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- Southeast Asia's top 10 private villas
- Outrageous! US$32 for hotel Wi-Fi and other holiday rip-offs
- Massive international photo fest comes to China's 'Turtle City'
- Next big art thing: Gillman Barracks opens in Singapore
- Insider Guide: Best of Dublin
- Where to watch whales around the world
- 6 reasons to visit Korea this fall
- Gallery: Asia's first Legoland opens in Malaysia
- CNNGo TV in Boston: Red Sox, historical tours and urban retreats
- It's a buyer's market this weekend at Korea International Art Fair 2012
- Chinese tourists cancel trips to Japan amid island spat
- Diner's dilemma: Okonomiyaki or monjayaki?
- Do kids and first class mix?
- Barbie hits the high seas
- Is Hong Kong really 'Asia's World City'?
- World's best Chinatowns
- Joyland is China's 'Disneyland' for the digital era
- Cutest job in the world? Chengdu seeks panda ambassadors
| Southeast Asia's top 10 private villas Posted: 16 Sep 2012 09:56 PM PDT There are a few reasons you might want to rent a private luxury villa rather than stay in a resort. Extra space. Naked swims in your private pool. Personal chefs. In terms of sheer swank factor, combined with fashion-spread worthy surroundings, Southeast Asia has some of the world's best private villas. Based on its inspections of over 200 properties in the region, The Villa Guide -- a booking site that features reviews of villas in the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand and Sri Lanka -- recently put together a list of what its reviewers feel are "without a doubt the top 10" villas in the region. Criteria: "Every villa that actually makes it onto The Villa Guide website (many do not) has been independently reviewed and rated. The criteria is stringent, and in each category they are scored from a possible 10 points, then combined to give an overall result. read more     |
| Outrageous! US$32 for hotel Wi-Fi and other holiday rip-offs Posted: 16 Sep 2012 07:30 PM PDT by CNNGo staff The budget flight's booked, boarding pass is printed, cheap accommodation is sorted out. All that's left is to lament the undoing of all your bargain hunting when you use an ATM abroad. According to European travel booking site Skyscanner's latest survey, the price of withdrawing cash abroad is the cost travelers hate most. That's closely followed by paying for organized tours and excursions. According to the survey, the tours were often "overhyped, overrated and overpriced." Hotel Wi-Fi is the third biggest rip-off -- "a real bugbear for travelers," said Skyscanner, with some hotels charging a staggering US$32 per day. Taxi fares were the fourth most-hated rip-off while credit card charges rounded out the top five, on a par with paying for a sunbed. read more    |
| Massive international photo fest comes to China's 'Turtle City' Posted: 16 Sep 2012 07:20 PM PDT by Raemin Zhang Pingyao (平遥), an ancient walled city in central China nicknamed "Turtle City," will turn into a colossal art gallery later this month for the 12th Pingyao International Photography Festival. Some 13,000 photos from 1,700 international photographers will be displayed throughout the 1,260-square-kilometer county in eight exhibition areas, including a defunct textile mill and a former government office. As one of China's premier photo fests, this year's event is themed "Regression and Surpassing" (回归·超越) and will run from September 19-25. "Regression means returning to the essence of photography," said the festival's art director, Zhang Guotian (张国田). "Surpassing is to go beyond traditional limits and to look for a way of adapting to the digital era." Zhang said the week-long festival will include 332 exhibitions across Pingyao, showcasing a variety of photography genres under different topics. read more    |
| Next big art thing: Gillman Barracks opens in Singapore Posted: 16 Sep 2012 07:16 PM PDT by Zoe Li Build it and they will come is the mantra in Singapore after Gillman Barracks opened to the public on September 15. A colonial-era structure, the barracks has been transformed into a S$9.76 milion (US$8 million) hub for contemporary arts, another step in a government-driven development of Singapore into an Asian arts hub. Meanwhile, Hong Kong's answer to arts and culture keeps getting delayed. The most recent date for construction to begin on the West Kowloon Cultural District is 2013. The Gillman Barracks project, backed by the Singaporean government, is launching with 13 international galleries selected out of 30 applicants by a government-appointed committee of private and public arts experts. The roster is self-consciously international, including New York-based Sundaram Tagore. Two more galleries will open next year: Germany's Michael Janssen and Takashi Murakami's Kaikai Kiki Hidari Zingaro gallery. read more    |
| Posted: 16 Sep 2012 09:35 AM PDT by Megan Eaves Pubs. That's what you likely know about Dublin, and Dublin's got 'em. There are approximately a thousand pubs in the Irish capital, or one for every thousand Dubliners. James Joyce once said it would make a great puzzle trying to cross the city without passing a pub. So you know you're gonna have your Fair City's share of Guinness while you're here, but we want to make sure you're doing it in a proper joint. We also want you to see the rest of Dublin, because whether you know it or not, this city is among the oldest and most culturally endowed in the world -- just don't tell Dubliners that. read more    |
| Where to watch whales around the world Posted: 14 Sep 2012 07:20 AM PDT In the world of whale watching, being "mugged" is considered cute, while seagulls are murderous villains that need to be shot, and not with a camera. For most though, there's nothing quite like getting up close to a giant of the ocean, seeing a humpback breach or a minke eye you up. Here are some of the places to grab your camera, point, click and "ooh." Beluga whales: Cunningham Inlet, Nunavut, Canada
Whales can be observed thrashing about, playing and making lots of noise just a couple of meters from the shore. If boats make you seasick, this is the whale watching spot for you. read more    |
