Thứ Ba, 30 tháng 6, 2009
Tech Torture with Topher: Bye-bye smartphone
Welcome back everyone to a new Tech Torture with Topher.
First off, thanks to everyone who made the last TTWT such a hit. Because of you all, we get to do a new one this week. The torture topic? My smartphone.
Let me explain. Like many of you, I have a company-issued phone through which my bosses and co-workers often contact me. I have it with me all the time and believe I couldn’t do my job without it.
But is that really true? We’re about to find out. I’m giving up my CNN-issued iPhone for the week and will try to get by instead on an old phone with no Web, e-mail or even texting capability. How will this impact my day? Will I e-mail more or less? Will I spend more time at my desk?
What impact, if any, will it have on Twitter, Facebook and AIM — which I use not just for personal reasons but to keep in contact with other people who work in the same field?
I’m sure some of you will be wondering what the big deal is. You don’t have an iPhone or a BlackBerry and you get along just great in your day-to-day life. But in the past month I’ve heard from a lot of people who say they couldn’t do their job without their smartphones. So it’s not just me.
OK, here we go. I’ll post daily updates throughout the week. In the meantime, hop over on to Twitter or leave a comment below. And check back in tomorrow to see how I’m doing.
Welcome back everyone to a new Tech Torture with Topher.
First off, thanks to everyone who made the last TTWT such a hit. Because of you all, we get to do a new one this week. The torture topic? My smartphone.
Let me explain. Like many of you, I have a company-issued phone through which my bosses and co-workers often contact me. I have it with me all the time and believe I couldn’t do my job without it.
But is that really true? We’re about to find out. I’m giving up my CNN-issued iPhone for the week and will try to get by instead on an old phone with no Web, e-mail or even texting capability. How will this impact my day? Will I e-mail more or less? Will I spend more time at my desk?
What impact, if any, will it have on Twitter, Facebook and AIM — which I use not just for personal reasons but to keep in contact with other people who work in the same field?
I’m sure some of you will be wondering what the big deal is. You don’t have an iPhone or a BlackBerry and you get along just great in your day-to-day life. But in the past month I’ve heard from a lot of people who say they couldn’t do their job without their smartphones. So it’s not just me.
OK, here we go. I’ll post daily updates throughout the week. In the meantime, hop over on to Twitter or leave a comment below. And check back in tomorrow to see how I’m doing.
Steve Jobs is back at work, Apple says
Apple CEO Steve Jobs is back on the job after a six-month medical leave, the company said Monday.
Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO, is back at work, a company spokesman said Monday.
"Steve Jobs is back to work. He is at Apple a few days a week and working from home the other days," Apple spokesman Steve Dowling said. "We're glad to have him back."
Dowling would not comment further on specifics.
Jobs's return may do little to quell the tech community's obsession with his health and future role at the hip tech company. Bloggers and tech-news writers are asking many questions about Jobs' return, including: Would Apple be fine without its famous chief executive? What does Jobs' health mean for Apple stock? And why has Jobs' health been such a drooled-over story?
Jobs, a 54-year-old pancreatic cancer survivor, had a liver transplant about two months ago. Apple, maker of the iPhone, iPods and Mac computers, had remained mum on Jobs' status except to repeat, over and over, that Jobs would return to work by the end of June.
There have been online posts by CNBC and the UK's Telegraph saying that Apple's chief executive made a brief return to the company's Cupertino, California, headquarters last week.
Don't Miss
Does Apple still need Steve Jobs?
Fortune: Time for Apple to level with investors
But the timing isn't the most important piece of this story. What Jobs means to Apple and to the tech world has more impact.
Here's what some of the online community is saying:
The BBC has an interesting post on why Jobs has become such a tech rock star and why personalities are so important in the tech community:
"A big part has to do with how he has transformed Apple and its products into some of the most talked-about in the world. And, of course, there is the whole issue of his health five years after his battle with pancreatic cancer and what it means to the future of this publicly-traded company," Maggie Shiels writes on the site's dot.life blog.
"Mr Jobs appears to be a complete enigma. He doesn't give interviews; he is described as a genius and a visionary; he doesn't want to talk about the past and he only wants to focus on the future."
Apple has done just fine without Jobs -- and because of him, according to Alex Pham of the Los Angeles Times.
"Although such prominent investors as Warren Buffett fretted last week about the company's future without its charismatic chief executive, longtime observers say Jobs has built an institutional mirror of himself in Apple with senior executives who share many of his values and outlook," Pham writes.
Some say Jobs' return will have little effect on the direction Apple takes in the near term.
"He's an iconic figure that everybody wants around. He's the world's greatest salesman and that's irreplaceable," Gene Munster, a senior research analyst at Piper Jaffray, told CNN. "But as far as the product direction and the product quality, the road map for the next five years is already in place [at Apple]."
PC Magazine takes a similar slant, writing Jobs likely will start a new role at Apple upon his return. He'll be less of the company's day-to-day face and more of its visionary.
"Things will be very different for him and his team," Tim Bajarin writes for the magazine.
"Part of the reason is that Jobs has had a near-death health issue to deal with, and he may now realize that his most important role will be to create a vision that can be carried forward for decades, not just the next product cycle."
Some bloggers have criticized Apple for not saying more about Jobs' illness.
The chief executive's health affects the company's stock price, and investors should be kept more in the loop, writes Bill Taylor, a blogger at the Harvard Business Review.
Taylor also says Apple's corporate culture -- which is based around Jobs' charisma -- is out of date.
"Jobs, for all of his virtues, clings to the Great Man Theory of Leadership -- a CEO-centric model of executive power that is outmoded, unsustainable, and, for most of us mere mortals, ineffective in a world of nonstop change," he writes.
The Silicon Alley Insider further blasts Apple for its silence on Jobs' health. The blog also says it's unclear exactly when Jobs will return to work.
"Apple continues to maintain its ludicrous stance that Steve's health and future role at the company is just a private matter -- not a major question and concern for investors, customers, and employees," the blog says.
"In reality, it is both: A private matter AND material corporate information. And Apple needs to climb out of its reality distortion field and start treating it that way."
What do you think? Is Jobs' health and return to work a big story? Is it overblown? Should there be more empathy in media coverage of a sensitive health issue? Have your say in the comments below.
Apple CEO Steve Jobs is back on the job after a six-month medical leave, the company said Monday.
Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO, is back at work, a company spokesman said Monday.
"Steve Jobs is back to work. He is at Apple a few days a week and working from home the other days," Apple spokesman Steve Dowling said. "We're glad to have him back."
Dowling would not comment further on specifics.
Jobs's return may do little to quell the tech community's obsession with his health and future role at the hip tech company. Bloggers and tech-news writers are asking many questions about Jobs' return, including: Would Apple be fine without its famous chief executive? What does Jobs' health mean for Apple stock? And why has Jobs' health been such a drooled-over story?
Jobs, a 54-year-old pancreatic cancer survivor, had a liver transplant about two months ago. Apple, maker of the iPhone, iPods and Mac computers, had remained mum on Jobs' status except to repeat, over and over, that Jobs would return to work by the end of June.
There have been online posts by CNBC and the UK's Telegraph saying that Apple's chief executive made a brief return to the company's Cupertino, California, headquarters last week.
Don't Miss
Does Apple still need Steve Jobs?
Fortune: Time for Apple to level with investors
But the timing isn't the most important piece of this story. What Jobs means to Apple and to the tech world has more impact.
Here's what some of the online community is saying:
The BBC has an interesting post on why Jobs has become such a tech rock star and why personalities are so important in the tech community:
"A big part has to do with how he has transformed Apple and its products into some of the most talked-about in the world. And, of course, there is the whole issue of his health five years after his battle with pancreatic cancer and what it means to the future of this publicly-traded company," Maggie Shiels writes on the site's dot.life blog.
"Mr Jobs appears to be a complete enigma. He doesn't give interviews; he is described as a genius and a visionary; he doesn't want to talk about the past and he only wants to focus on the future."
Apple has done just fine without Jobs -- and because of him, according to Alex Pham of the Los Angeles Times.
"Although such prominent investors as Warren Buffett fretted last week about the company's future without its charismatic chief executive, longtime observers say Jobs has built an institutional mirror of himself in Apple with senior executives who share many of his values and outlook," Pham writes.
Some say Jobs' return will have little effect on the direction Apple takes in the near term.
"He's an iconic figure that everybody wants around. He's the world's greatest salesman and that's irreplaceable," Gene Munster, a senior research analyst at Piper Jaffray, told CNN. "But as far as the product direction and the product quality, the road map for the next five years is already in place [at Apple]."
PC Magazine takes a similar slant, writing Jobs likely will start a new role at Apple upon his return. He'll be less of the company's day-to-day face and more of its visionary.
"Things will be very different for him and his team," Tim Bajarin writes for the magazine.
"Part of the reason is that Jobs has had a near-death health issue to deal with, and he may now realize that his most important role will be to create a vision that can be carried forward for decades, not just the next product cycle."
Some bloggers have criticized Apple for not saying more about Jobs' illness.
The chief executive's health affects the company's stock price, and investors should be kept more in the loop, writes Bill Taylor, a blogger at the Harvard Business Review.
Taylor also says Apple's corporate culture -- which is based around Jobs' charisma -- is out of date.
"Jobs, for all of his virtues, clings to the Great Man Theory of Leadership -- a CEO-centric model of executive power that is outmoded, unsustainable, and, for most of us mere mortals, ineffective in a world of nonstop change," he writes.
The Silicon Alley Insider further blasts Apple for its silence on Jobs' health. The blog also says it's unclear exactly when Jobs will return to work.
"Apple continues to maintain its ludicrous stance that Steve's health and future role at the company is just a private matter -- not a major question and concern for investors, customers, and employees," the blog says.
"In reality, it is both: A private matter AND material corporate information. And Apple needs to climb out of its reality distortion field and start treating it that way."
What do you think? Is Jobs' health and return to work a big story? Is it overblown? Should there be more empathy in media coverage of a sensitive health issue? Have your say in the comments below.
Thứ Hai, 29 tháng 6, 2009
Law firm: Jackson had slight pulse when doctor found him
LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- Michael Jackson's father says he is concerned about the last moments of his son's life and about the personal physician who found the pop icon unconscious at the singer's estate.
Singer Ne-Yo (L) and host Jamie Foxx pay tribute to Michael Jackson at 2009 BET Awards in Los Angeles.
"I have a lot of concerns," Joe Jackson told CNN's Don Lemon on the red carpet leading up to the BET Awards ceremony Sunday night. "I can't get into that, but I don't like what happened."
Michael Jackson's personal physician, who was questioned extensively by investigators over the weekend, found the singer not breathing in bed when he entered the singer's estate last week, according to the law firm representing the doctor.
However, Jackson did have a slight pulse when Dr. Conrad Murray discovered him Thursday, and Murray tried to resuscitate the singer as he awaited paramedics, a representative with the law firm of Stradley, Chernoff and Alford law firm in Houston, Texas, told CNN Sunday.
Attorney Edward Chernoff is representing Murray. The law firm said reports that Murray injected Jackson with powerful painkillers, such as Demerol or Oxycontin, were false.
Funeral arrangements for Jackson were pending Sunday. "We haven't gotten to that yet -- we're working on that," Joe Jackson told CNN's Lemon. Watch Joe Jackson talk about the death of his son »
Murray voluntarily met for several hours with detectives, the Los Angeles Police Department said late Saturday night.
Don't Miss
In Depth: Michael Jackson
Jackson family: 'His legacy will live forever'
Filipino prisoners honor Jackson with 'Thriller' show
"Detectives assigned to Robbery-Homicide Division met with Dr. Murray and conducted an extensive interview," a police statement said. "Dr. Murray was cooperative and provided information which will aid the investigation." Watch attorney for Jackson's doctor say his client is not a suspect »
Jackson's family suspects that Murray can answer some lingering questions about the singer's last hours, but they have been unable to contact him, the Rev. Jesse Jackson said Saturday.
"The routine inquiry is now an investigation," Jesse Jackson said. "They (Jackson's family) didn't know the doctor. ... He should have met with the family, given them comfort on the last hours of their son." Watch latest developments in Jackson's death investigation »
Jackson family attorney L. Londell McMillan told CNN that a second autopsy is "under way."
"We'll let that process take its course," McMillan, who accompanied Joe Jackson to the BET Awards, told CNN.
McMillan said a will has not surfaced since Michael Jackson's death and that the singer's mother, Katherine Jackson, is seeking custody of his two children.
"Well, if there is no will, then under the state of California it goes to the next of kin. That's an adult to administer and oversee the best interests of the children and that would be Mr. and Mrs. Jackson," McMillan said. "And Katherine Jackson is the duly appointed person."
He added, "She will seek custody of the children. That's who Michael would have wanted to have the children, she loves them dearly."
On Saturday, the founder of 1-800-AUTOPSY, a private firm that conducts autopsies, told CNN that the Jackson family had contacted the business to inquire about possibly having a second autopsy done there.
Jesse Jackson added on Saturday that the family needed "an independent autopsy to get even more answers to questions that are now being driven by the gap between when Michael was last seen alive and was pronounced dead."
There are lingering questions, including: "How long had he stopped breathing? How long had he been unconscious?" Jesse Jackson said.
Michael Jackson was discovered unconscious Thursday by paramedics at his home, where Murray apparently had tried to revive him. He was rushed to a Los Angeles medical center, where he was pronounced dead. Listen to the 911 call »
An autopsy performed by a county medical examiner was inconclusive -- although officials said there were no indications of external trauma or foul play. The Los Angeles County coroner's office has said more tests are needed before a cause of death can be determined. That could take four to six weeks.
Detectives impounded Murray's car, which was parked at the singer's rented home, because, they said, it may contain evidence related to Jackson's death, possibly prescription medications. Police have released no information on what they may have found.
LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- Michael Jackson's father says he is concerned about the last moments of his son's life and about the personal physician who found the pop icon unconscious at the singer's estate.
Singer Ne-Yo (L) and host Jamie Foxx pay tribute to Michael Jackson at 2009 BET Awards in Los Angeles.
"I have a lot of concerns," Joe Jackson told CNN's Don Lemon on the red carpet leading up to the BET Awards ceremony Sunday night. "I can't get into that, but I don't like what happened."
Michael Jackson's personal physician, who was questioned extensively by investigators over the weekend, found the singer not breathing in bed when he entered the singer's estate last week, according to the law firm representing the doctor.
However, Jackson did have a slight pulse when Dr. Conrad Murray discovered him Thursday, and Murray tried to resuscitate the singer as he awaited paramedics, a representative with the law firm of Stradley, Chernoff and Alford law firm in Houston, Texas, told CNN Sunday.
Attorney Edward Chernoff is representing Murray. The law firm said reports that Murray injected Jackson with powerful painkillers, such as Demerol or Oxycontin, were false.
Funeral arrangements for Jackson were pending Sunday. "We haven't gotten to that yet -- we're working on that," Joe Jackson told CNN's Lemon. Watch Joe Jackson talk about the death of his son »
Murray voluntarily met for several hours with detectives, the Los Angeles Police Department said late Saturday night.
Don't Miss
In Depth: Michael Jackson
Jackson family: 'His legacy will live forever'
Filipino prisoners honor Jackson with 'Thriller' show
"Detectives assigned to Robbery-Homicide Division met with Dr. Murray and conducted an extensive interview," a police statement said. "Dr. Murray was cooperative and provided information which will aid the investigation." Watch attorney for Jackson's doctor say his client is not a suspect »
Jackson's family suspects that Murray can answer some lingering questions about the singer's last hours, but they have been unable to contact him, the Rev. Jesse Jackson said Saturday.
"The routine inquiry is now an investigation," Jesse Jackson said. "They (Jackson's family) didn't know the doctor. ... He should have met with the family, given them comfort on the last hours of their son." Watch latest developments in Jackson's death investigation »
Jackson family attorney L. Londell McMillan told CNN that a second autopsy is "under way."
"We'll let that process take its course," McMillan, who accompanied Joe Jackson to the BET Awards, told CNN.
McMillan said a will has not surfaced since Michael Jackson's death and that the singer's mother, Katherine Jackson, is seeking custody of his two children.
"Well, if there is no will, then under the state of California it goes to the next of kin. That's an adult to administer and oversee the best interests of the children and that would be Mr. and Mrs. Jackson," McMillan said. "And Katherine Jackson is the duly appointed person."
He added, "She will seek custody of the children. That's who Michael would have wanted to have the children, she loves them dearly."
On Saturday, the founder of 1-800-AUTOPSY, a private firm that conducts autopsies, told CNN that the Jackson family had contacted the business to inquire about possibly having a second autopsy done there.
Jesse Jackson added on Saturday that the family needed "an independent autopsy to get even more answers to questions that are now being driven by the gap between when Michael was last seen alive and was pronounced dead."
