Thursday Flakes: Airport Lounges, Machu Picchu and Chili-and-Cinnamon-Roll-Flavored Ice Cream

I have never really been inside any fancy lounges at the airport. Maybe I will finally be able to take advantage of it once I get one of those pricey AMEX or Chase cards that give you lounge access. Even looking at the list of airport lounges opening in the USA this year makes this tempting with unlimited food, drinks, fast Wi-Fi and maybe shower access or complimentary massages. My travel plans will be pretty quiet the next couple months. I have been hanging around Mexico City for the last month and a half but finally plan to go back to Guadalajara for the months of February and March.

Have you ever been in any of the airport lounges? Which one is your favorite? Which airlines do you think are the most pet-friendly? Have you ever traveled to Peru or visited Machu Picchu? Would you try Chill-and-Cinnamon-Roll-Flavored Ice Cream? Feel free to answer these questions and discuss anything else in the comments below.

Anyways…onto Flakes.

Nebraska Loses To Northwestern On A Cold January Night 63-78 | Basketball | Corn Nation

Nebraska lost to a fairly decent Northwestern squad on Wednesday night. They were out shot, rebounded, and destroyed on defense by the Wildcats. Sure the evening started out well. Nebraska kept it close for the first 15 minutes or so. They relied upon the sharp shooting of Keisei Tominaga from the get go. When no one else could even get a shot on the bucket. But like many nights, that dried up too.

Get to Know Transfer Tight End Arik Gilbert | Football | Corn Nation

Nebraska continues to mine the Georgia Bulldogs adding yet another transfer with the addition of tight end Arik Gilbert. But what makes Arik Gilbert so different than the rest is that he has the potential to be an elite weapon. Here is a look at why you should be excited about the newest Husker.

Wrestling Roundup: Lovett Medals in France, Reserves Impress in Open Tournament | Wrestling | Corn Nation

Nebraska didn’t just take the mat for its big dual against Iowa, a 34-6 loss in Carver-Hawkeye Arena, this weekend. The Huskers also sent four wrestlers from the Nebraska Wrestling Training Center to Nice, France to compete in the Henri Deglane in freestyle. Then, the Huskers sent 10 wrestlers to Minnesota to compete at the Worthington Open.

Padding the Stats: Recalibrating Expectations for Nebrasketball’s Stretch Run | Basketball | Hail Varsity

With Sam Griesel, Emmanuel Bandoumel, Juwan Gary and Derrick Walker all starting and finishing the game, Nebraska went 6-4. They scored 68.5 points per game and gave up 65.5. In the 10 games where at least one of Walker, Griesel, Bandoumel or Gary have either not played or left in the first half because of injury, the Huskers went 4-6 with three buy-game wins. They scored just 64.0 points per game and gave up 68.9,

Attack, Attack, Attack: Inside Tony White’s Multi-Faceted Defensive Philosophy | Football | Hail Varsity

In his educational course directed towards coaches, White’s focus is proactive. Not just finding answers to the offense’s success but dictating the offense’s moves by its defensive success. Attacking the line of scrimmage so the opposing offensive line is moving laterally, or backpedaling, in order to block what’s coming. White believes the defense is capable of that through its versatility.

Nebraska AD Trev Alberts Taking Notice as Matt Rhule and Staff Continue to Grind | Football | Omaha World-Herald

“This is a group that is a group of workers – they’re passionate, they’ve got a vision, they push,” Alberts said. “They’re leading the way culturally in terms of work ethic within our department. I think that’s really important.”

Huskers #21 in Extra Inning Softball Top 25 | Softball | Huskers.com

The Nebraska softball team will begin the 2023 season at No. 21 in the Preseason Top 25 announced by Extra Inning Softball on Tuesday, Jan. 24. The Huskers, who also are receiving votes in the ESPN.com/USA Softball Poll, are one of two Big Ten softball teams in the Extra Inning Softball Top 25, joining No. 6 Northwestern.

Huskers Sweep B1G Field Athletes of the Week | Track & Field | Huskers.com

Maxwell Otterdahl was named Big Ten Men’s Field Athlete of the Week for the second week in a row, while Jenna Rogers picked up Big Ten Women’s Field Athlete of the Week honors.

