AOL Travel Ideas http://news.travel.aol.com AOL Travel Ideas http://news.travel.aol.com/media/feedlogo.gif AOL Travel Ideas http://news.travel.aol.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Gerard Depardieu Pees on a Plane (Not in the Bathroom) (UPDATE)http://news.travel.aol.com/2011/08/19/gerard-depardieu-pees-on-a-plane-not-in-the-bathroom-update/http://news.travel.aol.com/2011/08/19/gerard-depardieu-pees-on-a-plane-not-in-the-bathroom-update/http://news.travel.aol.com/2011/08/19/gerard-depardieu-pees-on-a-plane-not-in-the-bathroom-update/#commentsFiled under: , ,

AP

UPDATE, 8/19: Depardieu has apologized, via his flying companion, for peeing on the plane.

Fellow actor Edouard Baer was flying with Depardieu when the incident occurred. In a statement, Baer said that Depardieu has "prostate problems" and he had not been drinking at the time, the BBC reports.

The statement read: "Gerard was upset at this and offered to clean up the mess. He has prostate problems and it was very worrying and humiliating for him. He was also stone-cold sober at the time. This is not the way he usually behaves."

Depardieu was removed from the flight and caught a later plane to Dublin.

Previously, 8/17: The French actor Gerard Depardieu gave the passengers on a CityJet flight from Paris to Dublin quite the show on Tuesday when he reacted to the news he would not be allowed to use a bathroom until after take off by urinating on the plane's carpet in full view of the cabin.

The story broke when an eyewitness went on the French radio station Europe 1 and recounted Depardieu's urinary performance. The witness said that Depardieu begged a stewardess to let him in the bathroom, saying "Je veux pisser" repeatedly.

The stewardess asked the actor to wait fifteen minutes for the plane to reach its cruising altitude. Depardieu, who the witness claimed -- believably -- seemed drunk, declined to do so.

"There and then he did it on the floor..." the witness said. "No one said anything. It all happened with courtesy."

After Depardieu relieved himself, the plane returned to its gate, where a grounds crew reportedly spent two hours cleaning up the mess.

A CityJet spokesman confirmed to Agence France Press that the incident had taken place, but did not say whether Depardieu had been been removed from the plane.

Gerard Depardieu, who runs a vineyard when he isn't acting, has a reputation for drunken antics. In 2009, he literally beat up a car near his home -- smashing the windshield with his fist -- and in 1990 was convicted of drunk driving.

The actor's turn in the role of public urinator is just the latest instance of what seems to be a growing trend: peeing-on-a-plane stories. A drunk skier may have peed on a sleeping 11-year-old last week and, in June, a drunk Jetstar passenger relieved himself in the aisle of a Singapore-bound jet.

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]]>air francecityjetdublinfrancefrench moviesfunnygerard depardieuklmpeeingscandalAOL Travel Staff2011-08-19T10:15:00+00:00Star Wars Next Sequel? Pacific Island Coinshttp://news.travel.aol.com/2011/08/11/star-wars-next-sequel-pacific-island-coins/http://news.travel.aol.com/2011/08/11/star-wars-next-sequel-pacific-island-coins/http://news.travel.aol.com/2011/08/11/star-wars-next-sequel-pacific-island-coins/#commentsFiled under: ,

<3M.D.M.D.<3/Flickr

The down on its luck Pacific island state of Niue, a former tourist hotspot, is hoping the force will be strong enough for its latest money making endeavor: a set of coins depicting Luke Skywalker that will be marketed to nerds abroad.

Niue, which locals refer to simply as "the Rock," sits in warm water about 1,550 miles northeast of New Zealand and has seen much of its population disappear since the mid-60s. The population of the island, a little more than 1,200 people, voted to make the Star Wars legal tender in order to raise money for their government.

The coins, which will show a Star Wars character on one side and the Queen of England on the other, will be worth NZ$2, but made of NZ$117.25 worth of silver, meaning that if you're looking for practical tender, these aren't the coins you're looking for.

"You wouldn't want to go and spend them because they're only worth $2, but the value is much more than that," Chris Kirkness of the New Zealand Mint told the Australian Associated Press.

Instead, the coins will be sold, starting next week, at the American Numismatic (coin collector) Association show in Chicago, in Millenium Falcon shaped boxes that make the lightspeed sound when opened.

This is not Niue's first venture into the collectibles market. Following the royal wedding in the spring, the state released Prince William and Kate Middleton stamps. The stamps attracted some unwanted controversy because tearing down the perforated line split the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

The island is also looking at new ways to attract tourists, investing in tourism websites and hoping visitors will be willing to make the trek out into the Pacific to swim with dolphins and relax on beautiful white sand beaches, presumably while wearing metal bikinis.



