International Travel News articles from May 2000

International Travel News archives from May 2000

Boarding Pass.
May 1, 2000... Dear Globetrotter: In with last month's mail was this note from LaVerne Meyering: "In the 'Person to Person' section of the February issue you printed an inquiry for a South Africa trip I am anticipating in the fall. It was my first...

Japan -- it can be visited without busting the bank.
May 1, 2000... When I opened my mail one day near the end of last April, I noticed that Continental Airlines was offering its frequent flyers a round trip to Tokyo from any of the cities they serve in the 48 states for only 25,000 frequent-flyer miles. The...

Travelers' Intercom.
May 1, 2000... Swiss banknotes Since I travel every year in Austria and Switzerland, I have received several helpful tips from Lloyd McCune's column in ITN. When he reported in the January issue that Swiss banknotes issued in the '50s and before would be...

Incidents in Mali.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2000... On March 15, 2000, the U.S. Embassy in Bamako advised all U.S. citizens visiting or residing in Mali to avoid nonessential travel by road to and within the regions of Kidal, Gao and Tombouctou until further notice. A number of incidents of...

Nigeria unrest.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2000... Parts of Nigeria have recently suffered from ethnic-religious conflicts between Christians and Muslims. On Feb. 21 and 22, 2000, there were demonstrations and civil unrest in and around Kaduna City in north central Nigeria. Subsequent...

Watch mail in Ecuador.
May 1, 2000... The U.S. Embassy in Quito reported in March that a newly announced Marxist group, "The People's Liberation Army," had claimed responsibility for a series of package bombs and propaganda leaflets delivered through the Ecuadorian mail in late...

Scam in Kazakstan.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2000... Travelers to Kazakstan should be on the alert for a new scam at, Almaty Airport, the State Department warns. Men posing as greeters have lured foreigners into their cars on the premise of taking them to their hotels. The drivers then stop at a...

The times of Charles V.(various Belgian exhibitions)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2000... On Feb. 24, 1500, Charles V born in Ghent. Five hundred years later, Belgium is commemorating the emperor with a cultural theme year, highlighting the age of Charles V rather than the person and the ruler. Exhibitions are being held in...

Brightening Brussels.
May 1, 2000... Throughout the year 2000, share the title of "European City of Culture" with Avignon, Bergen, Bologna, Cracow Helsinki, Prague, Reykjavik and Santiago de Compostela. * Among special events taking place in Brussels this year is an...

100th anniversary of Michelin's 'Red Guide'.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2000... With the release of its 2000 edition of "THE RED GUIDE France" ($26), Michelin Travel Publications marks a century as the renowned culinary and accommodations authority. The first edition was created in 1900 for the benefit of motorists....

Korean Yellow Pages.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2000... Yellow Pages Korea has published "Big Yellow Pages," an informative guidebook for visitors as well as residents in Korea. The book contains a total of 25,000 phone numbers, including 10,000 numbers for hospitals, restaurants, travel...

Jordan night tour by chopper.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2000... Royal Wings, regional airline of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, has introduced evening half-hour helicopter tourist, excursions over Amman, capital of Jordan, for 43 Jordanian dinars (near $62) per person. The "Amman By Starlight" flights...

Indulging in the cuisine and charm of northern Italy.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2000... Two of my favorite things in life are Italy and good food. Simply the thought of beautiful rolling hills, incredible architecture and the chaotic bustling streets of Italy makes my knees weak. Combining these sights and sounds with a tour to...

Australia's Rottnest Island -- THE day trip from Perth.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2000... Rottnest (Dutch for "Rat's Nest") Island. Who in their right mind would want to go there? First of all, they're not rats. The island off the west coast of Australia was discovered by the Dutch explorer Willem de Vlamingh in 1696 and he...

British Isles.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2000... Immediately following an enjoyable cruise around the British Isles aboard the Pacific Princess, we spent 10 days with our son and family who live in a London suburb. I would like to recommend a marvelous bed-and-breakfast near Salisbury, where...

Europe.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2000... The Radisson SAS Norge (Old Bulls Plas, Bergen, NORWAY; phone 47 55 57 30 00) is centrally located and within easy walking distance of anywhere. A single room cost $95, with a very extensive breakfast. The bus to the airport stops almost...

