Photo by eks

A former flour mill, the Kampa Museum is, arguably we suppose, the highlight of Kampa Park. From the museum, bankside views of the Vltava are far less crowded than they are from the Charles Bridge. Plenty of trees offer shade for an afternoon nap or a perch from which the over-priced gelato sold at the kiosk just outside of the park’s entrance can be enjoyed.

Additionally, the cafe adjacent to the museum offers reasonably-priced wines, beers, and nibbles for riverside dining. Stop in after enjoying what is one of the best free art experiences in the city. Its roster includes Yoko Ono and Christo, and the lobby exhibitions are free—as is the entire museum on Mondays. Adults pay CZK 200 (€7; $9.40) and students and seniors pay a mere CZK100 (€3.50; $4.70) to see the both the permanent and František Kupka-Piet Mondrian exhibitions.

One of the coolest things about the Kampa just now is Julian Opie’s “Walking on the Vltava,” which includes two LED figures named Bruce and Suzanne walking outside on the river proper. A canal runs through the museum’s clear floor, and into the courtyard, allowing museum-goers to have their own Jesus moment.

Popularity: 9% [?]

Photo by Jenny & Peter

Along the Vltava river, which Bedrich Smetana immortalized in his collection of symphonic poems “Má vlast,” now sits a museum that’s worth interrupting your riverside stroll. Go a little past the Charles Bridge and cut into the small side street of Novotneho lavka to visit the Bedrich Smetana Museum.

While the waistcoat pocket-sized museum doesn’t have the space or artifacts to compete with the Dvorak House or the Mozart Museum at Bertramka, there is nothing more Czech than listening to “Vltava” while sitting on the Vltava. Point the laser-tipped baton in the main section of the museum’s room towards any of the music stands to sample “Má Vlast,” the “Bartered Bride,” or a handful of other works by the composer.

More interestingly, and worth the price of the CZK50 (€1.75; $2.35) admission fee, is the display of Smetana’s ossicles—that is, his ear bones. They’re available for viewing under magnification among the standard mix of journals, letters, scores, and family photos.

Whether you’ve never heard of Smetana (for shame!) or can hum the “Bartered Bride” from memory, this is definitely a waistcoat pocket worth checking out.

Popularity: 9% [?]

We apologize for the slight delay in our May low-cost carrier number crunching exercise. We were on holiday. We might just offer this excuse repeatedly over the next several days. Stay tuned.

In May, Ryanair carried 17% more passengers than in May 2006, though the leading budget airline’s load factor—or percentage of seats filled—fell 2%, from 82% for 80%.

Slovak challenger SkyEurope managed an amazing 40% increase in passengers numbers. Their load factor increased 8.9%, jumping from 70.5% to 79.4%—putting them a hair under Ryanair’s 80% load.

In more general overview news, Ryanair’s shares have fallen as of late, with the airline warning about reduced profit expectations, while SkyEurope continues to hemmorhage money. Meanwhile, easyJet has pledged to match Ryanair’s fare war. (Thanks to Airscoop for the alert!)

Suddenly, Europe’s LCCs suddenly appear to be in serious flux. We predict some consolidations, collapses, and reorientations over the next few months.

Popularity: 2% [?]

Photo by jmv

Canadian photographer Edward Burtynsky’s photos are currently showing at a free exhibition entitled “Manufactured Landscapes” at the Canadian Cultural Centre in the 7th arrondissement.

Known for his portrayals of massive industrial landscapes which are at once frightening and eerily beautiful, Burtynsky documents much of the unseen backstory of globalization and our incessant quest for raw materials to fuel economic growth.

The exhibition contains selections from different periods of his portfolio from the past two decades, notably a series from the Three Gorges Dam in China. His work depicts the landscapes of mining, quarrying, railcutting, recycling, oil refining, and shipbreaking. These are powerful, sometimes overwhelming images with distinct echoes of Blake’s “dark Satanic Mills,” or, in other words, a very contemporary take on the Romantic outburst against the dehumanizing effects of the Industrial Revolution. If you liked Al Gore’s “An Inconvenient Truth” you’ll want to check out Burtynsky’s oeuvre.

The exhibition runs through August 25. The Canadian Cultural Centre is located at 5 rue de Constantine, 75007. M° Invalides.

Popularity: 8% [?]

Photo by Darklight Festival

The Darklight Festival is Dublin’s premiere festival for filmmakers, animators, and artists. The festival explores work that investigates the intersection of art, film, and technology. This year it will kick off on Friday, June 22, 2007.

In addition to screenings of digital filmmaking, a kids program, a symposium, lectures, workshops, and even virtual activities will round out the festival schedule.

If you are visiting from afar, the festival is happy to recommend hotels near the venues as well as distribute travel information about Dublin. Tickets can be pre-booked, and special student rates will apply if you can produce a valid student identity card when you collect your tickets.

Popularity: 9% [?]

Photo by hedgiecc

Taste of London runs from June 21 through June 24, 2007. Stop by and sample a whole lotta London grub in Regent’s Park. Don’t miss The F Word Live, the Beer Masterclass, the Times Chef tent, or any of the other fun culinary attractions. Ticket prices offend your Cheapo blood? Remember all the food you’re getting. Enter to win VIP passes plus the chance to meet Gordon Ramsay.

