International Travel News articles from February 2006

International Travel News archives from February 2006

Boarding pass.
February 1, 2006... Dear Globetrotter: Welcome to the 360th issue of your monthly overseas travel magazine. 360! We've come full circle. Well, it's a full 30 years, anyway. Congratulations on keeping this travel forum going strong with your letters,...

Sitting high above the Danube in Austria is the 900-year-old, baroque Melk Abbey.(Travel tidbits)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... Sitting high above the Danube in Austria is the 900-year-old, baroque Melk Abbey. As we walked into its library, we were struck by the fact that, at the whim of a bygone archbishop, all the books have the same binding. The building features 365...

When I visit England, which is about every two years, I immediately go to the post office for a phone card.(Travel tidbits)
February 1, 2006... When I visit England, which is about every two years, I immediately go to the post office for a phone card. I have had very good luck with them, getting lots of minutes for my money.--JEAN CATER, Dover, NJ

On our New Zealand trip, en route to the Bay of Islands we detoured to see the Kauri Museum at Matakohe and the huge kauri trees in the forest.(Travel tidbits)
February 1, 2006... On our New Zealand trip, en route to the Bay of Islands we detoured to see the Kauri Museum at Matakohe and the huge kauri trees in the forest. Then we drove east to Paihia and the sea. This is a lovely area, close to the Waitangi Treaty...

On our trip to Armenia, we set off through the hills of the low Caucasus Range--an unbroken carpet of green strewn with white, yellow, purple and blue wildflowers with an occasional crescent of snow nestled like a stray sheep in the mountaintop depressions.(Travel tidbits)
February 1, 2006... On our trip to Armenia, we set off through the hills of the low Caucasus Range--an unbroken carpet of green strewn with white, yellow, purple and blue wildflowers with an occasional crescent of snow nestled like a stray sheep in the mountaintop...

Walking Norway's western fjords.
February 1, 2006... The stones were rough cut--some much larger than others, some demanding a bit of a stretch to get to the next--but each had a worn spot where one's foot just wanted to go. The stones meandered in a sort of staircase, and indeed that is what...

No mailboxes at JFK.(Travelers' Intercom: Readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)
February 1, 2006... On our way to Africa on Sept. 24, '05, and with a long layover at New York's JFK, I tried to find a mailbox in the airport to mail some bills that would come due while We were gone. Lo and behold, I found out that all of the mailboxes had been...

'Golden weeks' in China.(Travelers' Intercom: Readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)
February 1, 2006... My wife and I returned on Oct. 16, '05, from an 18-day tour of China and Hong Kong. The trip, called "Yangtze River Splendors," was operated by Orient Flexi-Pax Tours (New York, NY; 800/545-5540 or www.orientflexipax.com) and booked for us by...

Lessons in shipping goods home.(Travelers' Intercom: Readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)
February 1, 2006... In Ho Chi Minh City in August '05, we returned to a shop that sells embroidered pictures, XQ Silk Hand Embroidery (52B Pham Hong Thai St., Dist. 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet-Nam; phone [84 8] 8246144 or visit www.xqhandembroidery.com). We had...

Xtreme Bolivia.(Travelers' Intercom: Readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)
February 1, 2006... In September '05, after staying in La Paz, Bolivia, at 12,600 feet, I spent two days at the Esmeralda Hotel (phone in Bolivia 010-221-36017, fax 36041 [from the U.S., phone + +591-221-36017] or visit www.hotelesmeralda.com) in Coroico,...

Drove in Greece.(Travelers' Intercom: Readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)
February 1, 2006... Renting a car in Greece seems the best way to travel, as public transportation is limited. For our trip, our car rental was from Budget through Auto Europe (888-223-5555 or visit www.autoeurope.com). Driving was, very easy and we never...

Funniest thing.
February 1, 2006... Tell ITN about the funniest thing that ever happened to you while traveling in a foreign country. There are no restrictions on length. (ITN prints no info on destinations in the U.S., Canada, Mexico or the Caribbean.) The ITN staff will choose...

Aceh-Indonesia peace pact.(News Watch)
February 1, 2006... In August 2005, the Indonesian government and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) signed a peace agreement in Helsinki. In late December, fulfilling one of the conditions, the the armed wing of GAM turned in to European-led monitors what they said...

