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Philadelphia International Airport will soon be allowing non-flyers to go airside.
CNN
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This week in travel news: a record-breaking temple has opened, one of Europe’s best cities is reinventing itself and a Japanese airplane encountered a weighty issue.
Remember when you could escort a friend or relative to their airport gate and wave goodbye? That’s not typically been an option since security stepped up post 9/11.
On November 1, Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) will debut Wingmate, a program that allows some non-travelers to apply for passes that will let them access the post-security area of the domestic section of the airport.
And Philadelphia isn’t the only one bringing the practice back. Tulsa, Detroit, Seattle and New Orleans are among the other American airports running similar programs.
That’s good news for anyone who wants to surprise their loved one with an airport proposal.
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Jollof: Widely enjoyed in West African countries, jollof is a one-pot rice dish made by cooking rice, onions, tomatoes, meat and spices in a single vessel. Click through the gallery for more delicious rice plates around the world:
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Zongzi: Found in various iterations all over China, zongzi refers to sticky glutinous rice dumplings wrapped in bamboo leaves before boiling that can be stuffed with savory or sweet fillings.
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Milchreis: A stovetop staple at many a German oma's house, milchreis (translation: milk rice), is a creamy rice pudding made from arborio, medium or long grain white rice that's sweetened with cinnamon and sugar and splashed with vanilla extract.
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Paella: A gift to global gastronomy, Spain's main rice player is paella, the famous dish from Valencia that originated as a peasant food and is typically made using bomba rice.
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Risotto: Making Italy's most famous rice dish is an art form that requires near constant stirring. And any Italian will tell you risotto must be "all'onda" (translation: on the wave) -- with a texture that undulates enough to fall off the spoon.
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Arancini: Sicily's most famous street food is the rice ball whose name comes from the orange citrus fruit it resembles in shape and color. Arancini is essentially stuffed rice balls that are breaded and fried.
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Biryani: Beloved across the Indian subcontinent and said to have originated in Iran, biryani is almost always on the menu for special occasions in India.
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Kabuli pulao: Afghanistan's most famous rice dish, Kabuli pulao is served piled high atop a platter and redolent with slow-cooked lamb and a blend of spices (cardamom pods, cloves, cinnamon and cumin among them).
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Onigiri: A staple bento box snack, onigiri is made from steamed Japanese rice shaped into a triangular form and wrapped with the seaweed called nori.
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Nasi goreng: Nasi goreng translates to "fried rice" in the Indonesian and Malay languages and is an inexpensive and filling comfort staple served at street stalls and restaurants throughout Indonesia.
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Tahdig: Fans of crispy rice will enjoy this Persian specialty typically made with basmati rice, yogurt, saffron and sometimes an egg yolk.
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Kedgeree: Said to have been a favorite of Queen Victoria, this Anglo-Indian dish blends smoked haddock filet with basmati rice, hard boiled eggs and spices such as cumin, coriander and turmeric.
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Arroz imperial: One of Cuba's classic comfort rice dishes, arroz imperial is typically layered with yellow rice, shredded chicken, mayonnaise (to help bind it and for flavor) and cheese and is sometimes baked.
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Louisiana dirty rice: Preferably made from long grain rice from the marshes of southern Louisiana, this classic side dish traditionally gets its "dirty" color from chopped chicken livers or gizzards.
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Wali wa kukaanga: This is Kenya's answer to fried rice and translates to just that in Swahili. It may be served alongside a meat dish or all on its own.
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Bibimbap: Its name translates to "mixed rice" and bibimbap consists of rice served in a bowl and topped with a colorful array of individually prepared meats and artfully sliced vegetables.
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Thai fried rice: Thai fried rice, called khao pad, is a staple at home tables (not to mention from street food vendors) in the southeast Asian country.
Whether it’s paella, onigiri, arancini or jollof, one thing is clear: the world loves rice.
As a staple for more than half the people in the world, rice comes in a range of colors and textures, but many cultures interpret the grain in their own way.
This roundup reveals 20 of the best rice dishes from around the world. Whether it’s wrapped inside a bamboo leaf, mixed with coconut or rolled into a ball, there’s one thing we can guarantee – you’ll be really hungry after you read this.
