Tag: Wars View All Tags
Tags: Wars / World War II Travel / Japan Travel / Peace Travel / Hiroshima Travel / → All Tags
Today The World Remembers The Bombing Of Hiroshima
Sixty-four years ago today was the date that a little Japanese city by the name of Hiroshima entered the world's consciousness forever. It was on August 6, 1945 that the plane Enola Gay dropped the atomic bomb, resulting in the first use of a nuclear weapon in warfare and over 140,000 deaths almost immediate deaths.
It also happens to be the 119th anniversary of the first death penalty executed by electric chair, so today isn't exactly the brightest of days.
Tags: Dangerous Travel / Honduras Travel / Airport News / Wars / Travel Safety / TGU / Travel Warnings / → All Tags
Honduras Travel Gets Riskier After Weekend Airport Drama
Central America's most serious political crisis in years has Honduras sliding further into instability, and tourists are not surprisingly second-guessing trips to the tiny nation.
Exiled President Manuel Zelaya played at a return to Honduras on Sunday, borrowing a plane from Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez and attempting to fly back into Toncontin International Airport in the capital, Tegucigalpa. But as clashes broke out between Zelaya supporters and police, soldiers blocked the runway and the ousted leader decided not to risk a crash landing—perhaps he was aware that even without the demonstrators, TGU is already one of the world's most dangerous airports.
Tags: Travel Warnings / Honduras Travel / Wars / Travel Safety / → All Tags
Is It Still Safe To Travel To Honduras?
We bet that there a more than a few of you out there clutching tickets to Honduras, while shaking in your boots over the current military coup situation and wondering whether or not to cancel your vacation. This is why god invented trip insurance, and we recommend that if you have it, now would be the time to cash in on it.
We know that the Honduran Bay Islands are famous for scuba diving with whale sharks, but there's a friggin' military coup playing out back in the capital Tegucigalpa, and we paid enough attention back in junior high history class to know that it means potentially violent demonstrations, soldiers with guns in the streets, and a generally confused and upset populace. These elements, unlike malibu rum and pina colada mix, do not combine to form a perfectly relaxing vacation away.
Tags: Events / Chicago / Wars / Food Travel / Festivals / Washington / Music Festivals / → All Tags
This Weekend In the World: Giant Turkey Legs, Bachata and World War II
· Chicago
All we should have to say to convince you to attend the first weekend of Chicago's Taste of Chicago is "Midwest's Largest Food Festival." Yes, this shindig based around celebrating giant turkey legs, pulled pork sandwiches and vienna dogs incorporates all the greatest indigestion-inducing foods with some of the muggiest days of the year. And it couldn't get any better. Arm yourself with wet naps and head to Grant Park from June 26 through July 5; the busiest days happen right around the Fourth, so this weekend should be some good eating.
Tags: Historical-Battles-Map / Wars / Historical Travel / England Travel / World War II Travel / → All Tags
Re-Enacting History: Tanks, Rocket Launchers and 300 Jeeps...Oh My!
Along with the tasty barbeques and popping fireworks of the middle of summer come the re-enactments of historical battles. To help you plan fun excursions to watch guns go off, we're listing our favorite battle re-enactment sites all this week. Any suggestions or questions? Let us know.
Let's be real here for a moment: as we've rounded up all of our favorite military re-enactments this week, we've just been holding out for the one featuring as many tanks as possible, and we think we've found it: The War & Peace Show in Kent, England.
Billed as "The Largest Military Vehicle Spectacular In the World," the War & Peace show gathers all of the green and drab-painted, rocket-launching, all-terrain-running machines out there for four days—July 22-26— of trading wartime tidbits on a farm outside of London. The action doesn't end there however, as parades of both axis and allied re-enactors march by, 1940s fashions walk a runway, 4x4 owners drive an offroad course, and helicopter rides take fair attendees for 10-minute rides over the English countryside.
Really though, all they had to do was say "we've got tanks," and we'd be there.
Related Stories:
· War and Peace Show 2009 [Official Site]
· Historical Travel Coverage [Jaunted]
[Photo: War and Peace Show]
Tags: Historical-Battles-Map / Wars / Historical Travel / England Travel / World War II Travel / → All Tags
Re-Enacting History: Battle Of Britain Rages Again This Weekend
Along with the tasty barbeques and popping fireworks of the middle of summer come the re-enactments of historical battles. To help you plan fun excursions to watch guns go off, we're listing our favorite battle re-enactment sites all this week. Any suggestions or questions? Let us know.
You don't much more hardcore than driving amphibious DUKW vehicles, setting off pyrotechnics, calling in the British Legion and enlisting more than twenty re-enactment societies to carry out a weekend of World War II encampment outside of Birmingham, UK. Don't worry, there will also be a beer tent at this weekend's "Wartime In the Vale" at Ashdown World War 2 Camp spectacle.
Beginning with a salute flight on Saturday as a memorial to the Battle of Britain, the re-enactments and 1940s festivities hit high gear on Saturday night with live entertainment by "The Forces Sweethearts," a war song singalong, and a burlesque performance by Kitten Von Mew.
