Some of us can’t even imagine getting the opportunity to spend time in some of the amazing luxury airline lounges that are offered in the world’s larger airports. Almost none of us can imagine offering that luxury to our pets. And yet, that’s exactly the perk that some pooches are going to be enjoying now that Lufthansa’s new first class pet lounge is in operation. The lounge provides top-notch service to animals that are traveling through the airport.
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Chances are that you have never visited an auto dealership purely for an afternoon of fun. That may change once construction is complete on a new car showroom megaplex.
Said new car showroom megaplex is not located in the United States, China or Germany, as you might expect. Instead, the Autopia Europia is being built in a suburb of Istanbul, Turkey. The massive building will be the world’s largest car dealership. Though we’d argue it will be much more than that.
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The Inca Trail is probably the most renowned trek in the world. It sits alongside Everest Base Camp, The Annapurna Circuit and Kilimanjaro a must do for traveller bragging rights. But with spaces limited and busy trails, what are the alternatives for the growing band of anti-populist travellers who don’t like to follow the crowds? How can you get to Machu Picchu through the back-door?
Back in 2008 entry to the epic Inca Trail became controlled by a limited permit system. These permits tend to sell out at least three months in advance and the problem is exacerbated in the peak summer months. Even if permits are available not everyone relishes the prospect of trekking such a well-worn path in the company of so many others.
Luckily Machu Picchu is surrounded by fantastic trekking and the Inca Trail isn’t the only option on the table, there are now an ever growing number of alternatives for your dose of Incan culture and mountains. And although none of them can serve up the wonder of crossing through the Sun Gate for that first glimpse of the majestic ruins, they are all worthy alternatives.
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Trying to categorize the lodgings offered by the Acido Dorado, located on the edge of California’s Joshua Tree National Park, is like trying to solve a Zen koan.
Acido Dorado isn’t a house—it is too open to the elements for that. It isn’t a glamping (glamorous camping) experience and certainly isn’t a cabin—the setup is way too luxurious. The accommodations here aren’t indoors, though nor are they outdoors; rather, it is some ingenious melding of the two.
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Is it possible to walk across the United States, from New York City to San Francisco, in two minutes? It is through the magic of stop-motion photography and the trickery of time-lapse video. There’s even time along the way to snap a few photos of Washington D.C. monuments and to take in Mt Rushmore.
Here’s the video of how such a journey would look . . .
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Skiing holidays traditionally take place in prestigious Alpine ski resorts like Verbier and Chamonix. France, Austria and Switzerland are the undisputed ski capitals of Europe, with American and Canadian ski resorts having established excellent reputations on the other side of the pond. But the glamour is fading. To borrow from the French, Alpine ski holidays are just so…well, passé.
For those after something a little more interesting, a little more off-the-beaten-track and a little more unusual, here are three ski holiday destinations you’ve probably never thought of.
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No soup for you! At least there wasn’t for the last six years at 259A West 55th Street in Manhattan. That was once the location of Soup Nazi restaurant of Seinfeld fame. And, as of yesterday, it is again.
Even the most casual of Seinfeld fans probably know of the Soup Nazi, the surly proprietor of a delicious soup takeout joint featured in an episode in the sitcom’s seventh season. Said surly proprietor was based on a real character, Al Yeganeh, who was not at all fond of Seinfeld’s “Soup Nazi” nickname. (Although prior to the Seinfeld Soup Nazi episode Yaganeh’s regulars referred to him as “The Terrorist,” which doesn’t strike us as any better a moniker.)
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