Wendy's Goes Gourmet in Japan

The countdown is on. The end of the Mayan calendar (and by some accounts the end of the world) is set for Dec. 21, 2012. Assuming we all make it through, Mexico's tourism authorities are banking on the positive marketing opportunities around that fateful date — think more fresh start than doomed apocalyptic end of humanity. As we've repeatedly reported in Budget Travel's This Just In, Mexico has had more than its fair share of image issues and tourism setbacks in recent years, not least of which has been the ongoing drug cartel-related violence that gripped the nation, and the media's headlines. So, in one attempt to start turning the tide on those negative perceptions, the Mexico Tourism Board last month launched the "Mexico Taxi Project," a hidden-video ad campaign geared at restoring the country's image as a safe-and-sound, fun-and-sun destination through firsthand accounts from happy travelers just back from South of the Border. The taxi cab ads began airing in the U.S. in early November, namely on the USA Network. Ricardo Anaya, the undersecretary of tourism for Mexico, has painted the Dec. 21 date and the hype around it as the start of a new age for Mexico tourism. And as the country looks to recovery, the tourism authorities are hoping to expand Mexico's allure as a tourism destination beyond its sandy beaches. They will be promoting Mexico's diverse culture, such as the Mayan civilization and traditions, as well as lesser-known tourism destinations such as Durango, a popular movie-filming location for Westerns. And don't be surprised if you see more promotions touting Mexico as an eco- and adventure-rich destination, among other possibilities. Who knows. Maybe the Mayans were onto something. Maybe this will be the dawn of a new age for Mexico. Certainly, Mexico's tourism industry wouldn't mind if you went down to see for yourself just what the end/start of this new world will bring. More from Budget Travel: Mexico’s New Tourism Campaign: Are You Convinced? Deal Strategy: Book an All-Inclusive Holiday Right After the Holidays Mexico City Unmasked

Looking to save on airfare this year, but still hoping to see world monuments? Frustrated that every time you go to see ancient temples, you’re generally directed to a big pile of broken rocks? Unsure where to find a giant ark to store your livestock? Replicas might be the thing for you. Luckily, the U.S. is the perfect place to find historical (and not so historical) replicas to suit any need. Though not mentioned below, Las Vegas is a veritable hodgepodge of pyramids, statues, Venetian hotels and mechanical camels. For anyone looking to avoid the slot machines, the replicas below offer some unconventional alternatives. 1. Noah’s Ark on 800 acres of land in Grant County, Kentucky Technically construction on this replica hasn’t started yet, but the ark project comes from the same ministry that managed to fund and construct the Creation Museum, an institution dedicated to proving a literal interpretation of the Bible. Despite countless jokes related to the museum’s human/dinosaur co-existence diorama (somewhere a paleontologist is crying), the New York Times reported that the Creation Museum had over a million visitors in its first three years, so it could be argued that the Ark Encounter will be one of the safest investments of the new year. If all goes according to plan, the ark will eventually be cradled in an amusement park featuring a 100-foot Tower of Babel and special effects depicting the parting of the Red Sea. 2. The Parthenon in Nashville, Tennessee Tourists might question Nashville’s lesser known title as “The Athens of the South”, but the city has its very own Parthenon to prove it. Funnily enough, this replica is visually closer to the Parthenon of ancient Athens than the crumbling remains left on the current acropolis. The original Parthenon had many of its marble embellishments stolen (or taken for their own protection, as the British might say), and many of the surviving pieces cannot be restored to the original structure. Visitors in Nashville today can see the temple as Socrates or Plato may have seen it while discussing philosophy on the front steps. Afterwards they can stop by the rest of Nashville’s attractions—Willie Nelson & Friends Museum & General Store, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Yazoo Brewery could all be packed into the same trip. 3. Carhenge at the Car Art Reserve in Nevada The only thing more bizarre than building a Stonehenge replica out of junked cars is having that replica come in second in America’s Top 10 Wackiest Attractions as reported by TripAdvisor (a Toilet Seat Museum in Texas took the top spot). Carhenge is made up of 38 automobiles covered in gray spray paint, assembled in a circle approximately 96 feet in diameter. Hard-core replica enthusiasts may want to consider placing a bid on the reserve—it was recently put on the market for a mere $300,000. 4. The Eiffel Tower in Paris, Texas When first built, this Texas treasure was in competition with a wooden Eiffel Tower built in Paris, Tennessee. It surpassed its wooden counterpart by 5 feet, but later Tennessee upped the ante another 5 feet proving once and for all that not everything is bigger in Texas. Both replicas have since been put to shame by the 540-foot tall tower in Las Vegas, Nevada. Texas’s tower remains the only replica Eiffel to sport a giant red cowboy hat. 5. Leaning Tower of Niles in Niles, Illinois You might be thinking that all these odd monumental doppelgangers are only for Southern states or somewhere out West, but there is at least one hidden up North. Tucked in the heart of Illinois, The Leaning Tower of Niles stands at half the height of its sister city tower, The Leaning Tower of Pisa. The site is complete with four fountains and an impressive 30-foot pool. Not only is the tower more cost effective in terms of flight cost, but it’s free to climb and not swarming with tourists. —Chabli Bravo SEE MORE FROM BUDGET TRAVEL Is Google Killing the Great American Road Trip? 59 Jaw-Dropping Roadside Attractions: Eastern U.S. 8 Places Every American Should See