There are lingering questions, including: "How long had he stopped breathing? How long had he been unconscious?" Jesse Jackson said.
Michael Jackson was discovered unconscious Thursday by paramedics at his home, where Murray apparently had tried to revive him. He was rushed to a Los Angeles medical center, where he was pronounced dead. Listen to the 911 call »
An autopsy performed by a county medical examiner was inconclusive -- although officials said there were no indications of external trauma or foul play. The Los Angeles County coroner's office has said more tests are needed before a cause of death can be determined. That could take four to six weeks.
Detectives impounded Murray's car, which was parked at the singer's rented home, because, they said, it may contain evidence related to Jackson's death, possibly prescription medications. Police have released no information on what they may have found.
Thứ Bảy, 27 tháng 6, 2009
Wlliam Shakespeare
Summary of The Tempest
The famous comedy, The Tempest, begins when a overwelming storm hits a ship carrying Alonso, the King of Naples, Sebastian (Alonso's brother), Ferdinand (Alonso's son), Antonio, Gonzalo and others.
On an island nearby, Prospero, once the Duke of Milan, and his daughter Miranda are introduced, learning that Prospero has careted the storm, Miranda asks him to stop it at once.
Prospero's magic fairy, Ariel, tells us of the ship making it ashore as planned. During this time, Caliban, a misformed beast, is introduced.
After aboarding the island, Ariel leads Ferdinand to the beautiful Miranda, leaving them to fall in love. Prospero, who was banished to the island with his daughter by Antonio (Prospero's brother), is afraid of what might become of his daughter's new found love.
As the crew wakes up from the shipwreck, they discover their clothes smelling fresh as though they were newly bought. However, Ariel's song quickly puts them back to sleep, except for Sebastian and Antonio.
Antonio, who replaced his brother as Duke of Milan, manipulates Sebastian to replace King Alonso. The two plan to kill Alonso in his sleep, but Ariel awakens everyone forcing the two men to quickly draw their swords.
Trinculo, a jester, discovers Caliban and believes he could receive a fortune for him and novelty in England. Stephano, Trinculo's friend, then gives Caliban alcohol, causing him to think Stephano is more powerful than Prospero, who Caliban hates. The three men leave to kill Prospero.
Prospero, who's now invisible, watches Ferdinand and Miranda express their deep love for one another. Prospero realizes the true love of the two hearts and approves of Ferdinand for his daughter allowing the two to marry.
With a bottle in hand, Stephano, Trinculo and Caliban continue on their way with Stephano delusional. Ariel lures the three away with music as Alonso, Sebastian, Antonio, Gonzalo, Adrian and Francisco with others witness a banquet on the island, but is an illusion. Ariel returns, scolding Alonso, Antonio and Sebastian for their roles in Prospero's exile.
Prospero tells Ferdinand that he will no longer punish him, instead offers his daughter's hand in marriage to him. Prospero then conjures up a mythical, illusionary party to celbrate, complete with goddesses and nymphs. Prospero then instructs Ariel to bring the shipwrecked men before him.
Caliban fails to keep his friends focused on killing Prospero. Prospero bringins everyone, except Stephano, Caliban and Trinculo, before him in a circle and scolds the men who exiled him. Prospero tells Ariel that he will soon be free and will miss him.
Prospero decides to not keep his ability of magic, and forgives King Alonso and tels Sebastian and Antonio he will keep secret of their plan. The famous scene of Ferdinand and Miranda occurs at this time. King Alonso, overjoyed with seeing Ferdinand, learns of his marriage with Miranda. Prospero forgives Stephano and Trinculo. Caliban learns of embarressment of following a fool, Trinculo, and is given his freedom. Prospero announces that in the morning they will all set sail for naples and sets Ariel free. He then asks the audience to free him and reclaim his life as the Duke of Milan.
The famous comedy, The Tempest, begins when a overwelming storm hits a ship carrying Alonso, the King of Naples, Sebastian (Alonso's brother), Ferdinand (Alonso's son), Antonio, Gonzalo and others.
On an island nearby, Prospero, once the Duke of Milan, and his daughter Miranda are introduced, learning that Prospero has careted the storm, Miranda asks him to stop it at once.
Prospero's magic fairy, Ariel, tells us of the ship making it ashore as planned. During this time, Caliban, a misformed beast, is introduced.
After aboarding the island, Ariel leads Ferdinand to the beautiful Miranda, leaving them to fall in love. Prospero, who was banished to the island with his daughter by Antonio (Prospero's brother), is afraid of what might become of his daughter's new found love.
As the crew wakes up from the shipwreck, they discover their clothes smelling fresh as though they were newly bought. However, Ariel's song quickly puts them back to sleep, except for Sebastian and Antonio.
Antonio, who replaced his brother as Duke of Milan, manipulates Sebastian to replace King Alonso. The two plan to kill Alonso in his sleep, but Ariel awakens everyone forcing the two men to quickly draw their swords.
Trinculo, a jester, discovers Caliban and believes he could receive a fortune for him and novelty in England. Stephano, Trinculo's friend, then gives Caliban alcohol, causing him to think Stephano is more powerful than Prospero, who Caliban hates. The three men leave to kill Prospero.
Prospero, who's now invisible, watches Ferdinand and Miranda express their deep love for one another. Prospero realizes the true love of the two hearts and approves of Ferdinand for his daughter allowing the two to marry.
With a bottle in hand, Stephano, Trinculo and Caliban continue on their way with Stephano delusional. Ariel lures the three away with music as Alonso, Sebastian, Antonio, Gonzalo, Adrian and Francisco with others witness a banquet on the island, but is an illusion. Ariel returns, scolding Alonso, Antonio and Sebastian for their roles in Prospero's exile.
Prospero tells Ferdinand that he will no longer punish him, instead offers his daughter's hand in marriage to him. Prospero then conjures up a mythical, illusionary party to celbrate, complete with goddesses and nymphs. Prospero then instructs Ariel to bring the shipwrecked men before him.
Caliban fails to keep his friends focused on killing Prospero. Prospero bringins everyone, except Stephano, Caliban and Trinculo, before him in a circle and scolds the men who exiled him. Prospero tells Ariel that he will soon be free and will miss him.
Prospero decides to not keep his ability of magic, and forgives King Alonso and tels Sebastian and Antonio he will keep secret of their plan. The famous scene of Ferdinand and Miranda occurs at this time. King Alonso, overjoyed with seeing Ferdinand, learns of his marriage with Miranda. Prospero forgives Stephano and Trinculo. Caliban learns of embarressment of following a fool, Trinculo, and is given his freedom. Prospero announces that in the morning they will all set sail for naples and sets Ariel free. He then asks the audience to free him and reclaim his life as the Duke of Milan.
Summary of Romeo and Juliet
The storied play of Romeo and Juliet begins in Verona with the hatred of two Royal families, the Capulets and Montagues. Their children, Romeo and Juliet, meet without knowing each of the other's families and fall inlove on first sight.
As others begin getting suspicious, the two start to sneek around. As the minutes and hours pass along the two's romance strengthens, leaving them afraid, but brave for what will come.
The two seek help from friends and set a date for their marriage. After their wedding, Romeo's friends (also relatives), Benvolio and Mercutio Montague meet Tybalt Capulet. The meeting ends horribly with Mercutio's death at the hands of Tybalt leaving Romeo no choice but to fight him to the death. Romeo kills Tybalt and is banished from Verona forever, leaving Juliet behind.
Since father Capulet had no idea of his daughters hand in marriage with Romeo, he sets a date for her to marry Paris on Thursday. She spends the night with Romeo before learning of her father's idea, she then plans to commit suicide if all else fails.
The two lovers friend, Friar Laurence, tells young Juliet to take a potion simulating death, letting her live unopposed with her husband Romeo since everyone will think she is dead. However, this backfires. After Capulet hears of Juliet's willingness to marry Paris, he moves the wedding forward to Wednesday leaving Juliet no choice but to take the potion ahead of time. Before Paris' arrival, Capulet tells the Nurse to take his daughter after discovering her death. The wedding is then changed to a funeral.
Friar Laurence's letter to Romeo telling of what had happened did not reach him, leaving Romeo to only know she is dead. He heads to her grave, opening it just once to view his lover one last time before Paris, who had been watching over her grave, attacks him thinking he is desecrating Juliet's grave.
Romeo kills Paris then takes a potion to die and be with his lovely wife. Friar Laurence arrives too late to stop his suicide. As Juliet awakes, she finds Romeo dead. She kisses him once more, then stabs herself dying. Escalus, the Capulets and Montagues arrive to learn of what had happened to the two. They find out all from Balthasar and Friar Laurence, ending their feud. The play ends with Prince summarizing the tragic love story.
The storied play of Romeo and Juliet begins in Verona with the hatred of two Royal families, the Capulets and Montagues. Their children, Romeo and Juliet, meet without knowing each of the other's families and fall inlove on first sight.
As others begin getting suspicious, the two start to sneek around. As the minutes and hours pass along the two's romance strengthens, leaving them afraid, but brave for what will come.
The two seek help from friends and set a date for their marriage. After their wedding, Romeo's friends (also relatives), Benvolio and Mercutio Montague meet Tybalt Capulet. The meeting ends horribly with Mercutio's death at the hands of Tybalt leaving Romeo no choice but to fight him to the death. Romeo kills Tybalt and is banished from Verona forever, leaving Juliet behind.
Since father Capulet had no idea of his daughters hand in marriage with Romeo, he sets a date for her to marry Paris on Thursday. She spends the night with Romeo before learning of her father's idea, she then plans to commit suicide if all else fails.
The two lovers friend, Friar Laurence, tells young Juliet to take a potion simulating death, letting her live unopposed with her husband Romeo since everyone will think she is dead. However, this backfires. After Capulet hears of Juliet's willingness to marry Paris, he moves the wedding forward to Wednesday leaving Juliet no choice but to take the potion ahead of time. Before Paris' arrival, Capulet tells the Nurse to take his daughter after discovering her death. The wedding is then changed to a funeral.
Friar Laurence's letter to Romeo telling of what had happened did not reach him, leaving Romeo to only know she is dead. He heads to her grave, opening it just once to view his lover one last time before Paris, who had been watching over her grave, attacks him thinking he is desecrating Juliet's grave.
Romeo kills Paris then takes a potion to die and be with his lovely wife. Friar Laurence arrives too late to stop his suicide. As Juliet awakes, she finds Romeo dead. She kisses him once more, then stabs herself dying. Escalus, the Capulets and Montagues arrive to learn of what had happened to the two. They find out all from Balthasar and Friar Laurence, ending their feud. The play ends with Prince summarizing the tragic love story.
Wlliam Shakespeare
Summary of Othello, the Moor of Venice
The play, Othello, beings with a soldier, Iago, arguing with a wealthy Venetian, Roderigo, who paid him to spy on Othello since he wished to take his girlfriend, Desdemona. However, Roderigo suspects Iago has not been keeping his end of the agreement. Iago admits his hatred of Othello for choosing Cassio as his officer and not himself. To regain Roderigo's trust, Iago informs Desdemona's father, Brabantio, of her relationship with Othello, frustrating Brabantio. Othello explains of how he and Desdemona fell in love and plan on marrying. Othello is then ordered to Cypress to fight the Turks. At this time, Roderigo gives up on his quest for Desdemona but Iago convinces him otherwise. Iago plans his revenge on Othello and suggests Cassio to sleep with Desdemona. Iago tells Roderigo he still has a chance with Desdemona but Cassio is in his way.
Iago tells Othello of Cassio's affair with Desdemona before having Roderigo attack Cassio. The attack backfires as Cassio wounds Roderigo. Cassio is demoted. Iago suggests Cassio should speak with Desdemona, he does so and it results with Desdemona putting a good word in for Cassio until he is an officer once again. Othello complains about a headache to Desdemona, having her drop a handkerchief he gave her as a gift. Iago makes Cassio find it. Othello demands proof of Desdemona's affair from Iago. Iago tells Othello that he saw Cassio wipe his brow with Desdemona's handkerchief. Once Othello is convinced, he promotes Iago to lieutenant and orders him to kill Cassio. Desdemona worries of the handkerchief. She is asked about the handkerchief by Othello, but she can't find it. Iago suggests Desdemona shared her bed with Cassio. Iago then talks to Cassio about his mistress Bianca, however Othello is hidden and listens in to think Cassio is talking about sleeping with Desdemona. Bianca arrives and angrily gives Desdemona back her handkerchief. Othello decides to kill Desdemona in her bed, which was Iago's idea. We then learn of Iago pocketing Roderigo's gifts for Desdemona. Fearing Roderigo will learn of it, Iago tells him that Cassio must die.
Desdemona is ordered by her husband to wait for him in bed. Depressed, Desdemona recants a song of a maid who was abused by her husband. Iago tells Roderigo how to kill Cassio. Roderigo attacks Cassio, but Cassio wounds Roderigo once again. Iago from behind, stabs Cassio, wounding him in the leg. Iago then stabs Roderigo in "revenge" for wounding his friend Cassio. Bianca arrives, leaving Iago to blame Cassio for injuries on her. Othello arrives and tries to convince himself that killing his wife is for her own good. Desdemona awakens, and asks what she has done wrong, her husband tells that she gave Cassio his handkerchief. Desdemona pleads her innocence, saying Cassio can prove her innocence. Her husband tells that Cassio confessed to having done the deed and is dead, then kills Desdemona. Emilia reveals Iago killed Roderigo. Othello then tells Emilia that he killed Desdemona. Emilia, despite several attempts of Iago trying to stop her, reveals she found the handkerchief and gave it to Iago. Iago stabs Emilia, she begins to die. Iago is captured, but Othello stabs him, but is not dead. Lodovico learns of the plot against Cassio. Iago confirms that Cassio found the handkerchief because he wanted him to. Othello realizes what he has done and commits suicide, lying on top of his wife. Cassio is then placed in charge of Iago. Lodovico then leaves to discuss the matter.
The play, Othello, beings with a soldier, Iago, arguing with a wealthy Venetian, Roderigo, who paid him to spy on Othello since he wished to take his girlfriend, Desdemona. However, Roderigo suspects Iago has not been keeping his end of the agreement. Iago admits his hatred of Othello for choosing Cassio as his officer and not himself. To regain Roderigo's trust, Iago informs Desdemona's father, Brabantio, of her relationship with Othello, frustrating Brabantio. Othello explains of how he and Desdemona fell in love and plan on marrying. Othello is then ordered to Cypress to fight the Turks. At this time, Roderigo gives up on his quest for Desdemona but Iago convinces him otherwise. Iago plans his revenge on Othello and suggests Cassio to sleep with Desdemona. Iago tells Roderigo he still has a chance with Desdemona but Cassio is in his way.
Iago tells Othello of Cassio's affair with Desdemona before having Roderigo attack Cassio. The attack backfires as Cassio wounds Roderigo. Cassio is demoted. Iago suggests Cassio should speak with Desdemona, he does so and it results with Desdemona putting a good word in for Cassio until he is an officer once again. Othello complains about a headache to Desdemona, having her drop a handkerchief he gave her as a gift. Iago makes Cassio find it. Othello demands proof of Desdemona's affair from Iago. Iago tells Othello that he saw Cassio wipe his brow with Desdemona's handkerchief. Once Othello is convinced, he promotes Iago to lieutenant and orders him to kill Cassio. Desdemona worries of the handkerchief. She is asked about the handkerchief by Othello, but she can't find it. Iago suggests Desdemona shared her bed with Cassio. Iago then talks to Cassio about his mistress Bianca, however Othello is hidden and listens in to think Cassio is talking about sleeping with Desdemona. Bianca arrives and angrily gives Desdemona back her handkerchief. Othello decides to kill Desdemona in her bed, which was Iago's idea. We then learn of Iago pocketing Roderigo's gifts for Desdemona. Fearing Roderigo will learn of it, Iago tells him that Cassio must die.
Desdemona is ordered by her husband to wait for him in bed. Depressed, Desdemona recants a song of a maid who was abused by her husband. Iago tells Roderigo how to kill Cassio. Roderigo attacks Cassio, but Cassio wounds Roderigo once again. Iago from behind, stabs Cassio, wounding him in the leg. Iago then stabs Roderigo in "revenge" for wounding his friend Cassio. Bianca arrives, leaving Iago to blame Cassio for injuries on her. Othello arrives and tries to convince himself that killing his wife is for her own good. Desdemona awakens, and asks what she has done wrong, her husband tells that she gave Cassio his handkerchief. Desdemona pleads her innocence, saying Cassio can prove her innocence. Her husband tells that Cassio confessed to having done the deed and is dead, then kills Desdemona. Emilia reveals Iago killed Roderigo. Othello then tells Emilia that he killed Desdemona. Emilia, despite several attempts of Iago trying to stop her, reveals she found the handkerchief and gave it to Iago. Iago stabs Emilia, she begins to die. Iago is captured, but Othello stabs him, but is not dead. Lodovico learns of the plot against Cassio. Iago confirms that Cassio found the handkerchief because he wanted him to. Othello realizes what he has done and commits suicide, lying on top of his wife. Cassio is then placed in charge of Iago. Lodovico then leaves to discuss the matter.
