Travel
Jetting off for a summer vacation? How to eat and drink to minimize jet lag
Jet lag threatens to turn even a dream vacation into a slog. And with peak travel season underway, millions of people may have to contend with this disorienting condition, which can cause sleep disturbances, daytime tiredness, headaches and nasty gastrointestinal symptoms. But you can minimize the effects of jet lag — and not just by […]
Hawaii raises truck bed-riding age to 16 as roads get faster, testing a cherished island tradition
KAILUA, Hawaii | It’s common to see people riding in the beds of pickups in Hawaii, often along country highways sandwiched between towering verdant mountains and the glassy blue expanse of the Pacific. “It’s a cultural thing, especially in a small, agricultural community,” said Kimeona Kane, who would jump into the bed of a pickup […]
A centuries-old festival in Japan brings Shinto traditions and towering floats to the streets
KYOTO, Japan | There’s a special moment when Katsushi Horikawa feels closer to the gods. It comes as he rides atop one of the towering floats pulled through the streets in a centuries-old procession in Japan. This is the Gion Matsuri festival, born more than 1,000 years ago as a ritual to ward off epidemics […]
Face-to-face with ancient Rome: Exhibition in Hungary brings forgotten faces to life
BUDAPEST, Hungary | A blacksmith, a stable boy, a soldier, a slave: The faces and stories of these and other residents of an ancient Roman city in modern Hungary have been brought to life in remarkable fidelity for a new exhibition in Budapest. The display, which runs until Oct. 31, showcases highly detailed facial reconstructions […]
Hong Kong eateries welcome dogs as city relaxes ban
HONG KONG | Hong Kong dog owners and their four-legged friends have gained new freedoms after the city relaxed a decades-old rule, allowing the pets to join them at eateries. Since 1994, only guide dogs and those performing statutory duties were allowed in restaurants under the city’s food business regulation. But the policy change aimed […]
US airlines are redesigning travel around their highest-paying passengers
They may arrive at the same destination, but two passengers on the same flight can have strikingly different travel experiences. One traveler breezes through a priority security lane and heads straight to an invite-only lounge for craft cocktails and a chef-prepared meal before boarding early. A flight attendant offering a glass of champagne and a […]
Heat forces yodelers at annual Swiss festival to sing in fountains
BASEL, Switzerland | City fountains became impromptu rehearsal spaces this weekend as yodelers at a festival in Basel, Switzerland, squeezed in last-minute practice while cooling off during Europe’s June heat wave. At one fountain, a folk band dipped their toes in the water on Saturday, as festivalgoers clapped along or cooled their hands under the […]
In France’s historic heat wave, Paris’ dreamy rooftops become a heat-trapping nightmare
PARIS | Before the heat struck, Amelie Kenney could boast that she almost had it all: a tiny but cheap top-floor apartment in Paris, with an enviable view from its minuscule balcony of the French capital’s iconic gray roofs and even, when she leans out far enough, up to the Sacré-Cœur basilica atop Montmartre. But […]
Why eat junk on a camping trip? Tips and recipes for nutritious food on the trail
Few things feel better than a long hike in the woods, exhausting yourself as you soak in the fresh air and tranquility. Then, back to camp, where you chip away at those health benefits with packaged hot dogs slapped into a white-bread bun with a slice of plasticky processed cheese food. It doesn’t have to […]
How to stay safe while traveling during extreme heat
As travelers prepare to set off on summer trips, scorching temperatures lie in wait. Above-average temperatures could be on the books this summer, according to forecasters, and a developing El Nino event could spell out warmer weather later in the year or next summer. Sizzling temperatures are more than an inconvenience: They can cause heat […]