Capogiro Gelato, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Made with the freshest ingredients (such as milk from Amish grass-fed cows), the artisan gelatos and sorbettos handcrafted each day at Capogiro Gelato include flavors not seen anywhere else—Madagascar bourbon vanilla, melograno (pomegranate), nocciola Piemonte (hazelnut), Saigon cinnamon, Thai coconut milk (with a dash of rum), and zucca (long-neck pumpkin).
Planning: Capogiro has four cafés in Philadelphia.
 

Ted Drewes Frozen Custard, St. Louis, Missouri
Made from fresh cream, eggs, and sugar, frozen custard is a midwestern dessert that looks, tastes, and acts like its close cousin, ice cream. The stand on Grand Boulevard has been open since 1931, serving frozen custard in cones, shakes, root-beer floats, and house specialties, such as Hawaiian Delight and Crater Copernicus.
Planning: Drewes has several locations in St. Louis.
 

Bombay Ice Creamery, San Francisco, California
Some of the planet’s best Indian ice cream can be sampled here, in the Hispanic Mission District. On offer are flavors such as chiku (sapodilla), cardamom, chai-tea, saffron, rose, and ginger, rarely found beyond the Indian subcontinent. Traditional kulfi (a frozen milk dessert) is also on the menu, plus lassi (yogurt drinks).
Planning: The opening hours change with the seasons, so check before planning a visit.

Devon House, Kingston, Jamaica
Built in the late 19th century as the home of Jamaica’s first black millionaire, Devon House is a masterpiece of Caribbean Victorian architecture and home to the island’s most celebrated ice-cream stand. The 27 flavors run a broad gamut from traditional cherry and pistachio to exotic island treats like mango, coconut, and soursop. There is even an offbeat, beer-based ice cream called Devon Stout. Grab a cone and recline in the sprawling gardens.
Planning: Devon House is in central Kingston. Admission includes a tour of the house and access to the gardens.
 

Helados Scannapieco, Buenos Aires, Argentina
This tiny, no-frills shop seems little changed from 1938, when Italian immigrants Andres and Josefina Scannapieco first opened the doors. Members of the Scannapieco clan still make ice cream the way the family have for 70 years. The menu runs 50 flavors deep, from chocolate and vanilla to other delights, such as durazno (peach), canela (cinnamon), lemon champagne, and caipirinha (a Brazilian cocktail made with cachaça and lime).
Planning: Helados Scannapieco is at Avenida Córdoba 4826 in the Palermo district.

Ice Cream City, Tokyo, Japan
With dozens of stands selling more than 300 flavors between them, Tokyo’s appropriately named Ice Cream City offers some of the planet’s more unusual ice creams, from soy chicken and orchid root to sea-island salt and unagi (eel). If you have more conventional tastes, Italian gelato and American ice cream sundaes are also available.
Planning: Ice Cream City is part of the food-themed section of the Namja Town amusement park in the Sunshine City shopping complex 15 minutes’ walk from Ikebukuro station.

Glacé, Sydney, Australia
Glacé is celebrated for its cutting-edge, ice-cream-based desserts, such as bombe Alaska, checkerboard terrines, and chocolate-dipped petit fours. Rose petal, vanilla bean, strawberry pistachio, and Belgian chocolate count among its signature flavors.
Planning: Glacé has one retail outlet, at 27 Marion Street in Sydney’s Leichhardt district.

A’jia Hotel, Istanbul, Turkey
There is nothing more romantic than a summer evening beside the Bosporus, especially when you are having ice cream on the outdoor terrace of the A’jia Hotel. The dessert menu includes fried vanilla ice cream, passionfruit sorbet, and traditional Turkish dondurma (ice cream) made from goats’ milk.
Planning: Located on the western shore of the Bosporus, the A’jia is a 19th-century mansion transformed into a hip new waterfront hangout.

Vaffelbageriet, Copenhagen, Denmark
Tivoli Gardens amusement park is the venue for this century-old ice-cream outlet. The specialty is ice cream served in a large waffle cone, called the Amerikaner, which takes up to four scoops plus syrupy topping, whipped cream, and chocolate-covered meringue puff (rather than a maraschino cherry).
Planning: Tivoli Gardens is in central Copenhagen, and is open from mid-April through late September. The entertainments include concerts, rides, and 40 restaurants.

Perchè No!, Florence, Italy
Going since 1939, Perchè No!—Why not!—sells intensely flavored ice cream produced fresh on the premises each day. The selection varies, but favorites include honey and sesame seed, green tea, and a rich coffee crunch with pieces of chocolate. They also sell a wide assortment of fruit sorbets and granitas.
Planning: Perchè No! is in Via dei Tavolini, about two minutes’ walk from the Duomo.

travel.nationalgeographic.com

Holiday Inn Shanghai Pudong Kangqiao's swimming pool has an exceptional view, as the image above shows.

Part of the indoor pool, which perches atop the 24-story hotel, protrudes from the main building and is suspended mid-air. Its bottom is constructed with toughened glass.



This gives guests a delirious sense of swimming in the sky -- they can see the street clearly down below while passers-by on Xiuyan Lu can see the swimmers way up above.

