Travel

• Photo of the Day (10.12.08) 5 hours ago Gadling
  

  Filed under: United States, Photo of the Day

  
  
  My fellow bloggers have a been on a Photo of the Day nature kick this past week, so I figured I would keep up the theme. This Sunday's nature shot comes to us from Flickr user ben.rulesalot, who noticed these two serene specimens on his trip to the Georgia Aquarium.
  
  As much as any photographer might be tempted to crowd the frame of their shot with as much detail as possible, I happen to like Ben's approach here. Sometimes, "simple is better." And even though there are no humans in this photo, there's definitely an interesting "interaction" occurring between these two jellyfish that creates a story for the viewer to decipher. Jellyfish in love? Jellyfish protecting their turf? I'll leave it to you to decide...
  
  Have any jellyfish photos you want to share with our readers? Or maybe some tasty seafood jambalaya? Why not add them to our Gadling pool on Flickr? We might just pick it as our Photo of the Day.
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• Take a shortcut to Hilton Honors Gold Status 9 hours ago Gadling
  

  Filed under: Hotels and Accommodations, Internet Tools

  Reaching the upper tiers of any travel related rewards program almost always takes money, time, effort, money and money -- the rewards reaped should only be for the profitable consumer, right?
  
  Occasionally, however, programs release shortcuts -- ways that guaranteed high-dollar users can skip up a tier and enjoy the benefits -- so that they can lock in a particular demographic or company. And when those shortcuts get published? That's when people like you and I can sneak in from the back door.
  
  Apparently, Canadian Aeroplan members were offered just this for the Hilton Honors program. From what I hear, by going to this link at the HHonors website, they could plug in code "CTHC", sign up for an account and be catapulted all of the way up to Gold status. What a great shortcut. Not that I've tried it. But I hear it works great.
  
  In case you're wondering what the benefits of Gold status are at the Hilton family of hotels, membership gets a few nice small perks at checkin. Among the goodies are two of my favorites: access to the concierge level (where available), its free snacks and drinks, or free wireless internet among the network of hotels. Those alone are worth trying to get Gold status.
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• Another first for Dubai: World's tallest LED screen 10 hours ago Gadling
  

  Filed under: United Arab

  Is Dubai getting a little too predictable in its quest to be city with the most bragging rights?
  
  Jaunted thinks so. It greets Dubai's latest accomplishment with a big yawn.
  
  Dubai recently announced that it is building the world's biggest LED screen, which is being designed to cover one side of a 33-story building. No word, however, on when it will be unveiled or how much this pointless undertaking is going to cost.
  
  A firm named Dactronics is behind the screen, and is reportedly designing it so that light will still be able to penetrate that side of the building.
  
  So, the screen will take its place in Dubai next to the world's tallest building (whenever that is completed), the world's most expensive hotel, the world's only man-made archipelago, the world's...
  
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• Blogger Mike Barish 11 hours ago Gadling
  

  Filed under: About The Bloggers

  
  Where was your photo taken: At a shop in Nakano Broadway market in Tokyo, Japan. This tiny umbrella was the most logical product that was sold there. This may have been the least.
  
  Where do you live now: New York City. Manhattan to be specific. Lower East Side to be even more specific. Apartment 8A to be creepily specific.
  
  Scariest airline flown: Royal Air Maroc from Madrid to Marrakech. Way more lateral movement on the runway than I am comfortable with.
  
  Favorite city/country/place: Wow, how do I pick just one? Absolutely loved India for the people, the food and the energy. The sooner I can get back to India the happier I'll be.
  
  Most remote corner of the globe visited: The rocky beach of Vik, Iceland. Looking out at the North Atlantic, you feel alone on that strange volcanic island. Those vikings were brave motherfu...uh, sorry.
  
  Favorite guidebook series: TimeOut and it's not even close. Useful advice and more than just generic tourist hot-spots. Helps keep me away from the fanny-packed socks-with-sandals crowds.
  
  Hotel, hostel or other: Apartment and I don't even consider anything else to be a viable option. Apartments let my friends and me stay in local neighborhoods, come and go as we please and immerse ourselves in the local culture. And having a kitchen saves money and allows you to cook like a native.
  
