Adrenaline junkies looking for their next travel adventure may want to consider consulting a new list of extreme destinations for 2014 that includes bungee jumping into the belly of an active volcano in Chile and touring a war zone.
The adventure travel ideas proposed by Cheapflights aren’t for the faint-hearted. But they may set many a thrillseeker’s heart aflutter with trips that span Fiji, Mexico, Africa, Oman and Bolivia.
Here’s a selection of Cheapflights’ adventure travel idea hotspots for 2014:
Swim with the sharks in Fiji On Beqa Island, divers plunge into the ocean and get to see sharks up close and personal — that is, without the protection of a cage. Divers can expect to meet largely harmless species like the Tawny Nurse Shark and Blacktip Reef Shark. But here’s where the dive description may lose a few people: “The Bull Sharks and the Tiger Sharks however are clearly a class in their own. They are Apex Predators who grow to an impressive size and have a notorious reputation for attacking humans.” Happy diving.
Volcano bungee jumping in Chile This stunt involves jumping into the mouth of an active volcano from a helicopter, within 700 feet (213 meters) of molten lava, after which you stay suspended upside down traveling 130 km above the simmering crater.
Cycling the Death Road in La Paz, Bolivia It’s been dubbed the world’s most dangerous road: a treacherous downhill stretch of 64 km that starts on snow-covered plains and descends to the Amazonian jungle. Oh, and it also includes a 3.6-km drop down a sheer cliff face.
Base jumping in Mexico The Cave of Swallows is deep enough to house a high-rise building and has inspired kamikaze adrenaline junkies to jump into the belly of the earth with a parachute.
Sandboarding in Oman Desert sand dunes in parts of Oman can run as high 100 meters. Instead of snow, travelers hit the desert slopes with their boards, toboggans or quad bikes.
It takes a lot of primping and priming to look good at 125 years old. Just ask the Eiffel Tower, arguably the most recognizable silhouette in the world. It marks the milestone on March 31.
When Gustave Eiffel built the latticed tower for the World Fair in 1889, it was supposed to be a temporary edifice, to be torn down in 20 years.
Today, the iconic French landmark is the most visited, paid monument in the world, attracting more than 7 million visitors a year. Seventy-five percent of them are foreign tourists.
Here are a few fun facts and figures about the Iron Lady:
1. Strange but true: In a commitment ceremony in 2007, an American woman ‘married’ the Eiffel Tower. Erika La Tour Eiffel (she changed her name) suffers from ‘Objectum-Sexual’ a condition in which people fall in love with inanimate objects.
2. Aging requires no small amount of cosmetic touch-ups: Every seven years, the Iron Lady undergoes a paint job that requires up to 60 tons of paint to protect her from rust.
3. The Eiffel Tower will shrink and grow by up to 15 cm (6 inches) with the fluctuating temperatures.
4. Every year, the combined distance traveled by the elevator lifts works out to be about 103,000 km a year — or 2.5 times the circumference of the Earth.
5. Technically, it’s illegal to publish photos of the illuminated tower at night. Permission and rights must be obtained from the “Société d’Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel.”
6. The tower is open every day. In a country that shuts down every Sunday, the tower is perhaps the only thing open 365 days a year including Christmas.
7. After the French, Italians, Spaniards and Americans make up the biggest visitors to the Eiffel Tower.
9. Eiffel paid homage to the great French men of science by engraving the names of 72 scientists, engineers and mathematicians on the four sides of the tower.
10. The nightly five-minute light show, which begins on the hour every hour from nightfall until 1 am, requires 20,000 light bulbs.
Actor Johnny Depp confirmed his engagement to actress Amber Heard today. While in Beijing to promote his latest movie Transcendence, the Pirates of the Caribbean actor told the Associated Press, “The fact that I’m wearing a chick’s ring on my finger is probably a dead giveaway. Not very subtle.” A source told Us Weekly that Depp purchased the ring in question for Heard, but he’s wearing it because it’s too big for her finger (the ring in question is pictured above).
However, what does the 50-year-old actor think about wedding planning? “I think that I would be better at making women’s shoes than I would be at wedding planning,” he also told the AP. “I can’t plan anything. I’m really bad at that stuff.”
