Captain Belinda Bennett Awarded Merchant Navy Medal

The U.K. Merchant Navy Medal for Meritorious Service has been presented to Captain Belinda Bennett of Windstar Cruises, as “the first black female captain in the commercial cruise industry.”

Bennett was given the award for services to the promotion of the maritime sector under the auspices of the U.K. Department for Transport and Maritime & Coastguard Agency. Her Royal Highness Princess Anne presented the Merchant Navy Medal honor, earned by those “who have gone above and beyond in their service to the maritime industry,” earlier this month at Trinity House in London.

Q) Name the first Ringo Starr composition to appear on a Beatle LP?

Scroll down for the answers

Random Acts of Canine Kindness

Cedric the Dog takes a well-earned break after organizing a protest at an alt–right Neo-Nazi rally in South Dakota.

You want a friend in Washington? Get a dog. – Harry S. Truman

Check Out the Latest Inflight Meal Reviews!

Courtesy Nik Loukas,  Inflight Feed 

InFlight Feed an airline food information website for passengers that also features a blog of the inflight meal experiences of Nik Loukas on his various trips around the globe. Inflight Feed has been giving passengers information on over 150 airlines worldwide since 2012,  telling them how to order special meals, find out what food might be for sale inflight, how to upgrade your inflight meal and general inflight meal information.

15 Surprising Things TSA Allows Past Airport Checkpoints

By Benet Wilson

Some items — like guns (real or replica), large scissors and flammable liquids — are never allowed. But the agency continues to make changes when it comes to what can get past the checkpoint.

Below are 15 surprise items you can actually take past the checkpoint. But in case you still have questions, you can take a photo of the item and send it to either AskTSA on Facebook Messenger or via Twitter. Staff are online with answers from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. ET during the week and 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekends and holidays

10 Most Misleading Travel Terms

Courtesy Jamie Ditaranto, SmarterTravel

If you spend enough time comparing hotels, flights, and tours, you’ll eventually realize that many words have very little meaning in the travel industry. You might think that there would be some sort of common agreement on travel terms across hotels that would define what makes a suite a suite or a deluxe room better than a standard room, but no such agreements exist. Travelers are often surprised to find that what they booked is not quite what they expected.

Here are some travel hype words you should take lightly, and that might even signal you should do a little more research.

10 of the World’s Craziest Landings

Courtesy Ashley Rossi

These 10 airports have some of the craziest landings in the world. Fretful flyers, you’ve been warned.

Flying can be a nerve-racking experience for fretful travelers; however, landings at these 10 airports are sure to frighten even the most frequent flyers. From an airport at the edge of a cliff to sandy beach landings, here are the world’s craziest runways — consider yourself warned.

Beatle Beat Trivia Answers

Q) Name the first Ringo Starr composition to appear on a Beatle LP?

A) Don’t Pass Me By on the 1968 LP The Beatles (know by many fans as the The White Album).

Ringo is credited with two compositions recorded by the Beatles: Don’t Pass Me By, a black comedy quasi Cajun/country folk song (with a bit of swing) on The Beatles/White Album (1968), and the nautically themed Octopus’s Garden, from Abbey Rd (1969). Ringo co-wrote What Goes On, another country track, with John and Paul, which was on side 2 of Rubber Soul (1965), and also received a co-writing credit with the other three Beatles for the psychedelic instrumental, Flying.

Flying was the only instrumental the Beatles officially released during their career. It was recorded for the Magical Mystery Tour soundtrack in 1968. (Pop Trivia fact: MMT was released as a double EP in the UK in 1968, but as an album by Capitol in the U.S. Parlophone later realized that it had mileage as an album and copied the U.S. strategy.)

Contrary to common belief, Ringo didn’t write Yellow Submarine, although he sang the lead vocal. Ringo would usually average one vocal per album. Other songs sung by Ringo on Beatles recordings were Boys (an EP inclusion of a cover version of a Shirelles song written by Dixon/Farrell), Act Naturally, a cover of a song by Russell/Morrison included on Help! in 1965, I Wanna Be Your Man (a 1963 song written for the Stones), Matchbox (rockabilly cover song), Honey Don’t (country rock cover), With A Little Help From My Friends (Lennon/McCartney song 2 on Sgt Pepper (1967), Good Night (Lennon/McCartney, counter intuitively mainly Lennon) from 1968 – The Beatles/White Album.

