New York’s “Wild West” to become “Hong Kong on the Hudson”

One of the biggest private construction projects in the U.S. is transforming a stretch of Manhattan’s West Side into a cluster of 20 new buildings — 17 of them high-rises — so tightly packed that it has earned a new, not always complimentary, nickname: “Hong Kong on the Hudson.”
- Movie: A Million Ways to Die in the West
- Books: Voodoo Ridge by David Freed
- Music: Me. I am Mariah... The Elusive chanteuse by Mariah Carey
- Wine: The synonym for pureness
- Food: A walk in the market
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Exclusive Letters from Brazil
Pen pals are a childhood memory for most of us. The habit of writing a letter to an old friend or to a complete stranger ... Full story
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Hollywood & China Inc.
Last year, there were 49 official co-productions in China, the majority of which were with Hong Kong and Taiwanese companies. But with "Transformers: Age of ... Full story
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The Great War revisited: 100 years ago in Sarajevo
When the mass slaughter known as the Great War ended in 1918, it had claimed some 14 million lives and left another 7 million troops ... Full story
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Forever a ball
An indestructible blue ball being distributed in needy regions holds quite a promise for poor children around the world: It will never pop, even when ... Full story
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A Sino-American Symphony
* The Philadelphia Orchestra tours China and Macau again Considered one of the greatest in the world, the Philadelphia Orchestra played a role in the establishment ... Full story
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New York’s “Wild West” to become “Hong Kong on the Hudson”
One of the biggest private construction projects in the U.S. is transforming a stretch of Manhattan’s West Side into a cluster of 20 new buildings ... Full story
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Raw Food Thought, About Katya, Wellness and Healthy Food
From Russia to Macau, Katya launched her own project, “Live & Love Healthy,” last year and has since become a raw food chef, a wellness ... Full story
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A Diva by a Diva: Kidman’s ‘Grace’ Steals the red carpet show at Cannes
But ‘Grace of Monaco’ can’t win the Palme d’Or! No matter how brilliant the movie or Nicole Kidman’s performance as the legendary Grace Kelly may ... Full story
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Financialize Marijuana
At the same time US federal authorities launched a country-wide police blitz targeting synthetic drugs operations,an American state is making historyby approving the world’s first ... Full story
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A Poem in Fog and Glass
The Glass House, architect Philip Johnson's iconic Modernist structure set in the woods - in the US state of Connecticut - has been wrapped in ... Full story
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MDT FEATURE | Cartas de Sapana: Bringing back meaningful words
Patrícia Cardoso - a 27-year-old Portuguese living in Brazil - knew people who had never received a letter. Yes, that letter we used to write ... Full story
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GAMING: A USD20 Million Poker Game Redefines ‘High Stakes’
More than 40 people have paid USD1 million apiece to play in an unusual poker tournament this weekend. Its buy-in is 100 times that of ... Full story
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World Cup deserters gaze homeward as games advance in Brazil
Mariana Veloso helped bring Rio de Janeiro to a halt last year by joining hundreds of thousands opposing the World Cup. The event survived the ... Full story
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NEWS OF THE WORLD: 'Transformers' tries for delicate US-China balance
Dazzling special effects, Optimus Prime ... and Beijing. The latest "Transformers" movie has all three, mixing Texas-based action with scenes in China's capital and a ... Full story
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CUBA: Fidel’s former limos reborn as Havana taxicabs
In a former life they were the “comandante’s” cars: A fleet of black, boxy, Soviet-made limousines that for years were at the disposal of the ... Full story
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TRAVELOGUE | ITALY: Naples, green and clean, now bike-friendly
Luca Simeone rides his bike along the sunny beachfront of Naples while his little daughter sleeps on the baby seat.It may sound ordinary, but this ... Full story
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DIPLOMACY: US, Iran, longtime enemies, now potential partners
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Sarajevo: The slaying that set off World War I