It will be the first marriage for Heard and the second for Depp. He and French actress/singer Vanessa Paradis were in a relationship for 14 years before announcing their breakup in June 2012.
This major exhibition is a glamorous, comprehensive look at Italian Fashion from the end of the Second World War to the present day. The story is explored through the key individuals and organisations that have contributed to its reputation for quality and style. It includes both womens and menswear to highlight the exceptional quality of techniques, materials and expertise for which Italy has become renowned.
The exhibition examines Italy's dramatic transition from post-war ruins to the luxury paraded in the landmark ‘Sala Bianca’ catwalk shows held in Florence in the 1950s, which propelled Italian fashion onto the world stage. During the 1950s and '60s the many Hollywood films that were shot on location in Italy had an enormous impact on fashion as stars like Audrey Hepburn and Elizabeth Taylor became style ambassadors for Italian fashion, fuelling a keen international appetite for luxurious clothing made in Italy. On display are around 100 ensembles and accessories by leading Italian fashion houses including Simonetta, Pucci, Sorelle Fontana, Valentino, Gucci, Missoni, Giorgio Armani, Dolce & Gabbana, Fendi, Prada and Versace, through to the next generation of fashion talent.
Return to Luxury
In 1951, Giovanni Battista Giorgini launched Italy’s first internationally recognised fashion shows. The following year, he secured the use of the Sala Bianca or ‘White Hall’, an opulent, chandelier-lit gallery in Florence’s Pitti Palace.In 1945, Italy’s post-war government aimed to reinvigorate a country weakened in spirit and in physical and financial ruin. With American aid provided through the Marshall Plan, the swift retooling of Italian factories alongside efforts by the country’s many entrepreneurs helped fashion become a cornerstone of Italy’s post-war recovery.
As clothing designers and textile manufacturers gradually resumed trading, their stylish designs responded to a hunger for glamour after years of wartime deprivation. Italian high fashion and fine tailoring became popular exports.
Valentino posing with models in Rome, July 1967. Courtesy of The Art Archive / Mondadori Portfolio / Marisa Rastellini. Tailoring
Italy’s reputation for tailored clothing developed internationally thanks to popular images of stylishly dressed Italian actors. Marcello Mastroianni’s trim suits in the 1960 film 'La Dolce Vita' did much to popularise the Italian suit worldwide. Both bespoke garments (made to measure for an individual client) and the increasingly popular ready-made suits were adopted by a growing international clientele.Enthusiasm for Italian tailoring – admired for being light, unstructured and sleek increased in the decades after the Second World War.
A well-tailored suit requires precisely cut fabric and exact fit, along with fine finishing details. The smallest design elements, such as the shape of a pocket or sleeve, often differed from region to region. A Neapolitan suit could be distinguished from one produced in Rome.
Made in Italy
Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, Italy’s economy had grown rapidly, driven in part by the fashion and textile sectors. In the years that followed, despite social and political instability, Italy’s fashion industry blossomed. Numerous fashion and related manufacturing businesses started up, many of them family-run.
From the early 1970s, the popularity of couture gave way to enthusiasm for manufactured fashion. Milan – with its fashion press, advertising industry and nearby clothing and textile factories – became Italy’s new fashion capital.
‘Made in Italy’ was a marketing campaign that celebrated a rainbow of premium goods: cinema, art, food, tourism, design and, chief among them, fashion. This decades-long, international promotional campaign ensured that ‘Made in Italy’ became the mark of style.
The designers in this section are at varying stages on the journey to recognition. Some have the tradition of generations behind them. Others emerged onto Italy’s fashion scene only a few seasons ago. What unites them is a loyal clientele, an emphasis on Italian production, and a place at the top end of fashion, where Italy’s designers continue to find their competitive advantage.Since the mid-1990s, fashion has become ever more international. Many more Italian designers have become celebrities in their own right and solidified their country’s reputation as a global tastemaker. These designers sell a universe of goods across continents, from clothing to furniture to hotel interiors. Some have transformed long-established family firms into international luxury brands. All have a devoted following.
The bright spot in Italy’s generally sober economic outlook is the limitless demand for a taste of Italian style. Italian fashion companies are still influential, even as Italy’s reputation has suffered.
