International Travel News articles from May 2004

International Travel News archives from May 2004

Boarding pass.
May 1, 2004... Dear Globetrotter: Welcome to the 339th issue of your monthly overseas travel magazine. I have good news and bad news. The good news is that the Transportation Security Administration has made a policy change and, on flights...

Missed manners.(Give us your input ...)
May 1, 2004... Even with extensive reading before a trip, it's still easy to commit a faux pas in a foreign country. Approaching someone improperly. Unwittingly making an improper hand gesture. Giving the wrong response upon receiving a gift. Is there a...

Report cards: on-the-spot reports from around the globe.(Postmark)
May 1, 2004... 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, or e-mail...

A tranquil Greek isle as seen through the eyes of an artist.
May 1, 2004... Motoring into the harbor at Poros, Greece, on the Anna II from Athens, I was excited to see that it was as picturesque as I had envisioned it. The bright afternoon sun reflected off the white and cream houses on the hillside, giving them a...

Kids eat, sleep for free in Zurich.(travel news)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... Zurich wants you to know it is a family-friendly city. With the "Kids Eat and Sleep for Free" offer (valid Fridays through Mondays until Dec. 31, 2004), children up to 16 years of age can eat and sleep for free on weekends in 14 hotels in and...

Scammed at Bucharest rail station.(Travelers' intercom: readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... On Feb. 3, '04, a friend and I were victims of a scam in Bucharest, Romania, inside the main entrance to the Gare de Nord and outside of Wasteels Ticket Agency. Persons entering the train station in Bucharest are required to have a rail...

Zipping through the canopy.(Travelers' intercom: readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)(Tikal National Park travelling guide)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... While in Tikal, Guatemala, in December '03, several traveling companions and I enjoyed a "swing through the trees" courtesy of Total Adventure Tikal Canopy Tour (phone [011] 502-300-8316, [011] 502-499-3782 or [011] 502-615-4988). Their office...

Insider tips on Australia travel.(Travelers' intercom: readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)(Letter to the Editor)
May 1, 2004... Pardon my bias, but I think my native Australia is a great place for North Americans to visit. Similar culture and language (more or less) and a general affection for Americans (called "Yanks") will make you feel welcome. Yet Australia is still...

Costa Rica & Panama with Cruise West.(Travelers' intercom: readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)
May 1, 2004... My husband and I enjoyed a tour of Costa Rica and Panama, Nov. 6-15, '03, with Cruise West (2401 Fourth Ave., Ste. 700, Seattle, WA 98121; phone 800/426-7702 or visit www.cruisewest.com). We decided to fly to San Jos,, Costa Rica, and spend...

Azur eastern Med cruise.(Travelers' intercom: readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)
May 1, 2004... We took an eastern Mediterranean cruise aboard the Azur, Oct. 29-Nov. 8, '03. It was booked through White Travel Service (127 Park Rd., West Hartford, CT 06119; phone 860/233-2648). The price of $3,006, for my wife and myself, included airfare...

Apprehensions dispelled aboard Discovery.(Travelers' intercom: readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)
May 1, 2004... I'd like to commend Discovery World Cruises (1800 SE 10th Ave., Ste. 205, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316; phone 866/ 623-2689 or visit www.discovery worldcruises.com) for their excellent attention to passenger safety and comfort during our January...

Funniest thing.
May 1, 2004... 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 or Mexico.) The ITN staff will choose each month's...

Israel, the West Bank and Gaza.(News Watch)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... The Department of State warns U.S. citizens to depart Gaza and to defer travel to Israel, the West Bank and Gaza due to current safety concerns. In the aftermath of the killing of HAMAS leader Sheikh Ahmed Yassin on March 22, a HAMAS spokesman...

Spain train bombings.(News Watch)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... A series of bombs was detonated on commuter trains in the Madrid, Spain, area on March 11, 2004, resulting in nearly 200 deaths and many more injuries. Peaceful demonstrations and expressions of mourning followed countrywide. The State...

Hold off on Haiti.(News Watch)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... Although several major commercial air carriers have resumed their operations into and out of Haiti, the State Department warns U.S. citizens to defer travel to the island. Following the resignation and departure of President Aristide on Feb....

Colombia violence.(News Watch)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... The Department of State warns against travel to Colombia. Violence by narcoterrorist groups and other criminal elements continues to affect all parts of the country, urban and rural. Citizens of the United States and other countries continue to...

