International Travel News articles from September 2001

International Travel News archives from September 2001

POSTMARK: Report Cards On-the-spot reports from around the globe.(brief hotel information)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2001... From Verona, ITALY, July 17, '01... * Hotel Giulietta e Romeo (Vicolo Tre Marchetti 3; phone 045 8003554 or visit www.giuliettaeromeo.com) -- half a block from the Colosseum. 3-star hotel. Great room with large bathroom. 310,000 lire...

Boarding Pass.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2001... Dear Globetrotter: In talking to subscribers, it seems that the two main attractions of ITN are 1) candid accounts and helpful recommendations from people who love travel and 2) a good selection of advertisements from a wide range of...

Fairy-tale Hallstatt.
September 1, 2001... Nothing really prepares you for a room full of brightly painted skulls. Macabre, yet captivating I'd done my homework prior to visiting Hallstatt -- a gravity-defying cascade of a town in Austria's Salzkammergut region. I knew...

Travelers' Intercom.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2001... Readers' opinions, tips & recommendations On signing release forms I would like to hear what other readers have to say about having to sign release forms in order to join adventure travel companies on their trips. We have no problem at...

Funniest Thing.(travel story)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2001... This month's winner is MURIEL E. BROOKS of Dayton, OH: While visiting my brother in England, he and his wife took me to Dartmoor, which is famous for one of the Sherlock Holmes mysteries, "The Hound of the Baskervilles." It was a lovely day...

Salvador, Bahia, Brazil.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2001... The city of Salvador, capital of Bahia State in Brazil, erupted in violence on July 12, 2001, as a police strike entered its eighth day. Street violence and random robberies of persons, vehicles, stores and banks occurred in the city. At...

Kingston, Jamaica, unrest.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2001... The Department of State advises United States citizens traveling to or residing in Jamaica to exercise caution in Kingston, the capital. Ongoing gun battles between security forces and politically affiliated gangs in West. Kingston have...

Arabian Peninsula alert.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2001... The U S Government has strong indications that individuals may be planning. imminent terrorist actions against U.S. interests in the Arabian Peninsula. In the past, such individuals have not distinguished between official and civilian targets....

Iraq travel warning.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2001... In light of Iraq's continuing challenges to the U.S./Coalition enforcement of the no-fly zones, and the potential for retaliatory action by the Government of Iraq against U.S. citizens, the U.S. Government urges all U.S. citizens to avoid...

Sri Lanka caution.(for U.S. travelers)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2001... The Department of State urges American citizens to defer nonessential travel, to Sri Lanka. Those who must travel to Sri Lanka, or who are resident there, should exercise. extreme caution. The U.S. Embassy. may temporarily close, or suspend...

East Timor crime alert.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2001... American citizens traveling to East Timor should exercise extreme caution. East Timor voted for independence from Indonesia in an Aug. 30, 1999, referendum and is currently under the authority of the United Nations Transitional...

Macedonia warning.(to U.S. travelers)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2001... The Department of State warns American citizens to defer all travel to Macedonia. It also has ordered the departure of Embassy personnel in nonemergency positions and has imposed an 8 p.m. curfew for official Americans in downtown Skopje. In...

Current warnings.(travel warnings for U.S. citizens)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2001... As ITN went to press, the State Department had travel warnings on 28 destinations: Macedonia, Sri Lanka, Iraq, Tajikistan, Indonesia, Yemen, Libya, Liberia, Algeria, Central African Republic, Pakistan, Solomon Islands, Guinea-Bissau, Colombia,...

Goodwill Guides in Korea.(travel service information)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2001... To provide greater trip assistance to English-speaking travelers, the Korea National Tourism Organization (KNTO) has introduced the services of more than 3,000 Goodwill Guides. These bilingual volunteers are available to escort visitors to...

Secure digital documents from Miami Passport Agency.(agency system information)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2001... A new passport issuance system was officially dedicated on July 26, 2001, by the Miami Passport Agency (Claude Pepper Federal Building, Third Floor, 51 SW First Ave., Miami, FL 33130). Called TDIS-Photodigitization, it allows the processing "of...

Tanzania and Ethiopia.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2001... It was a dichotomous duo. First, we ventured to a couple of Tanzania's lesser-visited wildlife reserves in the southern and western parts of the country in search of big game and chimpanzees. Then we headed north to Ethiopia for a very...

Independent auto tour of Sicily.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2001... In November 2000 we completed an independent 2-week driving tour of Sicily with another couple. It surpassed all expectations as the sights were fabulous, the food was terrific and we never once felt threatened or concerned for our safety. The...