The years since 2000 have been marked by political scandal, immigration tensions and economic problems. Italy’s once famed networks of textile production and related industries are thinning. Its premium fashion houses are increasingly foreign-owned. Chinese factories, workers and consumers are now intertwined with the destiny of the Italian-made.
Apple is to release its newest iPhone in September, with higher resolution and bigger screens, a report said Friday, its latest salvo in the smartphone wars where it has lost global market share to rivals such as Samsung.
The new handset, expected to be called the iPhone 6, is to come in two versions with a 4.7- or 5.5-inch screen, both bigger than the current four-inch panel, the respected Nikkei business daily said, without citing sources.
US-based Apple is ordering its higher-resolution liquid crystal display screens from Japanese electronics giant Sharp, Japan Display and South Korea’s LG Display, it added.
Apple released the iPhone 5 in September 2012 and newer versions in the series last year.
A Japan-based spokesman for the California tech giant could not be immediately reached for comment on the Nikkei report, which was widely picked up by a string of technology news websites.
The Nikkei story comes after Taiwan’s Commercial Times said this month that Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. had started producing chips for the next iPhone.
That news fed rumours that Apple is reducing its reliance for parts on South Korean giant Samsung, its main competitor in the mobile phone market and a bitter rival with which it is contesting several copyright court battles globally.
Samsung in February unveiled its new flagship Galaxy S5 smartphone armed with a fingerprint scanner and a built-in heart rate sensor, as it tries to cement its leadership of the multibillion-dollar market.
However, the South Korean giant voiced annoyance after domestic telecoms operators released its latest smartphone ahead of schedule in order to dodge sales restrictions imposed by regulators. The world’s biggest mobile phone maker had planned a worldwide debut of the Galaxy S5 on April 11.
Samsung made about 30% of all smartphones sold globally last year, nearly twice the share of Apple.
A survey by International Data Corporation (IDC) last month said Google’s Android system — used by Samsung among others — extended its gains over Apple’s iPhone in the last quarter of 2013, and Windows Phone grabbed the number three market position.
But other challengers are moving up the ranks with Taiwan’s HTC Corp. having launched an update of its HTC One smartphone while Sony has seen strong sales of its Xperia offering.
Global shipments of smartphones last year topped a billion for the first time, up 38.4% from the 725.3 million shipped in 2012.
Apple, however, had the lowest year-on-year increase of all major smartphone makers even though its 5s and 5c models were available in more countries, according to IDC.
While record iPhone and iPad sales pushed Apple’s fourth-quarter revenue to a new high investors have been concerned over weaker profits in fierce mobile gadget markets.
The California-based tech giant reported net income of $13.1 billion US on revenue of $57.6 billion in the quarter that ended December 28, helped by selling 51 million iPhones.
The profit was the same as Apple reported in the same quarter a year earlier when its revenue was $54.5 billion.
The firm is leaning on the potentially huge Chinese market as its looks to power future growth.
In January, that goal got a boost as China Mobile, the country’s biggest wireless provider, started selling the iPhone to millions of customers nationwide, ending a six-year wait in a crucial market.
China Mobile has a 760 million-strong customer base and its plans to roll out the world’s largest 4G (fourth generation) network have both companies forecasting a fruitful union.
A Sharp spokeswoman declined to comment on the Nikkei report Friday, as the company’s Tokyo-listed shares rose 1.63%, outpacing a 0.5% increase in the broader market.
Celine Dion is putting her Jupiter Island, Florida, compound on the market for $72.5 million. The 5.7-acre property includes an eight-bedroom guest house, a tennis center with a simulated golf range, two pools connected by a private water park, and a beach house with a sleeping loft and massage room.
The elaborate $72.5 million estate was built in 2010, and was designed by Dion and her husband, René Angélil. It is the largest waterfront estate on exclusive Jupiter Island.
Dion is reportedly selling the property because she has extended her Las Vegas contract through 2019.
The Nam Dger Apartment is a contemporary home embedded with industrial elements of décor. Inspiring sobriety and elegance, this particularly beautiful home located in Nam Tower, in the very heart of Tel Aviv, is the work of Gerstner Architects, an Israel-based studio involved in luxury interior design projects. The interior showcases an interesting (and sculptural) swirl-like staircase, made of solid iron. The intriguing item becomes the core of the living room, standing out and making an impression on whoever ends up seeing it, due to its unpolished and industrial look. It also allows vertical circulation throughout the apartment. At a closer look, the staircase defined the neat design adding a touch of contemporary urban wilderness.