Indonesia caution.(News Watch)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... The Department of State recommends that U.S. citizens continue to defer all nonessential travel to Indonesia. Those already there are strongly urged to avoid traveling to Aceh. Indonesia held legislative elections on April 5, 2004 and will...

Have escorts in Algeria.(News Watch)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... The Department of State urges U.S. citizens to defer nonessential travel to Algeria and, in fact, to avoid travel to the Sahara desert areas of southeastern Algeria and northeastern Mali, where terrorists held 32 Europeans hostage between...

Worldwide caution.(News Watch)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... WORLDWIDE -- The Department of State reports indications that Al-Qaida continues to prepare to strike U.S. interests abroad. Al-Qaida and its associated organizations have most recently struck in the Middle East and in Europe, but other...

Dengue in Indonesia.(News Watch)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... According to the World Health Organization, from Jan. 1 to March 3, 2004, the Ministry of Health of Indonesia reported 23,857 hospitalized suspected cases of dengue, including 367 deaths. The majority of these cases were from provinces in Java,...

Poliomyelitis in West Africa.(News Watch)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... According to the World Health Organization (WHO), a single case of paralytic poliomyelitis, with onset of paralysis on Dec. 17, 2003 , has been reported in Cote d'Ivoire. It is the first case of polio reported in Cote d'Ivoire since the country...

Yellow fever waning in Colombia.(News Watch)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... According to the Pan American Health Organization, Colombia has not reported any new cases of yellow fever since the week ending Jan. 17, 2004. As of Feb. 2, the total number of confirmed cases stood at 22. The total number of deaths reported...

Current warnings.(News Watch)(State Department travel warnings)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... As ITN went to press, the State Department had travel warnings on 26 destinations: Iraq, Israel/the West Bank/Gaza, Indonesia, Haiti, Algeria, Libya, Colombia, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, Cote d'IVoire, Pakistan, Democratic Republic of the...

Following the Great Silk Road in Central Asia.(Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan & Turkmenistan)(Cover Story)
May 1, 2004... Imagine: nomadic yurts, incredibly beautiful tiled mosques, medieval architecture and an ultramodern city created by a dictator "president" with portraits of him and his family at every turn. This mosaic is Central Asia. Kyrgyzstan ...

Train travel worldwide.(Rail Travel Center)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... For anyone looking for an extraordinary rail travel experience, Rail Travel Center offers "Rail Travel Press," its 2004 catalog of train tours worldwide. Rail Travel Center also represents virtually all of the great land-cruise trains,...

Free railpass for Battle of Normandy veterans.(Travel briefs)(Rail Europe Group)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... To honor those who risked their lives in the D-Day landings of World War II, Rail Europe is offering a free France Railpass this summer to veterans of the Battle of Normandy. Veterans are eligible to receive a regular France Railpass...

London's air museum grows.(Travel briefs)(Royal Air Force Museum )(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... Britain's first aircraft factory, the Grahame-White factory' of 1917, sited on the old Hendon airfield, has been dismantled, moved to London's Royal Air Force Museum and restored. It now houses a display of WWI aircraft, including the SE5A...

Berlin bunker tour package.(Travel briefs)(Hotel Koenigin Luise)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... Hotel Koenigin Luise is extending its bunker tour package until the end of 2004. This tour of Berlin takes visitors on a journey below ground through bunkers and to other curiosities. Priced at $165 per person, double occupancy ($209 per...

Rental car charges tacked on.(Travelers' intercom: readers' opinion, tips & recommendations)
May 1, 2004... For a trip to Kangaroo Island, Australia, in October '03, I rented a car for three days from Hertz. Booked for pickup on Oct. 4 and dropped off on Oct. 6, it was part of a package deal with Emu Airways (General Aviation Terminal, Kel Barclay...

Rental car woes re full tank.(Travelers' intercom: readers' opinion, tips & recommendations)
May 1, 2004... Have you ever wondered if you really got a full tank of gas when you left the airport rental car 3arking area? Our recent experience with Avis at Milan, Italy's, Malpensa airport is a classic case in point. We rented a Citroen C3 from Aug....

