EU rules on liquid carry-ons may become “fluid”

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Grab a drink, if you feel inclined … in Europe, at least. The European Union is getting ready to lift the ban on liquids in carry-ons. The target date is still pretty far in the future, because the technology the EU plans to use isn’t widely available yet. Originally, the prohibition was supposed to expire in April, but now it’s looking like no later than 2014.

Okay, so don’t rush to celebrate the change.

That being said, the EU’s transportation officials are pressuring the technology companies involved to move quickly.

The rules against liquids in containers larger than 100 ml and not in clear bags have been in effect for three years, after a terrorist plot was uncovered in Britain. The perps were planning to use liquid explosives in soda cans.

Now that everyone’s safe, we’re also free to gripe about what we can’t take on board – not to mention longer waits at security checkpoints. Progress may be slow, but at least it’s happening. Let’s give a nod to innovative thinking, with a technological solution being devised to give us back some of our time without compromising our security.

If you need action sooner, there’s a chance that the rules may be eased a bit for duty-free liquids bought outside the EU.

London Restaurant Festival opens today

by Sean McLachlan on

England has an unfair reputation for bad cuisine. While this is the land of jellied eels and mushy peas, things have changed in recent years and now there are a lot more choices, especially in the nation’s capital.

From October 8-13, the London Restaurant Festival will highlight the amazing range of eateries in the city. You can find literally any kind of food here from familiar favorites such as French and Italian to more exotic choices such as Nigerian and Afghani. And of course there are countless Indian and Chinese restaurants.

But don’t forget British food! Celebrity chefs will be showing off at different venues throughout the festival, and will get together at London’s Leadenhall Market this Sunday, October 11, to host the city’s largest Sunday roast.

If you make it to only one event in this festival, make it to this. Sunday roast is an age-old British tradition and shows the national cuisine at its best. Celebrity chefs such as Richard Corrigan and Fergus Henderson will be cooking up beef, lamb, pork, wild roe deer, and game birds along with the usual trimmings such as vegetables, gravy, and pudding. British game such as quail and grouse is especially good.

Even if you can’t make the festival, try out a Sunday roast at a carvery or pub, but be careful because some venues serve pre-prepared meals they only heat up. A good Sunday roast made from scratch like I get at my local pub in Oxford is heaven for meat lovers.

A Frommer’s gourmet Barcelona tour, fully illustrated

by Stephen Bassman on

Barcelona has one of the liveliest food scenes in Europe right now, with celebrity chefs, sprawling outdoor markets, and gourmet dishes of all sizes and prices — which is why when I toured through the city in April I decided I would spend my days stuffing my face with tapas. I wanted to try the squid, the croquettes, the chocolate, the cava, the works.

I’m a Frommer’s editor by day (read more about that here), so I somehow cooked up the idea that the best way to do this would be to eat my way through the entire “Gourmet Barcelona” tour from Frommer’s Barcelona Day by Day, written by Neil Schlecht. This would be no small feat as the tour has 14 stops and is spread throughout the city. The tour’s introduction notes “this isn’t a day-long tasting menu unless you choose to make it one,” which I took to mean this is more of a list to explore at leisure rather than a typical one-day itinerary.

Still, I was determined to nosh my way through Neil’s list, testing out both the tour and the limits of my stomach. I had 2 days to do this before I left Barcelona to reconvene with my sister in Madrid (she was off touring the Costa Brava).

I gave myself a few ground rules: I would visit every stop but didn’t have to stick to the tour’s order; I would consume or at least buy something at each stop; I would allow myself the full two days (there was no point in running around and getting sick along La Rambla); I would roll with whatever punches Murphy’s law sent my way; and I would report all my findings, warts and all.

Did I finish the tour? and still fit into my pants at the end? Click below for a gallery with the answers. Be sure to start with the first photo, a map of the itinerary.

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Egypt in a rift with the Louvre over stolen artifacts

by Kraig Becker on

The head of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities, Zahi Hawass, took a bold move yesterday in his on going struggle to get foreign museums to return antiquities taken from that country illegally. Hawass severed all ties with France’s the Louvre over that museum’s refusal to return fragments of 3200-year old painted wall frescoes that were taken from the Tomb of Tetaki in the Valley of the Kings back in the 1980’s.

According to this story, this isn’t the first time Hawass has taken steps to close relations with a museum. He made a similar move with the St. Louis Art Museum over a golden burial mask that that museum has refused to return as well. This is, however, the first time that such a move has been taken against a museum of the incredible stature of the Louvre. Upon alerting officials at the museum of his actions, Hawass also suspended an archeological excavation being conducted under the direction of the Louvre, in Saqqara and canceled a scheduled lecture by former curator Christiane Ziegler, who was in charge of the Egyptology department while employed there.

A response from the Louvre and the French Cultural Ministry was swift in coming. Both said that they were interested in putting this incident behind them by returning the disputed pieces, indicating that Hawass’ decision to play hardball was already paying dividends. When these pieces are returned, they’ll join more than other artifacts that he has recovered since taking office in 2002.
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Get out and go: Events around the world (October 8-11)

by Brenda Yun on

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

  • Albuquerque – The 38th Annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta kicked off earlier this week and runs through October 11. It is the most photographed event on earth, as more than 700 colorful balloons from all over the world fly high in New Mexico’s sky.
  • Amsterdam – ‘Van Gogh’s letters’ exhibition opens on October 9 at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam. The exhibition Van Gogh’s letters offers a fascinating view of Van Gogh as letter-writer and artist.
  • Melbourne – Melbourne International Arts Festival begins October 9. The festival is a series of cultural events by Australian and International artists and will continue through October 25.
  • Washington D.C. – At the Green Festivals this weekend, enjoy more green business lectures, how-to workshops, green films, yoga classes, organic beer, organic cuisine and live music .

If you make it to one of these events, let us know how it was, or 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 weekend!