A Smart Traveler... with Lug Loc

Nicolas Keglevich founded ASSIST-CARD in 1972 and created a new concept: assistance to travelers, to protect any traveler, anywhere in the world, in case of any travel emergency. Over the years, ASSIST-CARD became the largest travel assistance network in the world.


Nicolas learned that luggage tracking is one of the services travelers require the most. Every day, thousands of travelers around the world face the indescribable feeling of not receiving their luggage at their destination. Uncertainty, stress, and apprehension are the common denominator for any kind of traveler, from the most experienced to the beginners. Assistance to travelers’ efforts to locate luggage are, in most of the cases, useless and involve hours of telephone communications to find out where has it been dispatched to.


For 3 years Nicolas relentlessly investigated to find a solution to such a huge problem, that annoys not only travelers but also airlines and travel agents. Mr. Keglevich’s unparalleledexperience in providing immediate response even in the most complex and difficult situations, lead him to gather a group of the most renowned communications technicians and investigators to create the most evolved system to locate misplaced luggage in any airport around the world.

Reliable and professional experts, Nicolas Keglevich, Shai Bar Levi and Ami Segal, the founders of LugLoc, share the same spirit of service and the passion of providing customers services of excellence.



LugLoc system has the unique ability to act within minutes almost anywhere in the world to locate any protected item.


LugLoc, an essential service for the smart traveler


Oficial Website:  www.lugloc.com

London tourism rates plunge during Olympics

Olympic tourists head straight for the Games and avoid the capital's other attractions and shopping destinations, according to some London businesses.Photo: AFP
The London 2012 Olympics appears to be deterring tourists from the capital's centre after warnings of travel chaos and overpriced hotel rooms, according to key industry figures. Many businesses complain they are being sidelined as tourists make a beeline for the Olympic Games and avoid the capital's other attractions and shopping destinations, while non-sports fans opt to stay at home or delay their trips.
In the run-up to the Olympics, commuters and tourists alike were warned to avoid central London, with millions of athletes, support staff, media and spectators descending on the capital for the greatest show on earth.
The Games have long been heralded as a key boost to the recession-hit British economy. But tourist numbers have fallen "dramatically" since the Games began, according to industry body the European Tour Operators Association.
"London has approximately 300,000 foreign and 800,000 domestic visitors every day in August. These people have been told implicitly that they should stay away and they have done so," said ETOA chief executive Tom Jenkins.
He argued that many were simply following official travel advice from Transport for London, which runs the capital's roads and railways.
"The numbers are currently dramatically down on last year. How far down will be determined by how long Transport for London maintains the 'don't come into London' campaign," added Jenkins.
"But they have been replaced by approximately 500,000 Games ticket holders, many of whom are Londoners, all of whom are here because they've come to watch sport.
"They are not necessarily interested in London as a tourist destination. They are not here to shop, sightsee or dine out," he said.
Steve McNamara, general secretary of the Licensed Taxi Drivers Association, agreed that too many tourists have heeded the official warnings, leading him to compare central London streets to a "ghost town".
"Our business is down by about 20-40 percent depending on the time of day," McNamara said.
"Normally about 90 percent of our customers are Londoners but they've all left the city and haven't been replaced by tourists.
"I don't know where all these tourists are or how they're getting about, but London is like a ghost town."
Many holidaymakers are meanwhile delaying their trips to London until September, following the end of the Olympics and Paralympics.
"Compared with the same period last year, bookings for London are very substantially down, whereas bookings for all other European cities are significantly up -- as is London in September," said Angela Skelly, head of hotel room provider JacTravel.
Despite the poor anecdotal evidence, tourism chiefs remain upbeat that London can prosper from the Olympics.
"We have always recognised that the London 2012 Games would present challenges as well as opportunities," said Mark Di-Toro, spokesman for tourism body VisitBritain.
"Host cities and countries usually experience a dip in tourism in the year of the Olympics and it is our ambition to buck that trend."
He added: "Indications are that hotels in London are around 80-percent full during Games time."
The British government hopes to generate deals worth more than £1.0 billion ($1.54 billion, 1.2 billion euros) over the Olympics, with £13 billion more over the next two or three years. The Games are costing £9.3 billion to stage

8 Places to Visit in Argentina

Buenos Aires is a great city, but Argentina is a great country, and it would be a shame if you lived here and didn’t see all that it has to offer. And so without further ado, here are 8 places in Argentina you absolutely must visit.

