Posted by Andrew Hickey on Dec 24, 2009 in
Travel Happy Holidays! Hope everyone has a great couple of days with family and friends. Bottom line is that no matter how far you travel, coming home is still one of the best places to be. Here are some images of Christmas around the world. Check back tomorrow for even more shots from holiday season celebrations.
- Paris, France
- Madrid, Spain
- Lisbon, Portugal
- Mexico City, Mexico
- New York, New York
Tags: christmas, france, holidays, lisbon, Madrid, mexico, mexico city, new york city, Paris, portugal, spain
Posted by Andrew Hickey on Oct 1, 2009 in
Travel 
Tokyo, Japan is one of the final four cities that could be announced the host of the 2016 Olympics this week.
Chicago…Madrid…Rio de Janeiro…Tokyo. All four locales are absolutely amazing cities that pretty much any traveler would love to visit on their next trip. They are also the final four nominees vying to host the 2016 Olympic Games.
So how would you like to visit one of these desirable destinations for free? One lucky twerson…er I mean person will be chosen by Where Ive Been and flown round-trip to one of the aforementioned cities, for what is sure to be an extremely memorable vacation.
Here is how you can compete in the “Where I’ve Been Olympic Twitter Giveaway.”
1. Follow Where I’ve Been (@whereivebeen) on Twitter.
2. A message will be posted by @whereivebeen at 9am CT on Thursday, October 1st. Tune in and RE-TWEET THAT MESSAGE!
Winner will be selected at random & announced on the @whereivebeen Twitter page on Friday, October 2nd.
If you are the chosen one, you must direct message @whereivebeen within 24-hours of the announcement with the city you want to visit (Chicago, Madrid, Rio de Janeiro, or Tokyo). Good luck!
Tags: asia, brazil, chicago, europe, illinois, japan, Madrid, rio de janeiro, south america, spain, tokyo, Travel, united states, whereivebeen.com
Posted by Andrew Hickey on Jun 4, 2009 in
Travel 
This is definitely the biggest hotel sale I have ever seen on Expedia.com. Browse through their inventory of properties worldwide and save. You must book by June 30, 2009 and travel by July 30, 2009.
Plus when you use your MasterCard you will be eligible for up to $300 in coupons for future travel. Click here for more information.
Tags: asia, austin, australia, boston, dublin, europe, expedia, hotel, Las Vegas, London, Madrid, new york, orlando, san francisco, sydney, Travel, united states
Posted by Andrew Hickey on May 20, 2009 in
Travel
Venice, Italy is just one of the many affordable last minute European spots to visit this weekend.
Now if you are the kind of person that enjoys booking trips on a whim or at the 11th hour, then you are in luck this year! Travel from the United States is more affordable than it has been in years for a last minute jaunt to Europe this Memorial Day weekend.
Obviously you do not have much time to ponder these prices, as airlines fares fluctuate on an hourly basis. Plus it is Wednesday…so you only have about 48 hours or so to get booking, packing, and finding a babysitter for your cat. So if you are an adventurous traveler and you are looking to go far, far away from the masses this holiday weekend, then check out some of the fares I found online today (All prices below include taxes and fees):
- New York – Dublin: You can fly out of Newark for $524 on United Airlines with travel dates of Friday May 22 to Tuesday May 26. If you can be flexible, and get an extra day or two off from work, then fly out of JFK Saturday May 23 and come back Wednesday May 27 for $381 on Delta!
- Philadelphia – London: Depart on Friday May 22 and return Tuesday May 26 for only $469 via US Airways. Saturday May 23 to Wednesday May 27 cost just $1 extra.
- Orlando – Madrid: For just $513 you can escape to Spain this weekend. But you must travel Saturday May 23 to Wednesday May 27 via US Airways.
- Boston – Paris: Bounce from the bean town to the city of lights via Air France from Saturday May 23 to Wednesday May 27 for just $576. For $3 more you can travel between Friday May 22 and Tuesday May 26.
- Chicago – Venice: Delta is offering a $527 fare for travel Saturday May 23 to Wednesday May 27. Need to leave a day earlier? Then you will pay $575 for travel Friday May 22 to Tuesday May 26.
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This is just a small sampling of what is currently being offered by the airlines for holiday travel. Be sure to check various sites before booking to ensure that you receive the lowest fare.
Tags: air, Air France, boston, chicago, delta, dublin, england, florida, france, illinois, ireland, italy, London, Madrid, massachusetts, memorial day, new york, orlando, Paris, pennsylvania, philadelphia, spain, Travel, united, us aiways, venice
Posted by Andrew Hickey on May 14, 2009 in
Travel I am a travel junkie.
