The Tolkien Trail: Touring the real life inspiration behind Middle Earth

by Neil Woodburn on

Although the classic Lord of the Rings Trilogy was shot in New Zealand, the real life inspiration behind some of Tolkien’s most fantastic landscapes came from Birmingham, England.

This is where Tolkien grew up and spent his childhood exploring mysterious places like Moseley Bog which, according to the local Birmingham website, “is recalled in The Lord of the Rings as the ‘Old Forest’, last of the primeval woods in which Tom Bombadil lived.”

Just down the road from the bog is the Sarehole Mill (above) where Tolkien played as a young child and also where Bilbo Baggins did the same.

As you might imagine, the local community has latched on to their favorite son and now promote the “Tolkien Trail” where enthusiasts can check out landmarks that inspired Middle Earth and also visit Tolkien’s home, church, and other prominent locations from his childhood.

Personally, I’d rather check out New Zealand to get my Tolkien fix. But I would imagine Birmingham would be pretty cool as well.

Europeans invade New York for holiday shopping

by Iva Skoch on

It’s been a while since anyone has called New York the “bargain place”. This year, New York might as well use it as a city motto. With strong currency working to their advantage, Europeans have been coming to New York in droves to do all their holidays shopping.

Today’s NY Times had an comparison table of London and New York prices. Here is an example:

  • New York prices – 8 Gigabytes iPod Touch: $299, Levis 501 jeans: $58, Starbucks Grande Latte: $3.75
  • London prices – 8 Gigabytes iPod Touch: $398, Levis 501 jeans: $120, Starbucks Grande Latte: $4.80

How many iPods do you have to buy to make the trip worth it though? Air tickets are really expensive before the holidays and New York hotels–trying to capitalize on the strong Euro/Pound are charging more than $400/night for a hotel that used to cost about $100 just a few years ago…

I have heard from Londoners that having a fun weekend in London will cost you more than flying someplace for the weekend. London is so expensive now that the only way to save money is to leave it. Quite a concept!

Mary and Joseph won’t have to sleep in the stable this Christmas

by Martha Edwards on

Here’s an interesting story from our friends over at Intelligent Traveler: This Christmas, hotel chain Travelodge is offering free rooms to UK couples named Mary and Joseph at any of their 322 United Kingdon properties. According to their website, this charitable offer is an attempt to make up for not having any rooms available on that fateful night over 2000 years ago when Jesus was born in a stable.

Here’s what the press release has to say:

Today’s Mary and Joseph will stay in a spacious Travelodge family room which can also cater for a baby and a manger. A free car-parking space will be provided for the donkey and there are plenty of £29 rooms available for the Shepherds and Wise Men to book. The couple can stay anytime from Christmas Eve to the Twelfth Night.

Very cute, Travelodge.

Heathrow to get a facelift

by Martha Edwards on

Before I had been to England, Heathrow Airport seemed a magical place in my mind — a place that emblemized everything British, from black cabs to girls in Union Jack-flag dresses. Plus, the Beatles had been there, so it must be amazing. But when I got there and took my first few steps on British ground, I was surprised; it was dingy and a bit smelly, a mish mash of cultures and consumerism and not really what I’d imagined Britain to be at all.

It’s true — Heathrow is shabby and outdated, despite being one of the busiest and most important airports in the world.

But 2008 is set to be the year that all changes for LHR, according to this article — it’s getting a facelift in the new year, and construction is expected to end in 2012. What can the 68 millions travelers who pass through there each year expect to see? Well, for starters, a fifth terminal is being added. And renovations will be happening that are aimed at bringing the ‘glamour’ back to air travel.

Dangerous and destructive art at London museum

by Abha Malpani on

London’s Tate Museum has a huge crack its floor. 15 people suffered minor injuries in the first 8-weeks of the crack — there since October — but no one has been badly hurt. This crack is not from an earthquake but has been chiseled in by Colombian artist Doris Salcedo who is known to ‘create artistic installations that function as political and mental archeology.’ Hmmm.

The crevice is 500 feet long and doesn’t exceed 1-foot width along its length. Called Shibboleth, according to the museum’s website: “the crack questions the interaction of sculpture and space, architecture and the values it enshrines, and the shaky ideological foundations on which Western notions of modernity are built.” The crack will be there to see until April 2008.

According to an article in the IHT, people have been reacting strangely to the crack. Some don’t see it and trip, some see it but don’t expect to be able to put their foot in the cavity, and not-surprisingly, many are debating over how safe it is.

I think it’s intriguing for the Tate to have allowed the physical destruction of an entire hall in the name of art.

Just like the Indian excrement art exhibition, I would never have imagined a huge crack in the floor to communicate something as profound as what Salcedo is trying to communicate. But, just because of the arrest-factor this crack has, I would take the effort to understand what it is trying to represent. Yes, I’m a sucker for random art like this.