Road trip

Building the A380, the world's largest passenger plane

BLAGNAC, France--What would you do with nearly 6,000 square feet of private airplane?

That's the question I'm asking myself as I look up at what will soon be one of the largest private planes in the world--an Airbus A380 slated for an unknown buyer. Two full decks of luxury in the sky, right in front of me, and sadly, I won't get to see what it looks like.

But I do get to see how A380s are made. As part of Road Trip 2011, I've come here to Airbus' Jean-Luc Lagardere plant, just outside Toulouse, … Read more

Road Trip Pic of the Day, 7/14: What is this?

Update (Friday, 5:21 a.m. PDT): The answer to Thursday's challenge--which 99 people got--is final assembly of an Airbus A380 at the aviation giant's plant just outside Toulouse, France. Thanks to all who played, and to everyone, please come back for Friday's challenge.

Welcome to the Road Trip Picture of the Day contest. This is your chance to win some cool prizes as you test your skills at recognizing pictures.

Each day, I'll be posting a new photograph from my various travels, and your job is to try to correctly identify it using any means … Read more

Road Trip Pic of the Day, 7/13: What is this?

Update (Thursday 9:44 a.m. PDT): The answer to Wednesday's challenge--which eight people got--is the statue Aigle de Geneve (Eagle of Geneva) by Frederic Schmied, located alongside the Quai Turrettini, next to the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Geneva, Switzerland. Thanks to all who played, and to everyone, please come back for each day's challenge this week.

Welcome to the Road Trip Picture of the Day contest. This is your chance to win some cool prizes as you test your skills at recognizing pictures.

Each day, I'll be posting a new photograph from my various travels, and … Read more

Heineken's 147 years of making beer in Amsterdam

AMSTERDAM--Its green bottle is instantly recognizable. Its brand name is known throughout the world. It may not be the best beer on Earth, but it certainly is one of the most popular.

It, of course, is Heineken, and for many people a visit to the Dutch capital is not possible without taking a tour of the big brick building with "Heineken Brouwerij" emblazoned on the side: The old Heineken brewery.

Though the building no longer houses the actual brewery, today it is home to what is known as the "Heineken Experience," a self-guided tour through the … Read more

Road Trip Pic of the Day, 7/12: What is this?

Update (Wednesday, 1:28 p.m. PDT): The answer to Tuesday's challenge--which 11 people got--is the prehistoric cave dwellings at the town of La Roche-Blanche, France. Thanks to all who played, and to everyone, please come back for each challenge this week.

Welcome to the Road Trip Picture of the Day contest. This is your chance to win some cool prizes as you test your skills at identifying where photos were taken.

Each day, I'll be posting a new photograph from my travels, and your job is to try to correctly identify it using any means at your … Read more

Where the Swiss Army knife gets made

IBACH, Switzerland--If you thought it might be cool to see how Swiss Army knives are made, I'm here to tell you, it's even cooler than you imagined.

Picture, for example, dozens and dozens and dozens of bins full nearly to overflowing with some of the little tools that anyone who has ever had one of the famous knives knows so well: the tweezers, the corkscrew, the toothpick, and even the key ring. Or boxes stacked up with long spindles of Swiss Army knife scissors. Or even better, long rows of the blades that make up half of the … Read more

Road Trip Pic of the Day, 7/11: What is this?

Update (Tuesday, 4:48 a.m. PDT): The answer to Monday's challenge--which 162 people got--is the Millau Viaduct, the tallest bridge in the world, located near Millau, France. Thanks to all who played, and to everyone, please come back for Tuesday's challenge.

Welcome to the Road Trip Picture of the Day contest. This is your chance to win some cool prizes as you test your skills at recognizing pictures.

Each day, I'll be posting a new photograph from my various travels, and your job is to try to correctly identify it using any means at your disposal. … Read more

Battling to keep Venice's floodwaters at bay

VENICE, Italy--Not far beyond this famous city, just at the border between the Venice Lagoon and the Adriatic Sea, a group of concrete behemoths is under construction. A lot of very smart people think they will be part of the solution that could save the island town from drowning.

The notion that Venice is sinking has been around for a long time, and in fact, it has lost 23 centimeters of land over the last 100 years. But these days, it faces a troika of what may be more insidious challenges: rising tides that each year bring more and more … Read more

Road Trip Pic of the Day, 7/10: What is this?

Update (Monday, 3:30 a.m. PDT): The answer to Sunday's challenge--which 233 people got--is the Torre dell'Orologio (Clock Tower) in the Piazza San Marco (St. Mark's Square), in Venice, Italy. Sunday's challenge also completed the sixth week of the contest, and one person who submitted a correct answer this week has won a prize. Altogether, I got 897 correct submissions this week. The sweepstakes will now reset, and I will choose a seventh winner after next Sunday's challenge. Thanks to everyone who played this week, and please come back for this week's challenges. … Read more

Road Trip Pic of the Day, 7/9: What is this?

Update (Sunday, 3:09 a.m. PT): The answer to Saturday's challenge--which 82 people got--is Isambard Kingdom Brunel's Clifton Suspension Bridge, in Bristol, England. Thanks to all who played, and to everyone, please come back for Sunday's challenge.

Welcome to the Road Trip Picture of the Day contest. This is your chance to win some cool prizes as you test your skills at recognizing pictures.

Each day, I'll be posting a new photograph from my various travels, and your job is to try to correctly identify it using any means at your disposal. Throughout Road Trip 2011, … Read more