International Travel News articles from November 2005

International Travel News archives from November 2005

Boarding pass.
November 1, 2005... Dear Globetrotter: Welcome to the 357th issue of your monthly overseas travel magazine. As ITN subscriber Calvin Parker of Upland, California, lamented in the July '05 issue, page 85, Avis would not rent him a car in Belize because he...

Travel tidbits.
November 1, 2005... On my tour of the Dalmatian Coast in July '03, I took a day trip to Pula, Croatia. I think the best bet once there is to take a taxi to the coliseum. It's too easy to get lost, otherwise. I arrived in the early morning and caught the last of...

Spain ... plus Italy and Corsica: cruising the Mediterranean with Swan Hellenic.
November 1, 2005... The architecture spoke the loudest--the hushed whisper of a fourth-century Italian basilica, the resonating refrains of a Gothic Spanish cathedral and the swelling scream of Gaudi's unfinished masterwork, reaching for the sky. But there were...

Art and antiques, Madrid.(Brief Article)(Calendar)
November 1, 2005... Feriarte, the 29th Annual International Art & Antiques Fair, brings more than 200 antique, dealers and gallery owners from around the world to Madrid, Spain, Nov. 19-27, 2005, to showcase and sell some 17,000 rare and unusual works, including...

Prado extends hours.(Museo del Prado)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... The Museo del Prado in Madrid is extending its opening hours and adding Sundays. It is now open 9-8 Tuesday-Sunday (except on Christmas Eve, New Year's Eve and Jan. 6, when the hours are 9-2). Contact Museo del Prado, Edificio Villanueva,...

Rental car CDW waivers.(Travelers' Intercom: Readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)(collision damage waivers)
November 1, 2005... In his August '05 "Discerning Traveler" column, Dr. Philip Wagenaar offered some tips for handling collision damage waivers (CDWs) when renting a car, to which I would like to add some notes. The CDW is a good way to save money, but it has to...

Call for airport-ship/hotel transport.(Travelers' Intercom: Readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)
November 1, 2005... As avid travelers, we have been to over 100 countries. We love to cruise, and there is one thing we have a hard time finding good information about: how to get from the airport to the cruise port in an economical manner. Since we purchase...

Malta festival a highlight.(Travelers' Intercom: Readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)
November 1, 2005... We took a 2-week trip to Malta plus an add-on week in Sicily, April 16-May 6, '05, with Grand Circle Travel (Boston, MA; 800/221-2610 or www.gct.com). For my wife and me, the cost was approximately $6,254 from Los Angeles. The experience became...

Drove Greece and Turkey.(Travelers' Intercom: Readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)
November 1, 2005... We enjoyed a driving tour of Greece and Turkey, May 3-26, '05. We visited all the usual places, so "I will limit comments to recommendations. After we spent four days in Athens and again after four days in Istanbul, we rented a car in each...

Schliemann and Troy.(travel to greece)
November 1, 2005... Several years ago on a trip to Greece, we visited Mycenae and became interested in the German archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann and the Trojan Wars. The Numismatic Museum of Athens in the Schliemann mansion was very nice--and not anything...

Spectacular in Suriname.(Travelers' Intercom: Readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... The Central Suriname Nature Reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is about an hour' s flight south of the capital, Paramaribo. On our May '03 trip we flew in a Cessna around Tafelberg, which is a tepui, or flat-topped mountain, and saw its 12...

Guayaquil zoo.(Historical Park)(Editorial)
November 1, 2005... On our trip to Guayaquil, Ecuador, we decided to take a half-day tour to the Historical Park. It was a good decision. The first section was a zoo of animals native to South America, most of them endangered. We saw caimans, peccaries,...

Funniest thing.(Brief Article)
November 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...

Kyrgyz Rep. concerns.(crime )(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... According to Kyrgyz law enforcement officials, violent crime and crime focused on foreigners has increased since the change in government in March 2005. The recent fighting in Osh between two groups with ties to political and criminal entities...

East Africa caution.(Increased security )(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... The State Department reminds travelers that supporters of Al-Qaida and other extremists are active in East Africa. Americans should remain vigilant with regard to their personal security and exercise caution. Increased security at official...