  The most unusual food you've ever eaten: How do I pick just one? Fermented shark, smoked whale and horse steaks (Iceland). Chicken and horse sashimi (Japan). Paan from a street vendor (India). Pig brain (Puerto Rico). And Lunchables. What's up with those things?
  
  Worst place to catch a stomach bug: Um, anywhere. It's a stomach bug. Diarrhea knows no boundaries.
  
  
  
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• Millionaire computer game designer blasts off to space 14 hours ago Gadling
  

  Filed under: News

  I know the credit crisis seems to be fueling fear by the day, but enough to send a millionaire looking to escape to space?
  
  Well, that's just what 47-year-old Richard Garriott has done, blasting off in Kazakhstan this weekend, along with another American and a Russian, bound for the international space station.
  
  OK., Garriott's space adventure has nothing to do with the credit crisis.
  
  Still, it's an interesting image: The wealthy tycoon spending a reported $30 million to fly to space during the worst financial crisis of the last 20 years, if not since the Great Depression. A lot of people are worrying about their fortunes, large and small, and savings, large and small. Here's one guy who clearly isn't.
  
  Call me grumpy on this fine Sunday, but I wonder whether something like this sits well among ordinary Americans who have the perception that we're in the mess we're in these days because of corporate extravagance, or put another way, over extravagance by the wealthy. (Of course, it's not even close to being that simple, but it's still the perception of a great many people.)
  
  Whatever. Garriott's living a dream he's had since he was a kid. His father was an astronaut who went to space in 1973, and Garriott had hoped to follow suit, only to have NASA tell him his eyesight was too poor.
  
  Garriott made his fortune designing computer fantasy games.
  
  He'll reach the space station on Tuesday, and return to Earth on Oct. 24. While up there, he'll be conducting "experiments." About what, I have no idea. He'll also be snapping some pictures of Earth to see what has changed since his father took pictures in orbit 35 years ago.
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• Hong Kong bird market: The sound of music 15 hours ago Gadling
  

  Filed under: Arts and Culture, Blogs, Photos, Asia, China, Singapore, Taiwan

  I haven't been to the Hong Kong bird market, but I've been to bird markets in Taiwan-- and the bird market in Singapore.

  When Taj Reid over at www.wejetset.com sent us a link to this lush post on song bird love in Hong Kong, and the delights to be found at the bird market, I was reminded of my own pleasures when I sat in a courtyard sipping on coffee, listening to birds sing on a Sunday morning.

  Owning song birds is just not a matter of heading to the local pet store and picking up a canary, you see. In Hong Kong, as with my experience in Taiwan and Singapore, picking out the right bird and the right cage is an art that depends on personal taste.

  Continue reading Hong Kong bird market: The sound of music

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• Keyless Entry, A Must Have Or Not? 18 hours ago blog.rv.net – The Official Blog of the Open Road
  Keyless entry?  What, another pricey option?  Why would someone need keyless entry on their motor home?  I mean, it’s not like a car that we get in and out of a million times in parking lots, on city streets, etc.  Why would I need a keyless entry on my RV, so there can be another [...]
• 5 Little Known Facts About Switzerland 23 hours ago Venere Travel Blog
  Traveling to Switzerland? Here are a few fun facts that you should know about the country: 1. Lake Geneva is not called Lake Geneva. The proper name for Lake Geneva is Lac Leman, and the Swiss cringe to hear it called Lake Geneva. It sure is beautiful though, whatever you call it. Don?t you think? 2. Chocolate [...]
• Dance Up A Storm In Amsterdam 24 hours ago Travelogger
  Late in October is a very good time to be in Amsterdam, especially if you love dancing. From the 22nd of October to the 25th of the same month, the Amsterdam Dance Event (or ADE as enthusiasts fondly call it) is going to be held all over the city. ADE is going to [...]
• The Solar Is Installed And Works, Are We Ready To Go Yet? 1 day ago blog.rv.net – The Official Blog of the Open Road
  Not quite but here is whay we have done. The solar system is installed and working. The inverter/charger/converter system is almost done. And the starting date for the Grand Adventure is just 7 days off. The system that we are using is from RV Solar Electric Inc in Scottsdale Arizona and is sold as ?Noels Package?. The [...]