List of World Heritage sites continues to grow

by Kraig Becker on

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, also known as UNESCO, has added more sites, including several cultural locations, to its ever expanding World Heritage list. The additions were made this past weekend when the organization concluded the 34th session of the the World Heritage Committee in Sao Paulo, Brazil following more than a week of deliberation.

Amongst the new inductees are the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long-Hanoi in Vietnam; the historic monuments of Dengfeng in China; the archaeological site Sarazm in Tajikistan; the Episcopal city of Albi in France; and a 17th-century canal ring in Amsterdam. Those five sites were lauded for their cultural significance, and their inclusion brought the list up to 904 total sites.

Joining the sites named above were the Bikini Atoll, located in the South Pacific’s Marshall Islands, the Turaif District in Saudi Arabia; Australia’s famous penal colonies; the Jantar Mantar astronomical observation site in India; the Tabriz historic bazaar complex, as well as a shrine in Ardabil, both located in Iran; and the historic villages of Hahoe and Yangdong in South Korea.

Singling out the Bikini Atoll, the Committee said that nuclear tests conducted on the tiny island during the late 1940’s and early 1950’s had a profound effect on the geology and environment of the area. They also noted that the atoll had historical significance by ushering in the dawning of the nuclear age as well.

New sites are generally added to the World Heritage list on a yearly basis, with the locations receiving a measure of prestige and honor for making the cut. In order to remain on the list though, they must be protected and preserved by the country in which they reside. In recent years several sites have been added to the Committee’s “endangered list” with some actually losing their “World Heritage” status due to changes in their condition.

Lets hope these new additions are around for a long time.

[Photo credit: Chinasaur via WikiMedia Commons]

Inside Sweden’s Jumbo Hostel

by Grant Martin on

Your eyes do not deceive you, that’s a bed in the cockpit of a commercial airliner. Or former commercial airliner, I should say. What you’re looking at is the top front room of Stockholm’s Jumbo Hostel, a converted Boeing 747 jumbo jet that’s been remodeled to form one of the most unique hostels in the entire planet.

Parked just off of the tarmac outside of Stockholm’s Arlanda airport, the Jumbo Hostel features a series of bunked rooms on either side of the “aisle” moving from the center to the back of the aircraft. A few rooms, including that pictured above and the one in the tail cone come with ensuite bathrooms, but in true hostel style, there are scattered, shared bathrooms throughout the craft.

At the nose of the airplane and in the aft of the second floor, the Jumbo Hostel features two common areas, the latter of which is adorned with actual seats from the first class cabin of an airliner. The common area in front also doubles as a place to sit down, grab a few snacks, have a drink and swap a few stories with the other bewildered residents.

As far as comfort, our room in the tail cone featured two narrow beds positioned near each other, a bed stand and a small television mounted to the wall – not lavish by any standards, but quite common and almost cozy for a hostel.

Rooms at the Jumbo start at about $60USD per night. Be forewarned that there aren’t a ton of food options near the property except for the local snacks and the Radisson Blu across the street, so if you’re going to need a meal then plan ahead. You can reach the hostel from Arlanda by taking the 14 bus from the public transit area.

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Note, some logistical help in executing this trip came from the Sweden tourism board. Itineraries and adventures were our own creation.

Short skirts, low necklines drive drivers to crash

by Tom Johansmeyer on

The end of summer is fast approaching – can you believe it’s August already! – and that means a last-minute road trip is bound to be on your list. Well, if you’re planning to load the car, thrown in some music and put the pedal to the metal, it pays to keep your eyes on the road, especially for those of us who happen to be men. There is danger everywhere, especially above the knee.

A study by an insurance company in the United Kingdom, Sheilas’ Wheels, found that men’s car accident rates are about as high as “women’s summer hemlines,” according to an article on MSNBC. Twenty-nine percent of confessed that short skirts and low-cut tops make traffic, stop signs and other aspects of driving without killing someone less appealing (what would you rather look at?). I’m still wondering what the other 71 percent were looking at.

As usual, the fact that “[m]en are more visually oriented” is proffered as the reason why we are distracted more easily than women, on the road or anywhere else. And, testosterone gets some blame, too.
Said a spokesperson for Sheilas’ Wheels, which specializes in selling auto insurance policies to women:

“Men are significantly more likely than women to claim during the summer months – often as a result of wandering eyes.

“We urge all motorists to keep their eyes on the road – regardless of outside distractions – and keep cool behind the wheel,” Sheilas’ Wheels said.

I suspect this will be particularly tough if you’re road tripping out to the beach. My advice: take a drive out to a buffet. Keep your eyes off the hotties and on the road!

[thanks, @BrokingLiz, photo by nesta eber]

GadlingTV’s Travel Talk – Vatican, Vespas & Rome’s Nightlife

by Stephen Greenwood on

GadlingTV’s Travel Talk, episode 25 – Click above to watch video after the jump

For the final installment in our series on Rome, we’ve saved the best for last & are satisfying our thirst for adventure. Watch as we tour the Vatican, rent Vespas, and check out Rome’s impromptu night life.

On the couch, we’ll dissect the differences between the Vatican & the Holy See, and show you the one place in Rome to peer through a keyhole and view 3 separate countries. Tune in to see just how crazy Roman driving actually is, what the best place public place to go after hours is, and what else the Vatican has to offer beyond the Sistine Chapel.


If you have any questions or comments about Travel Talk, you can email us at talk AT gadling DOT com.

Subscribe via iTunes:
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Links
Want to find the ‘magic keyhole’ of the Piazza del Cavalieri di Malta? Look no further.
Rent your own Vespa in Rome! Check out Eco Move Rentals.
Read more about the Holy See right here.

Hosts: Aaron Murphy-Crews, Stephen Greenwood

Produced, Edited, and Directed by: Stephen Greenwood, Aaron Murphy-Crews, Drew Mylrea

Airline pilot to jetski from London to New Zealand on “the ultimate ride”

by Scott Carmichael on

51 year old Jeremy Burfoot is a bit of an adventurer – and while some consider an afternoon bike ride to be an adventure, Mr. Burfoot takes things way beyond the next level.

Yesterday, the Kiwi pilot left London on his jetski, blasting down the Thames on his way to Rotterdam. The rest of his trip will take four months, and his final destination is Auckland, New Zealand – 19,880 miles away.

Riding his jetski 12 hours a day, Mr. Burfoot will travel down the Rhine and Danube rivers, then cross the Black Sea, the Suez Canal, the Red Sea, through Yemen, Oman, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Indonesia and Australia before making the final trip to Auckland some time in November.

In 2005, he circumnavigated New Zealand on a jetski to raise awareness for cancer prevention, so he does have a bit of experience on the waters. His personal mission, current location and the opportunity to donate a nautical mile can all be found on his web site. Best of luck to him on this amazing trip!