CheapFlights.com compiles its top 20 list of US airports for beer drinkers
Being a wine drinker, I was cheered sometime ago when Vino Volo, a chain of upscale wine bars, was rumored to be considering an outlet at Denver International Airport. It hasn't happened yet, and the little chain has only established outposts at nine US airports (Sacramento, Seattle/Tacoma, San Antonio, Detroit and five in the Middle Atlantic). One is in the American Airlines Terminal at New York's JFK, but I sure wish there were one in the airport's main international terminal. I flew to Cairo recently on Egyptair, an alcohol-free carrier, and I certainly wish I had been able to sip a glass of wine better than what the sports bar nearest to my gate poured.
Not being a beer drinker, the new Beer Lover's Airport Guide on cheapflights.com is only a matter of passing curiosity to me personally, but it's an invaluable resource for thirsty flyers who appreciate quality beer and ale. The airports where writer Jerome Greer Chandler found good craft beers are Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, New York/JFK, Orlando, Philadelphia, Portland (Oregon), Raleigh, Salt Lake City, San Francisco, Seattle, St. Louis, Washington National and Washington Dulles. You'll have to click on the link to learn which brews are available at what part of those airports.
31 Mart 2011 Perşembe
Palestine: Day 2, Part 2: Bethlehem and Hebron
Great lunch in Bethlehem followed by a visit to Hebron, an experience in sorrow
Bethlehem
We visited the International Cultural Center, a youth and cultural center offereing education, enrichment, opportunities to build skills the arts, community support and health services to young people, plus a small guesthouse. The complex is one of the hopeful signs of better, more tranquil times to come.
Then we made our way through the old city for lunch at Afeem, down a little street near Manger Square in Bethlehem. Under vaulted stone ceilings, the staff brought out wonderful renditions of Middle Eastern specialties that we'd had before and would have again. Everything came out family-style, so the narrow table was packed with plates and bowls. The hummus was the best I've ever eaten. But the real discovery was lemonade mixed with finely chopped mint. A champion in the thirst-quencher competition.
Hebron
From Bethlehem, we drove to Hebron, a city that was an early hotbed of Palestinian resistance to the Israeli occupation to their territory and unprecedented retaliation on the part of the Israeli government, whose army has the big guns in this conflict. The city center is busy and lively, but pairs of armed soldiers stand around, and scores of checkpoints require Palestinians to show identification on demand when traveling around their own city.
Most controversial and provocative are the Jewish settlements plunked in the middle of old city, not on the outskirts as elswhere. Palestinians have been displaced to make way for these settlements, each protected by a high fence or wall and armed soldiers. The population of the three settlements is reportedly somewhere between 300 and 500, with something like 1,000 soldiers to protect them. Streets and alleyways that used to go through are now blocked off, and hundreds of shops in the old souk have closed, either their metal doors welded shut by the Israelis or abandoned by shopkeepers who no longer had business in this tense place.
One of the settlements looms above the centuries-old market. The settlers, fanatics by anyone's standards, took to throwing shows and trash down on the narrow market paths below. Nets and fencing suspended over the streets (below) now prevent this detritus from hitting passersby. Hebron authorities are so eager to repopulate the old city that they are offering free housing, free schooling and free medical care as incentives to Palestinian families to return to the heart of the city. It would take that for people to be willing to endure the inconvenience and even humiliation literally and figured heaped up them by the small minority of settlers in their midst.
Visitors get an eyeful if they walk through the market, passing many forever-closed shops, en route to Harem el-Kahlil Mosque, which should be sacred to all three major mono-theistic religions. It holds the red and white striped Tombs osf the Patriarchs -- where Abraham, Sarah, Isaac and other members of the family are buried. They are revered by Arabs, Christians and Jews and should be sacred to all. But it was the site of one of the West Bank's worst incidents -- and there have been a lot of incidents. In 1994, Dr. Baruch Goldstein, an American-born Israeli physician with undisputed credentials as a fanatic, donned his Army reserve uniform, entered to mosque and threw a grenade, killing 29 people and wounding 125.
When we left the mosque and again passed through a floor-to-ceiling metal turnstile watched by an armed soldier and walked down the net-covered byways and shuttered market stalls, I bought a beaded bracelet in the colors of the Palestinian flag from one of the young vendors. It was a sad and sobering afternoon. There are many Israelis and non-Israeli Jews who favor peace talks and peace. But the government, with its many travel restrictions, makes such talks difficult. I hope something clicks in, that the conservatives and fnatics on both sides lose power and influence, and that future generations will live in harmony and peace.
En route out of town, we stopped at a glass and ceramics shop (three photosjust below) with one traditional glass-blower showing off his craft for visitors' camera. Then we briefly visited the pools of Solomon, an ingenious water storage and delivery system from antiquity. The pools are located in a shaded area that is currently roped off (bottom) while workmen do some restoration or repairs. Across the street is is a newer resort amnd conference center.