Liberia risks.(risks of travel to Liberia)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... The Department of State continues to urge Americans to consider carefully the risks of travel to Liberia. Notwithstanding the U.N.'s deployment of 15,000 peacekeepers and 1,100 police advisors nationwide, the overall security situation remains...

Cholera in West Africa.(cholera outbreaks )(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... The World Health Organization (WHO) reported in September a new wave of cholera outbreaks in West Africa. A particularly heavy rainy season plus increased population movements in the area contributed to an unusually high incidence of the...

Yellow fever in Guinea.(Yellow fever outbreaks)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... According to the World Health Organization (WHO), as of Aug. 31, 2005, four cases of yellow fever, including three deaths, have been reported in Mamou, Guinea, West Africa; seven cases, four fatal, have been reported from the region of Fouta...

Polio in Angola.(News Watch)
November 1, 2005... The Ministry of Health of Angola has reported cases of poliomyelitis in five provinces: Bengo, Benguela, Luanda, Lunda Sul and Moxico. Angola had not reported a case of polio since 2001. Since 2003, outbreaks of poliomyelitis have been...

Avian influenza in Asia.(News Watch)
November 1, 2005... Outbreaks of the avian influenza A (H5N1) virus among poultry have been confirmed in Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Thailand, Viet-Nam, Russia and Kazakhstan during 2005 and in Malaysia and Laos during 2004. As of Sept. 22, 2005, 115 human cases...

Encephalitis, NE India.(News Watch)
November 1, 2005... According to the World Health Organization, 1,145 cases of Japanese encephalitis (J.E.), including 296 deaths, were reported from 14 districts in the northeastern state of Uttar Pradesh, India, July 29-Aug. 31, 2005. Additionally, 90 patients...

Where were you in March 2005?(survey)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... It's time again for our annual survey. Your answers help us select the articles and news items we print here. Here's why we've picked March: 16.6% of ITN readers travel overseas in March. We've previously done the month of September...

Current warnings.(travel warnings)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... As ITN went to press, the State Department had travel warnings on 26 destinations: Liberia, Cote d'Ivoire, Sudan, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Somalia, Algeria, Uzbekistan, Kenya, Iran, Iraq, Congo-Kinshasa, Nepal, Israel/West Bank/Gaza, Afghanistan,...

Don Quixote's 400th.(celebrating the 400th anniversary)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... Throughout 2005, Spain has been celebrating the 400th anniversary of the publication of Miguel de Cervantes' classic novel "Don Quixote." In Madrid, "Don Quixote through the Ages," a show of original drawings and engravings inspired by the...

India may add budget rail hotels.(Travel briefs)
November 1, 2005... The Indian government is thinking about building 100 budget hotels in all star categories at tourist-center rail stations. Over three years, it would add 10,000 rooms at such places as Bangalore, Bhopal, Chandigarh, Madurai, Secunderabad and...

Slovakia info.(Tourist & Commercial Office of Slovakia opens its doors)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... New in North america is the Tourist & Commercial Office of Slovakia (10 E. 40th St., Ste. 3606, New York, NY 10016; fax 212/679-7045) and the website www.cometoslovakia.com. The website lists hotels, restaurants and things to see and do,...

China's Hakka houses: China's Fujian Province is full of surprises: an island with no cars or bicycles but plenty of pianos and consulates from the days when Xiamen was the port city of Amoy plus, not too far away, the round, rammed-earth houses of the Hakkas.
November 1, 2005... My favorite trips always begin with a library book and end in a village. This journey began with "China's traditional Rural Architecture" by Ronald Knapp. I was looking for information on the thatch-roofed houses on stilts that I had seen in...

Would have appreciated a 'ranked waiting list'.(Overseas Adventure Travel )
November 1, 2005... ITN was mailed a copy of the following letter, sent by a reader to Overseas Adventure Travel (OAT), a subsidiary of Grand Circle Travel (GCT). Thank you so much for your recent "form letter" noting that we had not chosen to travel with...

Displeased with aspects of ACCL cruise.(Travelers' Intercom: Readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)
November 1, 2005... We took the 11-night "Belize/Barrier Reef/Guatemala" cruise on American Canadian Caribbean Line's Grande Caribe, Jan. 24-Feb. 4, '05. We had cabin 44A, and the cost for the two of us was $5,151. We chose this trip for snorkel experiences...

