Couple Hugs…for 5000 Years

by Willy Volk on

Archaeologists in Italy recently discovered a couple buried between 5000 and 6000 years ago. Nothing special with that announcement, of course. However, this couple appears to have been buried hugging each other. According to Elena Menotti, who led the team on the dig, “I’ve never been so moved, because this is the discovery of something special.”

Although I’m betting that you can’t visit the actual dig site, you can visit Montova — the city near the site — which no doubt inspired the eternal embrace. Located in northern Italy, Montova is surrounded on three sides by the Mincio River. Picturesque and filled with culture, Montova also hosts the world-renowned Festivaletteratura, which offers five days of readings, meetings with writers, shows, and concerts. If you head to Montova, let us know if it inspires you to hug!

Valentine’s Idea: Keep Each Other Warm in Quebec’s Ice Hotel

by Willy Volk on

For people whose idea of The Perfect Valentine’s Day involves lots and lots of cuddling, you might want to check into Quebec’s Ice Hotel. Fashioned from 4-foot-thick blocks of ice, the hotel’s walls insulate against the frigid outdoor temperatures and keep guests inside enjoying comparatively balmy 23°-28°F rooms. Think of it as sleeping inside a giant Thermos.

Open from January to April, the Ice Hotel is made from 500 tons of ice and 15,000 tons of snow. In addition to heated bathrooms, the hotel features a wedding chapel, igloo-building classes, and the Ice Lounge — for when you want to chill. Many of the rooms feature themes; some have fire places; and one even has private hot tub with waterfront views.

The hotel is currently running a cool Romantic Shivers promotion: $159 gets you a drink in an ice tumbler (that you can keep as a souvenir!); one night in the hotel; access to the public hot tubs and sauna (that’s where I’ll be); and more. If you need a little nudge before you’re willing to plop down some of your cold, hard cash on a night in a glorified igloo, check out the trip reports by Lisa Shea or Andrea Granahan. Also, be sure to swing by Etolane’s Ice Hotel images on Flickr, in which she lovingly, dotingly, joyously photo-documents the hotel. What amazing colors! It’s like sleeping inside a prism.

Valentine’s Idea: Israeli Snake Massage

by Jonathon Morgan on

What else says love like six non-venomous snakes? If that sounds like something your partner would enjoy, a quick trip to Ada Barak’s spa in northern Israel might be in order. Instead of using traditional techniques to reduce stress and muscle tension (like, maybe her hands), Barak instead lets California and Florida king snakes slither across her clients.

She says the treatment was inspired by her belief that — once the client gets over any initial apprehension — contact with the reptiles can be soothing.

Just in case you’re seriously considering this, Barak’s spa is in the communal village of Talmey El’Azar. If you go, please, please send us photos.

[via: Boing Boing]

Valentine’s Idea: Visit A Rose Garden

by Willy Volk on

Valentine’s Day is a special day, when we take the time to slow down, look around us, and appreciate the loved ones in our lives. Maybe, in addition, we also want to stop and smell the roses — literally. There are rose gardens — beautiful, vast, eye-popping rose gardens — the world over. And what could express your unending love more dramatically than a tour through one of these olfactory wonderlands? Here are five of the planet’s most beautiful rose gardens, just waiting for you to come a-calling. Warning: I don’t think they’ll let you snip a souvenir for yourself!

  1. Australia’s National Rose Garden is located on the banks of the Macquarie River at the historic Woolmers Estate in Longford, Tasmania. With varieties dating back to the 18th Century, the roses are available for viewing every day except Christmas.
  2. Hertfordshire, England’s Royal National Rose Society boasts more than 30,000 roses. A major program of bulb plantings has extended the garden season, so that visitors can enjoy the feast of color and beauty from Spring through late Summer. When its current renovation is complete, the Garden will feature an exhibit that demonstrates the History of the Rose.
  3. The Gardens of the American Rose Center, located just outside Shreveport, Louisiana, is the world’s largest rose garden. Five dollars gains you entry into this stunning, stunning, scented scene.
  4. Zakir Hussain Rose Garden is Asia’s largest rose garden. Located in Chandigarh, India, it is spread over 30 acres and features over 1600 different species of roses. If you can hold off your amorous tour until late February, you can participate in the Rose Festival, during which 20,000 people visit the garden.
  5. Though it may not be the biggest, Atlanta’s Carter Center features a beautiful rose garden overlooking the city. Grab a bottle of bubbly, and enjoy the best place in the city to watch the sunset.

Know of another beautiful rose garden? Share your knowledge with us!

Celebrate Your Love at…. White Castle?

by Justin Glow on

Looking to really impress your lady friend this Valentines day? Treat her like a princess, and go to White Castle.

On February 14th, between 5:00 and 8:00 PM, select White Castles around the country will be serving their world famous sliders in a candle-lit presentation, complete with hostess and your own personal server. If you’d rather keep the romance private — in front of the fireplace, perhaps, or the porch of your trailer — you can take home Cupid’s Crave Kit for everything you’ll need to reproduce the romantic atmosphere of your local White Castle. Check their website for a participating location near you. Reservation required.

Still a little apprehensive? Check out these photos from a group of love birds who celebrated their special evening at White Castle in 2006.

[via Kottke]