News & Alerts

God is my pilot, and copilot, and navigator…

I’m not a frequent reader of christiantoday.com, but I did find this story illuminating (uplifting? enlightening?): apparently the Vatican has just launched its own low-cost airline.

It’s billed as the “first-ever Roman Catholic airline” with service from Rome to the world-famous pilgrimage site of Lourdes (more destinations are planned to Catholic holy sites in Poland, Spain and the Middle East). Currently service is offered on a lone Boeing 737 painted in the Vatican’s white and yellow colors (even the Pope’s gotta worry about brand consistency, you know).

The Vatican itself has no airline and no airport (just a helipad used by the Pope for local journeys), so the Vatican has done what any good corporation would do: it’s outsourced the flights to Mistral Air, which is owned by the Italian postal service.

We’re not sure what the beverage service will be, but it’s a safe bet that The Passion of The Christ will be a popular in-flight movie option. Another nice touch: the seat backs are decorated with the inscription “I search for your face, Lord”, which presumably is meant as an inspiration to pilgrims and has nothing whatsoever to do with runway markings or landing the plane safely.

–Scott McNeely

Planning a trip? Browse Viator’s Vatican Tours, including the Sistine Chapel and Vatican Museums, as well as all things to see and do in Rome and Toulouse.

On the heels of its successful inaugural “You Oughta Know” tour, VH1 is hitting the road again with the first-ever “VH1 Hip Hop Honors” tour, featuring The Roots with MC Lyte and Big Daddy Kane. If you like hip hop, you’ll love this show.

It’s making stops in San Francisco, Anaheim, Los Angeles, Denver, Dallas, New Orleans, Chicago, Cleavland, Norfolk, Washington DC, Baltimore, Worcester, Philadelphia and New York City. The event kicks off the first show in San Francisco on September 13. The final show of the tour will be in New York City on October 5 at the Nokia Theatre, kicking off Hip Hop Honors Weekend in New York. You can buy tickets on the VH1 website.

If you’re planning to see any of the NYC shows, stick around and check out some of the Hip Hop history of Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx, created especially to coincide with the Hip Hop Honors Weekend in New York.

• Thursday, October 4: Where Brooklyn At? The BK Hip Hop Tour
  Join Uncle Ralph McDaniels and move beyond videos and media descriptions, see where some of the nation’s most celebrated hip hop personalities, actors and athletes of today lived and honed their craft such as Whodini, Jay Z, Big Daddy Kane, the Notorious BIG and others. Take in the sights, listen to hip hop classics and see spectacular views of the Manhattan Bridge.
• Friday, October 5: Hip Hop Harlem and Boogie Down Bronx Tour
  Pioneering emcee, Grandmaster Caz leads you uptown to Harlem and the Bronx, pointing out Hip Hop landmarks along the way as well as taking you to visit the legendary Bronx locations as seen in the first hip hop film Wild Style.
• Saturday, October 6: Rappers’ Row The Queens Bridge/Hollis Tour
  Access Granted! Mikey D guides you through Hip Hop sites from Queens Bridge to Hollis and everything hip hop in between. See the former homes of legends and chart toppers, including performers such as Mc Shan, A Tribe Called Quest, Run-DMC, LL Cool J, 50 Cent and Russell Simmons.
• Sunday, October 7: B-Ball, Street Ball and Rucker History Tour
  The legendary Bobby Hunter is not only a former Harlem Globetrotter, he talks a good game about New York City street basketball overall. Be his guest as he takes a trip to black tops throughout the city, exploring the history of the Rucker League. This special tour includes admission to the Vh1 celebrity basketball exhibition game.

You can book all of the above Hip Hop Honors Weekend Tours over on the Viator website, along with plenty of other things to do in New York City. Also have a read of Rod’s bog post about his own Hip Hop tour in NYC.

–The Viator Travel Team

It’s been a sad week in Sydney. Starting with the 10th anniversary of the passing of Diana, Princess of Wales, closely followed by the 1st anniversary of the death of “crocodile hunter” Steve Irwin. Next adventurer Steve Fosset has gone missing and then today, the sad news that the great tenor Luciano Pavarotti has losing his battle with pancreatic cancer. I may have never met these people, but their lives in some way or another have impacted me to the point of bringing me to tears when they died.