Wlliam Shakespeare
Summary of Midsummer Night's Dream
Midsummer Night's Dream begins with two sets of lovers, Lysander and Hermia and Helena and Demetrius. The play then moves with Demetrius no longer falling for Helena and wanting to be with Hermia instead with Egeus, Hermia's father, wanting his daughter to marry Demetrius.
Egeus in turn calls upon Theseus, the Duke of Athens, to ensure the marriage between his daughter and Demetrius. Theseus himself wants to marry Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons, in four days. Because of Egeus insisting upon her marriage, Hermia is given just three choices, marriage, death or become a nun.
Hermia in turn flees with Lysander into the forest headed towards Lysander's aunt's house to marry. Meanwhile, Helena learns of Hermia's decision and informs Demetrius of her fleeing.
In the forest, Oberon, the King of the Fairies, argues with Titania, Queen of the Fairies, that he should have her child as his page. In turn, Oberon orders Puck to seek a flower from Cupid that causes a person to love another who they first see. Oberon plans to give the flower to Titania so he can take her child.
Puck then arrives with the flower. Oberon orders him to show it to Demetrius so he will fall for Helena then allowing Oberon to leave the flower by Titania so she will fall in love with the first man she sees.
However, not all goes as planned. Puck believes Lysander is Demetrius and shows him the flower. The first person he sees is Helena, causing him to love her.
As Titania awakens, she sees Bottom, who's head was turned to an Ass's by Puck, forcing her to fall in love with him.
Puck finds that he showed the wrong man the flower, so Oberon tries to fix this by showing Demetrius the flower to fall for Helena, going through much trouble in the process. He does, however causing much conflict due to the two men loving her. Helena believes the two men are making fun of her. Oberon then tells Puck to create a fog allow the four to sleep until the spells wear off.
Oberon gives Lysander an antidote to love Hermia and not Helena and curing Titania of her love for Bottom, the two then make peace. The four lovers leave the forest believing it was all just a midsummer night's dream.
The play is performed at the wedding feast for, Lysander and Hermia, Demetrius and Helena and Theseus and Hippolta wedding. The play ends with Puck delivering a soliloquy and fairies casting blessings.
Read the entire playDramatis Personæ
Midsummer Night's Dream begins with two sets of lovers, Lysander and Hermia and Helena and Demetrius. The play then moves with Demetrius no longer falling for Helena and wanting to be with Hermia instead with Egeus, Hermia's father, wanting his daughter to marry Demetrius.
Egeus in turn calls upon Theseus, the Duke of Athens, to ensure the marriage between his daughter and Demetrius. Theseus himself wants to marry Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons, in four days. Because of Egeus insisting upon her marriage, Hermia is given just three choices, marriage, death or become a nun.
Hermia in turn flees with Lysander into the forest headed towards Lysander's aunt's house to marry. Meanwhile, Helena learns of Hermia's decision and informs Demetrius of her fleeing.
In the forest, Oberon, the King of the Fairies, argues with Titania, Queen of the Fairies, that he should have her child as his page. In turn, Oberon orders Puck to seek a flower from Cupid that causes a person to love another who they first see. Oberon plans to give the flower to Titania so he can take her child.
Puck then arrives with the flower. Oberon orders him to show it to Demetrius so he will fall for Helena then allowing Oberon to leave the flower by Titania so she will fall in love with the first man she sees.
However, not all goes as planned. Puck believes Lysander is Demetrius and shows him the flower. The first person he sees is Helena, causing him to love her.
As Titania awakens, she sees Bottom, who's head was turned to an Ass's by Puck, forcing her to fall in love with him.
Puck finds that he showed the wrong man the flower, so Oberon tries to fix this by showing Demetrius the flower to fall for Helena, going through much trouble in the process. He does, however causing much conflict due to the two men loving her. Helena believes the two men are making fun of her. Oberon then tells Puck to create a fog allow the four to sleep until the spells wear off.
Oberon gives Lysander an antidote to love Hermia and not Helena and curing Titania of her love for Bottom, the two then make peace. The four lovers leave the forest believing it was all just a midsummer night's dream.
The play is performed at the wedding feast for, Lysander and Hermia, Demetrius and Helena and Theseus and Hippolta wedding. The play ends with Puck delivering a soliloquy and fairies casting blessings.
Read the entire playDramatis Personæ
Wlliam Shakespeare
Summary of Julius Caesar
The play, Julius Caesar, begins with Tribunes, Marullus and Flavius scolding the Roman people who blindly worship Caesar. Their dialog discusses their great fears that Caesar is growing too powerful and must be stopped. Later, Caesar leads a procession through the streets of Rome. A soothsayer tells Caesar to beware of the ides of March, warning he will die on this day. Caesar ignores the telling. Cassius begins to recruit Brutus, a friend of Caesar's, to help assassinate Caesar, but Brutus becomes suspicious of his motives. Casca, another conspirator, tells Brutus of the information suggesting Cassius' fears may be real.
To help ensure Brutus joins in the conspiracy, Cassius has Cinna place some forged letters in places to where Brutus will find them. Brutus is unable to sleep, and reveals his fears of Caesar. He discovers the letters and joins the conspiracy, helping plan the assassination, but argues against having Mark Antony murdered as well.
Calphurnia, one of Caesar's wives, tells Caesar her dream foretells doom, convincing him to not go to the Senate tomorrow, which is the ides of March. Decius Brutus, hears of Caesar's plans to not go to the Senate and convinces him to go to not look weak. Artemidorus and the soothsayer try to warn Caesar of Brutus, but fail. While at the Senate, the conspirators kill Caesar, leaving Mark Antony to flew, but ask to speak at the funeral. Cassius thinks it is dangerous, but Brutus tells Antony to speak.
Brutus and Cassius gain support from the citizens of Rome by explaining why they killed Caesar. Using the famous words, "Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears;" Mark Antony turns the citizens against Brutus and Cassius by making them feel remorse for Caesar's death. The crowd turns into a mob and go after the conspirators. Mark Antony and Octavius start planning their attack on Brutus and Cassius.
Brutus meets Caesar's ghost, which tells him he will see him again at Philippi. On the Plains of Philippi, the forces of Mark Antony and Octavius face Brutus and Cassius' forces. Later in battle, Brutus sends orders to Messala, a messenger, to give to Cassius' forces on the other side of the battlefield. Cassius' forces lose ground, but Brutus' forces defeated Octavius; but do not help Cassius.
Cassius sends Titinius to a nearby hill to report if it is friendly. Cassius then instructs Pindarus to report Titinius' progress to him. Pindarus sees Titinius pull of his horse and fears he has been captured –- this would mean Brutus' forces have been beaten, so Cassius kills himself using Pindarus' sword. Titinius returns and reveals that he was not killed, but greeted by Brutus' forces. Brutus learns of Cassius' death as the battle rages on. Brutus becomes tired and weary and rests with his followers. One by one, Brutus asks Clitius, Dardanius and Volumius to kill him, but each refuse. Finally Brutus falls on his sword, killing him. Octavius, Mark Antony, Messala and Lucilius arrive. Strato explains how Brutus died and Mark Antony pays tribute to Brutus' noble spirit by saying, "This was the noblest Roman of them all."
The play, Julius Caesar, begins with Tribunes, Marullus and Flavius scolding the Roman people who blindly worship Caesar. Their dialog discusses their great fears that Caesar is growing too powerful and must be stopped. Later, Caesar leads a procession through the streets of Rome. A soothsayer tells Caesar to beware of the ides of March, warning he will die on this day. Caesar ignores the telling. Cassius begins to recruit Brutus, a friend of Caesar's, to help assassinate Caesar, but Brutus becomes suspicious of his motives. Casca, another conspirator, tells Brutus of the information suggesting Cassius' fears may be real.
To help ensure Brutus joins in the conspiracy, Cassius has Cinna place some forged letters in places to where Brutus will find them. Brutus is unable to sleep, and reveals his fears of Caesar. He discovers the letters and joins the conspiracy, helping plan the assassination, but argues against having Mark Antony murdered as well.
Calphurnia, one of Caesar's wives, tells Caesar her dream foretells doom, convincing him to not go to the Senate tomorrow, which is the ides of March. Decius Brutus, hears of Caesar's plans to not go to the Senate and convinces him to go to not look weak. Artemidorus and the soothsayer try to warn Caesar of Brutus, but fail. While at the Senate, the conspirators kill Caesar, leaving Mark Antony to flew, but ask to speak at the funeral. Cassius thinks it is dangerous, but Brutus tells Antony to speak.
Brutus and Cassius gain support from the citizens of Rome by explaining why they killed Caesar. Using the famous words, "Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears;" Mark Antony turns the citizens against Brutus and Cassius by making them feel remorse for Caesar's death. The crowd turns into a mob and go after the conspirators. Mark Antony and Octavius start planning their attack on Brutus and Cassius.
Brutus meets Caesar's ghost, which tells him he will see him again at Philippi. On the Plains of Philippi, the forces of Mark Antony and Octavius face Brutus and Cassius' forces. Later in battle, Brutus sends orders to Messala, a messenger, to give to Cassius' forces on the other side of the battlefield. Cassius' forces lose ground, but Brutus' forces defeated Octavius; but do not help Cassius.
Cassius sends Titinius to a nearby hill to report if it is friendly. Cassius then instructs Pindarus to report Titinius' progress to him. Pindarus sees Titinius pull of his horse and fears he has been captured –- this would mean Brutus' forces have been beaten, so Cassius kills himself using Pindarus' sword. Titinius returns and reveals that he was not killed, but greeted by Brutus' forces. Brutus learns of Cassius' death as the battle rages on. Brutus becomes tired and weary and rests with his followers. One by one, Brutus asks Clitius, Dardanius and Volumius to kill him, but each refuse. Finally Brutus falls on his sword, killing him. Octavius, Mark Antony, Messala and Lucilius arrive. Strato explains how Brutus died and Mark Antony pays tribute to Brutus' noble spirit by saying, "This was the noblest Roman of them all."
Wlliam Shakespeare
Summary of Macbeth
The play, Macbeth, opens with three witches meeting after a nearby battle is fought. At this time, Macbeth is introduced as a brave man who led King Duncan to a victory against the traitorous Thane of Cawdor, Macdonwald and the King of Norway in a battle that King Duncan would have lost if it not for him. King Duncan rewards Macbeth for his efforts by making him the new Thane of Cawdor while the previous will be executed. Macbeth and his friend Banquo meet with the three witches, which tell him that he will be "Thane of Glamis!", "Thane of Cawdor!" and "king hereafter" or become King of Scotland. Banquo learns that his descendants will be kings, making him fear the witches. Macbeth's monologue reveals his belief in the witches, questioning Banquo's feelings about his descendants future and starting to think of killing King Duncan.
King Duncan announces his son Malcolm as the new Prince of Cumberland, causing Macbeth see Malcolm as a threat. Lady Macbeth embraces the prophecies, fearing her husband is too weak-willed, she asks the gods to remove all signs of compassion and replace them with ruthlessness. After her learning of King Duncan staying at their castle, she plans to kill him, but not until Macbeth awakens and decides against murder. His wife wins him over, and plans for the two to murder him. Macbeth kills the King while his wife tells him that water will wash away their guilt.
After the news of Duncan's death reaches everyone at the castle, Lady Macbeth faints and Macbeth kills Duncan's two guards for the murder, freeing him from suspicion. Duncon's two sons flee, leaving Macbeth to be King of Scotland causing Banquo to ponder whether Macbeth killed the King. Fearful Macbeth arranges for the death of Banquo and Fleance, but only Macbeth is killed. The King later sees the ghost of Banquo at his party, causing the party to end early due to Macbeth's strange behavior. Hecate scolds the witches, telling them to use illusion and prophecy against Macbeth.
Macbeth meets the witches, learning that he should fear Macduff and that no naturally born can harm him and he has nothing to fear until "Great Birnam Wood" moves to "high Dunsinane hill". After, he decides to have him killed, he decides he is safe from everything except the impossible moving of a nearby forest to his castle.
Macbeth's attempt to kill Macduff fails, and kills his family instead. The audience learns that Scotland is under a tyrant's rule and a large army has gathered against him. The Queen goes insane, making a monologue on how she cannot wipe away the blood from her hands. The army, led by Malcolm, gathers near Dunsinane. He orders each man to cut down a branch from the nearby forest, Birnam Wood, to use as camouflage, and heads towards Macbeth's castle. Macbeth sets off to meet his destiny, confronting Macduff, and learns of his being born by Caesarian section. Macbeth is slain as order is restored and Malcolm is hailed as the King of Scotland.
The play, Macbeth, opens with three witches meeting after a nearby battle is fought. At this time, Macbeth is introduced as a brave man who led King Duncan to a victory against the traitorous Thane of Cawdor, Macdonwald and the King of Norway in a battle that King Duncan would have lost if it not for him. King Duncan rewards Macbeth for his efforts by making him the new Thane of Cawdor while the previous will be executed. Macbeth and his friend Banquo meet with the three witches, which tell him that he will be "Thane of Glamis!", "Thane of Cawdor!" and "king hereafter" or become King of Scotland. Banquo learns that his descendants will be kings, making him fear the witches. Macbeth's monologue reveals his belief in the witches, questioning Banquo's feelings about his descendants future and starting to think of killing King Duncan.
King Duncan announces his son Malcolm as the new Prince of Cumberland, causing Macbeth see Malcolm as a threat. Lady Macbeth embraces the prophecies, fearing her husband is too weak-willed, she asks the gods to remove all signs of compassion and replace them with ruthlessness. After her learning of King Duncan staying at their castle, she plans to kill him, but not until Macbeth awakens and decides against murder. His wife wins him over, and plans for the two to murder him. Macbeth kills the King while his wife tells him that water will wash away their guilt.
After the news of Duncan's death reaches everyone at the castle, Lady Macbeth faints and Macbeth kills Duncan's two guards for the murder, freeing him from suspicion. Duncon's two sons flee, leaving Macbeth to be King of Scotland causing Banquo to ponder whether Macbeth killed the King. Fearful Macbeth arranges for the death of Banquo and Fleance, but only Macbeth is killed. The King later sees the ghost of Banquo at his party, causing the party to end early due to Macbeth's strange behavior. Hecate scolds the witches, telling them to use illusion and prophecy against Macbeth.
Macbeth meets the witches, learning that he should fear Macduff and that no naturally born can harm him and he has nothing to fear until "Great Birnam Wood" moves to "high Dunsinane hill". After, he decides to have him killed, he decides he is safe from everything except the impossible moving of a nearby forest to his castle.
Macbeth's attempt to kill Macduff fails, and kills his family instead. The audience learns that Scotland is under a tyrant's rule and a large army has gathered against him. The Queen goes insane, making a monologue on how she cannot wipe away the blood from her hands. The army, led by Malcolm, gathers near Dunsinane. He orders each man to cut down a branch from the nearby forest, Birnam Wood, to use as camouflage, and heads towards Macbeth's castle. Macbeth sets off to meet his destiny, confronting Macduff, and learns of his being born by Caesarian section. Macbeth is slain as order is restored and Malcolm is hailed as the King of Scotland.
Thứ Sáu, 26 tháng 6, 2009
Summary of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark
The play, Hamlet, begins with the news of King Hamlet of Denmark's recent death and Denmark preparing for a possible war with Fortinbras of Norway. A ghost is spotted, resembling the late King, near Elsinore Castle by two guards. King Claudius has married Queen Gertrude, the late King's wife, quickly after the King's death. Polonius warns his daughter, Ophelia, against falling in love with Hamlet, saying he will only break her heart.
Hamlet, son of the late King of Denmark, meets the Ghost who reveals he was poisoned by King Claudius, telling him to avenge his death but to not punish the queen. Polonius learns of Ophelia's meeting with Prince Hamlet, who studied her face and promptly left, leaving Polonius to think his odd behavior was because Ophelia rejected him. King Claudius instructs courtiers, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, to spy on Hamlet, Queen Gertrude believes it is because of her recent marriage and the death of her husband.
Hamlet suspects Ophelia is spying on him, so he increases his hostility towards her. Hamlet then creates a play depicting the death of his father, as the Ghost told him, to see if the Ghost's words were true. A mime preceding the play mimics the Ghost's description of the death, but goes unnoticed. After, the play The Murder of Gonzago is performed, causing King Claudius to act in a suspicious way as if the Ghost's words were true. During a monologue, King Claudius reveals his guilt. Meanwhile, Queen Gertrude tries to scold her son for the play, but in turn is scolded for her quick remarriage. She cries out of fear, leaving a man hiding behind the curtains to do the same. Hamlet reacts and stabs him, killing him not knowing it was Polonius. Hamlet continues to scold his mother until the Ghost reappears and tells him to be kind to the Queen. She agrees to stop living with King Claudius.