Nepal tensions.(News Watch)
February 1, 2006... The Department of State continues to urge American citizens to defer nonessential travel to Nepal. Travel via road in some areas outside of the Kathmandu Valley continues to be dangerous. During recent road closures, Maoist cadres attacked...

Bangladesh bombings.(News Watch)
February 1, 2006... In Bangladesh, from August to press time, a half-dozen attacks had killed approximately 30 Bangladeshis and wounded nearly 200. An outlawed Islamist terrorist organization, Jamaatul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), took responsibility for the...

Eritrea distrust.(News Watch)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... Given heightened tensions relating to the disputed border between Eritrea and Ethiopia, the Department of State is cautioning U.S. citizens against traveling to Eritrea at this time. Since October, the government of Eritrea has imposed...

Chad dangers.(News Watch)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... On Dec. 18, 2005, in Chad, heavy gunfire erupted in the border town of, Adre between Chadian government forces and unidentified rebel groups, who fled into Sudan. Early reports indicated more than 100 casualties between the two sides. Rebel...

No rosy picture in Nigeria.(News Watch)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... The lack of law and order in Nigeria poses considerable risks to travelers. Violent crime committed by ordinary criminals, as well as by persons in police and military uniforms, can occur throughout the country. In recent months, Lagos has...

Libya caution.(News Watch)
February 1, 2006... The U.S. lifted restrictions on the use of U.S. passports for travel to Libya in February 2004, however the Libyan government remains on the U.S. Government's State Sponsors of Terrorism List, and extremist groups continue to plan terrorist...

Saudi Arabia alert.(News Watch)(U.S. Consulate General in Jeddah)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... An armed attack on the U.S. Consulate General in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on Dec. 6, 2004, resulted in casualties among the non-American staff and damage to consulate facilities. Terrorist groups continue to target housing compounds and other...

Bolivia precautions.(News Watch)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... The State Department reminds travelers to Bolivia that protests, strikes and other civic actions can occur at any time, particularly around the time of elections or other changes in government. Protests have the potential to become violent, and...

Current warnings.(News Watch)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... As ITN went to press, the State Department had travel warnings on 27 destinations: Saudi Arabia, Nepal, Nigeria, Haiti, Indonesia, Zimbabwe, Lebanon, Liberia, Yemen, Cuba, Burundi, Cote d'Ivoire, Sudan, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Somalia, Algeria,...

Paris hotels accused of collusion.(Travel briefs)
February 1, 2006... A night in one of Paris' 5-star hotels will run 500 [euro] to 6,000 [euro] (near $592-$7,108). Now a French government watchdog group, the Competition Council, has issued the results of a 4-year inquiry which took place from 1999 to 2001 and...

No smoking on Swiss trains.(Travel briefs)
February 1, 2006... The Swiss Federal Railways went smoke-free as of December 2005, joining rail systems in Belgium, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden. France banned smoking on its TGV system in 2004 and is scheduled to ban smoking on all French trains...

Madrid museum expands.(Travel briefs)
February 1, 2006... The Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia (MNCARS) in Madrid, Spain, in September 2005 opened two new galleries, a library and an auditorium, making it one of the world's largest contemporary art museums. Spanning from 1881--the year Pablo...

Tourist office directory follow-up.(Travel briefs)(Directory)
February 1, 2006... To the list of foreign tourist offices in the U.S. (Jan. '06, pg. 61), add the following: Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea Tourism Promotion Authority, 5000 Birch St., Ste. 3000, Newport Beach, CA 92660; 949/752-5440,...

Turin--one of Italy's best-kept secrets.
February 1, 2006... Italy's Piedmont region hides anonymously in the extreme northwest, nestled against France. Anonymity will be lost in February, however, when the capital and most important city, Turin (Torino), hosts the 2006 Winter Olympics. The Games give...

Kew Palace restoration.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... Following extensive work to restore the interiors as George III and Queen Charlotte would have known them, Kew Palace in the Royal Botanical Gardens beside the Thames will open in May 2006 for the first time in a decade. A wax life-cast of...

Icebar in London.(Bar Review)
February 1, 2006... The absolut Icebar opened near Piccadilly Circus in London in October 2005. Inside, the walls are made of ice and covered with ice sculptures, the temperature is 23[degrees]F, and visitors sit on stools that are carved from ice and draped in...