"I felt as if I was flying in the sky -- I could also enjoy the beautiful scenery of Pudong from here ... it's so cool and wonderful," a swimmer told CCTV.


First of its kind in China

Exactly 30 meters long (about 98 feet), six meters wide (20 feet) and 1.5 meters deep (5 feet), the swimming pool is the first of its kind in China. It was designed by Singaporean firm Chan Sau Yan Associates, which helmed the interior design of the four-star hotel.

The Holiday Inn Shanghai branch said it gathered input from various architects and even aerospace experts while constructing this sky-high glass-bottomed water container to ensure its safety.

The hotel did not reveal the pool's construction cost.

The 390-room, four-star hotel -- which opened in May 2011, is located in the booming suburb of Kangqiao, which is some 22 kilometers southeast from Shanghai downtown and 30 kilometers west of Shanghai Pudong International Airport.

According to the staff working at the hotel's gym, the swimming pool is open to hotel guests and a limited number of health club members.

Annual membership for the gym starts from about $2,400 per person.

Prague’s Dancing House is one of the most famous buildings in Europe. It was designed by Czech architect Vlado Milunic in co-operation with Canadian architect Frank O. Gehry. The building Commissioned by the Dutch Bank ING, was constructed between 1992-1996 in deconstructivist style. It resembles two dancers, with the glass construction in the shape of a women wearing a skirt. This is why the building is also being called “Fred and Ginger”.

On the 7th floor of the Dancing House is the French restaurant “Celeste”. Here you can enjoy delightful cuisine and magnificent views over the Vltava River and Prague Castle.

London, United Kingdom
If you want to see London at its most spectacular, go in 2012. In June, the city will celebrate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee with all due pomp and circumstance (including a huge parade and a flotilla of 1,000 boats on the Thames). And in July and August, of course, the eyes of the world will be on London as it hosts the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Will it be crowded? Sure. But it'll be unforgettable.

New York City, New York
Here's what we tell friends who are visiting New York for the first time: See the Empire State Building, Times Square and the museums first. Go to at least one Broadway show. But then pick a neighborhood—any neighborhood—to explore in-depth. It's impossible to see all NYC has to offer in a single trip, but focusing on, say, African-American culture in Harlem or immigrant history on the Lower East Side can be quite rewarding.

Rome, Italy
Rome is one of those cities you could spend a year in and still feel like you've barely scratched its surface. Amazing historical sites, mind-blowing art—and then there's the food. Stop at the Forno in the Campo de' Fiori for a fresh slice of pizza bianca (cut from a piping hot six-foot-long slab of it), buy some tiny strawberries in a street market, and make it your business to find the city's best gelato. Someone has to do it.

Paris, France
Everyone wants to see the major sights of Paris—and it's true, it'd be criminal to leave town without visiting the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, etc. But to truly appreciate this city, you need to get away from the tourist sights. Plunk yourself down at a table in a small café, enjoy a glass of wine and watch le monde go by.

San Francisco, California
Who cares about a little fog (okay, a lot of fog) when there’s so much to do in San Francisco? By day, explore Fisherman’s Wharf and the Aquarium of the Bay, ride a cable car, and stroll around the Presidio; by night, have a fabulous dinner (at a Michelin-starred restaurant or a tiny place in Chinatown), then hit some of the best clubs on the West Coast.

Marrakech, Morocco
It's easy to lose yourself in the narrow, winding streets of the Medina—and we mean that both literally and metaphorically. Smell the spices in the air, brush up on your haggling at a local souk, then sip mint tea in the Majorelle Garden. End your day lounging in the rooftop garden of your riad, watching the sun set over this timeless city.

Istanbul, Turkey
The city of Istanbul is a vibrant mix of many cultures, due in part to its location (straddling Europe and Asia across the Bosphorus Strait) and, well, in part to its history of getting conquered. The Hagia Sophia, for example, was a church, then a mosque and is now a museum. You'll spot Greek, Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman architecture around town.

Barcelona, Spain
Architecture buffs should make a beeline for Barcelona. The medieval and Roman buildings in the Gothic Quarter (Barri Gotic) provide quite a contrast to Antoni Gaudi's fanciful architecture, which you'll find all around the city. A visit to his still-unfinished Church of the Sacred Family (Templo Expiatorio de la Sagrada Familia) is a must.

Siem Reap, Cambodia
Most travelers don't come to Siem Reap because they're dying to explore Siem Reap—they come to Siem Reap because it's the closest city to the amazing Angkor Archaeological Park. And Siem Reap is absolutely fine with that. In fact, it's a bit of a tourism boomtown. You'll find a wide range of hotels, restaurants and nightclubs here, many of them brand-new.

Berlin, Germany
Berlin is a multi-faceted city. So feast your eyes on modern architecture, then visit a Baroque palace. Spend the day at one of the world's finest zoos, then spend the evening listening to one of the world's finest orchestras. Most travelers make a point of taking in more serious WWII-related sights as well. TripAdvisor travelers give particularly high marks to the grim but thorough and thought-provoking Topography of Terror exhibit.

