Friday, May 10, 2013

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World’s sexiest nationalities: America votes

Posted: 10 May 2013 03:00 AM PDT

Travelers looking for eye candy on holiday can forget about Asia, Africa, Australasia and any of the Pacific islands.

A survey voted on by Americans has picked out British men and Colombian women as the world's sexiest, with the top 10 nations on each list dominated by Europe and South America.

British men will be applauding Misstravel.com for finally putting some science behind what they've been proclaiming about themselves ever since Roger Moore strapped on a leather holster and destroyed female inhibition with a single eyebrow.

Others may be wondering how any man who goes lobster-red after five minutes in the sun while struggling to suppress his pendulous beer gut can still exude the kind of confidence normally reserved for athletes, Hollywood extras and Colombian women.

Colombian women, of course, have rightfully been heralded in the number one spot. We're all much safer that way.

sexiest britishSexiest of all. Of greater note perhaps are the also-rans. Irish men were voted second sexiest by the nearly 31,000 women who were polled. Brazilians came third, Swedes fourth and their fellow Americans fifth.

Italian men will be distraught at failing to make the list. Feel free to gesticulate wildly in the comments box below.

After Colombian women, the 13,000 American men voted for Brazilians in second spot, then Americans, Spanish and Russians.

Misstravel.com calls itself an "online dating site for travelers." It hooks up wealthy frequent flyers with poor but attractive travel wannabes.

"We match generous travelers who hate to travel alone with attractive travelers who would love the opportunity to travel the world for free," its website says.

This unabashed travel-for-companionship business model (it has an entire page dedicated to warding off escorts), does then offer a silver lining to any nationalities not represented in the survey: get rich, then you too can become "attractive."

Also on CNN: World's 12 sexiest accents

Sexiest men according to American women

1. British
2. Irish
3. Brazilian
4. Swedish
5. American
6. Spanish
7. Scottish
8. French
9. Greek
10. Puerto Rican

Sexiest women according to American men

1. Colombian
2. Brazilian
3. American
4. Spanish
5. Russian
6. Dutch
7. French
8. Bulgarian
9. Swedish
10. Italian

Which nationalities do you think are sexiest? Tell us below

Monstrous, big-breasted 'Skywhale' takes to the skies in Canberra

Posted: 09 May 2013 11:00 PM PDT

It looks like something out of "Spirited Away" or maybe "Where the Wild Things Are."

The Skywhale is a 34-meter-long, 23-meter-high (that's 112 feet by 12 feet) bizarrely imaginative hot air balloon created by Australian sculptor Patricia Piccinini. The floating leviathan was commissioned by the city of Canberra as part of its 2013 centenary celebrations.

It took 16 people seven months, 3.5 kilometers of fabric and 3.3 million stitches to make the half-ton floating sculpture, which can hold a pilot and two passengers and fly to an altitude of 914 meters (3,000 feet).  

Of all the exhibitions, performances and events in the year-long birthday celebrations, the Skywhale marks the largest commission made by the government unit in charge of the program.

"(Piccinini's) highly imaginative work invites us every time to think about the human condition, and it was this relationship with the very concept of 'life on earth' that made me think of her," said centenary creative director Robyn Archer in a statement explaining the decision to commission Piccinini.

The total cost was A$172,000 (US$173,000), A$50,000 of which was donated by the Aranday Foundation.

Reception

Response to the Skywhale has been varied, from anger over its cost to appreciation of its unique qualities. The government opposition party has criticized the commission for overspending.

"(Spending) $170,000 on a whale-shaped hot air balloon -- incredible,"  said opposition leader Jeremy Hanson, as reported by ABC News.

Responses on social media have varied.

"There are people in poverty in Australia, and Canberra spends $170,000 on a balloon that looks like a whale with a deformed scrotum?" tweeted Carly Haigh.

Others find the design intriguing.

"Nightmarish but strangely tender, with an overabundance of sexual references," tweeted Gerard Atkinson.

The sexual references likely pertain to the sculpture's large breasts, which are meant to reflect that whales are mammals and breastfeed their young, said the artist in the ABC report. 

Others find the Skywhale a potential reason to travel.

"Thinking of booking a trip to Canberra just so I can see the skywhale" tweeted Simon Copland.

Scheduled for a symbolic flight over Canberra on Monday, the Skywhale will then be trotted out at galleries and festivals throughout Australia, before being sent to other countries on tour. 

More on CNN: Hong Kong's giant rubber duck 

10 anti-tech getaways: Best places to escape the wired world

Posted: 09 May 2013 07:00 PM PDT

With tablets linked to sleep disorders and media multitasking habits frying our brains into unproductivity, vacations should provide a break from tech addiction.