Seriously, I am.
I probably look at travel news, stories, deals and journals more than anything else during my weekly activities. It is an addiction and something that I may need to eventually get help for (is there a Traveler’s Anonymous?). In any event, while my travel bug is still active, let me say that one of the things that makes me want to log onto Kayak or TravelZoo and book my next trip comes after watching certain movies.
If I see great scenery or a beautiful location, I will find myself online later that day, checking out where the movie was filmed, researching flight information, and seeing if my airline miles can take me there. Before you know it, I am walking the streets of Tuscany with a gelato in one hand and a limoncello in the other saying to myself, “Damn you Diane Lane, how am I going to afford this trip?!”
Here are some flicks you might want to add to your NetFlix or rent from your video store (actually do those still exist?):
In Bruges: This Academy Award-nominated and Golden Globe Award-winning 2008 film directed and written by Martin McDonagh stars Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson as two hit men hiding out in a small city in Belgium. Yes they are staying “In Bruges”, which is a small town outside of Brussels. The backdrop is perfect in my opinion, yet Colin Farrell’s character hates this city. It is too cold, quiet and boring for him. His character prefers the excitement and energy of Paris and London. But his partner absolutely loves the quaint city and takes in a river cruise, snaps pics of the architecture and enjoys many drinks at their local watering holes. If you can not have a good time in Belgium then something is seriously wrong with you. A place that is known for some of the best chocolate and beer on the planet? Perfect!
Vicky Cristina Barcelona: Who wouldn’t want to spend a summer in Spain with the likes of Penelope Cruz and Scarlett Johansson? This 2008 Golden Globe Award-winning/Academy Award-nominated movie, written and directed by Woody Allen, is filmed in beautiful Barcelona. Not only does it have a good storyline, but it also offers a lot of good looking cast. I’m sold.
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas: Based on the 1971 Hunter S. Thompson book, this film starring Johnny Depp and Benicio del Toro is such a great flick. Depp and del Toro’s interaction throughout the film make for one hell of a ride to Sin City. A movie with so many desert scenes was never so entertaining. Highly recommend. But read the book first.
Under the Tuscan Sun: While this one is an “Uber-chick flick”, I could not turn away while my wife watched it. The Italian backdrop was perfetto. Definitely check it out with your partner…great date movie. If you are a single male then rent it, lower the blinds and cuddle up on the couch with your kitty. It’s okay, you are confident in your masculinity.
A Good Year: Set in both London, England and stunningly romantic Provence, France. This 2006 romantic comedy starring Russell Crowe seriously was not the best movie I have seen in recent years, but the location of Provence was good enough to keep me watching through to the end.
Bourne Trilogy: All three of the Bourne movies, while fast paced and fun to watch in my opinion, also make you want to escape to Europe ASAP. Some of the locations used in these great movies include Prague, Imperia, Rome, Mykonos, Zürich, Tangier, London, Paris, Madrid and Berlin (which was also used as a double for Moscow). Even New York City is used in this movie. That is some serious traveling Mr. Damon.
Once: Set in Dublin, this drama, which stars musicians Glen Hansard (of popular Irish rock band The Frames) and Markéta Irglová as struggling musicians, was a fun flick to watch. I personally found this movie to be entertaining from beginning to end. Plus being of Irish descent and a regular visitor to Dublin, it was great to see places I had visited myself when I was in that great city. The soundtrack is equally good.
Into the Wild: Based on the 1996 non-fiction book of the same name by Jon Krakauer about the adventures of Christopher McCandless. This Sean Penn directed film stars Emile Hirsch, Jena Malone, Marcia Gay Harden, Vince Vaughn, Kristen Stewart, William Hurt and Catherine Keener. I loved the book and found the movie to be good, not great. Check out the soundtrack by Eddie Vedder, some pretty good tunes.
Other notable mentions:
Home Alone 2 (New York)
Sleepless in Seattle (duh)
National Lampoon’s European Vacation(England,France,Germany,and Italy)
The Da Vinci Code (Rome/Vatican City)
Lost in Translation (Tokyo)
Want to add to this list? Leave a comment.
Tags: barcelona, belgium, bruges, czech republic, dublin, england, france, germany, greece, Imperia, ireland, italy, japan, Las Vegas, London, Madrid, Mykonos, nevada, Paris, Prague, rome, seattle, spain, switzerland, Tangier, tokyo, tuscany, vatican city, washington, Zürich
