Universal Orlando

‘Cabin in the Woods’ finds its way to Halloween Horror Nights

It’s already time to plan for Halloween? How could that be? But apparently it is, because Universal Orlando is announcing today that the blood-soaked horror-comedy The Cabin in the Woods will be the theme of the newest haunted house at this year’s Halloween Horror Nights.

Eiffel Tower workers on strike, monument closed

France’s most recognizable monument, the Eiffel Tower, has been shut down because of a strike.

Delta, Virgin Atlantic to start joint marketing

Delta Air Lines and Virgin Atlantic will market each other’s flights, now that Delta has completed a deal for a 49-percent ownership stake in the British airline, the airlines announced Monday.

Switzerland: 75th anniversary of the first successful climb of Eiger’s North Face

The west flank of the Eiger mountain wasn’t so difficult — a team of climbers reached the summit in 1858. But the Eiger North Face is intimidating, complex and dangerous. It was another 80 years before anyone reached the summit by way of the northern flank. At least six people died trying in the three years before a team of Germans and Austrians made it to the top. In July, mountaineers will celebrate the 75th anniversary of the first successful climb of the North Face, and an exhibition on the mountain’s history will open July 2 at the Grindelwald Museum.

Indiana Caverns, site of ice-age fossil find, opens to public

A southern Indiana cave that has yielded a treasure trove of ice age fossils has opened to the public for the first time, three years after it was discovered. The floor of Indiana Caverns was littered with bones that turned out to be the fossilized remains of black bears, flat-nosed peccaries, bison and other mammals. Tours include a view of Big Bone Mountain, where some of the ancient animal remains still lie; panoramas of stalactites and stalagmites and a boat ride along an underground river and past waterfalls. The cave is in Corydon, about 25 miles west of Louisville, Ky.

Gear + Gadgets

Read and roll

Yo! Here’s a portable light that’s on a roll. The Yo Lamp is a little battery powered task light with a flexible 18-inch arm that winds out of and back into a yo yo-like 3.5-inch-diameter by 1.5-inch-thick plastic base. Uncoil all 18 inches, or just some of them, and bend the arm for the illumination you want. This is more a spotlight than a lamp, but the beam is bright, the on-off push button is simple and easy, and the base comes in shiny blue, green or fuchsia as well as black or white. Runs on three AAA batteries (not included) or the included USB cable. An AC wall adaptor, widely available, will also work well, but make sure you’ve got the right fit — or get one of those multi-plug AC adaptors that provide a range of voltage and connection types. You’ll want batteries installed even if you are using a power cable, since without the batteries’ weight, the Yo Lamp is kind of tipsy.

Southwest unveils latest jet image: Penguin One

Southwest Airlines Co. has added another creature to its fleet. Penguin One, a Boeing 737-700 painted with images of penguins, will help mark Southwest’s 25 years of partnership with SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment.

France: Can museum of Mediterranean culture remake Marseille’s reputation?

A new flagship museum dedicated to Mediterranean civilization in Marseille is hoping to shake off the southern metropolis’ reputation as France’s deadliest city with a drastic cultural makeover. The collections at the Museum of European and Mediterranean Civilizations represent dozens of cultures and their histories and are filled with items from folklore to classical antiquities. The museum is the centerpiece of Marseille’s turn as the European Capital of Culture for 2013. Officials see it as a chance to transform the ravaged image of the metropolis, which was once a crossroad of Mediterranean civilization and bastion of the ancient Greeks, but is now considered one of Europe’s deadliest cities.

Travel briefs

The squeeze continues.

Orlando

New Transformers ride opens at Universal Studios

The new, intense, 3-D ride based on the Transformers toy and movie franchise has opened at Universal Studios in Orlando.

Argentine cash controls bring bargains, headaches

The Brazilian visitors gawk in wonder as they stroll past shop windows along touristy Florida street in the Argentine capital. The jackets, the shoes – they’re all so cheap when your purse is stuffed with black-market money.

Dublin: calling the clan home — to a cemetery

Calling the clan home

Gear + Gadgets

Got (warm) milk?

Those little air-activated hand-warmer packets you stick in mittens to warm fingers in frigid weather have grown up and had kids — or rather they’ve morphed into a handy product for grown-ups with kids. The WarmZe Bottle Warmer is an air-activated heat wrap that, in about 30 minutes, heats and keeps bottles at a soothing 90 to 104 degrees for up to 8 hours, requiring no electricity or batteries. The heat wrap does not actually touch the bottle. The bottle is placed into an included “bottlesock,” the warming wrap is wound tightly around the base of the sock, and then the top of the sock is folded back down over the wrap. The air-activated pellets inside the wrap are bio-degradable. The disposable wraps are used up after 8 or so hours, and must be replaced, but no fear, refill wraps are available for purchase. The reusable bottlesock, which comes in a black and white cow pattern, is washable. The WarmZe Starter Kit, with one bottlesock and two heat wraps in a zippered pouch comes in two sizes; large fits most 8- to 11-ounce bottles; small fits 4- to 6-ounce bottles. Works with most liquids, including breast milk and formula. Great for warming bottles (or keeping bottles warm) on the go when cold comfort just won’t do.

Nevada: Sin City’s Neon Museum shows off its signs at night

The Neon Museum, where Sin City’s most iconic signs go to retire, has begun aiming more than 100 multicolored spotlights on its outdoor collection of 150 signs. The Las Vegas museum has fully restored a few signs, including new bulbs, and added nighttime tours so visitors could see the neon in all its luminescent glory.

Travel briefs

Busch Gardens Tampa is building a 335-foot drop tower, Falcon’s Fury, scheduled to open next spring. The ride, inspired by the hunting dive of a falcon, will pivot riders 90 degrees in midair to a face-down dive position, then send them plummeting at 60 mph.

France: the chateau gardens that inspired Versailles

No, that’s not Versailles shown here. It’s the Chateau Vaux-le-Vicomte, completed in 1661 southeast of Paris, whose lavish gardens inspired the ones at Versailles. The current owners of this chateau are celebrating the 400th anniversary of the birth of landscape architect André Le Nôtre, who designed the gardens. King Louis XIV was so taken with the grounds that he commissioned Le Nôtre for his palace at Versailles. The anniversary celebration includes a new exhibition at the chateau and two tours of the gardens.

Air travel

First flight of Airbus A350 reopens wide-body race

Airbus sent a new wide-body plane into the skies Friday that sets the stage for intensifying competition with U.S. rival Boeing – with consequences for jobs, airlines’ investments and the reputations of the powerful planemakers.

Southampton, England

Kate formally names Royal Princess cruise ship

A glowing Kate Middleton on Thursday made what was billed as her final solo appearance before giving birth when she christened a gigantic new cruise ship named the Royal Princess.

Carnival Triumph

Cruise ship that had engine fire returns to Texas cruising

A Carnival Cruise Lines ship that spent several days adrift in the Gulf of Mexico after an engine fire has been repaired and will resume cruises from Texas.

Europe

EU nations battle over air traffic control plans

A massive battle is taking place in the skies over Europe – and airplane passengers across the continent are feeling its effects.