Great Britain & Ireland.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2001... In April '01, having just returned from Turkey to ENGLAND, I was longing for more delicious Turkish food and so was fortunate to find a wonderful little Turkish restaurant quite near, to, my London hotel. It is the Willesden Charcoal Grill (No....

Clooneen House.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2001... My wife and I took a trip through IRELAND in April '01. We started in Dublin and went northwest to County Donegal, down along the west coast; partway along the southern coast to the town of Kinsale and back to Dublin. We put a total of 1,200...

Europe: La Combe en Perigord.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2001... In June '01 we stayed in the Perigord-Dordogne area of FRANCE. We wish to submit the name of a very special place. La Combe en Perigord (phone 1-888-522-6623 or visit www.lacombe-perigord.com) is a lovely restored farmhouse/barn which can...

DENMARK is Fuglsangcentret.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2001... An incredible hotel run by an Association for the blind in DENMARK is Fuglsangcentret (Sondermarksvej 150, 7000 Fredericia, Denmark; phone 77 20 21 00, fax 76 20 21 80, e-mail fuglsang@dkblind.dk or visit www.fuglsangcentret.dk). The hotel...

Hotel de Maubeuge.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2001... During our trip to Europe in autumn of 1999, late September to late October, we included several accommodations in old country inns and hotels dating back several hundred years. If you are looking for modern conveniences, don't stay at these....

Four Seasons.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2001... We love TURKEY and Istanbul, but we like to avoid expensive, hotels. We never stay in the Taksim area, at the Hilton or the other hotels there, because most of the sightseeing superstars are in the Sultanahmet district. That's where the Blue...

Sultanahmet Sarayi Hotel.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2001... I have found a true little gem in Istanbul, TURKEY, that's only been open for about three years. It is across from the mosaics museum and just a 2-minute walk from the Blue Mosque. The Sultanahmet Sarayi Hotel (Torun Sokak, No. 19 34400...

Pacific: Lagoon Lodges.(Review)
September 1, 2001... Lagoon Lodges (P.O. Box 45, Rarotonga, COOK ISLANDS; phone 682-22022, fax 682-22021 or e-mail des@lagoon.co.ck) -- a very nice, quiet place in a garden-like setting. A studio with bath and kitchen runs about $60 for two persons, while one...

Amsterdam packages.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2001... RT Tours is offering the program "Amsterdam Express" through Oct. 31, 2001. Prices begin at $1,259 per person, double occupancy, and include round-trip coach air from New York, Boston, Baltimore or Miami. The package also features six...

Kansai airport luggage shuttle.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2001... Visitors flying in to Kansai International Airport (KIX) on Honshu, Japan, can avail themselves of a new shuttle service that will transport their carry-on luggage to a hotel in Osaka Prefecture while they go off sightseeing. Travelers can...

Travel safety in Rio de Janeiro.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2001... ROGER HEWITT OF SAN JOSE, CA, wrote to ITN's "Travelers' Intercom" (July '01, pg. 26) in regard to my positive experience in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (see the "Adventure Travel for the Mildly Adventure-some" columns in the January, February,...

Mature travelers companion offer.(Swissair and Sabena rate information)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2001... For travel from Oct. 1 through Dec. 15, 2001, mature travelers are being offered a new discount tare to select European cities by Swissair and Sabena. Travelers 62 years of age or older now can fly round trip from a Swissair or Sabena U.S....

Sale fare to Israel.(from Swissair and Sabena)
September 1, 2001... Swissair and Sabena are offering a sale fare to Tel Aviv, Israel, valid for travel from the. following U.S. gateways: on Swissair from Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco or Washington, and on...

Swissair/Sabena-AA shuttle at JFK.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2001... To coincide with the opening of the International Air Terminal at New York's JFK airport, Swissair and Sabena are offering complimentary transfer bus service for passengers connecting to and from their partner. carrier American Airlines. ...

Driving in Europe.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2001... Avis has produced a 32-page guide, "European Driving Made Easy," that focuses on the differences between driving in Europe and the USA. Covering the major European countries, "the 8 1/4"x4" illustrated handbook offers concise driving tips...

Morocco 'a pied'.
September 1, 2001... My senses were in overload, the result of two weeks in a kaleidoscope. I decided not to venture beyond the luxurious excesses of hotel La Mamounia's ramble of pink stucco arid 12-acre gardens into Marrakesh's guide-insistent,...

CENTRAL EUROPE: American Express Vacations.(travel service description)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2001... We took the "Central European Vistas" tour from American Express Vacations which is sold through On Call Vacations (phone 800/822-2841), available through the United Airlines' Silver Wings program (phone 800/720-1765 or visit www.ua.com). We...

