60 Second Geography - France

The largest country in Western Europe, France looms large in the mind of the traveler as well. It's coastline takes in three seas and its interior hosts rich pastoral vineyards and the most sophisticated of urban centers. The Alps and Pyrenees for natural geographic barriers for the nation historically. French is one of the most widely spoken languages, heavily influencing the English language and culture. The French take their holiday time seriously, with more than 25 days of paid vacation time each year.

• France's large size and geographic diversity means that its climate is extremely varied from region to region. From the long summers and abundant sunshine of the Mediterranean coast to the temperate regions of the interior and the Atlantic to the cold winter playgrounds of the Alps, the climate in France makes for plenty of recreational opportunities year-round.



• In both a historic context and in modern times, the impact of French culture is hard to over-state. Architecture in the middle ages was heavily influenced by French styles and early French literature gave rise to the ideals of courtly love and chivalry. Today, Paris holds sway over haute couture and haute cuisine.

• A holiday in France can range from city visits to special interest travel in the wine country, river cruises, culinary tours and spa tourism. Tourism from North America in the World War II generation maintains a keen interest in Normandy and the sites of great battles from that war.

• France maintains its ranking as one of the most popular destinations for inbound tourism. The completion of the Channel Tunnel enhanced the ease with with travelers could move from the United Kingdom to the continent and made Paris a hub for traveler transport for Western Europe.

• The great museums of Paris remain some of the most popular attractions for visitors. Institutions like the Louvre and the Musée d'Orsay host extraordinary collections of paintings, sculptures and antiquities.

• The Côte d'Azur cities and beaches are popular with European and Canadian tourists, and increasingly so with a resurgence of travelers from the United States. Terrace cafés, quaint streets and blue oceans attract visitors looking for the essence of the French Mediterranean life and culture.

• The wine country of France remains one of the most popular culinary and wine vacation theme locations in the world. Hosted tours and self-drive itineraries alike are available to travelers wishing to sample the fine wines, food, scenery and the grand chateaux of the wine regions.

Are you ready to getaway to France? Contact Jadd Fong Travel, an Albuquerque travel agency,  and get started.

Athens, Greece

Athens Greece

By: Richard Earls What's not to love about Athens Travelers who remember Athens from visits in the 1980's and 90's will say the city is a bit pricy and crowded. They will remember five million inhabitants spilling through its streets, filling the shops and by-ways with an audible hum, the traffic fierce. But Athens holds a certain attraction felt nowhere else, and if you have not been there in the past few years, you are in for a wonderful surprise. The 2004 Olympics bestowed a new lease on the old city's life, and Athens has made a quick about-face, at once ancient, yet excitingly new again.

From dozens of vantage points in the city the Acropolis sits magnificently poised, a visible reminder of the thousands of years of history that underlies everything here. Walking the streets of Athens, spending time in its sidewalk cafes and rooftop terraces is a wonderful treat, one that should be high on the list of every true traveler. The city's coastline has undergone a renaissance and is much livelier than in years past. The renovated hotels, museums and galleries are still fresh from their Olympic make-over. New boutique hotels now compete with the classic ones that have offered accommodations for the past 60 years to thousands of travelers from Europe and North America. The food? Greek cuisine has never been better!

Many of the ancient sites are now linked together by a promenade meandering through classical Athens making the city amazingly pedestrian friendly, a surprise to those who visited here in the past century. The effect is to create an open museum throughout the city that can be strolled by the traveler at a pace befitting the ancient sites. Athens is now more than ever a 24 hour drama amongst the ruins.

Start inside the Syntagma metro station and take the short walk to the House of the Greek parliament. Walk through the heart of the city to the Plaka, the old center of Athens. A short walk up the spectacular Dionyssiou Areopagitou pedestrian walkway takes you to the Acropolis. Athens is home to the Panathenaic Stadium, where the first Modern Olympic Games were held in 1896, a wonderful contrast to the renovations that accompanied the 2004 games a century later. Indeed a walk around the famous old neighborhoods reveals exactly how comfortably the differing eras of this city coexist. The small Plaka shops sit next to fancy department stores, next to traditional taverns. The Acropolis, the Odeion of Herodes Atticus, Olymbion, Roman Market, Panathinaiko Stadium or Kallimarmaro remain almost too inspiring and awesome for words. These are the sites you have wanted to see since childhood, and they seem to live here larger and more real than you might have imagined. These are not dead monuments, but living reminders of the brilliant seat of western civilization that Athens has been.

