Wednesday, August 15, 2012

CNNGo.com

CNNGo.com

H.O.G.s hit highways: Meet the Chinese Harley-Davidson fanatics

Posted: 15 Aug 2012 01:54 AM PDT

by Kathy Vitale

When Jim Rice and his Chinese friends traveled from Shanghai to eastern Mongolia and northern China in 2010, they stuck out like proverbial sore thumbs.

This was not because of Rice's American stature, but because of the gang's transportation -- three shiny, massive Harley-Davidson motorcycles.

"No one had seen motorcycles when we got there," Rice laughs. "We were like escaped zoo animals."

H.O.G. explores China

California-native Rice is the head road captain for the Harley Owners Group (H.O.G.) Shanghai Chapter.

The irony of the American culture in China is that people are willing to pay three times more for a bike. That's how much people love it.

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World's most livable city is...

Posted: 15 Aug 2012 01:30 AM PDT

by CNNGo staff

Melbourne is the world's most livable city for the second year in a row, according to the Economist Intelligence Unit's (EIU) Global Livability Survey.

The top cities remained the same as last year, with a slight reshuffle in order and Australian and Canadian locations continuing to dominate.

Vienna came a close second while Canadian cities Vancouver and Toronto took third and fourth; Calgary tied with Adelaide for fifth place.

The top spots are mostly "mid-sized cities in wealthier countries with a relatively low population density," said the EIU.

A total of 140 cities were surveyed under five categories: stability, healthcare, culture and environment, education and infrastructure.

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World's longest distance to airport departure gate

Posted: 14 Aug 2012 11:24 PM PDT

by Zoe Li, Hong Kong Editor

A new study shows that just getting your butt onto the plane is half the journey done, especially if you're leaving Beijing.

China's capital has one of the world's longest treks to an airport departure gates. Direct Line insurance measured the distance between the Beijing Capital Airport Terminal 3 entrance and the furthest departure gate at the terminal.

It came in at 3.2 kilometers.

Atlanta and Zurich follow close behind with 2.09 and 2.04 kilometers between the airport entrance and the furthest gate.

Also on CNN: 10 of the world's most loved airports

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Singapore Airlines flashes up its cabins with a little help from BMW

Posted: 14 Aug 2012 10:45 PM PDT

by CNNGo staff

In an effort to jump ahead of its swanky long-haul rivals in the Middle East, Singapore Airlines is bringing in BMW and DesignworksUSA to help develop its next generation of in-flight cabin products.

Color us intrigued. When it comes to airline cabins, Singapore Airlines (SIA) has always been ahead of the game so these new cabins should be slick.  

Back in 1997, it was among the first to bring in seat-back in-flight entertainment systems -- a time when other long-haul airlines were still making us watch movies projected onto an overhead screen.

In 2007, SIA was the first to fly the world's largest passenger aircraft, the Airbus A380.

But though travelers continue to rate SIA among the world's best airlines -- it came in third in the 2012 World Airline Awards -- financially speaking it's still struggling.

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Thai hotel offers 'Jumbo University'

Posted: 14 Aug 2012 10:10 PM PDT

by CNNGo Staff

Just about everyone knows the parable of the blind men and the elephant.

In previous years, visitors to Thailand have ridden elephants, fed them bunch upon bunch of bananas, photographed them endlessly, watched them gambol about the polo field and signed up for mahout how-to courses.

Now it's time to get to know the kingdom's pachyderms a bit better.

The Elephant Researcher Program -- aka "Jumbo Uni" -- gives tourists a firsthand glimpse of what makes elephants tick.

Run by the Four Seasons Tented Camp in the Golden Triangle, the half-day program covers feeding, taking part in scientific studies and interacting with both the elephants and their researchers.

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Where can you drink the world's best cocktails?

Posted: 14 Aug 2012 11:57 AM PDT

by Melinda Joe

Standing before the judges at the Diageo Reserve World Class Final bartending competition in Rio de Janeiro, Taiwanese bartender Kae Yin's hands trembled slightly as presented his cocktail.

With his index finger, he carefully etched a flower into the layer of powdered green tea that he'd sprinkled over a plate of rice flour.

"The rice powder represents our soil, which is the source of all things that grow from the ground and give sustenance to the Taiwanese people," he explains, speaking through a translator.

"It symbolizes growth and prosperity."

The audience watched with curiosity as Yin added homemade bitters and violet liqueur to a bamboo cup containing an infusion of Tanqueray 10 gin, Chinese chamomile tea, oolong tea and honey.

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at 9:07 AM