Iguazú Falls

People come from all over the world to see what is perhaps Argentina’s star natural attraction: the mighty Iguazú Falls. Made up of some 275 individual waterfalls and cascades, the park in which they’re located has an amazingly comprehensive and well-maintained set of catwalks that allow you get right up close and personal with the vast sprays of water.

At the heart of the site is a semicircular waterfall called ‘the Devil’s Throat.’ These falls are 80 meters high and a massive 2,700 meters in diameter, and because of the excellent catwalks, you can stand right over their edge in perfect safety.

Iguazú Falls receive about 1 million visitors a year and have been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1984.

Awesome. So where are they? The falls are located in the far north of Argentina, right on Argentina’s border with Brazil. The nearest town to the falls, Puerto Iguazú, is a short flight or a very long bus ride from Buenos Aires.

But wait, there’s more. If you have the time, a trip across the border to the Brazilian side of the falls is highly recommended. Why? Well firstly because the falls themselves are so impressive that it’s worth getting a different perspective on them. While you feel the falls better from the Argentine side, where you can literally reach out and touch them, you see the falls better from Brazil, because from there you can see the entire panorama at once.

Another reason to cross the border is to visit the fabulous Bird Park, located right across the road from the entrance to the Brazilian side of the falls. For more information, see here.

If you decide that you want to go to the Brazilian side of the falls keep in mind though that while it’s only a short and inexpensive shuttle ride from Puerto Iguazú, some people need a visa to enter Brazil, and this includes citizens of the United States and of Australia. Getting a one-day-only Brazilian visa in Puerto Iguazú is fast – they can do it overnight – but it will cost you (check the amount online as it’s subject to change).

Perito Moreno Glacier

From one water-based attraction to another! This one is frozen, but still there are some similarities with Iguazú Falls because like the falls, Perito Moreno glacier in Los Glaciares National Park is very well served by an extensive system of catwalks that allow you to get very close to the face of this breathtakingly massive river of ice. Clearly catwalks are something that Argentina does very well!

Perito Moreno glacier is located in Southern Patagonia. It’s a chunk of ice 250 km2 (97 sq mi) in area and 30 km (19 mi) in length. It’s one of 48 glaciers fed by the Southern Patagonian Ice Field in the Andes, which (by the way) holds in its icy grasp the world’s third-largest store of fresh water.

There isn’t a whole lot to do at Perito Moreno glacier except walk around and get different angles on the ice, but it’s such an impressive sight that doing so is actually a fun way to spend half a day or so. If you’re lucky and patient you might see the glacier calving, which is very cool, and there are also short boat trips out into the lake that the glacier flows into if you want to get even closer to it.

Perito Moreno glacier is a short shuttle ride from the city of El Calafate, itself about a three hour flight from Buenos Aires. El Calafate is a nice enough place, on a windswept hillside beside a lake, but it doesn’t really offer much beyond its proximity to Perito Moreno. However from El Calafate it’s possible to get a bus 220 km north to the village of El Chaltén, which you can read more about…right now!

El Chaltén

El Chaltén is one of Argentina’s lesser-known tourism spots. That’s probably because it’s fairly inaccessible – it has no airport, and the fastest way to get there is a slow 3½ hr bus ride on unsealed roads from El Calafate.

El Chaltén was built in 1985 as a way of helping to secure a disputed border with Chile. Today however it’s raison d’être is solely tourism: it’s located at the northern end of Los Glaciares National Park near the mountains Cerro Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre, making it a hotspot for hikers, climbers, mountaineers and anyone who just wants to enjoy the ridiculously amazing scenery.

The most popular thing to do in the El Chaltén area is hike or climb Cerro Fitz Roy, but there are more hiking opportunities than you can shake a stick at, so bring your walking boots (and poles, don’t forget the poles). Some say that the mountains and glaciers here are the equal of those in Torres del Paine national park across the border in Chile, plus they’re more accessible, and having been to both I have to agree.

There are plenty of places to stay in El Chaltén (and more being built all the time), but it can be pricey, so do your homework and book ahead if you’re on a budget.