King Claudius is shocked by the death of Polonius, thinking it could have easily been him. Queen Gertrude lies for her son, saying that he went mad. King Claudius in turn gets scared, forcing him to send Hamlet away to England, planning to kill him there. Fortinbras marches Denmark as Hamlet wishes he could be more like him while questioning about how he cannot fight when his father was murdered and mother made a whore he returns to Denmark. Ophelia goes mad from grief after learning of her father's death. King Claudius meets with Laertes, Ophelia's brother, telling him that Hamlet killed his father and plans for the two to fight in a fencing match, plotting to kill Hamlet.
At the burial of Ophelia, Hamlet and Laertes fight over her grave, each believing they love her more. Hamlet tells his friend Horatio of his escape in England and had Rosencrantz and Guildenstern killed instead, revealing his desire to kill the King. Meanwhile, Queen Gertrude drinks a poisoned cup which was meant for her son, as she dies, she reveals of her poisoning. Hamlet fences against Laertes and is cut by his sword. During the duel, the two switch swords. Having cut Laertes with his sword, Laertes tells of the poison tip. As Hamlet is dying, he stabs King Claudius with the sword, killing him. He tells Horatio to not commit suicide and as his final wish to have Fortinbras as the next King of Denmark. Fortinbras arrives, leaving Horatio to tell his dear friend's story.
The play, Hamlet, begins with the news of King Hamlet of Denmark's recent death and Denmark preparing for a possible war with Fortinbras of Norway. A ghost is spotted, resembling the late King, near Elsinore Castle by two guards. King Claudius has married Queen Gertrude, the late King's wife, quickly after the King's death. Polonius warns his daughter, Ophelia, against falling in love with Hamlet, saying he will only break her heart.
Hamlet, son of the late King of Denmark, meets the Ghost who reveals he was poisoned by King Claudius, telling him to avenge his death but to not punish the queen. Polonius learns of Ophelia's meeting with Prince Hamlet, who studied her face and promptly left, leaving Polonius to think his odd behavior was because Ophelia rejected him. King Claudius instructs courtiers, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, to spy on Hamlet, Queen Gertrude believes it is because of her recent marriage and the death of her husband.
Hamlet suspects Ophelia is spying on him, so he increases his hostility towards her. Hamlet then creates a play depicting the death of his father, as the Ghost told him, to see if the Ghost's words were true. A mime preceding the play mimics the Ghost's description of the death, but goes unnoticed. After, the play The Murder of Gonzago is performed, causing King Claudius to act in a suspicious way as if the Ghost's words were true. During a monologue, King Claudius reveals his guilt. Meanwhile, Queen Gertrude tries to scold her son for the play, but in turn is scolded for her quick remarriage. She cries out of fear, leaving a man hiding behind the curtains to do the same. Hamlet reacts and stabs him, killing him not knowing it was Polonius. Hamlet continues to scold his mother until the Ghost reappears and tells him to be kind to the Queen. She agrees to stop living with King Claudius.
King Claudius is shocked by the death of Polonius, thinking it could have easily been him. Queen Gertrude lies for her son, saying that he went mad. King Claudius in turn gets scared, forcing him to send Hamlet away to England, planning to kill him there. Fortinbras marches Denmark as Hamlet wishes he could be more like him while questioning about how he cannot fight when his father was murdered and mother made a whore he returns to Denmark. Ophelia goes mad from grief after learning of her father's death. King Claudius meets with Laertes, Ophelia's brother, telling him that Hamlet killed his father and plans for the two to fight in a fencing match, plotting to kill Hamlet.
At the burial of Ophelia, Hamlet and Laertes fight over her grave, each believing they love her more. Hamlet tells his friend Horatio of his escape in England and had Rosencrantz and Guildenstern killed instead, revealing his desire to kill the King. Meanwhile, Queen Gertrude drinks a poisoned cup which was meant for her son, as she dies, she reveals of her poisoning. Hamlet fences against Laertes and is cut by his sword. During the duel, the two switch swords. Having cut Laertes with his sword, Laertes tells of the poison tip. As Hamlet is dying, he stabs King Claudius with the sword, killing him. He tells Horatio to not commit suicide and as his final wish to have Fortinbras as the next King of Denmark. Fortinbras arrives, leaving Horatio to tell his dear friend's story.
William Shakespeare Poems
Sonnet 1
From fairest creatures we desire increase,
That thereby beauty's rose might never die,
But as the riper should by time decease,
His tender heir might bear his memory:
But thou, contracted to thine own bright eyes,
Feed'st thy light'st flame with self-substantial fuel,
Making a famine where abundance lies,
Thyself thy foe, to thy sweet self too cruel
Thou that art now the world's fresh ornament
And only herald to the gaudy spring,
Within thine own bud buriest thy content
And, tender churl, makest waste in niggarding.
Pity the world, or else this glutton be,
To eat the world's due, by the grave and thee.
Sonnet 2
When forty winters shall beseige thy brow,
And dig deep trenches in thy beauty's field,
Thy youth's proud livery, so gazed on now,
Will be a tatter'd weed, of small worth held:
Then being ask'd where all thy beauty lies,
Where all the treasure of thy lusty days,
To say, within thine own deep-sunken eyes,
Were an all-eating shame and thriftless praise.
How much more praise deserved thy beauty's use,
If thou couldst answer 'This fair child of mine
Shall sum my count and make my old excuse,
Proving his beauty by succession thine!
This were to be new made when thou art old,
And see thy blood warm when thou feel'st it cold.
Sonnet 3
Look in thy glass, and tell the face thou viewest
Now is the time that face should form another;
Whose fresh repair if now thou not renewest,
Thou dost beguile the world, unbless some mother.
For where is she so fair whose unear'd womb
Disdains the tillage of thy husbandry?
Or who is he so fond will be the tomb
Of his self-love, to stop posterity?
Thou art thy mother's glass, and she in thee
Calls back the lovely April of her prime:
So thou through windows of thine age shall see
Despite of wrinkles this thy golden time.
But if thou live, remember'd not to be,
Die single, and thine image dies with thee.
Sonnet 4
Unthrifty loveliness, why dost thou spend
Upon thyself thy beauty's legacy?
Nature's bequest gives nothing but doth lend,
And being frank she lends to those are free.
Then, beauteous niggard, why dost thou abuse
The bounteous largess given thee to give?
Profitless usurer, why dost thou use
So great a sum of sums, yet canst not live?
For having traffic with thyself alone,
Thou of thyself thy sweet self dost deceive.
Then how, when nature calls thee to be gone,
What acceptable audit canst thou leave?
Thy unused beauty must be tomb'd with thee,
Which, used, lives th' executor to be.
Sonnet 5
Those hours, that with gentle work did frame
The lovely gaze where every eye doth dwell,
Will play the tyrants to the very same
And that unfair which fairly doth excel:
For never-resting time leads summer on
To hideous winter and confounds him there;
Sap cheque'd with frost and lusty leaves quite gone,
Beauty o'ersnow'd and bareness every where:
Then, were not summer's distillation left,
A liquid prisoner pent in walls of glass,
Beauty's effect with beauty were bereft,
Nor it nor no remembrance what it was:
But flowers distill'd though they with winter meet,
Leese but their show; their substance still lives sweet.
sonnet 116
Let me not to the marriage of true minds
Admit impediments. Love is not love
Which alters when it alteration finds,
Or bends with the remover to remove:
O no! it is an ever-fixed mark
That looks on tempests and is never shaken;
t is the star to every wand'ring bark,
Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken.
Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks
Within his bending sickle's compass come;
Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,
But bears it out even to the edge of doom:
If this be error and upon me proved,
I never writ, nor no man ever loved.
Sonnet 1
From fairest creatures we desire increase,
That thereby beauty's rose might never die,
But as the riper should by time decease,
His tender heir might bear his memory:
But thou, contracted to thine own bright eyes,
Feed'st thy light'st flame with self-substantial fuel,
Making a famine where abundance lies,
Thyself thy foe, to thy sweet self too cruel
Thou that art now the world's fresh ornament
And only herald to the gaudy spring,
Within thine own bud buriest thy content
And, tender churl, makest waste in niggarding.
Pity the world, or else this glutton be,
To eat the world's due, by the grave and thee.
Sonnet 2
When forty winters shall beseige thy brow,
And dig deep trenches in thy beauty's field,
Thy youth's proud livery, so gazed on now,
Will be a tatter'd weed, of small worth held:
Then being ask'd where all thy beauty lies,
Where all the treasure of thy lusty days,
To say, within thine own deep-sunken eyes,
Were an all-eating shame and thriftless praise.
How much more praise deserved thy beauty's use,
If thou couldst answer 'This fair child of mine
Shall sum my count and make my old excuse,
Proving his beauty by succession thine!
This were to be new made when thou art old,
And see thy blood warm when thou feel'st it cold.
Sonnet 3
Look in thy glass, and tell the face thou viewest
Now is the time that face should form another;
Whose fresh repair if now thou not renewest,
Thou dost beguile the world, unbless some mother.
For where is she so fair whose unear'd womb
Disdains the tillage of thy husbandry?
Or who is he so fond will be the tomb
Of his self-love, to stop posterity?
Thou art thy mother's glass, and she in thee
Calls back the lovely April of her prime:
So thou through windows of thine age shall see
Despite of wrinkles this thy golden time.
But if thou live, remember'd not to be,
Die single, and thine image dies with thee.
Sonnet 4
Unthrifty loveliness, why dost thou spend
Upon thyself thy beauty's legacy?
Nature's bequest gives nothing but doth lend,
And being frank she lends to those are free.
Then, beauteous niggard, why dost thou abuse
The bounteous largess given thee to give?
Profitless usurer, why dost thou use
So great a sum of sums, yet canst not live?
For having traffic with thyself alone,
Thou of thyself thy sweet self dost deceive.
Then how, when nature calls thee to be gone,
What acceptable audit canst thou leave?
Thy unused beauty must be tomb'd with thee,
Which, used, lives th' executor to be.
Sonnet 5
Those hours, that with gentle work did frame
The lovely gaze where every eye doth dwell,
Will play the tyrants to the very same
And that unfair which fairly doth excel:
For never-resting time leads summer on
To hideous winter and confounds him there;
Sap cheque'd with frost and lusty leaves quite gone,
Beauty o'ersnow'd and bareness every where:
Then, were not summer's distillation left,
A liquid prisoner pent in walls of glass,
Beauty's effect with beauty were bereft,
Nor it nor no remembrance what it was:
But flowers distill'd though they with winter meet,
Leese but their show; their substance still lives sweet.
sonnet 116
Let me not to the marriage of true minds
Admit impediments. Love is not love
Which alters when it alteration finds,
Or bends with the remover to remove:
O no! it is an ever-fixed mark
That looks on tempests and is never shaken;
t is the star to every wand'ring bark,
Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken.
Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks
Within his bending sickle's compass come;
Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,
But bears it out even to the edge of doom:
If this be error and upon me proved,
I never writ, nor no man ever loved.
Poem !!
William Shakespeare Biography - Poems - Quotes
William Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon, England on May 3, 1564. His father, John Shakespeare, was a glove-maker and his mother, Mary Arden, was a gentry daughter.
Shakespeare's father was quite prosperous at the time of the birth of his son, but was later prosecuted for participating in the black market of wool and lost his position as an alderman.
As the son of a prominent town official, Shakespeare probably attended the grammar school in Stratford which may have provided him with extensive education in Latin grammar and literature. Although he may have attended Stratford, there is no evidence showing that his education ever extended past grammar school.
On November 28, 1582, Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway at Temple Grafton, near Stratford. There were some troubles with the marriage however, as Hathaway was already three months pregnant. After, William Shakespeare left no trace until he appeared on the London literary scene.
On May 26, 1583, Shakespeare's first child, Susanna, was baptized at Stratford. Shakespeare also had another son, Hamnet, and a daughter, Judith, whom were baptized later on February 2, 1585.
In 1596, Hamnet died and was buried on August 11, 1596. It is believed that his death led Shakespeare to write The Tragical History of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, the reworking of an older lost play.
By 1598, Shakespeare moved to Bishopgate and appeared as an actor in Every man in his Humour by Ben Jonson.
Shakespeare later became an actor, writer and part-owner of the playing company, The Lord Chamberlain's Men, which took its name from its aristocratic sponsor, Lord Chamberlain. After the death of Elizabeth I, the company was liked by James I so much that it adopted the name as the King's Men.
Legal documents over the next several years show that Shakespeare acted as a matchmaker for his landlord's daughter and also became rich enough to own the second-largest house in Stratford, New Place and buy property in Blackfriars, London.
In 1609, Shakespeare's sonnets were published while most were dedicated to a 'fair lord' the rest were dedicated to a 'dark lady'. Some say the poems were homoerotic, but it remains much in debate.
After Shakespeare retired in 1611, he was drawn into a legal quarrel regarding common land. However Shakespeare remained neutral and made sure only his income was protected.
Shakespeare died on the same day as his birth, May 3, 1617. He was married to Anne until his death and was survived by his two daughters, Susannah and Judith. William Shakespeare is buried in the chancel of Holy Trinity Church in Stratford-upon-Avon, not because of his fame, but because he purchased the land before his death.
Much of Shakespeare's works have been of debate about whether or not he wrote all that is attributed to him. Many believed he was not capable of writing any, while others believed he only helped write them. It is also believed that Shakespeare's last plays were buried with him, but no one has looked inside his tomb due to his epitaph "Good friend, for Jesus' sake forbear, To dig the dust enclosed here. Blest be the man that spares these stones, But cursed be he that moves my bones."
Supersonic travel may return, minus boom
Raoul Felder still remembers stepping off the Concorde without a trace of jet lag after it whisked him across the Atlantic at twice the speed of sound and wonders why there's been nothing like it since.
A British Airways Concorde takes off from London's Heathrow Airport in 2001. The fleet was retired in 2003.
more photos »
The high-profile New York divorce attorney was a Concorde frequent flier, relishing each time he arrived at London's Heathrow Airport a mere three hours or so after taking off from the Big Apple.
The journey takes at least twice as long on a conventional jet.
"I loved it because it made it worthwhile to go to London for two days and the trip was so quick that you would have a meal on the plane, maybe read a magazine or take a nap and you're there," Felder recalled.
"It was a great way to travel. ... I miss it," he said wistfully, adding he would jump at the chance to fly supersonically again.
"It's unfortunate in a society like this there's no comparable means of transportation."
It's been 40 years since Concorde's maiden flight and nine years since one of the planes crashed in Paris, France, after takeoff, killing 113 people.
Air France and British Airways introduced the supersonic commercial service in 1976, but the disaster, combined with high maintenance costs and falling passenger numbers, led both airlines to retire the Concorde fleet in 2003. See photos of Concorde's beginning and end »
Concorde's legacy• Concorde cruised at about 1,350 mph, or more than twice the speed of sound • It flew at altitudes of up to 60,000 feet • A typical London to New York flight took less than 3.5 hours, or about half the time of a typical jetliner flight • At supersonic speeds, friction with the air heated the exterior surfaces of Concorde to more than 200 degrees Fahrenheit Source: The Museum of Flight
The stunning planes with their signature droop noses now sit on display in museums, but the notion of commercial supersonic flight is far from shelved.
The next generation of passenger air travel at speeds faster than sound may start as soon as 2015, with business jets leading the way, said Peter Coen, principal investigator for NASA's supersonic fundamental aeronautics program.
A small supersonic airliner capable of transporting 75 people might follow in 2025 and a larger one could arrive five years later, he added.
"It's no secret that there are still some rather daunting challenges for supersonic flight," Coen said. "[But] we have certainly made some significant progress since the Concorde."
'Shaping the boom'
One of the biggest hurdles has been quieting the sonic boom, the window-rattling sound produced when a plane breaks the sound barrier. It led the United States and other countries to ban supersonic flight over land. The restrictions meant Concorde could mostly fly only over water routes, which limited its market potential. Blog: Will hypersonic flight take off?
But research is now focusing on "shaping the boom" -- technology and airplane design that can soften the noise of a sonic boom to the point where it sounds more like distant thunder, Coen said.
"I'm pleased in the work that I've done that we have gotten to where we really have changed the character of the sonic boom," he said.
"I really do feel that we're at a point where you could have a sonic boom that, in city noise environments, would probably be inaudible to most people and would have at least the possibility of being widely acceptable."
The boom reduction technology comes at a price: A plane equipped with it would burn about 10 percent more fuel. The advances may also be moot until laws prohibiting sonic booms produced by civilian planes are changed to allow the quieter ones.
