Famous Faces, Famous Places and Famous Foods
Haute and Cool Summer Picks for June and July
Would you rather be here - or there this summer?
Some of the places we would rather be than sitting before a computer screen, wedged around a table in the boardroom, or shuttling the kids to swimming pools and pizza parties this summer include destinations we think you might enjoy as well.
A three-night package lures us to The Manor Vail Lodge in Vail
Colorado for our annual Rocky Mountain high. The $US80.67 per person per night price
includes lodging in a studio condominium, a deluxe breakfast daily, and dinner for two in
the Lord Gore Restaurant. We’re planning to go in August when the hills are the alive
with the sound of jazz during the month-long Vail Jazz Festival. For reservations at
The Manor Vail Lodge, call 1-800-950-VAIL or click on www.manorvail.com.
For tickets or information about the Vail Jazz Festival call 970-479-6146, E-mail them at vif@vailjazz.org or visit the Web site: www.vailjazz.org
Still in the realm of fantasy for us are plans to sail the Mediterranean’s fabled Turquoise Coast aboard a private yacht. At US$234 a day or US$2,090 for an eight-day cruise (June-Sept. based on double occupancy) including air, it seems amazingly reasonable. Call your travel agent or get more information direct from San Francisco-based Travel In Style: 1-888-466-8242, E-mail: info@travelinstyle.com or visit the Web site at www.travelinstyle.com
Walking in Italy’s ‘Paths of the Poets’
People who write about travel – or anything else
– need inspiration. For our creative stimulus, we’ve settled upon Breakaway
Adventures’ new 9-day self-guided walking tour through the Venetian landscape
that has enriched the writings of poets and playwrights from Petrarch, to Goethe, Byron
and Shelley.
Four major Shakespeare plays are also set in this region. (If you plan to win a million dollars on a quiz show, you will know instantly which plays they are.) We’ll stroll through beautiful volcanic hills, forests and vineyards littered with villas, churches and monasteries. The wines of Vapolicella, Bardolino and other local vineyards will stimulate our muse. Departures leave every two days until Oct. 14. Prices start at US$1,368 per person and include dinner and continental breakfast, luggage moving service, maps, route notes and a briefing session with on-site English speaking representatives. Call 1-800-567-6286 or access www.breakaway-adventures.com.
Though getting away from it all is always appealing to us, there are times when it is also fun to get lost in the crowd. Summer without a trip to London just wouldn’t be summer and the more chances we have to take in productions at West End theaters the better. With that in mind, we’ve checked out the new Superbreak Packages from the Royal Garden Hotel in fashionable Kensington. The package is priced at US$359 per person (VAT included), based on double occupancy for two nights’ accommodations, a ticket to a top show and a ride on the London Eye. Additional nights can be booked for US$139 per person per night, subject to availability. Call 1-800-987-9317 or access www.royalgdn.co.uk
Now that we’ve told you how we will spend les grandes vacances, as the French so richly term the summer holidays, we’d like to suggest some other trips you might like to consider. Read on.
What's the Deal?
Legendary Port of Havana Opens to U.S. Travelers
The ordeal of Elian Gonzalez, a 6-year-old shipwreck survivor, has drawn
world attention to the strong human bonds between Cuba and the United States. More
Americans than ever want to cross the sea and have a look at the country that Ernest
Hemingway and others found so alluring. They want to see for themselves what life is like
for the Cuban people. In response to increased interest in Cuba, Blyth & Company
Travel Limited, one of Canada’s oldest and most respected travel companies, has
associated with Cuba Cruise Corporation to offer year-round trips beginning in November
2000. It is structuring its cruises to allow American citizens to participate without
violating U.S. law.
Four and five day voyages from Nassau to Havana will showcase all aspects of Cuban life and culture, both onboard the ship and on the island. Per person, double occupancy, rates on the M/V La Habana start at US$595 for the "Classic Havana" three-night/four-day cruise. Accommodations are offered in cabins and suites on three decks. The land portion of the itinerary features "Havana by Night" programs, including a walking tour of Old Havana (being restored as a UNESCO World Heritage Site) and a reception in one of Hemingway’s favorite bars. There will be opportunities to meet with Cuban students, professors, professional groups and artists. Shipboard entertainment will highlight Cuban music with a "Moveable Feast" of performances by artists ranging from reggae masters to string quartets. Cuisine will feature Cuban dishes as well as Continental favorites and light fare. The four-night/five-day "Classic Havana and Cuba" cruise includes an excursion to the Bay of Pigs and several sites of historical and ecological interest. For information and reservations call 1-800-387-1387, or visit the Web site at www.cubacruising.com For another alternative for those whose visits to Cuba are not restricted by the U.S. government, read on.