In the evening, we had dinner with Palestinian tourism VIPs at the Tent Restaurant back in Bethlehem. I had to make myself chat and socials, enjoy the group of young dancers and tasty food. Everything was good, but in truth, I continud to be haunted by Hebron and had trouble focusing on the feast.
Bethlehem
We visited the International Cultural Center, a youth and cultural center offereing education, enrichment, opportunities to build skills the arts, community support and health services to young people, plus a small guesthouse. The complex is one of the hopeful signs of better, more tranquil times to come.
Then we made our way through the old city for lunch at Afeem, down a little street near Manger Square in Bethlehem. Under vaulted stone ceilings, the staff brought out wonderful renditions of Middle Eastern specialties that we'd had before and would have again. Everything came out family-style, so the narrow table was packed with plates and bowls. The hummus was the best I've ever eaten. But the real discovery was lemonade mixed with finely chopped mint. A champion in the thirst-quencher competition.
Hebron
From Bethlehem, we drove to Hebron, a city that was an early hotbed of Palestinian resistance to the Israeli occupation to their territory and unprecedented retaliation on the part of the Israeli government, whose army has the big guns in this conflict. The city center is busy and lively, but pairs of armed soldiers stand around, and scores of checkpoints require Palestinians to show identification on demand when traveling around their own city.
Most controversial and provocative are the Jewish settlements plunked in the middle of old city, not on the outskirts as elswhere. Palestinians have been displaced to make way for these settlements, each protected by a high fence or wall and armed soldiers. The population of the three settlements is reportedly somewhere between 300 and 500, with something like 1,000 soldiers to protect them. Streets and alleyways that used to go through are now blocked off, and hundreds of shops in the old souk have closed, either their metal doors welded shut by the Israelis or abandoned by shopkeepers who no longer had business in this tense place.
One of the settlements looms above the centuries-old market. The settlers, fanatics by anyone's standards, took to throwing shows and trash down on the narrow market paths below. Nets and fencing suspended over the streets (below) now prevent this detritus from hitting passersby. Hebron authorities are so eager to repopulate the old city that they are offering free housing, free schooling and free medical care as incentives to Palestinian families to return to the heart of the city. It would take that for people to be willing to endure the inconvenience and even humiliation literally and figured heaped up them by the small minority of settlers in their midst.
Visitors get an eyeful if they walk through the market, passing many forever-closed shops, en route to Harem el-Kahlil Mosque, which should be sacred to all three major mono-theistic religions. It holds the red and white striped Tombs osf the Patriarchs -- where Abraham, Sarah, Isaac and other members of the family are buried. They are revered by Arabs, Christians and Jews and should be sacred to all. But it was the site of one of the West Bank's worst incidents -- and there have been a lot of incidents. In 1994, Dr. Baruch Goldstein, an American-born Israeli physician with undisputed credentials as a fanatic, donned his Army reserve uniform, entered to mosque and threw a grenade, killing 29 people and wounding 125.
When we left the mosque and again passed through a floor-to-ceiling metal turnstile watched by an armed soldier and walked down the net-covered byways and shuttered market stalls, I bought a beaded bracelet in the colors of the Palestinian flag from one of the young vendors. It was a sad and sobering afternoon. There are many Israelis and non-Israeli Jews who favor peace talks and peace. But the government, with its many travel restrictions, makes such talks difficult. I hope something clicks in, that the conservatives and fnatics on both sides lose power and influence, and that future generations will live in harmony and peace.
En route out of town, we stopped at a glass and ceramics shop (three photosjust below) with one traditional glass-blower showing off his craft for visitors' camera. Then we briefly visited the pools of Solomon, an ingenious water storage and delivery system from antiquity. The pools are located in a shaded area that is currently roped off (bottom) while workmen do some restoration or repairs. Across the street is is a newer resort amnd conference center.
30 Mart 2011 Çarşamba
West Bank Travels: Day 2, Part 1
Holy sites for beckon the faithful -- and their digital cameras
We started the morning at Shepherd's Fields (top image, below), where -- according to the New Testament -- the Angel of the Lord visited the shepherds to tell them of Jesus' birth. I learned that two millennia ago, the shepherds and also their animals spent their nights underground in caves and grottos in the soft limestone. The manger as usually depicted is therefore a much later European interpretation of where animals were kept. A hole in the ceiling let air and light in, and smoke out. A metal walkway down the side of the valley enables visitors to see some of these grottos, many with small rooms that are now used as chapels for small groups of the faithful to pray or sing. Benches and small altars (middle image) have been set up for these groups. On the valley rim is a domed church that we did not have time to visit.