Many hotels cater to society's digital obsession, outfitting every inch of their estates with the latest gadgets and high-tech room controls. But others offer the opposite -- an unplugged hideaway far from any blinking screens.

Unplugged doesn't mean a cabin in the wild with no running water or toilets however -- these unwired stays offer a great mix of modern comforts and old-fashioned activities.

1. Fairmont Kenauk, Le Chateau Montebello, Quebec

The only blackberries at this Canadian wilderness luxury retreat are growing on bushes.

The log cabin chalets at the Fairmont Kenauk are completely off the grid -- as in, there's no electricity. Instead, solar panels run the high efficiency fridge, fully equipped kitchen and water pump.

There's also no cell reception or TV -- just a two-way radio for emergencies. Encounters with grizzlies, for example.

Other on-site activities: hunting, fishing, canoeing, hiking and shooting at a sporting range.

Fairmont Kenauk,1000 Chemin Kenauk Montebello, Quebec; +1 819 423 5573; rooms from $219 per night

2. Casa de las Olas, Tulum, Mexico

No air-con -- just ocean breeze.

Located 80 miles south of Cancun, this five-suite oceanfront Mexican villa is rehab for gadget addicts.

Electronics, blow dryers and curling irons (anything with a plug, really) must be checked at the door of this eco-conscious and 100% solar-powered property.

There's limited Wi-Fi in the common area for the weak-minded who simply can't go cold turkey, but there are no televisions, phones or air-conditioning.

Guests get their own private beach and can explore caves, fresh water springs and the world's second largest coral reef.

Casa de las Olas, Tulum Beach Road, Solidaridad, Tulum, Mexico; rooms from $180 per night

3. Jade Mountain, St. Lucia

Talking on cell phones in public is not allowed.

Guest rooms (aka "sanctuaries") at this hillside Caribbean resort are entirely missing a fourth wall -- which translates to incredible unobstructed views of St. Lucia's Pitons and the sea.

There are no clocks, phones, Internet or TV. What they do have are private infinity pools.

And to drive the anti-tech theme home, talking on cell phones in public is not allowed.

Jade Mountain, 100 Anse Chastanet Road, Soufriere, St. Lucia; +1 800 223 1108; rooms from $1,075 per night

4. Amankora, Kingdom of Bhutan

Digital detox in Bhutan: Just do what the Buddhists do.

Spread across forested valleys in the secluded Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan are Amankora's circuit of five lodges.

The luxury accommodations ­offer tranquility in the form of a spa, limited (if any) cell and Internet service and no TVs.

Further digital detox can be found in the form of Buddhist activities: spiritual hikes, visits to ancient monasteries, prayers with monks and meditation.

Amankora, Paro, Thimphu, Punakha, Gangtey, Bumthang, Kingdom of Bhutan, +<975 8 272 333; rooms from $775 per person all inclusive

5. Three Camel Lodge, Mongolia

There won't be any sharing pics on Facebook here.

Getting to this isolated Gobi desert camp is a bit complicated -- a chartered flight followed by a one-hour prop plane followed by an hour-and-a-half drive, but once at the camp, the wired world can be quickly forgotten.

Sheltered by a 54-million-year-old Mt. Bulagtai volcanic outcrop, 50 luxurious gers (traditional nomadic tents) stand powered solely by the wind and sun.

The typical activity here are wild adventures such as birding expeditions and dinosaur fossil excavations.

There's no Internet, TV or cell service -- just a satellite phone and backup generator (primarily used to keep the beer in the fridge cold).

Three Camel Lodge, Mt. Bulagtai, Bulgan County, Umno-Gobi Province, Mongolia; +976 11 325786; rooms from $180 per night

6. &Beyond Mnemba Island, Zanzibar

Wi-Fi is only available in the common area.

This private island lodge off the coast of Zanzibar is a digital-free haven with white-sand beaches, diving, snorkeling, swimming with dolphins and private beach dinners.

There are no TVs in the bandas (thatched houses), just old-fashioned entertainment in the small library in the form of board games, books and magazines.

&Beyond Mnemba Island, Zanzibar; +27 11 809 4314; rooms from $790 per person

7. Travaasa Hana, Maui

Private porches come equipped with hot tubs and insane Pacific vistas.

This Hawaiian hideaway is located on the less touristy side of Maui, in the rural community of Hāna amidst green hills and palm trees.

The Sea Ranch cottages are free from radios, clocks, Internet and TVs and each comes with beautiful lanais -- covered porches that function as outdoor living rooms.