Another song, If You’ve Got Trouble, was written for Ringo to sing on Help!, but although recorded, it wasn’t released. It was replaced by Act Naturally. Later, If You’ve Got Trouble appeared on Anthology 2.

In total, Ringo sang lead vocal on 11 Beatle songs. You may be interested to know that there were 4 Beatle songs where McCartney played drums:

Back In The USSR
Dear Prudence
Martha My Dear (Ringo had temporarily left the Beatles as he was fed up with all the studio squabbling)
The Ballad of John & Yoko (Both George and Ringo were on holiday)

Courtesy of Gerry Parker

Venice Bans Cruise Ships from City Center

Courtesy Daniel McCarthy, Travel Market Report

An Italian governmental committee has voted to ban large cruise ships from the water in front of Venice’s St. Mark’s Square.

The vote, which was made after years of protests and petitions from locals, bans all ships weighing more than 55,000 tons from the city’s Giudecca Canal.

This means that all ships from Carnival Cruise Line, all from Royal Caribbean aside from Empress of the Seas, and all from Norwegian Cruise Line will be banned from the canal.

MORE

Hometown Heroes: Iconic Foods from Around the World

Courtesy Polly Byles, Lonely Planet

Every city around the world has a local food culture that embodies the unique essence of the place. While some have become iconic on the global stage – think Philadelphia’s Philly cheesesteak or Tokyo’s renowned ramen – others remain under the radar, tucked away in a backstreet trattoria or hidden in the pages of grandma’s secret recipe book.

MORE

8 Popular Destinations Where Air Pollution Could Ruin Your Trip

Air pollution does a lot more than cause canceled or postponed vacations — it kills millions of people worldwide every year, according to the World Health Organization. Some of the worst places for air pollution are also home to bucket-list-worthy sights. But missing them might be the least of your problems if smog ramps up during your visit: Symptoms of air pollution sickness include nausea, coughing, headache, itchy eyes — and air pollution can cause long-term breathing problems.

Here are some of the worst destinations for smog, especially if you already suffer from asthma or other respiratory problems.

India

The Taj Mahal attracts thousands of travelers every day, but the city it’s in is one of the worst in the world for air pollution. Smog in Agra can cut visibility so dramatically that you can’t see much more than an outline of the giant tomb, and visitors who don’t cancel their trip during a period of heavy smog can be seen wearing face masks to visit.

MORE

Burping Is Good Manners & 25 Other Global Etiquette Surprises

Courtesy The Daily Meal Staff

In Italy, Never Order A Cappuccino After A Meal

When you’re dining the Italian way, be sure to order an espresso or a coffee after a meal. Do not order a cappuccino, as Italians believe milk beverages slow down digestion.

MORE Global Etiquette Surprises

In First Lady’s Hometown in Slovenia, the Business Is Melania

Courtesy The New York Times

Melania cake. Melania cream. Melania wine. Melania tea. Melania slippers. Melania salami. Melania chocolate-coated apple slices. There are few products that the enterprising burghers of Sevnica, a small, rural Slovenian town where Melania Trump spent her formative years, have not sought to brand in honor of the first lady of the United States.

MORE

Countries Difficult for Americans to Visit

In spite of broad generalizations that Americans have no interest in leaving their own borders, US citizens are traveling abroad in record numbers. According to the US National Tourism Office, nearly 67 million Americans chose to take an international trip in 2016. The world may be our oyster, but some countries impose harsh visa requirements that may hinder American tourism.

MORE

October

By Robert Frost

O hushed October morning mild,
Thy leaves have ripened to the fall;
Tomorrow’s wind, if it be wild,
Should waste them all.
The crows above the forest call;
Tomorrow they may form and go.
O hushed October morning mild,
Begin the hours of this day slow.
Make the day seem to us less brief.
Hearts not averse to being beguiled,
Beguile us in the way you know.
Release one leaf at break of day;
At noon release another leaf;
One from our trees, one far away.
Retard the sun with gentle mist;
Enchant the land with amethyst.
Slow, slow!
For the grapes’ sake, if they were all,
Whose leaves already are burnt with frost,
Whose clustered fruit must else be lost—
For the grapes’ sake along the wall

Send Deb your favorite travel poems

Time Capsule Cinema

Polanski’s “Cul-de-Sac”

By Walt Mundkowsky

By this viewer’s idiosyncratic standards, Cul-de-Sac (1966) is Roman Polanski’s sole brush with greatness, and the only feature to keep faith with the surrealist metaphors and perceptions of his celebrated short films. It’s his most bizarrely funny, as well as his most serious work.

