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Home and Abroad just launched a ton of destination activity focused travel sites using the Fogglight platform. This means each of these sites come with the power of the award winning Home and Abroad Tripplanner features but with a focus on Things to Do in that Destination.

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The folks at Home&Abroad have been busy the past couple of months working on the launch of a large network of travel websites for group travelers. We’ve taken over 77 of our popular travel destinations and created websites focused on planning and booking travel to each place. Every site is filled with information to make your trip planning easy, including destination-specific tips and advice, detailed attraction information, and an easy platform to book your group hotel or bus charter online.

If you’re planning a future group trip, be sure to check out one of our sites for the destination of your choice!

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St. Roch

New Orleans ranks as one my favorite cities in the US. I visited for a Mardi Gras in 1992, had a few Abita beers–and somehow ended up in some converted church deep in the 9th Ward dancing over a fire pit while an African shaman wearing a voodoo animal mask whipped me and the rest of the crowd into an orgiastic frenzy.

It was weird and primitive and wonderful, and after I woke up on the floor of the church the next morning, face black with ash and with the sweet scent of magnolia blossoms in my nostrils, I was hooked. I loved the lushness of the overgrown gardens and the frayed beauty of the decaying old mansions–the overall roughness and sweetness of the place. I ended up living there for 7 years and marrying a local.

Since Katrina, I have been hesitant to return, mostly because I fear–probably unreasonably–that the city I remember won’t be there anymore, or that what remains of it will be tainted by the darkness and destruction that has plagued the city since the storm. I have kept up with what has been happening in the Crescent City primarily through the excellent website optical channelNolafugees.com, where articles and stories by local writers bring the struggles of post-Katrina New Orleans to life. The Nolafugees crowd has also produced a few impressive books about the city, the most recent of which is Soul Is Bulletproof (available here on Amazon.)

Recently, a friend of mine, мебелиChris Klever, ventured back to rediscover New Orleans, and wrote an excellent piece on it for Nolafugees. It presents a balanced but not bitter view of what he found–a city that has been transformed and shattered in some ways, but which is resilient and reviving in others. Here is Klever’s report from the Big Easy:

Odi et Amo: A Pilgrim’s Progress

International Correspondent Chris Klever, on his recent pilgrimage to Reconstruction NOLA.

“I can’t think of a better place to live if you don’t value your life.”
–a New Orleans friend.

New Orleans and its environs have always held a special place in my heart. Its unique character has fascinated me ever since I attended my first Mardi Gras back in 1995: the quaint Creole cottages, the mysterious Flambeaux carrying their torches in certain parades, the redolence of humidity and decaying magnolia pods, the cargo freighters gliding down the river carrying their wares to all corners of the world, the bricks of the projects. And of course the ever-present sense of danger lurking just beneath the surface, ready to seize the unwary and punish them for their indiscretions.

I’d answered its Siren’s song again and again, but was reluctant to return after Katrina, fearful that my beloved city was beyond repair. Finally, after 4 years, I decided to return and see for myself how different things really were. Mama’s Tasty food is gone, but Casamento’s remains, even if its hours are rather sporadic. Yes, many things are different, but many things remain as I remember them.

Take the French Quarter, for example: after a wonderful lunch of Muffelletas and Pimm’s cups at Napoleon House, I remarked to one of my friends that I would like to visit the St. Louis #1 Cemetery and Our Lady of Guadalupe church. He advised against this; maybe we could drive there in a car, but a short walk there was simply out of the question. I was incredulous; I’d walked there several times on previous visits without incident. So why should this trip be any different?

My friend explained that times were different post-Katrina: crime was out of control and we could easily become the victims of a random act of violence. But the next day, against my better judgment and without an armed escort, I crossed Rampart to Our Lady of Guadalupe church. I paid my respects to St. Jude at his shrine and thought surely these claims that New Orleans was any more dangerous than it had been in the past were highly exaggerated. Then, I crossed Basin to St. Louis #1, where I had been countless times.

I spent about ten minutes enjoying the solitude of this City of the Dead; then I heard the distinct “pop”, “pop”, “pop” of gunfire. It came from the nearby Iberville projects. “Uh, oh time to leave,” I thought. The next day I told my friend about the shots fired and he confirmed that there had been gunplay in the Iberville the previous day.

I decided that continuing my pilgrimages on foot may not be the best idea. My friends agreed and offered to drive.

St. Roch Shrine, like St. Louis #1 and Our Lady of Guadalupe, has always been for me a place of quiet contemplation, a holy shrine where I could thank God for my good health and fortunate life. Knowing that Katrina had flooded the cemetery and chapel with 6 feet of water, I was eager to see the chapel restored to its former self. I say self because the chapel has a unique personality thanks to the pilgrims who have prayed to St. Roch for a cure to a particular ailment, been miraculously healed and then left behind remnants of their past afflictions. Leg braces, crutches, canes, plaster casts, and various medical devices are assembled haphazardly in a small sanctuary to the right of the chapel altar. Each offering to St. Roch is a token of appreciation bestowed to honor the healing power of the saint, giving hope to all who suffer.

