Nude photos of French First Lady spice up Sarkozy’s official UK visit

by Anna Brones on

Carla Bruni: she might be an attractive wife, but she certainly does stir things up for her husband, French President Nicolas Sarkozy.

She recently posed for popular men’s magazine GQ, reminding us all that the First Lady is most definitely very attractive. Those super-model roots are causing a bit of havoc this week as Sarkozy makes his first official UK visit. Why? Because the official visit is taking place only one day after famous auction house Christie’s announced that it would be selling nude photographs of Bruni, taking by photographer Michael Comte in 1993.

Although Sarkozy is on an official mission — there are important questions to discuss like China, Afghanistan and Franco-UK relations — it is unclear whether it will be politics or sex that will draw more media attention.

400 people stuck on the London Eye

by Abha Malpani on

400 London Eye passengers were trapped for about an hour on the 135-meter high Eye yesterday. Apparently there was a technical fault with one of the tires that they thought best to fix before letting people off.

The process seems to have been dealt with quite well. All passengers were communicated with through intercom and were given access to the emergency blankets, water and commodes while they waited for things to be fixed.

The stories published in the media didn’t speak to any of the people who were stuck on there, however, an hour is a long time to be stuck on a giant wheel and surely the passengers (especially the ones at the top of the wheel) were scared if not petrified.

You may not be afraid of rides, but incidents like this can shake you up and are unforgettable. Anyway, there were no reported injuries, the wheel was fixed, and the passengers were given a hot drink and a refund when they stepped out. Good old British hospitality!

New guidebook series: Eyes Open

by Jeremy Kressmann on

I love the idea behind the new guidebook series Eyes Open by design company Ideo. Rather than busy themselves with the rote regurgitation of sights of interest, restaurants and hotels, Eyes Open seeks to help travelers shift their attention towards really looking and immersing themselves in their surroundings. The series recently launched with its first two entries, New York and London, with additional cities to follow in the near future.

I had a chance to peruse the New York edition recently and came away with some interesting first impressions. The book is organized by four themes – ‘observer,’ ‘diner,’ ‘shopper’ and ‘mingler.’ Each theme is meant to represent a different “lens” by which we can view our destination. Within each category is a series of short travel narratives on a variety of topics, focusing on everything from secret eating clubs to unique small businesses to hidden earthwork art installations. As I resident of New York who is fairly well-versed in the city’s hidden amusements, I found the entries both surprising and informative. At the same time, this approach is sure to leave gaps for some travelers. Ideo makes no apology for the fact their Eyes Open guides are not comprehensive. Visitors looking for the basic practicalities of where to stay and a basic overview of neighborhoods will probably come away disappointed.

Then again, there is something to be said for curated guides like Eyes Open. As each of us travels, too often we get caught up in “checking off a list” of the must-see sights and locations. Eyes Open is the type of travel aid that can help us take a step back and experience a place through an entirely new perspective. Sometimes that’s worth the extra 20 bucks. Think of it as nice supplement to a more traditional guidebook.

US-to-UK flights expected to increase 31% by July

by Iva Skoch on

At some point I want to know how many more planes the sky can handle. I don’t even mean it from the perspective of the environment. I mean how many planes can we fit without sacrificing safety?

On March 30, the Open-Skies Agreement goes into effect. It will finally allow airlines based in the United States and Europe to fly across the Atlantic between any two airports in each region, NY Times reports. Before the pact, trans-Atlantic flights were governed by separate agreements between the United States and individual European nations. For example, the agreement required airlines to take off or land in their native countries, and limited which airlines could serve certain airports.

That is about to change. For the first time, the open market will dictate all trans-Atlantic routes between the United States and Europe and for example, Continental, Delta and Northwest will be able to serve Heathrow for the first time. According to OAG Back Aviation Solutions, flights from the United States to Heathrow are expected to increase 31 percent, to 2,932 flights in July from 2,233 this month. Heathrow is congested and chaotic as it is. No wonder, there are constant protests about expanding the airport. There has got to be such thing as “too many planes.”

Traveling the day after St. Patrick’s Day can be hellish

by Iva Skoch on

Happy St. Patrick’s Day, to all of you aside from the guy who sat next to me on an EasyJet flight from Prague to London a couple of years ago (the morning after St. Patty’s day) and almost threw up in my lap.

He had a black eye and body odor of a dying donkey. I am trying to make peace with you man, I really am. I also hope I never have to be stuck next to you for 90 turbulent minutes.

Tomorrow morning must make one of the worst days to fly anywhere, especially around Europe and especially on a budget airline from a destination known for its cheap liquor. Honestly, I don’t think i will ever fly out of Prague on March 18 ever again.

Thanks, kittyroara, for the lovely photo. By the way, do you ever fly budget airlines to or from Prague?