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(CNN) — This week in travel news: What it takes to master one of the world’s most difficult airport landings, Japan’s picky penguins and why US travelers might want to consider a trip to Europe this year.
Destination inspiration
The euro is plummeting. For American tourists, that means European vacations are more affordable in dollars than they’ve been in two decades. So while airfare and other travel costs are rising, the strong dollar might help offset those increases for lucky Europe-bound Americans.
At the time of writing, the euro and dollar are almost at parity. The UK pound is also weak: It’s exchanging at $1.20.
If you’re planning a trip to Europe, why not consider Occitanie, a region of France that includes a long stretch of Mediterranean coast dotted with laid-back seaside villages and one of the country’s largest wine regions. Or perhaps Dublin, Ireland’s lively, walkable capital where you can take in the sights and then go sea swimming at a bathing spot loved by Harry Styles and Matt Damon.
Greece is another classic choice for US tourists. It certainly worked out for Cleveland native Sura Crutch, who had a fling with an Athens local in 1971 — and now half a century later, they’re still together.
Our animal friends
Back in 2015, New Jersey man Tom Turcich rescued his dog Savannah from a shelter in Texas and took her for a walk. Seven years and thousands of miles later, they’re finally finished. Here’s the story of how one man and his best friend walked around the world.
In other animal news, over at Hakone-en aquarium in Japan, animals including penguins and otters are not happy at all about being fed cheaper fish as a cost-cutting measure. Have you ever seen a more disgruntled aquatic bird than this one?
Wildlife fans might also enjoy CNN’s new original documentary series “Patagonia: Life on the Edge of the World,” which premieres Sunday, July 10, at 9 p.m. ET. Filmed over one action-packed year, it shows what it takes to survive and thrive in one of the wildest places on Earth.
Travel trends
Glamping — that portmanteau of “glamor” and “camping” — is the latest travel fad among China’s young people. Northwest China, where travelers can leave city life behind and be surrounded by farms,…
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