Environmental advocacy and athleticism: Fernanda Maciel uses ultrarunning to break records and create positive change Fernanda Maciel has redefined the limits of human endurance once again by setting the Fastest Known Time (FKT) on the highest peak in Oceania, Carstensz Pyramid, also known as Puncak Jaya, located in Indonesia. The record-breaking ascent and descent was completed in just 1 hour 48 minutes and is the fifth summit in her Seven Summit ascent quest. The Brazilian ultrarunner’s swift ascent and descent over steep limestone rock walls places her in an elite league of athletes pushing the boundaries on the Seven Summits. Brazilian ultrarunner Fernanda Maciel sets new Fastest Known Time (FKT) on Oceania's highest peak, Carstensz Pyramid, completing the round trip from B...
Read MoreYear: 2024
As dusk falls over the City of Light, a new spectacle is illuminating Saint-Sulpice church, a monument whose interiors are even larger than Notre Dame’s — and arguably just as breathtaking. The cavernous walls of the neoclassical gem on Paris’ Left Bank are coming alive with 360-degree video projections, sparkling cutting-edge technology and actors, all telling the story of the church and its place in French history. Video projections are seen Thursday Oct.31, 2024 at the Saint-Sulpice church in Paris. (AP Photo/Marine Lesprit) Blending centuries of intrigue, revolution and family drama, the show reimagines the Saint-Germain district during the Fronde, the 17th-century civil war, and the lead-up to the French Revolution. “Paris Cœur de Lumières” (Paris Chancel of Lights), whic...
Read MoreThailand announces 2025 as the “Amazing Thailand Grand Tourism and Sports Year”
At WTM 2024, Thailand's Tourism and Sports Minister reveals 2025 tourism agenda with new attractions, cultural celebrations, and global collaboration to bolster the tourism sector Thailand's Minister of Tourism and Sports, Sorawong Thienthong, announced 2025 as the "Amazing Thailand Grand Tourism and Sports Year" at the Amazing Thailand Press Conference, organised by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) during the World Travel Market (WTM) 2024. The "Amazing Thailand Grand Tourism and Sports Year 2025" aims to welcome travellers from around the globe with world-class festivities and privileges. "This campaign isn't just a celebration; it's an invitation for all to create unforgettable travel stories in Thailand," Sorawong remarked. Strategic...
Read MoreAnurak Community Lodge in southern Thailand has won the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) 2024 Responsible Tourism Award in the “Responsible Tourism Accommodation” category. The five winners, including Willem Niemeijer, co-founder of Anurak Lodge, and the CEO of owner-operator YAANA Ventures, received the award on stage from Sorawong Thienthong, Minister of Tourism and Sports at the World Travel Market in London, 5 November. After receiving the award, Niemeijer said: “The result means a lot because the judges were looking at a broad range of factors such as environmental, cultural, community engagement, and helping guests to travel more responsibly in Thailand. I believe Anurak Lodge did well on all those fronts because we take a holistic approach to responsible guest experie...
Read MoreMount Fuji is without its iconic snowcap in November for the first time in 130 years
Japan’s iconic Mount Fuji, known for its snowcap forming around this time of the year, is still snowless in November for the first time in 130 years, presumably because of the unusually warm temperatures in the past few weeks. The lack of snow on Mt. Fuji, a UNESCO World Heritage site, as of Tuesday breaks the previous record set on Oct. 26, 2016, meteorological officials said. Usually, the 3,776-meter- (nearly 12,300-foot-) high mountain has sprinkles of snow falling on its summit starting Oct. 2, about a month after the summertime hiking season there ends. Last year, snow fell on the mountain on Oct. 5, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency, or JMA. The snowless Mt. Fuji has captured attention on social media. People posted photos showing the bare mountain, some expr...
Read MoreThinking and dancing around club culture. 5,6 & 7 December 2024 Brussels By Night is organizing the first edition of a new event in Brussels, called Brussels Nightcall, taking place on Thursday 5, Friday 6 and Saturday 7th of December 2024. Brussels Nightcall is an event dedicated to nightlife that combines daytime talks, workshops, and conferences focusing on the hot topics and challenges currently impacting the sector, along with night-time events. Our aim is to offer a platform to highlight the nightlife sector and its vibrant community, showcasing clubs, night bars, collectives, and more within Brussels By Night. It provides a space for discussing hot topics in the sector, encouraging debate and fostering the questioning of our practices, including on a political and s...
Read MoreThe desire to explore new destinations, pursue international careers, or embark on educational journeys abroad is increasing in an increasingly interconnected world. Yet, with this surge in global travel comes an alarming rise in visa scams and fraudulent practices. Falling victim to a fake visa can derail your travel plans and result in significant financial loss, legal complications, and, in some cases, being banned from entering certain countries. Founder of The Visa House, Kanhaiya Sehgal exclaimed, “At The Visa House, we encourage all travellers to verify the credentials of any visa consultancy they engage with and to avoid any services that promise ‘guaranteed’ visas or seem too good to be true.” As seasoned experts in the visa consultancy industry, we have witnessed the e...
Read MoreBodegas De Los Herederos Del Marqués De Riscal, Rioja is the Best Vineyard in World
Spain tops the list of World’s Best Vineyards 2024 with three in top 10 World’s Best Vineyards has revealed this year’s top 50 wine destinations for 2024, showcasing wineries that provide unforgettable wine experiences, and promote wine culture. The Top 50 list was announced at the picturesque Nyetimber Estate in West Sussex, at an event attended by winemakers and vineyard owners from around the globe. This year, the top spot went to Bodegas De Los Herederos Del Marqués De Riscal, Rioja. Marqués de Riscal was established in 1858 and is still known for its amazing wines but also its iconic architecture Visitors can stay in the luxurious hotel (pictured above), designed by Frank Gehry overlooking the vines and enjoy a sublime wine paired dinner at the internationally renowned rest...
Read MoreSeaWorld San Diego also reveals 2025 plans for all-new Journey to Atlantis experience SeaWorld San Diego revealed that the much-anticipated Jewels of the Sea: A Jellyfish Experience will now open in Spring 2025. The Jellyfish Experience will be the first of its kind for SeaWorld parks and the newest immersive and interactive aquarium at the park. Featuring a variety of jelly species, beautiful storytelling and a kaleidoscope of colors and shapes in three unique galleries, this remarkable exhibit will delight and exhilarate guests. Part of SeaWorld's mission is to educate and inspire guests to explore the wonders of the ocean, and this upcoming exhibit provides a detailed look at jellyfish with exceptional educational components throughout the exhibit. The park also announced excitin...
Read MoreAn insider view on how to explore the “Jozi” in South African like a local As the Southern Africa bureau chief for Reuters, I’ve led the coverage of all kinds of news in the region, from political twists and turns in South Africa to a debt crisis in Zambia, a growing insurgency in Mozambique and oil and gas finds in Namibia. Reuters hired me in 2010 to cover commodities and mining - an exciting beat, given Southern Africa’s role as a major exporter of minerals. Later I became an economics correspondent before taking on my current role. Johannesburg - or “Jozi,” as South Africa’s economic hub is known to its residents - has a history rooted in the late 19th century Gold Rush. The inner city is now mostly rundown, with dilapidated buildings marking the skyline after a majority of b...
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