Global leisure Web sites
“Like sands through the hour glass, so are the ‘Days of our Lives.’” The opening line to one of America’s all-time favorite soap operas has a hint of truth buried in its melodrama. When you get right down to it, people spend most of their leisure time figuring out what to do with it. Look no further than www.whatsonwhen.com. The crème de la crème of online events calendars brings you the inside scoop on everything from wildlife migrations in the Serengeti to Carnival in Rio de Janeiro, or, closer to home, the riotous Siennese “Palio” horse race and the running of the bulls in Pamplona. Whether it’s music, sports, the arts or film, the site’s tireless staff writers plug away to bring you updated information in a user-friendly fashion. The short feature articles include dates, locations, venues, contact information, tourist board listings, links to other Web sites and cross- references to related events. For accuracy and entertainment value, whatsonwhen.com is the clear winner. But don’t take our word for it. Comparison shop at www.whatsgoingon.com, with its similar concept and abundant mistakes, www.travelvision.com, which Wallpaper magazine’s Tactical Traveller called “simple yet elegant” — but we call “superfluous” and “random” — and www.expedia.com, a useful but somewhat stodgy travel guide dot-com, much like frumpy old Frommers(.com). <<< CWH