International Travel News articles from July 2005

International Travel News archives from July 2005

Boarding pass.(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2005... Dear Globetrotter: Welcome to the 353rd issue of your monthly overseas travel magazine. UNESCO officials have recommended that the number of visitors to Machu Picchu be cut in half, and they are considering placing the site on its "at...

Hook me up--shopping for electronics.(Calling all readers)
July 1, 2005... For years, Hong Kong was the place to go if you wanted to purchase electronic goods. Is it still? Where have you found good bargains in quality electronics lately? Computers. Cell phones. TVs. Camcorders or digital cameras. Audio systems. If...

Travel tidbits.(Calling all readers)(Brief Article)(Column)
July 1, 2005... I visited Petra, Jordan, while on a cruise ship in 2000. You can travel through the Siq on foot or in a horse-drawn cart. Note the number of your cart to insure a return trip. If you choose to walk down the Siq and through Petra, then return to...

Celebrating the diversity of desert peoples at Tunisia's International Sahara Festival.
July 1, 2005... The oasis, of Douz in Tunisia lies in an uneasy balance with nature. A short nighttime walk outside town over the gently undulating dunes reveals a sky cluttered with the glitter of millions of stars. And yet those same dunes gently push...

Riding horses in Bali.(Travelers' Intercom: Readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... I spent three weeks in Bali with my husband in March '05, and one of my outstanding memories was riding horseback along the coast north of Sanur. I was picked up at my hotel in Sanur at 8:30 in the morning by a driver and taken to the Saba...

Set for Paris.(Travelers' Intercom: Readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... My husband and I had a week's vacation in Paris in March '05. For the second time in five years, we used Go-today.com for our travel arrangements. They offer a package with flight and six nights in a hotel plus breakfast for very reasonable...

Australian visas online.(Travelers' Intercom: Readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... I had seen a couple of mentions (Dec'. '01, pg. 33 & Feb. '02, pg. 111) about getting Australian visas electronically for a fee of $15 (visit www.eta.immi.gov.au). I don't mind paying the fee, but the website did not seem to me to be secure, as...

Peregrine voyager to Antarctica.(Travelers' Intercom: Readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)(Column)
July 1, 2005... My wife and I took an extensive cruise in February-March '05 that included Easter Island, northern Chile, Argentina (Buenos Aires) and finally Antarctica. Much has been written about Antarctica, and we reiterate what almost everyone reports:...

Enjoy horchata.(Travelers' Intercom: Readers' opinions, tips and recommendations)(Brief Article)(Column)
July 1, 2005... My wife and I took a short holiday in the Valencia region of Spain in September '04 and bring good news for those suffering from cholesterol problems! Let me introduce you to a popular drink called horchata. This drink is based on the...

Funniest thing.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... 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...

Guatemala bandits.(News Watch)(crimes against foreigners)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... The State Department warns that, although most travelers visit Guatemala without mishap, violent criminal activity on the highways continues, and the number of armed robberies on city streets and in private homes is increasing. Crimes against...

Colombia dangers.(News Watch)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... The Department of State reminds U.S. citizens of the dangers of travel to Colombia. Violence by narcoterrorist groups and other criminal elements continues to affect all parts of the country, urban and rural, as well as border areas. Citizens...

Uzbekistan concerns.(News Watch)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... The United States Government has received information that terrorist groups may be planning attacks against U.S. Government or private interests in Uzbekistan in the near future. Supporters of extremist groups remain active in the region. ...

Central Asia alert.(News Watch)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... The U.S. Government continues to receive information that terrorist groups in Central Asia may be planning attacks in the region, possibly against Americans or American facilities. Previous terrorist attacks conducted in Central Asia have...

Burma bombings.(News Watch)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... The Department of State recommends that U.S. citizens traveling in Burma (Myanmar) exercise extreme caution in public places. On May 7, 2005, three large bombs exploded simultaneously in Rangoon, at two crowded shopping areas frequented by...