BALKANS: Kutrubes Travel.
September 1, 2001... In early June '00 I was privileged to spend 10 days with a small group touring ALBANIA, MACEDONIA, KOSOVO and the GREEK island of Corfu on a trip arranged by Kathy of Kutrubes Travel (328 Tremont St., Boston, MA 02116; phone 800/878-8566 or...

IRAN: MIR Corporation.(travel services information)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2001... In April '01 I took an 18-day trip through Iran. The trip was sold through MIR Corporation (85 S. Washington St., Ste. 210, Seattle, WA 98104; phone 800/424-7289, email info@mircorp.com or visit www.mircorp.com) but organized by Pasargad Tours...

NORWAY: Walking Softly Adventures.(travel description)
September 1, 2001... I would like to report on a trip my wife and I and our 13-year-old son made, Aug: 12-25, '00. We took the "Hiking Fjord Norway" tour from Walking Softly Adventures (Box 86273, Portland, OR 97286; phone. 888/743-0723 or S 03/788-9017, fax...

IRAN: Worlds Apart.(travel description)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2001... In September '00 I participated in an outstanding tour of Iran with Worlds Apart (730 29th St., Ste. C-12, Oakland, CA 94609; phone 510/836-2952; e-mail brid@worldsapart.org or visit www.worldsapart.org). I had traveled to Iran some years...

Japan's subtropical Bonin Islands.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2001... Arriving at Asia's busiest airport, Narita, I took the 2-hour bus ride to the Shiba Park Hotel, located near the dock terminals of Tokyo Bay where I would catch my ship to Japan's Bonin Islands. The Ogasawara-Maru to Chichi-jima A...

Getting a tantalizing taste of Prague and Budapest.
September 1, 2001... It is said that in order to understand the people of a country you should taste their food, and one of the pleasures of travel is eating the local cuisine of a foreign country. In November 2000 my son John and I spent several days in two...

Laurus Travel Group.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2001... We had just finished a 15-day tour of China, including a 5-day cruise on the Yangtze River, in September '99, so I'd never have guessed that we'd return a year later. A passing remark by my husband that he'd like to ride a camel in the...

New Bernina Panoramic carriages.
September 1, 2001... It was particularly difficult to introduce panoramic carriages for the Rhaetian Railroads' (RhB; log on to www.rhb.ch) spectacular Bernina Express because of the Bernina line's tight curves, limited clearance through tunnels, and narrow-gauge...

Photo options on Golden Princess.(Princess Cruise Lines)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2001... Princess Cruises has added a number of new innovations to its seagoing photography program, including a comprehensive digital imaging system as well as cruising's first dedicated digital portrait studio. It offers passengers a significant...

Portable defibrillators saving lives on HAL/Windstar ships.(Holland America Cruises Inc.)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2001... In a cardiac arrest situation, minutes -- even seconds -- make the difference between life and death. That's why Holland America Line has installed automatic external defibrillators (AED) on board its entire fleet. Each of their cruise ships...

"DISCOVER ICELAND".(Brief Article)
September 1, 2001... Venture to the "land of fire and ice," Dec. 7-13, '01. Highlights: Tour Reykjavik, Svensson Sculpture Garden and the site of the Reagan and Gorbachev summit/view thermal pools and geysers at Thingvellir Natural Park/see the rift valley...

SICILY OVER THE HOLIDAYS.(travel service information)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2001... 11-day tour departing Dec. 23, '01. Limit, 20 participants. Highlights: In Palermo, tour the Norman Palace/in Monreale, see the Norman Romanesque Cathedral and cloisters/enjoy the cuisine of a Sicilian Christmas Eve feast/in Erice, enjoy...

"CHRISTMAS MARKETS OF GERMANY & AUSTRIA".(Brief Article)
September 1, 2001... 11-day tour departs Dec. 2, '01. Highlights: Enjoy a morning of shopping, relaxing in a cafe with the best coffee in the world and an evening performance of Mozart in Vienna/visit the Hohensalzburg fortress in Salzburg/visit Christmas...

"CHRISTMAS IN PRAGUE".(Brief Article)
September 1, 2001... 10-day tour, Dec. 18-27, '01, includes a midnight mass, Prague's nativity scenes and observing the making of traditional Czech holiday crafts. Highlights: Visit the Strahov Abbey Library of St. Vitus and the Old Town Square/explore Josefov...

"TURKEY OFF SEASON".(Brief Article)
September 1, 2001... 16-day/14-night tour of museums, castles and temples. Overnights in Antalya, Kas, Bodrum, Pamukkale, Izmir, Canakkale and Istanbul. Departs Nov. 17, Dec. 1 and Dec. 15, '01. Highlights: The Antalya Archeological Museum and Hadrian's...

