When in Rome… Don’t Pack Snacks

Well, you can pack them, but just don’t plan to nosh on them while you’re visiting the picturesque city’s world-famous monuments. Rome’s government officials recently voted to ban sightseers from snacking near the city’s historical center. City leaders say the snack ban was put into place to preserve local treasures and decorum in a city that attracts millions of visitors every year. The new rule also bans homeless people from setting up makeshift beds near the city’s most noteworthy landmarks including the Pantheon and the Spanish Steps. Drunks, litterbugs and hooligans will also face stiff penalties if caught loitering in … Continue reading

No More Horsing Around in Rome

Horses in New York’s Central Park are not the only ones animal rights activists are looking to save. Passionate horse lovers in Italy want visitors to use other means of transportation to tour famous landmarks in Rome other than horse-drawn carriages. A strong contingency of animal activists are trying to ban the use of horse drawn carriages saying traffic, pollution, heat and heavy loads expose the animals to health risks. According to one animal rights association, about 90 horses are employed in Rome to carry tourists to see the city’s landmarks (such as the Colosseum) on busy streets full of … Continue reading

Tour L.A. on Four Legs

I guess my equine-obsessed daughter isn’t the only one jumping at the chance to clip-clop around Los Angeles on the back of a horse. Tourists from around the world are trading in their rental cars and bus tour passes for the chance to hop on muscular mares for sunset rides in the hills above The City of Angels. Say good-bye to traffic jams and smoggy side streets and hello to open trails and fresh air. In historic Griffith Park, home of the world-famous Hollywood sign that overlooks the city, you can hop on a horse for a sunset ride above … Continue reading

Learning about Horses and Ponies

Yesterday I wrote about how shopping for a birthday present for a friend’s daughter made me realize how many types of horses there are. Growing up, our family had a horse for all of about five minutes. His name was Saberjolt and I was over the moon for him. But, thanks to my allergies, we had to give Saberjolt up. (At least that’s how family legend tells it. More than likely it was because we couldn’t afford him. I don’t remember ever coughing, sneezing or wheezing either during or after any Saberjolt outings.) However, I couldn’t tell you what kind … Continue reading

Wild Rides

And you thought your last flight was memorable… Adventure seekers looking to take the ride of their lives have reason to celebrate today. VirtualTourist.com just released its Top 10 list of Unique Rides. Forget about jet planes, massive ocean liners and pimped out cars, the following modes of transport are wilder than anything you have ever boarded. Take a look: KENYA Ostrich rides are all the rage in Nairobi, Kenya. The big birds recently knocked the elephant off the list of most popular rides. According to tour operators, the ostrich is the animal equivalent of a unicycle and riders might … Continue reading