The Singapore Art Museum (SAM) opened in 1996 (the building itself is over 150 years old) and was one of the first international art museums in Southeast Asia. It houses the national art collection of Singapore.

The Singapore Art Museum is located in the center of the city’s biggest shopping area and is part of a large group of art institutions that have made their home there.

Should you find yourself in Singapore, it is definitely worth a visit.

This post is part of the UpTake Monday Museums, Monuments and Memorials Series.

Photo: Geoff Penaluna via Flickr

Hot air gets a bad rap. That, according to the lovers of hot air ballooning and the festivals that it inspires.

This photo was taken at the Putrajaya Hot Air Balloon Fiesta in Malaysia, but there is probably a hot air balloon festival closer to you.

The International Hot Air Balloon Festival in Albuquerque, New Mexico (Oct. 1 – 9) even has a balloon museum, so it’s like educational. Also, kids love balloons — good luck explaining why they can’t have one.

This post is a wordy Wordless Wednesday entry.

Photo: Eric Lim Photography via Flickr

It’s been a long time, Internet, but I’m back with another rousing edition of Travel Around the Internet. Yes, rousing. Below you will find a collection of travel-related links that have been pulled by hand from the worlds of Twitter, search engines and my inbox. I know, it’s all so glamorous. And strangely gratifying.

Here’s the latest in Internet travel news:

More Americans are visiting Cuba (MSNBC)

International toilet etiquette (GloboTreks)

4 Tips for a great family vacation (BabyCenter)

Mating turtles shut down JFK — the airport, not the late president (CNN)

15 homemade meals you can take on an airplane (the Kitchn)

Top things to do in Anaheim instead of/in addition to Disneyland (CBS)

Countdown to meeting the astronauts (Astronaut Scholarship Foundation)

The SoWa Open Market is a great way stop in Boston (SoWa Open Market)

Getting ready for the beach or the 4th of July (JoeShopping)

Meet Mickey Mouse and get some exercise (Disney)

July discounts at GO Airport Express (Go Airport Express)

Tips to survive Carmageddon (Patch)

Top 10 American landmarks (Fodor’s)

Top 10 US boardwalks (National Geographic)

Great deals on Hawaiian airfare (Hawaiian Airlines)

And that’s it for this edition. If you want to be included in a future Travel Around the Internet please send your links to the editor (that’s me) at: vacations.blogeditor@uptake.com or tweet us on the Twitter!

Have a great 4th!

After the 5-hour, nerve-racking motorcycle ride out of the Kathmandu congestion and into the outlying mountain ranges, I planned on doing a whole lot of nothing in Pokhara.

And that’s exactly what I did. Read More »