I never really got the whole Princess Di thing, I dont understand what made her so special to so many people, but my eyes could not be torn away from the funeral, and the image of her sons mourning still moves me 10 years on. Once the shock of Steve Irwin’s sting-ray encounter passed and the reality of him being gone became real, I wept for days. The mention of his name still brings tears to my eyes such is my admiration for the man, I have much respect for the guy and everything he stood for. A few days ago and the disappearance of Steve Fossett was announced, not unexpected considering his extreme history, but that kind of thing doesn’t happen to billionaires…

Now today, as news and current affair programmes quickly piece together their tributes to Pavarotti, I realize what a loss his immense talent is to this world. Who can listen to the big man perform Nessum Dorma or Caruso and not feel shivers up and down their spine? Opera may not be my favorite genre of music, but to hear an astounding piece of music accompany one of the greatest voices ever to be heard, is truly a touching experience.

What does this have to do with travel you may ask? Isn’t Viator just some online travel company selling tours and activities around the world? Yes we are. However, like all companies around the world Viator is made up of real people with real emotions and real feelings. We love to travel and discover new cultures, and as a result open our hearts to the world and let our lives be touched by people outside our usual circle of friends and acquaintances. I like to think travel opens your eyes to new experiences and forces you to consider yourself as part of a global community not just your own little isolated existence.

In a world where Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan are deemed worthy of constant headlines, I choose to shed more than just one tear for a man with an immense talent who will be missed by millions around the world. Admittedly I’m sure I’ll cry like a baby if the likes of Robbie Williams, Bono or Simon le Bon (that’s Duran Duran for you youngsters!) dies unexpectedly, I’m not some kind of culture snob! I would love to be blessed with the kind of voice that entertains, however despite my love of music, anyone who has heard me at karaoke knows I was not given that particular gift! So I’m left to admire those who can. I appreciate those who contribute something more to my life than parading in front of the world’s media, scantily clad and with no real job or talent, is that completely unreasonable? I dont think so, tonight let’s all give a toast to the talents no longer with us.

May you rest in peace sig. Pavarotti, and thank you for the music you have left behind.

-Kerrie O’Mahony

At first it seemed like another internet hoax. A co-worker forwarded a link to this website, SMINTAIR.com, which has an unusual claim to fame. SMINTAIR is the world’s first 100% smoking airline (SMINTAIR stands for Smoker’s International Airline).

That’s right — all smoking all the time, at 35,000 feet.

Design á la mode, with cigarette

Here’s how their website describes this revolutionary new service: “SMINTAIR reinstates the liberty of smoking in all seats. Non-smokers will find the cabin air more refreshing than on any other flight with any other airline, as SMINTAIR adds fresh outside air to the conditioning system! This is more expensive, as it burns more fuel, but it is seen as an additional service to our guests.”

Wow! Love the attitude (carbon footprint? bah humbug). But wait, there’s even more:

“SMINTAIR spends more than three times the amount usually invested on passenger’s nourishment. Signature recipes created by internationally renowned chefs will make each meal a feast. Charming and beautiful flight attendants in uniforms designed by famous couturiers are there to take the very best care of you. Every two years, a new designer will be elected to keep the uniform design á la mode. Everything from caviar to clothes and smoker’s utensils to jewellery will be offered for free consumption or at special duty free prices during our flights. Main sponsors will also be able to host events aboard our third aircraft, displaying their latest fashion or merchandise, thus taking SMINTAIR in-flight entertainment and service to new levels.”

What an excellent internet hoax. But get this — it’s not a hoax! It is for real. According to an article posted on the BBC website, SMINTAIR is the brainchild of a German entrepreneur, Alexander Schoppmann, who clearly misses the 1960s golden era of airline travel. All he needs is 40 million euros (US$54 million), and his smoke-filled vision will become a reality. Their goal is to start international flights between Germany and Japan next year, according to the Washington Post.

Is this a brilliant idea? The worst idea ever? Hard to say. Certainly it makes for great comedy. Case in point from the SMINTAIR website: “Mr. Schoppmann [now] refrains from taking part in live ‘talk-shows’ which are staged right from the start with ‘claqueurs’ in the audience, paid by the broadcasting station, making a thorough discussion impossible.”

–Scott ‘claqueur’ McNeely

Editor’s Note: August 16th marks the 30th anniversary of Elvis’ death.

I was a week shy of my 8th birthday when Elvis Presley died, and I still remember being in the playground at school with my friends when I heard the news. Even at that young age, I was shocked that such a prolific singer was gone.

