Mobissimo

Overlooked much of the time is the cuisine of South Korea.  There really aren't complex sauces, wine pairings, or molecular gastronomy, but rich, bold flavours on simple ingredients.  Read more here via TravelTroll at the first Korean Food Lover's Tour.

Judly International with the co-operation of Korea Tourism Organization have organized the very first Food Lover’s Tour of Korea this October to coincide with the 2008 Gwangju Kimchi Festival.

Today there are many lovers of Korean cuisine in Australia evidenced by the huge growth in Korean restaurants in Australia’s major cities in the past few years. The tour will allow members to enjoy the very best of Korean cuisine every day of the eight day tour in Korea.

I don't know how does PR for China, but a truly amazing job that person/team does.  Tibet is reopened to tourism, now you can see first hand what truly happens there if your appointed guide will let you.  More here via China Highlights.

Tibet will re-open to visits by foreign tourists on Wednesday, the local authority said Tuesday.

An official named Tanor, the Tibet regional tourism administration deputy director, said two Swedish tourists would arrive in Lhasa on Wednesday. Four others from Singapore would come Sunday.

It had to happen sometime, Nevada gets its first Komodo Dragon, read more here via USA Today Blogs.

If you're in Vegas Friday, head over to the Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay.

The aquarium is marking its eighth anniversary with hoopla including the introduction of Nevada's first Komodo Dragon.

Hauling around a suitcase can be tiring, what if that suitcase took care of itself?  More here via Computerworld.

One of the challenges of traveling the world while continuing to work is that laptops, projectors, extra batteries and other gear can be heavy. And pulling a suitcase can be bad for your back. Finally, a well designed -- albeit expensive -- suitcase comes to the rescue.

On my recent two-month trip through Greece, one of the challenges I faced was getting all my stuff from one place to the next. After all, I was carrying all my clothes, all my gear, including two laptops, extra batteries and other heavy stuff and a whole bunch of things acquired along the way: Books, gifts for loved ones back home, you name it. My luggage had roughly doubled in weight from when I had left home.

It is getting increasingly difficult for airlines to stay in business, no doubt, but it is also becoming extremely hard to fly inexpeinsively.  United Airlines has reinstated the minimum stay requirement, i.e. 3 days or weekend.  Business travel will surely get hit hard, more here via USA Today.

United is not only raising fares, it's also bringing back those minimum-stay rules that used to be the norm before widespread competition from low-cost carriers. "The second-largest U.S. carrier said the moves are among a number of changes it is making to combat record high fuel prices. The Chicago-based airline has been among the most aggressive in the industry in pushing fares and fuel surcharges higher in recent months, and its latest policy could prompt other carriers to consider following suit," The Associated Press writes.

In the face of rising fuel costs, mergers have been considered, but often ruled out because of complexity.  Alliance sharing/code sharing makes more sense, you can combine similar routes, fill planes, and keep all the legal out of it.  Continental will join the Star Alliance and notable members United and Lufthansa to keep operating costs in check.  Read more here via UK Reuters.

 NEW YORK (Reuters) - Continental Airlines Inc (CAL.N: Quote, Profile, Research) and UAL Corp's (UAUA.O: Quote, Profile, Research) United Airlines on Thursday announced a global cooperation plan, the latest move in the dance between major U.S. carriers as they weigh mergers and alliances to help combat soaring fuel prices.

Continental, which called off merger talks with United in April, according to sources briefed on the matter, also plans to join United in the Star Alliance system, a significant defection which redraws the battle lines between the major airline groups.

The Michelin Guide is travel, plain and simply.  Long the standard for planning and guiding, the Michelin Guide is now available online.  All the 2.0 features you could ever desire, this via Businessweek.

Michelin, the oldest and most respected European hotel and restaurant guide, is the continent's classic arbiter of gastronomic greatness. Since 1926, when the guide first introduced a rating system, its anonymous reviewers have had the power to propel or destroy Europe's priciest restaurants and best chefs simply by adding or removing a star in the famous three-tiered rating system.

There is no doubt that times are tough for the airlines, rising oil prices have squeezed them hard.  Hidden charges here and there, it all adds up.  US Airways is now charging for non-alcoholic beverages, more here via USA Today.