When it comes to colours, the designers sticked with neutrals. Nuances of beige, grey, black and white embellish the interior and give personality to it. The apartment is quite compact, so, in order to save some space, the doors have been removed. There are floor-to-ceiling windows that allow the sun to flood the interior with light and warmth. The living space seems more spacious and uncluttered. Somehow, this reminds us of the precious and coquette Scandinavian attic apartments.
A rare Stradivari viola set to be auctioned this spring by Sotheby’s is expected to fetch at least $45 million – making it the most expensive musical instrument ever sold.
The MacDonald Viola (which is slightly larger than a violin) was crafted by Italian artisan Antonio Stradivari (maker of the famed violins) in 1719. Only 10 of the violas are known to still exist today. In contrast, over 600 Stradivari violins still exist). The sale will mark the first time one of the famed violas has been put on the market in 50 years.
The Macdonald is widely considered the finest viola in the world. It is made of alpine spruce with a back crafted from a single piece of maple. The instrument is reportedly in perfect condition. It is called the Macdonald because it was purchased by Godfrey Bosville, the 3rd Baron Macdonald, in the 1800s.
The auction of the rare instrument will require a minimum bid of $45 million. All bids will be sealed, and the highest bidder announced on June 25.
Stradivari was born in Italy in 1644. Over his 70 year career he fashioned the finest violins and violas the world has ever seen (and heard).
Want to own your very own piece of Versailles? Now you can – sort of. Castle Post, a luxury bed and breakfast in Versailles, Kentucky (near the famed Keenland track) is for sale. Conveying with the 10-bedroom, 14-bathroom property are a 55-acre lot, adjoining 177-acre Thoroughbred farm, five barns, manager’s home and lake.
In total, the castle, one of the most notable landmarks in the area, has more than 50 rooms, including a library, sitting room, game room, and dining area seating 40. The grounds include a 20′ x 50′ lap pool, formal garden and oversized Chinese dragon fountain.
We’re thinking you could even snag this at a deal — the property, listed by Christie’s for $30 million, has been on the market since 2010 and is touted as being ideal for a “great private home compound or retreat.”
For more than 50 years, from the time it was purchased out of receivership by Rolls-Royce in 1931 until 1989 when Volkswagen took over ownership of the brand, Bentley lived in the shadow of its sister company. While attempts have been made over the years to rekindle the spirit and magic imbued upon the marque by founder Walter Owen (WO) Bentley, it always seemed a bit of a compromise. Where Rolls Royce always was a luxury brand first, Bentley wandered back and forth between performance and luxury, never seeming to get the balance quite right.
Having just spent four days with a 2014 Bentley Continental GT Speed, however, I can unequivocally state that the balance is now perfect.
Everything about the GT Speed, from the styling to the engine to the 8-speed ZF transmission, adjustable suspension, high-performance tires, instrument cluster, and leather seats, is designed for just one thing: to help you drive fast confidently.
Walking up to the quickest Continental, I was struck by its size. While its beautifully sculpted exterior is imposing, it’s not big. The configuration of the W12 engine helps keep the hood at a reasonable length and thus the balance between the front and rear of the car is extraordinary. The 21-inch wheels and tires are pushed way out to the corners creating a powerful, confident stance and the blackened matrix grille hints at the sinister nature of the power that lies beneath its hood.
For 2014 the GT Speed’s 6.0L W12 twin turbo engine delivers 616 horsepower, which will be upped to 635 in the 2015 model. Insert the key and push the start button and the first thing you notice is the sound. It’s not a low rumble, but a growl that seems to be saying, “set me free.” Put the car in drive, tap the accelerator and the GT Speed moves easily away from a dead stop despite weighing nearly 5200 pounds thanks to the 590 foot pounds of torque delivered to all four of the coupe’s performance tires.
