Does a disaster movie turn you on (or off) to a destination?

When we went looking for your best shots of Japan, we were impressed by the beauty and diversity of the photos. In the 26 images we selected, you'll be transported to a country packed with cultural experiences—see the famous cherry blossom trees in bloom, sumo wrestlers after a workout, the magnificent Mount Fuji, and unique temples, buildings, and shrines. See the slide show. RECENT READER SLIDE SHOWS Caribbean Sea | Skylines | Mexico STILL IN SEARCH OF... We're collecting your photos of signs. Upload them through myBudgetTravel, tag them, and check back in the coming weeks for a slide show of the best submissions.

London's Christmas season began late last week with a tree-lighting ceremony in Trafalgar Square. Early snowfall has melted, and cheer is in the air. Here are five stylish and affordable ways to celebrate the holidays in the Big Smoke. Watch the paint dry (...no, really) At the National Gallery, artist Ben Johnson will add the finishing brushstrokes to his landscape portrait of Trafalgar Square. You can watch him as he works in an enclosed space on the building's roof. Johnson's painting is inspired by the work of Canaletto, an eighteenth-century artist whose depictions of Venice are on display in a special exhibition in the museum. free, for six weeks, starting from Wed., Dec. 8, nationalgallery.org.uk. A musical night at the museum On Friday Dec. 10, the National Portrait Gallery will stay open late, turning over its halls to various live performances. In the 17th-century galleries, for instance, pianists Will Dutta and Stuart Davies will play Chopin and Liszt. Grab a drink at a the bar, or check out this year's winner's of Britain's annual photographic portrait prize. free, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., npg.org.uk/lateshift. Have a gourmet holiday The German-themed Christmas stalls are easily found under the shadow of the London Eye, the enclosed Ferris wheel on the south bank of the Thames. But turn away from the river and walk around to the other side of the Royal Festival Hall to find much more delectable stalls. The Real Food Christmas markets will be open this weekend, serving all locally-sourced or sustainably farmed food, from fruit preserves to pork pies. A tip: Some of the stalls put items on two-for-one sale at sundown. (Dec. 10-12), Friday through Sunday, realfoodfestival.co.uk. Medieval Christmas The 900-year old Tower of London is always a popular attraction for families. From Dec. 27-31, it's also the setting for a reimagining of the 1284 court of Edward I. Kids will love the Great Christmas Pudding race, with costumed characters racing around balancing fruitcakes on spoons. The exhibition on life in the medieval palace provides historical context. admission includes access to the Tower, the Yeoman Warder guided tour, and standard highlights. adults £18.70 ($29.50); children £10.45 ($16.50), hrp.org.uk. Window-shopping with the locals When it comes to shopping, Oxford Street and Shoreditch draw most of the out-of-towners, but Mayfair's Burlington Arcade remains a treasure visited mostly by locals. Top-hatted, uniformed beadles keep out the riff-raff. Browse a clutch of fabulous independent shops, such as Heming, a jewelry shop since 1745, which has a sparkling shop window display. burlington-arcade.co.uk. MORE FROM BUDGET TRAVEL London: Rent a bike for nearly nothing London shopping: A new mall with spectacular views London: Royal wedding-themed vacations

The prospect of going it alone on your travels can be intimidating. But going solo offers a sense of freedom and accomplishment you'd never get hitting the road with a travel companion. In an upcoming Trip Coach column, we're going to offer tons of tips -- and hopefully, assuage some fears -- for all travelers intrigued with the idea of taking an adventure with me, myself, and I. But first, we want to hear from you. Tell us about your concerns big and small regarding solo travel. Are you worried you'll be lonely? What safety issues are there to worry about, and how can a single traveler avoid getting robbed, or worse? Are you interested in getting advice for how to for meet locals and fellow travelers who can be trusted? Are you curious about places that are good destinations for solo travelers, and those that should be avoided if traveling alone? Want to know how and when it's possible to sidestep those pesky single supplement charges? Or about which tour companies, cruise lines, and resorts are especially friendly to single travelers? No matter if you've traveled alone dozens of times or you've never been bold enough to give it a try, please send us all of your questions regarding solo travel. We'll address the most pressing issues in an upcoming issue of Budget Travel. MORE FROM BUDGET TRAVEL Going Solo in Southeast Asia Author Beth Whitman answers reader questions on solo travel Easier Than You Thought: Going It Alone and Avoiding the Single Supplement

The world's most famous open-air museum is falling apart. In the past month, Pompeii, the ancient city, has seen a few of its structures collapse. Are Italian authorities doing enough to protect its fragile ruins and frescoes? In early November, a famous house collapsed. The cause is unknown. The house was once used by gladiators to train before combat. The likely culprit of the collapse is shoddy restoration work. Decades ago, a bad mix of cement and masonry was used to reconstruct walls and roofs. The alkaline in this mixture is apparently causing structures to crumble and paint to peel. Efforts to undo the damage have been slow. This week, two more walls collapsed, reports the BBC. Yesterday, the Italian government announced it would create a task force to protect the city, using European Union conservation funds "more effectively." Today, a delegation from the United Nations' cultural organization, UNESCO, arrived in Pompeii to inspect the site. Some Italian scholars are campaigning for the privatization of Pompeii's oversight. Government agencies seem incapable of keeping the precious ruins in good shape. In nearby Herculaneum, also an ancient city victimized by Vesuvius, the Packard Humanities Institute has stepped in with a large, long-term grant. But don't let the headlines scare you away from visiting Pompeii. There is still so much of beauty and wonder to see, as I found myself on a trip there two months ago. No horrific tragedy has given the world as much pleasure as Pompeii. The 163-acre site was covered in rocks, pumice, and ash from the volcanic explosion of Vesuvius, killing tens of thousands. That protective cover preserved the details of life in A.D. 79 for centuries. Today, the site receives about two-and-a-half million visitors each year. Given admission fees, it is a place that could be successfully protected. Up north, Venice's many fine buildings have been saved from disrepair and water damage by a multi-year private charity initiative called Save Venice. Maybe it's time for someone to start a "Save Pompeii" movement. MORE FROM BUDGET TRAVEL Trip Coach: Is Pompeii a Daytrip or an Overnight Stay? Italian Menu Decoder 2010 Pompeii: Beware of Bad Tour Guides, and Don't Hurt the Ruins