Grand Circle's new policy re departure date changes.(Travelers' Intercom: Readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... I read International Travel News as soon as it arrives on my desk every month. Because of the open forum it offers its readers, ITN helps file stay tuned into what seasoned travelers want and expect from foreign travel and what they bring to...

Suggestions for a perfect QM2 cruise.(Travelers' Intercom: Readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)
February 1, 2006... Following a "QM2" cruise out of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, for which he paid $3,984 for a deluxe balcony cabin for two on deck B-2, a reader mailed to ITN a copy of the letter he sent to Cunard Line, as follows: My wife, Helen, and I just...

Black Watch improved.(Travelers' Intercom: Readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)
February 1, 2006... I am writing because, although Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines in Ipswich was given the opportunity to reply to the specific complaints of one couple ("Black Watch Cruise Appraisal," Jan. '06, pg. 73), we, the North American representatives--and...

HAL's 'Voyage of the Vikings'.(Travelers' Intercom: Readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)
February 1, 2006... Holland America Line's ms Maasdam does an annual summer round trip from Boston to Rotterdam: "Voyage of the Vikings." While it is possible to take only half the cruise, most passengers go for the full 35 nights. My wife and I took the 2005...

Minerva II on the Black Sea.(Travelers' Intercom: Readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... Beth Habian's article "Spain... plus Italy-and Corsica--Cruising the Mediterranean with Swan Hellenic" (Nov. '05, pg. 6) was right on target. The Minerva II offers a unique cruise experience. My 15-day Black Sea cruise, Aug. 20-Sept. 3, '05,...

Tourist farms in Slovenia.(Travelers' Intercom: Readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)
February 1, 2006... My wife and I drove a rental car through Slovenia, May 20-28, '05. We traveled from Venice and drove most of the interesting roads in Slovenia, which is full of beauty in all varieties and can be visited at a very reasonable cost. We...

Notes on England visit.(Travelers' Intercom: Readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)
February 1, 2006... On our visit to England, April 30-May 9, '05, it was full spring with lovely weather. The exchange rate was the only chilling factor of the trip! The Grange Blooms Hotel in Bloomsbury is in an excellent, convenient location behind the...

Taquile Island observations.(Travelers' Intercom: Readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)
February 1, 2006... Charles Treadgold's letter about taking maps to Peru's Taquile Island (Nov. '05, pg. 44) got me thinking about other things that would be most appreciated by the people there. I visited in 1992, but from what I have read about the place it...

Airport-pier options in Japan.(Travelers' Intercom: Readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)
February 1, 2006... In ITN's October '05 "Person to Person" section, on page 126 Mr. William Suter asked for information on reasonably priced ways to get to the cruise ship pier near Osaka, Japan, from Kansai International Airport (KIX). I would like to give some...

Venice airport-city transfer.(Travelers' Intercom: Readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)
February 1, 2006... Clean, modern and well-equipped, Venice, Italy's, Marco Polo Airport (www.veniceairport.it) provides a convenient gateway to the city, but the transfer between the airport and your hotel certainly won't be the highlight of your visit. Any...

Sentiments of hope.(Travelers' Intercom: Readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... My wife, Mary, and I were in Cairo in January '05 when we learned that our daughter Julie, back in Arizona, had been diagnosed with breast cancer. We became frequent customers in the Cairo Marriott gift shop, where they sold phone cards. The...

Macau--where cultures merge and the past mingles with the present.
February 1, 2006... Seeing Macau's more than 400-year-old European-style buildings is time travel accented by a 13-hour flight from Los Angeles. I saw newly restored evidence of Macau's Portuguese and Chinese pasts: gothic, baroque, neoclassical and Chinese...

Macau Tower free-fall.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... In Macau, China, the Macau Tower is the world's 10th-free-fall tallest building, and as of August 2005 you can take a flying leap off it... safely. The Sky Jump involves jumping off from the outer edge of the tower, 764.4 feet above...

Rejected claims.(Eye on travel insurance)
February 1, 2006... Purchasers of travel insurance are frequently disappointed (and/or irate) when a claim is denied, often swearing never to use that insurance company again and writing to ITN suggesting that its readers do the same. In such cases, the...