A century after Gavrilo Princip ignited World War I with a shot from his handgun, the baby-faced Serb teenager who assassinated the Austro-Hungarian crown prince ... Full story
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TANK MAN: The untold story behind one of the world’s most famous photographs
They say a picture’s worth a thousand words, but what about when that picture represents the unspoken hopes of an entire generation? On June 5th ... Full story
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WORLD CUP: One World Futbol passes out indestructible balls
Poor children around the globe come up with creative ways to make their own footballs, kicking rolled up tape, fishing nets or even broken off ... Full story
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TECH: Amazon’s drone dream sets off race to build better sensor
In the quest to build drones that can help companies like Amazon.com Inc. make door-to-door deliveries, engineers are racing to overcome a fundamental challenge: helping ... Full story
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TOURISM | A CEO’s mission: luring reluctant cruise takers
Getting people onboard a cruise ship can be tough. They fear bland buffets, debilitating stomach bugs and a crowd whose idea of excitement is playing ... Full story
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Comedy: Dead parrots and lumberjacks please Python fans
Comedy is a bit like history. It repeats itself, and what started out as satire can mellow into farce.The Monty Python troupe burst forth from ... Full story
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'Begin' celebrates healing power of music
Begin Again" sees Irish writer-director John Carney on a larger canvas, revisiting themes from his lo-fi 2006 indie hit "Once" — chief among them the ... Full story
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Polanski and 'Venus in Fur' are a match
Roman Polanski. Sadomasochism. What could possible go wrong?The combination of director and subject material in "Venus in Fur" is wickedly perverse, just as it should ... Full story
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Lovely visuals, smart writing in ‘Dragon’
You thought it was tricky to train a dragon?It’s even trickier to take a much-admired animated film and make a sequel that feels satisfying and ... Full story
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A pitch-perfect Woodley anchors ‘Fault’
Let’s start with the obvious. For its core audience, “The Fault in Our Stars” is essentially critic-proof. If you’re a fan of the wildly popular ... Full story
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‘Million Ways’ is Seth’s take on Western
Seth MacFarlane might’ve picked a safer place to make his lead-acting debut than “A Million Ways to Die in the West,” his directorial follow-up to ... Full story
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DRIVE IN: 'Words' is a witty adult rom-com
If it wasn't for the charming top-liners who can make literary dialogue sound sexy in their sleep, the war in Fred Schepisi's "Words and Pictures" ... Full story
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Chilling 'Godzilla' reboot upholds legacy
No one can blame Gareth Edwards for admittedly feeling nervous when asked to helm a remake of the biggest monster movie of all time. Sure, ... Full story
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Rogen, Efron wage comic war in 'Neighbors'
If ever two genres of film were inextricably intertwined, it would seem to be the frat house movie and the gross-out comedy. After all, do ... Full story
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Garfield-Stone chemistry saves Spidey 2
Deep into “The Amazing Spider-Man 2,” my 11-year-old companion was confused about a certain plot point — justifiably, I’d say — and demanded an immediate ... Full story
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Tom Hardy drives 'Locke,' in every way
There are plenty of minimalist films out there. And then there's the tiny sub-genre of the truly, ultra-minimalist films: One character. In one place.Think "Buried," ... Full story
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Turturro’s ‘Gigolo’ is an oddball charmer
We’ll totally forgive you if, as “Fading Gigolo” begins, you’re mistakenly convinced you’re watching a Woody Allen movie. There are those familiar white-on-black titles, the ... Full story
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‘Sleepwalker’s Guide’ is a beautiful family saga
At the start of Mira Jacob’s beautiful debut, “The Sleepwalker’s Guide to Dancing,” Amina Eapen’s mother summons her home to Albuquerque, New Mexico, claiming that ... Full story
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Karin Slaughter's 'Cop Town' is engrossing
Karin Slaughter wraps an intense thriller around a legacy of sexism, race relations and politics in the engrossing "Cop Town."Slaughter, author of the Will Trent ... Full story
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Stephanie Plum returns in 'Top Secret Twenty-One'
