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| Too Glee or not too Glee? Airline reveals 'hipster' uniforms Posted: 06 Jun 2013 11:40 PM PDT Alas poor Air Canada rouge, no one told them it's over already  "Inspired by Glee!" social media has been saying about Air Canada rouge's newly revealed flight attendant uniforms. It's certainly the exact look Will Schuester's been pushing for three years. More on CNN: Gallery: Sexy flight attendant uniforms of the past Ahead of its July 1 launch, Air Canada's new low-cost carrier has opted for hats, patterned scarves and hipster attitude to set it apart from its parent carrier. The jury is out on whether the look is appealing or just plain hideous. "Anything casual and moving away from corporate stiffness is good in my view," says our senior producer. "Worst airline uniforms ever," says another CNN Travel staff member. What do you think? Write a comment
Designed by Canadian designers VF Imagewear, the uniforms, complete with Fluevog shoes, will be worn by the airline's 150 flight attendants. "Our goal was to create a unique, welcoming and fashion forward look with lasting appeal that would also be practical and comfortable," said Renee Smith Valade, the airline's vice president of customer experience. Service standards are likley to be equally fabulous, with Air Canada rouge flight attendants receiving training at the Disney Institute in Florida. Where to see the look: the new airline will initially be flying from Toronto and Montreal to various European destinations.      |
| 10 things that make Wakayama Japan's best kept secret Posted: 06 Jun 2013 03:00 PM PDT Hot springs galore, top notch ramen and tuna-cutting lessons are highlights of this southern slice of Honshu  "Wakayama? Wakawhat? Wakawhere?" Overshadowed by the neighboring city of Osaka, this humble Japanese prefecture is home to arguably Japan's most delicious ramen, a 1,700-year-old fire festival and a giant open-air bath fed by a hot spring. You'll find much of what you need for the complete Japanese experience on this little crescent of land on the southern coast of the country's largest island, Honshu. Here are 10 ways to begin to get to know this little Japanese secret. 1. Eat Japan's "most delicious" ramen
Wakayama ramen has a unique soup base, made with an extremely savory pork bone and soy sauce broth. But it's generally known to locals as chuka soba -- not ramen -- which means "Chinese noodles" in Japanese. These steaming bowls of soup with their satisfying pork and lard flavor can fast become an addiction. Cooked eggs and mackerel sushi on tables are the traditional appetizers. Diners just have to report how many they have eaten when it comes time to get the bill. How to get there: Exit from Wakayama JR station, walk straight and turn left at Kokutai Road. Then, walk straight until you reach Sannen-zaka Dori. Ide Shoten is on the left. Ide Shoten, 4-84 Tanaka Town, Wakayama City; 11:30 a.m.-11:30 p.m., closed on Thursday 2. Learn how to cut fresh tuna
Kuroshio-Ichiba Market hosts three entertaining tuna cutting shows daily. Porto Europa, a Europe-themed amusement park, is another attraction right next door. The Katsuura Port fish market in the southeast corner of the prefecture is also worth a visit, if only because it's famous for hauling in the biggest tuna in Japan. After viewing the daily tuna auction from the observation area, visitors can sample the goods -- seared tataki, sushi or sashimi -- in Katsuura town. How to get there: A shuttle bus transports visitors from JR Kainan station (one stop from Wakayama station) to Kuroshio-Ichiba Market. Or take a taxi to Kuroshio-Ichiba Market, which will cost JPY1,300 (US$13). To get to Katsuura, take the JR line to Kii-Katsuura station. The fish market is five minutes away on foot. Kuroshio-Ichiba Market, Marina City, 1527, Kemi, Wakayama-shi, Wakayama-ken, Japan; open daily, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; tuna cutting show at 11 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. Katsuura tuna auction, 7-8-2 Oaza Tsuikiji, Nachi-Katsuura Town, Higashimuro District; opens at 7 a.m., closed on Saturday and the day before holidays 3. Walk Kumano Kodo