In a move that it says "accelerates" its "business model transformation," US Airways just announced a sweeping series of changes that include charging customers for beverages and a $15 fee for a first checked bag.

US Airways says it will begin charging customers for all, non-alcoholic beverages, "including sodas, juices, bottled water and coffee" in its domestic coach cabins. The cost of alcoholic beverages will rise to $7 from $5. US Airways says more details are forthcoming, and "will include new premium beverage and hearty snack choices."

Bjork will be performing a concert for eco-awareness in Iceland.  As an added bonus, airline Iceland Express is offering discounted fares to Iceland.  Read more here via TravelBite.

Bjork and Sigur Rós, two of Iceland's biggest stars are to perform at a free outdoor concert in Reykjavik on June 28th 2008.

The concert in the Laugardalur recreation grounds is aimed at raising awareness of environmental issues in Iceland.

"Too often, battles being fought for nature turn into something negative and into mudslinging," commented Bjork.

The dollar is up strongly as of late, but does this mean you can afford eating at Arzak?  Settle then for a great dining ... experience.  More here via Viator.

Try this with your friends: say the name of a city they’ve been to and most likely they’ll come up with a one-word, sensory delight that sums the place up for them. For example, Lisbon – ‘oh, the fish; Munich – ‘ah, the beer’; Paris – ‘ooh, the croissants’. Well here are a few of my own favourites, in no particular order as television judges say. These are things that make me get dreamy eyed at the mere mention of that place’s name. And yes, they are all food-related, so… what of it?

This has indeed been a tough season for the airlines, well, actually a long time reaching back to 9/11.  Airlines don't have it easy, ever really.  When oil is expensive, it is hard to keep operating costs down.  When oil is cheap, fare wars between competing airlines cut into margins.  The price of flights has not changed as much as the cost of oil, and that is a problem.  Raise fares instead of the nickel and dime here and there, more here via The Gadling.

Chicago based United Airlines became the second main carrier to charge for checking one article of luggage this morning, following American Airlines announcement last month.

Fees for the first bag will now be 15$, the second will be 25$ and fees for additional and oversized bags will significantly increase.

The new policy goes into effect June 12 and doesn't apply to First, Business or elite members.

This is a blog from a biking couple that is currently in Laos, here's their latest from Vang Vieng, Laos, a personal favourite.

We had just climbed 150 km into the mountains and had reached Vang Vieng, a big backpackers town at the base of a gigantic limestone mountain range. Because of its location, there are boundless recreational opportunities, and we were looking forward to float down the river in an inner tube and soak our painful rear-ends in the cool river. When we arrived in town, we were proud of ourselves, but also famished from a day's biking on little fuel. So we scarfed down a big plate of ginger rice and headed out to find ourselves a bungalow.

Everything is cyclical and air travel is no different.  From the Hindenburg to the airship in the Indiana Jones movie, airships, dirigibles have always had a certain sense of flair, perhaps the time has come to see them trolling the skies again, and not just around sporting events.  Plus, they're kinda green, i.e. fuel efficient.  More here via the Guardian.

The Zeppelin NT, built from endowment money left behind by German airship pioneer Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin, will make further test flights around Friedrichshafen over the coming months, before flying to London - where a former contestant from The Apprentice, Rory Laing, plans to offer tourist joyrides over the capital for £150 a throw.

Pay by the pound for flights?  While this was a joke, this may not be too far off from what traveling may entail.  Since increased weight does decrease flight efficiency, perhaps the most fair way is this.

How much will your tickets be?

It depends on how much you and your luggage weigh. These masses will be combined and then turned into a price with our "Sliding Scale". If you and your luggage have a combined weight of less than 200 pounds, the cost savings is considerable-as high as sixty percent for domestic flights!

Good match, Virgin and cool hotels.  The arbiter of cool, Sir Richard is to launch a new Hotel group, more information here via Marketing Week.

Virgin Group has started building the launch team for its new “urban” hotel brand. The company says it has a development team within its management division that is overseeing the plans.

Virgin’s latest venture was revealed in Marketing Week late last year (MW December 12, 2007). At the time, former Virgin Trains marketer Craig Inglis was advising on the launch but he has since left to join retailer John Lewis.