The Acropolis hill, the so called the "Sacred Rock" of Athens, remains the most important site of the city and its most visible given its site high above practically every other point in the city. Few monuments are so immediately recognizable. The Acropolis Museum, houses some of the most important sculptures taken from the site during the centuries of excavation and reconstruction. The Greek people still hope for the return of the Parthenon Marbles taken from the site and scattered through the centuries to come to rest in other museums around the world.

Whether it's your first trip or a return visit, there has never been a better time to travel to Athens and to see the other cities and islands of Greece. The prices are right, the crowds are noticeably smaller than in years past, and the people, accommodations and food better than ever. Contact Jadd Fong Travel and get started.

60 Second Geography - United Kingdom

Few places cram in as much scenery, history and culture as the United Kingdom. England's southwest is dominated by a rugged shoreline and ancient history, the uber hip and metropolitan capital, London, sits amid the rolling hills of the southeast. The people of northern England are among the friendliest; while the scenery of the Northumberland coast, Peak District and Lake District are all incredible sights to behold.

But to experience the true wilderness of the United Kingdom, travel to the Scottish Highlands where you will discover that it can be harsh, snow capped and often inaccessible. Art-drenched Edinburgh is a stunning city to explore (especially if you are a JK Rowling or Harry Potter fan), and the larger islands of the Hebrides attract walkers and whiskey lovers.

Across the water, sharing land with Ireland, Northern Ireland is a stylish and modern area anchored by Belfast. Outside of the city, the countryside is every bit as intriguing as the United Kingdom's.

Wales features the vibrant Cardiff and industrial Swansea to the south, and craggy peaks of the Snowdon Massif to the north.

• England is the biggest country in the U.K., and is home to the largest city in Europe - London. It's also home to over 600 miles of beautiful coastline and some of the world's top tourist attractions. England is divided into 9 distinct regions, each with its own unique personality, history and culture - from the rolling hills of the Cotswolds and charming Cornish villages to the bustling city life of London and the dramatic coastlines of the North East. So no matter what kind of experience you want, you'll find the perfect destination in England.

• Northern Ireland is the smallest country in the U.K., and is situated in the northeast corner of Ireland. Northern Ireland's size makes it easy to navigate. Once you've settled into your hotel, you can easily visit the country's main attractions on short day trips. The country offers a variety of landscapes from breathtaking mountains and glens, World Heritage Sites to an inland sea.

• Scotland is a diverse and extraordinary country, with a rich and fascinating history. The country has nearly 800 islands, only 300 of which are inhabited, and these islands are home to some of the most beautiful landscapes in the world. It is a photographer's paradise. In Scotland you will find vibrant and exciting cities, breathtaking lochs, mountains and coastlines. Scotland shares its Southern border with England and is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean on the west and the North Sea on the east.

• Wales is bordered by England on the east and is a small country with a rich history and spectacular landscapes, including three national parks and five "Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty." Due to its size (170 miles tall by 60 miles wide) you're never far from a mountain or a sea. But Wales is also home to vibrant cities, traditional villages and great tourist attractions. Welsh - the native language - is spoken by many people in Wales, and is one of the oldest (and some say most difficult to understand) languages in the world.

What are you waiting for? Contact Jadd Fong Travel, an Albuquerque travel agency, and explore the United Kingdom.

The Louvre: The Man Who Stole the Mona Lisa



Today, a thick pane of bullet-proof security glass keeps art lovers a safe distance from the most famous painting in the world, Leonardo da Vinci’s “Portrait of Lisa Gherardini, Wife of Francesco Giacondo,” known in French as “La Joconde” and English as the “Mona Lisa.” But back in 1911, it was simply hung on the walls of the Musée du Louvre like any other canvas.





