The rock fortress archaeological site of Sigiriya in Sri Lanka was closed temporarily in April after wasps attacked tourists three times in one week. Dozens of people who were stung were taken to hospitals. The problem occurred each of the previous two years in May.
In Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbor, on every night with good weather there is a light show involving 44 of the city’s waterfront skyscrapers. The 14-minute “A Symphony of Lights” starts at 8 p.m. and uses orchestrated lasers and lights set to music.
Good places to view the show (and where there is narration in English on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays) include sightseeing ferries and the “Avenue of the Stars” on the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront. It also can be viewed at the waterfront outside Golden Bauhinia Square in Wan Chai.
The Travel Performance Toesock from Injinji provides light compression (to prevent deep-vein thrombosis) and has antimicrobial silver microfibers to prevent odor and a moisture-wicking fiber to keep feet dry. The design separates toes to decrease the likelihood of blisters and to allow more natural walking over uneven terrain. From www.injinjistore.com, the socks cost $24.95 plus $7.45 shipping.
Nohi Bus (www.nouhibus.co.jp/english), which serves Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka and Takayama, Japan, has translated its website into English. The line runs express buses from city to city and regional buses to smaller towns and tourist attractions. The website shows route maps, timetables and fares.
In Berlin, admission to museums is free on Thursdays four hours before closing. In Düsseldorf, you can take a one-hour Rhine cruise for $8; visit http://stadtfuehrungen.duesseldorf-tourismus.de.
The German National Tourism Office (New York, NY; 212/661-7200, www.cometogermany.com) offers more money-saving touring tips on its website.
In Darwin, Australia, Crocosaurus Cove (58 Mitchell St.; phone +61 8 8981 7522, www.crocosauruscove.com) tells guests to bring shorts or swimsuits and swim in the separate pool alongside the croc enclosure. Entry, AU$28 (near US$18) adult, AU$22 senior, AU$16 child (4-14).
The “SAS Crew Guide 2009” is filled with tips from flight attendants and crews of Scandinavian Airlines System, Air Canada, Austrian Airlines, Lufthansa, TAP, bmi and LOT Polish Airlines. It includes the best places to eat, drink, shop and relax in 32 cities on five continents.
It costs €15 (including postage worldwide) and can be purchased from the SAS Group AB (SE-195 87 Stockholm, Sweden) or online at http://p1qs017.futurize.net.
In Fiji, the tour company Feejee Experience (Fiji International Airport, Nadi, Fiji; phone +679 672 5950 or 672 3311, fax 672 0097, www.feejeeexperience.com) offers hop-on, hop-off bus itineraries to take at one’s own pace.
A minimum number of nights of accommodation are provided, and extras can be purchased at a discount. Each itinerary includes some meals, guided tours, cultural events and activities such as rafting. The basic pass is good for 12 months from purchase date.
The City Council of Rome voted March 4 to ban horse-drawn carriages on streets in the city center except on weekends. Monday to Friday, the city’s 44 botticelle (carriages) will be permitted to work in public parks such as the Borghese Gardens.
The cash-strapped city of Venice, Italy, has signed a €2.1 million ($2.7 million) deal with Coca-Cola to place soda and snack vending machines around the city.
The 60 machines will not bear the red-and-white Coke logo and will not be on public property but will be placed at the train station and at main waterbus stations, including that at St. Mark’s Square (but not in the square, where picnicking is banned).
The funds are slated to go to preserving Venice’s landmarks, as the Italian government has cut the city’s funding for culture and arts in half.