Financial incentive: Art galleries with a goal to increase attendance might want to try a ploy attempted by artist Thomas Georgeson of Buckinghamshire County, England. Georgeson hid a blank cheque for £8,000 ($12,600 US) in the county’s Milton Keynes Gallery, offering to sign it over to the lucky finder. Although gallery representatives did not know about Georgeson’s plan ahead of time, they were thrilled that someone offered their own money for a publicity attempt. The stunt brought out more people to the gallery, many that had never been there before.
Fast runners: People who visit Spain, specifically the city of Pamplona in the northern part of the country, should get ready for an exciting time. The city hosts the famous San Fermin Festival, a nine-day fiesta. Many thousands of local Spaniards and tourists from all over the world converge on the city to witness the main event, The Encierro, which is the running of the bulls through the streets, and behind those willing to run ahead of the animals. The people who choose to participate must be 18 or over and be athletic, nimble and have enough nerve to run the 903-yard route through four city streets.
Pearl of a hotel: Alexander Marchenko loves his home in the Khakassia region of Siberia so much that he wanted to share its beauty with others, so he is building a hotel for tourists. But this is no ordinary hotel. Based on his enjoyment of the movie, “Pirates of the Caribbean,” Marchenko is creating a pirate ship he’s named The Black Pearl. Made of pine and cedar, this 69-foot-long ship, located on the Yenisei River, will be able to house visitors, but won’t be taking them on a cruise, as it is attached to a wooden pontoon. There will be lots of details, such as masts and rope ladders, to add to the experience.
Cool workspace: The headquarters of Red Bull in the Soho district of London, England, is touted as having one of the top office designs in the country. Created by Jump Studios, the three-floor office features a super modern look, even though it is located in a renovated 19th century building. The top floor of the office has a glass box with an outdoor terrace and great views of the city. That is where visitors and employees arrive via elevator, and from there go down to the other floors below. There are lots of high, open spaces that are used in interesting ways. One area has a video wall three stories high, and a person can actually use a long slide that occupies another spot. Whee!