 

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]]>Clone Warscoin collectingcoinscomic conislandNew ZealandniuepacificStar WarsStarWarstourismAOL Travel Staff2011-08-11T08:45:00+00:00London Rioters Interrupt Tourists' Fancy Dinner, Get Scared Off By Restaurant Staffhttp://news.travel.aol.com/2011/08/09/london-rioters-interrupt-tourists-fancy-dinner-get-scared-off/http://news.travel.aol.com/2011/08/09/london-rioters-interrupt-tourists-fancy-dinner-get-scared-off/http://news.travel.aol.com/2011/08/09/london-rioters-interrupt-tourists-fancy-dinner-get-scared-off/#commentsFiled under: ,

Kevin Dooley/Flickr

A Los Angeles couple visiting London headed out for a nice dinner at The Ledbury on Monday evening only to be served up a bit of chaos as rioters broke in to the Michelin two-star restaurant and kitchen staff defended the diners with rolling pins.

Writing under the name NakedSushi, the female tourist recounted being mugged during a candlelit dinner:

"Around the fourth dish of the tasting course, there were loud bangs outside. The restaurant staff was yelling at us to get away from the windows. Before I knew it, the front door, a solid piece of glass shattered and people came crashing in with hoodies, masks, and random weapons.... He told me to take off my rings and grabbed my hand, trying to yank them off. His friend tried to help too, but the rings wouldn't come off and I just yelled at him that I'd take them off myself...."

The blog went on to tell a tale of heroism, almost definitely worthy of three Michelin stars:

"The kitchen staff at the Ledbury went beyond their call of duty by rushing up from the kitchen with rolling pins, fry baskets, and other dangerous kitchen tools and scared off the looters. Then they provided well-needed glasses of alcohol including champagne and whisky. When word came that the looters were coming back a second time, they ushered us into the bathrooms and told us to lock the doors. A few minutes later, they led us into the wine cellar and told us to lock ourselves in there."

The Naked Sushette, of course, also documented the event on Twitter and had some choice words for her attackers that might not be appropriate to reprint.

In the end, the dinner was a bit of a disaster. The blogger had her ring stolen and broken glass got all over the food. At least the couple walked away with a story.

The riots, which began over the weekend after London police shot a suspected drug dealer in the capital's Tottenham neighborhood, have many UK tourism professionals concerned: Pictures of double-decker buses on fire put people off.

A spokesperson for London & Partners, the firm responsible for promoting the capital, told the Daily Mail that "It is currently too early to anticipate the effect on tourism but we are monitoring the situation and we will work with the industry to respond to specific issues as they arise."

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]]>ledbury restaurantlondon rioterslondon riotsAOL Travel Staff2011-08-09T08:45:00+00:00Why Vancouver Kicks Asshttp://news.travel.aol.com/2011/07/27/why-vancouver-kicks-ass/http://news.travel.aol.com/2011/07/27/why-vancouver-kicks-ass/http://news.travel.aol.com/2011/07/27/why-vancouver-kicks-ass/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

CanadaPenguin/Flickr

Sitting between three bodies of water and the Coastal Mountain Range, Vancouver benefits from gorgeous scenery. Mountains are well and good, but visitors would do well not to be distracted from the city's happening cultural scene. Sitting between three bodies of water and the Coastal Mountain Range, Vancouver benefits from gorgeous scenery. Mountains are well and good, but visitors would do well not to be distracted from the city's happening cultural scene.

Fast-paced Vancouver is buzzing with young artists, creative musicians, and all-around eccentric thinkers that create a unique twist on the typical "modern city." While wandering the city's bustling streets, pedestrian's pass stylish vintage stores, trendy little restaurants, and probably a few lively street performers.

Vancouver has found a way to maintain its status as Canada's frontier town: pushing boundaries. Visitors would be well-advised to join the maddeningly hip crowd.

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]]>canadavancouvervancouver sceneMarielle Bingham2011-07-27T10:00:00+00:00'Panda' Proposes Marriage on Chinese High-Speed Train (VIDEO)http://news.travel.aol.com/2011/07/21/panda-proposes-marriage-on-chinese-high-speed-train-video/http://news.travel.aol.com/2011/07/21/panda-proposes-marriage-on-chinese-high-speed-train-video/http://news.travel.aol.com/2011/07/21/panda-proposes-marriage-on-chinese-high-speed-train-video/#commentsFiled under:

Panda Proposes Marriage on Chinese High-Speed Train

Shanghaiist

How to propose to your girlfriend 101: Dress up like a giant panda, sneak up behind her on a train, sketch her out completely and drop down on one knee.


Sure, it may not be the most conventional route, but it totally worked for the guy in this video.

Unfortunately our Chinese is a little rusty, but according to the kids over at Shanghaiist, the panda proposed to his girlfriend of three years aboard the Beijing-Shanghai high-speed rail.

At first the girl looks completely freaked, but once her love removed his panda mask, her awkward giggles of fear turned to those of delight.

So, to the cheers of dozens of his train-riding companions, Mr. Panda took to his knee and offered up a ring. (No word yet on how many carats.) He called his love "the most important person in my life." Girlfriend cried like a baby -- but she said yes!