Message for a cruise passenger.(Travelers' Intercom: Readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)
November 1, 2005... My friends, Mike and Molly Gallant of Hallowell, Maine, went on a Caribbean cruise aboard Princess Cruises' Dawn Princess in March '05. For a special treat, they took Mike's elderly aunt with them. This was to be her first-ever cruise, and the...

Biking, boating the Loire.(Travelers' Intercom: Readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)
November 1, 2005... My wife, Nel, and I took a bike and boat trip in the Loire Valley in May '05. Arranged through Pack & Pedal Europe (Springville, PA; phone 877/956-2064 or visit www.tripsite.com), the tour included airfare to Paris from the East Coast via...

Pedal pushers.(Travelers' Intercom: Readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)
November 1, 2005... We always read with interest the letters in ITN about bicycle tours, since we have found it such a refreshing way to travel. In spring 2004 we took our seventh trip with Hindriks European Bicycle Tours (Huntington Beach, CA; phone...

Mont-St-Michel sans crowds.(Travelers' Intercom: Readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)(Letter to the Editor)
November 1, 2005... When we visit Mont-St-Michel, France, we prefer to stay on the island rather than the mainland because of the change in the atmosphere when the last of the day-trippers leave by about 5 p.m. It goes from a noisy, crowded, carnival atmosphere to...

Fine eating in Paris.(travelers' opinions, tips and recommendations)
November 1, 2005... My husband, Ward Hoffman, and I have been to Paris more than 20 times and, we confess, we go there these days primarily to eat and take walks, often covering eight or nine miles a day. Before we leave, we do a lot of research on where we want...

Typical food in Morocco & Tunisia.(Travelers' Intercom: Readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... We experienced similar cuisine in both Morocco and Tunisia during a trip in July '02. In both countries, we stayed in 2- or 3-star hotels which had adjoining or nearby restaurants. The evening menus uniformly offered two or three dishes,...

Thoughtful gift.(Travelers' Intercom: Readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... In the late '90s, my wife and I took a Bolivia and Peru tour with Overseas Adventure Travel (Cambridge, MA), as I had always wanted to visit Machu Picchu. The group size was limited to just 16 people plus the tour guide. We saw a part of South...

Sicily's historical haunts.
November 1, 2005... Sicily. It's not for sissies. It had long been a destination I looked forward to visiting, primarily due to its historical sites. On a trip at the end of May '05, it did not disappoint. My husband, Steve, and I planned a 10-day fly/drive...

Money matters overseas.
November 1, 2005... (Second of two parts) ITN asked readers to share how they deal with money and making purchases overseas (anywhere outside of North America and the Caribbean). We asked, "Do you exchange money at a bank or automatic teller machine (ATM)? Do...

Long-term travel insurance coverage.(Eye on travel insurance)
November 1, 2005... A letter from Grace Slavsky of Eau Claire, Wisconsin, asked, "Is it possible to buy travel insurance covering trip cancellation/medical evacuation, etc., on an ANNUAL basis for us travelers who take several trips throughout the year? It would...

Accommodations worldwide: hotels * B&Bs * homestays * apartments.
November 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...

Nicaragua revisited.
November 1, 2005... Travel in Nicaragua has changed considerably. During a 1993 visit, I found that the country's lack of tourist infrastructure made it difficult--and at times impossible--to enjoy its historical and natural attractions. In April '05,...

Australia.
November 1, 2005... A trip my husband, John, and I made to Australia was different from most tours as we spent most of our time in the western part of the country. Our one-month trip was planned by AAT Kings (Head Office, Level 4, 476 St. Kilda Road, Melbourne,...

Morocco.
November 1, 2005... For those ITN readers who might be searching for an experience which is more customized than a standard tour, I recommend the outfit which guided my 21-year-old son, Stephen, and me in Morocco: Berber Tours (Boutique Lac Iriqi, Ave. Mohamed V,...