Left 'in the dark' re train change.(Travelers' intercom: readers' opinion, tips & recommendations)
May 1, 2004... During a trip in Japan, I rode on Haruka train No. 7 from Kyoto to Osaka Kansai Airport on the rainy morning of Oct. 13, '03. The train stopped at Hinero Station. I saw everyone get off the train and I got off too, however my intended...

Stood up by Blue Train.(Travelers' intercom: readers' opinion, tips & recommendations)
May 1, 2004... I enjoyed reading Dr. Wagenaar's account of his journey on the Blue Train through South Africa (March '04, pg. 99). One fact which may be of importance to ITN readers, however, is that the Blue Train apparently can cancel its train journeys at...

Loved Shongololo Express trip.(Travelers' intercom: readers' opinion, tips & recommendations)(Letter to the Editor)
May 1, 2004... I read with interest Vern Lewis' article of his train trip with Shongololo Express (March '04, pg. 84). My husband, Joseph, and I took a Shongololo Express trip in October '03 but chose to go only through South Africa, hence we took the 16-day...

Trusts Adventure Center.(Travelers' intercom: readers' opinion, tips & recommendations)
May 1, 2004... I always have Adventure Center (1311 63rd St., Ste. 200, Emeryville, CA 94608; phone 800/228-8747 or visit www. adventurecenter.com) arrange my air tickets when I book air and land together; it may cost me a few bucks more, but it is well worth...

Commends smarTours.(Travelers' intercom: readers' opinion, tips & recommendations)
May 1, 2004... I would like to commend a tour company that "stepped up to the plate" when plans went awry. On our Nov. 18-Dec. 10, '03, trip to Australia, New Zealand and Fiji with smarTours (New York, NY; phone 800/337-7773 or visit www.smartours.net),...

All Asia Travel Company.(Travelers' intercom: readers' opinion, tips & recommendations)
May 1, 2004... My two adult daughters and my wife and I returned from three magnificent weeks in Thailand (Bangkok and Chiang Mai), Viet-Nam (Hanoi, Hue. Da Nang, Hoi An, Nha Trang, Da Lat and Ho Chi Mirth City) and Cambodia (Siem Reap and Angkor) on Jan. 19,...

Tabulating opinions on England's top sites.(Travelers' intercom: readers' opinion, tips & recommendations)
May 1, 2004... In view of the plethora of guidebooks on England and their sometimes divergent opinions, a few years ago I thought it might be both interesting and useful to determine the degree of conformity among them in choosing what they considered that...

Friendly Manxmen.(Travelers' intercom: readers' opinion, tips & recommendations)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... In September '01, shortly after the tragedy of 9-11, we traveled to Ireland for two weeks and then to the Isle of Man. As U.S. citizens, we were met in both places with kindness, understanding and concern. When we arrived on the Isle of...

Weaving our way through the villages of East Anglia.
May 1, 2004... Within easy reach of London, some of East Anglia's landscapes will live forever in Constable and Gainsborough paintings. But it is wealth from this area's cloth-weaving industries that is reflected in its historic communities of such appeal...

Accommodations worldwide: hotels * B&Bs * homestays * apartments.
May 1, 2004... 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 visit and conversion rates are approximate. ...

A great restaurant for a 'splurge'.
May 1, 2004... To celebrate an anniversary or a spouse's birthday while traveling overseas, have you ever decided to hang the expense and really "splurge" on a meal? We asked those of you who did so--and found that it was worth every euro, pound or...

'Itty Bitty Guide to Tipping'.(product introduction)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... Should you tip when traveling in Japan? How much do you tip a tour guide and when? The answers are in the pocket-sized "The Itty Bitty Guide to Tipping" by Stacie Krajchir and Carrie Rosten (2004, Chronicle Books. ISBN 0811840387--128 pages,...

Garden in Wales.(reopened to the public)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... At St. Fagans near Cardiff, Wales, a walled Italian garden reopened to the public in May '03 for the first time in 70 years. Now part of the Museum of Welsh Life, it was created in 1902-1904 and fell into disuse in the 1930s. It has been...

Kick off your shoes & enjoy a Barefoot San Blas Islands cruise.
May 1, 2004... The San Blas Islands, off the coast of Panama, are one of the last pristine, undeveloped areas of the world. These islands, with swaying coconut palms, soft sand beaches and colorful coral reefs surrounded by the turquoise Caribbean, are the...

