List of World Heritage Sites grows by 13

by Kraig Becker on

The United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Committee just wrapped up its 33rd annual conference in Seville, Spain, where they added 13 new sites to their list of amazing locations around the globe, and made the unusual move of dropping one. The new list of World Heritage Sites now stands at 890.

Of the 13 new sites, 11 are cultural sites and 2 are natural. The two new natural sites are the Wadden Sea on the border between Germany and the Netherlands and the Dolomite Mountains in Italy. The cultural sites include such places as the Tower of Hercules in Spain, The Sacred City of Caral-Supe in Peru, and Sulamain-Too Sacred Mountain in Kyrgyzstan. For a complete list of the new sites, check out the official press release here.

The former World Heritage Site that was dropped from the list was the Elbe Valley in Dresden, Germany. The committee expressed concern over the fact that a new four-lane bridge was being built through the Valley, and even attempted to give warning of this action, placing the site on the Danger List back in 2006. When construction proceeding anyway, they felt they had no other choice, but to drop the Valley from their list.

Three other sites have also been put on notice that they could also be dropped in the future. The Belize Reef Reserve System in Belize was put on notice mainly due to the harvesting of mangrove trees and excessive development in the area. The Los Katios National Park in Columbia was added at the request of the Columbian government to help mobilize international efforts to protect the region and The Historical Monuments of Mtskheta in Georgia were listed as “in danger” over concerns with the preservation of the edifices located there.

Despite reports earlier this week, the Everglades National Park has not yet been placed back on the danger list. The committee intends to study the situation and make a more informed ruling in the future.

The new additions to the list are excelent, and it gives us an amazing life list just pursuing these World Heritiage Site. Forget the “1000 Places To See Before You Die” and just focus on these 890.

15 Great Mountain Vacations

by Kraig Becker on

The U.K. based online magazine Wide World launched at the beginning of May, and is already building a library of good content for adventure travelers and outdoor enthusiasts. The articles vary greatly in subject matter and include an interview with free diver Sara Campbell, a look at the world’s toughest race, and a growing collection of gear reviews.

One of the feature articles is of particular interest for travelers, offering up 15 amazing mountain trips from around the globe that will give you something to do at altitude even in the summer. Some of the locations on the list are amongst the most famous mountaineering communities in the world, each well known for offering a range of outdoor adventure activities.

For instance, Chamonix, France appears on the list, and during the winter, the famous mountain town is filled with visitors looking to take advantage of the best skiing and climbing in Europe. But during the summer months, those crowds vanish, leaving one of the world’s best outdoor playground virtually deserted. Sitting at the base of Mont Blanc, the tallest mountain in Western Europe, Chamonix gives easy access to some of the best alpine hiking, mountain biking, and kayaking found anywhere.

The other locations on the list are just as impressive, and each offers its own unique mountain activities. Some are great paragliding destinations, others offer horseback riding, rafting, fly fishing, and more. Most of the locations are in Europe and North America, with Queenstown, New Zealand being the lone exception. Any one of these mountain escapes would make a great getaway for anyone still looking for summertime fun.

Negotiating the “morning after” at Balmer’s

by Catherine Bodry on

I laughed out loud at Terry Ward’s observations over at World Hum of young Americans awkwardly negotiating the “morning after” scene at Balmer’s Herberge in Interlaken, Switzerland. Laughed, because when I was a 21-year-old college student on a study abroad trip, Balmer’s was a sacred place – a destination for hordes of other kids just like me, proudly sporting university sweatshirts and perky enthusiasm for the soft-core adrenaline adventures on offer around the town. Ward’s description is a spot-on retelling of my own experience there: waiting for the liquid courage to dance, then getting wasted on beer from plastic cups, running into a new friend at breakfast the next day and having an awkward, stilted conversation about the Italian coffeemaker he’d bought his sister in Italy. I also recall waking up that morning and finding my contact lenses in shriveled corpses on the floor next to my bed; I simply stuck them in solution and popped them back in. Oh, youth.

Like Ward, I have no desire to revisit Balmer’s. On subsequent visits to Interlaken, I’ve stayed at the pleasantly peaceful HI hostel. But I also don’t (totally) regret my drunken couple of nights at Balmer’s. I’m one of those people who hates missing out on any kind of experience, and at the time, a night or two at Balmer’s was what I was after.

Anyone else have a similar experience there?

Swiss vacations about to increase?

by Tom Johansmeyer on

It looks like the Swiss won’t have to worry about how to look busy while they’re on vacation. If a referendum by Swiss citizens passes, the current standard of four vacation weeks a year may increase by 50 percent. The measure was good enough to pick up 125,000 signatures, but it still has a long way to go.

The group behind the referendum, Travail.Suisse, cites increased stress in the workplace as driving the increased vacation need. People are working harder, and they just need a bit more of a break. Well-rested workers are happier and more productive.

A date for the vote hasn’t been set yet.

So, if you’re Swiss and you need a few ideas on where to take your extra two weeks of vacation, come back to Gadling often. We don’t take vacations.

Classic Treks: The Haute Route

by Kraig Becker on

There is a misconception that all of the great treks of the world involve backpackers roughing it in remote backcountry in a distant third world country. While those treks do hold a certain appeal, there are plenty of other great hikes that don’t require that you give up all of your amenities, and rough it, just so you can enjoy the beautiful scenery.

Take the Haute Route for example. The 110-mile trek runs along a variety of routes from Chamonix, France to Zermatt, Switzerland and generally takes about 12 days to complete. The route runs through some of the most scenic sections of the Alps, beginning in the shadow of Mount Blanc and ending under the Matterhorn, quite possibly the two most famous mountains in all of Europe.

While the Haute Route, which is also known as “the High Route” or “the Mountaineers Route”, is non-technical, it can still be physically demanding. The easy to follow trail climbs through 11 high passes, but reachs heights of nearly 12,500 feet in the process, and even during the summer, the use of crampons and ice axes may be necessary.

While this may seem daunting, and at times it can be, trekkers can look forward to staying in excellent mountain huts at the end of each day. The comfortable huts are found along the trail at intervals equivalent to a day’s hike. When the travelers arrive, they can kick off their boots, gather round the fire and partake in some of the surprisingly good food and local wines before retiring to a warm, comfortable bed for the night.

The Haute Route is often described as “the most beautiful walk in Europe” and that reputation is well founded. It passes through lush meadows and around brilliant glaciers stretching down some of the most impressive peaks in Europe. The trail even finds its way in and out of sleppy little mountain villages, giving trekkers the opportunity to experience Europe from a different perspective, far from the hustle and bustle of the larger cities.

During the summer months, the Haute Route is a popular destination for backpackers, but that doesn’t mean it closes down in the winter. The route is open for cross country skiers, who cover its length in roughly five days, enjoying the same scenery, and staying in the same mountain huts along the way.

No matter if you go in the summer or winter, you can expect a great outdoor adventure, with stunning scenery, and wonderful accomidations at the end of the day. You’ll challenge yourself physically but be rewarded with fine meals and comfortable beds for your efforts, and you’ll get to see parts of Europe that most only dream of.