Oh, one last thing: DO NOT spend time in El Chaltén without devoting at least one night to dinner and a sampling of the in-house beers at La Cerveceria Brew Pub & Resto. Some of the best beer in Argentina and the food is spectacular too!

Mendoza Province

Mendoza = wine. The very dry, very sunny Mendoza region is close to perfect for wine cultivation, particularly as the Río Mendoza (formed in the Andes) provides all the necessary water for irrigation.

Unsurprisingly then, the best thing to do in Mendoza Province is tour the many excellent wineries, some of which are world-famous. Organized bus tours are readily available, but the best way to do it is to hire a private car with a knowledgeable driver and get a personalized itinerary. The region is most famous for its Malbec, but other wines produced in Mendoza Province include Torrontes, Semillon, Syrah and Tempranillo.

So that’s the Mendoza region. What about the city of Mendoza? Argentina’s fourth largest city is a pleasant town with broad, tree-lined avenues and a very nice central plaza. Should you tire of wine, it’s a good base camp for skiing at Los Penitentes, Los Molles and Las Leñas, for rafting on the Río Mendoza, and for hiking or climbing nearby Aconcagua, which is the highest mountain in the Andes and indeed the highest mountain in the world outside Asia.

Bariloche

They do make it easy for you in Argentina: Mendoza is where you go for wine, and San Carlos de Bariloche (much more commonly known as just Bariloche) is where you go for snow. Another Patagonian destination, it’s a beautiful Argentine town with a Swiss-German twist.

First the skiing: Catedral Alta Patagonia is a ski resort located about an hour from Bariloche (you can get a cheap bus there). It has 40 lifts and over 100 km of marked trails for your carving pleasure. Look up and you’ll be rewarded with stunning views and the odd Andean Condor as well. From 15 September until 15 October is generally regarded as the best time to go.

And if you don’t want to ski, or you’re there at another time of the year? Never fear, because Bariloche brings you not only skiing but also mind-blowing Swiss chocolate, rafting, camping, climbing and hiking, with a side order of sailing, swimming and fantastic fishing in the nearby lake.

Also, should you tire of all of that, there’s the famous Road of the Seven Lakes. This is the popular name given to Route 234, the road between San Martín de los Andes and Villa La Angostura in Neuquén Province. It’s a 107 km dirt road that crosses two national parks and brings you beautiful views over several lakes. Hire a car and drive it from end to end or take a tour bus from Bariloche; either way it’s unmissable.

Quebrada de Humahuaca

Places like Iguazú Falls, Perito Moreno glacier, Bariloche and Mendoza are firmly on the tourist radar in Argentina. But here’s somewhere equally fabulous that’s not: the Quebrada de Humahuaca in the far north-west of the country, in the Province of Jujuy.

So what is a ‘quebrada’ anyway? Good question. A quebrada is a ravine, and the Quebrada de Humahuaca is a ravine 150 km long and over two thousand meters above sea level, located not far from Argentina’s border with its northern neighbor, Bolivia. It is spectacular due to its rock formations and its incredible multicolored hills, which truly must be seen to be believed.

The largest city and main jumping-off point for exploring this area is Salta. Salta boasts some good hostels, plenty of tourist and car rental agencies and a nice central plaza, but it’s not a place you should plan to stay for more than a couple of nights. The real gems are the small towns located near Salta (such as Tilcara, Cachi, Cafayate and Humahuaca) and the landscapes in and around them. They’re best explored by car, but if you don’t have a car and don’t want to hire one, stay in Cafayate and do a tour of the nearby viewpoints from there.

The one absolutely unmissable sight in the area is the Cerro de los Siete Colores (Hill of the Seven Colors) which provides a backdrop of amazing beauty for the little village of Purmamarca. The seven colors are: light orange (composed of red clay, mud and sand); white (lime rock); brown, purple and violet (lead and calcium); red (clay and iron); green (copper oxide); brown (rock and manganese), and yellow (sulfur).

Puerto Madryn

Puerto Madryn is yet another tourism destination in Argentine Patagonia. Its three draw cards are: watching Southern Right Whale in the Gulfo Nuevo (best in September and October); trips 180 km south to see the Magellanic penguin colony in the Punta Tombo Natural Protected Area, and excursions onto Península Valdés, a wildlife sanctuary for birds and marine species.

