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- Rising from the revolution: Life in Benghazi
- Crazy addictive travel game of the week
- Hong Kong art explosion: What to see this month
| Rising from the revolution: Life in Benghazi Posted: 17 May 2013 03:00 AM PDT There may be a little too much gunfire to make Benghazi a top 10 holiday destination, but this hopeful Libyan city makes for one fascinating tour  Currently, few visitors to Benghazi arrive on leisure trips. The murder of U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three colleagues profoundly shook confidence in "Free Libya." The United States advises against all travel to the city while hearings continue over the American response to last September's attack. The backlash against Islamist militias, however, has seen their presence and influence much reduced. Although the prevalence of private weapons remains problematic, these days, the city feels remarkably relaxed. As I traveled around town recently, it was impossible not to be affected by the honesty and hopefulness of Benghazi's locals. They know everything can only go up from here. Entryway
"Welcome to Benghazi -- cradle of the revolution," announces a sign on the tarmac at Benina airport. Despite the sign's upbeat message, the airport's facilities are more akin to a hard-up flying school than an international gateway, giving the impression that the keys to the worn-out terminal might normally reside under a brick round the back of the main hanger. And so it is with the rest of post-revolution Benghazi -- all broken streets, tired buildings and flyblown wasteland. In the center of town, behind the clamor of Arabic signage, shadowy lettering of Italian colonial institutions endures. An abandoned twin-domed cathedral lies half-shrouded in scaffolding, while more Ottoman facades show decades' worth of decay. With the heady atmosphere of revolutionary fervor behind it, the city looks forward to a better future, knowing that things can only improve. Five-star accommodation enduresDuring the 2011 revolution the international press inhabited the concrete fortress of the five-star hotel Tibesti. Located about a kilometer south-east of the city center, overlooking Benghazi Lake on Sharia Gamal Abdel Nasser, the white concrete and glass hotel has 270 rooms over 14 floors, a swimming pool and three restaurants. It's open, costs $152 per night including breakfast and has a functional Internet connection -- an attraction during the fighting, but these days this isn't a unique selling point. The Tibesti's dated business-style rooms are no longer in such demand. Next to the same lagoon on Sharia Al Jezayir is the Ouzu, another similarly priced hotel undergoing refurbishment and another sign that the city is prepping for future travelers. Try-before-you-buy gun sales
Early morning sees activity peak among stalls at the Al Funduq market off Shari Al Aquriyyah, about a kilometer north-east of the old city center. Fruit and vegetables, livestock and poultry are serviced by a fleet of wheelbarrow men who transport purchases for a few dinars. Occasionally the sounds of the market are punctuated by the staccato of automatic gunfire. There's no need to take cover though -- it's the "try before you buy" transactions by freelance weapons traders on the fringes of the market. Directly across the main road is the garment section of Souk Al Jareed, where tailors line up at their sewing machines, ready to measure the insides of legs. The long covered bazaar stretches towards the center of the old city, with vendors selling wares ranging from electronics to ceramics to jewelry.
The forlorn shell of the old Italian town hall looks across Maydan Al Hurriya towards a parade of Misratan gold merchants and money changers, the latter occasionally filling car trunks with bundles of notes. Libya is definitely still a cash economy. Alcohol banned but availableAlcohol was banned as one of the first edicts issued by the Free Officers of Gaddafi's 1969 coup. That said, smuggled booze and potentially lethal home brewed bokha (a bad batch recently claimed 51 lives) is available on the black market. Macchiato and Turkish coffee vie with black and green tea as the preferred drink at the cities' cafés. Downtown, Café Tikka on Sharia Omar Al Muktar is the best example of Benghazi's morning café society. Inside the shop, black and white images on the walls recall scenes of well-kept city streets, ordered traffic and finely dressed people. The shelves are lined with telling keepsakes: heavy caliber cannon shells, an automatic pistol and pennants for Al Ahly, Benghazi's much followed soccer team. Behind a high counter two bearded baristas, sons of the father whose picture sits alongside that of King Idris and anti-colonialist freedom fighter Omar Muktar, turn out concentrated shots of top quality coffee and freshly brewed sweet tea to an exclusively male clientele until late in the afternoon. Food is cheap