Once I had grown up, I was reintroduced to Elvis by a friend and discovered his music all over again. I became addicted to his voice – I just couldn’t get enough of that deep, sexy voice. My I-pod today has over 40 of his songs, and I’d be hard-pressed trying to list my top 5 favorite songs – they’re all fantastic.

Elvis in Concert with the TCB band

I thought all my Christmases had come at once when they announced that “Elvis in Concert with the TCB band” was coming to Sydney last year. I was almost front row for the concert, and it was as close seeing Elvis in concert as I was ever going to get. All the same band members were there, just a few (well, 40 or so) years older. Elvis, naturally looked as good as ever!! The band and backup singers performed live while Elvis joined in via a large screen, center stage. The musical selections ranged from Elvis: Aloha from Hawaii (which was the first satellite program beamed around the world), to his Vegas concerts (from the movie Elvis: That’s the Way It Is) performed in the late ’60s. I’m not ashamed to admit I got goose bumps when he sang An American Trilogy.

Graceland in Memphis

I also once made the trek to Graceland, and stayed at the Heartbreak Hotel in Memphis. If you’re not an Elvis fan, it may be a little much, but there are a lot of hardcore fans out there and for them, it was probably not enough. There is nothing like submersing yourself for days in something/someone you admire so much. There is so much to see and do (and buy) to help keep the memory of Elvis alive and some amazing stories to hear. His generosity was unmatched, and the sheer number of awards he received for his music was quite astounding.

But all this is just a reminder that this legend is no longer with us (unless you believe all the stories of Elvis working in a laundromat in Boise!). This year marks the 30th anniversary of his passing – on the 16th of August (ironically the same day, although not the same year, that my own father passed away). Every year, Elvis fans from around the world join in to celebrate the life of Elvis with special concerts, candlelight vigils, conferences and more. The week of celebrations is not just for the die-hard fans, but also for new fans to learn about the singer, his music and his life.

Elvis introduced rhythm and blues to mainstream America and the rest of the world. Although he was considered shocking at the time with his gyrating hips and sultry voice, he opened the door for performers like Chubby Checker, Fats Domino and Little Richard, and melded popular music and rhythm & blues into a new musical genre. His music styles ranged from rock, country, gospel and blues to rockabilly – he could easily do it all. And lets not forget (even though he tried to at times) the list of movies he made – all 31 of them!

Everyone has a story that seems to involve Elvis – whether it’s swinging your hips and curling your lip to Heartbreak Hotel or donning a wig and jumpsuit for the staff Christmas party, or cooking your roast leg of ham with Coca Cola – just like Elvis did, there is no denying that he left his mark on all of us in one way or another. That is a true cultural icon.

-Jenny Crossling

Editor’s Note: The 52nd Venice Biennale runs June 10 - November 21, 2007

Venice hosts the 52nd Biennale in 2007

Venice brings to mind a glorious past of glamorous parties in Palazzo lining the Grand Canal: champagne flowing, voices chattering, rich fabrics rustling.

This year, I was lucky enough to be in Venice during the opening of the 52nd Venice Biennale. There were parties, there was champagne (fabrics, sadly, do not rustle much these days). I was privy to the glamour of it all from a lumbering vaparetto on the Grand Canal. But even getting a glimpse of people mingling on the rooftop of the Peggy Guggenheim Gallery, gossiping in the party-dressed Rialto Market and networking at the Palazzo Giustinian Lolin made me feel I was in Venice at a special time.

This time the theme of the International Art Exhibition is “Think with the Senses – Feel with the Mind”. Art in the Present Tense. The importance of the exhibition to the world art community is best seen in the huge pink and green tome of a catalogue – two volumes – which every second person seems to buy and will then have to get home somehow, probably by paying excess baggage.

The main exhibition is in the Italian Pavilion at the Giardini, the heart of the Biennale. The Giardini is the very tip of Venice, the green space where everyone flocks to sit in the sun and get away from the madness of the narrow streets and teeming canals. The vaparetto stops there or you can walk from San Marco along the waterfront. About 100 artists from all over the world are included in the pavilion exhibition with another set up at Arsenale – since 1999, in agreement with the Italian Navy, the Biennale has put time and money into restoring some of the important buildings in that historic area, where the ships that secured Venice her rich merchant past were built and launched.

The Guatemala Pavilion

At the Italian Pavilion, it was great to see all these different artists exhibiting in the one building. My favourite was Sophie Calle (France) paying homage to her mother who died between Sophie being invited to exhibit at Venice and the exhibition opening. The simple exhibit and the intention that, through this, her mother was here in Venice with her, were very moving.