That was until a former museum employee named Vincenzo Perrugia strolled into the gallery before opening hours on August 21, noticed the room was empty, took down the Mona Lisa and walked out of the Louvre with it under a painting smock. When the loss was finally noticed, the police were mystified.

For two years, the whereabouts of the masterpiece was unknown, while French detectives made various wild guesses. (It had been stolen by the Germans. By anarchists. By evil geniuses. By lunatics.) They actually arrested the country’s top art critic, Guillame Apollinaire, then let him free. Then, out of the blue in 1913, an Italian art dealer in Florence was contacted by a man calling himself “Leonardo” who claimed to have the Mona Lisa and wanted to see it hang in the Uffizi, Italy’s top art museum. Although he found it hard to believe that the thief could be so reckless, the dealer tipped off the police and agreed to meet the strange Leonardo in a Milan hotel room. There, the nondescript fellow opened his suitcase, emptied out his socks and underwear, opened up a false bottom in the case to reveal the Mona Lisa – and was immediately arrested.

It turned out that Perrugia was no criminal mastermind trying to make a fortune but a sentimental Italian nationalist who had stolen the canvas on impulse and merely wanted to see it returned to its land of origin. (The Mona Lisa was purchased by France’s King Francis I in the 1530s.) The recovery was greeted with exultation in France, and the famed canvas safely shipped to its home in the Louvre. Back in Italy, however, the thief Peruggia was hailed as a patriotic hero in Italy and served only a short prison sentence.

We design our journeys around the stories they will tell. What story might you discover in France with Globus? Contact Jadd Fong Travel and start planning!

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Living Large Like a Movie Star

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Ever wonder what it would be like to stay in the same hotel as Bill Murray in Lost in Translation or wake up in a penthouse suite in Caesars like the guys from the Hangover? Well this is your chance. This is a list of ten hotels which were featured in movies and we can offer you a chance to live large like a movie star with one of our vacation packages.

