Travel Wires
Tell us what you like and don’t like in the world of travel. Email travel@nzherald.co.nz Quelle surprise
We don’t need a spoiler alert here: The most romantic places on Earth have been named as Paris, Santorini and Venice. Known as the city of love, Paris had an unfair advantage and duly came out on top in Mills & Boon’s poll of 2000 people, followed by the Greek island and Italy’s canal city. Also-rans: 4, Italy’s Amalfi Coast; 5, Maui, Hawaii; 6, Bruges, Belgium; 7, Bora Bora; 8, Kirkjufell mountain, Iceland; 9, Cerf Island, Seychelles; 10 Gili Islands, Bali. Closest to home: 16, Whitsunday Islands, Queensland. Key factors for a romantic location? Beautiful views (69 per cent), luxury accommodation (55 per cent), warm climate (49 per cent), fabulous restaurants (39 per cent), amazing walks (33 per cent).
Not such a small world after all
Costing more than $1.5b, the world’s largest indoor theme park has opened in Abu Dhabi. The Gulf state’s climate means Warner Bros World is located inside a huge air-conditioned building designed to make it permanently resemble midday. It encompasses 153,290sq m on Yas Island, a leisure destination that includes a Formula 1 track. The six areas include Bedrock of The Flintstones fame, Superman’s Metropolis, Batman’s Gotham City, Cartoon Junction and Yosemite Sam’s Dynamite Gulch. The Cartoon Junction section features Bugs Bunny, Tom and Jerry and Scooby Doo. The park is the the latest offering in a crowded market in the United Arab Emirates, where one marquee park already faces serious financial problems.
Threat to inky icon
A tattoo studio claimed to be the world’s oldest is at risk of closure because the building’s owners want to turn the space into a restaurant kitchen. Tattoo Ole has been operating in Copenhagen’s Nyhavn harbour since 1884 and has counted Denmark’s King Frederick IX among its customers, as well as countless sailors, prostitutes and hipsters. For nearly a century, the shop in the famed Nyhavn 17 building was the only tattooist operating in Scandinavia. A petition has been launched to save what campaigners call a vital piece of tattooing history and has accrued 10,000 signatures, but the fate of Tattoo Ole could rest on a court date in September. It is believed to be the third time the shop has faced closure. Body art fans from around the world have rallied in support.
Finnish with trolls
Newspaper billboard seen in Helsinki last weekend: Welcome, Mr President, to the land of the Free Press. Graffiti next to newspaper billboard: Welcome, Mr President, to the land of the Trolls.
— travel@nzherald.co.nz