Still, companies like Aerion Corporation and Supersonic Aerospace International are touting supersonic business jets that they say will be ready for certification in the next decade.
Aerion promises its plane will be able to cruise at just below the speed of sound over the continental U.S. and fly "boomless" at just above the speed of sound in other regulated regions.
SAI says its Quiet Supersonic Transport (QSST) jet "will have 'supercruise' sound levels that are so low that SAI believes QSST will be capable of receiving governmental approval for supersonic flight over land and populated areas without causing objection from the general public," according to the company's Web site.
Both companies have credible, viable programs, Coen, of NASA, said.
Meanwhile, Gulfstream Aerospace, which has been making business jets for decades, continues basic research into sonic boom suppression, but doesn't have further plans for now.
"It is our belief that until the regulations which restrict supersonic flight over land are changed there is no real business case for a supersonic business jet," said Robert Baugniet, the company's director of corporate communications.
Pricey tickets
Commercial airplane manufacturers also have little on the drawing board in the supersonic area. Boeing, for example, is continuing to assess the technologies, but isn't working on any particular design right now, according to spokesman Richard Schleh.
Industry observers say that's not a surprise, given the vast and unpredictable costs of operating an airline, which in turn limit market appetite for supersonic planes.
"The likes of Boeing and Airbus will only come up with hardware for which there is a demand, and the demand is driven by the airlines and it's rigidly subsonic," said Chris Yates, aviation analyst for IHS Jane's.
Then there's the question of affordability for travelers. Just before the Concorde was retired, a round-trip ticket from New York to Europe cost about $10,000, making it off limits to much of the flying public.
Still, experts believe the allure of cutting some of the misery out of long-haul flights will always be worth a premium price for frequent travelers.
"To say that it would be the same price as a subsonic ticket is ridiculous because in the market, you get what you pay for," Coen said.
"So if you get to go there faster you're going to pay more. But if we can get to where it's the difference between a coach and a business-class ticket, I think lots of folks who travel regularly would be willing to make that investment."
Raoul Felder still remembers stepping off the Concorde without a trace of jet lag after it whisked him across the Atlantic at twice the speed of sound and wonders why there's been nothing like it since.
A British Airways Concorde takes off from London's Heathrow Airport in 2001. The fleet was retired in 2003.
more photos »
The high-profile New York divorce attorney was a Concorde frequent flier, relishing each time he arrived at London's Heathrow Airport a mere three hours or so after taking off from the Big Apple.
The journey takes at least twice as long on a conventional jet.
"I loved it because it made it worthwhile to go to London for two days and the trip was so quick that you would have a meal on the plane, maybe read a magazine or take a nap and you're there," Felder recalled.
"It was a great way to travel. ... I miss it," he said wistfully, adding he would jump at the chance to fly supersonically again.
"It's unfortunate in a society like this there's no comparable means of transportation."
It's been 40 years since Concorde's maiden flight and nine years since one of the planes crashed in Paris, France, after takeoff, killing 113 people.
Air France and British Airways introduced the supersonic commercial service in 1976, but the disaster, combined with high maintenance costs and falling passenger numbers, led both airlines to retire the Concorde fleet in 2003. See photos of Concorde's beginning and end »
Concorde's legacy• Concorde cruised at about 1,350 mph, or more than twice the speed of sound • It flew at altitudes of up to 60,000 feet • A typical London to New York flight took less than 3.5 hours, or about half the time of a typical jetliner flight • At supersonic speeds, friction with the air heated the exterior surfaces of Concorde to more than 200 degrees Fahrenheit Source: The Museum of Flight
The stunning planes with their signature droop noses now sit on display in museums, but the notion of commercial supersonic flight is far from shelved.
The next generation of passenger air travel at speeds faster than sound may start as soon as 2015, with business jets leading the way, said Peter Coen, principal investigator for NASA's supersonic fundamental aeronautics program.
A small supersonic airliner capable of transporting 75 people might follow in 2025 and a larger one could arrive five years later, he added.
"It's no secret that there are still some rather daunting challenges for supersonic flight," Coen said. "[But] we have certainly made some significant progress since the Concorde."
'Shaping the boom'
One of the biggest hurdles has been quieting the sonic boom, the window-rattling sound produced when a plane breaks the sound barrier. It led the United States and other countries to ban supersonic flight over land. The restrictions meant Concorde could mostly fly only over water routes, which limited its market potential. Blog: Will hypersonic flight take off?
But research is now focusing on "shaping the boom" -- technology and airplane design that can soften the noise of a sonic boom to the point where it sounds more like distant thunder, Coen said.
"I'm pleased in the work that I've done that we have gotten to where we really have changed the character of the sonic boom," he said.
"I really do feel that we're at a point where you could have a sonic boom that, in city noise environments, would probably be inaudible to most people and would have at least the possibility of being widely acceptable."
The boom reduction technology comes at a price: A plane equipped with it would burn about 10 percent more fuel. The advances may also be moot until laws prohibiting sonic booms produced by civilian planes are changed to allow the quieter ones.
Still, companies like Aerion Corporation and Supersonic Aerospace International are touting supersonic business jets that they say will be ready for certification in the next decade.
Aerion promises its plane will be able to cruise at just below the speed of sound over the continental U.S. and fly "boomless" at just above the speed of sound in other regulated regions.
SAI says its Quiet Supersonic Transport (QSST) jet "will have 'supercruise' sound levels that are so low that SAI believes QSST will be capable of receiving governmental approval for supersonic flight over land and populated areas without causing objection from the general public," according to the company's Web site.
Both companies have credible, viable programs, Coen, of NASA, said.
Meanwhile, Gulfstream Aerospace, which has been making business jets for decades, continues basic research into sonic boom suppression, but doesn't have further plans for now.
"It is our belief that until the regulations which restrict supersonic flight over land are changed there is no real business case for a supersonic business jet," said Robert Baugniet, the company's director of corporate communications.
Pricey tickets
Commercial airplane manufacturers also have little on the drawing board in the supersonic area. Boeing, for example, is continuing to assess the technologies, but isn't working on any particular design right now, according to spokesman Richard Schleh.
Industry observers say that's not a surprise, given the vast and unpredictable costs of operating an airline, which in turn limit market appetite for supersonic planes.
"The likes of Boeing and Airbus will only come up with hardware for which there is a demand, and the demand is driven by the airlines and it's rigidly subsonic," said Chris Yates, aviation analyst for IHS Jane's.
Then there's the question of affordability for travelers. Just before the Concorde was retired, a round-trip ticket from New York to Europe cost about $10,000, making it off limits to much of the flying public.
Still, experts believe the allure of cutting some of the misery out of long-haul flights will always be worth a premium price for frequent travelers.
"To say that it would be the same price as a subsonic ticket is ridiculous because in the market, you get what you pay for," Coen said.
"So if you get to go there faster you're going to pay more. But if we can get to where it's the difference between a coach and a business-class ticket, I think lots of folks who travel regularly would be willing to make that investment."
Travelers to China risk 'random' quarantine
BEIJING, China (CNN) -- Travelers to China who display flu-like symptoms may be randomly quarantined over concerns of the swine flu virus, the U.S. State Department warned.
A child traveling with his parents wears a face mask after they arrive at the Beijing, China, airport.
There have been cases of children being separated from parents after either tested positive for the virus, also known as H1N1, a travel alert said Friday.
Chinese officials may give medications to minors in such cases without consulting their parents, according to the alert.
"Although the proportion of arriving Americans being quarantined remains low, the random nature of the selection process increases the uncertainty surrounding travel to China," the alert said.
Swine flu is a respiratory disease of pigs transmitted to humans and caused by type A influenza virus. Symptoms include fever, lethargy, lack of appetite and coughing.
There have been about 48,000 confirmed cases worldwide, including 519 in China, according to the World Health Organization.
The Chinese government has taken measures to stop the spread of the virus. They include placing passengers who have fever or flu-like symptoms on a seven-day quarantine, the alert said.
Don't Miss
Swine flu cases near 30,000 worldwide
Swine flu 'not stoppable,' WHO says
Others facing quarantine include those sitting close to travelers with symptoms, those with elevated temperatures and those from areas where virus outbreaks have occurred.
A 15-year-old from Topeka, Kansas, told CNN on Monday that she was quarantined in Beijing for a week.
"Apparently, I was sitting too close to a man who had a fever on the 14-hour plane ride," Kaitlin Hannigan said, adding that she initially thought she had a fever, but her temperature was fine when officials checked it.
A day after she arrived in Beijing with an educational group, government officials showed up at her hotel.
"They were wearing quarantine suits, goggles and masks and, like, full body suits and gloves, and said I had to be quarantined for seven days because I came in contact with that guy," Hannigan said.
Earlier in June, New Orleans, Louisiana, Mayor Ray Nagin was quarantined in Shanghai after possible exposure to the virus.
Nagin was headed to Australia on an economic development trip when he was quarantined for four days after sitting beside a passenger who was being treated for suspected swine flu symptoms. Nagin showed no signs of illness.
State officials warned Americans traveling to China that they have to follow local quarantines procedures.
"The U.S. Embassy will be unable to influence the duration of stay in quarantine for affected travelers," the statement said.
The travel alert expires in September.
BEIJING, China (CNN) -- Travelers to China who display flu-like symptoms may be randomly quarantined over concerns of the swine flu virus, the U.S. State Department warned.
A child traveling with his parents wears a face mask after they arrive at the Beijing, China, airport.
There have been cases of children being separated from parents after either tested positive for the virus, also known as H1N1, a travel alert said Friday.
Chinese officials may give medications to minors in such cases without consulting their parents, according to the alert.
"Although the proportion of arriving Americans being quarantined remains low, the random nature of the selection process increases the uncertainty surrounding travel to China," the alert said.
Swine flu is a respiratory disease of pigs transmitted to humans and caused by type A influenza virus. Symptoms include fever, lethargy, lack of appetite and coughing.
There have been about 48,000 confirmed cases worldwide, including 519 in China, according to the World Health Organization.
The Chinese government has taken measures to stop the spread of the virus. They include placing passengers who have fever or flu-like symptoms on a seven-day quarantine, the alert said.
Don't Miss
Swine flu cases near 30,000 worldwide
Swine flu 'not stoppable,' WHO says
Others facing quarantine include those sitting close to travelers with symptoms, those with elevated temperatures and those from areas where virus outbreaks have occurred.
A 15-year-old from Topeka, Kansas, told CNN on Monday that she was quarantined in Beijing for a week.
"Apparently, I was sitting too close to a man who had a fever on the 14-hour plane ride," Kaitlin Hannigan said, adding that she initially thought she had a fever, but her temperature was fine when officials checked it.
A day after she arrived in Beijing with an educational group, government officials showed up at her hotel.
"They were wearing quarantine suits, goggles and masks and, like, full body suits and gloves, and said I had to be quarantined for seven days because I came in contact with that guy," Hannigan said.
Earlier in June, New Orleans, Louisiana, Mayor Ray Nagin was quarantined in Shanghai after possible exposure to the virus.
Nagin was headed to Australia on an economic development trip when he was quarantined for four days after sitting beside a passenger who was being treated for suspected swine flu symptoms. Nagin showed no signs of illness.
State officials warned Americans traveling to China that they have to follow local quarantines procedures.
"The U.S. Embassy will be unable to influence the duration of stay in quarantine for affected travelers," the statement said.
The travel alert expires in September.
Oasis from the ruins: Afghanistan opens first national park
BAND-E-AMIR NATIONAL PARK, Afghanistan (CNN) -- Most days it is easy to think God may have forgotten about Afghanistan, but there can be a day when you feel like you are in heaven.
Efforts to make Band-e-Amir a national park began in the 1970s but were held up by decades of war.
more photos »
We were invited by the United States Agency for International Development to witness the dedication of Afghanistan's first national park: The Band-e-Amir National Park, a series of six crystal-blue lakes surrounded by heart-stopping cliffs and natural dams that capture the imagination.
"'If you look at the beauty,' as we say in our language, 'it's poetry for your eyes, for your mind and for your soul,'" said the former Prince of Afghanistan, Mustafa Zahir, who attended the opening ceremony.
As we flew from Kabul in a U.S. military Chinook helicopter -- a flight that took a little over an hour -- the journalists rolled cameras and snapped pictures as we passed the world-famous Buddha statues en route to the park.
Now just crater cutouts in the towering cliffs of Bamiyan province, the statues were a hidden treasure for centuries. Many even called them a wonder of the world, with their perfectly-chiseled design and sparkling jewels encrusted throughout.
But in March 2001, the then-ruling Taliban blasted the structures -- reducing them to rubble as they embarked on a mission to spread fundamentalist Islam.
Even without the statues the site is still mesmerizing, a place I had only known from pictures. Although we hovered over for only a few minutes in the helicopter, I was struck by the beauty and transported to a site admired by many before me. I was not alone in the admiration; most of the passengers came over to one side of the Chinook to peer.
Not too long after passing the incredible terrain, we were hit by an azure wonder -- another site I had only previously seen in photos.
At first glance, the Band-e-Amir lakes hurt the eyes in the most amazing fashion. After flying through earth tones and dry land, you are struck by a blazing blue body of water. See photos of the park »
The lakes cover 59,000 hectares of rock and desert land. Surrounded by red limestone cliffs, the water comes from the ground and is so clean you can drink it.
Efforts to make Band-e-Amir a national park began in the 1970s but were put on hold through the decades of war that ravaged the country. The U.S. and Afghan governments, along with the Wildlife Conservation Society, began working with local communities in 2006 to revive that vision.
"The saddest day of my life was when the military coup took place and I had to leave. The happiest day of my life was when I came back to my country," said Mustafa Zahir, the former prince, who is now director of the National Environmental Protection Agency. "But this day is even happier than when I came back to my country because we have something tangible to show for the people of Afghanistan."
Unfortunately, Band-e-Amir is still hard to reach for most Afghans, let alone foreigners who may want to venture out to the area. Today, it is a nine-hour drive from Kabul to Bamiyan --- and the ride is one over broken roads that passes through some dangerous provinces.
But local residents hope the park will draw attention to their needs. One of the safest and secure provinces in Afghanistan, they feel ignored by the central government and donor countries. Watch Abawi's report on the park »
"The people here are very peaceful and want reconstruction. But due to the lack of a well-balanced policy and planning by the Afghan government, nothing has been done in these areas," said Said Mohammad Ferozi, a school teacher.
Ferozi also thinks that if the government will be using the people's land for the new national park, they should be compensated -- otherwise he sees it as an economic loss.
"The government should reimburse the people for their land and properties (that they use) by giving them jobs in Band-e-Amir and land somewhere else in Bamiyan. So far, the government hasn't done anything tangible in this regard," he said.
Other residents felt it was too soon to call the area a park.
"The name is park, the government is happy to call it a park, but it's not a park yet," said Band-e-Amir resident Jaan Been.
He used to come here as a child 30 years ago and remembers mountains full of trees and grazing deer.
"If the government wants to help, have them plant trees," he said. "This is the perfect climate. Have the people plant it and there will be jobs for them. It will be green, the place will be a park!"
Still, locals were happy that the world could once again see the beauty of their land. The serenity and the security of the Band-e-Amir National Park is a taste of Afghanistan's past and what it hopes will be its future.
"You can come, feel free and enjoy the life. Enjoy staying here!" said Bamiyan's governor, Habiba Sarobi.
BAND-E-AMIR NATIONAL PARK, Afghanistan (CNN) -- Most days it is easy to think God may have forgotten about Afghanistan, but there can be a day when you feel like you are in heaven.
Efforts to make Band-e-Amir a national park began in the 1970s but were held up by decades of war.
more photos »
We were invited by the United States Agency for International Development to witness the dedication of Afghanistan's first national park: The Band-e-Amir National Park, a series of six crystal-blue lakes surrounded by heart-stopping cliffs and natural dams that capture the imagination.
"'If you look at the beauty,' as we say in our language, 'it's poetry for your eyes, for your mind and for your soul,'" said the former Prince of Afghanistan, Mustafa Zahir, who attended the opening ceremony.
As we flew from Kabul in a U.S. military Chinook helicopter -- a flight that took a little over an hour -- the journalists rolled cameras and snapped pictures as we passed the world-famous Buddha statues en route to the park.
Now just crater cutouts in the towering cliffs of Bamiyan province, the statues were a hidden treasure for centuries. Many even called them a wonder of the world, with their perfectly-chiseled design and sparkling jewels encrusted throughout.
But in March 2001, the then-ruling Taliban blasted the structures -- reducing them to rubble as they embarked on a mission to spread fundamentalist Islam.
Even without the statues the site is still mesmerizing, a place I had only known from pictures. Although we hovered over for only a few minutes in the helicopter, I was struck by the beauty and transported to a site admired by many before me. I was not alone in the admiration; most of the passengers came over to one side of the Chinook to peer.
Not too long after passing the incredible terrain, we were hit by an azure wonder -- another site I had only previously seen in photos.