| 6 reasons to visit Korea this fall Posted: 14 Sep 2012 07:19 AM PDT by Violet Kim For most of the world, accustomed to celebrating things like really good music or ground-breaking films, Korea's packed calendar of obscure festivals -- comemorating everything from ginseng to the prehistoic standing stones known as dolmen-- may seem a bit excessive. Trying to make dolmen interesting with a festival is like attempting to put makeup on a corpse: inappropriate and ineffective, and usually the domain of the most desperate. It can be difficult to decide which ones are worthy of our time, and sometimes the buzz of the banal keeps us distracted. A quick portal search yields 2,364 festivals for the year 2012. But listed below are four that are set to score, handpicked by a committee that exists to attract visitors to Korea, and two more, because autumn in Korea is too pretty to spend tucked away in a hotel. 1. Busan World Fireworks Festival
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| Gallery: Asia's first Legoland opens in Malaysia Posted: 12 Sep 2012 10:20 PM PDT by CNNGo staff The wait is finally over, kiddies. Asia's first and much-hyped Legoland opens in Johor Bahru, Malaysia on September 15. Just a quick drive from Singapore, the 750 million ringgit (US$243 million), 30-hectare theme park dedicated to the colorful kids' bricks is made up of 40 rides, shows and attractions. Park staff claim more than 50 million bricks were used to create Legoland Malaysia, which is divided into seven sections: The Beginning; Imagination; Lego Kingdom; Land of Adventure; Miniland; Lego City; and Lego Technic. The most impressive attraction is Miniland. Made with more than 30 million pieces of Lego, it features recreated Asian landmarks scaled at 1:20, from Cambodia's Angkor Wat to Thailand's Wat Arun. read more    |
| CNNGo TV in Boston: Red Sox, historical tours and urban retreats Posted: 12 Sep 2012 09:14 PM PDT This month, we are hitting Boston, the heart of New England. The sports bar with the best view in town, the trail that takes you back in time -- singer, chef and other Bostonites will show us the capital of Massachusetts multi-dimensionally. See when to catch the show on the air times below.
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| It's a buyer's market this weekend at Korea International Art Fair 2012 Posted: 12 Sep 2012 06:29 PM PDT by Frances Cha Given how lackluster the art market in Korea these days, the industry is hoping that the Korea International Art Fair (KIAF) this weekend will be the start of a comeback. "It's true that the big savings bank failings and the recent economic slowdown has affected the domestic art market a great deal," says a KIAF organizer who declined to give her name, "but we're quite confident that this weekend will mark a turning point." This year, 181 galleries from 20 countries are participating in Korea's largest annual art fair, which runs from Thursday September 13-Monday September 17 at COEX in Samseong-dong, Seoul. The time is right?
"Prices have not risen, and they will certainly not fall," says Park. read more    |
| Chinese tourists cancel trips to Japan amid island spat Posted: 12 Sep 2012 04:14 PM PDT Some Chinese tourists from Beijing and Shanghai are calling off holiday plans to Japan for the upcoming National Day holiday, according to Chinese media. The cancellations come after the Japanese government's September 11 approval of the purchase of several small, disputed islands from a private Japanese owner, the Kurihara family, for 2.05 billion yen (US$26.2 million). Both China and Japan claim sovereignty of the islands, which are known as Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu Dao (钓鱼岛) in China. Safety concernsChinese tourists have expressed concerns for their safety in Japan given the current political situation, reported Shanghai Daily, Shanghai's official English-language newspaper. More on CNN: China sends patrol ships to islands at center of dispute with Japan read more    |
| Diner's dilemma: Okonomiyaki or monjayaki? Posted: 12 Sep 2012 03:05 PM PDT by Brandi Goode The Kanto and Kansai regions, home to Tokyo and Osaka, respectively, have a history of rivalry longer than a line waiting to enter a Saturday-morning department store sale. Just as each city's people consider themselves unique, so too are their versions of the "as you like it" dish -- okonomiyaki (okonomi = honorable choice, yaki = fried or grilled) to its supporters. This savory pancake, sometimes referred to (by only the most literal naïfs) as Japanese pizza, is a popular snack food that goes back to a Buddhist tradition of serving crepe-like desserts called funoyaki during ceremonies. From here on out the stories of both the "original" okonomiyaki claimed by Kansai and its Kanto kin, monjayaki, (widely known as simply "monja") get a bit murky. What seems clear is that the modern form of both okonomiyaki and monja first appeared on the tables of Japan around World War II. read more    |
| Posted: 12 Sep 2012 10:05 AM PDT by Karla Cripps For the last few years, I've been traveling between Bangkok and western Canada once, sometimes twice a year with my four- and five-year-old sons. Despite all that sky-high experience, I still fear holidays more than the dentist. Seventeen hours of cramped conditions, multiple airport transfers and little-to-no sleep, occasionally getting my face smashed in by a reclining seat as I bend down to pick up yet another piece of Lego that has fallen on the floor. Enough is enough. Risking the wrath of the hot-tempered travel elite, I broke the unofficial rule of air travel: never bring kids under the age of 10 into the front end of the aircraft. Upgrade certificates in hand, for the Vancouver-Tokyo leg of our journey back to Bangkok I decided to test whether Air Canada's executive first class is soothing enough even for kids with the energy levels of Peewee Herman on speed. read more    |
| Posted: 11 Sep 2012 07:43 PM PDT by CNNGo staff Royal Caribbean International is about to get a whole lot cooler with the under-10 female travel set. The mega cruise line has teamed up with toy maker Mattel to offer travelers the "Barbie Premium Experience" aboard its entire global fleet of 22 ships. What this means is pink staterooms, pink fashion shows and pink tea parties. At least 50 shades of pink, to be sure.
