyang and various local areas.”
Some of the films being screened are “A White Gem,” “The Country I Saw” and “White Birch of Paektu,” as well as “other feature films dealing with mental power of the servicepersons and people of the DPRK creating a history of new great surge under the uplifted banner of devotedly defending the leader.”
No Olympics is complete without heavy marketing, and Vancouver will be no exception. Meet the trio of Olympic mascots, which are sure to be emblazoned on everything you can think of. Want a reusable ice pack? Now’s your chance to get one for only $9!
Quatchi, the sasquatch: This sasquatch (also known as Bigfoot) loves hockey, photography, and travel. I want those blue earmuffs.
Sumi, the animal spirit: Sumi has the hat of an orca whale, the wings of a thunderbird, and the furry legs of a black bear. (Aww how cute.) His hobbies? Alpine skiing and flying over the Coast Mountains.
Miga, the sea bear: Sea what? Part killer whale and part Kermode bear, a sea bear is apparently what happens when orca whales transform into bears on land, according to First Nations legend. Miga’s Olympic profile (who doesn’t have a profile these days?) says that her favorite food is wild salmon: salmon jerky, smoked salmon, B.C. sushi roll. Mmm tasty. Her hobbies: surfing, snowboarding, and anything “fun and exciting!”
According to Peru’s transportation minister, the famous train to Machu Picchu will go back into service ahead of schedule, although it will still be three weeks before service is restored to the popular tourist attraction. Early estimates had the railway out of commission for as much as eight weeks after heavy rainstorms caused massive flooding and treacherous mudslides at the end of January. Those same heavy rains caused more than 1300 travelers to be stranded in the ancient Inca fortress for several days as well.
Machu Picchu is Peru’s top tourist attraction, and as such, it is vitally important that they restore access to it, and soon. There are reports that an alternate access route will be established by the middle of the month, but it will involve a five hour drive by car just to reach a different train that can deliver the travelers to Aguas Calientes, the nearest town to the fortress. There are also a few companies using helicopters to deliver visitors to the site, but that is an expensive option that has limited availability at the moment.
Fortunately, the Inca ruins were not damaged by the storms, and the monument remains open to those that can make it to the site. Likewise, the Inca Trail, a popular trekking route to Machu Picchu, suffered little damage as well, but it closes annually in February for crews to clean and repair the route. That work is going on as scheduled and the trail should reopen as planned at the beginning of March.
If you’re planning a trip to Peru in the near future and had hoped to visit the ancient city, be sure to check with your tour operator or guide service as to the current conditions and options. It seems that things are very much in flux at the moment, but access is available for those who really want to go.
Do you have a destination that you’ve always wanted to visit, but just couldn’t quite find the right way to get there? if so, you’re in luck, as Gap Adventures, one of the top adventure travel companies in the world, is inviting you to Create Your Own Adventure as part of a new contest that could send you, and two of your friends, off on your dream trip.
Designing your own adventure couldn’t be easier. Simply go to the website and begin the process by selecting your destinations from a world map, adding countries to your planned itinerary. From there, decide the length of your trip and select possible places to visit from within your selected countries. Next, you’ll decide how you want to travel, with everything from trains, boats, buses, and even your own two feet as options. You’ll also get to choose your level of accommodations, ranging from overnight buses and home stays, up to boutique hotels and private lodges as options. Finally, you’ll name your tour, and write a summary about what makes it so exceptional. After entering your personal contact info, you’ll then submit your dream tour for consideration.
The travel company has put together an interesting group of judges who will turn their critical eye on your travel masterpiece, deciding if it is worthy of being called a Gap adventure. The panelists include the likes of Tony Wheeler, the co-founder of Lonely Planet, John Rasmus, the editor of National Geographic Adventure Magazine, and adventurer Alastair Humphreys, who has circled the globe by bike and paddled the Yukon River. These judges, amongst others, will help to whittle down all of the entries to the top 20 finalists, which will then be voted on by the public, to determine which tour is the best of the best.
You can enter the contest anytime between now and the end of March. The judges will then select the finalist in early April, with voting scheduled to run from April 8-25. The final prize winners will be announced on May 25, with the designer of the winning tour being sent on the trip with two of their closest friends. The tour will also be included in the 2011 Gap catalog as well.
Not feeling all that creative when it comes to designing your own adventure? Never fear, as Gap has you covered too. Five people will be randomly selected to join the trip as well, despite the fact that they have no idea at this point where they could be headed. Click here to enter to win one of these random slots.
So, if you’ve ever wanted to kayak down the Nile or cross the Gobi Desert on foot, this might be your chance. Perhaps a mountain biking tour of Ethiopia would be more your style, or camping in the Amazon Rainforest. Let Gap bring whatever trip you’ve been dreaming of to life and then send you on that adventure of a lifetime.
If you like to light up a stick more than occasionally, it’s time for you to consider a “cigar safari.” This unique experience, offered by Drew Estate, which manufactures both traditional and infused cigars, is available up to 16 times a year at its factory in Esteli, Nicaragua. Spend four days and three nights soaking in the pool, sipping cocktails in the on-site lounge and sampling the entire Drew Estate line, from Acid to T52.
Many cigar manufacturers are offering tours for their end-consumers these days. Camacho, Rocky Patel and Pepin Garcia’s My Father are among the companies that have taken this giant marketing leap forward. With Drew Estate, however, there is a touch of a resort feel. The guestrooms, limited number, feel more like a hotel than the barracks style available at some of the factories, and the guest-to-bathroom ratio isn’t bad.
Upstairs is the sort of cigar lounge that makes smokers salivate, with plenty of couches, flat screen televisions, a bar and even a poker table (games are held regularly with guests). The lounge opens onto a balcony (soon to be furnished) that offers stunning views of the Nicaragua countryside. Back on the ground, you can have a drink prepared and sit by the pool – or slip into it to cool off for a while.
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Only a short walk away is the factory, where you’ll become acquainted with the process by which the stuff on which you puff is made. The Drew Estate team will introduce you to the various infused and traditional lines it offers, and you’ll get the chance to see the company’s unique manufacturing process in action, from tobacco just being brought in the door through rolling, packaging and, yes, smoking. The guys on site are quite knowledgeable and will be able to answer all your questions thoroughly … except one.
Drew Estate stays mum on its infusing process and is quite committed to keeping the secret sauce secret. Somebody always asks, and the answer is always the same: NO. You also won’t be taken on a tour of that part of the facility. Fortunately, there’s plenty to experience already, so you’ll hardly miss the chance to eye some trade secrets.
On your visit to Drew Estate, be prepared to smoke. The point of the trips is to acquaint cigar smokers with the brand, sot eh company is always putting it at the center of the experience. Cigars, along with meals and beverages, are included in the nominal fee of $450 (you’re responsible for your own airfare).
Pack your cutter and your lighter (but not if you use a torch), and get ready to relax with a cigar in your hand for four days. Unlike most cigar trips, you can book this one on your own, rather than have it arranged through a smoke shop. Keep in mind that there is only a limited number of trips every year, and they do fill up quickly.