Video: If Australia doesn't cut it, try Tasmania
The clever tourism officials who are promoting travel to Tasmania have created a trailer for an imaginary new movie, Tasmania. (In case you need a refresher, Tasmania is an island that's part of the Australian Commonwealth.)
While this spoof of the movie Australia isn't trying to be laugh-out loud funny like, say, the Simpsons' spoof of Apple, it's one of the more clever things we've seen from a tourism office this season. Enjoy:
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Pop Quiz: What's the largest airline in Russia? (Hint: It's not Aeroflot)
Aeroflot has just lost its place as Russia's largest airline. The government has merged 11 companies into Russia Airlines, which now flies twice as many planes as Aeroflot, says the International Herald Tribune. Russian Airlines is so new that its website isn't in English yet. Both carriers are owned by the state. In the meantime, Aeroflot continues to control most of the international flights from the U.S. to Russia. So if you're visiting the country in 2009, you'll likely still be flying Aeroflot. Meanwhile, Moscow's two international airports, Domodedovo and Sheremetyevo, are competing with each other to offer better service. Domodedovo has modernized with new stores and restaurants, while Sheremetyevo has built a speedy train line for transfers to downtown Moscow, says the Wall Street Journal. (Domodedovo has had a high-speed rail link since 2002.)
This weekend: Downtown Indianapolis lights up
For the 46th year, Indianapolis will celebrate the Circle of Lights this Friday. The entire lighting ceremony and display is centered around the Soldiers and Sailors Monument in downtown, a late-19th century structure. Fifty-two garland strands of lights (that's 4,784 colored lights total) hang from the top of the monument to its base. Monument Circle is also adorned with 26 toy soldiers and sailors, huge peppermint sticks, and a Santa's workshop scene. With 56,700 more lights in the surrounding area's trees, it's quite the sight. The flipping of the switch happens at about 7:45 p.m., but live entertainment, chosen from open auditions around the state, starts at 6 p.m. Indy leaves it to the pros for this spectacle: Circle of Lights is sponsored by Contractors of Quality Connection and Electrical Workers of IBEW 481. Are you going to a lighting ceremony in your city? Leave a shout-out in the comments! Free, Monument Circle, Indianapolis. Editor's note: If you Google map Monument Circle, you can easily get directions. MORE Indianapolis' new, $1.1 billion airportFind local bloggers at Indianapolis Bloggers PREVIOUSLY How To Travel During the Holidays