MORE

The post Captain Belinda Bennett, Beatle Beat Trivia appeared first on Traveling Archive.

Everything You Need to Know About Oktoberfest – Including How to Book a Last-Minute Trip

Courtesy Adrian Bridge, The Telegraph

The Munich Oktoberfest justly lays claim to being the world’s largest folk festival (yes, it’s not just about drinking beer). Over the past decade it has attracted an average of around six million visitors a year, who between them consume almost seven million litres of beer and munch their way through thousands of grilled sausages, chickens, giant pretzels and – for those really wanting to soak it all up – wild oxen.

The lads sang a few songs with passages in other languages besides English.

Q) Name the Song where the Refrain is in Sanskrit

Scroll down for the answers

15 Surprising Things TSA Allows Past Airport Checkpoints

By Benet Wilson

Some items — like guns (real or replica), large scissors and flammable liquids — are never allowed. But the agency continues to make changes when it comes to what can get past the checkpoint.

Below are 15 surprise items you can actually take past the checkpoint. But in case you still have questions, you can take a photo of the item and send it to either AskTSA on Facebook Messenger or via Twitter. Staff are online with answers from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. ET during the week and 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekends and holidays

Check Out the Latest Inflight Meal Reviews!

Courtesy Nik Loukas,  Inflight Feed 

InFlight Feed an airline food information website for passengers that also features a blog of the inflight meal experiences of Nik Loukas on his various trips around the globe. Inflight Feed has been giving passengers information on over 150 airlines worldwide since 2012,  telling them how to order special meals, find out what food might be for sale inflight, how to upgrade your inflight meal and general inflight meal information.

8 Popular Destinations Where Air Pollution Could Ruin Your Trip

Air pollution does a lot more than cause canceled or postponed vacations — it kills millions of people worldwide every year, according to the World Health Organization. Some of the worst places for air pollution are also home to bucket-list-worthy sights. But missing them might be the least of your problems if smog ramps up during your visit: Symptoms of air pollution sickness include nausea, coughing, headache, itchy eyes — and air pollution can cause long-term breathing problems.

Here are some of the worst destinations for smog, especially if you already suffer from asthma or other respiratory problems.

India

The Taj Mahal attracts thousands of travelers every day, but the city it’s in is one of the worst in the world for air pollution. Smog in Agra can cut visibility so dramatically that you can’t see much more than an outline of the giant tomb, and visitors who don’t cancel their trip during a period of heavy smog can be seen wearing face masks to visit.

10 Most Misleading Travel Terms

Courtesy Jamie Ditaranto, SmarterTravel

If you spend enough time comparing hotels, flights, and tours, you’ll eventually realize that many words have very little meaning in the travel industry. You might think that there would be some sort of common agreement on travel terms across hotels that would define what makes a suite a suite or a deluxe room better than a standard room, but no such agreements exist. Travelers are often surprised to find that what they booked is not quite what they expected.

Here are some travel hype words you should take lightly, and that might even signal you should do a little more research.

10 of the World’s Craziest Landings

Courtesy Ashley Rossi

These 10 airports have some of the craziest landings in the world. Fretful flyers, you’ve been warned.

Flying can be a nerve-racking experience for fretful travelers; however, landings at these 10 airports are sure to frighten even the most frequent flyers. From an airport at the edge of a cliff to sandy beach landings, here are the world’s craziest runways — consider yourself warned.

Time Capsule Cinema

Polanski’s “Cul-de-Sac”

By Walt Mundkowsky

By this viewer’s idiosyncratic standards, Cul-de-Sac (1966) is Roman Polanski’s sole brush with greatness, and the only feature to keep faith with the surrealist metaphors and perceptions of his celebrated short films. It’s his most bizarrely funny, as well as his most serious work.