Tours in review: candid appraisals of group tours.
May 1, 2004... CENTRAL AMERICA Cathy Parda of Advantage Travel & Tours (Box 503228, San Diego, CA 92150-3228; phone 800/882-2098 or e-mail advantaget@aol.com) arranged our "refuge from the winter cold" trip to Central America. We had previously visited...

Driving the Dalmatian coast, plus Croatia's Plitvice Lakes.
May 1, 2004... (Part 2 of 3 on the Balkans) The aqua-blue waters of the Adriatic, the coves and beaches of the Dalmatian coast, medieval walled cities, imperial Roman ruins, mountain lakes and the forests and vineyards of the interior make Croatia a...

Inspecting a Maginot Line fortress.(Travelers' intercom: readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)
May 1, 2004... Over the years, I heard and read a lot about the Maginot Line, and I always wanted to visit the most impressive part of it. Because it extended from Luxembourg to Switzerland, with another section from Switzerland to the Mediterranean, I needed...

A base in the Cotswolds.(Travelers' intercom: readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)(Letter to the Editor)
May 1, 2004... (Part 1 of 3) Cirencester is a good base from which to explore England's lovely Cotswold area. In July-August '03 we rented a cottage for six weeks at Glebe Farm Holiday Cottages (Barnsley, Cirencester, Glos. GL7 5DY, ENGLAND; phone 01285...

Argentina and Uruguay.(Travelers' intercom: readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)(Letter to the Editor)
May 1, 2004... In January '04 we took a self-directed trip to Buenos Aires, Argentina, and to Montevideo and Punta del Este, Uruguay. We experienced a delightful and safe adventure at a very reasonable price. In Buenos Aires we stayed at Hotel Lafayette...

Frequent-flier mileage scam?(Travelers' intercom: readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)
May 1, 2004... Those of you with American Airlines frequent-flyer miles should watch for a possible seam coming through by e-mail. The message states that American Airlines AAdyantage is having difficulty posting miles due to an incorrect AAdvantage number....

Avoiding x-ray damage to film.(Travelers' intercom: readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... If your trip is going to cover three weeks or more, here is an option which guarantees no film damage by x-ray machines at airports. Take an inexpensive, empty 35mm camera. Wait until you arrive and then purchase a couple of 24-print rolls....

Budget cruiser.(Travelers' intercom: readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)(Letter to the Editor)
May 1, 2004... I read the reader's letter "Wildly Varying Cruise Fares Irksome" in the January '04 issue. I have been on 39 cruises with various lines. As Bill Bennett put it (page 27), "cruise lines vary their prices according to demand." I agree that is...

The deserved tip.(Travelers' intercom: readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... I would like to identify my traveling credentials before giving you my thoughts on the controversial subject of tipping. I have traveled to 161 of the nations on ITN's "Official List" and 248 of those on the Travelers' Century Club list. I...

Sour welcome to Rio.(Travelers' intercom: readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)
May 1, 2004... On Feb. 3, '04, as a traveler with the "Tango and Samba" group of smarTours (800/337-7773), I entered Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, coming from Buenos Aires, Argentina. Our Varig Brazilian Air planeload lined up at the usual passport control....

Any safe havens left?(Travelers' intercom: readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)(Letter to the Editor)
May 1, 2004... The article on Easter Island in the March '04 issue was excellent. We enjoyed our visit there a few years ago. The sentence that caught my eye was the one in which the author said the people there are honest. We felt that way too, when we...

Belleau Wood ceremonies correction.(Travelers' intercom: readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)(Correction Notice)
May 1, 2004... Marines do not make mistakes, but I did. Regarding my note (April '04, pg. 12) on the annual commemoration of the U.S. Marine Corps WWI triumph at Belleau Wood, France, the 2004 commemoration actually will be held Sunday morning, May 30....

Artwork in Thailand.(Travelers' intercom: readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... For travelers who have extra time in Bangkok, Thailand, I'd like to pass along a wonderful shopping contact. If you're looking to have something framed and are tired of paying "more for the frame than the artwork," contact Thai Thong Art...

Travel clubs on the grow.(ITN Travel Club)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... * The SAN DIEGO ITN Travel Club had its second meeting on March 6th, 2004. There are some new faces, and some members were off seeing the world. We all are hoping our club will grow as word gets out. Our next meeting is Saturday, May 1st, at...