Puerto Madryn was originally settled by Welsh colonists, and the area retains some links with Wales. This is best seen in Gaiman, the nearby ‘Welsh town’ which conserves the architecture, traditions and (somewhat bizarrely) language of the Welsh settlers. The main thing to do there is to visit a tea house for a famous ‘Welsh Tea’ (tea + scones, cakes etc.).

Puerto Madryn is located either a short flight or an ass-crippling, mind-numbing 17 hr bus ride from Buenos Aires.

El Bolsón

El Bolsón is a very likeable town of about 15,000 people that’s located about 2 hrs south of Bariloche. It’s surrounded by snowcapped mountains and, like Bariloche, offers plenty of outdoors activities, such as fishing, trekking, rafting, climbing and skiing.

So: mountains and outdoor activities. Are they why you should visit El Bolsón? No! The real reason to visit El Bolsón is that it’s Argentina’s hippy HQ! It is staunchly non-nuclear (unlike Bariloche, which has an atomic energy center) and is currently fighting the establishment of a gold mine that has been proposed for a nearby site. Then there are the drum circles, naked children frolicking in the grass, organic jams and preserves, folk music, incense (hmm or is that marijuana?) and lots of local produce like cheese, smoked trout, ice cream and chocolate.

Best of all is the outdoor artisanal fair held in El Bolsón’s central plaza not once, not twice, but three times per week (on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays). It’s the most famous artisanal fair in the entire country and a great place to buy local handicrafts and locally produced food.

Conclusion

So there you are. Eight unmissable locations in easy striking distance of where you’re living right now. What are you waiting for?

Palermo vs. San Telmo: Choosing the Right Neighborhood in Buenos Aires

When I first got to Buenos Aires, I was immediately struck by the huge size of the place. Take the local bus in from the airport and you’ll see what I mean. Barrio after barrio after barrio and dense with people everywhere!

Argentina Travel - Buenos Aires Traffic

My boyfriend, Jaime, and I had arrived in the city with the idea of staying a few months before starting our backpacking trip back to Colombia. Like always, we had put about 10 minutes of planning into the whole thing and as such when we got to the city we were a little lost.

Argentina Travel

Unlike many big cities, Buenos Aires has no central “travelers” area. There are hostels spread throughout the city and “must see” sites literally spread throughout nearly every barrio of the city. Choosing where to stay becomes super important, especially when you take into account the city’s crazy traffic and the hour or more that it can take to cross the city.

Argentina Travel - Buenos Aires

We ended up in El Centro at the first budget hostel we spotted. On first thought you would think that “El Centro” must be THE place to stay. Not really… The area has a few hostels and some great clubs along with the famous Casa Rosada, Florida Street, and Tortoni Cafe. That being said, the area is actually very much a business district and at night it can get a little sketchy in areas. Florida Street is particularly risky in the early mornings after the clubs close.

Argentina Travel - Buenos Aires Barrio

We quickly learned that the best areas in town for backpackers seem to be Palermo (in the north) or San Telmo (in the south). These neighborhoods are filled with great clubs, restaurants, budget hostels, plenty of sites to see, and a youthful vibe. They are also both pretty safe and have a good mix of travelers and locals. Picking the right neighborhood for your trip is vital though and one of the most important decisions you can make if you want to have a good trip. The trip between the two is over an hour, on a good day, so you better like the neighborhood you pick.

Argentina Travel - Buenos Aires Balconies

We ended up in both neighborhoods for a while and definitely learned the pros and cons of both San Telmo and Palermo. Here is what we saw:

San Telmo

This neighborhood in the south has a real, local Argentinian feel. Tango is danced on the street, steak houses and Italian food are everywhere, and locals can be seen stumbling out of bars nearly everyday as the sun starts to rise. It is a neighborhood with a rough exterior (political graffiti, worn down buildings) but a real soul.

Argentina Travel - Buenos Aires Tango Dancing

Things here are cheaper than in other areas of the city due mainly to the fact that it’s a locals’ neighborhood and not yet overrun with tourists. That being said, it is filled with some great hostels, hotels, and our favorite – the San Telmo Lofts. It’s also walking distance to a half dozen Buenos Aires sites: the obelisk, Plaza de Mayo and the Casa Rosada, the famous Cafe Tortoni, Avenida Florida, and the Colon Theater. San Telmo also has one of the best street fairs in the city on Sundays which is famous for its antiques.