Correction.(Correction Notice)
February 1, 2006... Correction Notice CORRECTION--Note that an incorrect toll-free number was printed for World Travel Center in my article "Eye on Travel Insurance" in the November 2005 issue.

Long-term travel insurance.(Eye on travel insurance)(World Travel Center's Travel Protect International)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... Speaking of World Travel Center, they have announced a new travel insurance plan, Travel Protect International, that provides annual, multitrip coverage of trip-cancellation and trip-interruption losses if a person has to cancel due to illness...

A novel approach to travel.
February 1, 2006... My first trip to the UNITED KINGDOM was planned because of having read James Herriot's wonderful books about his life as a vet in the Yorkshire Dales. Both "All Creatures Great and Small" and "All Things Bright and Beautiful" were full of his...

Minsk: exploring Belarus' capital.
February 1, 2006... Mid-August seemed like a good time of year to visit friends in Minsk. The weather was perfect during our 5-day stay in 2005. Lufthansa was the only commercial airline with a daily flight into Minsk International Airport. The terminal, a...

Accommodations worldwide: hotels * B&Bs * homestays * apartments.
February 1, 2006... The following is a listing of some of the hotels, B&Bs, etc., in which ITN readers have stayed over the past year or so (outside of North America and the Caribbean)plus restaurants or sights nearby. Prices are those paid at the time of the...

Historical Malta.
February 1, 2006... When the temperature in Minneapolis reached 14 degrees below zero, it was time to think of visiting a warmer climate. In January '05, my wife and I flew from Minneapolis to Malta via London. We purchased two separate tickets for the trip,...

Paris hotel + museums.
February 1, 2006... A 3-night "Discover + museums Paris Museum" package at the 4-star Ambassador Hotel in Paris costs $725 and gives guests more than 40% off rack rates through 2006. Also included are two Paris Museum Cards good for three consecutive days at...

Malaysia.(Candid appraisals of group tours)
February 1, 2006... Eldertreks (597 Markham St., Toronto, ON M6G 2L7, Canada; phone 800/741-7956 or visit www.eldertreks.com) hosted my 20-day trip to BORNEO, Malaysia. It cost $2,195, not including international air; my total airfare from Denver was $1,461. ...

Lebanon, Syria and Jordan.(Candid appraisals of group tours)
February 1, 2006... The tour was labeled "Grand Tour of the Middle East" and that it was. Offered by the British company Explore Worldwide (in the U.S., book through Adventure Center, 1311 63rd St., Ste. 200, Emeryvilie, CA 94608; phone 800/227-8747 or visit...

Greece.(Candid appraisals of group tours)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... Joyce Helfand of OPA Tours Greece (137 Genoa St., Ste. B, Arcadia, CA 91006; phone 800/672-7155 or visit www.greecetravel.com/opa) usually conducts only two tours a year, one in May and one in October, and limits her tours to 20 people or...

India.(Candid appraisals of group tours)
February 1, 2006... We've wandered much of the world since retirement, usually independently and on a modest budget. We decided to take the "Heart of India" tour from Overseas Adventure Travel (One Broadway, Ste. 600, Cambridge, MA 02142; phone 800/955-1925 or...

Turkey.(Candid appraisals of group tours)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... On our "Mini Tour 1" of Turkey with Pacha Tours (5757 Wilshire Blvd., Ste. 645, Los Angeles, CA 90036; phone 800/722-4288 or visit www.pachatours.com), we flew from London to Istanbul on April 15, '05, and returned April 25. The land price...

Panama--look at you now!(Cover Story)
February 1, 2006... She was there waiting for us when we landed at Panama's Tocumen International Airport. Maria was no longer the 22-year-old newly minted schoolteacher who visited us 35 years before as part of an exchange program; she was now a 57-year-old woman...

'World phones'.(Global System for Mobiles)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... Cell phones from the United States usually don't work overseas because when wireless technologies were being created, the U.S. used systems that were incompatible with those in the rest of the world, which opted for a single standard called GSM...

Three unusual islands.(Travelers' Intercom: Readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)
February 1, 2006... My friend Edith Ann Pazmino and I took an adventure that included three unusual islands between Asia and Australia, July 625, '05. Our 20-day trip took us from San Francisco to Hong Kong, Hainan Island (in the South China Sea), Singapore, Perth...