No word on whether boy Barbie fans can participate, or simply sit back and watch because that's where all the cute girls on the ship are hanging out. read more    |
| Is Hong Kong really 'Asia's World City'? Posted: 11 Sep 2012 06:05 PM PDT
The organization is one of a number of think tanks set up to determine how the planet's metropolises rank against one another. Alpha cities have a few characteristics in common, outlined by urban studies scholars, for whom such a place is defined, basically, as a vital part of the global economy. Also known as "world cities," they should, for example, house a major stock exchange, provide a variety of international financial services and appear near the top of cost of living lists. So far, so good for Hong Kong. It's given the second-best ranking of "alpha+" together with rivals Singapore and Shanghai in the latest GaWC report. read more    |
| Posted: 11 Sep 2012 11:50 AM PDT
No matter where Chinese people end up, they manage to create three essential things to make their new place home. A traditional Chinese New Year festival; commerce; a good place to eat. Here's where it happens in the world's most scenic Chinatowns. Which is your favorite Chinatown? Tell us in your own iReport read more    |
| Joyland is China's 'Disneyland' for the digital era Posted: 11 Sep 2012 09:50 AM PDT
When Joyland (嬉戏谷) first reared its costumed head back in 2006, it was billed as the Disneyland of the digital era. Now, the colossal RMB 2 billion (US$315 million) venture is best known to the outside world as the theme park of "World of Warcraft" and "Starcraft." Roughly two hours' drive northwest of Shanghai, in the Wujing District of Changzhou, the 800,000-square-meter park is a digital-themed wonderland with zones and rides modeled after video games and comic shows. Two main areas are heavily based on game franchises "World of Warcraft" and "Starcraft," though neither is officially licensed by Blizzard Entertainment. read more    |
| Cutest job in the world? Chengdu seeks panda ambassadors Posted: 10 Sep 2012 07:54 PM PDT by CNNGo staff Here is your chance to spend 365 days with some of the world's most adorable animals. The Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding (aka the Chengdu Panda Base) has kicked off a three-month campaign to search for global panda ambassadors, or Pambassadors. Dubbed "PandaQuest -- Be the Next Chengdu Pambassador," the program aims to recruit three panda lovers to look after and raise global awareness of China's most iconic animal species for one year. Application is open to everybody in the world. Final winners will serve as Chengdu Pambassadors from January 2013. More on CNN: What's cuter than a giant panda? Two giant pandas read more    |
Belugas are distinguished by their white color (calves are gray) and endearing playfulness, making them awesome for whale watching. They often spit water at each other or nearby humans.Approximately 2,000 beluga whales visit Cunningham Inlet for about four weeks each year.
Forget Big Bang. These bangs are bigger. Busan is already a pretty happening port city, and not one that you really need an excuse to visit. Still, you might as well go during the Busan World Fireworks Festival to see the sky above the Gwangan Bridge illuminated with myriad asterisks.
The Boston Marathon finish line also marks the end of the running tour.
How much would you pay for this Kohei Nawa piece? "Because the art market is not doing so well, it's actually the perfect time for the collector," says Park Mi-kyung, the head of participating Korean gallery Moon Fine Arts.
Well done, Royal Caribbean. The parents look just as plastic as Barbie herself. "Girls can enjoy staterooms decorated in the iconic doll's signature style as well as exclusive, themed activities throughout the duration of their cruise –- from an invitation-only tea party and mermaid dance class to a fashion design workshop and Barbie Girls fashion show," says Royal Caribbean. 
There are alpha cities and beta cities. There are even gamma-minus cities, according to a regular study by the Globalization and World Cities (GaWC) Research Network.
Manila kids know their way around a Chinese dragon.There's a Chinatown in every major city in the world, such is the huge footprint of Chinese people who have left the motherland for a life elsewhere.
Video games' settings are brought to life at Joyland ... unofficially.| You are subscribed to email updates from CNNGo.com To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
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