Sabah kidnap threat.(News Watch)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... The State Department warns that there are indications of continued planning of kidnappings, including of foreigners, in the coastal areas of eastern Sabah, Malaysia. Several kidnappings and piracy incidents have occurred in this area, most...

Crime in Nigeria.(News Watch)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... The Department of State continues to warn U.S. citizens that 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...

Meningitis in Delhi.(News Watch)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... According to the World Health Organization (WHO), from March 29 to May 13, 2005; 214 cases of meningococcal disease--including 16 deaths--occurred in Delhi, India. The majority of cases and deaths have reportedly been in young adults who are...

Current warnings.(travel warnings on 27 destinations)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... As ITN went to press, the State Department had travel warnings on 27 destinations: Haiti, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Yemen, Colombia, Lebanon, Central African Republic, Israel/West Bank/Gaza, CongoKinshasa, Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan,...

Frauenkirche.(Travel briefs)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... On Oct. 30, 2005, Dresden will consecrate the Frauenkirche, the Church of Our Lady, which fell during the firebombing in February 1945. In Neumarkt Square, a brass band will play at 9 a.m., with a solemn service starting at 10. Expect long...

Tuscan Sun Festival.(Travel briefs)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... The 2005 Tuscan Sun Festival, Aug. 5-20, 2005, in Cortona, Italy, presents orchestral performances, recitals, art exhibits, culinary delights, a day-long wine festival and more. For tickets (35 [euro]-100 [euro]), call 212/994-3537 or, in...

Flanders Festival.(Travel briefs)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... The Flanders Festival International, May through November, offers 150 concerts in abbeys, cathedrals and city halls throughout Flanders. Write for festival info at Kasteel Borluut, Kleine Gentstraat 46, 9051 Gent, Belgium; phone +32 9 243 94...

Panamarenko.(Travel briefs)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... The first complete retrospective of the works of contemporary artist, engineer, poet, physicist and inventor Panamarenko is taking place at the Royal Museums of Fine Arts in Brussels, Sept. 30, 2005-Jan. 15, 2006. It includes drawings,...

Thalys half fare.(Travel briefs)
July 1, 2005... One-way full-fare tickets on most routes on the high-speed Thalys train connecting Paris-Brussels-Amsterdam-Cologne are on sale from Rail Europe at 50% off the normal price if booked before Aug. 15 for travel to be completed by Aug. 31, 2005....

'Luxury Escapes'.(Travel briefs)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... Available until a Sept. 10, 2005, at more than 100 InterContinental Hotels & Resorts properties globally, Luxury Escapes program rates are as low as $89 per room per night, plus tax, including breakfast and late checkout. A 5-day advance...

China Southern offers.(Travel briefs)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... Through Oct. 2005, China Southern Airlines passengers traveling in either Premium Business or Premium Economy and originating from Los Angeles International Airport will receive a free round-trip, Economy Class ticket from Baiyun International...

Tokyo tuna auction tourist ban.(Travel briefs)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... Tourists have been banned from the tuna auction in Tokyo, Japan, that takes place daily from 4 to 6 a.m. Camera flashes were making it difficult for locals to see the numbers, and some visitors got injured by the large hooks that hold frozen...

Succumbing to the lure of Italy.
July 1, 2005... Since I'm the consummate Francophile, I didn't think any other country could lure me the way France does, but when Italy called, I'm awfully glad I answered, "Pronto." We decided to keep it simple: to include only Rome, Venice and...

Handicapped put off ship.(Travelers' Intercom: Readers' opinions, tips and recommendations)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2005... My wife and I were passengers on a River Explorer cruise, beginning in Bucharest on Sept. 1, '04, and scheduled to end in Amsterdam on Sept. 25, with Vantage Deluxe World Travel. Half-way through the trip, when the ship arrived in Vienna late...

Too few to process visas in Brazilian port.(Travelers' Intercom: Readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2005... My traveling companion and I were on a cruise aboard the Pacific Princess, Sept. 22-Nov. 19, '04, with a stop at Fortaleza, Brazil, on Oct. 2. As required, we had to go through Immigration. Three people came on board to process 400-plus...

