May 2014

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“Volcano boarding” is riding a sled down the ash slope of Cerro Negro near León, Nicaragua. Thrill seekers are driven to the volcano and climb with their boards for about 45 minutes up the ash-and-gravel slope to the top. Wearing coveralls, gloves and goggles, they sit or stand on plywood sleds and descend about 1,500 feet at speeds up to 50 mph. 

The 2014 British Birdfair takes place Aug. 15-17 at the Rutland Water Nature Reserve (Egleton, Oakham, Rutland, England, LE15 8BT, U.K.; phone 01572 770651, fax 755931). 

Supporting international conservation projects, the 26th-anniversary event will feature workshops and hundreds of exhibitors, including nature reserves worldwide plus tour operators. Children’s activities include bug hunts, pond dipping and crafts. Tickets went on sale March 1.

For women and children, Parasol™ (New York, NY; 866/981-6381) offers sun-protective clothing made of natural materials. The product line includes hats, shirts, shorts, dresses and swimwear, with costs ranging from $65 (children’s swimwear) to $285 (women’s dresses). The beachwear can be found in major department stores or purchased directly.

An “Ennis Walking Trails” app from the town of Ennis in County Clare, Ireland — which was granted a municipal charter in 1613 — shows a map with five walking routes along the town’s Heritage Trails and offers audio info on a total of 13 points of interest. Routes vary from a half mile to two miles and take from 35 to 80 minutes to walk. The app is free on Apple’s App Store and Google Play.

A panoramic, site-specific painting depicting the siege of Istanbul by Ottoman Sultan Mehmet II can be found in the museum Panorama 1453 (Topkapı Cultural Park, Istanbul, Turkey; phone 0212 415 14 53, www.panoramikmuze.com [in Turkish only]).

Including images of 10,000 individuals, the painting covers the entire interior of a dome 131 feet in diameter and depicts the siege as it might have appeared on May 29, 1453, from the museum’s location. Open 9 a.m.-6 p.m. daily. Museum entry costs TRY10 (near $4.50).

In southeastern England, a collection of rare trees and shrubs from exotic locations can be found at Borde Hill (Haywards Heath, West Sussex, England, RH16 1XP, U.K.; phone 01444 450326). In 2014, open daily 10-6, March 22-Nov. 3.

The hotel in the Wes Anderson film “The Grand Budapest Hotel” is almost identical to the Corinthia Hotel Budapest (Erzsébet körút 43-49, Budapest, H-1073, Hungary; phone +36 1 479 4000), which opened in 1896 and was renovated and partly rebuilt in 2002. 

Offering an exploration of the town of Confucius’ birth, the Shangri-La Hotel Qufu (3 Chunqiu Rd., Qufu, Shandong, 273100, China; phone 86 537 505 8888) has a 2-night “Family Cultural Journey” package that includes a guided tour to the Confucius Research Institute and Nichan Mountain, location of the cave in which Confucius is reputed to have been born.

The package costs CNY2,200 ($353) per person, double, and CNY3,400 (near $546), single.