Photo of the Day (3.28.09)


Talk about a gorgeous night skyline. The red hues of Skye Bar at the Hotel Unique in Sao Paulo are set perfectly against the looming gray urban night. There’s something very alive about this photo, from the reflection of red lights in the pool to friends lingering under glowing umbrellas.

Our Photo of the Day comes to us from wesleyrosenblum, who has some pretty awesome shots of sites all over South America.

If you have some great travel shots you’d like to share, be sure to upload them to the Gadling pool on Flickr. We might just pick one as our Photo of the Day!

Strange New Year’s traditions around the world

Unlike many holidays, where celebrants are bound by tradition or religion, New Year’s is a holiday that allows each individual to choose his own method of celebration. Some revelers will soak themselves in alcohol, boozing it up with copious bottles of champagne. Others choose to make the evening a quieter affair, settling in for a movie and an early night in bed.

However you personally choose to celebrate New Year’s 2009, people around the world certainly have some wacky ways that they choose to bring in their new year. MSNBC is reporting on some of the more interesting customs. Here’s a look at a few of the more curious:

  • South America – in countries like Brazil and Bolivia, it’s what’s inside that counts. Residents in cities such as Sao Paulo and La Paz ring in the New Year by donning brightly colored underpants. Those who choose red are hoping for an amorous year ahead, those with yellow wish for money. I guess this begs the question of how you tell who is wearing what color underwear. Perhaps that is best left unanswered…
  • Denmark – as if the effects of plentiful New Year’s alcohol were not disorienting enough, many Danish revelers leap off chairs at the stroke of midnight, hoping to banish bad spirits in the year ahead.
  • Philippines – New Year’s celebrations in places like Manila tend to be circular; Filipinos focus on all things round, consuming “round” fruits such as grapes and wearing clothing with round shapes like polka dots. The spherical theme is meant to remind celebrants of the “round” shape of coins and prosperity.
  • Spain – at the stroke of 12, Spaniards begin to consume 12 grapes, attempting to eat the whole bunch by the time the clock stops chiming.
  • Belarus – the new year in Belarus is all about getting hitched. Unmarried women compete at games of skill and chance to determine who will tie the knot in the coming months. One game involves setting piles of corn and a rooster before the potential brides-to-be – whichever pile the bird chooses apparently picks the lucky lady.

You can check out the full list of weird New Year’s traditions here.

Man Caught at Airport with 200 Birds in his Suitcase

A man was arrested at the airport in Sao Paulo, Brazil after 200 canaries were found in his suitcase. The smuggler is a resident of Brazil and had just gotten off a flight from Peru. Over 60 of the birds were dead. The others are being returned to Peru by a more humane means of transport. The man has been charged with animal trafficking and is currently being held by police in Sao Paulo.

The birds were found after a routine x-ray at a security checkpoint. They were stuffed into 4 cages inside a large suitcase. The deceased birds had succumbed to suffocation and dehydration.

Of more interest to authorities was the fact that the particular species of canary is considered invasive and would have posed a threat to similar birds native to Sao Paulo. Exotic bird smuggling is a huge problem worldwide. Not only are certain birds endangered or considered a threat to local wildlife, there is a risk of viruses and diseases, like H5N1, spreading because of the illegal importation of exotic birds.

Airlines Touting Brazil as New Hotspot

South America’s destinations are hard to travel to. For people with samba fever outside of a few major hub cities (like Miami), a trip to Brazil means at least one connecting flight in the US. Anyone who plans to spend time outside of the major cities of Sao Paulo or Rio will have to catch another flight once they arrive in the metropolises. These extra flights can add up.

Soon, it will be easier (and cheaper) to get to Brazil’s cities from the US. And just in time for the Southern Hemisphere’s summer. American Airlines is offering flights to the northeastern city of Salvador beginning in November. AA is also planning on providing service to the nearby coastal town of Recife. Delta is taking it a step further, offering flights to the Amazonian city of Manaus from Atlanta beginning at the end of the year. American is offering introductory rates for people traveling from major east coast cities like Boston and New York. Prices average $425 one-way if purchased before December 2nd.


10 tips for smarter flying


Orlando Gets Closer to Brazil

In the past, most people flying from Orlando to Brazil, or most other country in South America for that matter, had to first catch a connecting flight to Miami. Therefore, the recent announcement by Brazil’s top airline, TAM, was a welcome one. The airline will provide a direct flight from Orlando to Sao Paulo. Given major airlines’ current aversion to adding new flights, this is big news, especially for Orlando.

As I wrote above, many area residents have to go to Miami, a hub for American Airlines, before continuing to their international destination. Though the TAM Orlando-Sao Paulo route seems trivial when compared to the numerous flights heading abroad from Miami, it’s always nice to see a mid-sized city sticking it to a big city hub that is controlled by a major airline. Perhaps more foreign airlines will begin looking to mid-sized cities to boost their business.

TAM was drawn to Orlando after it found the city to have ample demand, a willing airport and a complete lack of competition. So next time you are in Orlando, sweating away your holiday in a theme park, just remember, Sao Paulo is only a flight away.