Analyzing credit card 'rewards'.(Travelers' Intercom: Readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2005... A reader mailed ITN a copy of a letter sent to Capital One Services on Nov. 18, '04, as follows. I recently received a mail solicitation from Capital One stating that I had been chosen for an offer for a new kind of rewards card, the...

Cyprus: waiting for discovery.(Travelers' Intercom: Readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)
July 1, 2005... My wife and I, seeking an unusual destination, decided to go to Cyprus, March 11-18, '05. Cyprus is an island of great beauty that combines Roman ruins, the sea and mountains. We took a package with Amelia International (176 Woodbury Rd.,...

Accolades for Rothschild.(Travelers' Intercom: Readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2005... I read the article on visiting Southern Africa during the rainy season (Jan. '05, pg. 36). The writer's trip was arranged by Leora Rothschild of Rothschild Safaris (1685 S. Colorado Blvd. #197, Denver, CO 80222; phone 800/405-9463 or visit www....

Grim impression of Ethiopia.(Travelers' Intercom: Readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2005... I returned from a 3-week tour of Ethiopia on Feb. 7, '05. Imagine my surprise the next morning to find that a featured article (Feb. '05, pg. 52) in my new ITN was about the Omo Valley, where I had just spent a week. My travel reservations...

Eye-opening Ethiopia.(Travelers' Intercom: Readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2005... I made my second visit to Ethiopia, Jan. 10-24, '05. My first was in 1995, a 6-day stopover to the historic north on my way to Yemen. This time I went on a 3-week "Explore Ethiopia In Depth" trip with the first-rate Spiekermann Travel Service...

EXPO 2005 Aichi, Japan.(Travelers' Intercom: Readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2005... Nestled in the hills outside of Nagoya, Honshu Island, Japan--and running through Sept. 25 of this year--the 21st century's first international exposition, EXPO 2005 Aichi, is crawling with robots: a marching Dixieland band, a Tyrannosaurus...

Palate pleasers in Athens.(Travelers' Intercom: Readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2005... My wife and I dined at the following restaurants in Athens, Greece, in February '05. * The restaurant Alexander the Great (3, Meg. Alexandrou Str.) is just off Karaiskaki Square where the Metaxourghion metro station is located. The...

Till the cows come home.(Travelers' Intercom: Readers', opinions, tips & recommendations)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2005... On a trip my wife, Judy, and I made to Europe with our friends Carol and Jack McClure in September '04, we rented a 5-passenger VW Passat in Frankfurt ($975 for three weeks). As we drove through scenic Austria, we stopped at the village of...

From reefs to treetops, finding thrills in Roatan.
July 1, 2005... Roatan, a well-known destination in the scuba diving community, is an undiscovered jewel in most other circles. Part of Honduras' Bay Islands chain, which consists of three islands and 60 islets and cayes, Roatan is the largest island, situated...

The area around Connemara National Park, Ireland, is a photographer's paradise.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... The area around Connemara National Park, Ireland, is a photographer's paradise. Sheep graze on the mountainsides and streams cascade down to the verdant bogs where many plant species grow. In particular, we were impressed by the purple and...

A novel approach to travel.
July 1, 2005... ITN subscriber David Glass of Laree, Alsace, France, suggested that readers name which novels motivated them to travel to particular countries. Last month we printed lists of books that readers said inspired them to travel somewhere in Europe....

Europe.(Accommodations Worldwide: Hotels * B&Bs * Homestays * Apartments)
July 1, 2005... 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...

Pleasant surprises on a carefully planned stay in Japan.
July 1, 2005... Japan is a land of contrasts: temples and technology, kimonos and karaoke, Buddhas and baseball... My wife and I have always thought we would like to visit Japan, but we had heard stories about high prices and difficulties getting around...

Turkey.(Tour review snippets)
July 1, 2005... Presented here are "snippets" from tour review write-ups which, due to space considerations, we were unable to include in past issues of ITN. We are printing the key descriptions readers used in telling how well a company ran a tour as well as...