Hometown Heroes: Iconic Foods from Around the World

Courtesy Polly Byles, Lonely Planet

Every city around the world has a local food culture that embodies the unique essence of the place. While some have become iconic on the global stage – think Philadelphia’s Philly cheesesteak or Tokyo’s renowned ramen – others remain under the radar, tucked away in a backstreet trattoria or hidden in the pages of grandma’s secret recipe book.

MORE

Random Acts of Canine Kindness

Cedric the Dog takes a well-earned break after organizing a protest at an alt–right Neo-Nazi rally in South Dakota.

You want a friend in Washington? Get a dog. – Harry S. Truman

MORE Dog Quotations

How to Travel to Singapore ‘Crazy Rich Asians’ Style for Cheap

Courtesy Sarah Berger

If you’ve seen the new movie “Crazy Rich Asians,” which follows an Asian-American woman who discovers that her boyfriend hails from one of the richest families in Singapore where it’s set, you’re probably already dreaming of visiting the Southeast Asian city.

MORE

Burping Is Good Manners & 25 Other Global Etiquette Surprises

Courtesy The Daily Meal Staff

In Italy, Never Order A Cappuccino After A Meal

When you’re dining the Italian way, be sure to order an espresso or a coffee after a meal. Do not order a cappuccino, as Italians believe milk beverages slow down digestion.

MORE Global Etiquette Surprises

In First Lady’s Hometown in Slovenia, the Business Is Melania

Courtesy The New York Times

Melania cake. Melania cream. Melania wine. Melania tea. Melania slippers. Melania salami. Melania chocolate-coated apple slices. There are few products that the enterprising burghers of Sevnica, a small, rural Slovenian town where Melania Trump spent her formative years, have not sought to brand in honor of the first lady of the United States.

MORE

Countries Difficult for Americans to Visit

In spite of broad generalizations that Americans have no interest in leaving their own borders, US citizens are traveling abroad in record numbers. According to the US National Tourism Office, nearly 67 million Americans chose to take an international trip in 2016. The world may be our oyster, but some countries impose harsh visa requirements that may hinder American tourism.

MORE

October

By Robert Frost

O hushed October morning mild,
Thy leaves have ripened to the fall;
Tomorrow’s wind, if it be wild,
Should waste them all.
The crows above the forest call;
Tomorrow they may form and go.
O hushed October morning mild,
Begin the hours of this day slow.
Make the day seem to us less brief.
Hearts not averse to being beguiled,
Beguile us in the way you know.
Release one leaf at break of day;
At noon release another leaf;
One from our trees, one far away.
Retard the sun with gentle mist;
Enchant the land with amethyst.
Slow, slow!
For the grapes’ sake, if they were all,
Whose leaves already are burnt with frost,
Whose clustered fruit must else be lost—
For the grapes’ sake along the wall

Send Deb your favorite travel poems

Beatle Beat Trivia Answers

The lads sang a few songs with passages in other languages besides English.

Q) Name the Song where the Refrain is in Sanskrit
A) Across The Universe

The refrain “Jai Guru Deva Om” is a mantra intended to lull the mind into a higher consciousness. The words are in Sanskrit, an ancient Indic language of India, in which the Hindu scriptures and classical Indian epic poems are written and from which many northern Indian languages are derived. “Jai Guru Deva Om” means “I give thanks to Guru Dev,” who was the teacher of The Maharishi. The “Om” at the end is the drawn out “oooohm” used in meditation to relate to the natural vibration of the universe. While visiting the Maharishi in Rishikesh, John purchased a set of brass bracelets with the words “Jai Guru Dev” imprinted on them. The bracelets are now in the possession of Julian Lennon and were on display at the “White Feather – The Spirit Of John Lennon” exhibit at the Beatles Story in Liverpool.

The post Oktoberfest, Iconic Foods, Beatle Beat appeared first on Traveling Archive.

How to Travel to Singapore ‘Crazy Rich Asians’ Style for Cheap

Courtesy Sarah Berger

If you’ve seen the new movie “Crazy Rich Asians,” which follows an Asian-American woman who discovers that her boyfriend hails from one of the richest families in Singapore where it’s set, you’re probably already dreaming of visiting the Southeast Asian city.

Beatle Beat Trivia x 5

Q) In which Beatle song is there a reference to Edgar Allan Poe?

Q) Who is ‘Martha’ in “Martha My Dear”?

Q) To whom is John singing to in “Don’t Let Me Down”?

Q) What is ‘Norwegian Wood’?