What surprised me most about the Bentley GT Speed is not that it is powerful, quick and fast. That’s to be expected with the massive engine that’s wedged between its front wheels. It’s surprising that it is so incredibly manageable. At low speeds the throttle is not overly sensitive and the steering at two and a half turns lock to lock, is light and quick. We had no trepidation nor trouble parallel parking it on a crowded Main Street at noon in Westport, Connecticut. But find a twisty bit of back road, switch the suspension from comfort to sport, give the throttle more of your right foot, and you’ll soon find what the Bentley was truly designed to do.
Pushing the accelerator to the floor elicits a delicious howl in the cabin, the kind of sound you expect from an engine this powerful. I found it to be the perfect soundtrack for an afternoon of high-speed touring on the backroads of New England.
One of the joys about having a car like this for a few days, rather than just test driving it at a press for a few hours, is that you really get a chance to know the car. In this case, I was able to play with the exceptionally adjustable seats to find a very comfortable driving position. It also doesn’t hurt that those seats included a massaging function that when activated, kneads the small of your lower back for up to ten minutes to help reduce the stress of the day. The leather is expertly cut and sewn, the optional quilting adding a level of detail that really made the interior feel special. The seats are both heated and cooled to keep you comfortable no matter what the conditions outside the cabin are. Given these features, front seat passengers will enjoy the ride in the Continental for hours on end. The rear seat, however, is another matter.
The Continental GT Speed is a classic 2+2. This means that while the back seats are well appointed, the legroom is such that no one over five feet tall will be able to enjoy their accoutrements for more than a few minutes before leg cramps set in.
Staying with the interior, I was taken by the Bentley’s understated and functional instrument cluster. Bentley designers clearly avoided the temptation to over-engineer the dash by adding all the possible bells and whistles. Keeping the focus where it should, on the large speedometer and tach, the dash also has a customizable center LED screen that simply and clearly presents information like fuel mileage, temperature and speed as well. The center stack is also clean, with an 8-inch touch screen monitor for audio, navigation and the backup camera and traditional buttons and knobs for the operation of the excellent HVAC system. It’s well designed and intuitive allowing the driver to focus on what really matters, driving.
That’s ultimately what the Continental GT Speed does best. The all-wheel drive system is set up with a 60/40 rear/front split in power which helps counter the understeer you’d expect from a car with such a heavy front end. Driving through tight corners at well over suggested speeds was a matter of course and I never once felt like the front end would push or wash out. This combination of power and grip also allows the car to launch itself from 0-60 in just a tick over four seconds and accelerate from 60 to 80 faster than you can say “God save the Queen.” All of that meant that my observed fuel economy was a thirsty 12.9 miles per gallon. But the smile it put on my face was worth the nearly hundred dollars it cost to refill the 24-gallon tank after my first two days of driving.
It’s said that with great power comes great responsibility. That is never more true then when behind the wheel of the GT Speed. In it you have a car capable of speeds of over 200 miles per hour, of driving comfortably for hours at triple digit speeds, of accelerating from stoplights in the blink of an eye. In short, this car requires a great degree of self-control and restraint on the driver’s part. Otherwise, one is likely to be writing checks to the local constabulary for significant sums on a regular basis. That’s something I was fortunately able to avoid in my four days with the Bentley Continental GT Speed. Had my test drive gone five, however, who knows?
Is Indiana Jones looking for a reboot? That’s the word from film website Latino Review, who are reporting that Disney (which acquired the Indiana Jones rights from George Lucas in 2012) is looking to treat the franchise like the Bond movies – bringing in a fresh actor every decade or so to keep the films from getting creaky. So who does Disney have in mind to play Indy? The answer is Bradley Cooper, star of such films as “American Hustle”, “Silver Lining Playbook” and “The Hangover”.
Cooper would certainly fit the bill as a young Indy. He would bring a masculine and roguish quality to the role. And at 39, he could easily carry the franchise into the next decade.
So what about Harrison Ford? Again, word is out that, as time passes, the studio doesn’t see Ford as a viable alternative. At 71, Ford is no longer a box office draw, and the studio is looking to put a tent pole stake firmly in the ground now – not try and milk an aging star (and audience) for one last time. While the last film did well at the box office, “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” was not treated kindly by critics and is generally not well regarded by fans of the franchise.
Speaking of “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull”, what about Shia LaBeouf, who co-starred in the film, and who Steven Spielberg was apparently grooming to take the franchise lead from Ford? LaBeouf has effectively worked himself out of any consideration with his odd behavior, plagiarism accusations, and general lack of success in carrying a film.