Chicago, Illinois

If you’re a history buff and a die-hard foodie, Chicago’s your kind of town. Take an architectural-history walking tour, then dine at Alinea (the most celebrated molecular-gastronomy restaurant in the U.S.). And don’t miss the Museum of Science and Industry, the biggest science museum in the Western Hemisphere.

Florence, Italy
Everyone’s heard the Doors of Paradise, the Duomo, and Michelangelo’s David are captivating, but in Florence, beauty can sneak up on a traveler unexpectedly. You’ll duck into a random church to escape the heat only to spend two hours staring at an impossibly pure blue in a fresco. Or you’ll consider writing a sonnet about pear gelato. It’s just that kind of place. Don't miss the sunset over the Arno and the famous wines of the Chianti region just south of town.

Buenos Aires, Argentina
We think it's time to stop calling Buenos Aires the "Paris of South America." As anyone who's been there will tell you, this city has a spirit all its own. Spend a day visiting the city's many fine museums and the amazing Recoleta cemetery, then hit the modern Puerto Madero neighborhood at night to take your pick of the city's coolest restaurants and clubs.

Sydney, Australia
Sydney has so much to offer—amazing museums, a vibrant arts scene, great beaches nearby, restaurants serving any cuisine you can think of—that everyone who visits inevitably becomes jealous of the locals. If you visit during the Vivid Sydney festival (late May-early June), you'll be treated to spectacular lighting installations all around the city.

Beijing, China
The Summer Palace, the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven—what traveler can resist attractions with such poetic names? You'll also find stunning contemporary architecture in Beijing, and no visit would be complete without seeing the Great Wall of China. (TripAdvisor travelers recommend the section at Mutianyu because it's less crowded.)

Prague, Czech Republic
Sure, everyone’s heard of it, but it’s still a grand city with extraordinary historic and cultural sights, and it’s definitely worth a visit. The often-rebuilt Prague Castle has overlooked the city since the 9th century, and the synagogues and cemetery of the Jewish Quarter are must-sees. Nightlife here is diverse and plentiful, from trendy clubs to sophisticated wine bars to late-night cellar bars.

Las Vegas, Nevada
In Las Vegas, you’ll find restaurants run by the world’s finest chefs, opulent spas, and sophisticated hotels… along with penny slots, Elvis impersonators, and indoor Venetian canals (complete with gondoliers). Why come here? Because there is simply no other place on the planet like Las Vegas. And we wouldn’t have it any other way.

Bora Bora, French Polynesia
Bora makes quite a first impression. Admire turquoise lagoons from the perimeter road that traces its 19-mile circumference. There is a bounty of activities packed into this small space. Get your feet wet at the Lagoonarium, the Diving Center, the Coral Gardens or the Leopard Rays Trench. After an energetic day, contemplate these watery wonders from the lofty heights of 2300-foot Mount Otemanu or while strolling through palm-studded Matira Point.

Shanghai, China
Shanghai is the cool, confident face of modern China, and its energy is infectious. Drink and dance the night away in fashionable clubs and bars, or watch the crowds go by in People’s Square. And if you haven’t eaten Chinese food in China, be prepared for your mind to be blown. 

Honolulu, Hawaii
Honolulu is a legendary surfing destination. But even if you don’t know a boogie board from a surfboard, you’ll find a beach here that appeals to you (and, if you want to learn the difference, you can find a great instructor to teach you). Swimming, kayaking, snorkeling, outrigger canoeing or just sunbathing… it’s all available in Honolulu.

Los Angeles, California
Hit the beach in Santa Monica or Venice, go celebrity-spotting at the Chateau Marmont, ride the roller coasters at Universal Studios Hollywood… there are almost too many options! History buffs will love a visit to Olvera Street, the city’s oldest and home to many stalls selling Mexican crafts. And for something you won’t see anywhere else, check out the bubbling (and, erm, uniquely fragrant) La Brea Tar Pits.

New Orleans, Louisiana
With a new mission statement, "Soul Is Waterproof," New Orleans is back. The city's walkable historic core, including Faubourg Marigny, the French Quarter, Warehouse and Arts District, Magazine Street, the Garden District, Audubon Park and Zoo and St. Charles Avenue, are flourishing anew and eager to welcome visitors once again. Whether for the jazz, the nightlife, the hopping gay scene, the food, the culture, or for that distinctive joie de vivre, it's time to head back to the Crescent City.

Cape Town Central, South Africa
Cape Town glistens at the southern toe of the African continent. Tourist brochure-views at Blaauwberg Beach and Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens are within easy driving distance of "The Mother City." The Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve provides sweeping sea vistas, hiking trails and wildlife encounters. On a more somber note, travelers can visit Robben Island, the prison where Nelson Mandela was held for 27 years.

Chiang Mai, Thailand
Spend your time in Chiang Mai visiting historic sites, eating delicious street food, and, oh, perhaps bathing and feeding an elephant. Several local elephant camps compete for your business (read our reviews to determine which one is best for you). Chiang Mai is also a great place to take a cooking class, according to TripAdvisor travelers.