Pacific.
May 1, 2000... Radisson Reef Resort (Port Douglas Rd., Port Douglas, Queensland, AUSTRALIA, phone 07 4099 333 or fax 07 4099 3385). This resort hotel is surrounded by lush, landscaped gardens and inviting swimming pools with a "village by the sea"...

Latin America.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2000... We spent a week at the all-inclusive resort Costa Smeralda on the Pacific coast in the Guanascaste region of COSTA RICA. The resort's one- and 2-story buildings are located on a hillside overlooking the Gulf of Papagayo. Facilities include...

Baltic Sea ferry service.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2000... Silja Line has started fast ferry service on the Baltic sea between Helsinki, Finland, and Tallinn, Estonia. The new $30 million SuperSeaCat IV, which cruises at 37.8 knots, takes 1 1/2 hours to make the crossing. The sleek, 328-foot...

Baltic Sea ferries.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2000... Attica Enterprises plans to deploy four brand-new, ultramodern car-passenger ferries in the Baltic Sea in 2001. Beginning in January and at regular intervals until September 2001, four new 29,800-GRT Superfast ferries will be employed in...

Goslar and Quedlinburg: two World Heritage Sites hidden in the Harz Mountains.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2000... If you plan to be, one of the 40 million visitors to Expo 2000 in Hannover, Germany, this summer (June 1 to Aug. 31), consider a visit to a pair of medieval villages some 80 kilometers away. In addition to their UNESCO World Heritage Site...

A very short ride on the Balkan Express.
May 1, 2000... Let's get one thing straight to begin with. We are not talking here about the fabulous Orient Express, that most luxurious of trains that has carried princes, playboys and other masters (and their mistresses) of the universe between Paris...

TURKEY.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2000... We returned May 31, '99, from one of Bora Ozkok's Cultural Folk Tours of Turkey. (Contact 9020 Scripps Lake Dr, Ste. 105, San Diego, CA 92131- 1031; phone 800/935-8875). Land-only cost was $2,290 each, including two meals a day and all...

EGYPT.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2000... In January '99 my wife, my son and his fiancee and I embarked on a not-to-be-forgotten, magical tour of Egypt. Although my wife and I often make most. of our travel arrangements ourselves, our specific desires for this trip made using a...

CHINA.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2000... Not particularly enamored with large group tours, we were excited to discover the independent travel packages with private guide offered by MIR Corporation (85 S. Washington St., Ste. 210, Seattle, WA 98104; phone 800/424-7289 or 206/1624-7289,...

THE BALTICS.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2000... I returned July 2, '99, in a state of ecstacy from a tour of Kaliningrad and the Baltics with MIR Corp. (85 S. Washington St., Ste. 210, Seattle, WA 98104; phone 800/1424-7289 or 206/624-7289, fax 206/624-7360, e-mail mir@igc.apc.org, or visit....

ASIA.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2000... In September/October '99, my wife and I enormously enjoyed a 4-week "Golden Road to Tartary" trip to Central Asia with Kathryn Kern of The World Traveler (Box 994, La Jolla, CA 92038; phone 858/551-8170, fax 858/454-9691 or visit...

Tracing a legacy along Egypt's Nile.
May 1, 2000... (part two of two) Last month we visited Aswan and the temples of Philae, Kom Ombo, Edfu and Esna; now we continue on to Luxor and Cairo. Thebe's legacy Upon our arrival in Luxor our guide advised us that two-thirds of all the...

Motorola world phone update.
May 1, 2000... The Motorola Timeport L7089 Phone described in the April '00 issue, page 181, will now work only, on GSM networks in Europe, Asia and the Americas, as opposed to worldwide. Funding for the IrDA technology was pulled and satellites servicing the...

`Great substitution'.
May 1, 2000... My wife and I scheduled an excursion to Antarctica for Jan. 3-19, 2000, with Clipper Cruise Line (St. Louis, MO; phone 800/325-0010). What's, more, we talked another couple into going with us on this very expensive (relatively) trip, so we...

`Renaissance' cruise to the Society Islands.
May 1, 2000... Polynesia (meaning "many islands") is part of Oceania and was settled 3,500 years ago. It is now a French protectorate, stretching in a wide triangle over 1,500,000 square miles of South Pacific seas, ranging from the Australs in the west to...