Travel news to go.
July 1, 2005... Do you have a great friend who is a joy to go out to dinner with? You know, the one who will let you know which dishes are really good at a restaurant and which ones are not worth ordering? Someone who has great stories and is also a good...

Woodlock prints, Japan.(Travel briefs)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... The only museum in the world that features a permanent exhibition of Kamigata ukiyoe, or Kamigata woodbock prints, is located in Chuo Ward of Osaka City, Japan. Kamigata ukiyoe were printed and sold in Kamigata (the popular way of...

Touring and tasting along the Wine Route of Alsace.
July 1, 2005... It quickly becomes apparent, upon arrival, why France and Germany have fought over the boundary lines of the region in France known as Alsace. Here you will find some of the gentlest riesling and finest pinot wines produced anywhere. Add to...

Visiting can help Sri Lanka recover.(Travelers' Intercom: Readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)
July 1, 2005... December 26, 2004, is a day Sri Lankans will not forget in a hurry. In fact, it might take a couple of generations, considering the number of children left without parents because of the devastating tsunami. Places with names like Weligama,...

NZ's Bay of Plenty.(Travelers' Intercom: Readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2005... If you've never been to New Zealand, you really need to go. Those wonderful stories about the place are all true. If you've already gone, chances are you didn't visit the North Island's Bay of Plenty. Not a lot of people do. Stuck up in the...

South Island guide.(Travelers' Intercom: Readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2005... In New Zealand, the word "brilliant" is used frequently as an adjective, as in, "brilliant food, brilliant view, brilliant idea." My husband and I spent two weeks in South Island in March-April '05. Our driver/guide, Malcolm Latta, was...

A wonderful resource on Rome.(Travelers' Intercom: Readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2005... In December '04 we visited Rome for the first time. Prior to leaving home. we booked two half-day "courses" with IDC Rome, Institute of Design & Culture (in the U.S., leave voice mail at 214/853-5603 [we did not use this], e-mail...

Know your Czech.(Travelers' Intercom: Readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2005... Our Czech daughter-in-law, Iveta, was most concerned to read of the reply made by the guide to Mary Anne DeBriyn's pleasant greeting of "Tesi me," which is quite correct (May '05, pg. 56). The Czech phrase for "Will you sleep with me?" is...

Romania and Poland.(Travelers' Intercom: Readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)(Correction Notice)
July 1, 2005... CORRECTIONS--I'm sorry to say there were two typos in my letter about our September '04 trip to Romania and Poland (April '05, pg. 35). Note the following. The correct e-mail address for AKS Tours' Costela Petcu, who made our arrangements...

Meenakshi Temple near Madurai, India, is an outstanding sight.(Travelers' Intercom: Readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2005... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: Meenakshi Temple near Madurai, India, is an outstanding sight. Sri Meenakshi, one of the names by which Shiva's consort is known, is the protective goddess of the city, which we visited in November-December...

Re altitude sickness.(Travelers' Intercom: Readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2005... Only those who have witnessed Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) will fully appreciate Dr. Larry Baratta's May '05 "Travel & Health" column on that subject. I've observed its debilitating effects twice: in an elderly man crossing from Pakistan into...

Pay it or lug it.(Travelers' Intercom: Readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2005... In April '05 I returned from Gatwick Airport, London, to Newark International as I have for several years, twice a year. Please be informed that travelers arriving at Newark now must pay $3 for the use of a luggage cart. Needless to say, I saw...

Belize car rental snag.(Travelers' Intercom: Readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2005... I was in the process of reserving a rental car through the Avis international desk for a May '05 Belize trip when I was asked my age. I was then told that their policy is to rent cars only to people between the ages of 21 and 65. I happen...

Wieliczka.(Travelers' Intercom: Readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2005... The Wieliczka Salt Mine (www.kopalniawieliczka.pl/english) in Poland is still a working mine, but not the part where tourists are allowed. The section we saw on our trip in August '97 is a museum with figures carved in salt. There are two...