On the street, ubiquitous shawarma stands serve up roasted chicken or beef wrapped in a bread roll, sometimes sprinkled with eye-wateringly hot harissa. Quick, tasty and cheap, shawarmas are great introduction to the local food, which is just as well, for although several Turkish restaurants exist, eating out well Libyan style is nigh impossible. The only recommendation-worthy venue is the downtown Restaurant Bodraa on Sharia Rafiq Al Mahdui near Souk Hoot, founded 64 years ago. Its meat or fish tajines, filfil (various stuffed peppers), abrak (stuffed vine leaves), osban (rice and liver sausages) and salads are all excellent meals from $8. No car? No problemPetrol is cheap in Libya, cheaper than water, and less than $5 will fill up an average car. As a result the city's roads are choked, the narrow line between parking lots and traffic jams blurred. Exploring old Benghazi's compact center on foot makes a lot more sense. Walking north-east from Maydan El Catedraeya and its landmark derelict cathedral leads onto Sharia Al Corniche. First constructed during the colonial period, this wide pavement is the venue for a Libyan-Italian fusion of the passeggiata -- little walks in the evenings. Keeping the sea to the left, a little further along lies Court Square, also referred to as Maydan Al Hurriya, Benghazi's other Freedom Square. During the 2011 revolution, it was here, in front of the courthouse, that tents were set up, crowds gathered, speeches given, poems recited and prayers said amidst hoardings pasted with pictures of those killed. Continuing on the way to the Italian lighthouse, the best macchiato in town can be found at Café Benghazi. Another menu favorite: soothing sahlab (thin millet porridge) sprinkled with cinnamon, which tastes much better than it sounds. If you are goingTaxis from Benghazi's Benina airport to most downtown locations cost around 15 dinars ($12). Visas are required for most visitors and all holders of Western passports. Visa criteria are subject to change. Reputable local tour operators include Temehu whose website is a mine of practical information and historical background on the city. More on CNN: Why some travelers seek out the world's most dangerous locales Tags:      |
| Crazy addictive travel game of the week Posted: 16 May 2013 07:00 PM PDT Damnit we have work to do … but not before we have another go on this annoyingly difficult web-based game  You see a picture, and have to guess where it was taken. A simple premise for a surprisingly difficult-but-not-impossible game, that threatens to destroy productivity levels in the CNN Travel office for the next week. GeoGuessr.com throws up five random images from Google Street View and asks you to pinpoint them on a map. You get scored depending on how far away you are -- the closer your guess, the more points you rack up. It's a bit like "Man Vs Wild" for mouse clickers. You get dropped in to a strange, often wild place, and have to navigate the area till you find civilization.
Be prepared for reflex vocals along the lines of "Whaaa?" when you drop your pin into what is definitely, unquestionably rural Mexico, only to be told you were actually looking at a field in Hunan Province, China. And be prepared to be lambasted if you spend too long scrolling through every image till you see a giveaway road sign. "(Unnaturally descriptive expletive deleted) cheaters -- I want the record to show that my score was pure -- though I admit to playing about 20 times to get it," said Chuck Thompson, CNN Travel's editorial director, on hearing the news his PB was only good enough for third place. Nothing like a bit of hateful competition between friends. The CNNI league table currently looks like this:
What's your score? Put it in the comments box and tell us what you think of the game. Tags:    |
| Hong Kong art explosion: What to see this month Posted: 16 May 2013 03:00 PM PDT It's that time of year again -- the world's art greats have invaded the city for Art Basel, Hong Kong Eye and more  'Tis the season for art in Hong Kong. Increasingly each year, the month of May ushers in a flood of modern and contemporary art events, anchored by Art Basel in Hong Kong, the region's largest contemporary art fair (formerly known as ART HK). In the past few years, Hong Kong has cemented its place on the international art calendar, with the steady expansion of ART HK, the entrance of several blue-chip Western galleries and the city's growth -- it's now the world's third-largest auction market after New York and London. Whether you have a novice appreciation or a long-time love of art, a penny or a million to spend, a taste for Chinese abstract expressionism or American pop art, there are plenty of opportunities to look, learn and purchase. Here's our guide to the key art affairs taking over Hong Kong this month -- and our top picks to help you navigate the crush of events. Art Basel in Hong Kong
Date: May 23-26 Art Basel will hold the sixth edition of ART HK under its own brand, after its parent company purchased a 60% stake in the fair's organizer two years ago. This year, the fair has attracted nearly 250 galleries from 35 countries and is divided into four sections: Galleries (leading modern and contemporary galleries from around the world, including many blue-chip regulars); Insights (galleries based in Asia or the Middle East exclusively exhibiting artists within those regions); Discoveries (galleries showcasing one or two emerging artists); and Encounters (large sculptures and installations from artists around the world).