Not her preferred cruise experience.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2000... I offer this critique on Royal Caribbean International's Rhapsody of the Seas following a 7-night cruise to Mexico, Jan. 30-Feb. 6, 2000. I went on this cruise to honor a relative on his 80th birthday, though I'd been to Mexico many times...

The floating wine seminar.
May 1, 2000... On the afternoon of Oct. 16, '99, my wife, Jackie, and I boarded the MS Heinrich Heine at Cologne, Germany, for a wine seminar to be held during a cruise up the Rhine. Our cabin was quite comfortable and nicely furnished, with ample closet...

Relaxing, diving, exploring Mayan ruins -- it's all 'up and running' in Honduras.
May 1, 2000... We didn't know what to expect. The horrific pictures on television showed unbelievable devastation. There was no doubt, Hurricane Mitch, one of the most powerful storms of the century, had devastated Honduras. We read the reports about lost...

All Aboard!
May 1, 2000... Artesia At Chiomonte, you see the Italian Alps looming high to the south. On the north the pines lining the mountain crests give the serrated summits a fuzzy, tentative profile. The mountainside houses look like they were snatched from...

Ceramics art, Korea.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2000... Located in Ich'on, Kyonggido, Korea, the Haegang Ceramics Art Musem displays a wide range of Korean pottery artifacts, including Koryo celadon, white porcelain and punch'ong pottery from the Choson era. The 9,900-square-meter museum has a...

Cruises.(Brief Article)(Buyers Guide)
May 1, 2000... Fall Panama transits with Holland America If you have often given thought to a voyage through the great engineering marvel which the United States built near the start of the 20th century, the one known as the Panama Canal, there is no...

View tall ships' race from cruise ship.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2000... Where can you find the best seats in the house for viewing the Cutty Sark Tall Ships' Race this summer? Aboard Crystal Symphony in Stockholm, when the luxury liner shares the waters with over 100 regatta contestants during Crystal Cruises'...

South Pacific sailings.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2000... Chile's remote Easter Island and other exotic islands in the South Pacific are among the far-ranging cruise destinations of the 5-star MS Deutschland this summer. The 513-passenger luxury ocean liner of Peter Deilmann Cruises will sail...

TOURS.
May 1, 2000... A selection of escorted tours "TOUR DE FRANCE" bike tour will visit three regions of France and follow the most exciting stages of the 2000 Tour de France, July 9-17. Beginning in Aquitaine, catch the riders as they toil through the...

Travelers' Tales: Thailand.(Review)
May 1, 2000... "Travelers' Tales: Thailand," edited by James O'Reilly and Larry Habegger (1998, Travelers' Tales, Inc., Box 610160, Redwood City, CA 94061 -- $17.95, 460 pgs.). If you've never been to Thailand, read this book. It gives you the...

The Discerning Traveler.
May 1, 2000... (First of two parts) How to snag the cheapest international fares You remember that good feeling when you got that cheap international fare. You say to yourself, "I really did it." It was early February 1999. My travel agent had...

Britain.
May 1, 2000... In London, the play's the thing Immediately after, landing at London's Heathrow in June '99, I purchased a copy of the weekly "bible" Time Out. Quickly glancing at the West End and Off West End theater listings, no play instantly caught my...

The London Pass.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2000... A visitor card now combines both transportation and sightseeing in London. Providing entry to more, than 40 attractions as well as unlimited use of buses, subways and trains within the city, the London Pass is available in one-, 3- and 6-day...

Royal children's clothes.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2000... Visitors to Kensington Palace have an opportunity to see nine of the very finest samples of royal couture, each one selected from the wardrobes of young princes and princesses. This exhibit, which lasts through the beginning of 2001, is the...

ALL ABOUT SHAKESPEARE.(Brief Article)(Buyers Guide)(Bibliography)(Critical Essay)
May 1, 2000... * Shakespeare's early and later life can be traced in some of the Elizabethan buildings which remain today in his central England hometown of Stratford-upon-Avon, where it is only a short stroll from his birthplace of Henley Street to Holly...

St. Lucia adventure.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2000... Anse Chastanet, a luxurious resort in Soufriere, St. Lucia, has added two features for guests who prefer land-based activities: a mountain-biking facility and guided hikes through the surrounding rainforest. * Bike St. Lucia provides...