Q) Who is ‘Mary’ in song “Let it Be”?

Scroll down for the answers

Check Out the Latest Inflight Meal Reviews!

Courtesy Nik Loukas,  Inflight Feed 

InFlight Feed an airline food information website for passengers that also features a blog of the inflight meal experiences of Nik Loukas on his various trips around the globe. Inflight Feed has been giving passengers information on over 150 airlines worldwide since 2012,  telling them how to order special meals, find out what food might be for sale inflight, how to upgrade your inflight meal and general inflight meal information.

Burping Is Good Manners & 25 Other Global Etiquette Surprises

Courtesy The Daily Meal Staff

In Italy, Never Order A Cappuccino After A Meal

When you’re dining the Italian way, be sure to order an espresso or a coffee after a meal. Do not order a cappuccino, as Italians believe milk beverages slow down digestion.

In First Lady’s Hometown in Slovenia, the Business Is Melania

Courtesy The New York Times

Melania cake. Melania cream. Melania wine. Melania tea. Melania slippers. Melania salami. Melania chocolate-coated apple slices. There are few products that the enterprising burghers of Sevnica, a small, rural Slovenian town where Melania Trump spent her formative years, have not sought to brand in honor of the first lady of the United States.

Countries Difficult for Americans to Visit

In spite of broad generalizations that Americans have no interest in leaving their own borders, US citizens are traveling abroad in record numbers. According to the US National Tourism Office, nearly 67 million Americans chose to take an international trip in 2016. The world may be our oyster, but some countries impose harsh visa requirements that may hinder American tourism.

10 of the World’s Craziest Landings

Courtesy Ashley Rossi

These 10 airports have some of the craziest landings in the world. Fretful flyers, you’ve been warned.

Flying can be a nerve-racking experience for fretful travelers; however, landings at these 10 airports are sure to frighten even the most frequent flyers. From an airport at the edge of a cliff to sandy beach landings, here are the world’s craziest runways — consider yourself warned.

Beatle Beat Trivia Answers

Q) In which Beatle song is there a reference to Edgar Allan Poe?

A) “I am the Walrus.”

Q) Who is ‘Martha’ in “Martha My Dear”?

A) Paul’s sheepdog.

Q) To whom is John singing to in “Don’t Let Me Down”?

A) Yoko Ono.

Q) What is ‘Norwegian Wood’?

A) Norwegian pine. An inexpensive wood used in building, popular in the mid-60s.

Q) Who is ‘Mary’ in the song “Let it Be”?

A) Paul’s mother, Mary McCartney who died of cancer when he was 14-years-old.

Random Acts of Canine Kindness

Cedric the Dog takes a well-earned break after organizing a protest at an alt–right Neo-Nazi rally in South Dakota.

You want a friend in Washington? Get a dog. – Harry S. Truman

MORE Dog Quotations

Last Meals of 23 Famous People

Courtesy The Daily Meal

There is something fascinating about last meals. Eating is something we do multiple times on a daily basis; it is what gives us life. Surround yourself with chefs, cooks, and culinarily inclined guests at a dinner party, and you may very well be presented with a particular question: “What would you want for your last meal on Earth?”

MORE

15 Surprising Things TSA Allows Past Airport Checkpoints

By Benet Wilson

Some items — like guns (real or replica), large scissors and flammable liquids — are never allowed. But the agency continues to make changes when it comes to what can get past the checkpoint.

Below are 15 surprise items you can actually take past the checkpoint. But in case you still have questions, you can take a photo of the item and send it to either AskTSA on Facebook Messenger or via Twitter. Staff are online with answers from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. ET during the week and 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekends and holidays

MORE

8 Popular Destinations Where Air Pollution Could Ruin Your Trip

Air pollution does a lot more than cause canceled or postponed vacations — it kills millions of people worldwide every year, according to the World Health Organization. Some of the worst places for air pollution are also home to bucket-list-worthy sights. But missing them might be the least of your problems if smog ramps up during your visit: Symptoms of air pollution sickness include nausea, coughing, headache, itchy eyes — and air pollution can cause long-term breathing problems.

Here are some of the worst destinations for smog, especially if you already suffer from asthma or other respiratory problems.

