It seems that Air France is getting into the holiday spirit: The airline just announced that passengers can now stop over in Paris for free on all flights to Europe, Middle East, India, or Africa. The Paris break comes at no additional charge regardless which direction you're flying, what class ticket you bought, or how much (or little) you paid. There's no maximum or minimum stay requirement (other than the one associated with the ticket itself) and you can even take advantage of the stopover option with tickets that have already been purchased. (airfrance.com/us)
Happy Thanksgiving!
Related places
New York gets its first "fake ice" skating rink....But is it skate-able?
On Saturday, the American Museum of Natural History opened New York City's first synthetic ice-skating facility, the Polar Rink, on its outdoor terrace. The eco-friendly rink reminds visitors about the effects of global warming with a 17-foot glowing polar bear centerpiece. Its "ice" is actually a plastic surface engineered to match the density of frozen water. Every morning, a light spray lubricates the surface for skaters. Thanks to the clever new material, the museum doesn't devour enormous amounts of energy the way traditional ice skating rinks do. It also doesn't need to spend money on Zamboni cleanings. The "ice" isn't biodegradable, but the museum can re-use the same sheets for several years, and then they recycle the plastic. But can plastic skating still mean good fun? I went for a whirl to find out. Lined with twinkling trees and awash in cool blue floodlights, the terrace felt like a winter wonderland. And the museum's other-worldly planetarium seemed appropriate, looming in the background. When I stepped onto the strange material in the rink, I quickly learned two things: First, synthetic ice is harder to skate on. Second, it's softer when you fall. It took a lot of leg strength to push myself a few inches, and I couldn't dig my blades in to get a stronger push. To be fair, I've never been the most graceful skater, but looking around, I noticed that no one else was either. Even experienced skaters felt their skills tested. Falling wasn't a problem, though. The surface isn't wet or cold, and it has more bounce than ice. Plus, every wobbly skater had plenty of room to spread out: The 150-foot by 80-foot rink can accommodate up to 200 people in each one-hour session, but when I got there at 6 p.m. on a Sunday night, there were no more than 20 people on the ice. Another 15 or so spectators guarded shoes on the sidelines. (There are no lockers available, so pack lightly or bring a designated bag-watcher.) One group that seemed to love the faux-ice were children, who happily shimmied around the edges. A pair of laughing kids crawled around the center on their hands and knees pretending to be polar bears, something that would be too cold to do on real ice. I was happy to watch them from the adjacent snack shop, which serves rich hot chocolate ($3.25) and candy, small sandwiches, and pastries. It's a cozy place to take in the picturesque scene—and to rest your quads. Open until February 28, 2008 Arthur Ross Terrace at the American Museum of Natural History, enter at 79th St. at Columbus Ave. $10 per person per hour includes skate rental. (Children $8, seniors/students $9.) Sessions start on the hour. If you prefer a traditional ice-skating experience, note that South Street Seaport is opening up an 8,000-square-foot rink (with real ice) on November 28. Details at thenewseaport.com/icerink
A few good links: Finding serenity at the airport
A few travel stories that caught my eye this past week: Airport Havens A website for finding the quiet spots at O'Hare and so many other stressful airports. [via Chicago Tribune] Debunking Thanksgiving myths at Plimoth Plantation A serious lack of pie is just the start of it. [CNN] Gucci frames for $20? Try Shanghai market "It's a shame the market's so hard to find, because it's a Four Eyes' dream." [Los Angeles Times] Google Maps Translate Reviews Suddenly that primo cafe is just a little easier to find… [Google Maps Mania] Across France, Café Owners Are Suffering …unless it's closed already (blame the smoking ban). [New York Times]
Australia.com relaunches with fresh tourism info just in time for new Nicole Kidman flick
Tourist officials in Australia couldn't have better timing. They've relaunched Australia.com, their trip-planning website, on the same week that Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman light up the screen in the movie Australia, putting the country back on the minds of many Americans. On Australia.com, you'll find many more suggestions for accommodations and sidetrips than before, including thematic trip ideas, such as aboriginal, outback, coastal, and culinary. Eight suggested itineraries can help you with your planning. As for the movie, you should see it if you want to be inspired by the Northern Territory and Western Australia. It was our number one pick of the movies that most inspired us to travel this year. (We saw a preview. It hits screens in major cities this Friday.) In director Baz Luhrmann's tribute to his native Australia, aristocrat Lady Sarah Ashley (Nicole Kidman) takes an arduous journey across the country with a rough-and-tumble stockman named the Drover (Hugh Jackman) as World War II is about to break out. To learn how to plan a trip to see key scenes from the movie, read Movie Quest 2008.
