International Travel News articles from May 2003

International Travel News archives from May 2003

Boarding pass.(Editorial)
May 1, 2003... Dear Globetrotter: Welcome to the 327th issue of your monthly overseas travel magazine. Here's a bank card scam to watch out for. News@eturbonews.com reprinted an article by Gerry Volgenau from the Detroit Free Press in which he...

Give us your input... share advice on Internet cafes.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Our question this month comes from Hugh Wilkes of Watervliet, NY, who wrote, "The Internet seems to be here to stay. Almost all those posting questions in ITN's 'Person to Person' section have e-mail addresses. And checking back home and...

Report cards.
May 1, 2003... On-the-spot reports from around the globe 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 your travel impressions are...

Rediscovering the fanciful treasures of Gaudi's Barcelona.
May 1, 2003... Enormous raindrops bounced like popcorn on umbrellas and the gray-tinged street. I looked, at my wet shoes and wondered why a supposedly sane person would stand for an hour and a half in torrential rain on the Carrer Nou de la Rambla in...

Cross-culture opens the doors of Europe, Asia & the South Pacific with tours designed for travelers rather than tourists.(Directory)
May 1, 2003... (Request our complete 2003 catalog for details of 74 programs in 33 countries) Celebrate Summer in Scandinavia! Scandinavia, Northern Paradise I: Finland & Sweden (July 11-19 for $3080 incl* airfare & all meals: sgl suppl $195) Follow...

Travelers' intercom.
May 1, 2003... 'Best meal I've ever had' In January '03, while traveling in Australia, I dined at Tetsuyas (529 Kent, Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia; phone 61-2-9267-2900 or visit www.tetsuyas.com). It was the best meal I've ever had, and I seek out these...

Worldwide caution. (News Watch).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... As a result of the military action in Iraq, there is a potential for retaliatory actions to be taken against U.S. citizens and interests throughout the world. Public demonstrations carry the potential for precipitating violence directed at...

Security concerns. (News Watch).(for travel to various Middle Eastern regions)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Due to heightened tensions and increased security concerns resulting from the current situation in the region, the Department of State has authorized the departure, on a voluntary basis, of family members and nonemergency personnel at U.S....

Pakistan security concerns. (News Watch).
May 1, 2003... The Government of Pakistan continues to give full support to the international campaign against terrorism. As Operation Enduring Freedom defeats Al-Qaida strongholds in Afghanistan, some Al-Qaida members have fled to Pakistan and other,...

Potential for violence in Indonesia. (News Watch).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... The Department of State warns American citizens to defer all travel to Indonesia. On Oct. 23, 2002, the U.S. Government designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization the Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) organization, an extremist group known to have...

Terrorist threat in Philippines. (News Watch).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... The terrorist threat to Americans in the Philippines remains high. There have been a number of security-related incidents, and the possibility of future terrorism, kidnappings and other violence or criminal activity remains. Extremist...

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). (News Watch).
May 1, 2003... At press time, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) had issued a travel advisory and health alert notices, which were being distributed at ports of entry to people returning from three regions affected by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome...

Nepal cease-fire holding. (News Watch).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... On Jan. 29, 2003, the government Call 800/486-4968 to subscribe of Nepal announced a cease-fire with armed insurgents of the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoists). So far, the cease-fire has resulted in a cessation of armed hostilities between the...

Current warnings.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... As ITN went to press, the State Department had travel warnings on 36 destinations: Afghanistan, Hong Kong, Pakistan, Yemen, Liberia, Sudan, Angola, Indonesia, Viet-Nam, Turkey, Israel, Kuwait, Syria, Oman, United Arab Emirates, Somalia,...

Crossing South Georgia Island in the footsteps of Sir Ernest Shackleton.
May 1, 2003... I am an unabashed admirer of Sir Ernest Shackleton. But, then, anyone who has heard of his heroic exploits would have to rank him among the most valiant figures of recorded history. So when I received a brochure from Geographic Expeditions...

Americas-Caribbean cruise enhanced by UK passengers.
May 1, 2003... We were enjoying tea and biscuits in the late afternoon, after having played a game of boules. Britain? No, we were on a Norwegian cruise ship along the eastern coast of Central America -- not your usual Caribbean cruise. Our cruise in...