Dublin, Ireland
It's easy to love Dublin. Where else can you legitimately learn about local history and culture by visiting multiple pubs? (Side note: you can't say you hate Guinness until you've had it in Dublin. It's different. And it's fantastic.) Leave time for a stroll along the Liffey, a peek at the Book of Kells and, on a more serious note, a visit to the Kilmainham Gaol Historical Museum.

via tripadvisor.com

10. Breast Pumping: A lady decided that it was appropriate to use a breast pump during boarding. She fully exposed both breasts and with just a bottle (not with a baby) did the vacuum effect on her fully exposed boob. Let me remind you this was both breasts out in the air, on a full flight, during boarding, taxi, take-off and part of cruise.

9. Breast Milk Drippage: A few passengers notified me of something leaking from the overhead bins down onto their heads. The look on the men's faces was priceless when a woman stood up and said, “OMG ... My breast milk! It's not frozen anymore and it's leaking what should I do?!"

8. Blankets and Boogers: A passenger in first class rang her call light. She handed me her blanket and asked if I could give her a new one. I was puzzled since everyone had started the flight with a fresh blanket. I looked down at the blanket and it was all wet and slimy with boogers. I felt so grossed out—like I was going to hurl—as I tossed it into a plastic bag.

7. Impromptu Snacking: A first class passenger picked something off his bare feet...and ate it. I saw it myself!

6. Jump Seat No-no: A passenger sat down on the back galley flight attendant jump seat "waiting on the lavatory." A flight attendant told him he couldn't sit there. After I came out of the lav and sat down, we realized that he had urinated on the jump seat!

5. Pedicures: Lady using the "ped egg" on her feet. And then tried to dump her foot shavings in my trash.

4. A Little Laundry: A first class passenger took off his soggy socks and dried them by putting them over the air vent above his seat. Passengers all the way back in coach complained about the smell.

3. Lost Panties: I was helping clean the plane at one of our out-stations so we could turn the plane on time and found a pair of bloody panties in the seat pocket. This is why we wear gloves.

2. Adult Diapers: Someone shed their humongous Depends adult diapers on the toilet seat—yep, shed like a creature shedding its sea-shell, and they were left perfectly wide open and obviously used on top of the toilet lid, for the next passenger.

1. Going No. 2: A passenger used the tissue (out of the tissue box dispenser in the restroom) to clean up after their bowel movement. They then placed the used tissues back into the tissue box. A fellow flight attendant reached into the tissue dispenser for a tissue and ... discovered the issue firsthand.

 

via foxnews.com

Oui Oui Paree! You'll fall in love with this romantic city more and more the longer you stay to explore its sights and take in the French culture. Paris simply has a certain je ne sais quoi - that special something that you can't quite put your finger on, but whatever it is, it makes you want to linger in Paris for as long as possible.

#1 Open Double Decker Bus Tour


A bus tour is a MUST for all first time visitors to Paris. Do it your first day to get oriented to the city and to decide which things you'd like to go back and see on subsequent vacation days. I highly recommend the L'Open Tour which is an open deck tour so you can get an unobstructed view of the city. You can buy either a one or two day pass which allows you unlimited bus access to their 4 tour routes over the given time period. It is great because you can tour at your own pace hopping on and off as you desire. When you purchase tickets they supply a cheap set of headphones that can be plugged into jacks near the seats throughout the bus. The headphones carry commentaries about the various Paris sites along the tour routes in 8 different languages (French, English, Spanish, Japanese, German, Russian, Chinese and Italian basket). The buses drive by just about all of the major sites in Paris including Montemarte, the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, the Arc de Triomphe and 50 other sites.

#2 Top of the Eiffel Tower


What would Paris be without the Eiffel Tower? Taking a ride on an elevator to one of the viewing platforms at the top of the tower is a must do for anyone visiting Paris. This iron icon was built in 1889 for a World's Fair that marked the 100 year celebration of the French Revolution. It was named after its builder, Gustave Eiffel.

Over 6 million people visit the Eiffel tower every year. Ticket booths at the base of the tower sell tickets for access to either the stairs or the elevator (lift) up and the three platforms at the top of the tower. The views from the highest platform are breathtaking. You can descend back down from the 2nd platform either via the lift or 340 steps. For specific ticket information and hours of operation, visit the Official Eiffel Tower Website.

#3 Sunset River Cruise on the Seine


What better way to see the City of Lights (La Ville-lumière), than by cruising down the Seine River as the sun is setting over the Eiffel Tower and all the other sites of Paris?

Bateaux Parisien offers a Night Sightseeing cruise that departs right across the street from the Eiffel Tower and lasts approximately one hour. They cruise from the Eiffel past many of the major sights along the river to a bit past the Notre Dame Cathedral where they turn around and return to the departure point. This is the most affordable sunset cruise option, but there are also other dinner cruises available. For more information, visit the Bateaux Parisiens website.

#4 Notre Dame Cathedral


One of the most enduring symbols of Paris, the Notre Dame Cathedral sits on the eastern half of the Île de la Cité (one of the natural islands in the Seine River). Begun in 1163 and finished in 1345, this cathedral is a sight to behold with its French Gothic Architecture. It features flying buttresses, portals surrounded by ornate carvings and many gargoyles on the roof.

Taking a walk around the entire cathedral, touring the interior, and walking up the 387 steps to the top of the towers should be on the list of things to do for every Parisian tourist. The climb to the top of the towers can be exhausting, but is well worth the effort to get a panoramic view of the area and see all those famous gargoyles up close (enter through a separate door to the left of the facade as you face it). For detailed information about touring the Cathedral, visit their official website.

