Orbit Tower: Becoming London's Coolest Attraction

Artist rendering of the completed Orbit.

View through the twisted rings.

(all images: ARUP/Getty Images)

Before the Skyvue Las Vegas Super Wheel is completed to compete with the London Eye, England's capital will be one step ahead with a new big attraction. The Orbit Tower is currently under construction and scheduled to be completed late this year for the 2012 Summer Olympics.

Located near the new Olympic stadium, the blood-red steel sculpture designed by Indian-born artist Anish Kapoor will reach 377 feet (115 meters) making it taller than the Statue of Liberty. From a viewing platform, visitors will be offered a breathtaking view of Olympic park and London.

When Orbit finally opens, visitors will enter at ground level through an atrium. Then visitors take one of two elevators to the viewing platform which opens to a 360-degree view. Large mirrors inside the structure will reflect the sky. The twisted design incorporates five rings to symbolize the Olympic rings. One report describes Orbit as a roller coaster that's survived a hurricane.

The Olympic committee is managing the site and expects about 1 million people a year to visit resulting in revenues of $16 million (£10 million). The 2012 London Olympics opens on July 27, 2012.  Follow the construction at orbittower.org.uk.

The Orbit as of May 2011.

Ground eye view rendering of the completed structure.

Skyvue Las Vegas Super Wheel On The Strip

Artist renderings of the Skyvue Las Vegas Super Wheel
(images: Compass Investments)

It appears Sin City will gain a new visitor attraction and one that could become one of its most popular and iconic landmarks. In details released by the developers this week, a 500-foot viewing wheel called the Skyvue Las Vegas Super Wheel similar to the London Eye is set to open in early 2013. Skyvue will be located across the Strip from Mandalay Bay Hotel Casino and will be taller than the London attraction.

Plans for the $100 million project will include a roller coaster and 200,000 square feet of retail, restaurant and entertainment space. Skyvue, on an 11-acre site being cleared this week, will rotate perpendicular to Las Vegas Boulevard and offer an unobstructed view from each of the 40 gondolas. Each gondola will hold up to 25 passengers and be available for private events. It should be noted that Caesars Entertainment Corp is planning a viewing wheel as part of its Linq project located behind several hotels on the Strip.

The developers cite one reason the project will be successful is the London Eye attracts 3.5 million visitors per year.  The Federal Aviation Administration is reviewing plans to determine if the wheel's height may interfere with flights at McCarran International Airport located nearby. Let's see if developers will figure out a way to place slot machines in each gondola.

The Truth About Airline Fuel Surchages

(image credit: flyforfun/flickr)

SmarterTravel.com published an interesting article about the arbitrary pricing of fuel charges added to the price of airline fares. With how complicated airfare pricing has become this article sheds some additional light on the subject. Here are parts of the article:

The truth is that the only figure that matters is the total price—base fare plus fuel surcharge—and looking at either separately is rank idiocy.

(image credit: josepha/flickr)

Here's the problem. Some airlines, mostly based outside the United States, are splitting their true fares into a phony base fare plus equally phony fuel surcharges. As a case in point, I checked flights from San Francisco to Munich, leaving May 16 and returning on May 30, through both Lufthansa and United. Here's what I found:

• Lufthansa's total round-trip fare for the route's only nonstops was $2,140, figured as a base fare of $1,560 plus fees and taxes of $580, of which $420 was for a "fuel and security" surcharge.
• United's total round-trip fare for the exact same flights, but sold as a United flight through a Lufthansa codeshare, was also $2,140, this time figured as a base fare of $2,013 plus taxes and fees of $127.

And there you have the story in a nutshell.

The real fares on either line are virtually identical. The two lines just chose to present the fees differently: honestly on United, not so honestly on Lufthansa. Parenthetically, both lines offered lower fares on some connecting itineraries, but fares to Europe really are high this summer.

When you ask an airline why it goes through this charade, you get a long sermon about fuel costs, but that doesn't really answer the question. The question is why they don't just raise fares to cover increased fuel costs, the way U.S. lines (and most other businesses) do—why instead they split the real fare into two components, and they never answer that.

Visit for smartertravel.com for the complete article by Ed Perkins who also offers theories regarding airline fuel charges.

Pork Inspiration Cafe: I Wished I Knew You

Top Chef All-Stars winner Richard Blais.

(all images: Diane Bondareff/AP Images for National Pork Board)

The marketing gimick of a pop-up store once more appeared in NYC last month albeit and sadly for just one day. Called the Pork Inspiration Cafe, it's an eatery where I would have likely tried every dish. This statement is from a guy who eats pre-cooked bacon straight out of the bag. The adage that everything is better with bacon could be one of my mottos.

