“Art-Culture-Life”: So beckoned the humble sign. Being a fan of all three, I made my way inside. Art came first in a portico lined with rich, Dalí-esque landscapes; in the craft shop, stocked with mottled straw purses and hand-carved bowls; on restaurant walls, splashed with multihued graffiti. There was culture, yes, in the form of eclectic sounds: a D.J. spinning house music and an open-mic session showcasing poets and singers from Africa to America.

Before I moved to Paris three years ago, although I’d already been to the city and was lucky enough to call French my second language, I still held more than a few romantic preconceived notions. Every metropolis has a set of stereotypes linked to it, and Paris exists in many people's minds as a charming, luxurious, timeless hub of style and sophistication—in fact, so many people expect the City of Light to be what they want it to be that the reality has rendered some tourists physically sick with disappointment.

Cuba's first English-language bookstore offers a selection that would just about stock the lobby of an average Vermont bed and breakfast. Next to what's available in English elsewhere in Havana, it might as well be the Library of Congress. The brainchild of a longtime U.S. expat, Cuba Libro launched Friday as a bookshop, cafe and literary salon that offers islanders and tourists alike a unique space to buy or borrow tomes in the language of Shakespeare. Cuba Libro also gives customers an occasional glimpse of opinions hard to find elsewhere on the island.

Austerity or not, August is vacation time in Europe. As the continent's political leadership joins millions of citizens heading to the beaches, however, the tough economic times mean most are taking care to ensure their holidays look humble. Tropical beaches and hanging with billionaire buddies are out, stay-cations and low-cost flights are in as politicians take the ritz out of the recess.

The long awaited analytical study of Uganda's tourism sector is finally out. The Tourism Expenditure and Motivation Survey (TEMS), commissioned last year by the ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities, in partnership with the World Bank and DFID, was released on Thursday at the Kampala Serena hotel. The economic and statistical study collected data on tourist expenditures, duration of stay, tourist activities, sites visited, level of satisfaction and suggestions for improvements in the sector.

For the last year, the North Korean government has been trying to convince anyone who'd listen that its tourism industry is booming. With North Korea's long history of fibbing, those reports were a little suspect ... until stories emerged about the country is having the same problem as many popular tourist destinations: dealing with crude Chinese tourists.

Colombia’s ministry of transport may decide to ban colorful buses called “chivas” in a new plan for modernizing transport. The folkloric chivas, which have long delighted tourists, are at risk of extinction due to new plans set out by the ministry of transport.The colorful buses, which are often heard before they are seen, are regarded by some as a “party on wheels” with passengers playing music and even occasionally passing around a bottle of rum.

In June, Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) militants bombed and attacked the home of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah – the Founding Father of Pakistan. Situated in Ziarat, and well-known for its Juniper forest (the second largest in the world), the beautiful, picturesque home, with its quaint wooden exterior, stood as an integral part of the country’s heritage. It was where Pakistan’s founder spent his last days. The attack, which destroyed the residence, came as a huge blow to the nation.