Much of the music heard on public transportation is less than comforting to the ears. A drummer banging loudly on buckets, a man singing a monotonous melody, a woman making vibrations on a saw, or a barbershop quartet that can’t seem to sing in tune. True, there is a lot of good music played underground (particularly by those who have permits or well-known artists who play incognito), but I’ve never seen anything like the above video of a symphony orchestra playing in the Copenhagen tube. The entire video – including sound – was recorded on location, and as you’ll see, it seems to make the whole subway-riding experience much more pleasant. I really hope some of the lucky riders put a few dollars in their cases!
Best Roller Coasters Featured On New Travel Channel Show
Roller coasters are the highlight of any amusement or theme park for many visitors. High-speed thrills, twists and turns make for good times and have coaster enthusiasts claiming their favorites around the United States. Now, a new show starting Sunday on the Travel Channel decides which coasters are the best, as voted by viewers.
“Insane Coaster Wars” debuts Sunday, July 8, 2012, and settles the battle once and for all asking, “Which coaster is the best?” In May and June, Travel Channel viewers voted on which coaster is the best in various categories, from G-Force Giants to Hang ’em High coasters.
Each program in the “Insane Coaster Wars” series brings viewers along on the most exhilarating and intense coasters in America, with the winner revealed in each category at the end of the show.Roller Coasters not your idea of a good time?
“Extreme Water Parks,” another Travel Channel show, might be more your liking. Also debuting Sunday, this one features the wildest, over-the-top and most-exhilarating water rides in the world, from Florida to Brazil.
“Extreme Water Parks” is part of the Travel Channel’s Extreme Series that travels around the United States to document and showcase various places, events, things and people that are extreme in some way. Other topics in the extreme series include Extreme Mind-Blowing Hotels, Extreme Animal Encounters, Extreme Truck Stops, Extreme Bar Hopping and others.
[Flickr photo by royal19]
Three Great Fall Food And Wine Festivals To Plan On Now
As summer heat bears down on much of America, thoughts might turn to fall, which brings food and wine festivals. Visiting some of them might require just a quick drive to experience. Others, much farther away, are good choices but require some advance planning. Here is a quick list with three of the more interesting fall festivals and events coming up this year.
Hawaii Food and Wine Festival– Oahu, Hawaii
Held in early September, the second annual Hawaii Food and Wine Festival features more than 50 internationally-renowned master chefs, culinary personalities, and wine and spirit producers. A Pacific Rim focus brings experts from the United States, Singapore, Japan, Korea, Philippines and Australia with showcase wine tastings, cooking demonstrations and exclusive dining opportunities with dishes using local produce, seafood, beef and poultry.
Held September 6-9, 2012, tickets on sale now also include a 12-month subscription to Food and Wine Magazine.
Lake Tahoe Autumn Food & Wine Festival– Lake Tahoe, California
Eight days long, this year’s event kicks off on Labor Day weekend and continues all week with a grape stomp, classes, tastings, music, art, wine and a grand finale featuring a Culinary Competition and Grand Tasting at Northstar California Resort. Unique to this event is the opportunity to visit a farmers market with a renowned chef to learn about fall seasonal produce, meat, fish, cheese and flowers.
Happening September 1-9, 2012, tickets are on sale now.Taste of Madison– Madison, Wisconsin
More than 80 local restaurants offer a sample of their finest fare at more food-oriented Taste of Madison. The annual event benefits United Cerebral Palsy and has helped them raise nearly $400,000 in the past decade alone. Three stages have live music throughout the two-day event featuring Country, Rock and R&B.
Just two days, Taste of Madison happens September 1-2, 2012. No admission.
[Flickr photo by Aunt Owwee]
Historic Royal Palaces To See, Or Rent
The UK’s Historic Royal Palaces is an independent charity that looks after the Tower of London, Hampton Court Palace, the Banqueting House, Kensington Palace and Kew Palace. In addition to maintaining the physical structures, Historic Royal Palaces works to share them with the world through day tickets that might be great for those visiting the Olympics and seeking unique experiences between events.