Confounded by Coptic community of Cairo.(Traveler's Intercom: Readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)
February 1, 2006... Having made several past visits to tourist areas of Egypt and the Sinai, on our March '05 trip my husband and I decided to explore the Coptic aspect of Cairo. The Copts are the only Egyptian Christians. They believe that St. Mark...

Provence dining and more.(Travelers' Intercom: Readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)
February 1, 2006... We had a 2-week stay in Provence, Oct. 5-19, '05, with Idyll, Ltd. (Box 405, Media, PA 19063; phone 888/868-6871 or visit www.untours.com). We stayed in Velorgues, France, in the Oasis 2 apartment, a luxurious 2-bedroom rental with dishwasher,...

Dining in Brittany.(Travelers' Intercom: Readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)
February 1, 2006... After a tour of Greece in late June '05, my wife, Dorothy, and I stopped in Brittany, France, to visit our daughter who resides in the small city of Douarnenez, which at one time was the sardine capital of Europe. We had the opportunity to try...

Pad of greenbacks.(Travelers' Intercom: Readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... Before I leave on an extended tour, I' stop at a bank and get a pack of new one-dollar bills. They come 100 to a bundle a little over an inch thick. I then take this pack to a local print shop which prepares business forms and ask them to...

Trusting merchant in B.A.(Travelers' Intercom: Reader's opinions, tips & recommendations)(Buenos Aires, Argentina)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... My wife, Barbara, and I have been traveling the world for over 30 years, and I thought I had heard and seen it all. On our visit to Buenos Aires, Argentina, in September '05, we wandered into a classy leather shop in the San Tehno district,...

Rubbing elbows with the locals.(Travelers' Intercom: Reader's opinions, tips & recommendations)(digital photography in Italy)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... RUBBING ELBOWS WITH THE LOCALS--Digital photography beats film in lots of ways. Still, there's "lag time," that delay after you press the digital camera's shutter button but before the picture is recorded. On my camera, the recording process...

Happy cruising ahead for 2006 and 2007.(The Cruising World)
February 1, 2006... Happy cruising ahead for 2006 and 2007 Cruising is looking good for 2006 and 2007. The cruise industry appears set to boom over the next two years, due to continuing economic prosperity worldwide; the aging of the world population and the...

English lakes walking tour.(Tours: a selection of escorted tours)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... ENGLISH LAKES WALKING TOUR--7 days/6 nights. Highlights: From Manchester, take a nature walk with flora and fauna expert Michael Porter/explore Brantwood House in Coniston, former home of art critic John Ruskin/walk the Langdale Fell/walk...

Yoga in the Umbrian countryside.(Tours: a selection of escorted tours)
February 1, 2006... YOGA IN THE UMBRIAN COUNTRYSIDE--Classes and excursions in ITALY'S Tiberina Valley, May 20-27, 2006. Highlights: Stay in Locando del Gallo, a 12th-century country home/ daily Vinyasa yoga classes with Laura Downing/explore Assisi, Corciano,...

Paddle the inland sea of Japan.(Tours: a selection of escorted tours)(H2Outfitters)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... PADDLE THE INLAND SEA OF JAPAN--The cultural beauty of Japan plus moderate-level kayaking on 9-day tour. Instruction supplied; guides accompany different activity-level groups. May 27-June 8 and Oct. 21-29, 2006. Highlights: In Kyoto and...

"In the footsteps of Mandela.".(Tours: a selection of escorted tours)
February 1, 2006... "IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF MANDELA"--11 days' SOUTH AFRICA. Highlights: In and around Cape Town, visit Cape Peninsula, Robben Island and locals in townships/"Walk to Freedom" excursion explores S.A.'s ethnic heritage and post-Apartheid...

Colonial Ecuador & Galapagos.(Tours: a selection of escorted tours)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... COLONIAL ECUADOR & GALAPAGOS--9-day tour/ cruise. Highlights: Three nights in Quito; explore the city, visit the equatorial monument/fly to Galapagos for 4-night cruise aboard Santa Cruz/view wildlife on Bartolome, Santa Cruz, San Salvador,...

