Brilliant Icelandair Video

OK. Back to the frivolous. Now I've flown Icelandair many times and they are a brilliant airline - but this video for their new uniforms is barking.

My Icelandic's not up to scratch to be able to work out what they're taking about in the cabin - So if someone could translate I'd be most grateful!

..But I get the gist.

Enjoy (and sorry about the frame size..)

Tahrir Square a tourist destination?

Tourism experts are calling to make Tahrir Square a tourist destination as a memorial to the 18-day protests staged in the square which resulted in the toppling of former President Hosni Mubarak's regime. While we applaud the idea, isn't this just a little premature?

Hisham Zaazou, assistant to the Tourism Minister, said squares worldwide, especially in European countries, have become tourist destinations due to their significance in history. Tahrir Square has become a symbol of a popular revolution, he said. There should be a memorial or an obelisk with photos of the 25 January revolution and a list of martyrs’ names in the square, added Zaazou, who anticipates that tourists will be interested in visiting.

Tourism expert Amr Badr suggested creating a mural in Tahrir Square about the revolution, and making the square part of tour programs.

Abdel Rahman Samir, member of the 25 January coalition, said artists, the ministries of culture and tourism, and governorate officials should coordinate efforts.

Protesters have already created an impromptu memorial in the square that includes photos and information about those who died during the protests.

However, with the departure of President Hosni Mubarak, only the first stage of Egypt's transformation will have been achieved. What follows could merely be a reorganization of the existing system without fundamental progress towards change. The next steps from the opposition are crucial and will essentially decide the direction of the revolution.

The army still holds all the cards, and it is one of their own, General Omar Suleiman, who has already assumed the interim presidency in all but name. As head of the General Intelligence Service since 1993 and a strong supporter of Egypt's pro-western stance, he has warily been accepted by the US as an acceptable face of the transition. But a genuine political and economic transition is clearly what the US now wants, and as the main sponsor of Egypt's military budget, is likely to have been exerting pressure on the army high command from behind the scenes.

Now that the military has publicly stated that it supports the 'legitimate demands of the people', the risk is that the speed of change may be blocked by satisfying the demands of the obvious losers in their midst. If a civilian political establishment is really going to take the place of the army in coming months, the senior military establishment will have to forego some of their considerable financial and material benefits.

The army may well have won plaudits for its restraint until now. If a continuation of military control with an acceptable civilian face is the outcome of the current turmoil, the world will continue to see protests re-emerging, as the reality sinks in that the fundamentals of state power have not changed.

We earnestly hope that a transition to a democratic state occurs peacefully and with open and transparent elections including all parties, including the National Democratic Party.

Then we can start thinking about building monuments, let's just wait a little while shall we?

Countries to Visit #23 - ALBANIA

We did some work in Montenegro last year and had the opportunity to pop over the border and have a quick look at life in Albania. We liked what we saw and so we are please to see this nice little piece in the Independent:

'Albania, a former Eastern-bloc country rebranding itself "a new Mediterranean love," is set to be one of the hottest destinations of 2011.

Named top of Lonely Planet's "countries to visit in 2011" last year and an "emerging destination" by the Financial Times, the country offers low prices, a good climate and a rapidly-developing infrastructure.

Visitor numbers were up 42.5 percent for the first three quarters of 2009, the most recent figures published by Albania Tourism, and although the majority of visitors still come from neighboring states such as Kosovo, Albania is putting itself on the map.

The Financial Times lauded the country's "quiet, affordable Mediterranean beaches" and rugged landscape, while Lonely Planet predicted "Albania won't be off the beaten track for much longer."

So what can this year's tourists look forward to when planning a trip to Albania?

1. Dig. Albania has a long history dating back to the Illyrian, Greek and Roman civilizations and is fast becoming an archeological hotspot again after a lull at the end of Communist rule. Don't miss learning about the history of Durres, which is built on top of the settlements of Epidamnos (or Dyrrachion).

2. Eat. Albania's food reflects its geographic position, partly Mediterranean, partly Asian. Tavë kosi, the national dish, is baked lamb and rice, served with yogurt sauce (phenomenally popular in its own right in Albania).

3. Get outdoors. Albania has a stunning landscape, offering adventure in the mountains and relaxation on the beaches. Don't miss Pogradec and Lake Ohri (on the Macedonian border), the 2.4 million-year-old lake protected by UNESCO for its biodiversity and harboring unique species covering the entire food chain.

4. Sunbathe. Both the Adriatic Coast and Ionian Coast offer beautiful, quiet beaches with warm temperatures, alongside towns with a rich cultural history.

5. Witness. Albania's capital Tirana is a relatively young city (founded 1614) and is still going through a period of intense change from the collapse of Communism over 20 years ago. Infrastructure is improving and the city is being tidied up in an attempt to make it more European - its evolution is a reflection of the country's development as a whole.'

http://www.albaniantourism.com/

We encourage people to have a look, you'll be surprised.