Learn the local celebrities – International travel tip

If you’re going overseas, especially for a longer trip like with studying abroad, a good way to ease the culture shock is to study up on the names in the news.

Every country has their own TV, movie, sports and political stars, and that’s who people will be talking about. If you want to be able to keep up with the local chatter, do a little studying before you leave so that you know who’s making buzz and why.

Being ready to name drop a few celebs will really make an impression on the people you meet as you travel.

[Photo: Flickr | cikaga jamie]

Photo of the day (7.22.10)

In addition to making awesome song parodies and being a fun celeb to follow on Twitter, Weird Al Yankovic has been a passionate polka advocate for his entire career. It’s no wonder when you see how much joy this gentleman is experiencing playing the polka, captured by Flickr user Adam Baker in Krakow, Poland. More music could benefit from accordions; they’re portable, fun to play, and make a regular afternoon at the park feel like a party. Dancing monkey optional.

Taken a photo of someone in a moment of pure joy in your travels? Upload it to our Gadling Flickr Pool and we might choose your snapshot to feature as a Photo of a Day.

Celebrity Hookup Hotels

Celebrities, they’re just like us: they go to hotel bars to hook up.

The question, of course, is which hotels, so we can watch them and take cell phone pictures. Well, MSNBC has decided to feed your obsession by publishing a list of known celeb hangouts called Busted! Hotels where celebs go to hook up.

On the list?
The Soho Grand (right)
The Beverly Hills Hotel
The Palms Casino Resort
and more.

Shocking? Not really; the hotels they mention tend to be the trendiest, as well as the ones you always see in the tabloids. Why are celebrities hooking up there? Because they want to be seen.


Those hotels are awesome. Check out these *weird* hotels: