As airlines try to convince Americans to fly again, they have touted their policies for keeping passengers safe, including the requirement that everyone onboard a plane wear a mask.But travelers on recent flights said the rules are not being enforced. And flight attendants said they have been told not to confront passengers who opt to not follow them.Drusilla Lawton flew from South Carolina to Wyoming in May on two American Airlines flights and said the mask rule wasn’t being enforced during boarding or on the plane. “I was just horrified watching the gate agent let people through without their masks,” said Ms. Lawton, a part-time portfolio manager. “When I was walking down the aisle I was wondering, ‘How many people aren’t wearing a mask?’ There were so many.”

The Trump administration said on Wednesday that it would block Chinese passenger airlines from flying into or out of the United States starting on June 16 in retaliation for a similar ban by the Chinese government on American companies, further escalating tensions between the world’s two biggest economies.Relations between the countries have deteriorated sharply in recent weeks as officials scuffled over the origin of the pandemic and China’s move to tighten its authority over Hong Kong, a semiautonomous city. With the election just five months away, President Trump and his campaign have taken a much tougher stand against China, blaming its government for allowing coronavirus to turn into a pandemic and wreck the American economy.

In March, a few weeks before COVID-19 shut down the country, chef Nico Albert and her longtime mentee, chef Taelor Barton, met at Duet Restaurant + Jazz to discuss plans for their upcoming Native American dinners and culinary classes.Each November for the past two years, Albert has turned the menu at Duet Restaurant + Jazz into full Native American fare. While the seasonal, New American food that Albert serves year round has made the 140-seat eatery one of Tulsa’s most beloved fine-dineries, it is this menu of contemporary Native dishes, available only during Native American Heritage Month, that truly stands out. Locals and regulars flock to the restaurant, and Cherokee and other tribal members come from as far away as Michigan or Seattle. The offerings—which include persimmon frybread pie made with Pawnee heirloom corn and crispy, sumac-crusted snapper with roasted squash, wild greens, sweet corn hazelnut sauce, and pickled blueberries—routinely sell out.

Aguada Fénix, the earliest and largest Maya ceremonial structure ever found, has been located by archeologists in Mexico using a ground-breaking new technique known as lidar.

Inspiration can come from anywhere—a conversation overheard at the grocery store, a site you see while traveling, a story in the news. From these starting points, you never know what twists and turns a story could take. So, a few weeks ago when we gave you the opening lines from 10 Atlas Obscura stories and asked you to write something new from them, we had no idea what to expect.We got a treasure trove of epic journeys and alien creatures, mysterious islands and everyday problems. The stories ranged from a few sentences to many pages long, and even a couple of poems thrown into the mix.We’ve compiled a few of our favorite responses below. Some are full stories and some are excerpts (with full text available in our forums), but each one takes the opening line in a unique direction. If you have a story of your own you’d like to share, you can head over to our community forum as well.

Like the more-well-known UNESCO World Heritage Site of Paquimé, Huápoca was founded by the culture known as Casas Grandes. The main feature of the site is its cliff dwellings, similar to many found in the Southwest United States, which shows the cultural continuity that existed before the modern border between both countries was established.A majority of the dwellings found in Huápoca date to between 1000 and 1400, and are separated into groups with names such as "The Snake Cave" and "The Eagle's Nest." Located near the Papigochi River on a semi-desert zone of the state of Chihuahua, the archaeological value of the site is huge, in part because the site has seen little modern intervention—in part because it is so isolated. For the same reason, it doesn't get many visitors or much attention.

The Knežev Arsenal, or Rector's Arsenal, was once filled with the industrial sounds of cars and weapons being built. Now, when you enter the empty factory buildings and gritty courtyards, you're more likely to hear a rock concert or techno music and thousands of cheering fans.Founded in the mid 1800s, the complex, also known as Military Technical Institute, was overseen by a French engineer. At the time, Serbia sought friendly relations with France, and to emulate the country's economic development. The facilities made the city of Kragujevac a center for weapons (starting with cannons), industry, and, later, automobiles. And while it has fallen into decay, the government has plans to preserve the site in recognition of its importance to the area and Serbia's industrial revolution. 

