Travel Briefs
Book bartering online
Bookins.com is an online site that is trying out a “barter” model for trading used books, DVDs and more.
Orange tossing in Ivrea
The main event at the Carnival of Ivrea (Antico Palazzo della Credenza, 10015 Ivrea, Italy; fax 0125 641521, www.carnevalediivrea.it), to be held in 2010 on Feb. 13-16, is the Battle of the Oranges in the public squares of Ivrea, 30 miles north of Turin.
‘Barrier-Free Travel’
The third edition of “Barrier-Free Travel, A Nuts and Bolts Guide for Wheelers and Slow Walkers” by Candy Harrington (2009. ISBN 9781932603835 — 312 pp., $19.95 softcover) covers the logistics of planning accessible travel by plane, train, bus and ship for the mobility impaired.
Allergy warning cards
For travelers with allergies, SelectWisely.com (Box 289, 2 Main St., Sparta, NJ 07871; 888/396-9260, www.selectwisely.com) offers advice on their website and sells customized translation cards with warnings for food allergies (ex., shellfish or nuts), health problems (ex., d
National Geographic back issues
National Geographic (888/225-5647, www.completenatgeo.com) is releasing all of its issues from October 1888 through December 2008 on either a 6-disc DVD set ($69.95) or a USB hard drive ($199.95).
Walk Scilly
A series of guided walks showcasing the flora, fauna and history of the Isles of Scilly will be held March 29-April 4, 2010, on St. Mary’s Island. Local experts will lead over 20 walks, with topics such as archaeology, gardens, castles, beaches and birds. Isles of Scilly Tourist Office (St.
Demolitions in Kashgar
In the ancient Silk Road trading city of Kashgar, the government of China plans to level about 85% of the oldest mud-brick buildings in the Old City and build earthquake-resistant buildings, apartment buildings, public plazas and schools. Many of the 13,000 families are being moved.
London art fair
Featuring Old Master paintings and antique ceramics, jewelry and furniture and more on sale from over 260 individual galleries, the Olympia International Art & Antiques Fair (Earls Court Exhibition Centre, London SW5 9TA, UK; phone +44 0 20 7370 8211, fax 8221, www.olympiaartsinternational.c
Pictures on iPhones
Available for iPhone (OS 2.0 or later) or iPod touch (with version 3.0 or before), the application “1,000 Words” shows simple pictures on the phone screen to help people communicate overseas.
KeyToss for mobiles
If you use a mobile phone that can access the Internet, there is a Web application that bundles tools for travelers.
‘Turner and the Masters’
The exhibit “Turner and the Masters” at the Tate Britain (Millbank, London, SW1P 4RG, U.K.; phone +44 20 7887 8888, www.tate.org.uk/britain/information) pairs some of JMW Turner’s greatest paintings with works by old masters such as Canaletto, Rembrandt and Rubens as well as contemporaries su
Best topo map ever
The world’s most accurate topography map is a byproduct of the ASTER (Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission) project, a collaboration of NASA, Caltech’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Japan’s Ground Data System.
Zürich New Year's
Every New Year’s Eve in Zürich, 150,000 people attend an open-air festival with food stalls, bars and music. Fireworks at midnight. Contact Zürich Tourism (P.O. Box CH-8021 Zürich, Switzerland; www.zuerich.com).
Neues Museum, Berlin
When the Neues Museum opens in Berlin on Oct. 16, 2009, after an 11-year, $255-million restoration, it will be the first time in 70 years that all five museums on Museum Island will be open to the public.
Australia’s truth in ads
The Australian government has outlawed “component pricing,” a practice in the travel industry whereby products are advertised as “free” without extra costs being disclosed. Now all ads for, say, a free flight or free tour must declare all taxes and hidden fees up front.
Shroud of Turin in 2010
The Shroud of Turin, revered by many Christians as the cloth Jesus was wrapped in when placed in his tomb, will be on display at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Turin, Italy, April 4-May 20, 2010 — the first time on public display in over 10 years. It was restored in 2002.
South Africa telescopes
The Southern African Large Telescope (SALT), which saw first light in 2005, is the largest single optical telescope in the Southern Hemisphere. Its hexagonal mirror array spans 36 feet.
iWalks in Dublin
Dublin, Ireland, walking tour audio guides by historian Pat Liddy can be downloaded free to iPods or MP3 players from the Dublin Tourism website (www.visitdublin.com/multimedia/dublinpodcasts/iwalk.aspx?id=275).
Renoir in Paris
The later works of Pierre-Auguste Renoir will be on display in “Renoir in the 20th Century” at Paris’ National Galleries of the Grand Palais (3, ave. du Général-Eisenhower, 75008, Paris; phone 01 44 13 17 17, www.grandpalais.fr), Sept. 23, 2009-Jan. 4, 2010.
Guide Gecko.com
There are many online booksellers (Barnes & Noble, Borders, etc.). With search results on Amazon.com, you may have to sort through 30 pages of used copies to find that one useful book.