Will Ford play Indiana Jones again? Or is Cooper (or another actor) bound to inherit the iconic hat and whip?
We’ll actually say ‘yes’ to both questions. By making known the studio’s desire to move forward with Indiana Jones, Disney is putting the pressure on Ford (and director Spielberg) to step up to the plate and commit to another film. Our bet is that it works. Ford and Spielberg will come around for one last go, while Cooper (or someone like him) will be prepped to restart the franchise shortly thereafter.
But let’s not kid ourselves – Disney won’t wait forever. They dropped $4 billion for the rights to the Star Wars and Indiana Jones franchises. They’ll want to recoup that investment sooner than later. And by taking Indiana Jones in the direction of the Bond films, it allows the studio to rely less on the star and the filmmakers – and thus gives them a steady stream of income for decades to come.
Italian jewelry and luxury goods company Bulgari on Thursday answered the Italian government’s appeal for help in financing a renovation of Rome’s famous Spanish Steps.
Bulgari, which was bought in 2011 by French luxury giant LVMH, will put $2 million towards the refurbishment which will begin in 2015 and last two years, Rome’s mayor Ignazio Marino said.
Italy’s Prime Minister Matteo Renzi called this month for private investors to help restore and maintain the country’s heritage monuments, after a series of wall collapses at the ancient ruins of Pompeii in southern Italy.
“Italy is a country of culture and so I challenge businessmen. What are you waiting for? If the private sector can keep the wall standing upright, why not allow it to?” he said.
Many Baroque or Renaissance churches and Roman-era archaeological sites are kept permanently off limits to the public for lack of maintenance.
The government has already called on the private sector to help restore other UNESCO monuments: in Rome, luxury shoemaker Tod’s is financing works at the Colosseum, while high-end fashion house Fendi is expected to refurbish the Trevi Fountain.
The Spanish Steps refurbishment will be “the special gift from Bulgari to its city” to mark the jeweller’s 130th anniversary, the company’s chief executive Jean-Christophe Babin told a press conference in Rome.
The 18th century Baroque-style stairway has 136 steps.
With its turquoise waters and lush green cliffs, the Fernando de Noronha archipelago, off the Brazilian coast, is home to the world’s top beach according to TripAdvisor user reviews.
One of the many selling points of the Baia do Sancho is its crystal clear water, which allows snorkelers to observe exotic fish and even sea turtles. But it’s not easy getting to this paradise on earth: visitors must descend a tall, steep staircase that could spook anyone with a fear of heights.
Grace Bay in the Turks and Caicos Islands and Flamenco Beach in Puerto Rico complete the trio of the top beaches on the planet according to the travel website. The US made an appearance in the top 10 thanks to Hawaii’s Lanikai Beach, which came in at number eight.
Alongside its worldwide ranking, TripAdvisor compiled lists of the best beaches in the US, the UK and Europe. Unsurprisingly, Hawaii dominates the ranking for the US, accounting for seven of the country’s top 10 beaches. Behind the first and second place winners, Hawaii’s Lanikai Beach and Ka’anapali Beach, Florida made it into third place with Siesta Key Public Beach.
Top 10 beaches worldwide:
1. Baia do Sancho, Fernando de Noronha, Brazil 2. Grace Bay, Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands 3. Flamenco Beach, Culebra, Puerto Rico 4. Rabbit Beach, Lampedusa, Italy 5. Whitehaven Beach, Whitsunday Island, Australia 6. Playa de ses Illetes, Formentera, Spain 7. Anse Lazio, Praslin Island, Seychelles 8. Lanikai Beach, Kailua, Hawaii 9. Rhossili Bay, Swansea, Wales 10. Playa Norte, Isla Mujeres, Mexico
Clockwise: Grilled sausage and meats on the spit; fresh grilled sardines; Greek meatballs in tomato sauce with yogurt; loukoumades (honey doughnuts); portokalopita (orange pie); horta (boiled greens with lemon); and grilled squid with olive oil.
The nearly two dozen monasteries dating back to the Middle Ages hang precipitously from the peninsula’s cliffs. Sadly, women are not allowed in the area.
36. The acoustics at Epidavros will blow your mind.
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