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And now, Virtual Egypt!

The Sphinx still has its nose, and King Tutankhamun's tomb is still crowded with gilded furniture.

At least, that is how Egypt can be seen in the virtual world of Eternal Egypt, an interactive Web site launched last week by Egypt's Ministry of Communications and Information Technology and IBM.

The project is the culmination of three years of work and a grant of $2.5 million from IBM. It also includes a hand-held, digital guide to the Egyptian Museum, and Internet tours of the pyramids and Luxor Temple that are accessible via cellphones or personal digital assistants.

The centerpiece of the Eternal Egypt project is the Web site. Dubbed "a museum without walls," it is packed with information in English, Arabic and French covering more than 5,000 years and four eras: the Pharaonic, Greco-Roman, Coptic and Islamic. The site is www.eternalegypt.org

A glimpse at Revolutionary War museum

Carved into a cliff, the American Revolution Center at Valley Forge will feature three floors of exhibits and a terrace that looks onto a field where George Washington's troops trained for some of the war's most critical battles.

Organizers of the ambitious project to create the nation's leading educational and cultural institution about the Revolutionary War unveiled plans last week for the museum, set to open in 2006.

The building will be made largely of local materials, including Pennsylvania bluestone and hardwoods, and will have a roof covered with vegetation to help blend in with the rural surroundings, said New York-based architect Robert A.M. Stern.

The $100 million museum will hold more than 460,000 artifacts from its own collection and that of Valley Forge Historical Park, as well as another private collection. See www.valleyforgemuseum.org for more information.
 
Airline ticket offices fly into history

Those airline city ticket offices seem to be on their way to joining the Boeing 727 and hot meals in aviation history.

Northwest Airlines last week became the first airline to announce plans to close all of its city ticket offices in an effort to cut costs. The 25 offices will be closed by the end of March.

The move will affect 76 employees, who will be offered jobs elsewhere in the company.

Several airlines, including US Airways and United, have reduced the number of city ticket offices across the country, but Northwest becomes the first airline to close all of them.

Travelers! Pumps to match your laptop!

What travel accessories do frequent travelers want most?

How about disposable underwear? Or a laptop case to match those Prada pumps? Or tube socks with a hidden compartment for your valuables?

These were just some of the thousands of items on display this past weekend at the Washington, D.C., Convention Center, where more than 5,000 travel and luggage goods manufacturers, retailers and suppliers gathered for the 57th annual Travel Goods convention.

For the first time since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, travel goods buyers and retailers are starting to see an uptick in purchases. With the economy improving and business travel picking up, travel suppliers are rolling out a new wave of products to appeal to travelers' desires for greater security, comfort, convenience and individuality.

For example, there was the $24 pair of socks made by ZipIt Gear. The travel socks have a hidden, zippered compartment where users can hide their identification, money or keys.

There were also the packets of five pieces of disposable cotton underwear, sold for $10 by Santa Monica, Calif.-based Onederwear Co. The packages — briefs or boxers for men, briefs or thongs for women — are aimed at those travelers who want to wear them once and discard them to make room in their luggage for gifts, or those travelers who can't stand the thought of repacking dirty underwear for their return home.

— Seattle Times wire services

Copyright © 2004 The Seattle Times Company