Just opened in Pentonville Road, Islington (Greater London) is Surya (Hindi for "Sun" and Sanskrit for "Sun God"), the world's first green nightclub.

It will generate its own electricity when people move on its floors, will operate on solar and wind energy, has air-flush waterless urinals and low-flush toilets, and free entry for cyclists and walkers. Otherwise club entry is £10 and customers must sign a pledge towards helping combat climate change.

Brainchild of Mr.Charalambous, head of Club4Climate, the club's dance floor is made of crystal and ceramic, which when trodden on generates electricity under the concept of "piezoelectricity". This current is fed into nearby batteries, which in turn fuel the club. It is estimated that if a large group of clubbers danced vigorously, they could generate 60% of the club's energy needs.

With aim of inspiring the youth to get involved in tackling the issue of global warming, Charalambous said in the Times of India: "Unless we stop preaching to people and use an inclusive philosophy we're never going to create the revolution to combat climate change." I couldn't agree more.

World travel is a wonderful thing--or can have dire consequences when cultures clash. Having sex in a public place isn't exactly celebrated in western culture, but it's not uncommon--particularly under the cover of night when the stretch of a beach seems private.

In some cultures having "safe sex" is more than using a condom.

In Dubai, if you get caught having sex in public, you will get arrested and face years in jail--six in fact. Such is the possible fate of Michelle Palmer, a British woman who has worked in Dubai for three years. She and her male companion were caught having sex. If all goes well, she might only be in jail for three months--the minimum sentence.

The story is not complicated. Palmer, a manager of ITP Publishing was at a champagne brunch where the bubbly stuff flowed. Eventually, smashed and feeling frisky, she and a man headed to the beach for some adult fun and letting off steam.

Unfortunately, the police came along. Having sex in public in Dubai is not the only big no-no. So is having sex if you are unmarried. So is being drunk. Three strikes, you're out. Or in--as in jail.

This article in MailOnline gives the scoop. As I'm reading between the lines, I see a traveler's tale that is not so uncommon of others I've heard. When living in a culture that is different from ones own, it's difficult to stay vigilant--to not slide into comfort and think that you're safe when you are being yourself.

These women SHOULD have gotten jail time, no?

I've never understood how the concept of a silent rave ever got popular. People in a club listening and dancing to their own music on headphones. The hook is around the fact that you can dance to whatever music you want in a social environment.

How is this fun? Why wouldn't you just do the same at home? It's a social thing, but when do you talk? On drink breaks?

The concept originated in the Netherlands some years ago under the notion of "going wild in silence", and ever since has been floating around Europe. A couple of months ago, Union Square in New York held a huge "Silent Disco", apparently the first ever in New York.

In Madrid, it's come on a small scale. Organized by a youth center at their premises, I can't imagine it to attract too large of a crowd, but then again, it's Madrid -- you just don't know.

According to the CNN, the DJ's involved in introducing the concept say that they are confident that in the ever changing world of clubbing, it's better to be seen than heard. Hmmm.

I'd go to watch, but I doubt you can get away with just being a spectator to this silliness. Maybe I'll just go and join in.

The Netherlands has long been known as one of the most tolerant countries in the world. But as of July 1, that famous live-and-let-live attitude will no longer extend to tobacco. That's the day a ban on smoking in public places of employment takes effect in the Netherlands. Well, not all smoking.

Yes, while smoking tobacco in public is soon to be verboten, smoking a joint (that's a "marijuana cigarette" for you squares) will remain legal in the Netherlands. But, as this article notes, Dutch potheads don't feel too lucky that their drug of choice is still legal. That's because many of them cut their joints with tobacco.

The Dutch government is not prohibiting marijuana smokers from rolling "pure" joints, and it's likely that many smokers who had previously mixed marijuana and tobacco will switch to smoking "pure." Interestingly, there's not yet a way for government inspectors to determine whether a joint is "pure" or cut with tobacco (other than testing it themselves, I suppose.)

Smoking tobacco will still be permitted inside the famous Dutch coffee shops, but only in separate rooms without employees, which many shop owners say they can't afford to provide.

More here.

I love beer. For me, beer is also a drink that goes hand-in-hand with travel. It's available just about everywhere from Asia to America to Africa, yet no two places are alike when it comes to the preferred local brand. One of the first things I do when I arrive in a new place is try out the local beer. My reaction is usually a good sign of things to come. Is the beer watered-down and tasteless? Not a good sign for the rest of my trip.

Thankfully this past weekend I found myself in Washington DC, home of the beer paradise that is The Brickskeller. This beer institution in our nation's capital has one of the most extensive beer lists anywhere in the world, boasting a place in the Guinness Book of World Records with over 1,000 offerings in-house. Ever tried a smoked beer from Germany? Take a pick from their numerous list. Wonder what beer from Ecuador tastes like? Not good. Looking for a classic Belgian Trappist beer? The Brickskeller has got you covered there too. There are so many beer choices at The Brickskeller that you'll be full (or drunk) before you even scratch the surface.

If you find yourself absorbing some culture in Washington this summer, head up to the city's DuPont Circle neighborhood and sample a few bottles of your favorite domestic or foreign brew. And make sure to try a few you've never heard of - it's sure to impress your globetrotting friends.

Looking for more spots to quench your thirst? Check out this previous Gadling list of the best places for beer.

Todos Santos, once Baja's sugarcane capital, is a small town located about an hour outside of Cabo San Lucas. Known for its laid back vibe, great surfing and large artisan community, this small pueblo has managed to retain some authenticity in spite of the huge growth of tourism here in the last 15 years.