Argentina Travel - Buenos Aires Antique Markets

Palermo

This barrio is actually huge and often broken down into distinct regions such as Palermo Hollywood and Palermo Soho. As the names might give away, Palermo is a fashionable neighborhood. The area is filled with boutique hotels, incredible dance clubs with some of the world’s best DJs, restaurants that rival those in most European cities, and a youthful but high-end vibe. Don’t worry though; there are plenty of affordable hostels in Palermo as well.

Argentina Travel - Buenos Aires Streets

While San Telmo is known for its flea market antique fair, Palermo is known for its world famous designers. It has plenty to offer other than shopping though. Palermo is where you go in the city to see the famous parks of Buenos Aires. Locals swarm here on the weekend to rollerblade, bike, and to just relax or picnic in the grass. Palermo also has the city’s Botanical Gardens, the Buenos Aires Zoo, and the polo fields.

Argentina Travel - Buenos Aires Modern Architecture

The neighborhood has some the city’s best nightlife but not many small, casual bars. The outdoor cafes and restaurants though are fabulous and you will wonder if anyone eats at home. In general, it is one of the most safe barrios of Buenos Aires and many expats who have permanently retired to the city choose Palermo as home.

Argentina Travel - Buenos Aires

Both neighborhoods are great and both are worth seeing. San Telmo is kind of like the hippy district and Palermo is the glamorous side of town. They don’t fit in these boxes perfectly though. San Telmo is a good pick if you’re only in the city a few days and want to be close to all the sites. Palermo is a great place if you are planning on staying longer and want to check out great nightlife.

Argentina Travel - Buenos Aires Metal Flower

No matter where you end up, enjoy the city! We sure did!

Best cocktails around the world

During a vacation, discovering a new cocktail can help you discover what are the traditions and flavours that distinguish cities and nations. Some cocktails are often made with ingredients found only in specific parts of the world, which makes the taste of these drinks, quite interesting. Enjoy your cocktails in countries like:

Havana

The Cuban tourism is experiencing a time of great prosperity and some research have shown that among the cheapest flights in travel portals like British Airways and Scyscanner, are the flights to Cuba which you can book easily and cheap. Havana despite being known as the birthplace of the Caribbean rum is also famous for cocktails like the Cuba Libre, Mojito and Daiquiri. The second of these is one of the most respected and popular cocktails in the world and to experience the best, we recommend going to La Bodeguita del Medio, always surrounded by local personalities.

Cuban Rum Seller

Cuba Libre

Paris

Here in the capital of France where you can try the absinthe, the best of which is available at the Bar Cantada on Rue Moret, where it is has a great selection. Finally, for those looking for an original taste and unique cocktails in the world, the Hemingway Bar is recommended, because you can try such a Lemon Charlie or the special martini with black truffles and raspberries; yammiiii!!

Bar Cantada on Rue Moret

Hemingway Bar – Martini

Venice

Italy is also known for its juicy cocktails. At Harry’s Bar was born, for example the famous Bellini, the prosecco drink with peace. This place has also historical figures such as Guglielmo Marconi, Arturo Toscanini and Georges Braque.

Pouring Bellinis at Harry’s Bar, Venice

Its Spritz Time in Venice

New York

The Big Apple is one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world and therefore it is not strange that the mixing of cultures, has led to the creation of a large number of cocktails. Among the best places we can remind the Pegu Club, which is widely regarded as one of the most avant-garde experimentation of cocktail, where the old formulas made fantastic drinks.

Pegu Club Cocktail

Cocktail Mixologist New York

Manchester

Not many are aware that Manchester is a city where you can drink the best cocktails in the world. One of the best places to try is the exceptional Keko Moku, the Polynesian-style place where you can find the Mai Tai, the Zombie and the unique Seven.

Keko Moku

Bar lights in Manchester

The oldest advertisement in the world found in Thebes, Egypt | Did you know

Did you know that first ever written advertisement took place around 3000 BC? The particular sign appeared on the ruins of the Egyptian city of Thebes. The slave who found it got an award of one gold coin from his master. This slaves name was Shem and his masters name was Hapu. In this ad the master describe his slave with the most beautiful adjectives in order to sell him and in the conclusion it is written that if somebody buys Shem they are buying a “piece of gold”.

Oldest advertisement

Thebes in Egypt