Mountain bike museum opens in North CarolinaRaleigh, North Carolina - A new museum of the mountain bike has opened in North Carolina in the city of Statesville with a collection of more than 400 bicycles. Along with modern mountain bikes there are also historic examples, the oldest model of which dates back to 1869. The collection also includes accessories, bicycle catalogues and magazines. Entry to the Museum of Mountain Bike Art & Technology is free. (www.mombat.org)
New Mexico launches tourist discount scheme
Santa Fe, US - The US state of New Mexico has introduced the free Enchantment Card that gives tourists discounts of between 10 and 50 per cent in shops, restaurants or when they visit an attraction or book a day trip. The card can be ordered online at www.newmexico.org/tournm.
Jamaica building retro-style harbour for cruise ships
Kingston, Jamaica - Jamaica is building a harbour for cruise ships designed to look like a scene from the 18th century. The 4.5 hectare facility is in Falmouth in the north of the island and will have a pedestrian zone and shopping areas. The harbour is due to open in December 2010 and will be one of the ports where the huge new oceanliner Oasis of the Seas will dock with its 6,296 passengers on board.
Spain's Parador hotel group gets two additions
Madrid - Spain's chain of state-run Parador hotels has re-opened a freshly renovated hotel and added a completely new addition to its list of establishments. The new hotel is the Parador Alcala de Henares, 26 kilometres outside the Spanish capital, and has 128 rooms. After two years of renovation work the Argomaniz Parador in the Basque Country is now accepting bookings again. (www.parador.es)
Visiting Alcatraz' restored gardens
San Francisco, US - Among the unusual attractions awaiting visitors to San Francisco are the gardens of the former prison of Alcatraz. Every Friday and Saturday at 9.30 am a free tour begins at the island's dock and informs visitors about the prison's gardens which have been reconstructed based on contemporary photographs. (www.alcatrazgardens.org)