Not convinced that mid-travel proposals are a regular occurrence? Check out the best in-flight proposals here, including one of our favorites, that of flight attendant Vera Silva and her now-fiance, Joao Vieira.

WATCH below:

 

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]]>chinahigh speed trainpanda proposesAOL Travel Staff2011-07-21T08:45:00+00:00French Bandits Hold Up Train Near Marseilleshttp://news.travel.aol.com/2011/07/08/french-bandits-hold-up-train-near-marseilles/http://news.travel.aol.com/2011/07/08/french-bandits-hold-up-train-near-marseilles/http://news.travel.aol.com/2011/07/08/french-bandits-hold-up-train-near-marseilles/#commentsFiled under:

roger4336/Flickr


In a scene straight out of "The Great Train Robbery," a group of masked men reportedly held up a passenger train and robbed a freight train outside of Marseilles on Thursday night. So much for worrying about pickpockets.

"It's worthy of stagecoach attacks in the Wild West," Police Union Official David-Olivier Reverdy told Reuters.

A regional train with 26 passengers on board and a cargo train were forced to a stop as they approached a blockade made up of shopping carts and metal beams. The robbers looted several carriages then disappeared into the night.

Though the train was damaged, no ransom notes were left behind and no injuries were reported. It remains unclear what was taken.

After the incident, passengers disembarked and walked about a third of a mile to the nearest level crossing, Deutsche-Presse Agentur reported.

The railway union released a statement implying that Thursday's robbery proved the railway authority had not invested enough in the security of its sites.

There really isn't a way travelers can protect themselves against a heist of this sort, but it's nevertheless important to safeguard travel documents and not carry all of one's cash at once.



 

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]]>heistMarseillemaskrobberytrainwesternAOL Travel Staff2011-07-08T11:44:00+00:00Running of the Bulls 2011: Get Out of the Way! (VIDEO)http://news.travel.aol.com/2011/07/08/running-of-the-bulls-2011-get-out-of-the-way-video/http://news.travel.aol.com/2011/07/08/running-of-the-bulls-2011-get-out-of-the-way-video/http://news.travel.aol.com/2011/07/08/running-of-the-bulls-2011-get-out-of-the-way-video/#commentsFiled under: ,

running of the bulls

AP Photo/Alvaro Barrientos

While we stateside were still cozy in our beds, daredevils from around the world were trying not to get trampled by bulls in Spain.

Today marked the third day of the San Fermin Festival in the northern city of Pamplona, best known for its Running of the Bulls. What most people probably don't know is that the famed running, or encierro, is not a singular event. The practice occurs at 8 a.m. every morning from July 7 to July 14.

With the shot of a firecracker, a stampede of bulls is released from its pen to run a 900 yard route through the town to the bullring. In front of them are throngs of runners hoping to make it there before the bulls do. Behind a double fence built along the route - or from rented apartment balconies - sane spectators watch in safety.

So far this year, four men didn't fare so well: One had the misfortune of being gored in the leg while the others fell or were trampled, reports the International Business Times.

Watch the video below for a taste of the chaos.



 

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]]>pamplonarunning of the bullssan fermin festivalspainAOL Travel Staff2011-07-08T08:57:00+00:00German Tourist Awarded $50 for Egyptian Resort's Nazi Sketchhttp://news.travel.aol.com/2011/07/07/german-tourist-awarded-50-for-egyptians-resorts-nazi-sketch/http://news.travel.aol.com/2011/07/07/german-tourist-awarded-50-for-egyptians-resorts-nazi-sketch/http://news.travel.aol.com/2011/07/07/german-tourist-awarded-50-for-egyptians-resorts-nazi-sketch/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Simone Ramella/Flickr

A Munich court awarded a German retroactive $50 discount on his trip to an Egyptian resort after he sued the hotel for putting on a performance that depicted teutonic goosesteppers and giving away his sunbed.

Der Spiegel reports that the angry tourist demanded that the resort pay back 25% of the cost of his holiday, $985 amd an additional $719 for ruining his vacation. The judge awarded the man $50 for the emotional damage of being mocked as a Nazi, but ruled that that the sunbed was in fact hotel property and pool attendants could give the chair to whomever they pleased.

The man accused the resort of being racist, but the judge retorted that though the performance was in poor taste didn't make it racist.

Sharm el-Sheik is a popular destination for Europeans, particularly for divers and snorkelers. A German snorkeler was killed there earlier this year by a shark. The fish was not accused of racism.

 

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]]>egyptgermanlawsuitlawsuitslegal newsresorttourismtouristAOL Travel Staff2011-07-07T12:00:00+00:00The Transition Becomes First Flying Car Allowed on the Roadhttp://news.travel.aol.com/2011/07/06/the-transition-becomes-first-flying-car-to-be-allowed-on-the-roa/http://news.travel.aol.com/2011/07/06/the-transition-becomes-first-flying-car-to-be-allowed-on-the-roa/http://news.travel.aol.com/2011/07/06/the-transition-becomes-first-flying-car-to-be-allowed-on-the-roa/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Matt From London/Flickr

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has granted a flying car regulatory clearance, meaning the vehicle is now allowed to hit the road. This exclusive permission will allow the Massachusetts based company Terrafugia that designed the car to begin delivering the Transition once models are ready in 2012.

