More Than 900 Acres Allocated to Flight 93 Memorial
Tourist Captures Tibetan Rioters on Camera
New Tuscan Law Permits Pets to Visit Museums, Restaurants
Not Your Standard Hotel Romance Package
Ladies Who Love Booze Visit Russia for “Healthy” Vodka
MORE THAN 900 ACRES ALLOCATED TO FLIGHT 93 MEMORIAL – The New York Times
To commemorate those who were killed aboard United Flight 93 on Sept. 11, 2001, a group comprised of the relatives agreed to purchase a 903-acre tract, which will become part of a permanent memorial. Located near Shanksville, Pa. , the land is owned by PBS Coals Inc., and the company will donate 27 acres closest to the crash site. The purchase of the property is part of a three-way deal with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, which will help address the land’s pollution problems. The undisclosed purchase price will fund an environmental trust to treat and monitor runoff from the old mines on the property. “We essentially took the bad thing of a plane crash and turned it into a good thing for the residents,” said Patrick White, vice president of Families of Flight 93.
Link: The New York Times
TOURIST CAPTURES TIBETAN RIOTERS ON CAMERA - CNN
Australian tourist Michael Smith, who was visiting Lhasa , Tibet , was eating lunch when he heard an explosion and saw smoke. When he saw armored vehicles and trucks carrying Chinese soldiers rush by, he took out his camera and began videotaping the rioting. Although Tibetan exile groups believe at least 80 people were killed by Chinese security forces that day, Chinese authorities claim they killed no one and that 13 “innocent people” were killed and even burned by Tibetan rioters. Smith’s video depicts Tibetans smashing windows and setting fire to Chinese shops and cars. “It’s absolute mayhem on the streets,” Smith said. Many of the businesses the rioters targeted were operated by Han Chinese, who’ve recently flooded the province.
Link: CNN
NEW TUSCAN LAW PERMITS PETS TO VISIT MUSEUMS, RESTAURANTS – The Times (UK)
For those who cannot live without traveling with Fido , Tuscany will soon become a pet paradise. Active in June, a new law actually will allow pets into galleries, theatres, restaurants, cinemas, post offices, museums and beaches. The law was drawn up by the “Greens” on the Tuscan regional council and will reverse a longstanding ban. “Most people in Tuscany agree with this measure, which is in line with regional regulations forbidding discrimination or cruelty against domestic animals,” said Fabio Roggiolani, a leader of the Greens and head of the regional health commission. For public health and hygiene, pets will be required to have a veterinary health certificate, and dogs must be muzzled, if necessary. Pets also are not permitted to disturb public order.
Link: The Times (UK)
NOT YOUR STANDARD HOTEL ROMANCE PACKAGE – The Age (Australia)
If you’re hoping for something more than the standard romance package, consider visiting Sydney ’s Hilton Hotel. As part of their Provocateur Package, an infamous stripper in Sydney named Madame Lash will provide guests and their lovers with naughty tips to get them in the mood for some frisky fun. Next, the cook named Luke Mangan treats guests to a tasty feast at his restaurant Glass. When the lovers head back to their hotel room and open the door, they are greeted with a dark room and hundreds of flickering tea candles with red rose petals sprinkled on the floor—Barry White, of course, is playing in the background. The evening is completed with a feather tickling stick and an envelope with “Seduction Tips.”
Link: The Age (Australia)
LADIES WHO LOVE BOOZE VISIT RUSSIA FOR “HEALTHY” VODKA - Reuters
If you’re a woman who loves hard drinks or even shots of vodka, consider visiting Russia , where a new, women’s version of vodka has been created. Be sure to sip it with “salad after a workout in the gym.” Many know that Russians can be heavy vodka drinkers. Indeed, Russia has 2.5 million registered alcoholics, according to the Moscow Serbsky Institute for Social and Forensic. The institute adds, however, that the real figure is seven times higher—more than 10 percent of Russia ’s population of 142 million. Igor Volodin, who believes vodka is no more harmful than chocolate and who created the vodka line for women said, “Women need a drink of their own. In Moscow , there are pink taxis for ladies, there are light cigarettes. But there was no vodka, and we asked ourselves: ‘Why?’ … More people suffer from diabetes in Russia than from alcoholism, but no one bans chocolate advertisements.”
Link: Reuters
Want to see other recent Travel News Roundups? Click here.
Or, check out more travel news you can use in our main Travel News section.
Looking for even more in-depth news coverage of the week’s top stories? Visit our Travel News Analysis Category.