Sol Melia Cuba gets rave reviews
In 1990, Sol Melia became one of the first
foreign hotel companies to begin operations in post - revolutionary Cuba. Sol Melia Cuba
now has 14 hotels and resorts sprinkled all over Cuba, with at least three more slated to
open this year. Canadians and others have been giving Sol Melia rave reviews for years.
Among top choices is the five-star, all-inclusive Melia Rio de Oro set in a lush, tropical
forest bordering three private beaches on Playa Esmeralda in Holguin. For more
information about Melia Rio de Oro and other Sol Melia properties call your travel agent
or visit www.solmelia.es
Pushkar Camel Fair: be there or be square
India is a country renowned for its spectacular festivals and fairs, but none surpasses the Pushkar Camel Fair that takes place every November in a small village of Rajasthani. Flamboyantly dressed men barter camels, horses and cattle, while the women, in equally colorful attire, visit with distant family, negotiate marriage contracts and stock up on jewelry, food and household goods. Camel races, folk dancing, magic shows, musical concerts and religious rituals are combined in this unique cultural event.
SITA World Travel offers one of the best ways for overseas visitors to
witness and participate in the fair. Its 19-day tour (Nov. 4-22) visits Delhi, Agra,
Fatehpur Sikri, Pushkar, Jaipur, Bikaner, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Ranakpur, and Udaipur.
Sunrise and sunset visits to the Taj Mahal, a camel ride in the Thar dunes and an elephant
ride up to Amber Fort are some of the sites and activities included.
Participants will stay in four different Palace Hotels, all former residences of various maharajas. Accommodations in Pushkar are at Kudos Camp, in deluxe bedded-tents, with ensuite bathrooms and hot and cold running water. The land price of US$4,885 includes all meals, comprehensive sightseeing and all transfers. Round-trip air travel is available for US$1,400 from the U.S. East Coast on British Airways and via Singapore Airlines from the West Coast. Inexpensive add-ons are available from other major cities. For a free flyer or information, call SITA World Travel at 1-800-421-5643, visit their Web site at www.sitatours.com, or E-mail: sitatours@sitatours.com.
Weird, Wild & Wonderful
Orient-Express expands into Northern Britain
Royal Ascot, one of the crown jewels of British sporting events, can now be an even more stylish occasion for those with a few extra pounds sterling to toss around. The trick is to make your way to Manchester June 21 or 22, then board the newest addition to the Orient-Express, the Northern Belle. For ¦ 250 per person – about what highfliers bet on a trifecta – you will be admitted to the racecourse, enjoy brunch on the outward journey and a champagne dinner on return.
The trip to Ascot is just one of the special journeys planned during the Northern Belle’s inaugural year. The "Orient-Express of the North" will operate a full schedule of lunch, dinner, day trip and weekend excursions from Manchester, Liverpool and York. Each of the six carriages on this classic train has been named after a stately home or castle: Glamis, Belvoir, Chatsworth, Warwick and Harlech. It’s too bad Agatha Christie can’t be resurrected to host one of the murder mystery trips.
The ultimate journey this year will be a special departure from Manchester to Paris, combining the Northern Belle with the celebrated Venice Simplon-Orient-Express. Day excursions take in a variety of destinations such as those through the Pennine Hills or to cities like Bath or Edinburgh. Prices for a lunch or dinner journey start at ¦ 115 per person. For reservations or general inquiries, call Northern Belle at 0161 831 7900. Information on Orient-Express Trains and Cruises is available on their Web site at www.orient-express.com
Exploring Jewish History in China
Few people are aware of the fascinating history of the Jews in China. Jews have thrived there since the 7th century, possibly since the time of Christ. China was the only country in the world that welcomed Jewish refugees from Europe during the Holocaust. To help shed light on the historic connections between Chinese and Jewish cultures in a beautiful and spiritual way, musician and historian Joy Katzen-Guthrie will lead a heritage tour to China for Regent China Tours June 7 though 21. (If you miss this tour, other tours are being planned.)
The fully guided tour includes visits to five of China’s most historic cities: Beijing, Xi’an, Guilin, Shanghai, Suzhou. In addition to viewing the traditional sites, the group will visit places with special connection to Jewish history. Among these are the Marble Hall and Children’s Palace, the palatial home of the Kadoories, the fabulous Victor Sassoon Estate, the newly-restored Ohel-Rahel Synagogue and Ohel Moishe Synagogue in Shanghai, the towering Peace Hotel and the historic Hongkou Ghetto, which sheltered 30,000 Jews during the Holocaust.