According to The Wall Street Journal, The Transition is the first flying car to avoid crashing into safety regulations. The flying car needed numerous special accommodations from regulators because of conflicts between the rules that govern passenger cars and those that would apply to a light aircraft.

A traffic jam worth of inventors had already tried to get their Jetson-mobiles on the road only to fail thanks to requirements.

First there was the Moller Skycar, invented by Paul Moller, who's been attempting to develop the aircraft vehicle for over 40 years. Then there was the Milner AirCar, which was about the size of a Honda Civic. And how could anyone forget the Transformer TX, which was developed by the Pentagon in 2010. It was capable of carrying up to 1,000 pounds in flight and looked like a jeep with wings.

Luckily, the Transition received special permission to be allowed to weigh 110 pounds more than is typically approved for the light sport aircraft category, as granted by the Federal Aviation Administration.

The company initially hoped to have the car produced by late this year. However, difficulties with suppliers and production complications have prevented the flying automobiles earlier release date, which is now set for the end of next year.



 

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]]>flying carterrafugiaTerrafugia first flightTerrafugia transitionAOL Travel Staff2011-07-06T12:22:00+00:00Traveler Matt Scheurich Shot With Arrows By Tribesmen In Papua New Guineahttp://news.travel.aol.com/2011/07/05/tribesmen-fill-traveler-matt-scheurich-with-arrows-and-molest-gi/http://news.travel.aol.com/2011/07/05/tribesmen-fill-traveler-matt-scheurich-with-arrows-and-molest-gi/http://news.travel.aol.com/2011/07/05/tribesmen-fill-traveler-matt-scheurich-with-arrows-and-molest-gi/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Surface Forces/Flickr

A group of Papua New Guinean tribesman hunted a foreign couple through the forest to a river, then shot them with arrows and pelted them with rocks, the Associated Press reported Tuesday. Matt Scheurich, a 28-year-old New Zealander, was struck in the chest and stomach by arrows as the tribesmen attempted to molest his french girlfriend, an anthropologist, last month.


Though Scheurich and his girlfriend escaped and were airlifted out of the remote North Fly district, the attack sheds light on potential risks of travel well-beyond the beaten path.


Tours to villages in PNG's remote highlands, which are marketed as unique opportunities to visit fascinating indigenous communities, are becoming increasingly popular. Unfortunately, violence is perhaps the only common theme among native cultures.


PNG's terrain is so rough that many villages have entirely different traditions and languages than their neighbors. One rite of passage many of these peoples shared (and may still share in places) is headhunting: Young men are not considered adult until they kill an enemy in battle and behead him. Think of it as a strange combination bar mitzvah and bris.


While Scheurich's head was probably not the prize the tribesmen were after, it can be inferred that their intentions were probably not benign.


Meeting diverse peoples has become a priority for international travelers - no doubt a positive development - but talking to strangers can be risky even for adults. Not all savages are noble (and some nobles are savage).


The premium placed on the exotic has driven a certain sort of person to take increasingly extreme risks as the beaten path has gotten beaten wider and wider. India is easy, so travelers head to Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka is peaceful, so they move on to Borneo. Borneo is accessible, so travelers look to PNG.


PNG is incredibly dangerous. Hurrah.


The U.S. State Department recommends that visitors take precautions before traveling in the highlands and in the capital Port Moresby, which is basically Mos Eisley on the ocean.

Apparently an addendum should be added to those recommendations advising visitors to cover their tracks.

 

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]]>Papua New GuineaPNGAndrew Burmon2011-07-05T11:25:00+00:00Snake Traveling Independently on Japanese Train Inconveniences Other Passengershttp://news.travel.aol.com/2011/07/05/snake-traveling-independently-on-japanese-train-inconveniences-o/http://news.travel.aol.com/2011/07/05/snake-traveling-independently-on-japanese-train-inconveniences-o/http://news.travel.aol.com/2011/07/05/snake-traveling-independently-on-japanese-train-inconveniences-o/#commentsFiled under: ,

A. Jaszlics/Flickr

A Tokyo-bound train had to be halted Monday as animal control workers captured a three-foot long snake that was wriggling freely around one of the compartments.

The fancy loose and foot free reptile, believed to be a non-poisonous Honduran Milk Snake, was captured by the staff of a nearby animal protection center Monday morning at Maibara Station, the Japan Times reported. The station is the next stop after Kyoto for Tokyo-bound bullet trains.

It is suspected the snake belonged to a passenger who failed to notice their pet had slithered its way out of its cage. Police are still searching for the no doubt distressed snake owner.

None of the 200 passengers were harmed by the brightly-colored snake or in the rush to get away from it.

Besides small birds or fish, animals are prohibited on Japan Railway Company trains.

