International Travel News articles from July 2001

International Travel News archives from July 2001

Boarding Pass.(letters)
July 1, 2001... Dear Globetrotter:. In November 1990 a few minutes before midnight -- and my birthday -- I flew out of Honolulu for Biak, Indonesia. Since we crossed the international date line in flight, my birthday ended up lasting only a few hours....

Jungle canopy to Inca ruins.(traveling to Peru and Brazil)
July 1, 2001... We were about to embark on an 8-day trip to Peru in September '00 with Big Five Tours & Expeditions. We would hit the highlights: the Amazon and the cities of Lima, Iquitos and Cuzco, continuing on to the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu. ...

Travelers' Intercom.(letters)
July 1, 2001... Short cuts in Paris My wife, Pam, and I have relied extensively on information from ITN readers. We would like to reciprocate by passing on a few tips from our March '01 trip to Paris. We could not believe the number of people waiting...

The Dordogne: France's river of history.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... France's Dordogne River cuts a winding swath through centuries of historical events -- even prehistory with caves and grottoes displaying evidence of the earliest presence of man on Earth. The steep cliffs that line the river are sprinkled...

ACCOMMODATIONS WORLDWIDE.(hotels, bed and breakfast directories)
July 1, 2001... Hotels * B&Bs * Homestays * Apartments 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 plus restaurants or sights nearby. Prices are those paid at the time of the...

Mongolia maintains its distinct culture.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... Mongolia, with its centuries-old horse-based culture; offers visitors a unique glimpse into history. Departing the capital city of Ulaan Baatar (Ulan Bator), you feel transported back in time. The country has survived Chinese conquest and...

Pakistan caution.(warning against travel)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... Information received by the U.S. Government suggests a continued need for vigilance on the part of American citizens resident in, or traveling through, Pakistan. Given the presence of international terrorist Usama Bin Ladin in neighboring...

Peru demonstrations.(state department issues warning to avoid any public demonstrations)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... At press time, Peru had planned to hold a runoff presidential election on June 3, 2001, and the new president was scheduled to be inaugurated July 28, 2001. Political rallies and demonstrations in Lima and other major cities will be common near...

Liberia travel warning.(political turmoil makes travel unsafe)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... The Department of State warns U.S. citizens against travel to Liberia. The security situation throughout the country remains unstable and hostilities in northern Liberia have intensified. The Department has prohibited dependents from...

Robberies in St. Martin.(West Indians island)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... In April 2001, following a series of robberies on the island, the French government sent 21 French police officers to St. Martin in the West Indies to thwart crime. The officers bolstered two similar groups that had been dispatched to the...

Bellinzona's castles chosen by UNESCO.(town in Switzerland)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... The three castles and fortifications of the market town of Bellinzona, in the Swiss canton of Ticino, have been named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. It is an honor shared by three other. Swiss monumental complexes: the old town of Bern, the...

World Heritage Sites in Korea.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... Two attractions in Korea have been added to UNESCO's list of World Heritage Sites: the entire Gyeongju Historic Area as well as Korea's dolman sites, located in the towns of Gochang, Hwasun and Ganghwa. The Gyeongju area preserves...

Denmark's heritage.(Kongernes Jelling museum)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... The village of Jelling is located on Denmark's Jutland Peninsula. On Dec. 3, '00, the museum Kongernes Jelling (Royal Jelling) opened, focusing on Jelling's role as the birthplace of Denmark as a nation. Two runestones erected in Jelling...

Macau museum passes.(Government Tourist Office issues new passes)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... The Macau Government Tourist Office (MGTO) has announced a special pass for entry to six museums: the Grand Prix Museum, Wine Museum, Museum of Macau, Maritime Museum, Lin Zexu Museum and the Macau Museum of Art. The pass, is valid for five...

Incheon airport guide map.(South Korean airport)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... Korea's new Incheon International Airport (IIA) has released a guide map for visitors. It features an area freeway map, an airport site plan, a list of airlines and telephone numbers, and detailed arrival and departure information. It also...

NZ -- a very accommodating place.(New Zealand)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... It had been 11 years since my last visit to New Zealand when I saw a Qantas ad for a bargain airfare at an unbelievable price of $888. Unfortunately, they were fully booked for the dates I wanted, so I called South Pacific Travel Shop...

Children's Club at San Roque Club, Spain.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... The San Roque Club, a destination resort in Spain's Andalucia, has added a Children's Club. Set on 340 acres in southwest Spain (30 minutes from Gibraltar and an hour from Malaga airport), the club's 100 private suites are clustered in...

Candid appraisals of group tours.(letters)
July 1, 2001... The following are candid appraisals of some of the tours of or including THAILAND that ITN readers have taken in the last year or so. When writing to ITN about a tour, please include the ADDRESS and/or phone number of the tour company plus...

The Lucerne Festival and the Palace Luzern.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... The biggest names in classical music participate in the Lucerne Festival (formerly called the International Festival of Music), which takes place this year Aug. 14-Sept. 17 with performances each night at the Culture & Convention Center. ...