Vienna's new Airport Express.(All Aboard)
May 1, 2004... After officials finished making speeches and congratulating themselves, on Dec. 14, '03, the first big, 3-carriage double-decker Vienna Airport Express train took passengers from Vienna's new City Airport Terminal within Mitte Station in the...

Sail Adriatic coast.(Cruise cavalcade: upcoming ocean, sea, river or canal cruises)(Unique World Cruises (Manhasset, New York))(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... Unique World Cruises' M/S Dalmacija will sail the Adriatic coast, May to September '04. The 9-day package "Hidden Treasures of the Adriatic" includes Venice, Italy; Korcula Island, Dubrovnik, Rovinj and Split in Croatia; Kotor Fjord in...

Mekong River Cruise.(Cruise cavalcade: upcoming ocean, sea, river or canal cruises)(Value World Tours)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... Value World Tours is offering a first-ever sailing along the Mekong River in Viet-Nam and Cambodia aboard the 68-passenger Mekong Pandaw. The year-round program's itinerary starts in My Tho, Viet-Nam, and makes its way through the Mekong Delta...

Seven Seas Navigator.(Cruise cavalcade: upcoming ocean, sea, river or canal cruises)(Radisson Seven Seas Cruises)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... Guests on the all-suite Seven Seas Navigator cruising round trip from New York to Bermuda (May to September 2004) may receive free economy-class airfare from 84 North American gateways plus a complimentary, 2-night, precruise stay at New York's...

Clipper adds Libya port call.(Cruise cavalcade: upcoming ocean, sea, river or canal cruises)(Clipper Cruise Line, Windsor Inc.)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... Taking advantage of the U.S. State Department's decision to drop its travel restrictions to Libya, Clipper Cruise Line has announced plans for its Clipper Adventurer to visit ports in North Africa in 2005. On the 15-day cruise "Antiquities...

Tours: a selection of escorted tours.
May 1, 2004... "D-DAY: BATTLE OF THE BULGE: NORMANDY TO BERLIN"--12-day tour of WWII sites, in conjunction with D-Day 60th anniversary programming on The History Channel. Departures through Nov. 4, '04. Among highlights: In ENGLAND, Cabinet War Rooms,...

Tips for the solo traveler.
May 1, 2004... Several readers sent in excellent suggestions in response to my February '04 column on taking more interesting pictures and displaying them in a more compelling way back home. I hope you find their suggestions as interesting as I did. ...

Charming Madeira.(The Discerning Traveler)
May 1, 2004... "Money," the young crook hissed, aiming the rock at my face. Scared out of my wits, I uttered, "I have no money." I yelled for help and looked around only to discover that six more villains had materialized and had completely...

In May 2000 my wife, Josie, and I had a good walk around Geneva, Switzerland.(The Discerning Traveler)
May 1, 2004... In May 2000 my wife, Josie, and I had a good walk around Geneva, Switzerland, which I think is quite impressive but which Josie thinks deteriorates as you leave the lakefront. In this city, one of the world's tallest fountains jets 500 feet...

Bonaire Dive Festival.(Around the Caribbean)
May 1, 2004... The Eighth Annual Bonaire Dive Festival has been expanded from one week to two weeks and will take place June 5-19, 2004. Philippe Cousteau, Jr. will be the featured presenter, detailing his current and future projects and leading guided dives....

Windjammer Junior Jammers.(Around the Caribbean)(Windjammer Barefoot Cruises Ltd. services)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... From June through August, on Windjammer Barefoot Cruises' "Junior Jammer" program, children ages six to 11 can sail aboard the S/V Legacy and S/V Polynesia for free when accompanied by two full-fare adults or for half-fare when accompanied by...

Nassau Pirate Museum.(Around the Caribbean)
May 1, 2004... In the 17th and 18th centuries, pirates of the Caribbean sailed from ports like New Providence (now known as Nassau). The interactive Pirates of Nassau Museum is located on the corner of Marlborough and George streets, just a block from famous...

Art in Puerto Rico.(Around the Caribbean)
May 1, 2004... The Museo de Arte Contemporaneo de Puerto Rico has opened in the historic Rafael M. Labra building in the Santurce neighborhood of San Juan, Puerto Rico. More than 700 works from Puerto Rico, the Caribbean and Latin America form the island's...