Fair highlights include Marnie Weber's eerie "Log Lady & Dirty Bunny" (Simon Lee Gallery), Zhu Jinshi's richly layered abstract expressionist paintings (Pearl Lam Galleries) and Chen Wei's fanciful photographs of purpose-built installations (Leo Xu Projects). There are also daily free talks. Visitors can learn more about Indonesian contemporary art (May 23) or attend the book launch of revered Hong Kong graffiti artist, the King of Kowloon (May 25). Intelligence Squared will also host a live debate on the motion, "The market is the best judge of art's quality." (May 24) Art Basel; Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, 1 Harbour Road, Wanchai; admission HK$250/$150 concession for one day, four-days is HK$750/$450 More on CNN: Glamorous photos of '60s Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong Gallery exhibitionsTired of the fair crowds? Aside from Art Basel, dozens of galleries in Hong Kong will host exhibitions in their own spaces. Highlights include de Sarthe Gallery, which will showcase bronze sculptures by French legend Auguste Rodin, including versions of iconic pieces such as "The Thinker," "The Kiss" and "Eternal Springtime." Lehmann Maupin will present "Writing Without Borders" -- works by 11 acclaimed artists, including Tracey Emin, Barbara Kruger, Teresita Fernandez and Shirazeh Houshiary. Hong Kong installation artist Nadim Abbas will show new work at CL3 Architects, inspired by visual similarities in microscopic bodies, animated GIFs and graphic production technologies. Several artists will have their first solo exhibitions in the city. Pearl Lam Galleries will unveil 26 new abstract oil paintings by Zhu Jinshi. "Oil skin" painter Angel Otero will be featured at SCAD. The figurative drawings of Fabien Merelle will hit the walls of Edouard Malingue Gallery. The Gagosian will feature neo-expressionist paintings by Jean-Michel Basquiat. Christie's
Modern and contemporary highlights include works from painters celebrated for blending Eastern and Western techniques, including Zhou Chunya, and Chinese-French abstract expressionist masters Chu The-Chun and Zao Wou-ki, the latter whom passed away in February. Sanyu's "Two Standing Nudes," which has been compared to Picasso's "Group of Nudes" and Moore's "Reclining Figure," will also be up for auction. Southeast Asian artists will also have a strong presence, including the Philippines' Fernando Zobel, acclaimed for his blend of classical Western chiaroscuro, Chinese calligraphy, and minimalism. From May 23-27, Christie's will also hold three private sales featuring Andy Warhol, Chinese contemporary ink and Impressionist and Modern Art. Not sure what the fuss over art is about? From May 22-26, Christie's will hold its Art Forum –- free daily panel discussions and tours led by leading collectors, academics and art specialists. Topics range from collecting art, Andy Warhol's influence in Asia, or Qing Dynasty cloisonné enamel. For HK$9,000, you can attend a two-day course on Asian contemporary art. Christies; Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Wanchai; free admission; +85 (0)2 2760 1766 Hong Kong Eye
Date: On now until May 31 A showcase of 24 local artists, Hong Kong Eye is a welcome addition to an art calendar often criticized for excluding homegrown artists. A smaller version of the exhibition received nearly 200,000 visitors at London's Saatchi Gallery in December. There's none of the characteristic Mao imagery of mainland Chinese contemporary art, although some pieces, such as Leung Kui Ting's "Vision: Change No. 2" ink on silk scroll, pay homage to traditional Chinese landscape painting. Others are wholly of the 21st century, especially Justin Wong's "Difficult Life Situation," a touch-screen display featuring a quirky variety of stress reduction programs laid out in an iPhone-like grid format. Wong also delights in "Object-Oriented-Objects", which sorts images of everyday objects -- such as a book, hole puncher and USB cable -- according to internet search engine filters. Wilson Shieh's ink and gouache drawing on silk appropriates Hong Kong's five tallest commercial buildings, transforming these phallic symbols into feminine forms as women in dresses. What draws the most eyes (and ears) is Adrian Wong's prone Mr.