Friday Fishwrap: Racy Calendars and Hot Destinations

A calendar more tasteful than the sprats pic. Ok, so when I write about the 2006 Winter Olympics around Turin I tend to make a bit of fun at the expense of Curling athletes. Lots of people do. So George Karrys, the Publisher of The Curling News writes to tell us (and I'm paraphrasing here) that a group of international women curlers got so fed up with the criticism of their sport that they flung their curling garb to the icy winds to appear nude in a new fundraising calendar--hoping to get some money flowing into Olympic curling and to prove that they're real athletes. I'm convinced.

Need to know what curling is all about from a Scottish perspective? Check out The Roaring Game by Drever over at IgoUgo. You might learn something from the Curling News Blog as well.

Madrid is making a bid for the 2012 Olympics. Hotels are popping up all over. Travel Intelligence's Rupert Eden clues us in on Madrid's New Hotel Scene, where you'll find Madrid’s top ten comfort hotels.

Venice is often described as a tough town to get a great meal in. The guide Chow! Venice (check prices) is a highly regarded answer to where to go. The only criticism I've heard is that the book attracts too many boorish slobs to the good restaurants. Popularity has its price, a fact anyone trying to check in to a Rick Steves recommended hotel can attest to. BTW, Chow! author Shannon Essa has a blog called Poparticus, which leads us to the Living in Venice blog by Nan McElroy, who penned the guide ITALY: Instructions for Use (check prices). Her Top Ten Tips for American Travelers is classic.