Janet Evanovich delivers another hilarious entry in her Stephanie Plum series with "Top Secret Twenty-One."Life is never dull for bounty hunter Stephanie Plum. Her boyfriend, ... Full story
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Alafair Burke’s latest is 1 of her best
Alafair Burke tells a compelling tale that combines a police procedural and a legal thriller in “All Day and a Night.”Anthony Amaro, convicted of killing ... Full story
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Series characters paired in ‘FaceOff’ anthology
International Thriller Writers Inc. has worked with publishers on various anthologies with stories written by their members. In “FaceOff,” nearly two dozen authors take their ... Full story
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‘Voodoo Ridge’ has tension-packed plot
For once, Cordell Logan, ex-military assassin turned flight instructor, is happy. After years of trying, he finally has reconciled with his beautiful ex-wife Savannah, and ... Full story
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BOOK IT: Palmer's final medical thriller his most ambitious
The final medical thriller by Michael Palmer is about homegrown bioterrorism in the United States. Of all the novels he wrote before his death in ... Full story
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BOOK IT: 'The Skin Collector' is tense thriller
Jeffery Deaver brings back detective Lincoln Rhyme in his tense new thriller, "The Skin Collector."Rhyme and his colleagues must face a killer inspired by a ... Full story
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BOOK IT: John Lescroart delivers with 'The Keeper'
John Lescroart has been delivering compelling legal thrillers for years, and his latest, "The Keeper," is another baffling and terrific read.Abe Glitsky was a homicide ... Full story
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BOOK IT: ‘Desperate’ is well-crafted thriller
An act of kindness turns a young couple’s life upside down in “Desperate,” Daniel Palmer’s latest peek behind suburbia’s facade.Anna and Gage, a young married ... Full story
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BOOK IT: New book provides backstage pass to rock history
In the new book, "There Goes Gravity: A Life in Rock and Roll," there's a telling photograph of Mick Jagger whispering into the ear of journalist ... Full story
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BOOK IT: ‘Long Mile Home’ must-read story of Boston bombing
A new book about the Boston Marathon bombings last April is more gripping than a mystery novel, has more deeply drawn characters than a literary novel and ... Full story
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Trey Songz is complacent on 6th album
Six albums in and making R&B hits almost seems too easy for Trey Songz.He’s got the vocals of a crooner with the swagger of a ... Full story
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Ab-Soul continues strong run for Top Dawg
Rapper Ab-Soul grew up in his family's record store with free access to anything in the stacks.That explains a lot about "These Days ...," the ... Full story
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Blige solid on 'Think Like a Man' album
Sequels rarely outshine the originals they follow, so perhaps that's why the team behind the "Think Like a Man" soundtrack decided to do something different ... Full story
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Jack White goes country on second solo CD
Jack White’s second solo album is steeped in tones of his adopted hometown, Nashville. Lighthearted piano, sprightly fiddle and soulful slide guitar lend a country ... Full story
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50 Cent shows rust on ‘Animal Ambition’
50 Cent made a ginormous splash more than a decade ago with his multiplatinum platinum debut “Get Rich or Die Tryin’,” pushing out early career ... Full story
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Mariah Carey an elusive, uneven chanteuse
Mariah Carey’s latest album kicks off in wonderful and typical Mariah form: She sings a song that immediately pulls you in, which has ranged from ... Full story
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tTUNES: Love, loss and lots of synthesizers from Coldplay
Chris Martin's breakup album deals with love and loss in generalities rather than specifics. But then, not many words rhyme with "Gwyneth.""I'm ready for the ... Full story
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tTUNES: 'Xscape' is a mixed bag for Jackson fans
Michael Jackson was such a perfectionist about his music that he was notorious for releasing albums on a painfully slow timeline: His last album of ... Full story
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tTUNES: Hunter Hayes impresses on 2nd album
At 22, Hunter Hayes isn't one for subtlety on his sophomore album: His up-tempo songs ("Tattoo," ''Storyline") race with breathless rushes of lyrics and fast, ... Full story