We chose to settle here for a few months so we could complete a work project before continuing on our drive. When we were looking for a place to stay we knew that a city like Cabo San Lucas was not for us, but realized the benefits of being close to a bigger city. With Todos Santos located only an hour away from Cabo, it was pretty much the perfect fit. So far it has been great; it's easy to work here and, for a relatively small town, there is quite a bit to do. Those who prefer activity packed vacations will probably prefer to only spend a day or two here. But for the more laid back traveler who prefers to mosey through their holiday time Todos Santos offers a great mix of activities and allows for ample down time.

Here is what you can do in Todos Santos:

Cockpit Chronicles takes you along on each of Kent's trips as a co-pilot on the Boeing 757 and 767 out of Boston.

I'd like to welcome Gadling's latest blogger, Heather Poole and her feature, Galley Gossip. Gadling had been looking for a flight attendant's perspective of this industry and I'm glad they found it in Heather. If you haven't read any of her posts, I highly recommend "Sandvich Girl," which details a little of her past before she gave it all up to join the nomadic existence of a crew member. I've passed along her posts to my sister, who's a flight attendant for an airline that sports an Eskimo on its tail and to my wife, who worked for 6 years as a flight attendant and they could both relate to her immediately.

I think bloggers often get inspiration and motivation when reading the comments to posts. Heather's post called "Answer Please" made it around the world a few times and, judging from the comments, she was a bit misunderstood. She pointed out one annoyance with her job, an issue I've heard from many flight attendants; with iPods and movie earphones plugged in, it's often hard to get a passenger's attention to offer them a drink.

Many of the readers thought she was being ungrateful for her job or just complaining too much, but that's part of why she writes. She's trying to give an insight into the good and the bad of her job. And she cracks me up.

The gloves are coming off, Virgin America: you may be offering free drinks on your Wednesday flights all month. You may have hottie hot hot models on your flights and Richard Branson as your playboy financier. You might even have super crazy in-seat chatting on your personalized LCD screens.

But we can beat that. Because we're giving away free drinks for ANY DAY OF THE WEEK on United Airlines right here at Gadling. That's right, by commenting on this post you can register yourself to win two free beverages on ANY United Airlines flight in the month of June. Flying on a Monday or Saturday? No problem, drinks are on us.

We'll pick two lucky winners to send two vouchers each. We only ask that you're over 21 years of age and that you actually be flying on a United Airlines flight before June 30, when the tickets expire. Feel free to also wear a "Gadling Rules | Virgin America Drools" t-shirt on your flight and take a picture -- but we're not requiring it.

• To enter, simply leave a comment below.
  
• The comment must be left before Friday, June 6 at 5:00 PM Eastern Time.
• You may enter only once.
• Two winners will be selected in a random drawing.
• Two Grand Prize Winner will receive two beverage vouchers each (valued at $10.00)
• Click Here for complete Official Rules.
• Open to legal residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 21 and older.

Like myself, the good people over at Esquire can appreciate a fine drink. They've recently compiled a series of articles highlighting the best in drink for 2008-- from their favorite bars to their favorite cocktails to the perfect drink for today's weather (tornado warning? Drink whatever's in the basement).

In Esquire's list of the best bars in the US, Gadling fave Chuck Thompson recommends Juneau's Alaskan Hotel & Bar, the scene, if I recall, of some of the action in his book Smile When You're Lying. Seeing Thompson's name next to that recommendation brings to mind a favorite quote of mine from his book: "There are two things to do in Juneau: drink and get drunk."

Thompson also pens a defense of smoky bars (from a nonsmoker!), writing that bans on smoking are destroying one of the few remaining places where adults can be treated as such. "By kowtowing to yet another milepost on the road to American pussification, we might be saving our lungs, but we're killing our seditious hearts."

Finally, Joe Oestrich wonders why the names of hotel bars are always so ridiculous. Fandangles? Whispers? Bowties? You just can't tell someone, "Hey, meet me at Fandangles!" and keep your dignity.

More from Esquire here.

Greetings from Moscow! Bolshoi in Russia is my variation on Big in Japan. (Bolshoi means "Big" in Russian. Get it?) Stay tuned for my live dispatches from Russia this week.

Moscow held their 11th annual Night of Museums (or Long Night of Museums) on Saturday, May 17. I haven't seen as many people in one place since visiting China. I shouldn't be surprised. It was, after all, a free event. The majority of life in Moscow is far from free.

Long Night of Museums, began in Berlin in 1997 as an attempt to bring more people into museums and art galleries, focusing on younger people who may not be regular museum-goers. Moscow, like 120 cities across Europe, now participates in Museum Night, holding free late-night museum and gallery open houses on the same day.

Saturday night was an interesting dichotomy for me. First, I went to the one of the galleries--Winzavod (ex-wine distillery turned into really hip industrial space, turned into gallery) and saw thousands of young hipsters roam around the galleries. You would never know whether you were in Moscow, New York or Paris. It dawned on me that hipsters are the most globalized group of people out there. Hipsters--through their attempt to differentiate themselves from the majority--look the same anywhere in the world.

After the Museum Night, I went to Opera, one of the most popular Russian clubs. It was like being in a completely different city. Moscow is like that. The "art people" never interact with the "club people", who never interact with the Russian Orthodox "traditional" folks. It's a different city depending on what clique you belong to. More so than in any other place I have seen.

From Russia, with love.