No one heads to Phoenix looking for a cold winter. This is America’s sunniest metropolis, with 211 rain–free days a year and an identity so tied to the heat that even the basketball team is called the Suns. While snow is extremely rare in Arizona’s Valley of the Sun, the Sonoran Desert offers its own sort of winter wonderland. Each December, the Christmas cactus and desert mistletoe burst to life with succulent flowers and crimson berries fit for any wreath. At night, visitors can grab a hot spiced cider and a churro at the Desert Botanical Garden’s annual Las Noches de las Luminarias. Set in rustic Papago Park—a hilly red–rock expanse bordering Scottsdale, Phoenix, and Tempe—the gardens glow with over 8,000 luminarias (paper bags lit from within by candles). “We don’t get snow, and we don’t wear big winter coats,” says Event Director Marcia Flynn. “So we all need an event like this to get us into holiday mode.” 1201 N. Galvin Parkway, dbg.org, admission $25, Dec. 1–30, select nights from 5:30–9:30 p.m. Average High/Low Temperatures Nov.: 75°/50° Dec.: 70°/44° Jan.: 67°/45° Average Rainfall Nov.: .79" Dec.: .92" Jan.: .83" Hotel Savings 27% cheaper, compared to February high season (daily rates of $88.21 in December for the Phoenix metro area) Hotel Occupancy Nov.: 60.7% Dec.: 49.7% Jan.: 62.7% Feb.: 73% (for the Phoenix metro area) MORE FROM BUDGET TRAVEL Rediscovering Arizona America's 10 Best Winter Beach Retreats Beat the Crowds in November and December

Remember your brave, virgin trip to Europe? When you wore a backpack and lived on cheese, hot baguettes, and red wine? You were such a natural at loose-and-easy travel. You instinctively knew that the best budget travel tip of all is to take advantage of the Continent's affordable train and coach bus options, hopscotching around instead of staying put. It's time to go back to Europe. This week, three intercity train and coach bus routes launched, linking up some of the Continent's most charming cities (Prague, Munich, Salzburg, Vienna, Zurich, Paris). This is part of a long-term trend of train and bus service becoming more competitive, with cheaper tickets, faster service, and more frequent departures. In 2012, there has never been a better moment to realize: You had it right the first time. Go back to loose-and-easy travel. (Though grown-ups can leave the backpacks at home.) Here's the lowdown on the new train and coach service. In Austria, Vienna and Salzburg are charming towns only 200 miles apart, but it's traditionally been expensive to travel between them. This week, fares dropped when a new train operator, Westbahn, began service on the route, underpricing its competition, OBB. Now you can travel the 200 miles between the birthplace of "The Sound of Music" and the birthplace of Mozart for €48 (about $65) roundtrip on an advanced purchase ticket. That's half the former going ticket price. Trains depart hourly most days (from Wein Westbanhof in Vienna), and journeys typically take less than three hours each way. The two adorable cities of Prague, in the Czech Republic, and Munich, in Germany, are just 200 miles apart but the journey between them has traditionally taken about six hours by train. This week, new intercity bus service began on a fast and frequent schedule, beating the train alternative on both price on advance purchased fares. Trips are scheduled to take only four hours. Now you can book tickets for €29 one-way in advance. The bus service is, surprisingly, run by German Railways (Deutsche Bahn); is picked up in front of Munich's and Prague's train stations; and pops up in search results as one of your transportation options if you visit the company's website (bahn.de). (Tip: On the site, choose USA as your country so you see English as your language, and enter your departure and arrival points just as if you were searching for train fares.) Like the train, coaches between Munich and Prague by the bus can be purchased in advance online. But prices quickly go up. If you're booking less than a month out—such as on only a day's notice before departure—the train may have cheaper last-minute tickets, so comparison shop. As of this week the amazing Swiss city of Zurich is only four hours from Paris by train. Hop a new high-speed train line route on TGV (Train à Grande Vitesse), shaving off about 40 minutes off the journey, and more departures per day. Zurich now becomes a do-able overnight or two add-on to a visit to Paris, with the French connection made at Paris's Gare de Lyon. See the new timetable on the Switzerland page. This ain't Amtrak. TGV's second-class coach section showcase stylish designer interiors by Christian Lacroix. Book-ahead fares from €27 ($35) one-way via TGV's website. Refundable tickets tickets can be four times as much, but are still cheaper than refundable plane tickets booked at the same short notice. SEE MORE FROM BUDGET TRAVEL Riding the Train in Europe Just Got a Little Easier with Rail Europe's New App Italy by Train and Air: 9 Nights, From $1,739, Per Person The Secret to Flying Around Europe on a Dime