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tTUNES: Spidey enhanced by Zimmer soundtrack
Even Oscar-winning composers can use a little help once in a while.So it makes sense that Hans Zimmer created his own band of superhero hitmakers, ... Full story
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tTUNES: Death's raw closer caps epic punk trilogy
Feverish and socially conscious, the final set of Death's 1970s recordings affirms why they rose from the ashes and gained an audience after debuting in ... Full story
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tTUNES: Rodney Crowell in fine form on new album
At 63, Rodney Crowell’s ready to cross over. On “Frankie Please,” a highlight on his new album, the Nashville singer-songwriter tosses out rhymes like some ... Full story
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The Austrian Montecassino
Situated in the Wachau opposite the town of Krems an der Donau, Stift Göttweig was founded in 1083 by St Altmann, Bishop of Passau. The ... Full story
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The Luso-Galician Polymath
Partly due to the legacy of the Reconquista from 718 to 1492, northern Portugal shares much in common with the northwestern Spanish region of Galicia ... Full story
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The Classicism of Modernity
Often considered the cradle of European civilisation, Greece has a viticultural history dating back some 6,000 years. Wine was referred to in Homer’s Iliad and ... Full story
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The Root of Portugal
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The Carthaginian Resurgence
Carthage was founded in around 650BC as a Phoenician colony in modern-day Tunisia. Legend has it that Queen Dido arrived in North Africa and asked ... Full story
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The Synonym for Pureness
Situated some 100km NW of the regional capital Dijon, Chablis is virtually an exclave of Burgundy wines. Even more northerly than Irancy (one of the ... Full story
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The Spirit of Emilia-Romagna
Italy might be the only country whose pomace brandy – grappa – appears to be better known than its wine-based brandy. During the golden age ... Full story
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WORLD OF BACCHUS: The Romanian Renaissance
Following the turbulent revolution in 1989, Romanian viticulture was for a while in a downward spiral. During the communist era, many vineyards were nationalised and ... Full story
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The Viticultural Lexicon – Rheinhessen
Poetically referred to as the “land of the thousand hills”, Rheinhessen is one of the driest regions of Germany, with less than 500mm of precipitation ... Full story
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The Regal Duet
Loyal followers of Burgundy understand that its sophistication lies not just sensually in taste, but also intellectually in heritage and history. Endowed with and relying ... Full story
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The Tears of Ovid
Along with Virgil and Horace, Ovid is traditionally considered one of the three titans of Latin literature. So important is this revered and seemingly melancholic ... Full story
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The Queen of Piedmont
Since the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 AD, the Apennine Peninsula had largely remained divided until the second half of 19th century. ... Full story
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KEEP CALM AND DRINK YOUR RIESLING
Riesling, the word itself stirs a thousand sensual imaginations. Fruity, flowery, acidic, fresh, and tenderly sweet. The adjectives to describe the wonder go on and ... Full story
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TASTES FROM THE BEAUTIFUL ISLAND
Taiwan is well known for its street food, and they have a wide variety of it. From smelly tofu to milk tea and coffee, it ... Full story
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CALL IT IRRESISTABLE
If the essence of Chinese cuisine is subtlety and that of the French cuisine is sophistication, sensuality will be the element that comes to mind ... Full story
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TASTES AND HAPPINESS: CHEFS OF THE YEAR 2014
In Macau, our lives are more colorful and cheerful with these chefs working passionately to please our discerning palates. This year, I picked four individuals ... Full story
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SENSABILITY AND ROMANTICISM
Still recovering from his jet lag, Chef Alfonso Laccarino greets us warmly at the door of Don Alfonso 1890 at Grand Lisboa and orders a ... Full story
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A WALK IN THE MARKET
If you are familiar with the Senado Square, chances are that you would also know about the São Domingos market complex. The origin of the ... Full story