Swim with the stingrays.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2000... About a half-hour boat ride from Grand Turk, in the Turks and Caicos Islands, lies Gibbs Cay, a remote, uninhabited island where day-trippers can enjoy encounters with over a dozen semi-tamed southern stingrays in the wild. In the shallow...

Rick Steves' Europe(c).
May 1, 2000... Vernazza and the Cinque Terre Who would think you could get off the beaten track [ldots] in the Italian Riviera? For the views, hiking and small-town ambiance, try the Cinque Terre, the most dream-worthy stretch of the Italian Riviera. ...

Brush your teeth anywhere.
May 1, 2000... Brush your teeth anywhere, anytime, with fingertip Dental * Dots(R) Den. Each dime-size fabric disk has an adhesive backing that keeps it secure on your fingertip during brushing, and it's treated with just enough saliva-activated, dry...

European Potpourri.
May 1, 2000... Hiking tours of the Vaudois Riviera I mentioned in recommending a lunch at the Hotel Helvetie in Montreux (Feb. '00, pg. 156) the possibility of a promenade along the nearby shore of Lake Geneva and now find a handsome folder outlining...

Far Horizons.
May 1, 2000... Barbados -- beyond expectations (First of two parts on Barbados) Killing time while awaiting our early morning departure homeward from the Grantly Adams Airport in Barbados, I ventured over to the snack bar to get a cup of coffee. To...

FOCUS ON -- ARCHAEOLOGY.
May 1, 2000... Escape from time: a trip to Shetland The first view of Shetland from the air is of terrain punctuated by hills and indented by the sea into numerous inlets called voes. It's a timeless landscape looking as if it were just thrust up from...

Timeless Roads of the Mideast & Mediterranean.
May 1, 2000... Exploring Nemrut Dag and the Commagene Empire Turkey may take liberty in promoting Nemrut Dag (Mount Nemrut) as the "Eighth Wonder of the Ancient World." Regardless, UNESCO, in 1987, included it in its list of World Heritage Sites, saying...

Kilroy Was Here!
May 1, 2000... What time is the midnight buffet? Amenities for leisure time onboard cruise ships are escalating. Activities used to be limited to 4 o'clock bingo and maybe a flickering movie in the evening. That was it. Lights out at 11 p.m. At the...

Cooking in Northern Italy.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2000... Heading to northern Italy? take a weeklong cooking course under the instruction of Giuliano Hazan at the Renaissance Villa Giona near Verona. All instruction is given in English. Participate with up to 11 other. students preparing dishes of...

Jolly Pass in Italy.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2000... Central Holidays, in conjunction with Jolly Hotels, is offering the Jolly Pass, which enables visitors to Italy to stay in any of 24 participating first-class Jolly Hotels, with breakfasts and, in many properties, dinners, for as little as $350...

Wine festival package.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2000... Madeira's 109-year-old Reid's Palace is offering wine enthusiasts a special 5-night package coinciding with the dates of Portugars upcoming Madeira Wine Festival, Sept. 7-12, 2000. The package includes accommodations and. a bottle of...

50% off SRS-WORLDHOTELS.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2000... Throughout 2000, SRS-WORLDHOTELS is offering Weekender rates which guarantee a discount of up to 50% off at more than 250 participating hotels worldwide. The special rates include accommodations, tax (unless otherwise indicated) and an upgrade...

Independent holiday packages.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2000... Kompas Holidays has a selection of more than 100 city-stay programs, self-drive plans, tours and cruises in major Mediterranean and Central and Eastern European cities plus the Greek Islands. Packages combining accommodations, transfers,...

'Madagascar Discovered'.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2000... Air Mauritius' 12-day "Madagascar Discovered" package spends the first day and night in Mauritius, followed by seven nights in Madagascar. The itinerary features a visit to a rainforest; the strange Ifaty area, with its "spiny bush"; a...

Belizean luxury.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2000... Sporting rooms with mountaintop views of the Xunantunich Maya Temple and the surrounding jungle, the Royal Mayan Resort & Spa in western Belize is making its debut. The Royal Mayan is a 22-room, first-class resort not far from the...