Travelers on the tour will experience Shabbat services and dinner with the Reconstructionist Jewish community in Beijing, meditate or recite Kaddish in the quite ruins of the Deling Tomb from the Ming Dynasty Tombs. In Shanghai, the group will visit the Jewish community and participate in its own poetic-musical Shabbat service by the Li River in Guilin, one of the most picturesque locations in China. They will share wine, challah and Shehechiyanu on the Great Wall and prayers of blessing in Suzhou, known as the Venice of the Orient. The US$2,595 price includes international airfare as well as three flights within China, first-class 4/5-star accommodations, three meals a day, all sights, musical/theatre programs and cruises. For information, call 727-785-4568, e-mail joyfulnoise@earthlink.net, or call Stephen Levin at Regent China Tours toll-free, 1-888-515-1885.
Money laundering in San Francisco
At least one upmarket hotel in London still irons the daily newspaper, but
only one hotel that we know of launders money. It is a tradition that began more than 60
years ago at the Westin St. Francis in San Francisco when the manager noticed women’s
white gloves were getting soiled by dirty currency. The hotel’s money laundry
includes a Tahara silver-burnishing machine to wash the money, a heat-lamp drying system,
an electric sorting machine and a machine to recount and wrap the sparkling clean coins.
As the washing machine rotates, the coins are cleaned by a borax cleaning compound and
polished with lead shot. What about the cocaine residue we hear is contaminating U.S.
paper currency? You won’t find it on the fresh new greenbacks circulated at the St.
Francis. If only the Westin could bring back white gloves and party manners, we might all
become more civilized. The reservation number, the next time you yearn for a sparkling
hotel overlooking Union Square, is 1-800-WESTIN-l, or visit their Web site at www.westin.com.
What are you doing for the Summer Solstice?
Unless you are a druid, you probably don’t celebrate the solstices on a regular basis, but Marine Expeditions Summer Solstice voyage to the fjords of southern Greenland could easily become a habit. Marine Discovery, the expeditionary vessel, is perfect for navigating polar waters. Departing June 15 and returning June 19, it sails past towering mountains and soaring glaciers under the midnight sun toward Baffin Bay. Highlights include the Jakobshavn Glacier, ancient Saqqaq ruins, colorful fishing villages and a dreamscape of towering icebergs. Prices start at US$695 per person plus port dues and taxes and include roundtrip airfare from Toronto, ship accommodations, all meals, shore excursions and lectures. For information and reservations, call 800-263-9147, or visit the Web site at www.marineex.com
Mind Trips
QE2 becomes the Noah’s Ark of literary lions
Booking a cruise takes on a whole new meaning when Pulitzer Prize-winning author Frank McCourt hosts Cunard Line’s QE2 Great Authors of the Century cruise. The 6-day transatlantic crossing from New York to Southampton departs July 5. Special guarantee rates make this cruise one of the best values in Cunard’s history. Best-selling author Mary Higgins Clark and the world’s leading expert on royalty, Brian Hoey, will join McCourt. Fares for this and other themed transatlantic voyages can be reserved at rates as low as US$995 per person, including port and handling charges and one-way economy-class airfare. Outside cabins are priced from US$1,695 to $3,995. For more information, contact your travel agent or call Cunard at 1-800-5-CUNARD.
Adventure Travel
A new river to run in Canada’s Northern Rockies
Imagine what it would have been like to go river rafting in Canada’s famed Banff region before the advent of railroads and highways. Now picture yourself among the first adventurers to explore one of the world’s last great wilderness frontiers. It is the wilderness, rather than whitewater, that is the focus of Canadian River Expeditions new 10-day (July 23-Aug. 1) float trip on the Gataga and Kechika rivers of northeastern British Columbia. This fly-in/fly-out trip from Fort Nelson has been planned to maximize the time spent rafting on the river with additional time for backcountry hiking, fishing for grayling, char and northern pike; birdwatching and exploring the game-rich valleys that sweep up the jagged peaks of the Northern Rockies. Cost of the complete package is US$2,600 per person, excluding an overnight stay at a log lodge on Muncho Lake at the start of the journey and a night at the Coach House Inn in Fort Nelson on the return trip. For details, call your travel agent or contact Canadian River Expeditions at 1-800-898-7238. See the Web site at www.canriver.com