We had breakfast at the nearby Golden Peak Hotel -- buffet and chance to meet with some Palestinians involved in various social justice and peace movementsa nd various good works, and also tourist promotion efforts to bring more visitors to Palestine and the West Bank. Nidal Abu Zuluf, who advocates for non-violence as inspired by anti-Apartheid actions in South Africa (and of course, Mahatma Ghani in India and Dr. Martin Luther King in the US) is most impressive. Karios Palestine is a Christian Palestinian document expressing that approach effecting change and bringing about social justice and equality.
The people, who harbor hopes for better times to come, are very different from images of Palestinians we see on our news programs, which tend to report on the violent and the negative. After a decade of military occupation by the Israeli army, the construction high walls all over the landscape to contain Palestinians and the imposition of Jewish settlements in their midst, it is remarkable that anyone can remain positive and try to help their people. But some -- many, in fact -- do.
The exterior of the Church of the Nativity is not beauitful, so don't expect something like the grand cathedrals of Europe. The hulking, undorned Byzantine structure has suffered from centuries that included assasult, netglecs and renovations that were often undertaken for defensive reasons. A large doorway was made narrowerand lower, so that a horse and rider could not enter and also so that men had to bend down to get through and there heads lobbed off if they were unwelcome.
Inside, the atmosphere is less reverential than I remember from a visit during the Society of American Travel Writers convention in Israel some 25 years ago. But that was before digital cameras, which cause people to travel around looking at the world through the image display. I am as guilty as anyone and do it too. People dress more casually now, talk more and more loudly, and are in a greater hurry than they were then. I'm not religious, but then, I lit a candle to honor my Aunt Margaret, the only church-goer in my fanily.This time, the group zipped through the side room when the candles are now sold. I saw a few robed monks and priests and a couple of nuns -- far fewer propotionally now than then. A quarter of a century ago, the church seemed like a place of pilgrimage for the faithful. This time, I'm afraid that it felt more like something most tourists cross off their bucket list. The main church is cavernous, largely devoid of ancient ornamention but with the abundant lights and lanterns that characterize Eastern rite churches.
Under the Byzantine-style Orthodox portion of the double church is a grotto where Mary is believed to have given birth to the Baby Jesus. The spot, a silk/satin-draped niche (below), is marked with a plaque on the floor. Many people get down on hands and knees to touch or kiss the plaque, resulting in many photos of many backsides. Again, small rooms accommodate groups of pilgrims who sit on plastic chairs, praying or singing. A quarter of a century ago, I seem to remember a lot of lit candles and quieter contemplation. Not now.
St. Catherine's Church, the immediaely adjacent Catholic church built in the 19th century, is somewhat Gothic in inspiration. It has a vaulted ceiling, high clerestory windows and wooden pews, more closely resembling many a Catholic church around the world. Someone is refinishing wood right now, so people were walking through, photographing and even praying to the sound of an electric sander and the smell of varnish. Most people passed though it on their way underground to older grottos, caves and chapels. The upper church and Manger Square are the places from which Christmas Eve Mass is telecast around the world
Underneath is the grotto where St. Hieronymus (St. Jerome) lived and was entombed until the Crusaders stole his bones and moved them elsewhere. He is credited with translating the Bible into Latin. He was said to have been hermit, but he had a housekeeper and her son in the gotto, so he was a hermit wtih at least minimal companionship.
To be continued when I have time.
We started the morning at Shepherd's Fields (top image, below), where -- according to the New Testament -- the Angel of the Lord visited the shepherds to tell them of Jesus' birth. I learned that two millennia ago, the shepherds and also their animals spent their nights underground in caves and grottos in the soft limestone. The manger as usually depicted is therefore a much later European interpretation of where animals were kept. A hole in the ceiling let air and light in, and smoke out. A metal walkway down the side of the valley enables visitors to see some of these grottos, many with small rooms that are now used as chapels for small groups of the faithful to pray or sing. Benches and small altars (middle image) have been set up for these groups. On the valley rim is a domed church that we did not have time to visit.
We had breakfast at the nearby Golden Peak Hotel -- buffet and chance to meet with some Palestinians involved in various social justice and peace movementsa nd various good works, and also tourist promotion efforts to bring more visitors to Palestine and the West Bank. Nidal Abu Zuluf, who advocates for non-violence as inspired by anti-Apartheid actions in South Africa (and of course, Mahatma Ghani in India and Dr. Martin Luther King in the US) is most impressive. Karios Palestine is a Christian Palestinian document expressing that approach effecting change and bringing about social justice and equality.
The people, who harbor hopes for better times to come, are very different from images of Palestinians we see on our news programs, which tend to report on the violent and the negative. After a decade of military occupation by the Israeli army, the construction high walls all over the landscape to contain Palestinians and the imposition of Jewish settlements in their midst, it is remarkable that anyone can remain positive and try to help their people. But some -- many, in fact -- do.
