And thats why they call it Bluetooth

Ok so I know this isn't really travel related, but I thought this story was just too good too pass up. I recently learned how the tiny mobile device known as bluetooth got its name. So here is your fun fact of the day:

Supposedly, Blue tooth is named after the 10th century King of Denmark, Harold "Bluetooth" Gormson. Harold was known for being an avid blueberry lover, so much so that his teeth were permanently blue stained (hey Bluetooth, get it?). Harold was responsible for uniting Sweden, Norway and Denmark. Bluetooth work to unite all the worlds wireless devices under one single standard. While I am not sure if this story is true or not, it certainly would make for an interestering namesake; dont you think?

Look closely. Can you see the rune characters for the initials H.B. In the bluetooth logo?

UN in call for Sri Lanka 'pause'

Do you think this will work?

The UN, backed by the US and Britain, has urged the Sri Lankan government and Tamil Tiger rebels to back a "humanitarian pause" in fighting.

A senior UN official said the civilian population trapped in the conflict zone in the north was not being allowed out.

Amnesty International said on Friday that thousands of civilians were increasingly at risk in the conflict.

Troops have pushed the rebels from most of the territory they held during heavy fighting in the past few weeks.

The rebels are now restricted to a small area of jungle and coast in Mullaitivu district.

Rights and aid groups have continued to criticise both the government and Tamil Tiger rebels over civilian casualties (BBC News)

Travel Girl Pays a Visit to the Windy City

Last week, I left 72 degree weather and a cool ocean breeze for 40 degrees Fahrenheit and a 25 degree wind chill off of Lake Michigan. Thats right, I went to Chicago for the very first time. While being Miami born and bred did present a few obstacles for me, who knew it was a bad idea to wear leather heels in snow and slush? I ended up having a great time and cant wait to go back. I didn't have much time to sightsee while I was there, but there were a few things that I absolutly had to. I really wanted a Chicago style deep dish pizza, and I needed to know the best way to spend my two free afternoons. Luckily a good friend of mine is a Chicago native and she gave me some great advice. But for those of you who are new to the city and need some guidance here are some suggestions:

Eat at Giordano's: If you are anything like me, when you think of travel your mind immediately goes to food. And when I think of Chicago I cant help but imagine a delicious deep-dish pizza. When I asked my cab driver where to go for one, he said Giordano's with out a moments hesitation. He was right. That 12 inch cheese stuffed pizza will stay with me forever.

Take an Architecture Boat Tour: Cruising a long Lake Michigan while getting a lectured on the John Hancock Center may not be everyones cup of tea. But Chicago has a very rich architectural history which is actually pretty interesting. For example, did you know that the Sears Tower is 1,45o ft. tall and on a clear day you can see Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, and Michigan from the Skydeck? Click here for a list of tour operators.

Get Tickets to the Jerry Springer Show: Its true. All the trash-talking, chair-tossing goodness that is Jerry Springer comes at you right from the heart of Chi-town. Sure you could go see Oprah instead, but Jerry is just so much more fun. If you write the show far in advance there is a good chance that you can get the tickets for free!

Why Do We Celebrate St. Patricks Day?

While most of you were probably out and about last night, yours truly celebrated St. Patty's Day holed up in a backwater motel with nothing but a six-pack and a generous amount of premium cable channels to tide her over (ah last minute work trips, don't you love 'em?) Somewhere between my third Guinness and second HBO special I found myself wondering: Why do we even celebrate this Holiday? What did Saint Patrick do to spark a world wide binge fest? How the hell does this Big Love guy keep up with three wives? In response to the first two questions I have decided to share with you all the story behind St. Patrick's day:

Saint Patrick (The Patron Saint of Ireland) wasn't really Irish at all. He was a Roman Britain born in 390, who was captured and brought to Ireland as a slave when he was only 16. Patrick escaped after six years in captivity and fled to Wales to become a Christian Missionary. Saint Patrick eventually returned to Ireland as a Missionary where he baptized thousands, despite being placed on trail as a heretic. Some stories claim that St. Patrick banished snakes from Ireland (although I am pretty sure the island never really had a huge snake problem) and that he introduced the Irish to the three-leaf clover (shamrock) when trying to explain the Holy Trinity. All thats known for sure is that St. Patrick was one of the first missionaries to travel abroad and one who never abandoned his beliefs.

Well St. Patty we toast to you and all you sacrificed!

Top 3 Ways to Save Big on Airline Travel

1. Know When to Book: The timing in which you purchase a ticket can be very strategic. Ticket prices generally go up every 21, 14, 7, and 3 days prior to take off. Especially during a peak season, buying your ticket a month early on a site like answers.travel can save hundreds of dollars. If you need to get somewhere with out much advance warning, it may pay off to wait to reserve your flight. If a flight still has space available airlines will often bottom out their prices just to fill up seats. Sites like hotwire and lastminutetravel specialize in these last minute bookings. Also be sure to remember that most airlines launch their fare sales on Tuesdays and Wendsdays, holding off and not buying that ticket on Monday can mean big savings.

2. Look into Open-Jawed Tickets: An open-jaw ticket is where the traveler returns from a city other than one he arrived in. Or if the final destination is different from the original departure city. Tickets like these are perfect if your traveling around a continent like Europe, or if you need to get to and from different Cruise ports, and they are usually much cheaper than buying multiple one-way tickets. Just call your airline to see if they are being offered.

3. Sign Up for Airline Newsletters: I know the constant influx of emails may get annoying, but airlines often save special deals strictly for their newsletter subscribers. If you tend to stick to one airline it can really pay off to read the newsletter and stay on top of things. Other sites like farecast.com predict airline pricing trends and can be very useful in shaping future travel plans.