#5 Champs Elysees & Arc de Triomphe


Taking a walk down the city's most famous avenue (the Champs Elysees) to Napoleon's most notable legacy to Paris (the Arc de Triomphe) is a grand walk for anyone visiting the city. Unfortunately, the cobblestones and click clacks of horse drawn fairy tale carriages have been replaced by screeching cars and a line of chain restaurants along the Champs Elysees. Nevertheless, this famous street which extends from the Jardin de Tuileries to the Arc de Triomphe is worth a walk. The colossal arch itself was planned by Napoleon to commemorate all of his military successes (the names of generals are carved in the top and inside of the arch) and was completed in 1836. The arch stands a whopping 164 feet tall and holds the tomb of France's unknown soldier from WWI. You can access the arch via an underground passage and then climb to the platform via 284 steps or take a lift (and a few steps too).

#6 Sainte Chapelle Church


Near the Notre Dame Cathedral on the Île de la Cité island is a little Gothic gem known as Sainte Chapelle (Holy Church). Consisting of a plain lower chapel for servants and an ornate stained glass laden upper chapel (reserved for the king and court member), Sainte Chapelle was built around 1248. Nearly two-thirds of the stained-glass windows are authentic because they were removed during WWII. Much of the rest of the chapel had to be reconstructed due to damage during the French Revolution and WWII. Nevertheless, it is a stunning display of Gothic Architecture. For more information, visit the National Monuments Center's Website.

#7 Les Invalides (Napoleon's Tomb)


Les Invalides (built in 1679) is a complex of buildings that house the military museums and monuments, a hospital and a retirement home for war veterans. The must see attraction at Les Invalides is the tomb of Napoleon Bonaparte who died in 1821. A huge marble sarcophagus sits directly under the ornate, hand-painted chapel dome (designed by Jules Hardouin-Mansart and painted by Charles de La Fosse). Other members of Napoleon's family and many of France's war heroes are also buried here. For more information, visit Invalides.org.

#8 Musee d'Orsay


Art lovers, especially those that are fans of impressionist paintings and marble sculptures, will go weak in the knees at the mention of the Musee d'Orsay. Housed in a former railway station, the museum holds French art dating from 1848 to 1915 with an extensive collection of paintings from Renoir, Monet, Van Gogh, Manet, Degas and so many more. The interior of the museum in and of itself is a work of art with breathtaking views from one end of the renovated Belle Epoque train station to the other. For more information about their collections, events, and visitor hours, go to the Orsay Museum's website.

#9 The Louvre


The Louvre and its pyramid are synonymous with Paris. It opened to the public way back in 1793. The world's largest art museum holds some of the greatest works mankind has seen - from Da Vinci's Mona Lisa to the Venus de Milo to the Winged Victory. The problem is that the museum is so big that it can take several hours to make your way through the maze of corridors just to see those few pieces of artwork. The Louvre displays well over 35,000 pieces of artwork in eight curatorial departments (antiquities, sculptures, paintings, decorative arts, etc) so even if you spent a solid week at the museum, you still wouldn't see everything. The key is to have a game plan. Most people go for the highlight tour and when you purchase tickets, you'll receive a visitors map with the major treasures pointed out. Just get your bearings and enjoy. For more detailed information, visit the Louvre's Official Website.

#10 Montmarte & Sacre Coeur Basilica


Montmarte is an 130 meter tall hill in the north of Paris and is the highest point in the city. Atop the hill is the famous Sacré-Coeur Basilica whose white domes can be seen from many vantage points in the city. The basilica features both Romanesque and Byzantine architecture and was consecrated in 1919. The interior is large, but a bit on the gloomy side. You can climb to the top of the dome for breathtaking views of Paris. Visit Wikipedia for more information about the Basilica.

Tired of the rat race? Feeling like life has you caged in? If so, stay away—far away—from La Villa Hamster. At this unusual hotel in the city of Nantes in western France guests overnight in a sort of oversized rodent cage.

Staying in La Villa Hamster’s sole room can be a bit of a hairy experience. Its rodent-centric features include:

• a metal water spigot activating by pushing a giant lever with your foot;

• a choice of beds: either sleep on a giant haystack or a traditional mattress reachable by a ladder and then a vertical tubular crawl space;

• a bathroom with a giant vat of wood chips (though, blessedly, there’s also a human toilet);

• a giant troth for a sink;

and, of course . . .

• a working human-sized hamster wheel!

For those looking to take their rodent experience to another level—or for couples who have a particular predilection that we really, really don’t want to know about—Villa guests have use of his and her hamster masks during their stay. Wear them and you may be overcome with the urge to pace back and forth along the wall, or to jump in fright whenever some one taps on the window.



To complete that feeling of being a lab animal, a stay at La Villa Hamster is perfectly paired with some time finding your way through the giant human maze at Château & Jardins de Villandry. But Spot Cool Stuff has a gnawing feeling that the experience of La Villa Hamster would get stale after more than night, especially when you are paying €150 (USD$199.74) for the privilege.