The exterior of the Church of the Nativity is not beauitful, so don't expect something like the grand cathedrals of Europe. The hulking, undorned Byzantine structure has suffered from centuries that included assasult, netglecs and renovations that were often undertaken for defensive reasons. A large doorway was made narrowerand lower, so that a horse and rider could not enter and also so that men had to bend down to get through and there heads lobbed off if they were unwelcome.
Inside, the atmosphere is less reverential than I remember from a visit during the Society of American Travel Writers convention in Israel some 25 years ago. But that was before digital cameras, which cause people to travel around looking at the world through the image display. I am as guilty as anyone and do it too. People dress more casually now, talk more and more loudly, and are in a greater hurry than they were then. I'm not religious, but then, I lit a candle to honor my Aunt Margaret, the only church-goer in my fanily.This time, the group zipped through the side room when the candles are now sold. I saw a few robed monks and priests and a couple of nuns -- far fewer propotionally now than then. A quarter of a century ago, the church seemed like a place of pilgrimage for the faithful. This time, I'm afraid that it felt more like something most tourists cross off their bucket list. The main church is cavernous, largely devoid of ancient ornamention but with the abundant lights and lanterns that characterize Eastern rite churches.
The main church is cavernous, largely devoid of ancient ornamention but with icons, lots of silver and abundant lights and lanterns that characterize Eastern rite churches.
Under the Byzantine-style Orthodox portion of the double church is a grotto where Mary is believed to have given birth to the Baby Jesus. The spot, a silk/satin-draped niche (below), is marked with a plaque on the floor. Many people get down on hands and knees to touch or kiss the plaque, resulting in many photos of many backsides. Again, small rooms accommodate groups of pilgrims who sit on plastic chairs, praying or singing. A quarter of a century ago, I seem to remember a lot of lit candles and quieter contemplation. Not now.
St. Catherine's Church, the immediaely adjacent Catholic church built in the 19th century, is somewhat Gothic in inspiration. It has a vaulted ceiling, high clerestory windows and wooden pews, more closely resembling many a Catholic church around the world. Someone is refinishing wood right now, so people were walking through, photographing and even praying to the sound of an electric sander and the smell of varnish. Most people passed though it on their way underground to older grottos, caves and chapels. The upper church and Manger Square are the places from which Christmas Eve Mass is telecast around the world
Underneath is the grotto where St. Hieronymus (St. Jerome) lived and was entombed until the Crusaders stole his bones and moved them elsewhere. He is credited with translating the Bible into Latin. He was said to have been hermit, but he had a housekeeper and her son in the gotto, so he was a hermit wtih at least minimal companionship.
To be continued when I have time.
29 Mart 2011 Salı
Travel Answer Man Publishes Viscape List of Top Tavel Blogs
I was surprised and pleased to find out that Travel Answer Man has included this blog on a list of Top Travel Blogs of 2008 that he found on Viscape. Thanks, TAM, for for the vote of confidence in Viscape and iin Travel Babel.
West Bank/Palestine Travels, Day 1
Holy Land media visit starts with a long travel day
At Denver International Airport, I saw the controversial statue of Horus (below), a complicated ancient Egyptian god whose statue has been placed right outside the main terminal in honor of the upcoming King Tut exhibition at the Denver Art Muesum. I'm missing the media preview this week.
Easy flight to Newark, long layover and then comfy transatlantic flight. I used miles and money to upgrade to Continental's Business/First for the long overnight flight to Tel Aviv.
Arrived in Tel Aviv, met group at airport and boarded bus driven by "Captain" Samr and listened to intro to the Palestinian Territories by Samir Bahbah (below) of the Arab Tour Guides Association. His story exemplifies the complexities of this area. He is a Catholic by religion, Palestinian by nationality and Arab by ethnicity. He grew up and lives in East Jerusalem, so he has a Jordanian passport yet is an Israeli citizen who cannot vote and does not have to serve in the Army.
Our bus traveled through the outskirts of Jeruslem and the first of many security checkpoints we would encounrter and directly into Bethlehem and checked into the Jacir Palace Intercontinental Hotel (below, top image), a luxury hotel affixed to an opulent villa on the oturskirts of the city. My room (below, bottom) is comfortable but not lavish, yet the public spaces in the old mansion are exceptionally atmospheric. When I went to open my bag, the TSA-compliant lock was gone and the loop on the zipper pull where the lock fit through was broken. Too much time in Newark -- or or likely something at the airport here, where enthsiastic Israeli security agents don't bother with the device that opens TSA-complient locks? I'll never know, but now, I guess that I'll have to carry my netbook with me everywhere.
