Category: Travel

Famous trains like the Orient Express, Super Chief, and Flying Scotsman defined the luxury railway experience in the 20th century, but a new bespoke, smart train—with its all-glass exterior and golden hue—promises to reinvent travel by rail in a unique, 21st century way.“We tend to think about rail transportation only in terms of speed, moving lots of people from point A to point B in record time,” says Paris-based designer Thierry Gaugain, who conceived the G Train. “But this 14-car train would belong to a single owner. It’s an alternative, very leisurely way to see the world, beyond the yacht and jet.”

Source: The $350M Smart ‘G-Train’ Is Made With High-Tech Color-Changing Glass – Robb Report

No words for this guy!

Our continuing coverage of Canada’s federal election September 20 carries the #Elxn44 tag. You can use the search engine on our site to find other stories in the series.Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole pledged to move boldly backwards on Canada’s emissions reduction target, the fossil lobby published its campaign wish list, and the climate crisis held its spot as a top concern for Canadian voters as the federal election moved into its third week.Speaking in Newfoundland on Friday, O’Toole said he would jettison the Trudeau government’s international commitment to cut Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions 40 to 45% by 2030, and return to the Harper-era target of 30%, in search of a carbon target the country can achieve without “crippling” the economy.“In April, we launched our plan on climate change. It will meet the Paris objectives. It’s not changing the Paris objectives. We will meet the Paris objectives that were actually set by the tail end of the Conservative government and signed onto by the Liberal government,” he said.

Source: #Elxn44 Roundup: O’Toole Pledges to Break the Paris Agreement, Fossils Release Election Demands, and Climate Holds Top Spot with Voters – The Energy Mix

If you’re a fan of river cruising and slow travel, you’ll love the latest travel-by-water trend to resurface: canal barges. Smaller than river cruise ships and often carrying just two passengers (though some can carry as many as 20), canal barges are all about exploring small towns and European villages along the waterways. And while the concept is far from new, canal barge cruising is getting a facelift — and a fast-track ticket into the travel zeitgeist — in 2022, when Abercrombie & Kent launches luxury canal barge cruises in Europe.Related: These Incredible Cruise Voyages Are the Perfect Way to Celebrate a Return to the SeasAbercrombie & Kent’s take on canal barging taps into travelers’ interest in slowing down and taking in quieter, European destinations outside of the major cities . That’s why their canal barges will sail through the Loire Valley and the canals of Burgundy and Champagne. Beyond France, these barges will also take travelers on luxe adventures in Germany, Italy, England, Ireland, Belgium, Holland, and Scotland. Instead of road tripping, and constantly bouncing to new hotel rooms, canal barge cruising gives you a consistent home base as you travel through under-the-radar villages and dock right outside must-visit pubs, wineries, and restaurants.

Source: Abercrombie & Kent Launches Luxury Canal Barge Cruises in Europe for 2022 | Travel + Leisure

Venice is set to impose an entry fee for visitors in a bid to prevent huge swathes of tourists descending on the city.

Italian newspaper La Stampa reported over the weekend that a package of measures designed to control tourism, which include requiring visitors to book in advance, pay a fee and enter the city via electronic turnstiles, is set to be imposed from summer 2022.

The entry fee is reportedly set to be between 3 and 10 euros ($3.52 and $11.73), dependent on the season.

Residents and their relatives, children under six and people staying in local hotels will be exempt from the measures.

Lawmakers approved the package of restrictions last week, according to The Times newspaper. However, the measures — originally intended to be launched in 2019 — have been repeatedly postponed, partially due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Italian media reported.

Up to 80,000 people a day have recently been visiting the Italian city, The Times reported. At the height of the pandemic, tourism to Venice dried up, leading to the water in the city’s famous canals becoming noticeably clearer.

Venice has been struggling with over-tourism for several years, with large crowds causing congestion in the city’s narrow streets and creating traffic on its waterways.

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In the summer of 2019, the MSC Opera cruise ship rammed into a Venetian dock and a tourist riverboat on June 2, injuring five people.

Since the beginning of this month, large cruise ships have been banned from sailing into the center of Venice.

In 2017, around 2,000 residents protested against the impact tourism was having on their home.

Source: Venice set to introduce an entry fee and booking system for tourists

MOMENT IN TIME: AUG. 26, 1977

Chris MorrisTue., August 24, 2021, 9:36 a.m.·9 min readDrummer Charlie Watts, whose adept, powerful skin work propelled the Rolling Stones for more than half a century, has died, according to his rep. He was 80.In August 2021, the drummer abruptly withdrew from the Stones’ pandemic-postponed tour, citing the need to recover from a recent medical procedure; a statement from the band said that Watts had selected Steve Jordan, a longtime member of guitarist Keith Richards’ group the X-Pensive Winos, to replace him.More from VarietyRolling Stones Unveil ‘Tattoo You’ 40th Anniversary Edition, With Bonus Tracks and Live AlbumRolling Stones Drummer Charlie Watts Is ‘Unlikely’ to Join Group’s 2021 U.S. TourRolling Stones Unveil Rescheduled U.S. Tour Dates for This FallIn a famous ad lib – captured at Madison Square Garden in 1969, and heard on the Stones’ live album “Get Yer Ya-Ya’s Out” – vocalist Mick Jagger asks the crowd, “Charlie’s good tonight, in’ne?” Fans and observers alike considered Watts more than good – he was held as one of the greatest rock drummers of his era, and of all time.The wiry, basset-faced musician was a jazz-schooled player who came to the Stones through London’s “trad” scene of the early ‘60s. He was the missing piece in the group’s early lineup, joining in January 1963; with Jagger and Keith Richards, he remained a constant with “the World’s Greatest Rock ‘n’ Roll Band” on record and on stage for more than 50 years.He provided nimble, energetic support on the band’s long run of dirty, blues- and R&B-based hits of the early and mid-‘60s. He reached the pinnacle of his prowess on a series of mature recordings, made with producer Jimmy Miller in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s, in which his sharp playing caromed off Richards’ serrated guitar riffs.In the 2003 oral history “According to the Rolling Stones,” Richards said, “To have a drummer from the beginning who could play with the sensibility of Charlie Watts is one of the best hidden assets I’ve had, because I never had to think about the drummer and what he’s going to do. I just say, ‘Charlie, it goes like this,’ and we’ll kick it around a bit and it’s done. I can throw him ideas and I never have to worry about the beat…It’s a blessing.”

Source: Charlie Watts, Rolling Stones Drummer, Dies at 80