Like St. Louis #1, St. Roch is in a less-than-recovered section of the city, and our drive to the shrine was most inauspicious. The St. Roch Market, where I’d often completed my pilgrimages with a 1/2 and 1/2 Po-boy, was in shambles. Its boarded-up front still caved-in after 3 years, I wondered if this historic treasure would ever be restored. Knowing the history of damaged and neglected buildings in New Orleans, I was dubious.

We pulled up to the St. Roch graveyard. The wrought-iron gates were open, the mausoleums lining the way to the open door of the chapel. An uneasy silence enveloped the entire cemetery. I heard no neighbors, no traffic, no caretaker, nothing. Inside the chapel, I was relieved to find that the water damage had been repaired and the walls had a fresh coat of paint. Yet it looked neglected, open to the elements; cockroaches and leaves littered the floor. There were no votive candles to light. Otherwise, it was the same as I had remembered. But it wasn’t the same. Instead of saying a prayer of thanks to my good fortune, I said a prayer of “please God let me make it out of here alive”.
***

A few days later we took a drive down St. Bernard Highway. During the month of November, 2004, I had the pleasure of working on Charlie Melancon’s Congressional campaign in St. Bernard parish. I canvassed the neighborhoods of Mereaux and Violet and helped organize volunteers. I recall meeting friendly people, eating tasty shrimp, and enjoying the strange, subtle beauty of the bayou.

When I returned to St. Bernard after 4 years, I was hardly prepared for what I saw: where there were once houses there are now vacant lots; where there were once thriving neighborhoods there are now verdant, fields of green, interspersed with settlers. We drove on toward Braithwaite and the ferry at East Pointe a la Hache. The quiet and the overhanging, shady oaks along St. Bernard Highway reassured me.

I have one word to describe the medieval fiefdom of Plaquemines parish: gone.

I know I’m not the first, nor will I be the last to be entranced by the many charms of New Orleans. I’m doubtful of a promising future for New Orleans, but there is always hope things can change, that New Orleans can rise like the Phoenix from its own wet ashes. I truly admire my friends who have stayed to rebuild. I know that when they say how much they hate it, they love it equally, Odi et Amo:

Odi et amo. Quare id faciam, fortasse requiris.
Nescio, sed fieri sentio et excrucior.
Catullus LXXV

I hate and I love. Why I do this, perhaps you ask.
I do not know, but I sense that it is happening and I am tortured.

This is the paradox that we call New Orleans.”
Klever on the Mississippi

Business Class

Earlier this week, discount airliner JetBlue decided to start a new fee for use of pillows and blankets for flights exceeding two hours in duration. In a statement released earlier this week, Brett Muney, general manager of product development for JetBlue, said, “We are constantly seeking ways to enhance the in-flight experience for our customers, and providing them the option to purchase The World’s Cleanest travel pillow and a fleece blanket at an affordable price delivers on that promise.” Hold on you say, there’s got to be more than just a ensuing static storm from the thin fleece sheet and germ-incubating head cushion? JetBlue apparently will spruce the seven dollar deal with a $5 coupon to any item at Bed, Bath, and Beyond. I know. Don’t go spend it all in one place. This of course isn’t the first loss mitigating revenue plan the wizards of the airline industry have been conjuring up. This latest announcement comes on the heels of decisions in previous months to start charging fees for the second and even first checked bags. Other fees are included for additional legroom, and seating assignments. I suppose it isn’t quite so bad that you can keep the pillow and blanket, but I don’t see an advantage in buying some bite size pillow that will most likely end up in the trash can in the baggage terminal. That got me thinking, what could possibly be next on the list of items that airlines could potentially be putting their tariff stamps on…

Ice
To save costs on producing ice cubes, airlines begin charging $1 deposit for ice. Good news to those who finish their drinks in a timely and orderly fashion, you can receive up to 50% of your deposit back to be determined on how much of the ice is left. (Subject and terms may apply).

Window Seats
Want to catch a glimpse of that spectacular Siskiyou Range on that flight from LAX to Seattle or hopefully snap a pic of Mount Ranier rising out of the clouds? Window seats will now carry a $20 fee, and an additional $5 for use of the newly installed coin operated blind.

Moviesландшафт
In an unexpected partnership with Blockbuster and Netflix, airlines will now require rental fees to watch in air movies on transatlantic flights. Customers can opt to add movies to their queue, but must be done so ahead of time. Standard rental rates of $5.18 apply for all purchases made independently.

Meet-N-Greet the Captain
No longer are the days where you can walk your bashful child up to the cockpit after the flight and say hello to the captain… for free that is. For only $4 your child can have a high quality Polaroid picture taken with the captain and crew for a lasting memory of your trip!

SkyMall Magazine
The ever popular SkyMall Magazine will now add to their section of Health & Wellnessколи под наем to include a new line of pain relievers and cold compressions to deal with the headaches of air travel.

Bathrooms
Similar to the some public toilets in Europe, a small fee of $1-2 will be enforced for those who wish to to use the facilities. Better think twice before you finish that $6 beer in the airport lounge before boarding the plane.