Peninsula Hotel Bangkok.
May 1, 2000... Enjoy a 6-night/7-day stay at the deluxe, 5-star Peninsula Hotel in Bangkok, Thailand, for $998 per person. The package also includes roundtrip air on China Airlines from San Francisco or Los Angeles; breakfasts; a Grand Palace and Emerald...

Take tea in Singapore.
May 1, 2000... In Singapore, guests at the Westin Stamford & Westin Plaza can enjoy a quaint Traditional English Tea at the Compass Rose Restaurant daily from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. The tea features a range of cakes and pastries on a 3-tier tray service on...

Legacy of Cuenca.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2000... The Historic Center of Cuenca, a Spanish colonial city in the Andes Mountains of Ecuador, was declared, a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site on Dec. 1, 1999. Considered the country's most beautiful city, its cobbled streets, graceful...

Renault's auto rental alternative.
May 1, 2000... Renault Eurodrive offers short-term auto leases to foreign visitors in Europe. Renault states that these leases are actually easier to arrange and more flexible than long-term rentals and that, thanks to a special tax-free law, they can work...

Wine train in South Australia.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2000... Take a nostalgic journey on the Barossa Wine Train through South Australia's Barossa Valley. The first day includes an extensive coach tour with accommodation at a quality bed-and-breakfast cottage plus time to relax or explore the...

Be a farmer for a day.
May 1, 2000... Take the grandkids to experience authentic Australian farm life at Hahndorf Farm Barn. Bottle-feed goats and lambs, obtain your tractor license, watch chickens hatching and see a beehive working, a worm farm, a live snakes display,...

Korean culture course.
May 1, 2000... Visitors seeking insight into Korean culture may do so on a 3-hour visit to Son's Home, located in Yoksam-dong, Seoul. The program commences over traditional Korean tea and is followed by a Zen course through calligraphy (painting on...

Visitor guide taxis in Seoul.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2000... In Seoul, Korea, look for "Visitors Guide" on the sides of deluxe taxis owned by specially tested English-speaking drivers. The taxis are most likely to be available around airports and hotels. As with other black taxis, the basic fare is 3,000...

Stay in a yogwan.
May 1, 2000... Visitors to Korea have the opportunity to experience staying in a yogwan (traditional-style inn). Yogwans feature immaculate facilities and sparkling-clean floors. At night, guests roll out a yo (portable mattress) and sleep in comfort...

Sound museum, Korea.
May 1, 2000... Established in November 1992 in Kangnung, Kangwon-do, Korea, the Chamsori Sound Museum houses a collection of 4,000 items demonstrating the, history of sound machines, of which 1,500 are displayed at a time. Ninety-eight percent of the...

Currency museum.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2000... Learn about the currencies of various countries and their history of development at the Currency Museum, located in the Taedok Science Town in Taejon; Korea. Opened in 1988 and run by the Korea Minting & Security Printing Corporation, the...

Health Hints for the Tropics.(Review)
May 1, 2000... "Health Hints for the Tropics" has been released in its 12th edition. Written by recognized experts, it includes the chapters Preparation for Travel; Immunizations; Malaria Prevention; Travelers' Diarrhea; Special Health Problems; Advice for En...

Traveling with asthma.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2000... Those of you with asthma know that, on a trip, variations in temperature, season, altitude or pollen count can trigger an episode even if you are usually a stable, well-controlled patient. A change in schedule. may affect your asthma medication...

The right place at he right time.(Review)
May 1, 2000... "The Fun Also Rises International Travel Guide" by Alan S. Davis is a guide to the "50 most exciting events and destinations in Europe, Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa and Asia." Including such events as Oktoberfest in Munich, the...

100 events you can't miss.(Review)
May 1, 2000... "100 Things To Do Before You Die: Travel Events You Just Can't Miss," by Dave Freeman and Neil Teplica, offers the hows, whens and wheres of the 100 best happenings, gatherings, festivals and events around the globe. From the Running of...

In search of Lao textiles.
May 1, 2000... Traveling through Southeast Asia on the Mekong River has always been a dream of mine -- a dream I was able to fulfill when I had an opportunity to extend a stay in Bangkok. Grabbing my camera and pack, I flew north to the Mekong River in search...

India.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2000... We took a trip to the Gujarat region of western India in 1999. During our travels, we ran across this group of nomadic Ribari women in the Little Rann, Kutch, area. With all of their personal belongings loaded onto camels, they were following...