Jaunted

Tags: Travel Bans / Greece Travel / Shoes / Ancient History Travel / Rules / → All Tags

Greece Says Leave Your High Heels At Home

If you've decided that this is the summer you're going to party in Greece, you'd better check your packing list and take out your high heels.

Officials in Greece are trying to get stiletto heels banned at important archaeological sites because these evil heels are damaging the ancient stuff. To quote Eleni Korka, a director taking care of such ancient sites:

Female visitors must wear shoes that do not wound the monuments. These monuments have a skin that suffers and people must realise that.

Too many tourists is a bit of a problem at many of the ancient sites in Greece - a few years ago they did a big clean-up of the Odeon of Herodes Atticus theater in Athens and removed 59 pounds of chewing gum stuck under the seats in the process. For some reason they haven't thought of banning chewing gum a la Singapore, but the anti-stiletto movement is growing strong.

Related Stories:
· Women Banned From Wearing Stilettos at Ancient Greek Sites [Daily Mail]
· Will This Be The Summer You Party in Greece? [Jaunted]
· Greece Travel Guide [Jaunted]

[Photo: **Mary**]

Tags: Know the Law / Dubai Travel / Religion / Rules / → All Tags

Dubai Is Not For Lovers or Hand-Holders

Choose your wardrobe carefully when packing for your next vacation in Dubai: things are getting a bit stricter.

We've accepted now that sex on the beach obviously offends local sensibilities and plan to refrain, but the stricter rules just announced for places like Dubai's mega shopping malls might not be so easy to follow. For a start, all fashion statements have to go out the window, and:

pants and skirts are to be of an appropriate length and clothing cannot be tight or transparent.

Kind of ironic for a shopping mall. On top of that, there is to be no kissing between men and women, and unless you're married, no holding hands either. Inappropriate behavior could lead to a prison sentences, authorities say. Having your vacation short just for holding hands with your boyfriend would make for a pretty sad travel story.

Related Stories:
· Dubai Bans Nudity, Dancing and Holding Hands [The Age]
· In Dubai, Sex on the Beach Could Lead to Prison [Jaunted]

[Photo: Sklathill]

Tags: Beijing Olympics / 2008 Olympics / Beijing Olympics 2008 / Rules / Restricted Travel / → All Tags

China Tells You What Not to Do at the Olympics

The best event of summer is undoubtedly going to be the Beijing Olympics. How do we know? China just released a fun "advisory to foreigners" telling visitors what they won't be allowed to do at the Olympic festivities in Beijing this August.

Though it's written for tourists, the advisory was only published in Chinese, so sadly we don't understand everything it says. The parts that have been translated are truly awesome examples of Chinese government strangeness.

The advisory is chock full of tips for optimal Olympic enjoyment. Among other things, it tells tourist what to do if they get "diarrhea or vomiting symptoms" at a Chinese restaurant. The advisory also contains stern warnings against insulting the Chinese flag or smuggling opium. Too bad: We were looking forward to those events!

Related Stories:
· China Lists Dos and Don'ts for Olympics-Bound Foreigners [NYT]
· Beijing Olympics coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Hunter Walker]