Tourism

ROME (Reuters) - Salvage crews will employ huge cranes and air tanks to refloat the half-submerged Costa Concordia cruise liner in the largest ever operation of its kind, according to a plan unveiled on Friday.

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(Reuters) - Sonia Bovio, tired but unable to sleep after her long journey from Phoenix to London last week, settled into her hotel room and was fiddling around on her laptop. One inadvertent click later, a file downloaded and she realized she had made a big mistake.

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But many travelers will hold the line on spending for items such as hotel stays and entertainment because of high fuel costs and rising airfares.Americans plan to travel in slightly higher numbers this summer, according to surveys, starting with the upcoming Memorial Day weekend.

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Sometime around mid-January, after Christmas cheer and New Year’s novelty have faded, we wonder why we stay in this place to wrestle with the cold and wind and snow and chill that run to the tips of our fingers and toes.   

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The iconic 'Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas Nevada' greeting, which has been around since 1959, has become a full-flush symbol of this gambling mecca, with droves of tourists arriving as if on a pilgrimage.The iconic 'Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas Nevada' greeting, which has been around since 1959, has become a full-flush symbol of this gambling mecca, with droves of tourists arriving as if on a pilgrimage.

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The parent company of Universal Orlando is trying to squeeze as much magic as it can out of Harry Potter's wand.

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I'm such a sucker for anything having to do with mountains -- hiking up them, watching climbers ascend  them, snapping pictures of them -- that even phony peaks give me a thrill.

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A tram or ferry ride away from the skyscraper forest lie miles of trails that can lead hikers to hillside monasteries, idyllic fishing villages and wilderness camping.Birds twitter and sunshine twinkles through groves of bamboo and banyan trees adorned with cascades of orchids. With every step, my Vibram boot soles crush hibiscus blossoms littering a pathway, while butterflies flutter around a group of elderly folks welcoming the morning with the gracious silent semaphore of tai chi.

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BRUGES, Belgium (Reuters) - The well-preserved historic Bruges city centre is a UNESCO world heritage site and with eight Michelin star restaurants and the most independent chocolatiers in Belgium, it is worth a visit even for those who do not like museums.

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BELFAST (Reuters) - Belfast in the 21st century is developing into a chic capital of culture, character and chatter built on a proud industrial heritage which includes the world's most famous luxury liner.

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