One of the unique joys of the Biennale is the national pavilions spread through the Giardini. Permanent buildings which usually focus on one artist from the country that owns the pavilion. The buildings themselves are often architecturally interesting – in particular the Scandinavian Pavilion which is very light and white with a floating roof, and the Australian Pavilion which is crouched in the trees and feels very Australian. I also liked the Hungarian Pavilion with its splendid roof and gold curved entrance. They speak volumes about the cultures they come from. And it’s a great mix of countries which have the 29 Pavilions including Serbia, Denmark, Hungary, Uruguay, Korea, Romania, Egypt, Austria, Venezuela.

But I have to confess I found the art disappointing. Each country nominates one or two artists to fill the pavilion and if you don’t like that work, then it’s a quick survey and a hike to the next country’s offering. And there was little that moved or surprised me. Has art moved on at all in the last few decades? I saw some very competent painting and video installations, but weren’t people doing this years ago? Perhaps better? And is competent the most insulting word you can use about art? I apologise.

For me, the most engaging was Sophie Calle’s installation in the French Pavilion. She invited 107 women to analyse or comment on a letter she received ending a relationship. Some people wrote, some danced, some voiced their advice to Sophie. Although, as my traveling companion said, he wished someone had just told her to get over it. (I should confess here to being a big Sophie Calle fan – can you tell?)

The most interesting exhibitions for me were those off-site, dotted around Venice in palazzos, and churches and other buildings including the Arsenale. And this is where I think the Biennale really makes Venice come alive for half a year every second year. What a great way to explore Venice – by following confusing maps (every map of Venice is confusing) to hidden buildings full of unexpected art. And putting contemporary art in a city so saturated in art history is genius.

The Hungarian Pavilion

I confess I did not by any means see everything but I was definitely enticed by all the posters around the city advertising exhibitions from famous artists such as Joseph Beuys and Bill Viola, to exhibitions by the less world-dominating countries such as Iceland and Armenia.

I think the most interesting for me was the exhibition at Palazzo Zenobio. Here there is a mixed bag of Scottish, Australian, English and South American art. The variety and the passion of some of it is wonderful. And the diversity: the Australian artist had reconstructed his childhood home in the garden, the Scottish artists were using paint and maps, newspapers, fabrics to construct imaginary landscapes and explore meaning, and the South American works included installations such as the library of blank white books, a soft white room of cotton, and large-scale painting. One piece from Guatemala in particular was beautiful – a wood and resin sculpture of a woman situated in the main room upstairs in the palazzo. Reflected in the grand mirror and surrounded by the faded grandeur of the room, the piece was both layered in meaning and beautiful. And, forgive me, but sometime I like art to be beautiful, and also understandable without having to read a heavy academic essay explaining it.

Then there was the video installation of a man being shaved. Is it just me or do lots of people have difficulty understanding video art? Although I did like the colour-saturated, quite strange video in the Russian Pavilion at Giardini. And the narrow viewing boxes constructed for the video installation in the Hungarian Pavilion. None of it made me stay and watch for more than a few minutes though. But what would I know about art… Just what I like, as they say. And how that infuriates an artist!

The Biennale is on until mid-November and if you were thinking of going to Venice, go now. You don’t have to be an art connoisseur to get something out of the Biennale; if nothing else you will find parts of Venice you might not have seen otherwise, and be welcomed inside buildings that may have locked doors at other times of the year.

I was surprised by how uncrowded the venues were, how cheap it was – a lot of the off-site things were free and entry to the Giardini including all the Pavilions was only 15 euro – and how clear the listings and maps were. Although I’m sure if I’d tried to read the full catalogue my brain would have exploded.

–Philippa Burne

Planning a trip? Check out Viator’s things to do in Venice, Rome tours and what to see and do in Italy.

Let me start off by saying I am not a huge Harry Potter fan. I’ve read the books, but until recently I’d never bought any of them (all borrowed from friends). I mostly have seen the movies on tv. Of my friends and colleagues, I am the exception not the rule. I am not going to tell you how many Amazon boxes with the final Harry Potter were shipped to Viator’s San Francisco office this last weekend, or how many discussions about good Snape versus bad Snape I have overheard or how many visits to mugglenet happen during lunch breaks. Let’s just say there’s some Harry Potter fans working at Viator.