At first glance, the Band-e-Amir lakes hurt the eyes in the most amazing fashion. After flying through earth tones and dry land, you are struck by a blazing blue body of water. See photos of the park »
The lakes cover 59,000 hectares of rock and desert land. Surrounded by red limestone cliffs, the water comes from the ground and is so clean you can drink it.
Efforts to make Band-e-Amir a national park began in the 1970s but were put on hold through the decades of war that ravaged the country. The U.S. and Afghan governments, along with the Wildlife Conservation Society, began working with local communities in 2006 to revive that vision.
"The saddest day of my life was when the military coup took place and I had to leave. The happiest day of my life was when I came back to my country," said Mustafa Zahir, the former prince, who is now director of the National Environmental Protection Agency. "But this day is even happier than when I came back to my country because we have something tangible to show for the people of Afghanistan."
Unfortunately, Band-e-Amir is still hard to reach for most Afghans, let alone foreigners who may want to venture out to the area. Today, it is a nine-hour drive from Kabul to Bamiyan --- and the ride is one over broken roads that passes through some dangerous provinces.
But local residents hope the park will draw attention to their needs. One of the safest and secure provinces in Afghanistan, they feel ignored by the central government and donor countries. Watch Abawi's report on the park »
"The people here are very peaceful and want reconstruction. But due to the lack of a well-balanced policy and planning by the Afghan government, nothing has been done in these areas," said Said Mohammad Ferozi, a school teacher.
Ferozi also thinks that if the government will be using the people's land for the new national park, they should be compensated -- otherwise he sees it as an economic loss.
"The government should reimburse the people for their land and properties (that they use) by giving them jobs in Band-e-Amir and land somewhere else in Bamiyan. So far, the government hasn't done anything tangible in this regard," he said.
Other residents felt it was too soon to call the area a park.
"The name is park, the government is happy to call it a park, but it's not a park yet," said Band-e-Amir resident Jaan Been.
He used to come here as a child 30 years ago and remembers mountains full of trees and grazing deer.
"If the government wants to help, have them plant trees," he said. "This is the perfect climate. Have the people plant it and there will be jobs for them. It will be green, the place will be a park!"
Still, locals were happy that the world could once again see the beauty of their land. The serenity and the security of the Band-e-Amir National Park is a taste of Afghanistan's past and what it hopes will be its future.
"You can come, feel free and enjoy the life. Enjoy staying here!" said Bamiyan's governor, Habiba Sarobi.
Review: 'Year One' almost a zero
(CNN) -- Comedy isn't evolutionary. Hollywood has been plundering ancient history for yuks at least since Buster Keaton's day, and there's little in "Year One" to suggest we've progressed much over the last 90 years.
Michael Cera and Jack Black go in search of meaning -- and some food -- in "Year One."
Quite the opposite, in fact.
It's a stretch to envisage Keaton picking up bear poop, as Jack Black does here, giving it an appraising sniff, then a quick lick. And I can't imagine him peeing down his own nostrils, as Michael Cera does (he's chained upside down at the time).
Not to say this monkey business isn't funny; these are the highlights of a relentlessly low-brow lark, notwithstanding several sophomoric speeches in a panicky existentialist vein.
Black is Zed, a sorry excuse for a hunter in a tribe that has yet to discover the wheel. His buddy Oh (Cera) is even further down the totem pole, a mere gatherer. Neither is a hit with the ladies, and when Zed is exiled after stealing forbidden fruit, well, not even Oh wants to go with him -- though of course he does tag along. It's no fun being a sidekick all on your lonesome.
Co-written and directed by comedy veteran Harold Ramis ("Ghostbusters," "Groundhog Day"), "Year One" is little more than a series of juvenile skits dressed up in toga party glad rags. It rambles off into Old Testament territory when the boys stumble across Cain (David Cross) killing his brother Abel (Paul Rudd), then arrive in the desert in the nick of time to save Isaac's neck (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) from his zealous father's knife -- though his foreskin is another story.
Sorely lacking the anarchic edge that Monty Python brought to "The Life of Brian" and the sheer chutzpah of Mel Brooks' "History of the World: Part One," "Year One" is more akin to one of those old Bob Hope-Bing Crosby jaunts -- two guys bicker and banter in exotic climes, hopping from scrape to scrape without ever reaching the bottom of the barrel.
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'Year One' takes comedic pokes at the Bible
Inevitably, Zed and Oh find themselves on the Road to Sodom, where Oliver Platt's plummy High Priest orchestrates orgies in the afternoon then presides over human sacrifices in the evening. It is in Sodom that the boys will prove their manhood.
Black's manic over-reacher and Cera's shy mumbler complement each other well enough in theory, but at 39, Black is almost old enough to be the 21-year-old Cera's father. It's a big age gap for a comedy duo, and they never quite mesh or convince as bosom buddies, even if they're fairly amusing separately.
Among the supporting cast, only Hank Azaria's fundamentalist Abraham really seizes on the possibilities; he and Platt deliver the goods. Too many others, on the other hand, just seem to have dropped by to hang out for a day or two on set.
Typically, neither Juno Temple nor June Diane Raphael gets any breathing room as the heroes' designated distressed damsels; Ramis ogles female flesh as enthusiastically as he milks homophobia for cheap laughs.
Bearing the tell-tale scars of slash-and-burn post-market testing editing -- several early scenes simply hit a brick wall -- "Year One" isn't an out-and-out disaster. It's just another feeble comedy that never finds its rhythm or builds up a head of steam. iReport.com: Share your review of "Year One"
It was probably a lot more fun to make than it is to watch, but we'll have to take that on trust. Even the outtakes played alongside the end credits aren't funny.
(CNN) -- Comedy isn't evolutionary. Hollywood has been plundering ancient history for yuks at least since Buster Keaton's day, and there's little in "Year One" to suggest we've progressed much over the last 90 years.
Michael Cera and Jack Black go in search of meaning -- and some food -- in "Year One."
Quite the opposite, in fact.
It's a stretch to envisage Keaton picking up bear poop, as Jack Black does here, giving it an appraising sniff, then a quick lick. And I can't imagine him peeing down his own nostrils, as Michael Cera does (he's chained upside down at the time).
Not to say this monkey business isn't funny; these are the highlights of a relentlessly low-brow lark, notwithstanding several sophomoric speeches in a panicky existentialist vein.
Black is Zed, a sorry excuse for a hunter in a tribe that has yet to discover the wheel. His buddy Oh (Cera) is even further down the totem pole, a mere gatherer. Neither is a hit with the ladies, and when Zed is exiled after stealing forbidden fruit, well, not even Oh wants to go with him -- though of course he does tag along. It's no fun being a sidekick all on your lonesome.
Co-written and directed by comedy veteran Harold Ramis ("Ghostbusters," "Groundhog Day"), "Year One" is little more than a series of juvenile skits dressed up in toga party glad rags. It rambles off into Old Testament territory when the boys stumble across Cain (David Cross) killing his brother Abel (Paul Rudd), then arrive in the desert in the nick of time to save Isaac's neck (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) from his zealous father's knife -- though his foreskin is another story.
Sorely lacking the anarchic edge that Monty Python brought to "The Life of Brian" and the sheer chutzpah of Mel Brooks' "History of the World: Part One," "Year One" is more akin to one of those old Bob Hope-Bing Crosby jaunts -- two guys bicker and banter in exotic climes, hopping from scrape to scrape without ever reaching the bottom of the barrel.
Don't Miss
'Year One' takes comedic pokes at the Bible
Inevitably, Zed and Oh find themselves on the Road to Sodom, where Oliver Platt's plummy High Priest orchestrates orgies in the afternoon then presides over human sacrifices in the evening. It is in Sodom that the boys will prove their manhood.
Black's manic over-reacher and Cera's shy mumbler complement each other well enough in theory, but at 39, Black is almost old enough to be the 21-year-old Cera's father. It's a big age gap for a comedy duo, and they never quite mesh or convince as bosom buddies, even if they're fairly amusing separately.
Among the supporting cast, only Hank Azaria's fundamentalist Abraham really seizes on the possibilities; he and Platt deliver the goods. Too many others, on the other hand, just seem to have dropped by to hang out for a day or two on set.
Typically, neither Juno Temple nor June Diane Raphael gets any breathing room as the heroes' designated distressed damsels; Ramis ogles female flesh as enthusiastically as he milks homophobia for cheap laughs.
Bearing the tell-tale scars of slash-and-burn post-market testing editing -- several early scenes simply hit a brick wall -- "Year One" isn't an out-and-out disaster. It's just another feeble comedy that never finds its rhythm or builds up a head of steam. iReport.com: Share your review of "Year One"
It was probably a lot more fun to make than it is to watch, but we'll have to take that on trust. Even the outtakes played alongside the end credits aren't funny.
Thứ Năm, 25 tháng 6, 2009
The Dingle Peninsula: Escape to pure Ireland
Gaeltachts are national parks for the traditional culture, where the government protects the old Irish ways. Shaded green on many maps, these regions brighten the west coast of the Emerald Isle. Gaeltacht means a place where Gaelic (or Irish) is spoken. But the Irish culture is more than just the language. You'll find it tilling the rocky fields, singing in the pubs, and lingering in the pride of the small-town preschool that brags "All Gaelic."
The Dingle Peninsula -- green, rugged, and untouched -- is my favorite Gaeltacht. While the big tour buses clog the neighboring Ring of Kerry before heading east to kiss the Blarney Stone, in Dingle it still feels like the fish and the farm actually matter.
Fishing boats still sail from Dingle, and a nostalgic whiff of peat scents its nighttime air, offering visitors an escape into pure Ireland. For 30 years my Irish dreams have been set here, on this sparse but lush peninsula where locals are fond of saying, "The next parish is Boston."
Of the peninsula's 10,000 residents, 1,500 live in Dingle Town. Its few streets, lined with ramshackle but gaily painted shops and pubs, run up from a rain-stung harbor, home to a friendly dolphin. You'll see teenagers -- already working on ruddy beer-glow cheeks -- roll kegs up the streets and into the pubs in preparation for another night of music and craic (fun conversation and atmosphere).
The Dingle Peninsula is worth exploring by bike or car. It's 10 miles wide and runs 40 miles from Tralee to Slea Head. The top of its mountainous spine is Mount Brandon, at 3,130 feet, the second-tallest mountain in Ireland. While only tiny villages lie west of Dingle Town, the peninsula is home to 500,000 sheep. The weather on this distant tip of Ireland is often misty, foggy, and rainy. But don't complain -- as locals will explain, there is no bad weather ... only inappropriate clothing.
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Leaving Dingle Town by car or bike, it becomes clear that the peninsula is an open-air museum. It's littered with monuments reminding visitors that the town has been the choice of Bronze Age settlers, Dark Age monks, English landlords, and Hollywood directors ("Ryan's Daughter," and "Far and Away"). The Milestone B&B decorates its front yard not with a pink flamingo, but with an ancient pillar stone -- one of more than 2,000 stony pieces in the puzzle of prehistoric life here.
Near the red, two-room schoolhouse, a street sign warns Taisteal go Mall -- Slow Down. Near the playground, students hide out in circular remains of a late Stone Age ring fort. In 500 B.C. it was a petty Celtic chieftain's headquarters, a stone-and-earth stockade filled with little stone houses. Many of these ring forts survived the centuries because of superstitious beliefs that they were "fairy forts."
The wet sod of Dingle is soaked with medieval history. In the darkest depths of the Dark Ages, when literate life almost died in Europe, peace-loving, bookwormish monks fled the chaos of barbarian raids on the continent. They sailed to this drizzly fringe of the known world and lived their monastic lives in lonely stone igloos or "beehive huts," which you'll see dotting the landscape.
Several groups of these mysterious huts, called clochans, line the road. Built without mortar by seventh-century monks, these huts take you back. Climb into one. You're all alone, surrounded by dank mist and the realization that it was these monks who kept literacy alive in Europe. To give you an idea of their importance, Charlemagne, who ruled much of Europe in the year 800, imported Irish monks to be his scribes.
Rounding Slea Head, the point in Europe closest to America, the rugged coastline offers smashing views of deadly black-rock cliffs and the distant Blasket Islands. The crashing surf races in like white horses, while longhaired sheep graze peacefully on the green hillside.
Study the highest fields, untouched since the planting of 1845, when the potatoes never matured and rotted in the ground.
The great famine of that year, through starvation or emigration, nearly halved Ireland's population. Because its endearing people have endured so much, Ireland is called "The Terrible Beauty."
Take your time at the Gallaras Oratory, circa A.D. 800, the sightseeing highlight of your peninsula tour. One of Ireland's best-preserved early Christian churches, its shape is reminiscent of an upturned boat. Its watertight dry-stone walls have sheltered travelers and pilgrims for 1,200 years.
From the Oratory, continue up the rugged one-lane road to the crest of the hill and then coast back to Dingle Town -- hungry, thirsty, and ready for a pint.
The Dingle Peninsula -- green, rugged, and untouched -- is my favorite Gaeltacht. While the big tour buses clog the neighboring Ring of Kerry before heading east to kiss the Blarney Stone, in Dingle it still feels like the fish and the farm actually matter.
Fishing boats still sail from Dingle, and a nostalgic whiff of peat scents its nighttime air, offering visitors an escape into pure Ireland. For 30 years my Irish dreams have been set here, on this sparse but lush peninsula where locals are fond of saying, "The next parish is Boston."
Of the peninsula's 10,000 residents, 1,500 live in Dingle Town. Its few streets, lined with ramshackle but gaily painted shops and pubs, run up from a rain-stung harbor, home to a friendly dolphin. You'll see teenagers -- already working on ruddy beer-glow cheeks -- roll kegs up the streets and into the pubs in preparation for another night of music and craic (fun conversation and atmosphere).
The Dingle Peninsula is worth exploring by bike or car. It's 10 miles wide and runs 40 miles from Tralee to Slea Head. The top of its mountainous spine is Mount Brandon, at 3,130 feet, the second-tallest mountain in Ireland. While only tiny villages lie west of Dingle Town, the peninsula is home to 500,000 sheep. The weather on this distant tip of Ireland is often misty, foggy, and rainy. But don't complain -- as locals will explain, there is no bad weather ... only inappropriate clothing.
Don't Miss
In Depth: Rick Steves' Europe
Leaving Dingle Town by car or bike, it becomes clear that the peninsula is an open-air museum. It's littered with monuments reminding visitors that the town has been the choice of Bronze Age settlers, Dark Age monks, English landlords, and Hollywood directors ("Ryan's Daughter," and "Far and Away"). The Milestone B&B decorates its front yard not with a pink flamingo, but with an ancient pillar stone -- one of more than 2,000 stony pieces in the puzzle of prehistoric life here.
Near the red, two-room schoolhouse, a street sign warns Taisteal go Mall -- Slow Down. Near the playground, students hide out in circular remains of a late Stone Age ring fort. In 500 B.C. it was a petty Celtic chieftain's headquarters, a stone-and-earth stockade filled with little stone houses. Many of these ring forts survived the centuries because of superstitious beliefs that they were "fairy forts."
The wet sod of Dingle is soaked with medieval history. In the darkest depths of the Dark Ages, when literate life almost died in Europe, peace-loving, bookwormish monks fled the chaos of barbarian raids on the continent. They sailed to this drizzly fringe of the known world and lived their monastic lives in lonely stone igloos or "beehive huts," which you'll see dotting the landscape.
Several groups of these mysterious huts, called clochans, line the road. Built without mortar by seventh-century monks, these huts take you back. Climb into one. You're all alone, surrounded by dank mist and the realization that it was these monks who kept literacy alive in Europe. To give you an idea of their importance, Charlemagne, who ruled much of Europe in the year 800, imported Irish monks to be his scribes.
Rounding Slea Head, the point in Europe closest to America, the rugged coastline offers smashing views of deadly black-rock cliffs and the distant Blasket Islands. The crashing surf races in like white horses, while longhaired sheep graze peacefully on the green hillside.
Study the highest fields, untouched since the planting of 1845, when the potatoes never matured and rotted in the ground.
The great famine of that year, through starvation or emigration, nearly halved Ireland's population. Because its endearing people have endured so much, Ireland is called "The Terrible Beauty."
Take your time at the Gallaras Oratory, circa A.D. 800, the sightseeing highlight of your peninsula tour. One of Ireland's best-preserved early Christian churches, its shape is reminiscent of an upturned boat. Its watertight dry-stone walls have sheltered travelers and pilgrims for 1,200 years.
From the Oratory, continue up the rugged one-lane road to the crest of the hill and then coast back to Dingle Town -- hungry, thirsty, and ready for a pint.
Norway's ultimate scenic thrill
(Tribune Media Services -- My ancestors came from Norway, so I'm partial to that corner of Europe. But even if you're not from Viking stock, don't miss the fjords.