Travel clubs bulletin board.
July 1, 2005... Travel clubs bulletin board * We would like to start a travel club in LAS VEGAS, Nevada. We are not travel agents, just world travelers wanting to meet and exchange information with others also interested in traveling. Any interested...

The cruising world: sail a tall ship to adventure.(Column)
July 1, 2005... (First of two parts) Cruise ships are wonderful, but there is one thing that is better: sailing a real tall ship. What's the attraction? Well, how about true adventure, real sailing, living the history that most people just see on TV,...

"Matchmaking festival in Ireland".(Tours: A selection of escorted tours)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... "MATCHMAKING FESTIVAL IN IRELAND"--Seven nights, Sept. 25-Oct. 3, 2005. Singles in their 30s, 40s preferred. Highlights: In Dublin, Trinity College, Book of Kells, Guinness Storehouse/Galway/Cliffs of Moher/ Killarney/Ring of Kerry/Taylor's...

"Loire Valley & Royal Chateaux".(Tours: A selection of escorted tours)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... "LOIRE VALLEY & ROYAL CHATEAUX"--5-day/4-night tour in FRANCE, Oct. 1-5, 2005. Highlights: Daily balloon flights over the Loire Valley/explore 16th-century Chateau Chenonceau on the River Cher/royal castle of Amboise and Clos Luce, the...

"Traditional Japan".(Tours: A selection of escorted tours)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... "TRADITIONAL JAPAN"--13 days, Oct. 8-20, 2005. Limit, 12 participants. Highlights: In Kyoto, 13th-century Sanjusangendo Hall with its 1,001 wooden statues of Kannon/Kiyomizu Temple, built in 778, home of Hosso Buddhism/in Yamoto, cable car...

"Heart of Amazonia".(Tours: A selection of escorted tours)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... "HEART OF AMAZONIA"--Eight nights on motor yacht Tucano exploring Amazon rainforest in BRAZIL with trained naturalists. Good health is necessary. Highlights: Cruise up the Rio Negro through Anavilhanas Archipelago/view pink river dolphins,...

Fodor's African Safari.(traveler's guide)(Book Review)
July 1, 2005... "Fodor's African Safari" (2004, Fodor's LLC, Fodor's Travel Publications. ISBN 1400012341--190 pp., $9.95 paper). This guidebook's focus is how to choose big-game adventures in East or Southern Africa. However, its maps, organization,...

The Rough Guide to Tanzania.(Book Review)
July 1, 2005... "The Rough Guide to Tanzania" (2003, Rough Guides Ltd./ Penguin Putnam. ISBN 1858287839--784 pp., $22.95 paper). This first edition for Tanzania offers extremely comprehensive information from multiple perspectives: cultural, historical and...

Book drawing.
July 1, 2005... Since ITN readers are among the most-experienced travelers, we'd like your no-holds-barred reviews of some of the latest travel books. If you recently have been to or soon are going to the destination written about in one of the books...

Teddy summer.(Travel briefs)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... Throughout Zurich until Sept. 18, 2005, hundreds of artistically decorated, almost human-size teddy bears can be seen. For info on a 2-hour tour (CHF20, or $17.50) Thursday-Sunday at 4 p.m. (except Aug. 13), phone Zurich Tourismus at +41 44 215...

Avoiding diarrhea.(Travel & health)
July 1, 2005... The common medical ailment associated with travel to developing countries is, as travelers to Mexico refer to it, "Montezuma's Revenge." Montezuma's Revenge affects 20% to 50% of travelers worldwide. According to the Centers for Disease...

The discerning traveler: car rentals and leases for the young at heart.(upper age limits)
July 1, 2005... (First of three parts) "You are too old," the representative said bluntly. Moments earlier my wife, Flory, and I had arrived at Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv. When I protested to the rep, he retorted, "Just take the shuttle to the Hertz...

Lease an SUV in Europe.(Travel briefs)(Renault Eurodrive offers Nissan X-Trail sport utility vechicle for lease)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... Renault Eurodrive is now offering for short-term lease Nissan's state-of-the-art X-Trail, a 4-wheel-drive vehicle with all the comforts of a luxury model (including heated front seats 'and a cooled glove box) and the fuel economy of a compact....