The snake on a train was merely the latest iteration of what seems to be becoming a popular genre of travel story, the nasty-animal-taking-inappropriate-mode-of-transport tale. A scorpion and rats were recently found onboard two planes and Donald Trump even has his own jet.

 

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]]>bullet trainsjapansnakesnakes on a planetokyo trainstrainAOL Travel Staff2011-07-05T10:40:00+00:00Strangest Travel Jobs In The World (PHOTOS)http://news.travel.aol.com/2011/07/03/strangest-travel-jobs-in-the-world-photos/http://news.travel.aol.com/2011/07/03/strangest-travel-jobs-in-the-world-photos/http://news.travel.aol.com/2011/07/03/strangest-travel-jobs-in-the-world-photos/#commentsFiled under:

Loews Coronado Bay Resort & Spa

When Travel + Leisure searched the globe for the most offbeat tasks, they came up with some surprising professions.


Airports have known for a long time that birds can pose problems to airplane engines, and have come up with different ways of combating the issue. Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport, for example, has a robotic hawk to scare birds away. But if you'd like to get a job keeping the birds at bay, inquire at Zürich Airport, which employs three hunters to shoot the potentially damaging creatures.

And airport hunters are just one of the strangest jobs in the travel industry. When Travel + Leisure searched the globe for the most offbeat tasks, they came up with some surprising professions.

In fact, many offbeat travel-industry jobs involve keeping Mother Nature at bay. In India, "monkey men" at a plush resort spend their days chasing primates prone to stealing guests' cookies. "We are convinced that the monkeys have 'tea parties' on the other side of the resort's stone wall," says Rishi Kapoor, an executive with luxury tour operator Abercrombie & Kent, which partners with the Amanbagh Resort.

Happily, not everyone is just chasing critters behind the scenes-and for some people, what started as utilitarian jobs somehow turned into entertainment or guest perks. In St. Thomas, an engineer who helps protect guests from falling coconuts has become an essential part of happy hour.
It's not always about creating a spectacle though: sometimes it's about the service.

In the past few years, other hotels have created quirky positions to enhance the guest experience-say, a "tanning butler" who applies sunscreen to pool-goers, "bath sommeliers" who fill your tub, or "bibliotherapists" who choose your reading material. "Anything that hotels or resorts can do to differentiate themselves, to create a 'wow factor,' is essential in today's very competitive market," says John Clifford, a travel agent and president of San Diego-based International Travel Management.

Text by Katrina Brown Hunt & Darren Tobia, Travel + Leisure. Photos courtesy of Travel + Leisure.

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]]>strangest travel jobstourism jobsweird jobsworlds strangest jobsTravel + Leisure2011-07-03T07:30:00+00:009 Bizarre Prison Hotels (PHOTOS)http://news.travel.aol.com/2011/07/02/9-bizarre-prison-hotels-photos/http://news.travel.aol.com/2011/07/02/9-bizarre-prison-hotels-photos/http://news.travel.aol.com/2011/07/02/9-bizarre-prison-hotels-photos/#commentsFiled under:

The Alcatraz Hotel

Everyone's been on a vacation they wish could last forever, but there's little doubt any traveler would wish to stay anywhere indefinitely or without choice.



Everyone's been on a vacation they wish could last forever, but there's little doubt any traveler would wish to stay anywhere indefinitely or without choice. While they may now be renovated, luxurious escapes, these hotels put properties to use that otherwise would have been raised, demolished, or deserted - namely, jails and mental institutions. Some of these hotels honor the building's former identity by naming rooms or dishes after it, some simply rebuild where an institution once stood, a few chillingly remind of the inmates (not guests) that came before, and still others try to forget it all together.

San Clemente Palace Hotel and Resort, a five-star luxury retreat on a private island off of Venice, offers the old-world charm and serenity that vacation-goers seek in Italy. But beneath the exclusive lagoon-front exterior lays its history as a women's mental hospital. And while Oxford may be better known as home to one of the most prestigious universities in the world, the swanky town hotel Malmaison was once home to inmates rather than intellectuals in the Victorian era.

If spending a night in jail seems like a novel adventure, then Karosta Prison in Liepaja, Latvia, is the place to get scared stiff (plus, it's better than actually getting arrested). This former KGB lock up served as an incarcerating institution for regiment-breaching Soviet soldiers and has maintained its hard edge even after the prison became inactive in 1997. Visitors can opt for one of four levels of scariness during their stay - ranging from getting shouted at by hotel staffers to full-on solitary confinement.

The good citizens of The Daily Meal put together a list of their favorite spooky-yet-hospitable hotels which, in previous iterations, housed some of the world's most interesting inmates.

