A beach in the Mediterranean city of Alexandria, about 220 km northwest of Cairo.ASMAA WAGUIH/Reuters
The week's strange travel news
We all scream – at ice cream prices
Does €64 ($84) seem steep to you for ice cream? If so, don't order any near Rome's famous Spanish Steps. That jaw-dropping figure is what four British tourists recently paid in total for one ice cream apiece at the Antica Roma bar. One commented: "It's incredible. It can't be normal, can it?" However, bar management said there was no mistake with the pricing, and that their servings were larger than other ones on the menu. "It's a scandal and it should be treated as such," responded city councillor Matteo Constanti. Van Halen singer David Lee Roth added: "All my flavours are guaranteed to satisfy."
But what would King Tut think?
Some people think you can't have a good time vacationing in Egypt. On top of political unrest and rioting, radical Muslim groups have advocated banning alcohol and revealing swimwear. However, the country's tourism minister Hisham Zaazou wants to make it clear: "Bikinis are welcome in Egypt and booze is still being served." As well, live streaming video from major resorts is now available on the ministry website to show they're safe. Zaazou, who is aiming to increase tourism by 20 per cent this year, hopes to display that footage on big screens in Paris and New York. (Okay, now that's just showing off.)
A jean-ius idea
Diesel, the Italian jeans company, has agreed to sponsor a €5-million ($6.5-million) restoration of Venice's world-famous Rialto Bridge. In return, Diesel gets to cover 30 per cent of the site in ads during the 18-month project, which kicks off in early 2014. Venice mayor Giorgio Orsoni hailed the deal for "safeguarding our common heritage," while Diesel founder Renzo Rosso said public-private partnerships can "make the world a better place." But will the jeans make the bridge look fat?
Sources: The Telegraph, The Daily Mail, Relaxnews.