The Baltic and Norway on back-to-back cruises.(service by Orient lines)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... Cruising the Baltic and beyond was a great way to spend 18 days in August 2000. Orient Lines is the company; our ship was the 848-passenger Marco Polo. What we did was sail east on the Baltic and sample Estonia and Russia, on the way...

Red Cross.
July 1, 2001... Another idea perhaps worth considering -- if you, like me, don't wear your fur coat anymore, take it on your next trip to a cold country and leave it at a Red Cross or other charity.

Restaurante Cevicheria Puntarenas.(Peru)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... Restaurante Cevicheria Puntarenas (Calle Santa Teresa 455, Chorrillos, Lima, Peru; phone 467-0053 or fax [51-1] 251-6952). If you love fish and everything from the ocean, this is the place -- fabulous food and cheap. Our group of 10 paid about...

Britain travel info and savings coupons.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... BritRail's 112-page "Best of Britain" guide, endorsed by the British Tourist Authority, provides information about classic tourist destinations as well as the newest attractions. It is supplemented with detailed maps (London's fashionable Bond...

Stansted Express 2-for-1 offer.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... Joining the Heathrow Express and Gatwick Express in Britain's lineup of convenient airport-to-city-center trains is the Stansted Express, the 40-minute nonstop rail service operating every 15 minutes between Stansted Airport and London's...

Australia independently.(plan a trip via the Internet)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... If you have plenty of time and an equal amount of patience and enjoy surfing the Web, you'll be able to plan an independent trip to Australia via the Internet. My husband, Bill, did just that -- booking 19 nights in 13 accommodations and...

All Aboard!(the Royal Scotsman train)
July 1, 2001... Royal Scotsman takes North Highland Line (Second of two parts) It didn't sound like much, the Highlands Wildlife Park, but for me the Royal Scotsman's morning visit was the top excursion of our 4-day deluxe rail cruise. The Royal...

Stone museum in Korea.(Sejoong Stone Museum)(South Korea)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... The only Korean museum of its kind, the Sejoong Stone Museum opened its doors to the public June 2000 in Yongin, located 40 minutes from Seoul. This outdoor museum, laid out over 175,000 square feet, is home to more than 10,000 stone...

Fred. Olsen Line's introductory savings.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... Fred. Olsen Line's newest addition, the former "Crown Dynasty" -- renamed the Braemar -- sets sail on Aug. 11 after a $75 million refurbishment for a busy schedule of European sailings running through the year. The good news for cruisers...

'Water excursions' offered by Crystal.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... Crystal Cruises has developed an alternative to the traditional cruise-ship shore excursion: "water excursions." The luxury line is offering a variety of aquatic adventures -- such as submarine expeditions, jungle river kayaking, dolphin swims,...

"IRELAND -- THE RING OF KERRY".(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... Highlights of this 6-night walking tour include a visit to the birthplace of the Irish patriot Daniel O'Connell, a walk along the 16th-century Kenmare Track to Windy Gap, the town of Kenmare, the 16th-century gardens of King Oozy, a megalithic...

"HIKING ITALY'S TUSCANY".(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... This 9-day walking tour, Oct. 8-16, '01, begins in Florence, then heads for the hills of the Mugello region for a week of challenging hikes. See the frescoes at the convent of La Maddalena, then set off to II Pratone for a ridge hike to...

"DISCOVERING EASTERN EUROPE".(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... "DISCOVERING EASTERN EUROPE" -- a 17-day cultural and historic tour of POLAND, HUNGARY, AUSTRIA and the CZECH REPUBLIC. Visit Auschwitz and the former concentration camp at Birkenau, plus Krakow, which survived WWII intact. In Vienna,...

"BRUSHES WITH INNER JAPAN".(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... This 15-day tour, Oct. 6-20, '01, focuses on the influence of traditional Japanese arts and philosophy on Japan today. Beginning in Tokyo, learn of Zen meditation, practice flower arranging visit Tsukiji Market, the largest fish market in...

"Spirit of Andalusia".(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... SPAIN -- 10-day "Spirit of Andalusia" through southern SPAIN. Two nights in Cordoba; visit the Great Mosque and the Jewish Quarter. Visit Granada. Two nights in Ronda; option of seeing the medieval and 18th-century sections or joining a...

Shanghai and Suzhou.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... CHINA -- 17-day tour includes Beijing (Great Wall, Forbidden City and Summer Palace), Xi'an (Terra Cotta Warriors), Sichuan province (panda preserve), Guilin (limestone cliffs of the Li River and the traditional Zhuang and Yao people); Shanghai...

"Provence and the Cote d'Azur".
July 1, 2001... "Provence and the Cote d'Azur" by Andrew Sanger (2000, A Signpost Guide from Thomas Cook Publishers, Thorpe Wood, Peterborough, PE3 6PU, U.K. ISBN 0-7627-0687-2 -- $22.95, 288 pgs.). I was anxious to see and review this book, because this...