Light buffet dinner during this very low season.. A few of us went for a short walk, and then back to the hotel. Room is fine. Bedside table holds a New Testament in three languages (German, English, French) and a Koran in Arabic (below). It's been a long time since I've been in a hotel room with an ashtray! A liter of water was a nice consideration, because the tap water is not potable. Oh, how I wish they'd put a second bottle of water in my room.
And now, a good night.
At Denver International Airport, I saw the controversial statue of Horus (below), a complicated ancient Egyptian god whose statue has been placed right outside the main terminal in honor of the upcoming King Tut exhibition at the Denver Art Muesum. I'm missing the media preview this week.
Easy flight to Newark, long layover and then comfy transatlantic flight. I used miles and money to upgrade to Continental's Business/First for the long overnight flight to Tel Aviv.
Arrived in Tel Aviv, met group at airport and boarded bus driven by "Captain" Samr and listened to intro to the Palestinian Territories by Samir Bahbah (below) of the Arab Tour Guides Association. His story exemplifies the complexities of this area. He is a Catholic by religion, Palestinian by nationality and Arab by ethnicity. He grew up and lives in East Jerusalem, so he has a Jordanian passport yet is an Israeli citizen who cannot vote and does not have to serve in the Army.
Our bus traveled through the outskirts of Jeruslem and the first of many security checkpoints we would encounrter and directly into Bethlehem and checked into the Jacir Palace Intercontinental Hotel (below, top image), a luxury hotel affixed to an opulent villa on the oturskirts of the city. My room (below, bottom) is comfortable but not lavish, yet the public spaces in the old mansion are exceptionally atmospheric. When I went to open my bag, the TSA-compliant lock was gone and the loop on the zipper pull where the lock fit through was broken. Too much time in Newark -- or or likely something at the airport here, where enthsiastic Israeli security agents don't bother with the device that opens TSA-complient locks? I'll never know, but now, I guess that I'll have to carry my netbook with me everywhere.
Light buffet dinner during this very low season.. A few of us went for a short walk, and then back to the hotel. Room is fine. Bedside table holds a New Testament in three languages (German, English, French) and a Koran in Arabic (below). It's been a long time since I've been in a hotel room with an ashtray! A liter of water was a nice consideration, because the tap water is not potable. Oh, how I wish they'd put a second bottle of water in my room.
And now, a good night.
28 Mart 2011 Pazartesi
Airline Passenger Trantrum Caught on Video
S--t sometimes happens with air travel -- and sometimes on the slopes. YouTube sees all!
I've been skiing Aspen/Snowmass with friends from east (New Jersey) and west (Australia) this week, and I'm glad that I live within driving distance. Steve was flying back to New Jersey on Wednesday. United canceled his Aspen-Denver flight (too much wind for the aircraft scheduled for this route or too low a load factor?) and re-routed him to Newark Airport via Los Angeles. I suspect he took it in resignation but good grace. Jim, Dee and Greg are scheduled to fly Aspen-Denver-Newark tomorrow. A big storm is bearing down on the Colorado Rockies. They were considering renting a car, but I suggested they ride back to Boulder with me today so that at least they'll be on the appropriate side of the Continental Divide. If the Aussies can't make it out tomorrow, I suspect they will also take it in their stride.
Not so an unidentified passenger who missed her Hong Kong-San Francisco flight on Cathay Pacific and proceeded to throw a tantrum at the airport. Of course, it was caught on video, and of course, it made its way to YouTube. You can see it by clicking here.
She is recognizable, if not yet identified. At least the the face of the skier who earlier this season was caught, literally with his pants down, dangling from a chairlift at Vail. Au contraire. Only his nearest and dearest could have recognized him, and YouTube has tactfully fuzzed out his butt crack, which you can see here. I feel sympathy mainly for his 10-year-old son who remained on the chair -- fully clothed. He'll be discussing this with his shrink in years to come. I hope that Dad has a sense of humor. As for the SFO-bound passenger, she should be ashamed of her childish behavior.
Vail apologized. SharpShooter Photography, whose off-duty photographer captured the chairlift moment, apologized. Cathay Pacific, one of whose agents captured the tantrum on video, apologized. But the incidents are still online for all to see -- and marvel at.
I've been skiing Aspen/Snowmass with friends from east (New Jersey) and west (Australia) this week, and I'm glad that I live within driving distance. Steve was flying back to New Jersey on Wednesday. United canceled his Aspen-Denver flight (too much wind for the aircraft scheduled for this route or too low a load factor?) and re-routed him to Newark Airport via Los Angeles. I suspect he took it in resignation but good grace. Jim, Dee and Greg are scheduled to fly Aspen-Denver-Newark tomorrow. A big storm is bearing down on the Colorado Rockies. They were considering renting a car, but I suggested they ride back to Boulder with me today so that at least they'll be on the appropriate side of the Continental Divide. If the Aussies can't make it out tomorrow, I suspect they will also take it in their stride.
