Famous Faces, Famous Places and Famous Foods
Trips for Lovers and Gourmands, Weird, Wild or Just Plain Wonderful, What’s the Deal and more…
Cooking in the Cotswolds
The only cooking school in the world set in the kitchens of a two-star Michelin restaurant, Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons Ecole de Cuisine, has announced that it is introducing one- and two-day courses when it reopens Aug. 13.
Prices will remain the same for
the four-day course, approximately US$2,507 or $4,530 for two persons taking the course
and sharing a room. Located in the Cotswolds village of Great Milton, Le Manoir is one
hour by train or car from London. Included in the rates for the four-day course are
tuition, all meals, wine with dinner and Chef Raymond Blanc’s acclaimed Menu Gourmand
the final night. Also included are five nights’ deluxe accommodations in the newly
renovated hotel. Partners are welcome to share accommodations – meals and other
expenses will be charged additionally. Cost of the two-day course is approximately
US$1,190 and the one-day course US$612.
For more information, access Le Manoir’s Web site at www.manoir.com or in the U.S. call toll free: 1-800-845-4274. If you plan to spend time in London on your trip to the Cotswolds, we recommend that you cruise the Web site of Simon Thomas, chief concierge at the Royal Garden Hotel, www.royalgdn.co.uk/concierge for an update on what’s hot and hip in that fab city.
Cherry blossom time
No place on earth is more romantically alluring
than Japan when cherry trees are in bloom. Flower viewing has held an important place in
Japanese literature, dance and the fine arts for centuries. Excursions to the countryside
to see the spring blossoms are so popular that Japanese radio and television stations give
regular reports on when the blooms are at their peak. Sun Rise Tour, the tour department
of Japan Travel Bureau, catches the blossoms at their best on a 3-day swing from Tokyo to
Kyoto in early April. Tours depart April 2-5 and April 8. After sightseeing in Tokyo,
viewers will take a drive though the countryside and halfway up Mount Fuji before boarding
a bullet train to Kyoto where accommodations are at the New Miyako Hotel. In Kyoto, you
will spend a morning sightseeing in the city, then proceed to the ancient capital of Nara.
The final day includes a trip to the famous "Mount Yoshino's One Thousand Cherry
Trees." A one-day option to join the tour in Kyoto is also available. Contact Sun
Rise Tours at 1-800-223-6104 or 212-698-4900. Information is also available on the website
of the Japan National Tourist Organization, www.jnto.go.jp
or www.joho-kyoto.or.jp.
Weird, Wild or Just Plain Wonderful
Take a page from The Talented Mr. Ripley
You saw the Bay of Naples in its cinematic glory in the popular Mr.
Ripley – now see it for yourself. Breakaway Adventures invites travelers to
experience the dolce vita of rural Italy on a walking tour of the Amalfi coast.
Wander through tiny fishing villages and narrow cobbled streets; explore Moorish villas
and Byzantine cathedrals as you take in the breathtaking scenery that was the inspiration
for Dickie and Marge’s coastal home. However, there are no guarantees that you will
stay as slender as a movie star, because even if you stick to the healthy sun-ripened
produce and pastas, this is the home of mozzarella cheese and pizza was invented here.
Guided departures are scheduled for selected dates from April 23 to October 15. Prices
start at US$1,658 and include seven night’s accommodation, dinners, continental
breakfasts, transfers to and from Naples airport and guide services. For more
information, call 1-800-567-6286 or access www.breakaway-adventures.com.
Beyond the veil in Islamic Turkey
Istanbul, a city that straddles both Europe and Asia, is almost a metaphor for the enigmatic lives of Turkish women. Some embrace Westernized dress, while others choose to remain swathed in veils. Their careers are equally varied. While some elect to remain in the traditional role of homemaker, others are university professors, lawyers and CEOs. Insights into the lifestyles of Islamic women are provided by "Beyond the Veil," a fully guided, women-only tour to Turkey offered by San Francisco-based Travel in Style. The journey begins in Istanbul and winds up in the heart of Anatolia where visitors will have the opportunity to meet and mingle with local women and even to prepare traditional meals. Departures are on the first Friday of the month. Cost is $1,260 per person based on double occupancy. Included is domestic airfare within Turkey, nine nights’ hotel accommodations at Ottoman Hotels, meals as indicated on the itinerary, travel on modern air-conditioned coaches, all transfers to airports and hotels, comprehensive sightseeing with a professional, licensed, English-speaking female guide, all entrance and museum fees. Call your travel agent or contact Travel In Style at tel: 415-440-1124, fax: 415-440-1127, e-mail info@travelinstyle.com.
Hot to trot in Europe or Costa Rica?
Cross Country International, the leading provider of international
equestrian vacations, has added trail rides in Portugal and France’s Loire Valley as
well as a classical dressage program in Portugal to its line-up this year. Equestrians can
also trot off to riding vacations in Ireland, England, Italy, Spain, Scotland, Wales and
Costa Rica. A variety of programs for riders of all levels is available, including British
Horse Society Certification and other training and hunting vacations. CCI offers unique
itineraries and superb horses. The dressage program in Portugal, for example, is a
six-night, five-day itinerary that includes six group riding lessons and 12 hours riding
out on Lusitano horses. The trip’s base is the Herdade da Sanguinheira, a restored
Alentejo farm/estate near medieval Evora. Rates for CCI’s equestrian vacations range
from US$725 to $1,995.
Sightseeing or other arrangements can be made for non-riding companions. For more information, call 1-800-828-8768 or e-mail xcintl@aol.com. CCI also has walking vacations. The Web sites are www.equestrianvacations.com or www.walkingvacations.com.