If you happen to fly into Birmingham on a European LCC this weekend and have some time to kill, or can make the trip over from London, tickets for the weekend are £6 per adult, or £12 for a whole family. We say drop the kiddies off in the children's area with mini Land Rover rides and make a bee-line for the bomb displays and aforementioned beer tent.
Related Stories:
· Wartime In the Vale: Ashdown WW2 Camp [Official Site]
· Historical Travel Coverage [Jaunted]
[Photo: BrianTaylor42]
Tags: Historical-Battles-Map / Wars / Historical Travel / Philadelphia / → All Tags
Re-Enacting History: Revolutionary Germantown in Philly
Along with the tasty barbeques and popping fireworks of the middle of summer come the re-enactments of historical battles. To help you plan fun excursions to watch guns go off, we're listing our favorite battle re-enactment sites all this week. Any suggestions or questions? Let us know.
So you've seen a little French & Indian War action and even some Samurai swordplay, but nothing's more prevalent in the Northeast when it comes to re-enacting battles than the Revolutionary War, and Philadelphia has your fix.
When the leaves begin to fall in October, war history buffs will get together in the historical quarter of Philly to re-enact the 1777 Battle of Germantown, the only conflict within city limits. Aside from shooting blanks, there will be eight historic sites to visit where you can interact with locals who love their city's olden days. While there is a fee of $10 to visit all of the spots of the festival, it encompasses traditional residences and a shuttle bus between all points. And let's face it; this re-enactment is fare more convenient to NYC-dwelling folk than the Fort Niagara one.
Related Stories:
· Revolutionary Germantown [Official Site]
· Revolutionary Germantown Festival [GoPhila]
· Historical Travel Coverage [Jaunted]
[Photo: michael feagan]
Tags: Historical-Battles-Map / Wars / Historical Travel / Japan Travel / → All Tags
Re-Enacting History: Swordfighting And Samurais In Mt. Fuji's Shadow
Along with the tasty barbeques and popping fireworks of the middle of summer come the re-enactments of historical battles. To help you plan fun excursions to watch guns go off, we're listing our favorite battle re-enactment sites all this week. Any suggestions or questions? Let us know.
Back in the 16th century when warlords Shingen and Kenshin were fighting for territory around the area which is currently Nagano prefecture near Tokyo, a series of deadly battles took place at Kawanakajima, killing over 7,000 samurai by both sword and gun—or seppuku ritual suicide for the wounded.
These days, a battle is re-enacted every April with over 900 volunteer warriors dressed in armor and costumes of the period, but the battle grounds have moved further inland to Yamanashi prefecture. It's actually an area of popular natural spas, so bring your swimsuit and prepare for a weekend of relaxation and watching fake disembowelment.
To reach Yamanashi, take the JR Chuo Line train for 90 minutes from Shinjuku Station to Isawa Onsen Station. If you love historical re-enactments, sushi and long plane flights, this would be the battle for you.
Related Stories:
· Isawa Onsen [att-Japan]
· Historical Travel Coverage [Jaunted]
[Photo: Japan Today]
Tags: Historical-Battles-Map / Wars / Historical Travel / History / Fourth of July Travel / → All Tags
Re-Enacting History: Battle of Fort Niagara's July Fourth Bash
Along with the tasty barbeques and popping fireworks of the middle of summer come the re-enactments of historical battles. To help you plan fun excursions to watch guns go off, we're listing our favorite battle re-enactment sites all this week.. Any suggestions or questions? Let us know.
With the Fourth of July coming up way too quickly, we've got to start deciding on where we'll be unfolding our portable chairs and breaking out the iced tea, and New York State's Old Fort Niagara Historic Site seems like a serious contender with their scheduled 2,300-strong re-enactment of the 1759 siege of the Fort. Although the siege actually lasted three weeks, this year's 250th anniversary of the French and Indian War will only be a weekend of remembrance.
Head up to the limestone "French Castle" fort, see artillery barrages, musket volleys and skirmishes from the fort's walls, stroll through the re-enactors' "living history camps" and watch demonstrations of 18th-century military life. Or just eat hot dogs and take pictures with people wearing period outfits; whatever floats your boat.
Related Stories:
· Old Fort Niagara [Official Site]
· Siege re-enactment draws thousands of history buffs to New York's Fort Niagara [USA Today]
· Historical Travel Coverage [Jaunted]
[Photo: David Duprey, AP]
Tags: History Travel / Pol Pot / Wars / Dangerous Travel / Khmer Rouge / → All Tags
Holiday In Cambodia: Khmer Rouge Historical Sites to Be Developed for Tourism
The era of Pol's Pot's Khmer Rouge is among the most brutal and horrific of any in history, resulting in the death of about a quarter of the Cambodian population. This grisly fact is reason enough for the government of present-day Cambodia to implement a $1 million plan to develop 15 Khmer Rouge sites for tourism - including Pol Pot's cremation site (pictured) - and charge tourists admission to see for themselves where the bad stuff went down. As the AP points out, the landmarks in Anlong Veng include Khmer Rouge hideouts, execution sites, and battlefields, all serene reminders of the atrocities that took place from 1975 to 1979.