Not so an unidentified passenger who missed her Hong Kong-San Francisco flight on Cathay Pacific and proceeded to throw a tantrum at the airport. Of course, it was caught on video, and of course, it made its way to YouTube. You can see it by clicking here.
She is recognizable, if not yet identified. At least the the face of the skier who earlier this season was caught, literally with his pants down, dangling from a chairlift at Vail. Au contraire. Only his nearest and dearest could have recognized him, and YouTube has tactfully fuzzed out his butt crack, which you can see here. I feel sympathy mainly for his 10-year-old son who remained on the chair -- fully clothed. He'll be discussing this with his shrink in years to come. I hope that Dad has a sense of humor. As for the SFO-bound passenger, she should be ashamed of her childish behavior.
Vail apologized. SharpShooter Photography, whose off-duty photographer captured the chairlift moment, apologized. Cathay Pacific, one of whose agents captured the tantrum on video, apologized. But the incidents are still online for all to see -- and marvel at.
Wyoming Town Honors Rodeo Star
Tiny Kaycee dedicates Chris LeDoux Memorial Park this weekend to big local star
Chris LeDoux was a rodeo star on horseback and on stage. He won the Professional Rodeo world championship in bareback riding in 1976, and he played to capacity crowd concerts at Cheyenne Frontier Days beginning in the mid-1990s. He was inducted into both the Cheyenne Frontier Days and Pro Rodeo Halls of Fame. A highlight of his music career was a top ten hit sung with Garth Brooks, "What You Gonna Do With a Cowboy," and his records sold more than six million worldwide. He died in 2005 at age 56 of a rare form of liver cancer.
This weekend, Kaycee, Wyoming (70 miles north of Casper, population 300) is dedicating the new Chris LeDoux Memorial Park in downtown on land that LeDoux and his wife, Peggy, purchased many years ago. They raised five children on a ranch outside of Kaycee. It dedication includes the unveiling of a monumental life-and-a-half size bronze called “Good Ride Cowboy” by sculptor D. Michael Thomas of Buffalo, Wyoming (45 miles north of Kaycee). He began the project shortly after LeDoux’s death. “Chris’s passing hit me like a ton of bricks right in the gut. I always had an idea there needed to be a monument of this fellow. He was Mr. Wyoming,” said Thomas.
Thomas’s 2,300-pound bronze depicts LeDoux spurring for a coveted world champion’s buckle. The base depicts LeDoux’s guitar. Kaycee locals and legions of LeDoux fans raised the funds required for the sculpture. A Cody mold maker, the Caleco Bronze Foundry in Cody and finisher Clay Ward of Deaver, Wyoming, were involved in taking the project for concept to completion. The dedication takes place tomorrow, June 19, and while it's way late for most people to head for Kaycee, the festivities give an iea of how a small town can celebrate a significant local person. The celebration starts at 10:00 a.m. and includes free food and beer prior to the unveiling of the bronze at 3:00 p.m. Afterward, LeDoux’s band, the Western Underground, will play a free concert following the ceremony.
This weekend, Kaycee, Wyoming (70 miles north of Casper, population 300) is dedicating the new Chris LeDoux Memorial Park in downtown on land that LeDoux and his wife, Peggy, purchased many years ago. They raised five children on a ranch outside of Kaycee. It dedication includes the unveiling of a monumental life-and-a-half size bronze called “Good Ride Cowboy” by sculptor D. Michael Thomas of Buffalo, Wyoming (45 miles north of Kaycee). He began the project shortly after LeDoux’s death. “Chris’s passing hit me like a ton of bricks right in the gut. I always had an idea there needed to be a monument of this fellow. He was Mr. Wyoming,” said Thomas.
Thomas’s 2,300-pound bronze depicts LeDoux spurring for a coveted world champion’s buckle. The base depicts LeDoux’s guitar. Kaycee locals and legions of LeDoux fans raised the funds required for the sculpture. A Cody mold maker, the Caleco Bronze Foundry in Cody and finisher Clay Ward of Deaver, Wyoming, were involved in taking the project for concept to completion. The dedication takes place tomorrow, June 19, and while it's way late for most people to head for Kaycee, the festivities give an iea of how a small town can celebrate a significant local person. The celebration starts at 10:00 a.m. and includes free food and beer prior to the unveiling of the bronze at 3:00 p.m. Afterward, LeDoux’s band, the Western Underground, will play a free concert following the ceremony.
Best US Cities for Vacationing on a Budget
Discount travel booking site announces its top 10 list
Top 10, top 20, top 100 and top whatever other number you want to pull out of a hat can be pretty tedious, but I'm somehow intrigued by a new one from Hotwire, the discount travel booking site. The Hotwire Travel Value Index lists the cities that offer the greatest values -- note that these aren't necessarily the cheapest but ones that provide good value.