India

The Taj Mahal attracts thousands of travelers every day, but the city it’s in is one of the worst in the world for air pollution. Smog in Agra can cut visibility so dramatically that you can’t see much more than an outline of the giant tomb, and visitors who don’t cancel their trip during a period of heavy smog can be seen wearing face masks to visit.

MORE

10 Most Misleading Travel Terms

Courtesy Jamie Ditaranto, SmarterTravel

If you spend enough time comparing hotels, flights, and tours, you’ll eventually realize that many words have very little meaning in the travel industry. You might think that there would be some sort of common agreement on travel terms across hotels that would define what makes a suite a suite or a deluxe room better than a standard room, but no such agreements exist. Travelers are often surprised to find that what they booked is not quite what they expected.

Here are some travel hype words you should take lightly, and that might even signal you should do a little more research.

MORE

Alone

By Edgar Allan Poe

From childhood’s hour I have not been
As others were; I have not seen
As others saw; I could not bring
My passions from a common spring.
From the same source I have not taken
My sorrow; I could not awaken
My heart to joy at the same tone;
And all I loved, I loved alone.
Then- in my childhood, in the dawn
Of a most stormy life- was drawn
From every depth of good and ill
The mystery which binds me still:
From the torrent, or the fountain,
From the red cliff of the mountain,
From the sun that round me rolled
In its autumn tint of gold,
From the lightning in the sky
As it passed me flying by,
From the thunder and the storm,
And the cloud that took the form
(When the rest of Heaven was blue).

Send Deb your favorite travel poems

Time Capsule Cinema

Polanski’s “Cul-de-Sac”

By Walt Mundkowsky

By this viewer’s idiosyncratic standards, Cul-de-Sac (1966) is Roman Polanski’s sole brush with greatness, and the only feature to keep faith with the surrealist metaphors and perceptions of his celebrated short films. It’s his most bizarrely funny, as well as his most serious work.

MORE

The post Elvis, Global Etiquette, Famous Last Meals appeared first on Traveling Archive.

Beatle Beat Trivia

In which Beatle song is there a reference to a character in a Bob Dylan song?

Scroll down for the answer

Plan an Edinburgh Bucket List Trip!

5 Reasons Travelers Shouldn’t Fear Sharks

Courtesy Jessica Macdonald, tripsavvy

If the fear of sharks keeps you from enjoying the ocean, you’re not alone. It’s a fear shared by millions — instilled into the public consciousness with the 1975 release of the movie Jaws, and perpetuated by films like Open Water and The Shallows ever since.

Sgt. Bill Mauldin’s Drawings a Great History Story

Courtesy of the Library of Congress

He meant so much to the millions of Americans who fought in World War II, and to those who had waited for them to come home. He was a kid cartoonist for Stars and Stripes, the military newspaper; Mauldin’s drawings of his muddy, exhausted, whisker-stubbled infantrymen Willie and Joe were the voice of truth about what it was like on the front lines.

8 Popular Destinations Where Air Pollution Could Ruin Your Trip

Air pollution does a lot more than cause canceled or postponed vacations — it kills millions of people worldwide every year, according to the World Health Organization. Some of the worst places for air pollution are also home to bucket-list-worthy sights. But missing them might be the least of your problems if smog ramps up during your visit: Symptoms of air pollution sickness include nausea, coughing, headache, itchy eyes — and air pollution can cause long-term breathing problems.

Here are some of the worst destinations for smog, especially if you already suffer from asthma or other respiratory problems.

India

The Taj Mahal attracts thousands of travelers every day, but the city it’s in is one of the worst in the world for air pollution. Smog in Agra can cut visibility so dramatically that you can’t see much more than an outline of the giant tomb, and visitors who don’t cancel their trip during a period of heavy smog can be seen wearing face masks to visit.

Norway’s Fjords to Become Zero Emission Zones

Courtesy Marie Donlon, Insights Global Spec

In eight years’ time, Norway’s fjords are expected to become zero emission zones — a move that would likely impact the cruise ships and ferries bringing tourists to one of Europe’s most popular destinations. According to the recent announcement from the Norwegian Parliament, officials hope to reduce the carbon footprint linked to these ships and ferries.

Countries Difficult for Americans to Visit

In spite of broad generalizations that Americans have no interest in leaving their own borders, US citizens are traveling abroad in record numbers. According to the US National Tourism Office, nearly 67 million Americans chose to take an international trip in 2016. The world may be our oyster, but some countries impose harsh visa requirements that may hinder American tourism.