"INDIA'S PALACE ON WHEELS".(Brief Article)
September 1, 2001... 14-day "Ultimate Rajasthan" luxury tour combines deluxe Oberoi hotels with a 4-night rail journey on the Rajput-style Palace on Wheels. Departs weekly September through December '01. Highlights: Agra and the Taj Mahal/Fatehpur Sikri/ride a...

"SURVIVOR II OUTBACK EXPERIENCE".(Brief Article)
September 1, 2001... 8-day "easy to moderate" adventure tour of AUSTRALIA includes sites in the Outback used on the popular TV show "Survivor II." Departs from Cairns every Sunday through Nov. 18, '01. Highlights: Mountain bike to Blencoe Falls/canoe the...

"DECIDEDLY DIFFERENT ISLANDS".(New Zealand)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2001... 14-day, small-group tour of NEW ZEALAND geared toward travelers in their 40s to 60s plus hearty travelers in their 70s, Departures through December '01. Highlights: Tour Auckland/in Waitomo, view glowworm caves/in Napier, gannet-watch at...

"Cheap Sleeps In Spain -- Comprehensive Guide for Barcelona, Madrid and Seville" and "Cheap Eats in Spain"
September 1, 2001... * "Cheap Sleeps In Spain -- Comprehensive Guide for Barcelona, Madrid and Seville" and "Cheap Eats in Spain" by Sandra Gustafson (2000, Chronicle Books, 85 Second St., San Francisco, CA 94105. Respectively, ISBN 0-8118-2490-X, 243 pages, and...

"The Rough Guide: Dominican Republic".(Penguin Books USA)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2001... * "The Rough Guide: Dominican Republic" by Sean Harvey (2000, Rough Guides/Penguin Books USA, 375 Hudson St., New York, NY 10014. ISBN 1-85828-446-5. -- $16.95,349 pgs.). This book is jam-packed with a large amount of information and...

"Traveling Solo,"
September 1, 2001... "Traveling Solo," third edition, by Eleanor Berman (2001, Globe Pequot Press, Box 480, Guilford, CT 06457. ISBN 0-7627-0894-8-- $16.95 paperback, 344 pgs.). This sourcebook is packed with ideas and information on traveling alone. Berman...

"Savoir Flair! (211 Tips for Enjoying France and the French)".(Review)
September 1, 2001... "Savoir Flair! (211 Tips for Enjoying France and the French)" by Polly Platt (2000, Culture Crossing/Distribooks, 8120 N. Ridgeway Ave., Skokie, IL 60076. ISBN 0-965685-1-6 -- $16.95 paperback, 288 pgs.). Platt has lived in Paris since...

The Discerning Traveler.(Czech Republic)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2001... Czech Republic (First of two parts) "Darn it, what did I do wrong now?" I muttered to my wife as I brought the car to a stop behind a long lineup of vehicles. I rolled down my window, the policeman's face only inches away from mine....

Britain: The Leighton Library, Dunblane, Scotland.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2001... Scotland's oldest private library, dating back to 1684; is the Leighton Library in Dunblane, a small, pretty city with an ancient cathedral church named after St. Blane. The little library was originally built especially to house the 1,500...

Rick Steves' Europe.(Naples, Italy)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2001... Naples: an urban jungle If you like Italy as far south as Rome, venture farther south - it gets better. Italy intensifies as you plunge deeper. Its leading southern city, Naples, is Italy in the extreme its best (birthplace of pizza and...

European Potpourri.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2001... A night at the opera The well-known opera "William Tell" by Rossini was beautifully performed April 23, 2001, in one of the world's leading opera houses, the Vienna Staatsoper, accompanied by the Vienna Philharmonic and the Orchestra Choir...

Africa: Botswana.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2001... Botswana Botswana is still a relatively unvisited country despite boasting some of Africa's finest wildlife herds. The country enjoys a peaceful arid stable democracy. Eighty percent of the population lives in a small area along...

Timeless Roads of the Mideast & Mediterranean.(Iran)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2001... Iran today The splendor of Persepolis, the beauty of Shiraz (Part 4 of 5) The visit my wife, Moreen, and I made to Shiraz was way too short. Esfahan may be considered the pearl of Iran, but Shiraz is also special! It's a city with...

FOCUS ON ARCHAEOLOGY.(Philippines)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2001... Clipper Odyssey and old Manila (First of three parts) I had come to Manila to begin a cruise with Clipper Cruises that would take me, in two weeks, to three countries: one that I knew I well from five previous trips (Japan), one that I had...