Those looking for an even more primitive overnight experience take note: the proprietors of La Villa Hamster has another hotel in the works—an underground apartment that mimics the experience of being a fetus in a womb. When we learned that this property will not be accepting guests for at least another year we could utter only one in response: Rats!

via travel.spotcoolstuff.com

As much as the elite love watching movies in the comfort of their private home theaters, they equally seem to love flowing down to French Riviera for film festivals and even watching movies relaxing in the pool on their luxury outdoor theater set-up. We have earlier seen many of the luxurious outdoor screen concepts, including the Porsche Design Studio’s world’s largest LED TV, the custom made amphitheater, and the outdoor home theater in a Belzberg’s abode. But, nothing could beat this floating movie-theater set in the private island of Yao Noi in Andaman Sea, Thailand, delivering unique cinematic experience like never before! The floating movie theater is actually a temporary auditorium-raft designed by architect Ole Scheeren in collaboration with the Film on the Rocks Yao Noi Foundation.

The auditorium is a congregation of rafts, dubbed as Archipelago Cinema in which screen was nestled in front of the limestone protrusions of the Andaman. And the audience floating, hovering above the sea, and focused on the moving images across the water displayed on the giant screen.

The floating screening room, Archipelago Cinema was originally designed to ensure that Film on the Rocks Yao Noi fest practically existed on a different planet. A bevy of avid film-goers experienced a unique cinematic moment amidst the Yao Noi's rocky and private shoreline.

All this was the part of the new Thai film festival called Film on the Rocks Yao Noi, a brainchild of Chomwan Weeraworawit, owner of Six Senses Yao Noi and its principal organizer, that brought actors, writers, designers and artists together. For four days, the event space was the resort for outdoor film screenings, insanely scenic dinners and film discussions. Other highlights of the event includes a 101 workshop hosted by Tom Sachs, a New York artist who not only lectured on the importance of ‘things to do’ list, but also played his cult studio films, followed by a batik dying lesson by renowned designer Waris Ahluwalia, and much more.

The architect adopted local techniques to develop this floating cinema; he used rafts used by local fishermen to farm lobsters, and he tied the wooden frames by rubber straps to create blocks that were wrapped in mosquito nets.

Further, all recycled woods and materials were used, and the rafts have reusable modularity, as everything will be given back to the local community after the screening. The whole event space construction was flexible that can be towed anywhere, and it was something that can appear from time to time to host a movie screening for a few people.

bornrich.com

The Eh`häusl in Amberg, Germany bills itself as the smallest hotel in the world. It is only eight feet wide! The structure was built on a property of only 20 square meters, between two other houses. The history of the hotel is interesting, as told by Metafilter member woodblock100:

So here’s the story:
It’s 1728 and you live in Amberg, a little Bavarian town somewhere north of Munich. You and your lady friend really, really want to get married, but there is a little snag; the council laws permit only homeowners to marry, and you’re still stuck renting a place. But all is not lost! You pick up a little strip of empty land between two other buildings – just 2.5 meters wide. You run up a quick wall on the front, another on the back, slap a roof on top, and presto – you’re a homeowner. The council falls for it, and allows you to get married.

But now what? Well, it’s not liveable, so you head back to the rental place to live, but you recoup your investment by selling the Eh’häusl (Little Wedding House) to the next couple with the same problem.

There is no reliable record of how long the practice continued, but the building survived, and in 2008 it received a complete refurbishment, transforming it into a luxury hotel. Total size? 56 square meters. Maximum number of guests at any one time? Two. [Google street view]

But there's more! According to an old legend told by the locals, couples who spend their wedding night at the tiny hotel are guaranteed* to live happily ever after and never get divorced!

The Heart Attack Grill is an outrageously unhealthy, hospital-themed, American fast food hamburger restaurant in Dallas, Texas, that serves high-calorie items with deliberately provocative names. This over-the-top eating establishment, whose tag line is “Taste worth Dying For,” has become internationally recognized for embracing and promoting an unhealthy diet of incredibly large hamburgers and greasy fries.

The menu includes "Single", "Double", "Triple", and "Quadruple Bypass" hamburgers, ranging from 230 to 910 g of beef, "Flatliner Fries" cooked in pure unadulterated lard, and “ButterFat Shake” with the world’s highest butter fat content, so their website says. The "Quadruple Bypass Burger", the biggest item on the menu, is made of four meat patties totaling 2 pounds, practically a whole tomato and about half an onion, 8 slices of cheese and 16 slices of bacon for a total of 8,000 calories.

Customers are referred to as “patients,” their orders are called “prescriptions,” and the scantily clad, cleavage-baring waitresses act as “nurses”. A tag is wrapped on the patient's wrist showing which foods they order and a "doctor" examines the "patients" with a stethoscope. Customers who weigh over 350 lb (160 kg) are served free food. Anyone who finish a Triple or Quadruple Bypass Burger are rewarded by wheeling them out of the restaurant in a wheelchair by their "personal nurse”. This is a restaurant that clearly intends to kill you, and they are very forthcoming about it.