Germany.(Tours in Review: Candid appraisals of group tours)
November 1, 2005... "City Highlights Independent Studies" programs from Elderhostel (11 Ave. de Lafayette, Boston, MA 02111; phone 877/426-8056 or visit www.elderhostel.org) are shorter, include fewer meals and fewer group activities and are less expensive than...

West Africa.(travelling with Far Fung Places)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... I went to GHANA, BURKINA FASO and MALI with Far Fung Places (1914 Fell St., San Francisco, CA 94117; phone 800/410-9811 or visit www.farfungplaces.com), Nov. 18-Dec. 12. '04. The land cost was $6,000. The small group was led by the company...

France.(travel info)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... "France's Most Beautiful Villages," the tour my husband and I took of the Dordogne region in September-October '04, visited places where large tour buses cannot go. Our 12-day tour was with Intimate France (Box 92, Point Reyes Station, CA...

Malaysia.(appraisals of group tours)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... I took an 18-day tour with smarTours (501 Fifth Ave., Ste. 1402, New York, NY 10017; 800/337-7773 or visit www.smartours.net), May 14-30, '05, in which we spent 10 days in Malaysian Borneo, two days in Kuala Lumpur and three days on the island...

Bratislava: a visit to Slovakia's capital city.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... During summer 2004, my wife, Eva, and I visited Slovakia, the land where we both were born many years ago. It is a small country (19,000 square miles) in the heart of Europe, and I think it is fair to say that the average American knows little...

Currency online, Rail Europe.
November 1, 2005... Travelers now can order foreign currency for more than 100 countries online at Rail Europe's website. By clicking on "How to save when buying foreign currency" under "Specials and Promotions" on the home-page, travelers can pay a minimal...

Guidebook from 'Time Out'.
November 1, 2005... Event listings magazine Time Out has produced its first guide to "Weekend Breaks in Great Britain and Ireland." Coastal breaks, rural retreats, towns, cities and boutique hotels and spas are all featured. It costs 14.99 [pounds sterling] (near...

Whittle while you wait.(travelers travel)
November 1, 2005... What do you do to pass the time in an airport waiting for a flight? Have any suggestions to make the interval more pleasant? ITN asked readers those questions and printed some of their responses in the May '05 issue. More ideas have come in and...

El Salvador in depth.
November 1, 2005... El Salvador is the smallest, most densely populated country in Central America, but it is bypassed by most group tour companies. In April '05, I was lucky enough to find the "golden ticket" that got me not just into the country but entry into...

Eye on flora of South America.(Travelers' Intercom: Readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)(Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
November 1, 2005... During a 17-day February-March '04 South America cruise aboard the Amsterdam of Holland America Line (Seattle, WA; 800/426-0327) and on land tours that we booked separately, I was interested in observing the different types of flowers, plants...

Visited Amsterdam.(Travelers' Intercom: Readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)
November 1, 2005... My wife, Judy, and I were in Amsterdam in April '05 after a tulip cruise (good value) aboard the Viking Pride of Viking_ River Cruises (Woodland Hills, CA; 877/668-4546 or www.vikingrivercruises.com). We usually arrive a day early in...

Acropolis in the a.m.(Athens, Greece)(Brief Article)(Editorial)
November 1, 2005... On our trip to Athens, Greece, we could see the Acropolis from the street in front of where we stayed, Hotel Attalos (29 Athinas St.; phone +30 210 3212 801--2005 price, from 62 [euro] [$75]), in the Monastiraki area. From the rooftop of...

More elbow room.(Travelers' Intercom: Readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)(Letter to the Editor)
November 1, 2005... I read the article on Venice and Florence by Paula Prindle in the August '05 issue with great interest. I noted in part one of the article that she chose September for the weather. We were in Florence in February 2000. It was chilly (50s)...

About roundabouts.(Travelers' Intercom: Readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)(Letter to the Editor)
November 1, 2005... I have to quibble with the advice on roundabouts in the letter "Tips for Driving in Britain" (Aug. '05, pg. 74). First, it is not "ridiculous and... extremely dangerous" to stay in a roundabout until you know which exit to take, and I...

Health news.(Travelers' Intercom: Readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)(Letter to the Editor)
November 1, 2005... The leg exercises recommended for frequent flyers help prevent deep vein thrombosis, a blood clot in the calf of the leg that can break loose and lodge in the lungs as a pulmonary embolus. Frequent flyers Richard Nixon and Dan Quayle had this...