Of course I joke when I think about the likelihood of any of these ‘fees’ actually fulfilling the fruits of my imagination, but it certainly makes you wonder where the tipping point is. When will the issuance of additional fees and regulations will finally break against the will of the consumer. The real issue here is that airlines are looking for ways to keep ticket prices at a low, in attempt to appease the customer they are trying to provide options in attempt to get marginal ancillary returns. In a way, the fees seem like an unnecessary attempt to gain more money from the consumer; for all we know they’re slapping price tags on services and liberties willy nilly. The real question to be answered in coming year is to what extent will the consumer agree to keep shelling out the extra bucks, or would they rather just assume the higher prices in an all-encompassing price hike?

As it is now, Americans are traveling less as it is, and to pinch pennies, it would seem that the expendable luxury costs of ‘pillows and blankets’ aren’t necessarily worth the seven bucks. In my mind, the few hours of slightly less uncomfortable travel are not worth the trade off of giving up an hour lunch date. While airlines can continue to tax extra baggage, which is essentially applicable to every traveler, it seems that the absurdities of charging for extra luxuries are an impossible sell. When you start seeing ancillary revenues dip into the red, (the same revenue attempting to bolster the existing revenue shortfalls) you’re just further up the creek without a paddle, and we might just possibly see higher prices in spite of the failed experiment of charging for luxuries. At that point, I might reluctantly prefer the taxable luxuries. “I’ll just have a coke, but hold the ice.”

Just over a week away from the opening ceremonies of the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing and while Chinese newspapers are reporting on the success of a trial run of their vehicle traffic plan and Yao Ming’s 14 point game against Australia, the rest of the western world is raising arms about the quality of air and the looming pollution problems in Beijing. It seems almost daily that the reports questioning the suitability of Beijing’s air quality for Olympic athletes come pouring in. Amidst the scrutiny that has taken place while the world prepares to turn its attention to the spotlight in Beijing, perhaps the real question should be: wù or wùran? Wù or wùran, or in English, fog or smog respectively, is a question that grapples with the issue of whether the ‘weather’ is at the dispense of an industrialized nation growing exponentially, or the natural causes due to its geography and physical surroundings. Local residents seem to be divided whether the gloomy Beijing haze is really as bad as it seems.

One look at the air in Beijing on any given day certainly doesn’t offer the assurance that I’m sure the Chinese government wishes to purport that everything is just fine and dandy. It’s brown, hazy, thick, grainy, just about anything you’d expect from the water clarity of a used pot sitting in the sink. The one thing you cannot deny is that there certainly is a problem with Beijing’s air quality exposed to pollution and harmful substances. Just under a year ago in December 2007, Air Pollution Index (API) numbers were at a bloated range of 421 and 500, which is considered ‘hazardous’ provoking complications in people with respiratory as well as heart illnesses. General widespread symptoms include eye irritation, coughing, wheezing, and sore throats, etc. This rating is nearly 5 times the acceptable level offered by the World Health Organization (WHO). Within the past week leading up to the games, the daily API for Beijing has been listed between 50-90, exceeding the 100 mark twice, although it has also recorded low API numbers such as a 44 registered on Wednesday. Thats just a little over a typical API reading in Atlanta, GA, a city who also hosted a Summer Olympics. A general API range of 0-50 is considered to cause no adverse affects, with 50-100 creating acute problems to prolonged exposure. However, there have also been concerns as to how accurate the API scale really is since it collects an average from strategic points around the city, still leaving the potential for pockets of heavily polluted air to escape undetected. Just the past few days leading up to the Opening Ceremony of the Games, China authorities have drastically scaled back their pollution output by nearly 80% from less than a year ago by shutting down factories, scaling back traffic congestion, and overall restrictions to limit pollution. Du Shaozhong, deputy director of the Beijing municipal bureau of environmental protection, said, “Clouds and haze are not pollution. This kind of weather is a natural phenomenon. It has nothing to do with pollution.”

It may appear one one side that the Chinese have done a remarkable job in cutting down pollution, but the wù or wùran still exists. So what is it? One lingering question about the API levels reported out of Beijing has to do with a policy that the Chinese government has where they do not release data pertaining to the two of the most dangerous pollutants that can harm the respiratory system — ozone and fine particulate matter. Ozone pollutants come largely from vehicles, which should be reduced through the traffic restrictions that have now but put in place, however the concern over fine particulate matter as well as volatile organic compounds (VOCs) is another deep concern. Within Beijing there are a number of factories (which is nothing new), some of which are illegally run and operate at night to avoid scrutiny. Evidence of this can be found in the early morning, when the API is at its highest before the rush hour sets in. City officials plan on closing another 222 factories before the start of the games. More particulates in the air emerge from construction sites, where Beijing has been pushing to raise the city’s skylines. China is one of the fastest developing countries in the world with Beijing being a cornerstone of the nation’s production. As of 2006, China produced 34% of global steel. They consume about three times the amount of steel that the US uses, and make up approximately 2/3 of the steel consumption of all of Asia. Through the development and construction of new buildings, dust and other particulates enter the air, thus adding to the pollution problem. However, in an effort to get more ‘green,’ the Chinese government has been slowing their steel production and construction projects through September to assist in this problem as well.

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