Heart Attack Grill was founded in 2005 by Jon Basso with the declared intent of serving "nutritional pornography", food "so bad for you it's shocking". Basso, a former personal fitness trainer and nutritionist, came up with the idea while writing a marketing thesis about fitness training studios. He was intrigued by stories about his clients who were cheating on their diets and decided to open up a restaurant where patrons could come to have fun and leave their clean, healthy lifestyles behind.


Heart Attack Grill has achieved acclaim and attention by deliberately courting controversy as a marketing strategy. The popularity of the restaurant comes through word-of-mouth and widely circulated news stories that continue to keep his trademarked food and controversial practices in the media spotlight.

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Fancy living life in a bubble? How about being one with nature? What if you could do both? Enter the "bubble room". If you are in northern France, be sure not to miss the unique experience at a park in Roubaix. Imagine cuddling up with your partner in the midst of nature.

This timeless experience can be had easily - you just need to rent the room.



You get a choice of two settings - a sitting/living area and a bedroom. So you can finally have that dream candlelit dinner in the midst of trees or lie on the bed and count the stars in the sky.

Unforgettable, wouldn't it be? The "hotel" might be in a park, but that doesn't mean it doesn't have any modern amenities. A fully-loaded living area and a bedroom with a massive LED television are some of the luxuries on offer. It's the best of both worlds, the hotel promises.


What's more, its green as well. The bubble is made from recycled plastic and kept under pressure by a silent blower.

Morocco is renowned for its colors, with its cities awash in vivid shades of red, purple, green and gold. But things are a little different in Chefchaoen, a town in the northwest nestled among the Rif Mountains. Take a stroll through Chefchaoen’s streets and you’ll be hard-pressed to find something that isn’t painted a particular shade of blue.

Chefchaoen, founded in 1471, was once a refuge of Jews and converted Christians of Muslim heritage. They sought refuge in the safety of these mountains after the Spanish Reconquista in medieval times, a period in which Christian kingdoms retook Muslim-controlled areas of the Iberian peninsula. The town was painted the powder-blue of tekhelel, a natural dye made of shellfish. In the bible, Israelites are commanded to use this dye to color one of the threads of their prayer shawl.


Though tekhelel is no longer available and the city’s population of Jews has diminished, the tradition has carried on through the centuries. Blue pigment is sold in pots and bags throughout the city, and residents faithfully refresh the paint on their homes, flower pots, balcony railings, doors and practically everywhere else in the community. Even the interiors of many of these buildings are painted blue.


The pigments may vary in color now, ranging from periwinkle to aqua, but the effect is no less spectacular, providing a monochromatic stage from which every other color dazzles, particularly the merchandise hung on walls outside of markets and shops.


Of course, Chefchaouen is known for more than just its unique paint job. The city offers handicrafts that aren’t available in other areas of Morocco, such as wool garments and blankets, and is also one of the main producers of cannabis in the nation. It is often sold in great abundance at stands alongside fruits and vegetables. On holidays Chefchaouen is filled with tourists, especially the Spanish. Perhaps they’re making up for lost time, as the city was closed to European visitors until 1920.

A unique cultural park made entirely out of clay has recently been open to the public, in Tangshan City, China.

Travelers Digest Magazine brings to your attention its own version of 10 cities with the most beautiful women.

10. Amsterdam, Holland
Of course Amsterdam must make the list. This city has women more beautiful riding past on bicycles than other cities have going by in chauffeured cars. Dutch girls are amazing in so many ways, they’re trendy, as well as cool, they’re fun, also friendly. They’re the kind of girls that you just want to date for a very long time.

9. Tel Aviv, Israel
Israel has some of the best looking women in the world, something about those green eyes that are just particularly attractive. But beware as in Israel women over the age of 18 are required to have been in the military, this of course means that if you sleep with an Israeli girl’s best friend, she may very well kick your ass, while equipped with an Uzi. Sure it’s a longshot, but it could happen.

8. Montreal, Canada
Ahh the flavour of France but with the convenient location of Canada, Montreal is truly one of the world’s best cities. So many colleges & universities, so many women, & with fashion sense, a very good quality may I add. The best part of course being that the women all speak French, the language of love. So my friends, take a trip to Montreal, and find a beautiful leather trench coat wearing beauty that will serenade you in French all night long.

7. Caracas, Venezuela
Caracas the capital of Venezuela, Venezuela the country with more Miss Universe Pageant titles than any other nation, so you know it’s capital is going to be raging full of beautiful women. Women so beautiful that they make Brazilian women look like trashier counterparts. I speak honestly when I tell you that I know what type of undergarments runner up to Miss Venezuela wears (let us just say little flowers), what I cannot begin to tell you however is the amount of fun you will have if you take a trip to Venezuela, say hello to Hugo Chavez for me.

6. Moscow, Russia
Mother Russia is home to some of the world’s finest women, the Moscow subway alone has more beauties than most of the United States alone. It’s not only the regularity of tall, blonde hair, blue eyed women that make it so great, it’s also the amazing level of friendliness that you will find. It’s a definite unique experience when what seems the world’s most beautiful woman is staring your way, it leaves you wondering whether you have something on your shirt, but you in fact probably don’t, they could very well think you’re hot.