Made up of seven routes of various difficulties through the south of Wakayama prefecture, the hike was originally an ancient pilgrimage leading to three major Japanese shrines: Hongu Taisha, Nachi Taisha and Hayatama Taisha. Our recommended route starts from Tanabe City (Kii-Tanabe JR station) to Nachi Fall (Nachi JR station). The easily navigable routes are dotted with numerous onsen (hot spring) towns, scenic valleys and restaurants serving rustic Japanese cuisine. To find out more about the hike, check out our report on Kumano Kodo. 4. Cook 'hot spring egg' in a real onsen
Visitors to Wakayama can do so at the public cooking basin in the Yunomine onsen area, the only UNESCO World Heritage hot spring in the world. All you need to do is buy eggs and other vegetables from the local store near the hot spring basin -- they come pre-prepared for cooking in a net -- and boil them in the basin. Local residents often buy onsen water ($1 for 10 liters) to bring home for cooking. How to get there: Take a bus from Tanabe (Kii-Tanabe JR station) or Shingu (Shingu JR station). 5. Check out the Nachi Fire Festival
Wakayama's Nachi Fire Festival, held every July, celebrates the homecoming of the Nachi Waterfall's god. The 1,700-year-old event is considered one of the most sacred festivals in Japan. Tucked away on Nachi mountain, home to the Nachi Taisha shrine and 133-meter-high falls, the festival involves dozens of young Japanese men carrying 12 gigantic torches up and down the stone staircase that leads to the falls, shouting enthusiastically all the way. It's quite a sight (and sound). Each torch weighs about 50 kilograms and youngsters have to take a turn carrying one. Locals sit near the stairs on the mountain to cheer on teams. Be there early to secure a good view. 6. Live like a monk
The holy Buddhist grounds in Koyasan have 52 temple lodgings for visitors seeking a tranquil stay that includes meditation, temple services, Buddhist gardens and vegetarian cuisine. Book your Koyasan temple stay and check train schedules to Koyasan in advance. 7. Enjoy hot springs in the wild
Sennin-buro in Kawayu, southeast of Wakayama city, is a giant 73-degree Celsius pool right in the river. It's also Japan's biggest open-air bath. The city of Katsuura has a few onsens with amazing views -– Hotel Nakanoshima on a small island off the port has onsens looking over the ocean and Hotel Urashima has an ancient bathing site in a cave. For a less-exposed onsen experience, you can soak your feet in hot spring water while you dine at Ashiyu-Yokocho, a Japanese restaurant/feet onsen in Shirahama. 8. Visit Tama, the cat hero of Kishi station
Learn more about the curious story of Tama, and her cat apprentice Nitama, here: The cat that saved a Japanese train station. Getting there: Kishi station is a 30-minute ride from Wakayama City's main train station. 9. Get a castle-view hotel room in Wakayama City
Daiwa Roynet Hotel Wakayama and Wakayama Tokyu Inn are two of the best options. Ask for a castle-view when making a reservation. Explore the peaceful castle gardens and the panoramic views from the top once you've checked in. The castle also hosts exhibitions about the history of the city. There's a small entrance fee (JPY150, or $1.5) but the rest of the park is free to the public. 10. Feast on fruit
The prefecture, the self-proclaimed kingdom of fruit, produces one of the best varieties of Mandarin oranges in the world. Named after their growing area, Arida are thin-rind mandarins said to have the perfect balance of sweet and sour. The fruit are so delicious and juicy they qualify as a dessert in Japan. The prefecture also has no shortage of strawberries, grapes and persimmons. And at Minabe, the largest ume (Japanese apricot) producer in Japan, you can get tipsy on lovely ume wine. Wakayama City, the capital city of Wakayama Prefecture, is about 35 minutes by train from the regional Kansai Airport and 550 kilometers from Tokyo. Check out our special Wakayama Prefecture section. Tags:    |
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