What to do with all that time and no Internet distraction? The resort offers hula dancing, lei-making or ukulele lessons.

Travaasa Hana, Maui, 5031 Hana Hwy, Hana, Hawaii;+1 808 359 2401; rooms from $375 per night

8. Greyfield Inn, Cumberland Island, Georgia

There are 18 miles of empty beaches and one giant mansion on this island.

This land-protected retreat off Georgia's mainland is as undeveloped and free from crowds as it is unplugged from social media.

With limited access to reach this private island (the only way in is via ferry), guests at the Greyfield Inn's four-story, 16-room, early 20th century mansion have the whole island to themselves. That's 18 miles of wide empty beaches to explore.

The only connection to the outside world is just one on-site radiophone for emergencies.

Greyfield Inn, Cumberland Island, Georgia; +1 904 261 6408; rooms from $425 per night all inclusive

9. Arkaba Station, Australia

Backdrop for a period piece.

Australia's Flinders Ranges offers a unique 19th century, gadget-cleansing experience.

Set on a 60,000-acre working sheep ranch with awe-inspiring outback scenery, this elegant five-bedroom, 1850s homestead holds on to its past with thick stonewalls, claw foot tubs and corrugated roofing.

Keeping with the period feel, there's no TV, phone, Internet connection or mini-bar in-room. Instead, amenities include a nightly carafe of rainwater, Australian bird book and binoculars for spotting wildlife.

Arkaba Station, Flinders Ranges National Park, Hawker, South Australia; +61 8 8648 4195; rooms from $790 per person all inclusive

10. Turtle Island Resort, Fiji

With this much sun, it's not hard to go 100% solar powered on Turtle Island.

This South Pacific island paradise goes au natural from technology.

Not only did the resort recently complete a groundbreaking solar installation, making it nearly 100% solar-powered, its "bures" or guest villas are free from radios, TVs, Wi-Fi and phones to the outside world.

The resort takes just 14 couples at a time. Isolationist duos can live out their "Blue Lagoon" fantasies (yep, this is the setting for the film) at the private white-sand beaches with sunrise horseback rides and twosome hammocks.

In the evening, the Fijian staff sing beautiful local tunes for guests' entertainment.

Turtle Island, Yasawa Islands, Fiji; +1 877 288 7853; rooms from $2,499 per night all inclusive

More on CNN: World's best coastal resorts, by continent

Gallery: India’s traveling ‘talkies,’ a dying cinematic icon

Posted: 08 May 2013 12:32 AM PDT

As Bollywood divas gyrate to a raunchy dance number, hollow giggles can be heard coming from a group of elderly men huddled together.

Children exchange smiles as a roar of excitement erupts from a group of young men.

It's a common scene inside India's famed touring "talkie" tents -- temporary cinemas pitched on large, dusty festival grounds. 

I recently spent a month traveling across the Indian state of Maharashtra -- the birthplace of Bollywood -- on a battered green truck assembled from parts found in various garages.  

But it's not the truck's appearance that's noteworthy. It's what's inside that transports villagers to the glitzy world of Indian cinema, which this month celebrates its 100th anniversary.

Plastered with movie posters, the truck has been fitted with two 1930s-era projectors, perched parallel to one other. Canisters of 35mm film are scattered around the floor.

Pilgrims, visitors and local villagers look forward to these annual talkie visits -- it's the closest many will ever get to an actual cinema.

An array of movies are shown, including the latest Bollywood hits, regional and religious films and even Hollywood blockbusters dubbed in Hindi or Marathi.

Dying cinematic experience

Once an integral part of the state of Maharashtra's rural village culture and a common fixture at religious fairs (jatras), the traveling talkie industry is today on the brink of collapse.

"The concept of watching movies in a tent no longer appeals to audiences in the drought-ridden state's villages," said a recent article on the website Bollywood Life. "(People) prefer cable TV or DVDs at home."

Though opportunities to view a movie in a rural Indian tent are becoming rare, travelers can still visit Maharashtra's jatras for a taste of this dying cinematic experience.  

These include festivals in villages such as Deulgaon Raja, not far from the city of Aurangabad; Shikhar Shingnapur in southwest Maharashtra; and Pusegaon in Maharashtra's Satara district.

Those heading to this month's Cannes Film Festival can check out the next best thing. Among scheduled screenings is the new release, "Bombay Talkies," produced in honor of Bollywood's 100 years in film.  

The movie features four short stories by four Indian filmmakers -- Karan Johar, Zoya Akhtar, Anurag Kashyap and Dibakar Banerjee.

More on CNN: How to become a Bollywood extra
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