Romania and Bulgaria.(Travelers' Intercom: Readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)
November 1, 2005... Six of us toured ROMANIA for 10 days in May '05 with Cristian Florea of Crif Tours (phone 40 722 606 610, e-mail romtours@digicom.ro or visit www. discoverromania.ro). He was wonderful and we had a great time on our customized tour of the...

Thanjavur, in southern India, is the ancient capital of the Chola kings.(Travelers' Intercom: Readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: Thanjavur, in southern India, is the ancient capital of the Chola kings. Here, the Brihadishwara Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was built by King Rajaraja in 1010. It is devoted to the god Shiva, and...

'Fabulous' guide in Turkey.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... Five of us took a personal tour of western Turkey with Mehmet Ozbalci in March '04. A reader had recommended him in a short letter (May '99, pg. 117). He truly is a guide "extraordinaire." Not only is Mehmet knowledge, able about Turkey...

Food in Turkey.(Travelers' Intercom: Readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... The food on our trip to Turkey was wonderful. Lots of lamb, of course, but the big surprise was the quality and variety of seafood. Best grilled fish ever! The surprise treat was the fried mussels, on a stick. The mezes, or starters, were...

Driver-guide in Oman.(Khalid Bakheet )(Brief Article)(Biography)
November 1, 2005... We wanted to share a nice "find" we made in Salalah,' Oman, while on a cruise in April '05. It is a great cab driver and tour guide named Khalid Bakheet (phone 99489979 or contact his friend, Ali Atif Al Yafai, who is the assistant front office...

Rhine-Main by S-Bahn.(Schnellbahn)
November 1, 2005... There is a myth that travelers cannot visit small European villages and towns by train. It gratifies me that the e-mail to railfox@aol.com shows that more and more readers are discovering the large number of less-well-known cities and villages...

ItaliaRail.com.(Wandrian Inc.)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... Wandrian, Inc., a global travel distributor for rail products and services, has launched the website www.italiarail.com, which offers U.S. and Canadian travelers the same access to booking railroad tickets and passes as Italians have in their...

LondonBudgieBikes.(Youth Hostels Association supplies bikes on rent)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... The Youth Hostels Association (YHA) is supplying 100 bright yellow BudgieBikes for hire at five of its London sites. For hire by the hour, the BudgieBikes can be picked up at YH Rotherhithe, YHA Earl's Court, YHA Holland House in Kensington,...

The cruising world.(a chat with Crystal Symphony's stewardess, Rasa Janonyte)(Interview)
November 1, 2005... Dew from Heaven Too often, we cruise passengers think of our cabin stewards and stewardesses as 2-dimensional persons, without families, lives or futures. So aboard Crystal Symphony on a cruise through the Mediterranean in the summer of...

"Iceland City Escape.(escorted tours from Iceland Saga Travel)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... "ICELAND CITY ESCAPE"--6-day countryside tour with daily walks and hikes, March and April 2006. Highlights: Tour Reykjavik, then soak in a geothermal pool/Blue Lagoon on Reykjanes Peninsula/ Thingvellir National Park, site of the Althing,...

Ireland.(Gate 1 Travel's escorted tours)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... IRELAND -- 7-day/5-night tour. Highlights: In Dublin, Book of Kells at Trinity College, St. Patrick's Cathedral, St. Stephen's Green/watch craftsmen at Waterford crystal factory/15th-century Blarney Castle plus woolen mills/Killarney...

"Himalayan Sanctuaries".(Bestway Tours & Safaris' escorted tours for India, Bhutan and Nepal)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... "HIMALAYAN SANCTUARIES"--15-day tour of NEPAL, INDIA and BHUTAN. Highlights: From Kathmandu, fly to Bhadrapur, India, and tour Teesta Valley to Kalimpong. Over 200 flower nurseries here, with orchids, gladioli, cacti, etc./visit artisans...

"China Ethnic Minority Explorer".(Asian Pacific Adventures' escorted tours)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... "CHINA ETHNIC MINORITY EXPLORER"--20 days' China and TIBET, April 21-May 9 and Sept. 4-22, 2006. Highlights: In Yunnan Province, China, old section of Kunming/ markets, villages, nature reserves, botanical gardens in tropical Xishuangbanna...

