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Going to The Great Wall of China and Resisting the Urge to Get a Subway Footlong

There may no longer be a Starbucks at The Forbidden City in China but there is a Subway sandwich shop at The Great Wall. Seriously.

You can find the footlong mecca at the entrance to the impressive 2.5-kilometer stretch of the Great Wall in Mutianyu. From here you can walk in, out and around several of the 22 watchtowers that were built during the early Ming dynasty.

Some of the steps are steep and tiny and, as to be expected, you need to watch where you're going.There are no handrails and very few informational signs. It's just you, the wall and silence (well, when the other tourists aren't chattering that is. We managed to grab a quick little video on our iPhone of the Mutianyu section. Enjoy!

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Paris Says Its, Uh, Monument is Bigger Than New York's

Someone's got issues.

That was our second thought when we saw this postcard in prime position at a Paris newsagent. Our first thought was "what the hell, is this a Vegas postcard or something?"

No, it seems that size really does matter to Parisians. Not only do they feel the need to boast about the size of their, uh, tower by plastering it in all its phallic glory over every piece of tourist tat, but also they're fully invested in the "our monument is more monumental than your monument" game, even though—yes—this Statue of Liberty does exist in Paris, though realistically on a far smaller scale. We can thank Photoshop for this fantasy depiction.

Poor old Lady Liberty. What we need now is for Dubai to make a similar postcard pitting Monsieur Eiffel up against the Burj Khalifa. That'll make the Parisian smugness wilt just a little.

[Photo: juliab]

Architecture Travel / Venice Travel / Italy Travel / Landmarks / → All Tags

If You're Freaked Out by a Leaning Big Ben in London, Beware Venice

In case you haven't heard, London's famous landmark Big Ben is leaning. The announcement was made just this month, with the detail that the very tippy top of the clock tower is 1.5 feet off center. This has naturally sparked fears that Big Ben may take a dive into the Thames, but—from all we know of Venice's various leaning towers, this won't happen in our liftetime...nor that of our children or children's children, so chillax.

For comparison, see the Campanile (bell tower) of Chiesa di Santo Stefano (St. Stephen's church) in our photo above. It's one of several towers with an impressive lean in La Serenissima, and it's been boozily tilting (and twisting) since it was rebuilt in the 1800s following a lightning strike nearly three centuries earlier. Although it's in constant danger of collapse, tourists still absentmindedly gather below it at pasticcerias and ristorantes.

Even worse is the 143' white campanile of San Giorgio dei Greci, which was completed in 1592 and has been leaning from the start. Paranoid travelers will now likely add "hard hat" to their Venice packing list, we suppose.

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Isle of Man Field Trip / Isle of Man Travel / Island Travel / Britain Travel / Photo Gallery / Historical Travel / Architecture Travel / Landmarks / → All Tags

A Weekend on the Isle of Man: Castles, More Castles and Some Crazy History

The Isle of Man is a mysterious place, a nearly sovereign territory out in the middle of the choppy Irish Sea between England and Ireland. What sort of people live there? What's there to see and do? These are all questions we wanted to answer, so we went ourselves...because why not? All this week we'll be sharing our experiences in this curious island destination.

Like you need another reason to rent a car and drive around the Isle of Man, but we have to say that the transition between architecture on the island is something else. It's like this: BOOM you're at a castle. BOOM you're on a Victorian promenade. BOOM you're along a harbour with a tide so low the boats stick in the mud. BOOM it's a fishing village. BOOM another castle. BOOM another castle. Yea, it's awesome. And here's the thing, that's only in a couple hours of exploring.

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Historical Travel / Riviera Maya Travel / Mexico Travel / Mayan Ruins / Landmarks / Cancun Travel / → All Tags

The Mayan Ruins Conundrum: Tulum or Cobá?

If you're a cruise-ship day-tripper or an eco-lovin' beach bum traveling in Mexico's Riviera Maya, you're no doubt familiar with Tulum.

The oceanfront site of the Mayan ruins make it one of the most visited historical sites in all of Mexico. But, there is a nearby alternative that's just as beautiful and a whole lot less crowded: the ruins at Cobá, about 30 miles inland from Tulum.

If you have a day to spare and can visit both cities like we did, go for it. You'll get to see a range of Mayan structures, including temples, ball courts, and pyramids, and experience two completely different settings. But if you have to choose between the two (each is a good half-day excursion if you're staying near Playa del Carmen, more if you're coming from Cancun), here are our pros and cons of each spot:

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The Musts of Bangkok: Boozing It Up Above the City at Sky Bar

These days, when you think of Bangkok, does the "Hangover 2" phrase "Holla, city of squalor" pop into mind? It did ours, until we freaking went there and got tangled in its web of awesomeness. Bangkok is truly a world metropolis to be experienced over more than a few days, but we'll be detailing several places and things that simply can't be left undone. Join us, but watch where you step.

You MUST have a drink on the 63rd floor Sky Bar overlooking the entire city.

Okay, we'll be the first to admit that Sky Bar at the Lebua Hotel at State Tower is possibly the most touristy place you could go in Bangkok, but that doesn't mean it's not an awesome experience we enjoyed in spite of ourselves. The image of the open-air round bar hanging out, seemingly a precipice, 63 stories above the city is a famous one. It's so famous that there are photography guards who do not allow guests to take any snapshots outside of the bar area itself.