Hotwire scored the cities 25 percent for air, hotel and car-rental discounts; 50 percent on low prices for air, hotel and rental cars, and 25 on overall appeal, affordable entertainment and choice of accommodations. I'm not sure how they came up with these parameters that seem partially redundant, but here's their list of the 10 cities that achieve these requirements (last year's ranking in parentheses, where applicable).
1. Orlando (3)
2. Atlanta (5)
3. Denver (4)
4. Dallas-Fort Worth (2)
5. Phoenix (1)
6. Houston
7. Los Angeles (6)
8. Tampa
9. Washington, DC (7)
10. Chicago
Top 10, top 20, top 100 and top whatever other number you want to pull out of a hat can be pretty tedious, but I'm somehow intrigued by a new one from Hotwire, the discount travel booking site. The Hotwire Travel Value Index lists the cities that offer the greatest values -- note that these aren't necessarily the cheapest but ones that provide good value.
Hotwire scored the cities 25 percent for air, hotel and car-rental discounts; 50 percent on low prices for air, hotel and rental cars, and 25 on overall appeal, affordable entertainment and choice of accommodations. I'm not sure how they came up with these parameters that seem partially redundant, but here's their list of the 10 cities that achieve these requirements (last year's ranking in parentheses, where applicable).
1. Orlando (3)
2. Atlanta (5)
3. Denver (4)
4. Dallas-Fort Worth (2)
5. Phoenix (1)
6. Houston
7. Los Angeles (6)
8. Tampa
9. Washington, DC (7)
10. Chicago
27 Mart 2011 Pazar
Book Blog for Armchair Travelers and Otherwise
A Traveler's Library finds and reviews travel books, films and more
A lifetime ago, I read Helen MacInnes's The Salzburg Connection while in Salzburg and the lake region called the Salzkammergut. I re-read Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises in Spain and A Farewell to Arms after returning from Slovenia. Peter Matthiesen's The Tree Where Man Was Born came to Tanzania with me, and Peter Hessler's River Town and Simon Winchester's The River at the Center of the World provided insights to life on the Yangtze in particular and China in general. And I've happily slogged through many a James Michener tome when traveling in places he wrote about. After returning from Easter Island, I rented "Rapa Nui." Loved the island. Hated the movie. And so my reading and my reading, and occasionally film watching, run in parallel chairs, often intertwining like a braided river, with the experience and the book merging and diverging.
In truth, because I work with words all day, I don't read nearly as much as I once did -- except when I am traveling. So when my friend Rosemary recommended her friend Vera's blog, A Traveler's Library, I found a kindred spirit. I enjoyed roaming through it, and I hope you will too. And while you're at it, check out Feast, Rosemary's eZine, which celebrates travel and also food, films, literature and art.
In truth, because I work with words all day, I don't read nearly as much as I once did -- except when I am traveling. So when my friend Rosemary recommended her friend Vera's blog, A Traveler's Library, I found a kindred spirit. I enjoyed roaming through it, and I hope you will too. And while you're at it, check out Feast, Rosemary's eZine, which celebrates travel and also food, films, literature and art.
26 Mart 2011 Cumartesi
Holland America Donates Toiletries to Shelters
Cruise line does an environmental and humane good deed
Years ago, Denver's Queen Anne Inn began donating partially used bottles of shampoo and soap left by guests to a local homeless shelter. After Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, delegates to the Society of American Travel Writers annual convention were asked to bring toiletries liberated from hotels to be packed and sent to relief shelters -- and we responded. Therefore, the CNN.com headline "Cruise Line Donates Items Once Discarded" resonated with me. Diverting small bottles of toiletries from landfills and distributing them where they are useful made sense before, and it makes sense now.
Until recently, Holland America sent thousands of shampoo bottles and soaps, used or unused, into landfills. "But then the cruise line came up with a new use for the discarded items. They are now collected, separated into bins and brought through Customs at ports of call," CNN.com reported. Even though the process is labor-intensive and time-consuming and certainly not profitable, the Holland America launched a program called Ship to Shelter in Seattle, where the line is based, and recently expanded it to Port Everglades, Florida.
The report quoted Marti Forman Florida's Cooperative Feeding Program, which feeds about 400 people a day and provides hot meals and showers for homeless men and women and is feeling pinched during this recession. "The donations aren't there, the cash donations in order to be able to have expenditures like that to us have become a luxury item," Forman said. "If we have to decide between people having shampoo [or] people having something to eat, we're going to opt to have the food for them." With the cruise line's donations, she said that her program no longer needs to make that choice and has also seen an increase in the number of people coming to the shelter to use the showers.
For its part, Holland America now has also begun to donate TVs, crew uniforms, plates, silverware, and pots and pans, and as word got around among passengers, people have started to leave behind clothing, books and other items for Holland American to add to their donations to help the homeless.