What's in a name?
If it is the Horned Dorset Primavera in Puerto Rico there is everything from a magnificent setting by the sea, elegant rooms, excellent service, superb food and luxurious villas tucked into the hillside. In short, behind this unusual name is the most deluxe hostelry on the island. Where did the name come from? Ever heard of Horned Dorset sheep? The owners raised them on a farm in upstate New York where they also owned the Horned Dorset Inn and Restaurant. Their Puerto Rican enterprise was originally conceived as a garden estate, La Primavera, near Rincon on Puerto Rico’s western coast and has retained the character of a private manor. Four-night getaway packages are available. For reservations, call 1-800-633-1857, fax 787-725-6068, or e-mail them at hdp@coqui.com. Visit them on the Web at www.horneddorset.com.
‘Cloud people’ wanted for Amazon adventure
Adventurous souls who feel mired in the mundane, can rise above it all to
the summit of Mount Shubet, the highest peak in the Peruvian Amazon, this summer, June
24-July 1. It is a rare opportunity to join veteran adventure guides, archeologist Dr.
Brannon Reed, founder of Ascend Adventures; and Peter Lerebe, an authority on the pre-Inca
Chachapoyas (cloud people) on an excursion to an isolated region of the Amazon. As Dr.
Reed describes the journey, it is not a difficult ascent, but very remote, unique and
challenging. Ninety percent of the trip will be done by horse or mule ride. The only gear
carried by group members will be daypacks. All other equipment will be portaged. Excluding
international airfare, the cost is US$2,695. This price includes private plane from Lima,
all food, guide service, equipment rentals and gratuities during the journey. For
information and reservations, contact Brannon Reed at 1-800-2-ASCEND, e-mail: brannon@uswest.net or visit the Web site at www.ascendadventures.com.
What's the Deal?
Fly free from New York to pick up Maasdam European cruises
Make your way to New York’s JFK International Airport and after that it is free airfare to Barcelona or Stockholm for Holland American Line’s spring and summer European cruises aboard the Maasdam. The offer applies to the following cruises: The "Riviera Rhapsody and Taste of Tunisia," a seven-day round-trip cruise from Barcelona, Spain, departing May 14, 21 and 28. (Fly/cruise fares start at $1,599, per person, double occupancy); "Highlights of Western Europe," a 14-day cruise from Barcelona to Stockholm departing June 4 (Fly/cruise fares start at $2,999, per person, double occupancy); "Gems of the Baltic Sea," a seven-day round-trip departing from Stockholm June 18 and 25, July 2, 9, 16, 23, 30, and Aug. 6. (Fly/cruise fares start at $1,689 per person double occupancy). Fares include port charges, taxes, and free round-trip airfare from JFK Airport. Business class upgrades are available on selected segments for $499 per person each way. Call your travel agent or access www.hollandamerican.com.
Sail into summer with all the family aboard
Family friendly, fare friendly Temptress Adventure Cruises is offering families five nights aboard the M/V Temptress Voyager for rates as low as US$1,210 per adult, with a 50 percent discount for children 12 and under, June 3 through Aug. 30, 2000.
This summer the intimate 63-passenger vessel
will travel through Costa Rica and Panama showcasing the most treasured and exotic areas
of these countries. A special five-night itinerary includes Manuel Antonio National Park,
Corcovado National Park, and Golfo Dulce/Casa de Orquideas in Costa Rica as well as Coiba
Island in Panama. On-board naturalists lead passengers on daily eco-adventures that reveal
all the wonders of remote, natural habitats. For more information, or to make
reservations, contact Temptress Adventure Cruises' U.S. Sales Office at 1-800-336-8423,
e-mail: info@temptresscruises, or visit the
website at: www.temptresscruises.com.
Mind Trips
Road scholars pack an open mind
Quick! Name the Seychelles’ capital city. You missed it? Then you probably won’t win a million bucks on a quiz show this time around, but you may be the perfect candidate for a vacation with sophisticated travelers who share a desire to improve their knowledge of the world. Saga Holidays Road Scholar program was developed for lifelong learners over 50 who want to bring back more than pictures and T-shirts from their travels. Each itinerary is built around enriching, hands-on, behind-the-scenes adventures while exploring a particular theme or subject. Subjects range from Italian art to the plays of George Bernard Shaw to the post-war Paris of expatriate writers to the natural wonders along the Viking Trail in Newfoundland and Labrador, to mention just a few. No expertise is required, just a healthy curiosity and open mind. Your journey starts before you leave home. Saga provides a free book related to your program choice and a reading list of varied selections related to the theme of your program. One journey we would love to take is to Guilin, China, for "The Poetry of Nature." This city with the meandering Li River, green limestone mountains and undulating terrain has inspired artists and poets throughout the ages. Call the registration and information line at 1-800-621-2151 or access www.sagaholidays.com.
Cyber Sites
The go-between
It's an idea whose time has come and travel industry marketer David Miranda of Atlanta, Georgia seized it with vigor. His website www.LastMinuteTravel.com serves as an electronic meeting place where travel and entertainment providers can target last-minute travelers. The site is chock full of time-sensitive, just-released offers from major airlines, hotels, cruise lines, car rental agencies and other travel and leisure providers worldwide. Listings are constantly updated and there are no commissions or transactions fees. Once you've browsed the sight and are itching to pack your bags, you can connect directly to providers, but the feature we like best is My Travel Minder. It sends a free e-mail alert that automatically notifies you when the travel and entertainment options you've requested become available. Gotta go. Just found a deal in Paris for the weekend.