USA Travel and Discount Shopping

TripAdvisor has a useful page for travelers on discount shopping in the USA:

see United States: Discount Shopping

Top Destinations on the Rise at Tripadvisor.com led by the Baltic: Talinn first, Riga second, Vilnius seventh

Happy New Year! Where is 2012 to take us?
There is an unmistakable trend at Tripadvisor.com
in 15 destinations on the rise
but we have no idea what is behind it:

You've been there, right?

It is VERY UNLIKELY that you have traveled to ALL the fifteen places that TripAdvisor.com currently lists as "Destinations on the Rise":

1. Tallinn, Estonia
2. Riga, Latvia
3. Moscow, Russia
4. Zurich, Switzerland
5. Fethiye, Turkey
6. Seminyak, Indonesia
7. Vilnius, Lithuania
8. Austin, TX
9. Chania Town, Greece
10. Chaweng, Thailand
11. Bordeaux, France
12. San Sebastian - Donostia, Spain
13. Lyon, France
14. Essaouira, Morocco
15. Mendoza, Argentina

Modern Architecture in the United Kingdom: The Shard is a Building that will Tower over Tradition and Roman London

Is this the right thing architecturally for London?

See the Spiegel Online International in Ulrike Knöfel's article on
'The Shard': The Building That Will Change London Forever

Pitigliano,Tuscany, Italy, Tuff Jewel in the Tuscan Maremma

See the delightful article about Pitigliano, Tuscany, Italy,
by Carreen Conlan
at Synergise.com
in Travellers' Tale #85

Look Glamorous in 2012: From Glamming to Chilling at Spas

What's in a spa?

Glamming = to make yourself look glamorous.

Karlie Pouliot has the stroy for Fox News at

From Glam To Wow: Spa Trends For 2012.

Top Ten Spa Trends for 2012 from SpaFinder

What are the top trends for Spas in 2012?

See SpaFinder Announces Top Ten Spa Trends for 2012 (Full Report).