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COOL AS ICE
Nonchalant and indifferent, two-Michelin-starred guest chef Thierry Marx walks between the dining tables at Vida Rica, inspecting the faces and expressions of discerning diners who ... Full story
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TASTE OF EDESIA: Bugnand’s Golden Touch
Vida Rica’s Executive Chef Dominque Bugnand is one of the very few French chefs in Macau who has a deep understanding of the Asian palate. ... Full story
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LIVING LA DOLCE VITA
Relaxing with a mocktail at Wynn Macau’s Ristorante il Teatro, I put my smartphone away and take a glance at the spectacular sight in front ... Full story
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AMBER INDULGENCE
The middle of spring is a great time to enjoy the outdoor. Standing at the footbridge at City of Dreams, I can hear an enchanting ... Full story
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FLOWERY DREAMS AND TANTALIZING DELIGHTS
It’s spring, the season of marvelous dreams and flowery sensations. Although the humidity in Macau can be a little overwhelming, the fresh air and the ... Full story
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WARMTH IN THE BOSOM
In Japanese Zen culture, stone is seen as a concept for harmony and simplicity. It is a symbol of purity and concentration, two elements that ... Full story
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TRAVELOG: Travel industry loves made-up words
Hotels advertise "bleisure" packages. The Thai Tourism Authority is promoting "honeyteering." And a Mississippi TV anchor told advocates of gay equality to "go on gaycation."Whatever ... Full story
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TRAVELOG: In remote Scotland, take a walk on the mild side
I don't have much to tell you about Scotland, really. It's true, they have whisky, and kilts, and some people speak with an accent so ... Full story
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Puerto Rico Freediving grows in popularity despite risks
Roberto Reyes grabbed the bright orange buoy and steadied his breath as sharp columns of hazy sunlight pierced the green seawater beneath him, fading before ... Full story
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Travelog - Visiting Egypt in crisis: The pyramids are quiet
The lone tourist bus curved through the desert past the limestone-topped Pyramid of Khafre, leaving the camel handlers and postcard sellers trudging through its dust. ... Full story
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Travelog - Q&A: Lonely Planet founder’s new book ‘Dark Lands’
Tony Wheeler wrote his first travel book with his wife Maureen in 1973 after driving across Europe and Asia. It sold 1,500 copies in a ... Full story
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Travelog: Explore the Quartier Chinois, Chinatown in Paris
Ask a Parisian about the city’s Chinatown and you’re likely to get an answer that’s uncharacteristically reticent. “It’s not exactly where I’d bring someone,” natives ... Full story
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Travel Turbulan
* Movies: Malick’s latest is flawed but heavenly * Books: ‘All That Is’ is masterpiece for writers * Music: Molly Ringwald brings genuineness on jazz debut * Wine: ... Full story
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Tips on ensuring personal safety when you travel
In the era of the Internet and instant posting, people tend to travel more to countries where they don’t speak the language, have a superficial ... Full story
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NEWS OF THE WORLD: Ads out of the closet, into mainstream with gay themes
Welcome to the latest in gay imagery in mainstream advertising, where LGBT people have been waiting for a larger helping of fairness, or at least something other than punchlines and cliches. Leanne Italie, in New York, is watching the change ... Full story
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5 FREE THINGS TO DO AND SEE Lisbon charms attracting more visitors
For anyone considering a trip to a European city, Lisbon perhaps isn’t a destination that springs immediately to mind. The Portuguese capital’s singular charms, however, ... Full story
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Travelog: Romania - Nicolae Ceausescu’s palace draws pop stars and presidents
Twenty-three years after communism collapsed, the Palace of the Parliament, a gargantuan Stalinist symbol and the most concrete legacy of ex-dictator Nicolae Ceausescu, has emerged ... Full story
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INDIA: Savoring Tea Trails In Darjeeling And Assam
This is your own home now,” announces our host, welcoming us to Thengal Manor. And we wish it was, this gracious residence of one of ... Full story
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