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]]>prison hotelsprisonsThe Daily Meal2011-07-02T07:30:00+00:00Wehrwolf, Hitler's Ukrainian Bunker, Becomes Controversial Attractionhttp://news.travel.aol.com/2011/07/01/wehrwolf-hitlers-ukrainian-bunker-becomes-controversial-attra/http://news.travel.aol.com/2011/07/01/wehrwolf-hitlers-ukrainian-bunker-becomes-controversial-attra/http://news.travel.aol.com/2011/07/01/wehrwolf-hitlers-ukrainian-bunker-becomes-controversial-attra/#commentsFiled under: ,

YouTube

The Ukrainian city of Vinnitsa is eager to attract tourists, but is torn about the creation of a Nazi museum in the nearby bunker where Hitler stayed several times during WWII, which they say could be a magnet for neo-Nazis.

According to the BBC, Communist Party leaders are particularly worried about the opening of the Wehrwolf command center because the new attraction's operators plan on allowing visitors to dress up in Nazi uniforms and pose with swastika flags. Hitler used this bunker while helping to plan the expansion of the Eastern Front.

German soldiers destroyed most of the sprawling site, which was built largely by forced Ukrainian labor, as they retreated in 1944, but left three large bunkers and most of a swimming pool, which is the sites most obvious marker. A mass grave was also left behind, filled with the more than 10,000 POWs and locals who were forced to build Wehrwolf.

Lydia Zakusylova, a local communist politician, told the BBC that the Wehrwolf site was already attracting droves of neo-Nazis that had to be controlled by police.

On the other side of the debate sits Kateryna Vysotska, who works at the Vinnitsa Museum and says the bunker will become a tourist attraction no matter what and might as well incorporate some historical exhibits and officially open to the public. Vysotska claimed the museum would also serve as a memorial for victims.

Many Nazi symbols are illegal in Germany, which has long struggled with its violent past, making neo-Nazi travel to countries without such anti-right wing legislation attractive for young extremists.

The Wolf's Lair, one of Hitler's main headquarters located in Poland, is already a popular tourist attraction with Neo-Nazis, according to the Lonely Planet guide to Eastern Europe.

The guide makes this recommendation: "Some reports from visitors have mentioned the attraction of this place to neo-Nazi skinheads. If walking through the woods, stick with other people and be aware of your surroundings, particularly if you're of non-European appearance."

 

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]]>hitlernazinazi tourismukrainewehrwolfWWIIAOL Travel Staff2011-07-01T08:40:00+00:00Casey Anthony Trial: Rubbernecking Orlando's Newest Tourist Attractionhttp://news.travel.aol.com/2011/06/30/casey-anthony-trial-rubbernecking-orlandos-newest-tourist-attr/http://news.travel.aol.com/2011/06/30/casey-anthony-trial-rubbernecking-orlandos-newest-tourist-attr/http://news.travel.aol.com/2011/06/30/casey-anthony-trial-rubbernecking-orlandos-newest-tourist-attr/#commentsFiled under: ,

Casey Anthony Trial Becoming Tourist Spot Leads to Trial Becoming Tourist Spot

Associated Press

The Casey Anthony trial became a huge tourist draw, culminating in the big "not guilty" of first-degree murder verdict handed down. Long lines in Orlando are nothing new, but there are no animatronics here - no singing animals or amiably drunken pirates - only Anthony.

Every afternoon, officials from the Ninth District Courthouse handed out courtroom passes to the crowd of people jostling to get a closer look at Anthony. The Orlando Examiner had reported brawls breaking out over seats and that police have had to wrangle eager tourists spending their vacations watching the trial.

Then, Fox broke the story that a company would be running "Casey Tours," which would show legal rubberneckers a spot where Anthony was seen "partying shortly after her daughter was last seen" and feature a Q&A with Anthony Lazzaro, one of Ms. Anthony's former flames.

The article quoted attorney Chirag Karbrawala saying, "My client is an enterprising person, and people want to get some of the Casey Anthony action. This is the OJ trial of the social media generation."

Journalists call it a pull quote. The only issue: Karbrawala told Aol Travel Monday morning that he never said any such thing. He added there is no tour planned and he feels such a tour would be exploitative.

"Of course those aren't my views," said Karbrawal, who is asking Fox to pull the story.

Social Network Generation's O.J. Trail

Ironically, the story may well prove the point Karbrawal claims not to have made, that Ms. Anthony's trial is the O.J. Simpson trial for a socially networked generation.

Since Anthony's trial began, video after video showing the Anthony home has been uploaded to YouTube and dueling Facebook pages Support Casey Anthony and Fry Casey Anthony have received 2,147 likes and 5,719 likes respectively.

In 1995, the Los Angeles Times was reporting sightseers flocking to the condominium where Nicole Brown Simpson was murdered caused parking problems in Los Angeles Brentwood area.

What drove tourists to Los Angeles to stand outside the courtroom during O.J.'s trial was largely the media circus surrounding the trial and a self-propagating cycle of publicity.

The commercialization of a trial is catnip for journalists eager to find a new angle on a slowly developing story or to opine the degradation of our culture (the ultimate evergreen). Reporters promote the commercialization narrative, all but issuing an invitation to more rubberneckers.

The question remains, now that the trial is over and the media circus surely about to move on to something else, will the Casey rubbernecking continue?