Time Capsule Cinema

Polanski’s “Cul-de-Sac”

By Walt Mundkowsky

By this viewer’s idiosyncratic standards, Cul-de-Sac (1966) is Roman Polanski’s sole brush with greatness, and the only feature to keep faith with the surrealist metaphors and perceptions of his celebrated short films. It’s his most bizarrely funny, as well as his most serious work.

In First Lady’s Hometown in Slovenia, the Business Is Melania

Courtesy The New York Times

Melania cake. Melania cream. Melania wine. Melania tea. Melania slippers. Melania salami. Melania chocolate-coated apple slices. There are few products that the enterprising burghers of Sevnica, a small, rural Slovenian town where Melania Trump spent her formative years, have not sought to brand in honor of the first lady of the United States.

MORE

Random Acts of Canine Kindness

Cedric the Dog takes a well-earned break after organizing a protest at an alt–right Neo-Nazi rally in Nebraska.

Dog Quotations

10 Most Misleading Travel Terms

Courtesy Jamie Ditaranto, SmarterTravel

If you spend enough time comparing hotels, flights, and tours, you’ll eventually realize that many words have very little meaning in the travel industry. You might think that there would be some sort of common agreement on travel terms across hotels that would define what makes a suite a suite or a deluxe room better than a standard room, but no such agreements exist. Travelers are often surprised to find that what they booked is not quite what they expected.

Here are some travel hype words you should take lightly, and that might even signal you should do a little more research.

MORE

The Circus Animals’ Desertion

By William Butler Yeats

I

I sought a theme and sought for it in vain,
I sought it daily for six weeks or so.
Maybe at last being but a broken man
I must be satisfied with my heart, although
Winter and summer till old age began
My circus animals were all on show,
Those stilted boys, that burnished chariot,
Lion and woman and the Lord knows what.

II

What can I but enumerate old themes,
First that sea-rider Oisin led by the nose
Through three enchanted islands, allegorical dreams,
Vain gaiety, vain battle, vain repose,
Themes of the embittered heart, or so it seems,
That might adorn old songs or courtly shows;
But what cared I that set him on to ride,
I, starved for the bosom of his fairy bride.

And then a counter-truth filled out its play,
`The Countess Cathleen’ was the name I gave it,
She, pity-crazed, had given her soul away
But masterful Heaven had intervened to save it.
I thought my dear must her own soul destroy
So did fanaticism and hate enslave it,
And this brought forth a dream and soon enough
This dream itself had all my thought and love.

And when the Fool and Blind Man stole the bread
Cuchulain fought the ungovernable sea;
Heart mysteries there, and yet when all is said
It was the dream itself enchanted me:
Character isolated by a deed
To engross the present and dominate memory.
Players and painted stage took all my love
And not those things that they were emblems of.

III

Those masterful images because complete
Grew in pure mind but out of what began?
A mound of refuse or the sweepings of a street,
Old kettles, old bottles, and a broken can,
Old iron, old bones, old rags, that raving slut
Who keeps the till. Now that my ladder’s gone
I must lie down where all the ladders start
In the foul rag and bone shop of the heart.

Send Deb your favorite travel poems.

10 of the World’s Craziest Landings

Courtesy Ashley Rossi

These 10 airports have some of the craziest landings in the world. Fretful flyers, you’ve been warned.

Flying can be a nerve-racking experience for fretful travelers; however, landings at these 10 airports are sure to frighten even the most frequent flyers. From an airport at the edge of a cliff to sandy beach landings, here are the world’s craziest runways — consider yourself warned.

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Beatle Beat Trivia Answers

Question: In which Beatle song is there a reference to a character in a Bob Dylan song?

Answer: “Mr. Jones” is the main character in the Bob Dylan song, Ballad of a Thin Man, which appears on Highway 61 Revisited.

Who Is Mr. Jones in Bob Dylan’s “Ballad of a Thin Man”?

In Bob Dylan’s famed August 1965 interview with Nora Ephron and Susan Edmiston many silly questions were asked: “Where did you get that shirt?” At one point, Ephron had the gumption to ask Dylan, “Who is Mr. Jones in ‘Ballad of a Thin Man?’”

Dylan’s Answer

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