Theodore “Fodor” Glava; a pale, lanky, Transylvanian immigrant came to America as many others did—seeking a better life. But all indications are that he led a modest, if not impoverished life as a coal miner, before dying in the midst of the 1918 flu epidemic. He, possibly along with another person, was buried in the municipal cemetery in Lafayette, Colorado, north of the edge of town. It wasn't until after his death that Glava gained notoriety.Buried in what would have been the poorest section of the old graveyard, Glava's grave was hastily carved, and inscribed with his birthplace, year of death, and a few other words, among them "trandofir," the Romanian word for rose.

Originally, the company Kuno used factories in the cities of Augsburg and Regensburg. Kuno assembled airplanes on behalf of the aviation company Messerschmitt AG—one of the predecessors of Airbus SE. During World War II, and after the first bombings, the company moved the factories to forests, tunnels or drifts.One of these factories, Kuno I, was originally located next to the airfield Leipheim. In April 1944, the airfield was destroyed by U.S. bombers, and the factory was moved to the forest next to the village Burgau. The new factory, Kuno II, was built right into the forest using forced labor from concentration camps. The factory consisted of hangars, barracks, and a shooting range to adjust the jets’ weapons. Camouflage netting between the trees worked so well that the factory was not discovered before the end of the war.

(CNN) — Once the mist clears over the hilly mountaintops, green is all you can see in Dalat, a mountainous region in the Central Highlands of southern Vietnam. The country's top agricultural producer, it's a popular vacation destination for both Vietnamese and international tourists. But Dalat is also earning fame for a rather unexpected reason -- it's the source of some of the best cheeses produced in Asia, including creamy mozzarella, burrata and camembert. Le Petit ParisIn the early 1900s, Dalat was a cool summertime reprieve for the French during their occupation of Vietnam. So popular, that it garnered the nickname "Le Petit Paris."The region's French influence can still be felt in its art-deco colonial architecture, paved boulevards and, most notably, its food.

(CNN) — Just weeks after restarting domestic flights, Indonesian carrier Lion Air has canceled them again, citing issues with passengers not following Covid-19 regulations.The Lion Air group, which also includes Batik Air and Wings Air, began slowly reintroducing short-haul flight routes on May 10. But the restored flights did not last long. The company has announced that all routes are again suspended as of June 5 due to widespread issues with passengers not properly observing coronavirus-related rules related to social distancing and health disclosures.In a press release, a rep for Lion Air explains that "many prospective passengers were unable to carry out air travel because they did not complete the required documents and conditions during the Corona Virus Disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic alert period."

These murals, painted on the walls and ceiling of the State Congress and titled Forma, Color e Historia de Quintana Roo (Form, Color and History of Quintana Roo) and Ley (Law), were painted by local artist Vital Jesús "Elio" Carmichael. Commissioned by the state government of Quintana Roo, they were painted in 1978, a mere four years after the foundation of this state. Carmichael was born near Chetumal, in the town of Payo Obispo, in 1935, when the territory was still part of Yucatán.Ley, the ceiling mural, features a naked male figure before a book labeled Lex ("law" in Latin) and a spiral representation of humanity following all types of laws, from natural to legal, throughout history. Forma occupies the walls and is a brightly colored telling of the history of the state, starting with the creation myth of the Popol-Vuh, the Maya mythology, and continuing thorough Maya history and the arrival of theSpanish.

This charming indie bookstore in the Tiong Bahru neighborhood is frequented mostly by locals, and it is cultural fixture of the city. Founded in 2005, BooksActually carries vintage books of literature and poetry, including rare editions and autographed copies by famous authors, as well as new books. It has the largest collection of English-language works in Singapore, and carries many works by local authors and even has its own publishing imprint, Math Paper Press. Visitors can also purchase mystery books from a vending machine out front. BooksActually is a great place for people who want to read uniquely Singaporean fiction. It frequently hosts poetry readings and exhibitions, and Math Paper Press authors have won the Singaporean Literature Prize in English Poetry multiple years.