I thought the mania was primarily US and UK based, so when I headed out a week before the final book’s release to India and Singapore I didn’t expect to hear much more about Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. And that’s where I was wrong. Harry Potter has cast a spell over every corner of the globe.

Every bookstore I saw, in any country, had Harry Potter fanfare. The newest Harry Potter film, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is being widely promoted in billboard ads all over India (in Hindu and English). I actually helped a dad and his son learn to pronounce “phoenix” properly when they were reading the book title in an airport bookstore in Hong Kong (”its more like fee-nicks not fo-nicks“). In Singapore I finished all my reading material, and realized that I needed to buy something for the thirteen hour flight back home. While meandering about I stumbled across the Kinokuniya bookstore, on the final Harry Potter book’s release day.

Singapore Wizards

While the store was definitely doing brisk business in Harry Potter it wasn’t as crazy as you might think. The best part were the wizard outfits worn by the staff. So what book would you buy? I walked away with the British English version of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. I read it all on the plane home, and I wasn’t the only one, I would conservatively say half the plane was reading the book, including the woman sitting next to me.

Rarely do you get to witness first hand a worldwide cultural phenomenon sweep across the globe, it was fun to be part of Harry Potter mania, if only for a few days.

– Kelly G

Really into Harry Potter? Consider apparating to London and taking the three day Harry Potter tour of England. Or Viator’s exclusive Harry Potter Black Taxi Tour.

Just a quick note to celebrate the launch of a new attraction on Viator.com: the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin, Ireland. Whether you call it stout, the black stuff or a pint of plain, Guinness is a wonderful brew. And the brewery at St James’s Gate in Dublin offers a behind-the-scenes look at the Guinness brand and legacy. Oh yeah, and you get a free pint of Guinness! (Even locals agree that the Guinness served at the brewery’s bar is among the best pints you can find — anywhere.)

So do yourself a favor and grab a skip-the-line ticket to the Guinness Storehouse the next time you’re in Dublin. Yes, Guinness really is good for you.

–Scott McNeely, Guinness enthusiast

Ok, so technically it’s a bit of a stretch to make Live Earth a travel related event, but let’s just say it was a global event and we are a global company. Viator are proud partners of Carbonfund.org and try to educate our customers of the impact which travel can have on the environment. Is that enough of a connection to include it on the Viator Travel Blog?

I say yes!

John Butler joins Paul Kelly on stage

Despite the cynics of the world joining forces to disparage the event, the Live Earth concert series was a huge success around the world on the weekend. They may not have been organized by the almighty Bob Geldof and incessantly meddling Bono of U2 fame, but Al Gore proved there are more members of the global music community with a conscience than just these 2 aging rockers.

Yes these guys often live extravagant lifestyles with what appears to be little regard for the environment, but that does not automatically disqualify them from being part of the event. If we apply that logic, surely only those who already live a “green” life should be allowed to attend. Maybe, just maybe the whole point of these concerts was to raise awareness and provide a little education for those feeling a little helpless.

Ok, rant over, onto the fun stuff - Live Earth Sydney!

In a word, awesome! The first few acts got the crowd warmed up for the big guys to come later on. The line-up was an Aussie music fans dream come true. The only way it could have been improved is if Hunters and Collectors and Midnight Oil reformed (not going to happen, but I came live in hope…), and possibly if the organizers had reconsidered the order of play. Seriously guys, Jack Johnson second billing? He may have been the only international act, but he was oddly out of place in the who’s who of Oz rock. Don’t get me wrong, he was good, but following on from Wolfmother, not the best choice.

Eskimo Joe get the crowd on their feet

For me the show started with Paul Kelly. He has been around for years and is responsible for some classic pub songs, including From Little Things Big Things Grow, a particularly apt song for the day which got the crowd cheering as he was joined on stage by Missy Higgins, Kev Carmody and crowd favorite, John Butler.

Surprisingly early in the play order, Eskimo Joe hit the stage for their 30 minute set. One of the hottest Australian bands around at the moment, the Joe blew the crowd away and didn’t stop to take a breath, using every minute of their allocated time.

Up next, Missy Higgins took to the stage for her solo set and was clearly happy to be there. One for the girls, it wasn’t long before the crowd sing-a-long got back into full voice as she belted out Scar. Things got a little more serious when the ever political John Butler Trio hit the stage with a blistering drum solo and some serious banjo playing. JB himself took the opportunity to spread his views on Nuclear energy but as with Wave Aid 2 years ago, the glaring omission of Something’s Gotta Give left the crowd wanting just a little more from the boys.