Accommodations worldwide.
May 1, 2003... 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...

Favorite foreign recipes and seasonings.
May 1, 2003... Last month ITN presented letters from readers sharing recipes as well as favorite seasonings that they discovered overseas (outside of North America). Here are a few more. The recipes have not been tested by the ITN staff. If you have a...

Discovering Holland's past at the Open Air Museum in Arnhem.
May 1, 2003... For a one-day glimpse of historic Holland "in a nutshell," there's no better place than the Open Air Museum at Arnhem. The museum presents an image of daily life in the Netherlands up to 1970, with more than 85 buildings, such as farms,...

Frequent-flyer mileage award programs.
May 1, 2003... In the February 2003 issue, in response to a general request, several readers shared their opinions, experiences and knowledge on the subject of frequent-flyer mileage award programs. We have had more responses on the subject and are Presenting...

Fining a warm welcome in Laos' Luang Prabang.
May 1, 2003... Located in the north-central part of Laos, Luang Prabang is a city that remains "perfectly preserved" from modern mass tourism. Unlike Hanoi with its screeching motorbikes, or Singapore with its modern highrises, in Luang Prabang time seems to...

Special Thalys fare. (Travel Briefs).(Rail Europe)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... A limited-time promotion for round-trip travel in second class between either Paris or Brussels and Cologne, Germany, on high-speed Thalys trains will save travelers more than 40% of the usual' Leisure fare. The cost between Paris (Gare du...

Anniversary events for 'Good Queen Bess'. (Travel Briefs).(400th anniversary of the death of the first Queen Elizabeth)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... 2003 marks the 400th anniversary of the death of the first Queen Elizabeth, "Good Queen Bess," and the end of the Tudor dynasty, and many special events are planned in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The greatest collection...

Teddy bear centenary. (Travel Briefs).(at the Museum of Childhood, a branch of the Victoria & Albert Museum)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... The centenary of the teddy bear is being celebrated this year with a major exhibition at London's Museum of Childhood, Bethnal Green, through Dec. 31. It will feature about 400 bears, from some of the oldest-surviving examples to...

Tours in review.
May 1, 2003... The following are candid appraisals of some of the tours ITN readers have taken in the last year or so. When writing to ITN about a tour, please keep it as brief as possible (200-400 words) and include the ADDRESS and/or phone number of the...

Visiting the Val d'Orcia, birthplace of the Italian Renaissance town.
May 1, 2003... In the heart of Tuscany's province of Siena -- where the first towns built in the Renaissance style were founded -- is the area known as the Val d'Orcia. Here, surrounding the base of Mount Amiata, Tuscany's only volcanic peak, tiny pristine...

New high speed, Cologne-Frankfurt. (All Aboard!).
May 1, 2003... Your high-speed roller-coaster ride begins when your new GermanRail (DB) 186-mph ICE 3 (InterCity Express, third generation) speed burner passes Siegburg's new train station on the new Cologne-Frankfurt/Main high-speed line about 31 miles south...

The very British Bermuda. (Lovely Summer Destination).
May 1, 2003... During a recent conversation with an East Coast reader, the subject of Bermuda was mentioned. As so often happens, he said, "No, we do not want to go back to the Caribbean again." This is a not-uncommon misconception. The small group of...

"Come back to Erin". (Tours).(journey through Ireland with Journey Through Ireland)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... "COME BACK TO ERIN" -- series of 12- or 17-day small-group tours of IRELAND. (10 participants maximum.) Highlights: Literary pub crawl in Dublin/light-plane trip to Aran Islands/Connemara, with Carrow-more Megalithic Cemetery/visit...

"Mozart's Salzburg". (Tours).(Austria with Cross-Culture, Inc.)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... "MOZART'S SALZBURG" -- 9-day/7-night tour of Salzburg, AUSTRIA, and the surrounding region, Aug. 11-19, '03. Highlights: In Austria's Lake District, visit the villages of Wolfgang and Hallstatt and tour the Museum of Pre-History/in Bad...

Painted Monasteries & Crafts of Transylvania. (Tours).(Romania with Craft World Tours)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... PAINTED MONASTERIES & CRAFTS OF TRANSYLVANIA -- 18-day folklife and crafts tour of ROMANIA, Sept. 3-20, '03. Limit 15. Highlights: In Bucharest, visit the Peasant Museum/cross the Carpathian Mountains to medieval Brasov/family ceramic...