"Incredible Chile Indepth.(Chilean Special Journeys' escorted tours)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... "INCREDIBLE CHILE INDEPTH"--21 days, March 23-April 12 and Nov. 2-22, 2006. Highlights: Santiago tour/wine tasting at Viu Manent/Arica in the Andes/turn-of-the-century Humberstone/historical fishing port Iquique/geoglyphs in San Pedro de...

"Patagonia Wildlife Safari".(Journeys International Inc.'s escorted tours)
November 1, 2005... "PATAGONIA WILDLIFE SAFARI"--10-day/9-night naturalist-guided trip in ARGENTINA. "Moderate" physical activity (hiking, canoeing--no experience necessary). Highlights: From Buenos Aires, fly to Trelaw and the Punta Tombo Rookery for...

"The Clumsiest People in Europe, or: Mrs. Mortimer's Bad-Tempered Guide to the Victorian World.(Brief Article)(Book Review)
November 1, 2005... "The Clumsiest People in Europe, or: Mrs. Mortimer's Bad-Tempered Guide to the Victorian World," by Todd Pruzan and Favell Lee Mortimer (2005, Bloomsbury. ISBN 158234504X--208 pp., $19.95 hardcover). It's a small world, after all--and...

"Molvania: A Land Untouched by Modern Dentistry".(Brief Article)(Book Review)
November 1, 2005... "Molvania: A Land Untouched by Modern Dentistry" by Santo Cilauro, Tom Gleisner and Rob Sitch (2004, The Overlook Press. ISBN 1585676195--176 pp., $13.95 paperback). Move over, Ruritania. Make way, Freedonia. The roster of nonexistent...

Dealing with jet lag and motion sickness.
November 1, 2005... One of the most mysterious and arcane topics among airplane travelers is jet lag and its incapacitating effects on the traveler. Having firsthand experience from traveling frequently over a 6-year period from New York to numerous destinations...

Motion sickness.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... Motion sickness is one of the most common illnesses affecting the traveler, and it is estimated that over 80% of the normal population has experienced it. Motion sickness does not discriminate between age, gender, travel experience and method...

Picture your unique story.(travel photography)
November 1, 2005... When we return from an adventure, we count on photographs to tell the story and convey the excitement and the feeling of the place we've been. But often we end up with "George in front of the Eiffel Tower," "George beside the Blue Danube,"...

Settling your debts abroad (Second of two parts).(The Discerning Traveler)
November 1, 2005... In the last issue I analyzed the ins and outs of bill paying abroad. In this issue, I offer additional suggestions on this topic. Debit card checklist Once you have acquired your debit card, it is helpful to do the following. 1....

All of Shakespeare's works.(The Royal Shakespeare Co. to stage festival on works of the legend)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) is staging the biggest festival in its history, featuring every play, sonnet and poem by the Bard. The RSC, along with theater companies from around the world, will stage The Complete Works in...

Lawrence of Arabia.(Brit bits)
November 1, 2005... Honoring one of the most famous British icons of the 20th century, T.E. Lawrence, the Imperial War Museum in London has a major exhibition, "Lawrence of Arabia: The Life, the Legend," until April 17, 2006. With letters, diaries, his Arab...

Einstein exhibit.(Brit bits)
November 1, 2005... Celebrating the centenary of the publication in 1905 of Albert Einstein's three ground-breaking scientific papers, the Jewish Museum in London's Camden Town is staging, through Jan. 8, 2006, an exhibition illuminating key aspects of his...

Christmas fair, Sussex.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... A Christmas fair with handmade crafts, fine foods and entertainment will take place at Borde Hill Garden in Haywards Heath, Sussex, England, 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Dec. 3-4. Entrance costs 3 [pounds sterling] (free for children) and includes access to...

Find London specials online.(Brit bits)
November 1, 2005... At the website www.visitlondon. com, a special-offers section is updated daily with great deals at attractions, hotels, restaurants and theaters. Examples--hotel rooms from 41.95 [pounds sterling] per night, theater tickets with pre-theater...