Next up it was time for the big haired Andrew Stockdale and Wolfmother to let rip with a few eardrum bursting numbers. Clearly one of the big name drawcards to the event, they hit the stage running and didn’t stop until the very last riff of Joker and the Thief. The high energy of Wolfmother was followed by the gentle, laid-back melodies of Canadian Jack Johnson. He sounded OK, but I admit I used the opportunity to do another beer run so I can’t really comment!

John Butler Trio sends a message to the world

By the end of the night, the 48,000 strong crowd were well and truly warmed up for the long awaited performance of the reformed Crowded House. Let’s face it, this is what the majority of the crowd were here for. As they took to the stage it was like they had never gone away and the crowd loved it! Sticking to the old classics, the crowd swayed and crooned along to Don’t Dream it’s Over and Weather With You. No more complaining about the long queues at the bar (reportedly up to 1 hour, but I queued longer than that for the bathroom!), all was forgotten as the masters did their thing.

At the end of the day, the musos put on a fantastic show, it didn’t rain and a few people got a little education on the state of the planet and what needs to be done to fix it. Rome wasn’t built in a day and global warming won’t be reversed with one series of concerts.

It’s easy to criticize events like this but for those who didn’t attend or even watch the televised coverage, what gives you the right to comment on the impact of the shows. I consider myself fairly aware of environmental issues and do what I can to reduce my impact on the earth, but I don’t claim to be perfect. I had never considered that buying locally produced products saves the emissions created when transporting goods from afar, therefore I learnt something from the day. If everyone who saw the shows took away one piece of new information, isn’t that a start?

Let’s face it, it’s just a concert, it’s not meant to change the world.

-Kerrie O’Mahony

If Live Earth has awakened your inner travel bug and inspired you to check out our planet before we destroy it, check out Viator’s list of things to do in the cities which hosted concerts over the weekend - Sydney, Tokyo, Shanghai, Johannesburg, London, Hamburg, New York and Rio de Janiero.

Congrats to the Colosseum in Rome

If you’ve been following the news about the ‘New 7 Wonders of the World’, you’ll know that today was the BIG day, the day that the final ‘winners’ were announced at a star-studded gala in Portugal… you know, performances by Jennifer Lopez and Chaka Khan, hosted by Hilary Swank, Ben Kingsley and Bollywood star Bipasha Basu.

Nope, doesn’t ring a bell? OK, in a nutshell — the campaign to nominate the ‘new’ 7 wonders of the world was dreamed up by a Swiss businessman, Bernard Weber, to allow people around the world to vote, online, for a modernized set of ‘world wonders’, since only one of the original 7 Wonders still exists (the pyramids) . His goal: “So everybody can decide what the new seven wonders should be and not some government, not some individuals, not some institutions.”

So who won? We’ll get there in a moment. First we want to address one of the main critiques of this effort.

The Pyramids: The world’s eighth 7th wonder

A lot of people were concerned that the ‘new 7 wonders’ campaign was a mere marketing effort and meaningless publicity stunt. UNESCO went out of its way to disassociate itself from the voting. And some countries — notably Egypt — were miffed at the contest’s popularity-driven voting system. CNN quoted Egypt’s top antiquities expert saying that “Egypt’s pyramids are a ’symbol of the genius of the ancient people’ — and are above any sort of online poll.”

Fair enough. It’s obvious that the campaign was always going to annoy some people and countries, especially those (hello Egypt) whose ancient wonder didn’t make it onto the short list of new wonders. Sour grapes, anybody?

Happily, in a nice finesse move, the ‘New 7 Wonders’ people granted honorary status to the pyramids when it was becoming clear that the pyramids weren’t going to make it onto the list of ‘new’ wonders. Got all that?

So to make a long story short, here’s the just-announced list of winners in the ‘New 7 Wonders of the World’ contest, as voted on by 50+ million people around the world.

The New 7 Wonders of the World

1. The Great Wall of China
2. Petra, Jordan
3. The statue of Christ the Redeemer in Brazil
4. Peru’s Machu Picchu
5. Chichen Itza in Mexico
6. The Colosseum in Rome
7. India’s Taj Mahal

Apologies to some of the world’s other famous sites that didn’t make the final list, from Stonehenge in England to New York’s Statue of Liberty to Sydney’s Opera House. You may not have won, but we think you’re wonderful all the same.

–Scott McNeely