Washington DC is already known as a museum mecca, but in July later this year, the new International Museum of Spying will open. The museum has full official backing from both the CIA and the KBG. Exhibits include an enigma machine, a Soviet shoe transmitter and all the usual (and unusual) gadgets!

For more info

Ingredients: For four people

4 portions of Sea Bass, ½ Kilo diced tomato, 1 teaspoon of salt, 100 grams diced Parsley , 100g diced Coriander, 4 medium diced whole onions, 3 tablespoons of Olive Oil, ½ tablespoon of sweet Paprika

Preparation:

The fish is cleaned and put in a bowl with a little salt and the juice of one Lemon. Then leave to marinate for at least an hour. In a Ceramic Pot if a Panela de Barro is not available, with the Olive Oil at the bottom of the pot. Next add the Paprika and mix. The rest of the ingredients are then mixed and divided into two parts. One half of the mixture goes in the pot, then by a layer of fish, followed by the rest of the ingredients. The pot is put on a medium hob for 30-40 minutes. Gentle rocking of the pot from time to time. Do not add water. Serve with white rice: then, just enjoy.

According to press sources, the authorities in China’s second largest city, Shanghai, have closed down nearly 200 internet cafes. The move is reported to coincide with the launch by the central government of a drive against “harmful” content on the web, to prevent young people from being corrupted. One official said the premises were in areas overlooked in previous campaigns. Last year, the Chinese authorities reportedly shut down 17,000 internet cafes that failed to install the necessary software, or they are being used for “illegal activities”. Some say that the move is in line with the government's desire to encourage the internet as a commercial medium without creating a forum for political dissent.

Beijing requires internet bars to install software to block restricted web sites and record user activities. Unsurprisingly, banned websites include those run by democracy activists, outlawed groups such as Falung Gong, and some foreign news organisations. Those containing pornographic material are also blocked.

GERMANY: A Berlin man claims that handling 10-euro banknotes has made him impotent. Mr Wolfang Fritz (55) spent hours last January counting money his girlfriend inherited after the couple withdrew it all in 10-euro notes. Mr Fritz says he hasn't had an erection since handling the money. He is demanding the German government supply him with the erectile disfunction-drug, Viagra.

“The euro notes made me sick. It just won't go up anymore,” he told Berlin tabloid BZ. Mr Fritz has engaged a lawyer to fight his case, blaming the impotence on the chemical Tributyl-Zinn found in the 10-euro notes.

Each note contains 740 mcg of the chemical that, in sufficient quantity, can affect the human hormone system. “The amount in euro notes cannot lead to acute hormonal disturbances,” said hormone specialist Prof Dietrich Klingmüller. © The Irish Times

The Beetle recently received this and thought it might be of interest to the travellers out there who use hotmail. The Beetle has long given up on Hotmail as it was inundating her with embarrassing amounts (and content!) of porn e-mails.

If you have a hotmail account in your name, this might interest you – hotmail has changed the privacy settings on each of it's user accounts so they now have permission to share all user details with other companies. All of their users have effectively just opted in to receive yet more Spam, without even being informed.

There's a couple of checkboxes in hotmail's 'options' section under 'personal profile' labelled 'Share my e-mail address' and 'Share my other registration information' which have been automatically checked regardless of their previous setting without even informing the owner of the account. It's incongruous with their privacy policy, but by now the user details could have been sold. Interesting direct marketing tactic. And while most of the hotmail site is fairly accessible, you can't access the personal profile page to revert these settings with anything other than a Microsoft browser.

Tokyo hotel's rules and regulations:
GUESTS ARE REQUESTED NOT TO SMOKE OR DO OTHER DISGUSTING BEHAVIOURS IN BED.

On the menu of a Swiss restaurant:
OUR WINES LEAVE YOU NOTHING TO HOPE FOR.

In a Tokyo bar:
SPECIAL COCKTAILS FOR THE LADIES WITH NUTS.

In a Bangkok temple:
IT IS FORBIDDEN TO ENTER A WOMAN EVEN A FOREIGNER IF DRESSED AS A MAN.

Hotel room notice, Chiang-Mai, Thailand: PLEASE DO NOT BRING SOLICITORS INTO YOUR ROOM.

Write in and tell us your funny sign! Drop a line to the Beetle!

the Beetle!

At the Royal Academy from 26 April—14 July. This exhibition shows 35 of the best-preserved figures, carved from limestone (around 550—577 AD) out of the 400 or more Buddhist sculptures found in 1996 in a field in the Shandong province in eastern China.

According to early written sources the area in which the sculptures were found once formed part of Longxing Temple, a name that means 'Dragon Spring'. The figures show the sculptural styles that developed as Buddhism spread along the trade routes across central Asia, mixing foreign with Chinese qualities. Among the statues uncovered are beautiful examples of Buddhas, bodhisattvas (attendants of the Buddha) and triads, in which a Buddha, flanked by two bodhisattvas, stands against a leaf-shaped nimbus.

Experts wonder why were so many figures of Buddha were buried during the twelfth century in a carefully constructed pit within the precincts of a monastery. Whatever the reason, the discovery of a Buddhist treasury at the former temple site confirms the important role that Longxing played as a centre of Buddhist culture in the Qingzhou region during the sixth century.

Thanks to Kevin Brackley from London for spotting this!

Need help? Want a travelling buddy or advice about a place or country – want to share something with us – why not visit our Mutual Aid section of the Website:Mutual Aid

Can anyone help Jane? She is a retired college teacher with extensive international experience looking for a short-term volunteer opportunity in East Africa. (Her website is www.mystudybuddy.org) and she says she has no idea where to look, and would be grateful for your suggestions. If you can help, or have any suggestions, please contact Jane.

Can anyone help Mike, who has not heard from his friend for four months? His friend is sailing from the UK to Australia, and his last letter was from Fatu Hiva. He was looking for crew to sail to Fanning island. Can anyone suggest a web-site to help Mike find his friend? If you have any suggestions, please contact Mike Thorneloe:

Thomas from Munich offers up to date advice for anyone planning on going to Kazakhstan, as he has just returned. To contact Thomas, e-mail him

The zebra is a member of the horse family and no two zebras have the same pattern. Stripes help confuse predators chasing the zebra, making them misjudge distances.

Source: STA Travel

If you have a travellers tale that your aching to tell. Then why not visit the “Travel Sized Bites” section of the Website and share it with the world. Travel Sized Bites

Cultural Co-operation are putting on free concerts featuring 300 musicians from 25 countries. The concerts are scheduled as follows:

• Kew Gdns on 29/30 June.
• Regents Park on 6/7 July
• Greenwich Park on 13/14 July.

For full details and a voucher to enter Kew Gdns for free on those days, you can either:

• Ring the hotline on 020 7456 0404; or
• e-mail them
• A website will soon be available.

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Thomas from Munich wrote in to say that he read the Beetle’s story about the confusion between Oman and Amman. The same thing happened to an African friend of his who went back to his home country with his family of 4 people. He booked a flight to Dakar in Senegal or so he thought, instead he received, five days before his departure, four tickets getting him to Dhaka, Bangladesh. Imagine the hassle to change the booking of four people 5 days before the intended departure. Madness!