"Northern Lakes & Italian Riviera". (Tours).(Italy and Switzerland with Picasso Travel)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... "NORTHERN LAKES & ITALIAN RIVIERA" -- 7 day/6-night tour of ITALY and SWITZERLAND. Highlights: Tour begins in Milan, Italy/historic Bergamo/on Lake Como, the towns of Cemobbio, Bellagio and Dongo (site where Mussolini was shot)/in...

"Sailing in the cycladic circle". (Tours).(see Greece with Hellenic Adventures)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... "SAILING IN THE CYCLADIC CIRCLE" -- "An Aegean Dream," 12-day small-group tour of GREEK islands aboard a private motor sailer, May 17-June 1 & Oct. 4-19, '03. Highlights: Antiquities and city tour of Athens/board a 75- to 95-foot...

"History & Discovery". (Tours).(Turkey with Cultural Folk Tours International)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... "HISTORY & DISCOVERY" -- 18-day/16-night tour of TURKEY. Highlights: Museum of Anatolian Civilizations in Ankara/underground cave cities and churches, Whirling Dervishes and belly dancers in Cappadocia/Tarsus/Antalya and ruined cities of...

"Safari snapshot" tours. (Tours).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... "SAFARI SNAPSHOT" TOURS -- 8-day photographic safaris of northern BOTSWANA, June 25-July 2 and Sept. 18-25, '03, hosted by AGFA Wildlife Photographic Award winners Ingrid and Phillip Van den Berg. Highlights: experience three diverse...

Kandy Perahera festival. (Tours).(Southeast Asia's largest parade)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... KANDY PERAHERA FESTIVAL -- 15-day tour to SRI LANKA with overnight in Tokyo, JAPAN, July 31-Aug.14, '03. Highlights: In Kandy, attend Southeast Asia's largest parade, the "Kandy Perahera" pageant, featuring hundreds of decorated elephants,...

"Black Culture tour". (Tours).(Costa Rica, offered in conjunction with Pride Magazine )(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... "BLACK CULTURE TOUR" -- 7-day/6-night tour of Caribbean COSTA RICA, offered in conjunction with Pride Magazine of Charlotte NC, Aug. 28-Sept. 3, '03. Highlights: In San Jose, art galleries at El Pueblo Center plus gospel and calypso music...

Photographing the Alps. (Focal Point Capturing, Travel Images).
May 1, 2003... (Second of two parts) Arriving at the hotel Continental Central in Interlaken at about 2:30 p.m., we were tired from our train adventure of the day but not nearly so as our jet-lagged Go-Ahead Vacations compatriots arriving from Zurich and...

Bicycle loop tours in Holland. (The Discerning Traveler).
May 1, 2003... Although I hadn't planned to write this article (and therefore there are no pictures), I had such a marvelous time cycling in Holland that I wanted to share this with you. Envision biking between 20 and 80 kilometers on one of the many...

Brittany's Dinan--roosters and ramparts. (Rick Steves' Europe[C]).
May 1, 2003... In France, if you have time for only one stop in Brittany, make it the ancient riverfront city of Dinan. It's about four hours west of Paris by train and one from Mont-St-Michel, but it seems a world away. You'll awake to the sound of roosters....

Manchester and surrounding areas. (Britain).
May 1, 2003... (first of two parts) Manchester, England, is no longer the dirty industrial city it once was. Today it is evolving into a beautiful cosmopolitan city. In August 2002 my husband and I spent some time there while visiting a friend in...

Half Moon's 'take a family break'. (Around the Caribbean).(the resort Half Moon is in Montego Bay, Jamaica)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... At the resort Half Moon in Montego Bay, Jamaica, if your family stays for seven nights, every night after that up to the next seven is free. (You could save up to $1,680 in an oceanfront superior room or up to $11,760 in a Royal Villa.) Or you...

Four nights on land, three at sea. (Around the Caribbean).(offered by Long Bay Beach Resort & Villas)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Long Bay Beach Resort & Villas, a resort on Tortola, British Virgin Islands, is offering a "Stay & Sail" package starting at $3,930 per couple that includes four nights' accommodations at Long Bay and three nights on a 40-foot luxury yacht...

