Unwitting travelers landing in Sydney this week might find no room at the inn: It's World Youth Day and at least 215,000 young Catholics are already registered to be in Sydney for the week, with more arriving unannounced.
Pope Benedict XVI has already turned up and is apparently staying in a retreat where even a pet cat has been provided to suit him. Parades and events run from Tuesday to Sunday this week, with the pope-mobile getting an outing on Thursday when the Papal Motorcade runs through downtown Sydney.
A recent Travel + Leisure survey put the city at number four on its list of the most popular places for travelers, so all these young Catholics should enjoy themselves. The only people who are really annoyed are the owners of expensive hotels--one place that youth don't tend to book.
It may cost $1.55 to buy a euro, but President Bush is still enjoying high season in Europe. The commander in chief has been on a whirlwind tour of the Continent since June 9, making stops from Slovenia to the UK.
Bush started his tour in Slovenia, which he once confused with Slovakia. After hobnobbing with European Union officials, he left for Germany to chat with Chancellor Angela Merkel. Later he flew to Italy for a two-stop meeting: After talking with Silvio Berlusconi, Bush skipped over to the Vatican for an audience with Pope Benedict XVI.
Later, after breakfast in Paris, the president crossed the Channel to the UK. His last stop was in Belfast, where he presumably changed his pounds back into dollars--and started planning his next trip to a place where the greenback is stronger.
His Holiness has arrived. Pope Benedict XVI has touched down at Andrews Air Force Base, where President Bush met him as he deplaned from Shepherd One. He's got plenty of meetings planned, but the pope will also be doing some tourist stuff. (Wednesday is the guy's 81st birthday, so we hope he has something fun planned!)
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by amandak