If that’s the case, our partners at CNN Underscored, a product reviews website owned by CNN, can recommend some of the best rice cookers on the market.
Beauty and the beast
Courtesy Rudas Baths
Rudas Baths: Dating back to 1550, Rudas Baths is one of the more popular thermal spas in Budapest, featuring a large octagonal plunge pool, five smaller thermal pools, a sauna, steam room and massage rooms.
Courtesy Széchenyi Baths
Széchenyi Baths: Built in 1913, the Széchenyi Baths is one of the largest in Europe and consists of three huge outdoor pools that are open all-year round, providing a great spot to cool off on hot days.
Courtesy Gellért Baths
Gellért Baths: Positioned at the foot of Gellért Hill, inside the famed Gellért Hotel, this complex was founded in 1918 and is still considered one of the most beautiful bathhouses in the Hungarian capital.
Courtesy Király Baths
Király Baths: One of the oldest spas in the city, Király Baths features a magnificent cupola-topped pool, a thermal pool, massage rooms, a sauna and steam room as well as a recently added Finnish sauna complete with a cold plunge pool
Courtesy Lukács Baths
Lukács Baths: This historic building became a healing spa and treatment center at the end of the 19th century, and its inner courtyard is decorated with marble tablet engravings of gratitude from those who were treated there.
Corinthia Hotels
The Royal Spa at the Corinthia Hotel Budapest: Open since 1886, the Royal Spa at the Corinthia is one of the most luxurious spa destinations in Budapest, boasting a galleried 15-meter swimming pool, relaxation rooms, saunas and a steam bath.
Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts
The Spa at Four Seasons Hotel Gresham Palace Budapest: With fantastic views of the city as well as a relaxation pool, sauna, separate steam rooms for men and women and a whirlpool, this luxury spa is an ideal place to while away the hours.
Courtesy Veli Bej
Veli Bej: Renovated in 2017, this thermal spa, also known as Császár Baths, features a large octagonal hot water pool surrounded by four smaller pools and was considered the most beautiful bath of its time when it was built in the 16th century.
Danubius Health Spa Resort Margitsziget
Danubius Health Spa Resort Margitsziget, Margaret Island: Water sourced from three natural springs on the "Spa island of Budapest" are used in this luxury hotel's thermal bath as well as its indoor and outdoor swimming pools.
Suzanne Plunkett
Palatinus Baths: The first location in Hungary to allow visitors to bathe outside has been around since 1919. It currently holds 11 different pools as well as several giant water slides and a wave pool.
These days, it’s one of Europe’s most popular cities for tourists, but postcard-pretty Budapest wasn’t always a happy place.
Following the collapse of communism and the Iron Curtain in 1989, the Hungarian capital has rebuilt and reimagined itself.
But the city also won’t gloss over its past. The fashionable Ruin Bar district, the House of Terror Museum and Memento Park, where Soviet statues go to “retire” from public view, have become some of Budapest’s major attractions.
As CNN’s Richard Quest and Joe Minihane put it, Budapest “is a city steadfast in raising up its traditions and culture in the face of adversity.”
00:44 - Source: CNN
See inside the newly opened largest Hindu temple in the US
The largest Hindu temple in the United States made a splashy debut in New Jersey earlier this month.
By the numbers: BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham spreads across more than 180 acres, is 191 feet tall, uses 2 million cubic feet of stone and features 10,000 statues.
It’s located in Robbinsville, New Jersey, about 62 miles southwest of New York City. Some call BAPS the largest Hindu temple outside of India, but that depends who you ask – the Angkor Wat complex in Cambodia is larger but not used for religious purposes these days.
‘Love locks’ are causing a problem at the Grand Canyon.
Endangered condors like to eat the keys.
Japan Airlines had to order an extra plane to carry sumo wrestlers.
“The middle seat was the toughest,” one said.
A billionaire bought Leonardo da Vinci’s former vineyard.
No one knows if it’ll ever be open to the public again.
The solar eclipse coincided with the world’s biggest hot-air balloon festival.
Watch the celestial event here.