5. Los Angeles, California
How much can be said about L.A. girls, well I think you will find upon arrival that so much can be said you’ll find yourself at a lack of words. The women of L.A. are on a level unlike most any other kind you may have ever seen. All the beautiful people from across the United States flock to this mecca, this is where the cool people come to live, to work, & to try to “make it”. This is what the Beach Boys had in mind when they wrote the song California Dreamin’.

4. Varna, Bulgaria
Many of you may not have heard of Bulgaria, some of you may not know where to find it on a map, but you have all been there, in your dreams at night when you sleep. A land of cheap vodka, no drug laws, mechanical bulls on the beach, & waterslides. A land of cafes with inflatable furniture, the land of g-strings, & see through pants, the land of topless sunbathing. But more importantly than all others the land of the world’s most beautiful, charming, & stunning women, oh how I love them so.

3. Buenos Aires, Argentina
Buenos Aires should be designated the capital of the Western Hemisphere, not only for it’s wealth of beautiful women on a scale unlike any other Latin Country, even the extraordinary Venezuela, but for being the best city this side of Paris. Buenos Aires is amazing, where else can you sing Madonna hyms by the burial site of Evita, answer nowhere. More importantly where else can I get invited to model scout competitions, invited to Fashion TV parties, & kiss a 6?4 supermodel, well not too many other places let me tell you.

2. Copenhagen, Denmark
Copenhagen has surely got some of the world’s most beautiful women, & also some of the friendliest, maybe even a little bit more sex orientated than their Swedish counterparts. For instance, I had just arrived at the Copenhagen train station, it was late, I was tired, I must’ve been looking good, for I noticed a hot Danish girl looking my way, so I looked hers, then I smiled, then she pointed me out to her friend, & next thing you know I had an entire high school classroom full of girls yelling at me, things, yelling things, good things. This alone is why I say Copenhagen is one of the best, it’s like Amsterdam but instead of hookers, Copenhagen has porn stars.

1. Stockholm, Sweden
Stockholm is a city filled with the best looking women in the world, women so good looking that when you walk in to a 7-11 you will swear that you have just walked into a reality TV set, What Happens When Supermodels Work at A Convenience Store? Yes I know it’s a long name, but hey it’s true. Better yet the women are super friendly, & extremely educated, they speak English with English accents, they start making you wonder whether England in fact had good looking women but they’re all on working vacations in Sweden, turns out they’re not as England doesn’t have but in fact they’re all just really well studied Swedish girls.

From Tokyo to Washington D.C. each of these museums contains something different yet essential to broadening your knowledge of human history.

Check them out for yourself below. Which are you going to make the trip to?

The Louvre - Paris

A penis shaped sign marks an otherwise nondescript building letting visitors know they are entering the Icelandic Phallological Museum in Husavik, about 298 miles northeast of Reykjavik. According to their website, “it is probably the only museum in the world to contain a collection of phallic specimens.” Probably.

Inside, visitors can admire a collection of 261 well-preserved penises from 90 different species. From a 1.7 meter tall sperm whale member to a 2 mm hamster penis, they are all displayed in glass jars full of formaldehyde or mounted on walls.


The collection is the brainchild of owner Sigurdur Hjartarson, who started out with a single bull’s penis. At that time, it was an odd hobby (!) and over the years, other penises (penii?) have been added to the collection, donated by cooperative hunters and biologists.

The only species not presented in the collection is the homosapiens, although that will likely change in the future. Four men have already pledged to donate their penises to the museum to have them preserved for posterity, after their deaths. For now, the only representation of the human penis is a life size plastic mould of a 52 year old American, who is one of the prospective donors.

Interest in the museum is increasing – last summer 6000 visitors dropped by – and Hjartarson has even begun to make a profit off his collection.

On April 12, 2011 the museum installed its first human specimen. Patron Páll Arason donated his penis to the museum on his death. Arason is described as a former tourism worker who died on January 5, 2011, in the nearby town of Akureyri at the age of 95. Thorvaldur Ingvarsson, the medical director of Akureyri's hospital, didn't give a cause of death but said the specimen was removed from the body under the supervision of a doctor.

Cenote Angelita cave in Mexico is really an amazing feature for scuba divers. If you are an expert diver you should visit Cenote Angelita in Mexico. Your dive towards the floor of the water-filled cave is amazing to say the least. As you get deeper the water turns from pure to salty; and the bottom, it’s a river. Deeper than 30 meters the water is pure, and deeper than 60 meters it becomes saline.

Some meters away before you get to the bottom of the cave, you see a river underneath, with trees and leaves floating on some liquid level. However it may seem like a river, it’s not a real river. It’s just a layer of hydrogen sulphide beneath. All in all, it looks startling and unforgettable when you get there and see it with your own eyes.

According to Anatoly Beloshchin, a professional photographer, the underwater scenery is amazing. He describes, “We are 30 meters deep, fresh water, then 60 meters deep – salty water and under me I see a river, island and fallen leaves… Actually, the river, which you can see, is a layer of hydrogen sulphide.”

On your way down you can see spectacular layers of rocks formed during the last ice age. However, as a visitor, cave and cavern divers, you need to learn to be safe and careful. You got to become part of this unique and stunning cave setting to appreciate these amazing archaeological discoveries.