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Caesars Palace
		Location: Las Vegas, Nevada Movie: The Hangover (2009) The true comedy of The Hangover begins when three friends Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, and Zach Galifianakis wake up in their Caesars’ suite without their groom-to-be friend Justin Bartha. Caesars Palace is famous worldwide for its magnificent beauty and impeccable service. This majestic Las Vegas hotel offers a 129,000 square foot casino, 26 restaurants and cafes, sprawling gardens and pools, a world-class spa, and the renowned Colosseum spotlighting world-class stars. Caesars will allow its guests to find out whether the tagline from The Hangover, “Some guys just can’t handle Vegas,” includes them or not.
St. Regis Bora Bora Resort
		Location: Bora Bora, French Polynesia Movie: Couples Retreat (2009) St. Regis Bora Bora Resort provided a perfect setting for the Vince Vaughn comedy Couples Retreat where couples in struggling relationships come to this beautiful resort to try to fix their problems. From the Oasis Pool; to the central pool, with a swim-up bar; to the saltwater private lagoon, full of native fish and stingrays, St. Regis allows guests to dive into the many pleasures of paradise. Private villas offer guests a chance to experience one of the most beautiful and romantic islands in the Pacific.
Bellagio
		Location: Las Vegas, Nevada Movie: Ocean's Eleven (2001), Ocean's Twelve (2004), & Ocean's Thirteen (2007) The Bellagio is home to Steven Soderbergh’s Ocean’s movies which were jam-packed with A-list actors such as George Clooney, Brad Pitt, and Matt Damon. The hotel provides its guests with a retreat unto themselves, the 3,933 Guest Rooms and Suites are an extension of its AAA Five Diamond Award-winning Las Vegas hotel. Bellagio provides a Las Vegas entertainment experience for everyone, whether you prefer high-energy or a more intimate experience.
Park Hyatt Tokyo Hotel Location: Tokyo, Japan Movie: Lost in Translation (2003) This five star hotel, located right in the heart of Shinjuku, one of Tokyo's best known business districts, provided the main setting of Sofia Coppola’s Lost in Translation featuring actors Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson. Occupying the top 14 floors of Shinjuku Park Tower, Park Hyatt Tokyo hotel overlooks Tokyo and the Kanto Plain all the way to Mount Fuji. Located in the Shinjuku district, this hotel is close to Shinjuku Station, Shinjuku Park, Nishi Shinjuku and areas of Shibuya and Aoyama.
Fontainebleau Location: Miami, Florida Movie: Goldfinger (1964), The Bodyguard (1992), & Scarface (1983) Whether it was Sean Connery as James Bond in Goldfinger, Kevin Costner protecting the star singer Whitney Houston in The Bodyguard, or Al Pacino as the gangster Tony Montana in Scarface this beautiful hotel in Miami Beach has provided the movie industry with a perfect set location for many memorable films. Fontainebleau’s striking design, contemporary art, music, fashion and technology merge into a vibrant new kind of guest experience. The 22-acre oceanfront hotel features signature restaurants by award-winning chefs; two chic nightlife venues; a two-story, 40,000-square-foot spa, expansive poolscape, a pristine Atlantic Ocean beach and state-of-the-art conference and event facilities.
The Grand Hotel Location:Taipei, China Movie: Eat, Drink, Man, Woman (1994) The Grand Hotel in Taipei was the location of the Academy Award nominated movie Eat Drink Man Woman. Supported by red columns and with golden roof tiling, the Grand Hotel stands much like a majestic 14-story palace. The hotel is equipped with 487 rooms which offer a birds-eye-view of bustling Taipei in the day and a serene city at night. The Grand Hotel offers a variety of dining choices, including Chinese, Western and Japanese restaurants.
The 1927 Lake Lure Inn & Spa Location: Lake Lure, North Carolina Movie: Dirty Dancing (1987) The Lake Lure Inn was one of the locations used in the romantic film Dirty Dancing starring Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey. Whether you're an adventurer seeking a "Dirty Dancing" themed cabin, prefer the nostalgia of the historic Inn, or just need a relaxing weekend laying by the pool the Lake Lure Inn has what you are looking for. From its boat rental service, to its perfect wedding scenery, the Lake Lure Inn will provide guests with a perfect vacation location.
Stanley Hotel Location: Estes Park, Colorado Movie: The Shining (1980) Although the movie itself was not filmed in the Stanley Hotel, the book that inspired it was written about Steven Kings stay in room 217 of the Stanley. Whether you are a big Jack Nicholson fan or Steven King fan, the hotel will bring memories of The Shining to anyone who visits. The Stanley Hotel is a historic landmark hotel in a spectacular mountain-view location, offering old-world charm matched with the latest of modern amenities. Guests can take a ghost and history tour, use the full-service spa or just relax and enjoy the view from your room or suite. The Stanley Hotel sits 7,500 feet above the ordinary in beautiful Estes Park, an hour from Denver and minutes from Rocky Mountain National Park.
Hotel Des Mille Collines Location: Kigali, Rwanda Movie: Hotel Rwanda (2004) Hotel Des Mille Collines is the hotel which was used by Don Cheadle as a shelter to save his fellow countrymen in Rwanda from genocide. The Mille Collines is a four star hotel with a fine setting and personalized service situated in a large exotic garden in downtown Kigali, Rwanda. Enjoy culinary delights and international cuisine in the top floor Restaurant "Le Panorama" with its magnificent view over Kigali.
Beverly Wilshire Location: Beverly Hills, California Movie: Pretty Woman (1990) & Beverly Hills Cop (1984 This five star hotel was where Julia Roberts and Richard Gere stayed in the romantic comedy Pretty Woman, and also where Eddie Murphy lived in the hilarious comedy Beverley Hills Cop. In the heart of Beverly Hills this historic hotel buzzes with vitality from dramatic renovations, blending tradition and trend. See-and-be-seen dining and glamorous events are balanced by quiet, personal comfort in the spa, the pool and luxury guest rooms. Contact Jadd Fong Travel , an Albuquerque travel agency and get ready to go.