Welcome to Orlando.

Is it OK to attend the Anthony trial as a tourist?
Yes. This is a story of national interest and visitors aren't hurting anyone.310 (25.1%)
No. This is rubbernecking and a child is dead.924 (74.9%)

 

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]]>anthonycasey anthonycasey anthony not guiltycasey anthony verdictcaylee anthonynot guiltyorlandotrialverdictAndrew Burmon2011-06-30T04:15:00+00:00Rock Diaz, American Airlines Passenger, Impersonates Soldier to Get into First Classhttp://news.travel.aol.com/2011/06/27/rock-diaz-american-airlines-passenger-impersonates-soldier-to/http://news.travel.aol.com/2011/06/27/rock-diaz-american-airlines-passenger-impersonates-soldier-to/http://news.travel.aol.com/2011/06/27/rock-diaz-american-airlines-passenger-impersonates-soldier-to/#commentsFiled under: ,

Linda Makiej Photography/Flickr

Rock Diaz flew first class from the Dominican Republic to New York Friday on a coach ticket and all he had to do to get bumped up was impersonate a military officer.

The New York Post reports that the Long Island man, who boarded the American Airline's plane in fatigues, dog tags and a military cap, was offered a spot in first class by a stewardess who had concluded logically, if wrongfully, that he was a soldier.


Diaz's ruse was only discovered when he landed and a customs officer asked him his rank. Diaz told him he was "E-5," which is a pay grade, not a rank. Diaz's dog tags apparently said "U.S.A. Marines Corp" and he was wearing patches in all the wrong places.


Diaz told the Post that he had not asked to be upgraded, only followed a flight attendant's instructions, an argument significantly undermined by pictures taken in 2009 showing him wearing a similar outfit while hanging out in an airline cockpit.


He was charged with second-degree impersonation, a felony under New York Law. To be charged with first-degree impersonation, Diaz would have had to pretend to be a law enforcement official or a physician.


Many airlines have standing policies - both official and unofficial - to bump soldiers up when there are empty first class seats. Thanks to a recent furor that erupted when Delta charged a group of servicemen $2,800 to carry extra baggage, soldiers are given a greater luggage allowance on most airlines as well.


Any debate surrounding the perks that soldiers deserve or that airlines graciously hand out is certainly undermined by impostors like Diaz. We here at Aol Travel are wagging our fingers so hard we're probably going to pull something.

 

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]]>american airlinesMilitaryRock DiazsoldierWhat a jerkAOL Travel Staff2011-06-27T12:00:00+00:007 Weirdest Monuments Around The World (PHOTOS)http://news.travel.aol.com/2011/06/24/7-weirdest-monuments-around-the-world-photos/http://news.travel.aol.com/2011/06/24/7-weirdest-monuments-around-the-world-photos/http://news.travel.aol.com/2011/06/24/7-weirdest-monuments-around-the-world-photos/#commentsFiled under:

DeusXFlorida/Flickr

Boll weevils, the Fonz and even filing cabinets: If it exists there's probably a monument to it somewhere in the world.

Boll weevils, the Fonz and even filing cabinets: If it exists there's probably a monument to it somewhere in the world.

Our friends at the website-of-weird, Atlas Obscura, took a look at some of the strangest public monuments, to some of the weirdest, and most ordinary objects out there.

Check out their picks below. Your favorite not included? Submit your picks in comments!

Text and photos courtesy of Atlas Obscura.

%Gallery-127004%

 

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]]>atla obscurastrange monumentsstrangest placeweird monumentsAtlas Obscura2011-06-24T08:00:00+00:00Wallenda to Walk Across Niagara as Tightrope Bill Passes New York Assemblyhttp://news.travel.aol.com/2011/06/22/wallenda-to-walk-across-niagara-as-tightrope-bill-passes-new-yor/http://news.travel.aol.com/2011/06/22/wallenda-to-walk-across-niagara-as-tightrope-bill-passes-new-yor/http://news.travel.aol.com/2011/06/22/wallenda-to-walk-across-niagara-as-tightrope-bill-passes-new-yor/#commentsFiled under: ,

Wallendra to Walk Across Niagara as Tightrope Bill Passes New York Assembly

_gee_, flickr

The New York State Assembly voted Wednesday afternoon on an unusual piece of legislation, a bill directing the state's parks office to allow Nik Wallenda, of the "Flying Wallendas," to tightrope walk above Niagara Falls. Death-defying, tourism-friendly acts have long been outlawed at Niagara, but a companion bill had already passed the New York Senate.

The Assembly's decision: Let him do it.

The bill's author, Assemblyman Dennis Grabryszak, represents a western New York district near Niagara and told AOL Travel that the vote would represent a victory for local businesses.

"If you walk around Niagara Falls you'll see boarded up areas even during the tourist season," said Grabryszak. "He plans on doing this at the end of September or the beginning of October when tourism begins to dip and the event should help hotels, restaurants, and other businesses."