"Fodor's India.".(Book Review)
February 1, 2006... "Fodor's India," edited by Diane Mehta (2005, Fodor's Travel Publications/Random House, Inc. ISBN 1400013127--620 pp., $23.95 paperback). Having returned in August '05 from an independently planned trip in the north of India, my husband...

"Ocean Cruising & Cruise Ships 2005.".
February 1, 2006... "Ocean Cruising & Cruise Ships 2005" by Douglas Ward (2005, Berlitz Publishing. ISBN 9812465103--656 pp., $23.95 paperback). If you've ever thought you'd like to cruise but haven't any idea what to expect on board a ship, this book is for...

Ask Steve.
February 1, 2006... STEVE, what have you found to be the best way to minimize the effects of jet lag?--Henry Ebbets, Prescott, AZ Dear Henry, I plan a full day's worth of activities in advance for my first day. Also, I sleep on the plane, eat little, avoid...

Where to look for authoritative medical information.(Medical websites)
February 1, 2006... "I have been bleeding from the gums for the past few days," my friend Audrey blurted out when I telephoned her. "You know I am taking the blood thinner warfarin, and my INR (a test to evaluate the effectiveness of blood-thinning medications)...

'Obtaining visas' follow-up.(Discerning Traveler)
February 1, 2006... In my May 2005 column, part two in the series "How to Obtain the Necessary Entry Visas," I mentioned that when ordering a new passport you will have to pay for shipping it both ways and for expediting service, if needed. Recently, I encountered...

Rick Steves' Europe[c]: offbeat Switzerland.
February 1, 2006... Crisscrossing Switzerland to update my guidebook, I was delighted by the diversity of experiences this little country has to offer. Here's a Swiss sampler for you to consider. Enjoy! Walk a ridge Perhaps the most glorious hike I've...

Genius map.
February 1, 2006... Accessible online is a free map that features 40 of England' s greatest heroes, pioneers and inventors--from the literary Bronte sisters to the scientist Sir Isaac Newton--and the places to visit that are connected with them. Pages are...

Latin America: destination: Lima.
February 1, 2006... When I arrived in Peru in mid-September 2005 for the "Latin America Travel Mart, Lima was in the last throes of winter. Spring was just one week away and temperatures were in the high 60s day, mid-50s evening. Limenos boast that rainfall...

Beautiful, historical Cordoba, Spain.(Timeless Roads of the Mideast & Mediterranean)
February 1, 2006... First impressions set the tenor of an adventure. The sky may have been overcast that day in April 2004, but I was immediately charmed by Cordoba, Spain, a historic city of three cultures. Our small van entered by crossing the Rio...

Picasso's 125th in Malaga.(Timeless Roads of the Mideast & Mediterranean)
February 1, 2006... In March 2006, Malaga, Spain, kicks off a full year of exhibitions and activities commemorating its most famous native son. For the 125th anniversary of Pablo Picasso's birth, the Museo Picasso Malaga will receive 29 new loans of paintings and...

London architecture.(Timeless Roads of the Mideast & Mediterranean)(Open House)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... Open House offers four tours of contemporary architecture in London on Saturday mornings: "The Square Mile (City of London)," "The West End--Power and Culture," "Docklands Regeneration" and "London Bankside." Tour times are 10 a.m.-1 p.m.....

The most luxurious train in the world.(Adventure Travel--for the Mildly Adventuresome)(Rovos Rail)
February 1, 2006... (Part 2 of 3 on South Africa) The luxury train Of the world's few "luxury trains," two are in South Africa and they follow similar itineraries. The Blue Train promises the pleasures of a modern 5-star hotel. In contrast, Rovos Rail...

Cape Town spa package.(The Twelve Apostles Hotel & Spa)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... With a minimum 3-night stay, the "Take Off to Cape Town" package includes luxurious accom modations; full English breakfast daily; choice of two spa treatments (full-body exfoliation; a Moya euphoric milk bath; a 60-minute Swedish or aroma...

Shanghai surprises and beyond.(China adventure)
February 1, 2006... (First of three parts) Since I had done some advance research, it is a fact that I had expected a lot from my initial exposure to Shanghai on my first visit to China, in November 2005. It is also a fact that my expectations were exceeded...