Britain & Ireland: cruising Ireland's Shannon River.(Shannon River)
July 1, 2005... "There is nothing--absolutely nothing--half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats." --Kenneth Grahame, "The Wind in the Willows" I spent a week in September '04 self-cruising up Ireland's Shannon River, stopping each day...

Rick Steves' Europe[c]: euro news: from Wizz Air to pee pods.(Pee pods)
July 1, 2005... When traveling in Europe, I always take notes on the latest news and trends. Here's my report to you. Churchill gets a new museum The Cabinet War Rooms--from where Churchill led the fight against the Nazi air raids in the darkest days...

Love it or leave it.(Travel briefs)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... On Aug. 1 3, 2005, a Street Parade in Zurich, Switzerland, advocating love, peace, freedom, liberality and tolerance will attract hundreds of thousands of people along the lake promenades, in boats and on rooftop terraces to see Love Mobile...

Zurich night stroll.(Travel briefs)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... A new, 2-hour guided "Night-time Stroll" of Zurich's Old Town is offered on Fridays and Saturdays, May 6-Sept. 30, 2005 (no tour Aug. 13 due to Street Parade). Conducted in German and English, the tour starts at 8:15 p.m. (arrive 8:05),...

Latin America: Latin America watch.(Eco-Lodges)
July 1, 2005... According to tour operators and tour wholesalers serving Latin America, there has been an increase in leisure travel to this area. The demand for alternative foreign destinations has whet the traveler's appetite for soft adventure and...

Best of Costa Rica.(Travel briefs)(FlySouth Vacations.com)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... Through Nov. 30, 2005, FlySouth Vacations.com offers the 7-night "Best of Costa Rica" package, including round-trip airfare (prices start at $999 from Miami; $1,359 from Las Vegas or Sacramento, and $1,399 from Los Angeles or San Francisco);...

ZurichBREAK.(Travel briefs)(Zurich Tourism)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... Zurich Tourism has launched ZurichBREAK, an offer in which 12 hotels, from city center to lakeside, invite guests to book two nights and stay a third night for free. The offer is valid until Dec. 31, 2005, and restrictions apply. For info,...

Timeless roads of the Mideast & Mediterranean: the lonely desert castles of Jordan.
July 1, 2005... The Kingdom of Jordan may not have the oil wealth of its Middle East neighbors to its east. It does, however, have wonderful art and historical riches available now for ordinary travelers to view in this troubled area. Petra is certainly...

Beijing Med Tours.(Travel briefs)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... Beijing Med Tours reached an agreement with the Yan Huang Clinical Hospital in Beijing to open the facility to Westerners. At the hospital, participants of "Health Wellness" trips escorted by Dr. Richard Hoder can receive diagnosis and...

Adventure travel--for the mildly adventuresome: Bolivia, land of contrasts and mysteries.
July 1, 2005... (Second of two parts) La Paz La Paz is best remembered for great, inexpensive hotels, shopping bargains and streets of witch doctors. I found the most colorful and largest variety of shopping at the "witches' market" (Mercado de...

Walk trails in Britain.(Travel briefs)
July 1, 2005... From the Cotswolds to the Scottish highlands, walkers can discover some of Britain's literary heroes and historical legends on self-guided walking holidays with Sherpa Expeditions. There are graded walks to suit all levels. Prices start at...

Poet's home a hotel.(Travel briefs)(Wales, Regency villa in North)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... A Regency villa in North Wales which was home to the poet Percy Bysshe Shelley from 1812 to 1813 (he fled after being shot at) is now a small country house hotel. The house, its walled garden and grounds overlook the Glaslyn Estuary in the...

Report cards: on-the-spot reports from around the globe.
July 1, 2005... FIRST, FAST & FURIOUS--The following is a sampling of reports received from ITN readers around the globe. ITN invites you to join our corps of reporters--just drop a card in the mail while the travel impressions are fresh in your mind. To...