Ship graveyards from around the world

by Kraig Becker on

Eco-friendly website Environmental Graffiti has an interesting story on their site today that details some of the top cargo ship graveyards from around the world. The article also includes some amazing photos of the rusted out shells of former cargo and cruise ships that have been left to rot in a variety of sun baked locations.

All told, there are five graveyards on the list, including the infamous Skeleton Coast in Namibia, as well as a others along the Aral and Red Seas, the Sahara, and off the coast of Greece. Most of these dumping grounds are desolate, remote deserts that remain uninhabited and mostly unvisited altogether. This, of course, makes them perfect places to deposit these obsolete vessels, but one can’t help but wonder what kind of environmental disasters we’ve created in these places.

Reading about these ship graveyards is sobering to say the least, but it is the excellent photographs that really delivers the story. Seeing these once proud vessels reduced to dilapidated shells left to wither away slowly is kind of sad, and you can’t help but wonder what kind of interesting stories some of these ships have to tell. Looking at them now, it is difficult to think that at one time they roamed the seas, delivering cargo and passengers to exotic locations around the globe. This is kind of an ignoble end to their tours of duty.

Top 10 places to have your pocket picked

by Tom Johansmeyer on

I always get a laugh when I see people walk the streets of Manhattan with backpacks worn on their fronts. Millions of people commute into and around the city every day, yet the outnumbered visitors take extreme measures to make sure their subway maps and recently purchased Planet Hollywood t-shirts remain in their control.

Of course, pickpocketing is a concern in many tourist destinations around the world, and it does pay to be cautious. In the latest TripAdvisor list of cities where this crime is most prevalent, New York doesn’t make an appearance. In fact, no city in the United States is represented. Yet, there are plenty of places where you could be separated from your wallet quite easily, so if you’re thinking about hitting any of these spots, keep an eye on your valuables.

Eight of the top 10 pickpocketing locations in the world are in Europe, with one in South America and the other in Southeast Asia. Spain and Italy share the dubious distinction of making the list twice.

Ready to find out where this crime is most common? Take a look at the list after the jump.

1. Las Ramblas, Barcelona, Spain
The wide pedestrian walkway has performers and is great for people watching. Of course, there are a few purse-snatchers who have realized this, making the spot a nice big target.

2. Rome, Italy
You might want to look out for a pair of scissors, but chances are, you won’t see them coming. Crowds gathering around ancient relics are easy prey for the “alternatively employed.”

3. Prague, Czech Republic
Wandering the statues around the Charles Bridge? You’re not alone! Stay aware of your surroundings, because those looking for your wallet and watch certainly are.

4. Madrid, Spain
When I was in Madrid earlier this year, I didn’t have a problem at all. But, jam-packed metro cars and the El Rastro fleamarket are said to be high-risk spots. Also, be careful in museums. While you’re gazing at “Guernica,” nefarious plans may be in the works. When you’re distracted … you’re easy.

5. Paris, France
Instead of having your money taken, just cave and give it to the “Bosnian” beggars at every tourist attraction in the city.

6. Florence, Italy
If you’re wrapped up in the amazing sights – things you’ve waited your entire life to see – you can easily fall victim. Michelangelo’s “David” won’t grab your goods, but one of his neighbors may.

7. Buenos Aires, Argentina
The common scam is to pour “bird droppings” (usually mustard) on you and offer to help you clean it up. It’s not the good deed you may think it is.

8. Amsterdam, Netherlands
The laid-back vibe of this city is likely to let your guard down. There are plenty of people counting on this.

9. Athens, Greece
Big attractions that draw plenty of people ensure that pickpockets can choose who to go after. Your level of diligence will determine whether it’s you.

10. Hanoi, Vietnam
There is plenty to see in the Old Quarter, and it’s easy to lose sight of the pickpocketing threat when you’ve spent more than a day traveling to reach Hanoi. Make sure you’re awake when you leave the hotel.

Flags of the world, made out of food

by Jeremy Kressmann on

The topic of national identity comes up frequently when we travel, particularly when it comes to displaying our home country’s flag. As it turns out, the debate surrounding flags is even more “consuming” than we first thought, especially when the flags happen to be made out of food.

In honor of this October’s upcoming Sydney International Food Festival, the event’s organizers have arranged to have the flag of each participating country re-created using that nation’s unique local food products and recipes. See the flag to the right (from Australia)? It’s been remade as a meat pie, a food favorite from Down Under. Greece on the other hand, was composed entirely of olives and feta cheese. And how about Japan? It’s been constructed as a circular piece of pinkish-red sushi on a bed of rice.

Even as the boundaries of our home countries are blurred by travel, foods remain one of the few reliable reminders of what it is that makes the places we visit so undeniably unique. Flags, in similar fashion, offer the visual equivalent of a unique food, declaring the unique characteristics of each country. Yet increasingly we find the foods of just about any cuisine available anywhere we happen to be in the world. As it turns out, “deliciousness” knows no political or geographical boundaries – food is one topic we all seem agree upon.

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Drunk on vacation? Don’t harass people, or someone will set fire to your penis!

by Scott Carmichael on

Here is a story that is bound to make you think twice about harassing the locals when you are drunk.

When 20 year old Stuart Feltham tried to assault a 26 year old local girl on the Greek island of Crete, she first politely asked him to stop.

Like most people, she was not impressed by a drunk British tourist dropping his pants and waving his genitals around.

Her requests went unanswered, so she poured a glass of Sambuca on him. Even that wasn’t enough for this guy to get the message, and when he continued harassing her, she set fire to the alcohol (and his genitals) – causing severe second degree burns.

Mr. Feltham was rushed to a private clinic where he is being treated. Thankfully he was smart enough to pay for travel insurance, and his policy had no exclusions for burned penis.

The British Home Office (like our State Department) is of course embarrassed by the whole thing, especially since they have been campaigning to reduce the number of Brits getting in trouble when they are abroad.

Reveling tourists are such an annoyance to local residents of Crete, that Miss Fanouraki is being called a hero. She’s claiming self defense and the local magistrate has already hinted that they’ll most likely accept that, and let her off easy.

Lesson learned today: no means no, and when someone pours flammable liquid on your private parts, run to the bathroom for water.
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Woman demands refund for vacation spoiled by naked girls

by Scott Carmichael on

Yesterday, I wrote about the top reasons your vacation can be spoiled – today’s news is something that most certainly was not in that lineup.

A Serbian woman is demanding a full refund of her Greek vacation, not because of bed bugs or a noisy room, but because their room was next to a room occupied by 2 girls enjoying themselves on their balcony (naked).

Apparently, these girls were out on their balcony so often, that her husband suddenly had a similar urge to soak up some sun – and just so happened to do so whenever these girls were outside.

Needless to say, this didn’t go down too well with his wife, and the source claims he even hurt his neck from enjoying the view so much.

No word on whether the couple are still together, or whether the woman will actually get her money back.

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