-Potato-Head-like animatronics figure with his hand on his stomach, rolling from side as side as he grunts monosyllabically, seemingly in pain or "In search of Primordial Idiolect IV" as the installation is named. During Art Basel, Wong will also cull Hong Kong culture to create "Wun Dun," a performative, participatory "art bar" installation at the Fringe Club, complete with an animatronic backing band and custom cocktails. ArtisTree; 1/F Cornwall House TaiKoo Place, 979 King's Road Island East Hong Kong; free admission; +85 (0)2 6210 4520 More on CNN: Hong Kong: An art hub minus grassroots buzz Mobile M+: Inflation!Date: On now until June 9 Curated by M+, the flagship visual culture museum under construction in the West Kowloon Cultural District, this open-air exhibition of six enormous inflatable sculptures and a temporary performance piece test the limits of public art. Visitors can sit inside Cao Fei's roast suckling pig, jump on Jeremy Deller's Stonehenge-shaped bouncy castle or venture over to Paul's McCarthy's pile of excrement. (Yes, you read that correctly.) If you can wake up at dawn on May 25 or June 8, you can witness the temporary staging of Tomas Saraceno's solar-powered iridescent dome, inspired by hot air balloon technology. Free guided tours are available on weekends, as well as a series of interpretative musical performances and workshops led by local artists. Mobile M+: Inflation!; West Kowloon Cultural District promenade (closed Mondays); free admission More on CNN: Fowl play? Giant rubber duck drowns in Hong Kong Asia SocietyDate: On until September 1 "Light Before Dawn: Unofficial Chinese Art 1974-1985" showcases influential Chinese contemporary artists from the Wuming (No Name), Xingxing (Stars) and Caocao (Grass Society) collectives that quietly operated under the highly restrictive conditions of the period, inclusive of the Cultural Revolution. To go deeper, there's an introduction by its curators on May 21. The society will host several contemporary art panel discussions this month, including a look at the state of Hong Kong's art scene with renowned Chinese contemporary art collector Uli Sigg, and a screening and discussion with Pia Getty about her documentary "China Power: Art now after Mao." Asia Society Gallery; 9 Justice Dr., Admiralty; admission HK$30 Sotheby's
Sotheby's will auction a second set of paintings by 20th-century Chinese master Zhang Daqian from the private Mei Yun Tang collection -- one of the world's leading compilations of the artist's work. In 2011, Sotheby's first auction of works from this collection set an auction record of nearly US$26 million for the artist. The 25 pieces will range from fine-brush traditional portrayals of birds, flowers and landscapes to expressionistic "splashed ink" paintings from his later period. These works haven't been publicly exhibited since 1997. Sotheby's gallery, 5/F, One Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Admiralty; free admission; +85 (0)2 2524 8121 ParasiteDate: On until July 20 "A Journal of the Plague Year. Fear ghosts, rebels. SARS, Leslie, and the Hong Kong story." This multi-artist exhibition examines the cultural and political fallout of the 2003 SARS outbreak that killed 299 Hong Kongers. It links it with a deadly plague during the British colonial period, the suicide of pop icon Leslie Cheung, a mass protest against a security bill that toppled the city's first leader and the thorny relationship between Hong Kong and mainland China. Ai Weiwei will debut a brand new sculptural installation on the divisive problem of baby formula in China –- a food safety scandal in the mainland has led to a controversial formula shortage in Hong Kong. From May 17-26, the exhibition will be split across Para Site's office in Sheung Wan, the Sheung Wan Civic Centre Exhibition Hall and a private apartment on 5/F, 30 Queen's Street, Sheung Wan. Afterward, it will run at Para Site's office until July 20. Para-site; G/F, 4 Po Yan St., Sheung Wan, Hong Kong;+85 (0)2 2517 4620 Asia Contemporary Art Show
In the second edition of this fair focused on emerging artists, the rooms on the top four floors of the J.W. Marriott hotel will be taken over by 75 galleries from 17 countries. Among the highlights are Shen Jindong's quirky paintings of soldiers (Art Futures Group), the red-lipped girls of Attasit Pokpong (A Gallery) or the paintings of plastic-wrapped dolls by Luu Tuyen (Art House Vietnam). Asian Contemporary Art Show; J.W. Marriott Hotel, Pacific Place, 88 Queensway; admission, HK$120 (VIP $240) More on CNN: Do you care if your hotel has good art? OI!Date: May 22- August 18 (closed Mondays) "Embark Beyond the Horizon" will kick off the opening of Oi!, a new government exhibition space renovated from a former yacht club. Hong Kong's Cédric Maridet, Tang Kwok-hin and Tsang Kin-wah and mainland China's Yuan Gong have created site-specific works for the heritage building, based on the theme of the sea as a metaphor for transformation. Oi!; 12 Oil St., North Point; admission is free Asia Art ArchiveDates: May 23-25 The Asian contemporary art archive will host four talks exploring what "global" means in the context of art, with the keynote lecture by Delhi-based critic, author and curator Geeta Kapur. It will also offer monthly talks until July on the development of Hong Kong art. Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, 1 Harbour Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong; free admission; +85 (0)2 3111 9600 More on CNN: Chinese hotels open a new window on Chinese art Tags:    |
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