According to Grabryszak, the Mayor of Niagara Falls, Canada has already approved the project, which is intended to be a one-time event, not the beginning of open season for daredevils.

In a memo attached to the bill, Grabryszak made the case that the performance would not only attract tourists, but be in keeping with Niagara history. He also pointed out the fact that Mr. Wallenda having has his own Discovery Channel show won't hurt business.

"Daredevils and their exploits are a big part of the storied history of Niagara Falls. In 1859 Jean Francois Gravelot, also known as the 'Great Blondin' became the first person to traverse the Niagara River Gorge on a wire," read the memo. "Authorizing [Wallenda] to traverse the Niagara River Gorge, and promote this as a part of his popular television show will be a positive development to increase interest in Niagara falls and the surrounding area."

The Great Blondin, it should be noted, didn't just tightrope walk above the gorge: He used a wheelbarrow, carried a grown man and cooked an omelet.


Blondin aside, Niagara Falls stunts do have a long history of ending abruptly and without applause. Many of those who have gone over the falls in barrels have not survived and at least one tightrope walker has perished. Stephen Peer, a Canadian, made several crossings in 1887 before his body was found on the rocks below his rope one morning, forcing investigators to conclude he had made an unsuccessful attempt at a night crossing.

The daredevil family's own paterfamilias, Nik Wallenda's grandfather, met his end after falling off a rope in Puerto Rico in 1978. But tightrope walking wouldn't bring in the crowds if it wasn't dangerous.

Human sacrifice has been very much at the core of Niagara's tourism industry since the city invited Sam Patch to jump off the top of the falls in 1829. He survived and the city became a more popular destination.

Now that Niagara Falls has fallen on hard times - a Coldwell Banker Report released last week found that the city had the cheapest housing in the nation - some locals are saying the Wallenda event could provide the city with a much needed shot in the arm.

If Wallenda does walk across the gorge, Niagara Falls will definitely receiving a little more media attention; probably not quite so much as if he only walks half way.

 

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]]>canadadangerousnew yorknew york politicsnew-yorkniagaraniagara-fallsniagara-falls-onttightropeunited-statesAndrew Burmon2011-06-22T15:00:00+00:00Train Conductor Confronts Very Educated Womanhttp://news.travel.aol.com/2011/06/16/train-conductor-confronts-very-educated-woman/http://news.travel.aol.com/2011/06/16/train-conductor-confronts-very-educated-woman/http://news.travel.aol.com/2011/06/16/train-conductor-confronts-very-educated-woman/#commentsFiled under: , ,

YouTube

There is always at least one person on your train (bus, plane, hovercraft, velocipede) who insists on imposing their conversation on everyone else.


In this video, which went viral in a hurry on Thursday, a woman suffering from a virulent strain of self love is confronted by a conductor for being too loud, completely loses it and, for no clear reason, trumpets her educational achievements.

I bet they taught her some neat multi-syllabic words in graduate school. Maybe she knows the word "schadenfreude."


Maybe it's just time for her to enroll in finishing school or for all of us to adopt the Japanese system of publicly shaming the hell out of anyone who behaves like this.


Oh wait, that's what the internet is for:

 

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]]>cellphonecellphonescollegeeducationFightingShut UpAndrew Burmon2011-06-16T15:00:00+00:00NYC Calls Goose Busters to Save Airplaneshttp://news.travel.aol.com/2011/06/16/nyc-calls-goose-busters-to-save-airplanes/http://news.travel.aol.com/2011/06/16/nyc-calls-goose-busters-to-save-airplanes/http://news.travel.aol.com/2011/06/16/nyc-calls-goose-busters-to-save-airplanes/#commentsFiled under: , ,

JoshuaDavisPhotography/Flickr

In order to ensure the birds will no longer interfere with air traffic, the city of New York is rounding up many of Prospect Park's Canadian Geese and shipping them to Pennsylvania, where they will be slaughtered and handed out as food to the needy.



According to the Wall Street Journal, the city has also hired the Virginia-based Goose Busters to patrol Prospect Park and keep the birds still there under wraps prompting some Brooklyn's activist types have to take to the streets singing "Give Geese a Chance."


That last sentence was totally factual.


The city of New York started killing the birds in 2009 after U.S. Airways' "Miracle on the Hudson" flight struck several geese and expanded in 2010.


Last year a bit of a scandal erupted when a pile of dead geese collected from Brooklyn's Prospect Park was dumped into a landfill. So this year the birds, which taste great, will be parceled out to food banks in Pennsylvania. A spokesman for New York's agriculture department was quick to point out that next year the geese will be given to food banks in New York.


A group named GooseWatch has also begun holding all night vigils outside the Park for the birds, which are so overpopulated in the New York area that in 2004 the Congress allotted $200,000 in funding to kill them and make sure that their droppings stopped posing an environmental risk to water sources.



 

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]]>airlinesbrooklyngeesegoosenew yorknew york airportnew york cityAndrew Burmon2011-06-16T09:15:00+00:00