“Our aim is to help everyone explore the story of how monarchs and people have shaped society, in some of the greatest palaces ever built,” says Historic Royal Palaces on its website.
While each of the five royal palaces in their care has survived for hundreds of years, they receive no funding from the Government or the Crown and depend on the support of visitors, members, donors, volunteers and sponsors. Four of them are available for hire too.
Tower of London
A breath-taking collection of finery in the newly presented Jewel House at the Tower of London features a unique collection of royal regalia that is still regularly used by The Queen in important national ceremonies. Also meet the Beefeaters and Ravens and enter the White Tower, the oldest museum in the world. Open daily, year round.
Hampton Court Palace
A temporary exhibition, called “The Wild, The Beautiful and The Damned,” is included in admission to the palace until September 30, 2012. The exhibit introduces visitors to the court beauties, lecherous rakes and ambitious courtesans who decorated the decadent world of Charles II and his successors. Open daily year round.
Kensington Palace
This summer, visitors can experience the momentous occasion of Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations in 1897 or “Diana Glimpses Of A Modern Princess,” a small and elegant display of five dresses worn by the iconic princess. Open daily, year round.
Kew Palace
Kew Palace takes visitors behind the scenes to “George III’s Royal Kitchens” for the first time to reveal George’s eating habits and the management of an intimate royal household. Kew Palace is open this summer until September 30, 2012.
Daily tickets to see any one of the palaces are sold, but membership in the Historic Royal Palaces family enjoys free and unlimited entry to all palaces.
Flickr photo by kingsimmy
London Sets 21 Guinness World Records In Six Months
Officials from the Guinness World Records have been hard at work in London over the past six months. More than 16,000 new record holders have been named as people from across the city attempt to beat more than 20 records. They’ve done a lot of strange things in order to take over the ranks, including the longest curtsey relay in five minutes, the fastest hula-hooping marathon, the longest line of fanfare trumpeters and more. Today, over 100 soldiers completed the 21st and final challenge: the record for “most people dipping egg soldiers simultaneously.”
A traditional British breakfast, egg soldiers are soft-boiled eggs eaten by dipping buttered strips of toast into the runny yolk. The soldiers pictured above lined up and ate their egg soldiers on command in a carefully orchestrated event. The attempt to beat such a large number of records was launched by London & Partners, the promotional organization for the city, in order to celebrate London’s people, attractions, universities, businesses, sports and transport. A full list of records that have been broken over the past six months in London is available after the jump.
1. Longest marathon hugging welcoming the world to London
2. Longest curtsey relay in five minutes
3. Most entrants in an egg hunt competition
4. Largest reading lesson (multiple venues)
5. Most expensive chocolate egg sold at auction (non-jeweled)
6. Largest archaeological archive – Museum of London
7. Tallest costume to complete a marathon
8. Fastest marathon hula-hooping
9. Fastest marathon on stilts (7-9 were just three of the 29 Guinness World Records set at the 2012 Virgin London Marathon)
10. First recorded Mr. Punch puppet show – to commemorate 350 years since Mr. Punch first appeared at London’s Covent Garden
11. Most Portrayed human literary Character In Film & TV – Sherlock Holmes
12. Longest line of fanfare trumpeters
13. Oldest continually working film studio – Ealing Studios
14. Most people throwing mortar boards simultaneously – celebrating international students in London
15. Longest club DJ session relay – 100 DJs at Ministry of Sound for London based Charity OneLife
16. Largest parade of boats – as part of the Thames Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Pageant
17. Largest treasure hunt game celebrating The Mayor’s Team London Ambassadors
18. First underground railway system – to TFL and London Underground
19. Largest composite photograph exhibition by artist Clare Newton
20. Oldest bicycle shop – established in 1860 in Sutton, London
21. Most people dipping egg soldiers simultaneously