For the launch of the Pork Be Inspired campaign from the National Pork Board, Top Chef All-Stars Richard Blais joined the opening to serve up 'inspired pork dishes' free of charge. He also demonstrated how pork can be part of any menu, time of day, cuisine or lifestyle. Each pork dish served contributed to America's pork producers' donation of 125,000 servings of fresh pork to Feeding America.

Bacon Ice Cream 

Pear-Brined Pork Chops

The eatery served pork lovers on April 14th and was located at 470 park Ave South. Combine three of my favorite things: bacon, NYC and Top-Chef and I believe this place would be a winner in my book. I definitely would have tried the bacon ice cream. Other dishes served included a ham and herb schnitzel with 6-minute egg, pearl-brined pork chops, ginger ale pork ribs, malta and agave braised pork shoulder and pork bolognese.

Visit porkbeinspired.com for more information including recipes, pork basics, and nutrition. Visit pork.org to learn more about the National Pork Board. Visit feedingamerica.com to learn how to help to feed America's hungry.

Customers lining up for the first serving.

Customers receiving their pork inspiration dishes from Chef Blais.

Display of pork at the cafe.

Sunset Magazine: The Top 50 Hotels Under $150

With average hotel prices starting to rise again, Sunset Magazine set out to find weekend room rates for under $150 per night. Not to be cheap, the magazine set some standards: the room had to have its own bathroom, no bedbugs and over the hotel should have some personality. These hotels are either near popular water, mountain or wine country destinations. The hotels listed have an under-$150 rate for at least one weekend through late spring and summer excluding tax. Their best choices of U.S. hotels are listed by location and located in some popular resort destinations. See the full list at sunset.com.

Unfortunately the list does not include the region around New York City. Thought not listed either, there are always bargains about at some quality hotels in Las Vegas for $150. As a sample, here are the magazine's choices for Hawaii:

Ha‘iku Plantation Inn, Maui. This sugar plantation turned 4-room inn in Maui’s horsey upcountry is close to the Haleakala Crater, Pa‘ia town, and the gorgeous beach at Baldwin.  So you get a head start on all the Hana day-trippers schlepping from the resorty south shore. $119; haikuleana.net 

Ohana Waikiki East, Honolulu, Oahu. If you’re willing to walk a couple of blocks to the beach, you can save big bucks at the 441-room Ohana Waikiki East high-rise hotel—or either of its sister hotels, the Waikiki Malia or Waikiki West. Here’s the deal: You get a no-frills room (ask for an upper floor to cut down on street noise) and a pass to the trolley that endlessly circles Waikiki. $105; ohanahotels.com   

Hotel Lana‘i, Lanai. Lanai is the most fancy-pants of all the Hawaiian islands—virtually every visitor is bound for one of its two Four Seasons Resorts. But a few choose the Hotel Lana‘i in town, built in 1923 for pineapple plantation execs. The 11 rooms aren’t 5-star but are loaded with charm: Hawaiian quilts on the bed, hardwood floors, white wainscoting. Dinner here isn’t cheap, but it’s a must. $99; hotellanai.com   

Grand Princess Loses Skywalkers Nightclub

Before and after photos

(image credits top to bottom: halle0909/flickr; patrick_c/flickr;
travelweekly.co.uk; andremoura2010/flickr)

Although not a cruise traveler myself, it's always intriguing to learn about some of these mega floating resorts and in this rare a instance transformation. Princess Cruises dry-docked the Grand Princess for improvements and among them was the removal of the 160-ton Skywalkers Nightclub featured in the above video.

Shortly after the ship debuted in 1998, the nightclub located 18 decks high became the ships late-night hot spot. Just visiting the nightclub was meant to be memorable experience for passengers. Elevators took passengers to the ship's top deck which lead to a moving walkway that took them through a long, clear tube to the club. Floor-to-ceiling glass windows made for a dizzying view for club crowd.

To improve the ship's fuel efficiency, Princess Cruises removed the nightclub. News reports indicate the transformation of the ship is the biggest in the history of the cruise line. Other changes include the addition of a piazza-style atrium, steak house, pizzeria, martini bar and seven suites. To replace Skywalkers is the One5 Lounge located on Deck 15. Princess reports one unique feature of the ship is a combination library/tea lounge with a selection of 500 tea blends.