Enveloped by steep mountains and sitting next to the country’s deepest and longest fjord, Bergen is a small city tucked away on the west coast of Norway.Though home to only 220,000 people, there’s a surprising amount of things to see and do in this tiny city. You can easily spend days here hiking its natural surroundings, relaxing on a fjord cruise, eating fresh seafood, and learning about its long history. I stayed about three days during my visit and felt I could have stayed a little longer. It’s pretty, historic, and filled with a lot of good food options.Bergen is a pretty big tourist destination in Norway so you sadly won’t have this city to yourself. To help you make the most of your trip, here are my top 12 things to see and do in Bergen:

Set against a wall in the courtyard of Casa Reali, a late medieval house in the town of Veroli, in the Italian region of Lazio, is an exceptional archaeological find: the Roman calendar known as Fasti Verolani.The marble plaque was discovered in 1922 as a sealing stone for a tomb in a paleo-Christian necropolis discovered in the same spot. Camillo Sciacca Scarafoni, a local scholar, reconstructed the calendar from 60 fragments.Three columns are preserved. For each month, Ian(uarius), Feb(ruarius), and M(artius), the calendar lists the public and religious festivities, market days, and main events. The kalendae (the first day of the month or new moon), nonae (the fifth or seventh day, or half moon) and idus (the thirteenth or fifteenth day or full moon) are listed, along with the initials for the nature of each day: fasti dies (F) were days on which business could be conducted, dies comitialis (C) were days on which assemblies could be held, dies nefasti (N) were days on which official transactions and assemblies could not be held on religious grounds, and dies nefasti publici (NP) and dies endotercisi (EN) which had similar restrictions.

(CNN) — Across Europe, beaches are getting ready for their first socially distanced foreign visitors, hotels are airing out rooms and restaurants are laying alfresco tables. With borders now open, the travel industry is trying to salvage as much of the peak tourist season as possible.Right now, almost everyone's invited, but despite the alluring prospect of blue Mediterranean seas and bluer skies, one country isn't coming -- and people are getting very angry about it.For the UK, it seems, summer vacations could still be canceled. Even as it appears to be emerging from one of the continent's worst coronavirus outbreaks, the country has decided to suddenly slam its borders shut by imposing a 14-day quarantine that critics say will torpedo the last shreds of hope for its travel industry.

(CNN) — Detailed housekeeping checklists. Half-empty casinos. Reservations-only dining. No shows, nightclubs or sporting events. These are just some of the realities that travelers can expect when Las Vegas reopens for tourist traffic next week.Put simply, Vegas will be back as of June 4, but it won't look like the destination we know and love.Like much of the country, the city effectively has been shut down to visitors since mid-March, an effort on the part of casino companies and local officials to slow the spread of Covid-19.Now, after more than 70 days of locked resorts, shuttered restaurants, lap-less lap dances and a deserted Las Vegas Boulevard, Sin City is gearing up to lean into sin again — at least, as much debauchery as one can experience wearing a face mask, sanitizing hands regularly and standing or sitting six feet from everyone else.

You can get up close and personal with a part of Balkan history at this abandoned railway facility in Ljubljana. The complex, which dates back to the turn of the 20th century, has been preserved as a cultural monument. It now houses a small museum dedicated to the history of steam locomotives in Slovenia.The Šiška Railway Vehicle Workshop once housed bustling repair, maintenance, and production workshops. Now some of them are passive, timeworn witnesses that have survived the Austro-Hungarian Empire, two World Wars, and the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.This is the oldest semi-preserved railway facility in Slovenia, and urban explorers can freely examine the premises. Climb on top of the rusty locomotives, wagons, and platforms that are scattered around the actual railway museum. Embrace the history, but know that you do so at your own risk. The Slovenian Railway Museum is located in the workshop, standing as a testimony to the end of the steam locomotive era. It is located in what was once the main boiler room of the facility. The idea for the museum came in the 1960s, and was gradually developed into a small but comprehensive facility that opened its doors in 1981.