Explore San Bias Archipelago. (Around the Caribbean).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... A 236-foot, 3-masted barquentine, the 72-passenger S/V Mandalay, will sail on 6-day voyages out of Colon, Panama, to the San Bias Islands, June 9-Sept. 15, 2003. The San Bias Archipelago comprises 370 islands along the Caribbean coast of...

Cruise into antiquity. (Focus on Archaeology).
May 1, 2003... I am addicted to archaeological sites. I crave them. A trip without one or more is like a cake without the icing. On a Swan Hellenic cruise of the western Mediterranean in June-July '02, I had counted on visiting some of France's, Spain's and...

All the thoughts along the way. (Far Horizons).(about travel)(Column)
May 1, 2003... "Welcome to Oceania. I'm happy to write this new regular column for International Travel News." With these simple words in the May 1983 issue of ITN, two decades ago, I began a personal journey of exploration, discovery and sharing. It...

Kevin keating's kilroy was here!(Rough Guides is a London-based publisher)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Notes from cyberspace... Confessions an Internet addict -- The World Wide Web is the greatest source of information since grandpa's knee, and it's handier to carry around. It's better than a single set of encyclopedias, because you'll find...

Tombs closing in Valley of the Kings. (Travel Briefs).(in the West Bank-Luxor, Egypt)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... The Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities has decided to open for visitors 12 ancient cemeteries in the Wady El-Molouk "Valley of the Kings" area, in the West Bank-Luxor. Two of the tombs have never been so opened before, namely those of...

ZurichCARD. (Travel Briefs).(grants access to public transport services in the greater Zurich area )(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... The ZurichCARD grants access to public transport services in the greater Zurich area (airport, city, Uetliberg and lower Lake Zurich area) as well as a 50% discount on Zurich Tourism's classic stroll through the Old Town. Further, it includes...

Dylan Thomas anniversary. (Travel Briefs).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... A number of events are planned this year in south Wales to mark the 50th anniversary of poet Dylan Thomas' death. The Dylan Thomas Centre in his home city of Swansea, 40 miles west of the Welsh capital Cardiff, is staging an anniversary...

Photos of the 'Alice in Wonderland'. (Travel Briefs).(Lewis Carroll's photos of young Alice Liddell and her sisters )(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Glass plate negatives of the girl who inspired "Alice in Wonderland" that were taken by author Lewis Carroll (actual name, Charles Lutwidge Dodgson) will be shown in Oxford this summer. Purchased at Sotheby's auctioneers in 2001 and saved...

Person to person.
May 1, 2003... Reader-to-reader info exchange Planning a trip overseas and need specific info? Let your fellow ITN readers provide the answers. Send your question to Person to Person, c/o ITN, 2120 28th St., Sacramento, CA 95818, or e-mail...

ITN World Traveler Award.(International Travel News)
May 1, 2003... The challenge -- not just any 40 countries but the Top 40 nations visited by ITN subscribers: have you been to them all? Each of the countries on the list below has been visited by at least one-third of ITN readers. They are listed in order of...

The ITN Globetrotter Award.(International Travel News)
May 1, 2003... Travelers have many different goals. Some are determined to set foot on every country on Earth; others want to visit all seven continents or all of the time zones. 'Then there are those who want to "take the time to smell the roses," in many...

Do you qualify for ITN's Traveled the Continents Award?(International Travel News)
May 1, 2003... Have you been among the few to have visited all seven continents... or among the select travelers who have been to six? If so, you deserve an award and ITN has one for you. For the seven-continent award, just tell us one date of visit to...

Correction.(Brief Article)(Correction Notice)
May 1, 2003... In the March issue on page 162, the Laxey Wheel was identified as being in Douglas, the capital of the Isle of Man. The readers who entered the drawing, as well as the person who submitted the photo, had the correct answer, which was pointed...

Departure Lounge.(Letter to the Editor)
May 1, 2003... Mrs. Mary Friesen, Salem, OR, wrote, "Thanks for producing such a great magazine. I also appreciate that it is printed on 'low tech' unbleached paper with no color printing, which saves resources and reduces pollution." Right! And it...