On the Sognefjord, Norway shows off its natural beauty.
From Oslo, northern Europe's most scenic train takes you up and over the country's mountainous spine and into the land of shiplap dreams. The tourist board calls it "Norway in a Nutshell" and that's just what it gives you.
Frankly, if you go to Oslo and don't get out to the fjords, you should have your passport revoked. Norway's greatest claim to scenic fame is its deep and lush saltwater inlets. Sognefjord, Norway's longest (120 miles) and deepest (more than a mile), is tops. Sognefjord offers Norway's best combination of scenic wonder and accessibility.
For the best one-day look at fjords, follow the Nutshell's series of well-organized train, ferry, and bus connections that puts this beautiful fjord country spread-eagle on a scenic platter. Ambitious and energetic travelers can see the whole shebang in a day; with more time or less energy, consider an overnight along the fjord or in Bergen.
Allow about $200 to take the Nutshell route from Oslo to Bergen on your own (cheaper if you have a railpass). Book your reservations for the train at least a week in advance (from the United States, dial 011-47-81 50 08 88). Or you can take a package tour with Fjord Tours for about the same price and less hassle. Sunny July and August are the best months to go.
The Nutshell route starts with a spectacular train ride, leaving Oslo at about 8 a.m. for Bergen. Your camera button will click like a castanet as the train roars over Norway's mountainous spine. The barren, windswept heaths, glaciers, deep forests, countless lakes, and a few rugged ski resorts create a harsh beauty.
The railroad is an amazing engineering feat. Completed in 1909, it's 300 miles long and peaks at 4,266 feet, which, at this Alaskan latitude, is far above the tree line. You'll go under 18 miles of snow sheds, over 300 bridges, and through 200 tunnels in just less than seven hours.
At Myrdal, a 12-mile spur line drops you 2,800 breathtaking feet in 55 minutes to the village of Flaam on Sognefjord. This is a party train. The engineer even stops the train for photographs at a particularly picturesque waterfall.
While most "Norway in a Nutshell" tourists zip immediately from the train onto the scenic fjord boat in Flaam, those with time enjoy an overnight stop on the fjord.
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Flaam is a handy tourist depot with several simple hotels. Aurland, a few miles north of Flaam, is more of a town. It's famous for producing some of Norway's sweetest "geitost" -- goat cheese. Aurland has as many goats as people (1,900). Nearly every train arriving in Flaam connects with a bus or boat to Aurland, also on Sognefjord. While nearby Bergen is famous for its rain -- more than six feet a year -- Sognefjord is a relative sun belt, with only two feet of rain a year.
The train from Myrdal to Flaam is quite scenic, but the ride doesn't do the view justice. For the best single day's activity from Flaam, take the train to Berekvam (halfway back up to Myrdal), then hike or bike (rentable from the Flaam tourist office) the gravelly construction road back down to Flaam. Bring a picnic and your camera.
From Flaam, "Nutshellers" catch the most scenic of fjord cruises. Sightseeing boats leave throughout the day. For 90 minutes, camera-clicking tourists scurry on the drool-stained deck like nervous roosters, scratching fitfully for a photo to catch the magic. Waterfalls turn the black-rock cliffs into a bridal fair. You can nearly reach out and touch the sheer, towering walls.
The ride is one of those fine times, like being high on the tip of an Alp, when a warm camaraderie spontaneously combusts among the strangers who came together for the experience. The boat takes you up one narrow arm (Aurlandsfjord) and down the next (Naeroyfjord) to the nothing-to-stop-for town of Gudvangen, where waiting buses shuttle you back to the main train line at Voss. From Voss, carry on into Bergen for a short evening visit.
Bergen, Norway's second city and historic capital, is an entertaining place. You can finish the day there by browsing the touristy but fun wharf area, or zipping up the funicular to the top of 1,000-foot-tall "Mount" Floyen for city and fjord views.
Then spend the night in Bergen -- or, for maximum efficiency, catch the overnight train back to Oslo. Back in Oslo's station, as you yawn and stretch and rummage around for a cup of morning coffee, it'll hit you: You were gone for 24 hours, experienced the fjord wonder of Europe, and saw Bergen to boot.
Bodies of Air France captain, steward found
(CNN) -- Search crews have recovered the bodies of the flight captain and a steward from the Air France flight that crashed off the coast of Brazil.
A Brazilian diver floats on wreckage of Flight 447 earlier this month. The search for more debris continues.
The two flight members are among the victims that have been identified, Air France said in a statement Thursday.
About a dozen victims have been identified among roughly 50 bodies recovered from the crash of Flight 447, which killed 228 peopl
e on June 1, authorities in Brazil said this week.
Crews continue to search for bodies, wreckage and flight-data recorders that apparently rest deep on the ocean floor. Data from the recorders may be crucial in helping investigators determine what caused the plane to crash. Watch more wreckage recovered from crash »
Autopsies conducted on some of the 50 bodies found so far show they suffered broken bones, including arms, legs and hips, Brazilian authorities have told French investigators, according to Paul-Louis Arslanian, head of the French accident investigation board.
Such injuries suggest that the plane broke apart in midair, experts have said.
Asked about that theory, Air France Chief Executive Pierre-Henri Gourgeon told France's RTL radio this week that he would not go that far.
"What I know is that the investigators would like to know the causes of death," Gourgeon said. "That knowledge of causes of death will better clarify what exactly happened. Were the victims killed before the impact, or during impact?"
Searchers have found dozens of pieces of debris in the water and think they know the general location of the wreck, but Arslanian said this week that there is a chance the entire aircraft may never be found.
Air France plans to pay relatives of the victims an initial compensation equivalent to about $24,500, or 17,500 euros, for each victim, Gourgeon has said.
The airliner said this week that it has been in touch with about 1,800 relatives of the people who died when the Airbus A330 crashed, but that it has been difficult tracing the relatives of all 228 victims.
"The modern world is different and we often have only a cell phone, and as you can imagine, this cell phone is unfortunately in the aircraft," Gourgeon said. "So we probably (will put in) more hours to access all the relatives."
The company is also providing families with counseling, he said.
The were 32 different nationalities present on Flight 447.
(CNN) -- Search crews have recovered the bodies of the flight captain and a steward from the Air France flight that crashed off the coast of Brazil.
A Brazilian diver floats on wreckage of Flight 447 earlier this month. The search for more debris continues.
The two flight members are among the victims that have been identified, Air France said in a statement Thursday.
About a dozen victims have been identified among roughly 50 bodies recovered from the crash of Flight 447, which killed 228 peopl
Crews continue to search for bodies, wreckage and flight-data recorders that apparently rest deep on the ocean floor. Data from the recorders may be crucial in helping investigators determine what caused the plane to crash. Watch more wreckage recovered from crash »
Autopsies conducted on some of the 50 bodies found so far show they suffered broken bones, including arms, legs and hips, Brazilian authorities have told French investigators, according to Paul-Louis Arslanian, head of the French accident investigation board.
Such injuries suggest that the plane broke apart in midair, experts have said.
Asked about that theory, Air France Chief Executive Pierre-Henri Gourgeon told France's RTL radio this week that he would not go that far.
"What I know is that the investigators would like to know the causes of death," Gourgeon said. "That knowledge of causes of death will better clarify what exactly happened. Were the victims killed before the impact, or during impact?"
Searchers have found dozens of pieces of debris in the water and think they know the general location of the wreck, but Arslanian said this week that there is a chance the entire aircraft may never be found.
Air France plans to pay relatives of the victims an initial compensation equivalent to about $24,500, or 17,500 euros, for each victim, Gourgeon has said.
The airliner said this week that it has been in touch with about 1,800 relatives of the people who died when the Airbus A330 crashed, but that it has been difficult tracing the relatives of all 228 victims.
"The modern world is different and we often have only a cell phone, and as you can imagine, this cell phone is unfortunately in the aircraft," Gourgeon said. "So we probably (will put in) more hours to access all the relatives."
The company is also providing families with counseling, he said.
The were 32 different nationalities present on Flight 447.
Hostels: The cure for expensive, lonely travel
(Tribune Media Services) -- If you want to save money while traveling, consider hosteling. Several thousand hostels provide beds throughout Europe -- in cities, towns, and the countryside -- for $20 to $40 per night.
Some hostels are really travel destinations, such as the Mountain Hostel in Gimmelwald, Switzerland.
For this rock-bottom price, you get "no frills" accommodations in clean, stark dormitories. The good news for couples and families is that many hostels have a few doubles and some family rooms (book ahead for these). It's a great way to enjoy some privacy while saving money.
You may assume hostels aren't for you because, by every standard, you're "old." Well, many countries have dropped the word "youth" from their hostel organization's name, and for years Hostelling International has given "youths" over the age of 54 a discount on membership cards. Even the last holdout, the German state of Bavaria, finally dropped its youths-only restriction. If you're alive, you're young enough to hostel anywhere in Europe.
A reader wrote on my Web site: "My partner and I stayed in a 'youth' hostel for the first time by Lake Como and thought we'd be the oldest people there. Not so! At our table was a 60-ish couple from Sydney and a 79-year-old British woman who was backpacking alone through Europe. All three were a delight, but especially the backpacker, who said she stays in hostels for the evening company."
Solo travelers find a family in every hostel, and can always find a new travel partner. The hostel's recreation and living rooms are my favorite hangouts. People gather, play games, tell stories, share information, read, write, and team up for future travels. The lights may go out by 11 p.m., but bunk-bed conversation rages long after. You'll find yourself propped on your elbows staring intensely into the darkness, passing around travel tales like a bucket of popcorn.
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Some hostels serve hearty, super-cheap meals, often in family-style settings. A typical dinner is fish sticks and mashed potatoes seasoned by conversation with new friends from Norway to Namibia to New Zealand. The self-service kitchen, complete with utensils, pots, and pans, is a great budget aid that comes with most hostels. Larger hostels even have a small grocery store. International friendships rise with the bread in the kitchens.
Still, hostels are not hotels -- not by a long shot. Many people hate them. Hostels can have strict rules. Some lock up during the day (usually from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.), and a few may have a curfew at night, when the doors are locked.
Unless you snare a double or family room, you could have lots of company. Dorms have from four to 20 beds. At official hostels, which require a membership card (see www.hiusa.org), the sexes are segregated. Many independent hostels have both segregated and mixed dorms (no membership card required).
School groups can turn hostels upside down, typically on weekends during the school year and weekdays in the summer. The sounds you'll hear just after everyone's turned in remind me of summer camp -- giggles, burps, jokes, and strange noises in many languages. Snoring is permitted and practiced openly.
Theft can be a problem in a few hostels, but try this simple safeguard: Wear your money belt (even while sleeping) and don't leave valuables lying around (but no one's going to steal your tennis shoes or journal). Use the storage lockers that are available in most facilities. (Other typical hostel services include Internet access and a self-service laundry.)
Hostels come in all shapes and sizes, and some are sightseeing destinations in themselves. There are castles (Bacharach, Germany), moored ships (Stockholm), alpine chalets (Gimmelwald, Switzerland), huge modern buildings (Frankfurt), lakefront villas (Lugano, Italy), former prisons (Ljubljana, Slovenia), medieval manor houses (Wilderhope Manor, England), former choirboys' dorms (St. Paul's, London), country estates (Loch Lomond, Scotland), and former royal residences (Holland Park, London).
I've hosteled most in Northern Europe, where hostels are more comfortable and the savings over hotels more exciting (particularly in Scandinavia, where you find lots of Volvos in hostel parking lots, as Scandinavians know that hostels provide the best -- and usually only -- $30 beds in town). I rarely hostel in the south, where hostels are less common, and two or three people can sleep just as cheaply in a budget hotel.
Young backpackers can overrun big-city hostels. Rural hostels, far from train lines and famous sights, are usually quiet and frequented by a more mature crowd. If you have a car, use that mobility to leave the Eurail zone and enjoy some of Europe's overlooked hostels.
Some travelers love them and will be hostelers all their lives, regardless of their budgets. Hosteling is a philosophy. You trade service and privacy for a chance to live simply and communally with people from around the world.
(Tribune Media Services) -- If you want to save money while traveling, consider hosteling. Several thousand hostels provide beds throughout Europe -- in cities, towns, and the countryside -- for $20 to $40 per night.
Some hostels are really travel destinations, such as the Mountain Hostel in Gimmelwald, Switzerland.
For this rock-bottom price, you get "no frills" accommodations in clean, stark dormitories. The good news for couples and families is that many hostels have a few doubles and some family rooms (book ahead for these). It's a great way to enjoy some privacy while saving money.
You may assume hostels aren't for you because, by every standard, you're "old." Well, many countries have dropped the word "youth" from their hostel organization's name, and for years Hostelling International has given "youths" over the age of 54 a discount on membership cards. Even the last holdout, the German state of Bavaria, finally dropped its youths-only restriction. If you're alive, you're young enough to hostel anywhere in Europe.
A reader wrote on my Web site: "My partner and I stayed in a 'youth' hostel for the first time by Lake Como and thought we'd be the oldest people there. Not so! At our table was a 60-ish couple from Sydney and a 79-year-old British woman who was backpacking alone through Europe. All three were a delight, but especially the backpacker, who said she stays in hostels for the evening company."
Solo travelers find a family in every hostel, and can always find a new travel partner. The hostel's recreation and living rooms are my favorite hangouts. People gather, play games, tell stories, share information, read, write, and team up for future travels. The lights may go out by 11 p.m., but bunk-bed conversation rages long after. You'll find yourself propped on your elbows staring intensely into the darkness, passing around travel tales like a bucket of popcorn.
Don't Miss
In Depth: Rick Steves' Europe
Some hostels serve hearty, super-cheap meals, often in family-style settings. A typical dinner is fish sticks and mashed potatoes seasoned by conversation with new friends from Norway to Namibia to New Zealand. The self-service kitchen, complete with utensils, pots, and pans, is a great budget aid that comes with most hostels. Larger hostels even have a small grocery store. International friendships rise with the bread in the kitchens.
Still, hostels are not hotels -- not by a long shot. Many people hate them. Hostels can have strict rules. Some lock up during the day (usually from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.), and a few may have a curfew at night, when the doors are locked.
Unless you snare a double or family room, you could have lots of company. Dorms have from four to 20 beds. At official hostels, which require a membership card (see www.hiusa.org), the sexes are segregated. Many independent hostels have both segregated and mixed dorms (no membership card required).
School groups can turn hostels upside down, typically on weekends during the school year and weekdays in the summer. The sounds you'll hear just after everyone's turned in remind me of summer camp -- giggles, burps, jokes, and strange noises in many languages. Snoring is permitted and practiced openly.
Theft can be a problem in a few hostels, but try this simple safeguard: Wear your money belt (even while sleeping) and don't leave valuables lying around (but no one's going to steal your tennis shoes or journal). Use the storage lockers that are available in most facilities. (Other typical hostel services include Internet access and a self-service laundry.)
Hostels come in all shapes and sizes, and some are sightseeing destinations in themselves. There are castles (Bacharach, Germany), moored ships (Stockholm), alpine chalets (Gimmelwald, Switzerland), huge modern buildings (Frankfurt), lakefront villas (Lugano, Italy), former prisons (Ljubljana, Slovenia), medieval manor houses (Wilderhope Manor, England), former choirboys' dorms (St. Paul's, London), country estates (Loch Lomond, Scotland), and former royal residences (Holland Park, London).
I've hosteled most in Northern Europe, where hostels are more comfortable and the savings over hotels more exciting (particularly in Scandinavia, where you find lots of Volvos in hostel parking lots, as Scandinavians know that hostels provide the best -- and usually only -- $30 beds in town). I rarely hostel in the south, where hostels are less common, and two or three people can sleep just as cheaply in a budget hotel.
Young backpackers can overrun big-city hostels. Rural hostels, far from train lines and famous sights, are usually quiet and frequented by a more mature crowd. If you have a car, use that mobility to leave the Eurail zone and enjoy some of Europe's overlooked hostels.
Some travelers love them and will be hostelers all their lives, regardless of their budgets. Hosteling is a philosophy. You trade service and privacy for a chance to live simply and communally with people from around the world.
For you !
Zuni Cafe Cookbook
Written by Judy Rodgers with wine suggestions from Gerald Asher. 504 pages of recipes for the earthy, sensual food for which Zuni is known. Twenty-four color and fifty black-and-white photographs. James Beard Awards - Outstanding Chef Award, Cookbook of The Year, Cookbook Outstanding Restaurant Award. IACP Award - Chefs and Restaurants Category Accolades"It is rare to find a cookbook that is a joy to read as well as one having a great collection of recipes. Judy Rodgers explains in detail the art of tasting and seasoning, even the art of shopping and what to look for." Chuck Williams "This is a cookbook that belongs in every kitchen. It is instructive for beginners and equally valuable for cooking 'pros.' Judy carefully and simply explains the why and how of every step." Marion Cunningham "Recipes are straightforward and traditional, each one is unique." Alice Waters
Why we like it
This book is everything is says above and more. If stranded on a desert island and able to have only 5 cookbooks, this would be first on the list!