Far Horizons.(Curacao Island)
September 1, 2001... Curacao's Caribbean diversity (Second of two parts) In February '01, my wife, Gail, and I spent a week in Curacao, partially sponsored by the local tourist office. Last month I gave some background on the island and described some of...

Kilroy Was Here!(Carnival Cruise Lines)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2001... Getting there is half the fun... Well, friends, way back in May I was on a cruise to nowhere. Again. I frequently go nowhere in May because that's when the weather is best. Here's how it happened. Tim Gallagher, the Voice of Carnival...

Tongue Thai'd.(Orient Flexi-Pax Tours)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2001... Get a taste for the art of Thai cooking on Orient Flexi-Pax Tours' "Thailand-Bangkok-Chiang Mai" package, featuring cooking lessons at the renowned Chiang Mai Cookery School. Available through 'March 31, 2002, this 8-day/6-night package...

Culinary schoool in Singapore.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2001... Singapore's At-Sunrice Culinary School presents cooking specifically for the visitor. Students explore the intricacies of making Iaksa from scratch and learn the history of Southeast Asian spices. They also can enjoy a guided spice garden Walk...

Cooking school in Bali.(Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts)(Bali, Indonesia)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2001... One of two Four Seasons Resorts in Bali, Indonesia, the Four Seasons Resort Bali at Jimbaran Bay, opened a special school in August '01 that teaches guests about local cuisine as well as the local culture. It is a cooking school in a...

Chinese New Year in HK.(Hong Kong)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2001... Help celebrate Chinese New Year in Hong Kong in 2002, ushering in the Year of the Horse. TBI Tours is offering a Hong Kong package with two air-inclusive departures next year: Feb. 7-14 ($1,399 per person, double occupancy) and Feb. 9-16...

Suggested touring in Korea.(Ministry of Culture and Tourism guidebook Best 40 Tour Courses.)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2001... Korea's Ministry of Culture & Tourism, in conjunction with the Organizing Committee for Visit Korea Year 2001, has released the "Best 40 Tour Courses" guidebook. The 184-page publication is full of cultural information, maps, festival...

Marlene Dietrich exhibit in new Film Museum Berlin.(German Film Archive Foundation)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2001... The German Film Archive Foundation (die Stiftung Deutsche Kinemathek) opened its new Film Museum Berlin in September '00. Located in a 14-story building, in the Sony Center on Potsdamer Platz, the museum occupies three floors; two of them...

Great South Pacific Express.(Australia)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2001... The Great South Pacific Express is on wheels' hotel Southern Hemisphere." Australia's first long-distance luxury train began scheduled service in April 1999 with 2- and 3-night journeys encompassing Sydney, Brisbane, the Great Barrier Reef and...

BritRail to 'Heritage Cities'.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2001... For the independent traveler, BritRail offers a tour program called "Britain Secrets." BritRail Passes, which afford the traveler access to 18,000 train departures linking 2,500 stations, are a major component of the packages. These...

Paris-Brittany rail shuttle.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2001... A new rail shuttle service, with more frequent departures and more nonstop TGVs (Trains Grand Vitesse) between Paris and cities in Brittany, has begun. The main improvements are between Paris and Rennes; Rennes is the capital of Brittany...

Extra travel in Switzerland.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2001... In Switzerland for the rest of 2001, a special promotion adds an extra day of travel to the regular coverage of Swiss. Passes and Swiss Saverpasses. An additional free day of rail travel for visitors to Switzerland will automatically be...

Swiss chocolate train.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2001... Operating once a week since June and through October 2001 is a new Swiss excursion, the first-class-only "Swiss Chocolate Train," traveling from Montreux, stopping in medieval Gruyeres for cheese, continuing onto beautiful Broc, home of a...

Heidi in Switzerland.(festival information)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2001... 2001 marks the 100th anniversary of the death of Johanna Spyri, author of the book "Heidi," and 14 organizations in Switzerland have joined under the banner of MyHeidi to offer activities celebrating the popular character. The venues lie...

Language translation over the Internet.(LogoMedia Corp)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2001... LogoMedia Corp has introduced LogoMedia Translate, a desktop PC software that enables automatic translation of websites, e-mails, files and text to/from the native languages of 90% of all global Internet users currently online. Rather than...

Abbeys of Britain.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2001... My wife, Diana, and I traveled in England with two friends in April 1998, driving to sites in Yorkshire and Cumbria. After two days in York, we decided to take back roads northeast to the sea. Our first stop was the ninth-century Byland Abbey....