See all the video episodes of the Grand Princess at drydock on the Princess Cruises youtube.com page. Visit princess.com to learn more about the ship.

Photos of the Skywalkers Nightclub.

(images credit: snaebyllej2/flickr)

Archtek Toothpaste Tablets: Just Chew, Brush & Go

This product sounds promising for traveling on long flights, long delays at the airports or for those who are simply always on the go.  It may be worth a try to see if Archteck Toothpaste Tablets are as convenient as they sound. On the plus side it's not a liquid or gel so it will get past airport screeners in carry-on bags. But does it work and how does its mint flavor compare to toothpaste? It should be noted this does not replace brushing completely. These tablets are used as a substitute for toothpaste but still meant to be used with a toothbrush.

For more information visit archtekinc.com. The item can be purchased from Magellan's Travel Supplies at $12.95 for 60 tablets. It's also available on amazon.com through other sellers.

  

New Passenger Protections Effective 8/23/11

(image credit: juseppe90/flickr)

In April the U.S. Department of Transportation issued new airline passenger protections that will help passengers from the booking online to the airport experience. Here are the highlights. All changes are effective August 23, 2011.

Lost Bags and Bag Fees:  Airlines will now be required to refund any fees for carrying a bag if the bag is lost. This rule only affects lost bags and not applicable to delayed bags.

Full Disclosure of Additional Fees: Airlines will also have to prominently disclose all potential fees on their websites, including but not limited to fees for baggage, meals, canceling or changing reservations. Expect to see the full disclose of other fees such those in reference to children and pets. This rule only affects the websites and not necessarily requires the airline to clearly display the fee schedule at the airport.

Bumping: The new rule doubles the amount of money passengers are eligible to receive in the event they are involuntarily bumped. If passengers are bumped and the airline gets them to their destination within a short period of time (1 to 2 hours of their original arrival time on domestic flights; 1 to 4 hours on international flights), the compensation is equal to the double the price of their ticket up to $650 in lieu of $400. For lengthy delays (over 2 hours from the original arrival time on domestic; 4 hours international), the payment is four times the value of their ticket up to $1,300.

The unfortunate aspect is these payments do not begin to make up for the lost cost for hotels, tours, cruises or even lost time from work.

(image credit: superops/flickr)

Tarmac Delays: Click here to see the post about domestic tarmac delays. The new rule expands the ban on lengthy delays to cover foreign airlines operating at U.S. airports and establishes a four hour time limit on tarmac delays for international flights of U.S. and foreign airlines. Carriers must also ensure that passengers stuck on the tarmac are provided adequate food and water after two hours, working lavatories and necessary medical treatment.

The delays experienced by passengers on foreign carriers stuck at New York's JFK Airport during the December 2010 blizzard was an important factor for this provision.

Other Changes: Among them includes notifying passengers of delays overs 30 minutes, cancellations and diversions. This must take place in the boarding gate area, on the carrier's telephone reservation system and on its website.

The experience of flying is still far from the storied past glory days of jet age but these rules should help qualm some of the potential problems for passengers. Read the complete press release at dot.gov.

The World's Largest Miniature Airport: Knuffingen

(all photos: Getty Images)

The world's largest model airport opened this week in Hamburg, Germany in what one press report calls "a spectacular display with a stunning attention to detail." At 494 square feet, the model (loosely based on Hamburg's airport) took more than six years to build. Called Knuffingen Airport, no expense was spared at a cost of nearly $5 million.

The airport is part of the full display at Germany's Miniatur Wunderland which includes the world's largest model railroad landscape exhibition. The models already opened prior to the addition of the airport already boasted 200,000 inhabitants and over six miles of train tracks. Knuffingen is the name of the fictitious city at the German attraction.

With a computer at the control, the planes take-off, land and park themselves, passenger walkways move, people appear to walk around the terminals and vehicles automatically move around the airport. The airport is so up to date that it features model A380s used by Emirates and Lufthansa. From videos uploaded online the lighted airport appears spectacular when viewed in a night scene (see the youtube video above).

The miniature airport features: 40 model aircrafts, 90 vehicles, 15,000 mini-people, 40,000 lights, 500 cars, 10,000 trees, 50 trains, 1,000 wagons, 100 signals, 200 switches, 300 buildings.

I am absolutely fascinated in observing the minute details of the model via the videos and photos of the attractions. And by that admission, I am a total geek. Visit miniatur-wunderland.com for more information or visit the city of Knuffingen's official website at knuffingen.de. Additional photos follow the video below.