Machu Picchu Temporarily Closes to Tourists Until Further Notice | Travel | Travel + Leisure

Both the Machu Picchu Citadel and the Inca Trail Network have been closed to tourists amid political unrest in the country, CNN reported. Tourists who had a ticket for Jan. 21 or later will be offered the option of a refund for up to one month after the end of the protests.

Arizona’s Havasupai Falls Is Reopening to Tourists for First Time in Three Years | Travel | Travel + Leisure

Currently, only travelers who were impacted by the COVID-19-related closure will be allowed to make a reservation for 2023, according to the tribe’s official tourism Facebook page. Reservations for 2024 will then open in February 2024. The opening also comes months after the area experienced severe flooding, which destroyed several bridges and trails, but the tribe said it was ready to welcome visitors.

10 Most Underrated Romantic Destinations Around the Globe | Travel | Travel Pulse

We decided to create this list of underrated romantic destinations around the world that will have you calling your travel agent ready to book.

13 Best New Airport Lounges in the United States | Travel | Conde Nast Traveler

With credit card issuers racing to add new perks for members and airlines scrambling to improve the airport experience for their top fliers, 2023 might just be the year of the airport lounge. Here’s a closer look at some of this year’s most-anticipated openings, and why they’re worth getting to the airport early.

9 Pet-Friendly Airlines for 2023 | Travel | Conde Nast Traveler

Ahead of your next trip, consider these pet-friendly airlines that allow dogs, cats, and other animals onboard.

4 Cheap European Airlines That US Travelers Should Know About | Travel | Conde Nast Traveler

Depending on your origin and destination cities, and where these carriers base their operations, sometimes they may require stopovers in their hubs. Others may offer limited services, charging a la carte for different amenities. But however you look at it, there are more choices out there than ever before. Here, we look at four European airlines and how Americans can take advantage of their low price tags.

France Will Be the Most Visited Country in the World by 2025 | Travel | Conde Nast Traveler

While Spain had edged out its neighbor in 2021, France is on track to reclaim the title it had long held before the pandemic with a 12.1 percent compound annual growth in visitation between 2022 and 2025, the data analytics company said. (Spain’s growth is expected to rise to 89.5 million by 2025.)

25 Free Things to Do in Rome | Travel | Lonely Planet

Rome is a city where the doors of the art-laden churches are flung open to all, where ancient architectural wonders await around many corners, and it costs nothing to roam the historic streets, piazzas and parks. A surprising number of the famous sights in Italy’s magnificent capital city are completely free to visit, and we can show you how.

14 Free Things to Do in Budapest | Travel | Lonely Planet

Known as the Pearl of the Danube, Budapest is a city where you can tour grand monuments in the morning, slip into a thermal bath in the afternoon and party in a world-famous ruin bar after sunset – and plenty of your best experiences won’t cost a single forint. Visiting Hungary’s capital city on a budget? Here are 14 fantastic free things to do.

10 Best Road Trips in Ireland | Travel | Lonely Planet

On your travels, you might only intend to stop off in a quaint village for a 15-minute coffee before, all of a sudden, you’re being whisked off to the local watering hole with Tom “from down the road” who wants to introduce you to the locals and share enthralling tales of Irish history. The vibrant personality of Ireland is very much alive on the rural roads.

Brazil’s Unsung Capital of Happiness | Travel | BBC

Considered the birthplace of modern Brazil, Salvador’s tumultuous history has produced a unique “axé” (or energy) and approach to life.

A Road Trip to Norway’s Best View | Travel | BBC

Kjeåsen is famous as one of the most isolated inhabited corners of Norway. And while getting here is a wild adventure, it’s the views from the top that truly stir the spirit.

The Chefs Reclaiming Lithuania’s Cuisine | Travel | BBC

War and Soviet occupation robbed Lithuania of its unique culinary history. Fortunately, there is a growing number of chefs and cooks committed to remembering it.

Runza’s famous sweet-and-savory combination has been turned into an ice cream flavor.

It’s available to the public today! Will you be trying it?

There is also this bombshell

One of the craziest things you will see in college basketball this year.