From Angela Hartnett (Ramsay’s old understudy) to Fifteen (Jamie Oliver’s place), Mocoto (new Brazilian haunt), Rhodes 24, Scott’s, Tom Aikens, and many more, this festival allows us Cheapos to nibble the otherwise prohibitively expensive high-end London fare.

We’ll be there filling up, and we’d bet our last quid that there’ll be freebies.

Popularity: 9% [?]

Photo by JamesWallis

Cheapo shoppers, be warned: the weather in Paris this spring was unseasonably cool—apart from that burst of heat over Easter—and many stores have reported disappointing sales. This is great news for us as it means only one thing: fantastic markdowns in the sales starting on June 27.

At this time of the year, Parisian women are busy scoping out the stores for what they intend to buy once the sales get started. Precision targeting is the name of their game. Decide exactly what you want to buy and then hover patiently in the third week of June for the “pre-sale” discounts that are usually handed out by the shopkeepers who know they must clear their stock by mid-July. The other day we were were told in a shoe store that there was an “exceptional” discount of €15 on any pair of shoes that day.

A great place to max out your sale leverage is to shop at the outlet stores for your favourite brands. These places already have 30 to 60 percent markdowns on items left over from last season. When the sales roll around you get an extra 30 to 50 percent off. That’s a great deal in any currency.

Check out the Zadig and Voltaire outlet in the Marais, for instance. Zadig and Voltaire is one of the staples (along with brands like A.P.C., Isabelle Marant, Comptoir des Cotonniers, and Vanessa Bruno) of the fashionable Parisian’s wardrobe. You can find their famed loose cashmere sweaters in muted tones of moss, plum, and chocolate as well as a chic line for girls under 12 called Zadig and Voltaire Little for girls up to age 12. Cecilia Sarkozy, France’s First Lady and leading fashion icon, was wearing a pair of white Zadig trousers on election victory night last month.

Le stock Zadig et Voltaire is located at 22 rue du Bourg Tibourg, 4th. M° Hotel de Ville.

Popularity: 8% [?]

Photo courtesy of Kino unter Sternen

One thing we like about summer in Vienna is open-air cinema. This month, we are looking forward to a myriad of events that will allow us to enjoy the flicks without shivering and munch on popcorn without freezing our hands. Mark the following events on your calendar.

1. Kino Unter Sternen (Cinema Under the Stars) at the Augarten, starts off with a tribute to legendary American comedian Jerry Lewis. Naturally, the opening salvo will be one of his popular movies, Artists and Models. Other films that will be screened, either in their original version or with subtitles, include Roman Holiday and The Science of Sleep. The outside Kino, with its jam-packed schedule will run from June 28 until August 12. Tickets cost €7.50 each or €32.50 for a block of five movies. We suggest making reservations to be sure you don’t miss out. Kino Unter Sternen is located between Second and 20th Districts. Just look for the giant tower that the Viennese call Flakturm, a massive anti-aircraft gun blockhouse that was used by the Nazis in World War II.

2. The rooftop of the city’s Main Library in the Seventh District is the place to be for Lichter der Großstadt (The lights in the metropoles). Already in its fourth season, the theme this year will tackle the significance of big cities such as Vienna, New York, and Saigon. Its healthy mix of classics, rarities, and succesful films runs from June 22 to July 1. The feature movie examining Vienna will be Exit–nur keine Panik while Spike Lee’s Summer of Sam will represent New York. Admission costs €7. For more information, email office@stbalbach.at.

3. Schloss Neugebaüde, the former imperial hunting lodge in Simmering (11th District), offers a series of outside cinema, featuring the latest Hollywood films from Happy Feet to Babel. This portion of the Ein Sommer im Scholss (A Summer in the Castle) festivities will run from June 28 until August 30. Entrance costs €7 .

Popularity: 11% [?]

Photo courtesy of Kaymaria Daskarolis

Now, when most Greeks and tourists alike are beginning to flock to the clubs and bars dotting the Athenian coastline, is the perfect time to explore many of the bars and clubs packing Athens’s city center. You will find outdoor tables and chairs at many of them, more room to move about, and lower prices on drinks and cover charges than can be found in most beach-side spots.

One spot we particularly enjoy due to its funky East Asian décor, friendly service, and reasonable drink prices is Kasbah, located in the northern Athenian neighborhood of Ambelokipi (Alexi Pavli 35B across from the Panormou metro station, +30-210-692-7447). We especially like going to the Kasbah on Sunday nights, when we get to watch and listen to playful and jovial DJ E-Mill (a.k.a. Emilio).

Popularity: 12% [?]

Photo by Magic ]=)

Every year the Salthill Air Show takes to the skies above the Salthill Promenade on Galway Bay. This year the show will commence at 3 p.m. on June 24, but spectators will want to get there much earlier to grab a great spot.

Though the actual line-up of aircraft can not be guaranteed, this year’s show is slated to host the US Air Force Thunderbirds Aerial Demonstration Team, the Royal Air Force Eurofighter Typhoon and the Irish Air Corps Eurocopter EC 135P2 all performing flying displays, among a host of other showings.

Though the Salthill Air Show is free to all spectators, sponsorship and donations are always appreciated.

Popularity: 6% [?]