The Discerning Traveler.(Part three of four)
July 1, 2001... Impressions of China (by e-mail) (Part three of four) October 16, 2000 Dear children: Our sightseeing today was terrific. Of course, it helped that the sun was shining, for the first time in a week and that the temperature...

Rick Steves' Europe[c].
July 1, 2001... Europe's best coastal hideaways Any European destination touted as a "last undiscovered tourist frontier" no longer is. The beaches of your dreams survive, but their names have been changed to protect their innocence. Trade Torremolinos...

European Potpourri.
July 1, 2001... Modern Vienna Two of the landmarks left by artist/architect Frederick Hundertwasser that you can see in visiting Vienna -- the Hundertwasser House (the tour bus stops here) in Vienna's third district and the Spittelau incinerator in the...

Africa.(Mount Kenya Safari Club)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... What's new in Africa? How about an Irish pub on the equator, diving to see Cleopatra's submerged palace, and taking a look at some new, fancy lodgings at Victoria Falls. Here are some flashes. Irish pub opens on equator KENYA -- The...

Timeless Roads of the Mideast & Mediterranean.(Iran)(Part 2 of 5)
July 1, 2001... Iran today Kerman, a remote city in Iran's South (Part 2 of-5) The city of Kerman is isolated, located 700 miles southeast of Tehran. As such, tourists often miss a cosmopolitan city and an area dotted with ancient monuments of...

FOCUS ON ARCHAEOLOGY.(Spain)
July 1, 2001... The 'ladies of Madrid' and other remnants of the past Madrid is blessed with dozens of sights to delight the first-time visitor -- or one like me who has visited and revisited the city at least half a dozen times over the past three...

Kilroy Was Here!(honeymoons)
July 1, 2001... Honeymoon... There are those who will tell you that "honeymoon" got its name in Ireland. In days long gone, to increase their chances for marital happiness, custom required Irish newlyweds to toast their nuptials with mead for one full...

Easter Island + Tahiti + Moorea.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... Tahiti Vacations is offering an 8-night Easter Island/Tahiti/Moorea package from $1,999. Going to Easter Island involves a 5-hour flight from Tahiti. Round-trip air from Los Angeles to Tahiti is provided on Air Tahiti Nui and between...

Paris + Nice.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... Kingdom Vacations has combined Paris and the French Riviera into a 7-day package priced at $476 to $496 per person, double occupancy, through Oct. 31; the lower rate is in effect July 1-Aug. 26. The basic package provides 3-night stays at...

Halloween in a haunted house.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... With Country Cottages, you can spend Halloween in a haunted house. In fact, if a ghost doesn't appear during your stay, the company will refund $100 per person. The haunted houses -- cottages, manor houses, mansions and castles -- are in...

Three generations house party.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... Country. Cottages is introducing a one-week house party in Britain for a family of six -- grandparents, children and grandchildren -- at $4,594 to $6,794, which covers transatlantic flights for all six along with a 3-bedroom cottage and two...

Throw a wingding at Amberley Castle.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... Planning a wedding? Exclusive use of the 900-year-old Amberley Castle in southern England costs [pound]6,000 (approximately $8,730) per day, Monday-Thursday, or [pound]7,500 ($10,910) per day, Saturday, Sunday and bank holiday Mondays....

St. Barts hotel jet ski package.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... Hotel Guanahani, located on the island of St. Barts, French West Indies, is offering a "Romance on the Waves" package. It includes seven nights' accommodation; five 2-hour jet ski excursions with France speed champion Jean Christophe...

NZ adventure, horseback safari.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... Tailored Travel has combined a 3-day horseback-riding safari with a 7-day tour in South Island, New Zealand. It's designed "for anyone with average fitness and a level of skill in riding a horse." Tour Christchurch and see a show of...

Plan a trip to Germany with your mouse.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... Along with its main website, www.germany-tourism.de, the German National Tourist Board has created an additional section, www.visits-to-germany.com, designed specifically for U.S. travelers. The new division is equipped with its own search...

Book B&Bs online.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... International Bed and Breakfast Pages (IBBP) now is capable of offering travelers online reservations directly from their website, www.ibbp.com. Originally conceived as a starting point for travelers seeking to compare accommodations...

Know your menus and foods overseas.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... With the "Eat Smart" series of books, you'll be able to decipher a menu overseas with confidence and shop or browse the food markets with greater knowledge. To date, the cuisines of Brazil, Turkey, Indonesia, Poland and Mexico have been...

New perspective on beer.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... After having een closed for more than eight months, the Heineken Museum in Amsterdam reopened on May 22, 2001. The museum not only underwent major renovations but changed its name to The Heineken Experience. Visitors can take a close look,...

AVIGNON.(Palais des Papes (Popes' Palace) in Avignon, France.)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... On a trip to Europe in September 1998, we visited the Palais des Papes (Popes' Palace) in Avignon, France. We entered the palace, paid our charges and were furnished with a couple of listening devices that could be turned on at special places...