Melbourne 'Love Never Dies' Moves Into Regent Theatre

In a reworked version, Andrew Lloyd Webber's 'Love Never Dies' opens at the Regent Theatre in Melbourne, Australia on May 28, 2011 (previews from May 21st). With an entirely new design team and director, audiences should expect a vastly different show from the version that opened in London in 2010. Visit loveneverdies.com.au for more information.  'Love Never Dies' is Webber's sequel to his 'The Phantom of the Opera.' After a mixed reception in London, critics will be awaiting to see if the show has been improved.

I was hoping to make the journey to Melbourne this year to compare this production with the version playing in London's West End. But with a limited run announced for now and sky high airfares it appears this visit will have to wait for now.

The videos below reveal the production moving into the Regent Theatre and the two leads, Ben Lewis (The Phantom) and Anna O'Byrne (Christine Daae), performing the show's signature tunes: "Till I Hear You Sing" and "Love Never Dies".

Afternoon at Ala Moana Beach & Magic Island (Part 2)

Top to bottom:

View of Ala Moana Beach from the southern tip of Magic Island;

View of Ala Moana Beach from Magic Island facing west;

The open space, picnic areas and trees at Magic Island.

Adjoining Ala Moana Regional Park on the east end is Magic Island, a 30-acre peninsula created in the 1960s by a landfill project. Despite being renamed in 1972 to Aina Moana Park, the area is still called Magic Island by residents. The park contains over 400 parking stalls at its north end with lots of open space, sites for picnics and a beachside lagoon at the south end of the peninsula. The beach of Ala Moana Park continues along the north west side of the Magic Island. The west and east sides of the park offers panoramic views. The east side offers views of the Ala Wai Channel and Yacht Habor, the hotels of Waikiki and Diamond Head. The west side gives a view of Ala Moana Beach and the towering condos above it.

Read the previous post about Ala Moana Regional Park. By the way Ala Moana in Hawaiian means path to the sea. The park is located between downtown Honolulu and Waikiki and open from 4am-10pm daily.

Park links:

Map of Ala Moana Regional Park

Map of Aina Moana (Magic Island) Park

Department of Parks of Recreation Information Sheet

Park Permit Information

Top to bottom (views from Magic Island):

Diamond Head and the Yacht Harbor;

Hotels at the west end of Waikiki;

Ala Wai Channel.

Afternoon at Ala Moana Beach & Magic Island (Part 1)

The beach (above) and park (below) at Ala Moana Regional Park. 

Working at the Department of Parks & Recreation of the City & County of Honolulu during my post college days for two years, I learned one of the jewels in the park system is Ala Moana Regional Park or more simply known as Ala Moana Beach. Because of its visibility and popularity it's a showcase for any visitor on their way to a Waikiki hotel hence the care and budget designated to the park. This weekend I had the opportunity to revisit the park.

Above: the lagoon at the Waikiki end of the park;

Below: Ala Moana Park Drive 

At over 70 acres the park's centerpiece is the wide golden sand beach that stretches over a half-mile. The calm waters, one of the benefits of having an outer reef as protection, makes it popular for families. The north side of the park contains both open grassy areas and shaded spots offered from banyan and palm trees. The park is popular for picnic events and permits are required to stake out one of the official picnic sites for parties ranging in size from 25 to 250 people.

More beach views. Above: Magic Island is seen in the distance with lots of

space for beachgoers on this Saturday afternoon.

Below: Along the beach facing west.

Vehicle access is through one of two entrances that leads visitors to Ala Moana Park Drive which stretches the entire length of the park. All vehicle parking is along this roadway. Because of the popularity of the beach and park on weekends parking often is scarce. Though not recommended some park at the Ala Moana Center or Ward Centre located across the street along Ala Moana Boulevard.

In the center is McCoy pavilion which the city uses and rents for special events. The park also includes tennis courts, concession stands and lots of picnic tables. The two lagoons at each end of the park and canal that connects them actually serves to keep the former swamp lands dry by allowing water to drain into this waterway.

Above: More open space. The Ala Moana Building and Center is seen in the distance.

Below: Beneath one of the shade trees.  

Read the next post for part 2 with a description and views from Magic Island which adjoins Ala Moana Regional Park. By the way Ala Moana in Hawaiian means path to the sea. The park is located between downtown Honolulu and Waikiki and open from 4am-10pm daily.

Park links:
Map of Ala Moana Regional Park
Map of Aina Moana (Magic Island) Park
Department of Parks of Recreation Information Sheet
Park Permit Information