Written by Judy Rodgers with wine suggestions from Gerald Asher. 504 pages of recipes for the earthy, sensual food for which Zuni is known. Twenty-four color and fifty black-and-white photographs. James Beard Awards - Outstanding Chef Award, Cookbook of The Year, Cookbook Outstanding Restaurant Award. IACP Award - Chefs and Restaurants Category Accolades"It is rare to find a cookbook that is a joy to read as well as one having a great collection of recipes. Judy Rodgers explains in detail the art of tasting and seasoning, even the art of shopping and what to look for." Chuck Williams "This is a cookbook that belongs in every kitchen. It is instructive for beginners and equally valuable for cooking 'pros.' Judy carefully and simply explains the why and how of every step." Marion Cunningham "Recipes are straightforward and traditional, each one is unique." Alice Waters
Why we like it
This book is everything is says above and more. If stranded on a desert island and able to have only 5 cookbooks, this would be first on the list!
Athens: A new look for an old city
(Tribune Media Services) -- A century and a half ago, Athens was a humble, forgotten city of about 8,000 people. Today, one out of every three Greeks packs into this city of about 4 million.
To avoid the Parthenon crowds, go in the early evening when the marble turns golden as the sun sets.
Athens has been famous for its sprawl, noise and pollution. My advice has long been to see the big sights, then get out. But visiting it recently to research a new guidebook, I've seen a dramatic change. The city has made a concerted effort to curb pollution, clean up and pedestrianize the streets, spiff up the museums, build a new airport and invest in one of Europe's better public-transit systems.
Even with its new look, the Greek capital still has its "big three" sights: the stunning Acropolis, the Ancient Agora just below and the remarkable National Archaeological Museum. But coming in June is the opening of a fourth big sight -- one that will stoke a battle over Greece losing her marbles more than 200 years ago (more on that later).
To many, the most important ancient site in the Western world is the Acropolis, rising gleaming like a beacon above the gray concrete drudgery of modern Athens. This is where the Greeks built the mighty Parthenon -- the most famous temple on the planet, and an enduring symbol of ancient Athens' glorious Golden Age from nearly 2,500 years ago.
The major monuments of the Acropolis survive in remarkably good condition. While the Persians, Ottomans, and British were cruel to the site in the past, the greatest dangers it faces now are acid rain and pollution. Ongoing restoration means that you might see some scaffolding -- but even that can't take away from its greatness. I like to come late in the day, as the sun goes down, when the white Parthenon stone gleams a creamy golden brown.
While the Acropolis was the city's ceremonial showpiece, it was the Ancient Agora that was the real heart of classical Athens. For some 800 years, it was the hub of all commercial, political, and social life and home to many of the city's religious rites.
Don't Miss
In Depth: Rick Steves' Europe
Little survives in the Agora from the classical period. Other than one very well-preserved temple and a rebuilt portico, it's a field of humble ruins nestled in the shadow of the Acropolis. But that makes it a quiet, uncrowded spot to wander and get a feel for the ancients. Romantics can't help but get goose bumps as they kick around the same pebbles that once stuck in Socrates' sandals, with the floodlit Parthenon forever floating ethereally overhead.
North of the city center is the world's best collection of ancient Greek art, the National Archaeological Museum. It takes you from 7000 B.C. to A.D. 500 on a beautifully displayed and well-described sweep through Greek history, from prehistoric and Mycenaean artifacts through the evolution of classical Greek statuary.
This museum now has a worthy competitor -- the New Acropolis Museum, slated to open in June. It's a world-class space, custom-built to showcase the Parthenon sculptures, along with truckloads of other artifacts, all complemented by modern exhibits. And the state-of-the-art building itself is worth a look, as the boldest symbol yet of the post-Olympics vision for Athens.
The new museum also serves as a sort of 21st-century Trojan horse, intended to lure the famous Elgin Marbles (the Parthenon sculptures) away from London's British Museum. In the early 19th century, the British ambassador to the Ottomans, Lord Elgin, got permission to strip marble panels from the Parthenon and take them to England.
For years, the Greeks have asked for the marbles back, and for years, the Brits have responded with claims that Greece can't give them a suitable home. And yet, now that this state-of-the-art facility is ready and waiting, it still seems unlikely that the marbles will be returned anytime soon.
Britain is reluctant to give in, for fear of setting a precedent ... and getting "me, too" notices from Italy, Egypt, Iran, Iraq and all the other nations who'd like the missing pieces of their cultural heritage back. But even without the Elgin Marbles, this new museum will be worth the wait, capturing the timeless splendor of ancient Athens in an ultra-modern building.
Athens is more than a showcase for its past. Take some time to smell the souvlaki, whether by wandering through the touristy Plaka district, browsing through the Monastiraki flea market, or exploring the Psyrri neighborhood, the cutting-edge place to go for nightlife and dining. The narrow winding streets can be confusing, but you can't get too lost with a monument the size of the Acropolis looming overhead to keep you oriented.
And after you visit Athens, get out -- to the wild, mountainous landscape of Greece's Peloponnese, covered in my next column.
(Tribune Media Services) -- A century and a half ago, Athens was a humble, forgotten city of about 8,000 people. Today, one out of every three Greeks packs into this city of about 4 million.
To avoid the Parthenon crowds, go in the early evening when the marble turns golden as the sun sets.
Athens has been famous for its sprawl, noise and pollution. My advice has long been to see the big sights, then get out. But visiting it recently to research a new guidebook, I've seen a dramatic change. The city has made a concerted effort to curb pollution, clean up and pedestrianize the streets, spiff up the museums, build a new airport and invest in one of Europe's better public-transit systems.
Even with its new look, the Greek capital still has its "big three" sights: the stunning Acropolis, the Ancient Agora just below and the remarkable National Archaeological Museum. But coming in June is the opening of a fourth big sight -- one that will stoke a battle over Greece losing her marbles more than 200 years ago (more on that later).
To many, the most important ancient site in the Western world is the Acropolis, rising gleaming like a beacon above the gray concrete drudgery of modern Athens. This is where the Greeks built the mighty Parthenon -- the most famous temple on the planet, and an enduring symbol of ancient Athens' glorious Golden Age from nearly 2,500 years ago.
The major monuments of the Acropolis survive in remarkably good condition. While the Persians, Ottomans, and British were cruel to the site in the past, the greatest dangers it faces now are acid rain and pollution. Ongoing restoration means that you might see some scaffolding -- but even that can't take away from its greatness. I like to come late in the day, as the sun goes down, when the white Parthenon stone gleams a creamy golden brown.
While the Acropolis was the city's ceremonial showpiece, it was the Ancient Agora that was the real heart of classical Athens. For some 800 years, it was the hub of all commercial, political, and social life and home to many of the city's religious rites.
Don't Miss
In Depth: Rick Steves' Europe
Little survives in the Agora from the classical period. Other than one very well-preserved temple and a rebuilt portico, it's a field of humble ruins nestled in the shadow of the Acropolis. But that makes it a quiet, uncrowded spot to wander and get a feel for the ancients. Romantics can't help but get goose bumps as they kick around the same pebbles that once stuck in Socrates' sandals, with the floodlit Parthenon forever floating ethereally overhead.
North of the city center is the world's best collection of ancient Greek art, the National Archaeological Museum. It takes you from 7000 B.C. to A.D. 500 on a beautifully displayed and well-described sweep through Greek history, from prehistoric and Mycenaean artifacts through the evolution of classical Greek statuary.
This museum now has a worthy competitor -- the New Acropolis Museum, slated to open in June. It's a world-class space, custom-built to showcase the Parthenon sculptures, along with truckloads of other artifacts, all complemented by modern exhibits. And the state-of-the-art building itself is worth a look, as the boldest symbol yet of the post-Olympics vision for Athens.
The new museum also serves as a sort of 21st-century Trojan horse, intended to lure the famous Elgin Marbles (the Parthenon sculptures) away from London's British Museum. In the early 19th century, the British ambassador to the Ottomans, Lord Elgin, got permission to strip marble panels from the Parthenon and take them to England.
For years, the Greeks have asked for the marbles back, and for years, the Brits have responded with claims that Greece can't give them a suitable home. And yet, now that this state-of-the-art facility is ready and waiting, it still seems unlikely that the marbles will be returned anytime soon.
Britain is reluctant to give in, for fear of setting a precedent ... and getting "me, too" notices from Italy, Egypt, Iran, Iraq and all the other nations who'd like the missing pieces of their cultural heritage back. But even without the Elgin Marbles, this new museum will be worth the wait, capturing the timeless splendor of ancient Athens in an ultra-modern building.
Athens is more than a showcase for its past. Take some time to smell the souvlaki, whether by wandering through the touristy Plaka district, browsing through the Monastiraki flea market, or exploring the Psyrri neighborhood, the cutting-edge place to go for nightlife and dining. The narrow winding streets can be confusing, but you can't get too lost with a monument the size of the Acropolis looming overhead to keep you oriented.
And after you visit Athens, get out -- to the wild, mountainous landscape of Greece's Peloponnese, covered in my next column.
Cut costs and make memories in Europe
(Tribune Media Services) -- Given the economy, the number one question I've gotten lately from people is whether to go to Europe. It's true that many people will put off their trips for another time. But millions of globetrotters -- who see exploring our world as a way of life -- will find a way to keep on traveling.
General admission to many of London's museums is free. Some special exhibitions require paid entrance.
Let's be honest. Europe is expensive. Prices are high for locals -- and for Americans. Yet regardless of the soaring cost of living, Europeans remain experts at living well. Even those who don't have much money manage plenty of "la dolce vita." And savvy travelers can join them on the cheap.
The best travelers are not those with the thickest wallets, but those with a knack for connecting with locals and their culture.
Match your hobbies with a local in Helsinki's "Meet the Finns" program -- and suddenly, you're searching out classic comics at the flea market with a new local friend.
If you're wandering through Spain's Santiago de Compostela and you hear music and dancers in a gym, pop in and observe. As you enjoy the Galician folk club practicing their traditional dance, you realize northwest Spain is actually Celtic -- where flamenco meets "Riverdance."
Even in London -- Europe's priciest city -- you can have a world-class experience for next to nothing. In Italy, to see Michelangelo's "Last Judgment," Leonardo's "Last Supper" and Botticelli's "Birth of Venus," it will cost you about $50; but in London, seeing the Tate Gallery, British Museum, and National Gallery won't cost you a pence. And when the seats at London's Royal Albert Hall are sold out, standing-room spots are often available.
Budget travelers need to know their money-saving options, and take advantage of them: Ride the shuttle rather than the taxi in from the airport (saves $40 in Vienna). Order a carafe of house wine instead of a bottle of fine wine (saves $20 in Rome). Choose a two-star hotel rather than a three-star one (saves $60 per night in Paris). Buy the transit pass rather than individual tickets (saves $5 per ride on London's Tube). Buy a scratch-off phone card at a European newsstand for calls home, and you'll pay pennies rather than dollars per minute.
Don't Miss
In Depth: Rick Steves' Europe
When you travel, time really is money. (Divide the complete cost of your trip by your waking hours in Europe, and you'll see what I mean. My cost: $15 per hour.) Don't waste your valuable time in lines. I queue as little as possible. In Europe's most crowded cities (especially Paris, Rome, and Florence), easy-to-make reservations and museum passes -- which pay for themselves in four visits -- let you skirt the long ticket-buying lines.
If it costs $1 to use your cell phone to confirm museum times, but it saves you trekking across town to discover the sight is closed, that's a buck very well spent. And sometimes, calculated "splurges" save both time and money: A taxi ride split by four people can cost less than four bus tickets.
When choosing a restaurant, look for small "mom and pop" places filled with enthusiastic local eaters. If a short, handwritten menu in one language is posted out front, that's a good sign. Daily specials and early-bird dinners let you dine well for under $25 anywhere in Europe.
Eastern Europe is both a fine value and a new frontier for many travelers. While hotels are nearly as expensive as in the West, other items are a relative steal. A mug of Czech beer -- the best in Europe -- costs $2 (versus $6 in Britain or Ireland, or $8 in Oslo). A ticket for Mozart in a sumptuous Budapest opera house runs $20 (versus $60 in Vienna).
Your biggest budget challenges are accommodations: Hotels are pricey just about everywhere in Europe. But, equipped with good information, you can land some fine deals -- which often come with the most memories, to boot. If you're willing to "rough it," consider the Norwegian YWCA in London, a renovated jail in Luzern, or a summer-only circus tent in Munich.
Be open to new experiences. Join the Scotsman who runs your B&B in a game of lawn bowling, the Frenchman who runs your pension in a game of "pétanque" or the Greek who runs your hotel for a game of backgammon.
When I reread my past trip journals, I'm always impressed by how often the best experiences were free. Even more important than saving you money, these tips bring you rich experiences that become indelible memories ... the kind of souvenirs you'll enjoy for a lifetime.
(Tribune Media Services) -- Given the economy, the number one question I've gotten lately from people is whether to go to Europe. It's true that many people will put off their trips for another time. But millions of globetrotters -- who see exploring our world as a way of life -- will find a way to keep on traveling.
General admission to many of London's museums is free. Some special exhibitions require paid entrance.
Let's be honest. Europe is expensive. Prices are high for locals -- and for Americans. Yet regardless of the soaring cost of living, Europeans remain experts at living well. Even those who don't have much money manage plenty of "la dolce vita." And savvy travelers can join them on the cheap.
The best travelers are not those with the thickest wallets, but those with a knack for connecting with locals and their culture.
Match your hobbies with a local in Helsinki's "Meet the Finns" program -- and suddenly, you're searching out classic comics at the flea market with a new local friend.
If you're wandering through Spain's Santiago de Compostela and you hear music and dancers in a gym, pop in and observe. As you enjoy the Galician folk club practicing their traditional dance, you realize northwest Spain is actually Celtic -- where flamenco meets "Riverdance."
Even in London -- Europe's priciest city -- you can have a world-class experience for next to nothing. In Italy, to see Michelangelo's "Last Judgment," Leonardo's "Last Supper" and Botticelli's "Birth of Venus," it will cost you about $50; but in London, seeing the Tate Gallery, British Museum, and National Gallery won't cost you a pence. And when the seats at London's Royal Albert Hall are sold out, standing-room spots are often available.
Budget travelers need to know their money-saving options, and take advantage of them: Ride the shuttle rather than the taxi in from the airport (saves $40 in Vienna). Order a carafe of house wine instead of a bottle of fine wine (saves $20 in Rome). Choose a two-star hotel rather than a three-star one (saves $60 per night in Paris). Buy the transit pass rather than individual tickets (saves $5 per ride on London's Tube). Buy a scratch-off phone card at a European newsstand for calls home, and you'll pay pennies rather than dollars per minute.
Don't Miss
In Depth: Rick Steves' Europe
When you travel, time really is money. (Divide the complete cost of your trip by your waking hours in Europe, and you'll see what I mean. My cost: $15 per hour.) Don't waste your valuable time in lines. I queue as little as possible. In Europe's most crowded cities (especially Paris, Rome, and Florence), easy-to-make reservations and museum passes -- which pay for themselves in four visits -- let you skirt the long ticket-buying lines.
If it costs $1 to use your cell phone to confirm museum times, but it saves you trekking across town to discover the sight is closed, that's a buck very well spent. And sometimes, calculated "splurges" save both time and money: A taxi ride split by four people can cost less than four bus tickets.
When choosing a restaurant, look for small "mom and pop" places filled with enthusiastic local eaters. If a short, handwritten menu in one language is posted out front, that's a good sign. Daily specials and early-bird dinners let you dine well for under $25 anywhere in Europe.
Eastern Europe is both a fine value and a new frontier for many travelers. While hotels are nearly as expensive as in the West, other items are a relative steal. A mug of Czech beer -- the best in Europe -- costs $2 (versus $6 in Britain or Ireland, or $8 in Oslo). A ticket for Mozart in a sumptuous Budapest opera house runs $20 (versus $60 in Vienna).
Your biggest budget challenges are accommodations: Hotels are pricey just about everywhere in Europe. But, equipped with good information, you can land some fine deals -- which often come with the most memories, to boot. If you're willing to "rough it," consider the Norwegian YWCA in London, a renovated jail in Luzern, or a summer-only circus tent in Munich.
Be open to new experiences. Join the Scotsman who runs your B&B in a game of lawn bowling, the Frenchman who runs your pension in a game of "pétanque" or the Greek who runs your hotel for a game of backgammon.
When I reread my past trip journals, I'm always impressed by how often the best experiences were free. Even more important than saving you money, these tips bring you rich experiences that become indelible memories ... the kind of souvenirs you'll enjoy for a lifetime.
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