D-Day exhibits.(Brit bits)(Royal Air Force Museum )(Imperial War Museum )(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... Two London museums are marking the 60th anniversary of the June 6, 1944, D-Day landings in Normandy, France. * The Royal Air Force Museum in Hendon will hold a special D-Day weekend June 5-6, 2004. Reenactors will relate experiences during...

Beaulieu Abbey.(Brit bits)(National Motor Museum celebrations)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... Beaulieu, renowned for its National Motor Museum, in 2004 celebrates the 800th anniversary of the founding, by King John, of Beaulieu Abbey, one of the first Cistercian monasteries in England. * A festival of floral art will be held in the...

Arts festivals.(Brit bits)(Chichester Festivities )(Cheltenham Festival of Literature)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... Britain is staging more than 100 cultural festivals in 2004, including the Chichester Festivities (June 27-July 10), celebrating the town's Norman cathedral; the Edinburgh International Festival (Aug. 15-Sept. 4) with its Fringe (Aug. 8-30),...

Tower of London prisoners.(Brit bits)(exhibitions)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... Through Sept. 5, 2004, at Her Majesty's Tower of London, the exhibition "Prisoners of the Tower" reveals individual stories of various prisoners held at the tower from the years 1100 through 1945. It includes possessions, artifacts, art,...

Rick Steves' Europe[C].(museums brief)
May 1, 2004... What's new in Europe As Europe gears up for summer, there's plenty in store, from crumbling castles to chocolate churches. Here are some highlights gleaned from my latest research. Great Britain In London, a new Tate-to-Tate ferry...

Past & present: Rhodes and Symi, Greece.(Timeless Roads of the Mideast & Mediterranean)
May 1, 2004... The first trip Moreen and I took to the Dodecanese Islands area of the Mediterranean was in 1974. Sadly, then, as today, travelers were being advised to be cautious due to the ongoing hostilities between Greece and Turkey re the island of...

Rio de Janeiro--so much more than Carnaval!(Latin America)
May 1, 2004... (First of four parts) Rio de Janeiro sits capriciously, on a thin strip of land between the mountains and the sea, In my 40 years of visiting Rio, this astounding city has never ceased to dazzle. Rio is one of the world's most colorful...

Here's the name of a good Chinese restaurant with reasonable prices in central Amsterdam.(Latin America)(New China City )(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... Here's the name of a good Chinese restaurant with reasonable prices in central Amsterdam: New China City (Beethovenstraat 51, 1077 HN Amsterdam, Netherlands). It's very near the Hotel Beethoven (a Best Western affiliate). Twice on a trip in...

4WD hot springs day trip from Santiago.(Far Horizons)
May 1, 2004... On my return from the Antarctic, I had the opportunity to stop over in Santiago, Chile, for a few days with-friends Scott Jones and Anne Keller, whose large apartment tends to be a haven for a constant stream of globetrotting international...

Central America seminar at sea.(Travel briefs)(Institute for Shipboard Education )(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... The Institute for Shipboard Education (ISE) will offer a "Seminar at Sea" Dec. 27, 2004-Jan. 12, 2005. The seminar will combine the fun of living on board ship with lectures, discussions, workshops and field programs at exotic ports of call....

Cruise Poland's Vistula River.(Travel briefs)(Peter Deilmann Cruises )(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... In March, Peter Deilmann Cruises became the first cruise line to offer weekly passenger service on the Vistula River in Poland. Through Oct. 30, 2004, seven-night cruises operate Gdansk-Warsaw, Warsaw-Gdansk and round trip Gdansk-Kaliningrad...

Visit North & South poles.(Travel briefs)(Intrav Inc., Windsor Inc.)
May 1, 2004... Visit both the top and bottom of the world, at a discount, with INTRAV and Clipper Cruise Line. Sail through pack ice above the Arctic Circle this August aboard the 100-passenger nuclear icebreaker Yamal on the voyage "Bridge to the North...

Austrian Air Smart Packs.(Travel briefs)(Austrian Airlines )(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... Austrian Airlines has Smart Pack vacation packages to Vienna, Innsbruck, Salzburg, Linz or Graz. Valid for travel to Oct. 31, 2004, these include round-trip economy-class air from New York plus three nights in a 4-or 5-star hotel. If your...