Hofburg / Hofburg

Vienna Offers More than Mozart, Museums and Hapsburg Palaces

Europe, Travel

Dining at quirky cafes near the city’s oldest farmer’s market, dancing in a music festival on an island stretching along the Danube river – it’s hard to imagine Vienna as just a monument to Imperial glory. It was the seat of the Holy Roman Empire before becoming the center of the Hapsburg Dynasty and the Austro-Hungarian Empire, which included 15 different nationalities. Then came two world wars and a dreary period of postwar recovery. Vienna seemed overshadowed; stuck in the past, getting by on opera and apple strudel. But today Vienna is a city humming with creative energy. The grand 19th-century buildings that define the city co-exist with cafés, galleries and boutiques in revitalized neighborhoods.

Anthony Bourdain kisses the cod at Christian's Pub in St. John's Newfoundland

Come from Away to Discover Newfoundland, Canada’s Colorful Rock

Culture, North America, Travel

The taxi driver greets me with, “How’s she gettin’ on?” (How are you?), then introduces himself, “Call me Andy, m’luv.” Firm friendship established, Andy and I cheerfully chat on the way in from the airport at Deer Lake, Newfoundland. When a comment of mine evokes a great belly laugh, he sputters, “I dies at you,” (you’re funny).

This is Newfoundland English, affectionately called Newfinese. A wonderfully expressive patois, it has its own dictionary and a wide variety of expressions to challenge the most agile mind. Someone who is upset might have a ‘face like a boiled boot’ and a muggy, foggy day is ‘mauzy’. Hungry? In Newfinese, you’re ‘gut-foundered’. Lost? You might be told to “stay where you’re at ‘til I comes where you’re to.”
The people of Newfoundland, with their distinctive blend of West Country English/Irish/French accent, are charming. The Blarney Stone’s effects clearly are imbedded in the Irish genes. Their friendliness is legendary, welcoming each ‘come from away’ (someone not from Newfoundland) with warmth and good humor.

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New Designs Could Change Where and How We Sit on Airplanes

Business, Travel

Summer travel is in full swing. The days of open middle seats are fading fast. As airlines move toward full capacity some industry suppliers are imagining new ways to redesign aircraft interiors. Their goal: maximize airline profits while keeping crowded passengers comfortable in both business and economy classes. One design features fold-down seats that allow an entire family to recline while watching a movie.

Airbus Coach Cabin

Social distancing could produce larger airline seats or the illusion of more space. Does it matter?

Business, Travel

When the coronavirus pandemic began in early 2020, it sent airlines scrambling. All airline companies were challenged to implement health policies that would keep travelers and employees safe. Strict mask mandates and demands for social distancing forced airlines to consider new configurations of aircraft cabins to increase passenger comfort while maintaining the same level of…