In 2003, in the Wakayama Prefecture outside of Osaka, Japan, 51-year-old schoolteacher Kimiko Hirahata attended a festival for the local technical high schools, seeking inspiration for her lesson plans. Hirahata taught her students in a variety of media, from pottery and painting to lamp-making and calligraphy. But what appeared at the festival that day was something completely different.“When I saw a doll carrying tea,” Hirahata says, “I was amazed.”The doll was a karakuri—a traditional automaton. Like many other karakuri, the one Hirahata saw at the festival was entirely wooden, but also mechanical. A system of concealed gears (also wooden) within the doll allowed it, when cranked, to automatically perform a programmed task: in this case, to serve tea.

The glories of the national park system draw hundreds of millions of visitors each year, even in normal times.But in this upside-down year, with the pandemic still limiting much travel in and outside the United States, it’s likely that the National Park Service’s 419 sites, 62 with a “national park” designation, will attract even more people looking to get away.For potential park-goers who wish to avoid these crowds (and this season, who doesn’t?), one strategy is to skip the Grand Canyon, the Great Smoky Mountains and the other top 10 parks that typically receive the majority of visitors. There are alternatives that are still awe-inspiring for your summer and fall fresh-air retreats, ones that offer many of the Top Ten’s sights, sounds, wildlife and activities.

In the 1950s, a food trend swept the United States: the sweet salad. World War II had ended, and with it wartime rationing, but Americans’ penchant for canned goods persisted. The combination of the increased popularity of preserved foods and the overall postwar atmosphere of abundance led to a widespread love for dishes that were modern, decorative, and convenient. This included technicolor “salads” made from multiple processed ingredients, like powdered gelatin and canned fruit. Epitomizing this mix of social forces, in all its trembling, fruit-filled, jewel-hued glory, was the Jell-O mold. Consisting of a mix of sweet, and often savory, ingredients suspended in elaborate rings of wiggly instant gelatin, these creations shone from the pages of Betty Crocker and The Joy of Cooking books, and festooned the countertops of suburban America.

Amsterdam is known as a party city, full of wild nights and all kinds of questionable debauchery. It’s a fun, eclectic, and party-focused destination popular with young backpackers looking to let loose.But it’s a city with a lot more to offer too.I’ve visited Amsterdam more times than I can count (it’s one of my favorite cities in the world) and I’m never disappointed. There are tons of museums, lots of chill cafes, and more nightlife than you can handle.It’s a city with something to offer everyone. Even if you’re not looking to party the nights away you’ll still enjoy your visit.To help you make the most of your trip, here are the best 32 things to see and do in Amsterdam: Free Walking Tours Amsterdam and New Europe both offer daily free walking tours. They last 2-3 hours and give you the perfect introduction to the city. Just be sure to tip your guide at the end!

Until around 150 years ago, Mount Rai, where the Sennyoji Daihioin temple sits, would have been filled with dozens, if not hundreds, of shrines and temples. Most sites of worship were home to both Buddhist and Shinto beliefs, and worked in harmony with each other for centuries. That came to an end during the Meiji Restoration in the 19th century. The imperial house preferred Shintoism, which favored the emperor’s ancestral lineage, while Buddhism was tied to the previous government. Shrines and temples across Japan were ordered to separate these beliefs, and most of the sacred sites on the mountain were destroyed. Buddhist property and artifacts saw damage and loss due to anti-Buddhist movements at the time.

As the summer tourist season approaches and Western Europe’s Covid-19 crisis continues to subside, leaders across the continent are deciding whether and how to lift the border restrictions that they imposed amid a flurry of emergency measures in March. The European Commission has urged its members to coordinate their reopening, but a patchwork of strategies has emerged. Some countries — Italy and Germany among them — are reopening earlier and more widely. Others — like Switzerland, Denmark and the Baltic States — are proceeding more slowly, opting for “travel bubbles” or bespoke lists of countries whose citizens will be allowed entry.Both approaches have drawn criticism. Bubbles or corridors risk creating confusion and could be seen as discriminatory, say some European observers. But opening up borders among countries where the epidemiological situations are vastly different risks triggering an increase in cases, a scenario that officials are determined to avoid. Indeed, all of the announced plans for reopening have come with an important caveat: If Covid-19 cases start to tick back up, then borders could again be forced to close.