If you can deal with those guards and the New York prices of the cocktails, then Sky Bar is an ideal little exclamation point at the end of a great trip to Bangkok. At the very least, you'll be struck with awe at the breadth of the metropolis.

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Taking in Cabaret at Paris' Original Crazy Horse

This week, Jaunted correspondent Heidi Atwal takes us along to Paris, uncovering the hidden bits found in between sessions of copious macaron and butter consumption. And we do mean copious. Make sure to check in daily for dispatches from the City of Light.

Al Pacino. JFK. Elizabeth Taylor. Upon entering the dimly lit black and red environs of Paris' famed Crazy Horse club, guests are met by a list of celebrities who have descended the same stairs to watch what may be the world's most famous cabaret show. Since its founding in 1951, Crazy Horse has greeted over five million audience members, opened an outpost in Las Vegas, and invited famous guests such as Dita Von Teese to perform in its provocative stage show.

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Cranky Angelenos Want to Create 'Tourist-Free Zone' Around the Hollywood Sign

Ever wanted your picture with the famous white "HOLLYWOOD" sign above Los Angeles? Of course you do, who doesn't? Well, LA residents apparently aren't a fan of the practice of hiking up into the hills for the bucket list photograph, especially LA residents who happen to live in the shadow of the letters themselves. They're fuming about a recent increase in tourists trekking near their property, and they're meeting to (try to) do something about it.

NBC Los Angeles fills us in on the NIMBY debate:

The homeowners trying to discourage sightseers, led by the Hollywoodland Homeowners Association, say the roads beneath the Hollywood sign are too narrow to accommodate both the residents and tourists who often come in tour vans and buses.

Tourists using smartphones can find a variety of suggestions when it comes to finding a viewing area, and some "rogue" websites encourage visitors to use private roads to reach the sign.

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The Three Best City Webcams for Live-Bragging Your Travel

Sometimes there's no better way to gloat about your travels than doing right in someone's face...virtually. This is why God made webcams (okay maybe also for security, weather and checking on traffic, but whatever). We've gather our three favorite major city street webcams together, for your future bragging pleasure:

· Abbey Road, London, UK
Hands down this is our favorite webcam on the internet. Not only is it huge with okay video quality and sound, but it's run by a legitimate website (Abbey Road Studios itself) and the thing has been around since at least 2003. We can vouch for it ourselves, having Beatles-walked across the zebra-stripe crossing a couple times, though we've yet to go barefoot a la Paul McCartney. In case you have no idea why this pedestrian crossing in the north of London is so famous, take a look at this.

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In April 2012, All Eyes Will Be Back on the White Star Line's Liverpool Headquarters

In April 2012, legions of Titanic buffs will likely descend on Liverpool, England to remember the centennial anniversary of the ship's tragic sinking. Why? Well, the ship didn't sail from Liverpool on her fatal maiden voyage, but Titanic's owner White Star Line was registered there, earning the ship the "Liverpool" painted on her stern as city of registration.

Additionally, most of the ship's crew was from Liverpool, and the White Star building—called Albion House—was home for the company from 1898 through 1927. Thus, its historical, striped facade is something of a tourist site, which has the capability to turn a bit morbid since, according to Wikipedia, "in 1912, when news of the disaster of the Titanic reached the offices, the officials were too afraid to leave the building, and instead read the names of the deceased from the balcony."

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The Top Ten US Toll Bridges Worth the Money

Uncle Jesse and Danny Tanner are just a toll away...

It’s the middle of July and the season for summer road trips has certainly arrived. There of course some obstacles to the perfect automobile expedition like gross bathrooms, highways rest stops, and way too many chips and candy serving as your lunch. Usually we’d add tolls to the list of annoying distractions out on the highway, but once in awhile there are a few that we really don’t mind paying.

Here’s our picks—in no particular order—for 10 Toll Bridges in the US where paying the fee is worth it:

· Golden Gate Bridge – San Francisco, California:
This is an obvious addition to the list and when you drive yourself from San Francisco over into Marin County—or the other way depending on where you’re headed—it’s easy to see why it’s so iconic. Traveling over the bridge will cost you $6 per car when you’re headed south into the city, so at least one of your crossings is on the house. If you need a closer look you can always pull off and head out on foot, as there is plenty of room for bicycles and pedestrians to cross the bridge as well.

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Israel Travel / Ancient History Travel / Landmarks / → All Tags

Israel's Caesarea: A Theater Balancing Both Antiquity and Modernity

The ancient port city of Caesarea should be a strong contender on anyone's Israel travel itinerary. During the days there are the Roman ruins to be explored, among the best preserved in the Middle East. They include carefully excavated living quarters, baths, and—most famously—a huge theater/colosseum finished around 10BC, because the Romans valued their entertainment. Those are for the tourists, something that we point out in a 100% non-denigrating way.

Of all the destinations on the interwebs, we take our tourism seriously. You should just know that that's what you're getting into.

But once the sun sets, and especially during the summer, there are all kinds of events and concerts that bring out younger and more local crowds. The modern town is one of Israel's most upscale areas, and the region is actually maintained by a private organization dedicated to economic and cultural development rather than by a city council.

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