Years ago, Denver's Queen Anne Inn began donating partially used bottles of shampoo and soap left by guests to a local homeless shelter. After Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, delegates to the Society of American Travel Writers annual convention were asked to bring toiletries liberated from hotels to be packed and sent to relief shelters -- and we responded. Therefore, the CNN.com headline "Cruise Line Donates Items Once Discarded" resonated with me. Diverting small bottles of toiletries from landfills and distributing them where they are useful made sense before, and it makes sense now.
Until recently, Holland America sent thousands of shampoo bottles and soaps, used or unused, into landfills. "But then the cruise line came up with a new use for the discarded items. They are now collected, separated into bins and brought through Customs at ports of call," CNN.com reported. Even though the process is labor-intensive and time-consuming and certainly not profitable, the Holland America launched a program called Ship to Shelter in Seattle, where the line is based, and recently expanded it to Port Everglades, Florida.
The report quoted Marti Forman Florida's Cooperative Feeding Program, which feeds about 400 people a day and provides hot meals and showers for homeless men and women and is feeling pinched during this recession. "The donations aren't there, the cash donations in order to be able to have expenditures like that to us have become a luxury item," Forman said. "If we have to decide between people having shampoo [or] people having something to eat, we're going to opt to have the food for them." With the cruise line's donations, she said that her program no longer needs to make that choice and has also seen an increase in the number of people coming to the shelter to use the showers.
For its part, Holland America now has also begun to donate TVs, crew uniforms, plates, silverware, and pots and pans, and as word got around among passengers, people have started to leave behind clothing, books and other items for Holland American to add to their donations to help the homeless.
Pay Toilets on Airplanes? Rynair is Considering It
Low-fare Ryanair reportedly exploring another revenue source
If Ryanair, the aggressive European low-fare carrier, wanted to A) raise travelers' hackles or B) get their name in print and on the air, they couldn't have picked a better subject than the possibility of converting their lavatories into pay toilets.
The Associated Press's widely printed story tried to make light of the situation by inserting reportorial witticisms and pithy quotes:
If Ryanair, the aggressive European low-fare carrier, wanted to A) raise travelers' hackles or B) get their name in print and on the air, they couldn't have picked a better subject than the possibility of converting their lavatories into pay toilets.
The Associated Press's widely printed story tried to make light of the situation by inserting reportorial witticisms and pithy quotes:
"When nature calls at 30,000 feet, is $1.40 a wee price to pay? Or could it
force passengers without correct change into a whole new kind of holding
pattern? The head of budget European airline Ryanair unleashed a flood of
indignation and potty humor Friday when he suggested that future passengers
might be obliged to insert a British pound coin for access to the lavatory to
get some in-flight relief.
"Airline chief Michael O'Leary suggested that installing pay toilets would
lower ticket costs and make flying, somehow, easier for all. Not even his own
aides seemed to be sure if he was serious or pursuing his penchant for making
brazen declarations to get free publicity for Ryanair....
"O'Leary spokesman Stephen McNamara said his boss often spoke tongue in
cheek - but he then defended the idea of in-flight pay toilets as part of a
logical trend. 'Michael makes a lot of this stuff up as he goes along and, while
this has been discussed internally, there are no immediate plans to introduce
it,' McNamara said, adding, 'Passengers using train and bus stations are already
accustomed to paying to use the toilet, so why not on airplanes? Not everyone
uses the toilet on board one of our flights, but those that do could help to
reduce airfares for all passengers.'
"Analysts agreed that the man who pioneered charging passengers to
check bags, to use a check-in desk and even to use a credit or debit card to
make an online booking just might be serious about mile-high toilet
extortion....
"Not surprisingly, passengers reacted with indignation and outrage at the
prospect....'Your only choice with Ryanair, really, is not to fly Ryanair. Your
dignity goes out the window. If you have a complaint, they're not programmed to
care," said Samantha Jones, a 30-year-old Welsh woman.She discounted the practicality of a restroom rebellion. 'If you are given a choice between wetting your knickers or not wetting your knickers, you will pay whatever fee they make you pay, and Mr. O'Leary knows this well,' she said. 'Frankly, I'm surprised he's talking about letting us have a wee for a pound, not more!'"Rochelle Turner, head of research at British consumer rights magazine Which? Holiday, said Ryanair had a well-documented practice of putting profit before the comfort of its customers" - but this one could backfire. 'Charging people to go to the toilet might result in fewer people buying overpriced drinks on board. That would serve Ryanair right...
"Noah Cole of Portland, Ore., who has flown on Ryanair, called it "unconscionable" to charge for a bathroom, and he even predicted money-changing problems. In other words, if you only have dollars, can you still euro-nate?..."
American Airlines' Latest Fee
Pay ahead for a few benefits that you might not use
In this age of unbundling that requires passengers to pay separately for such services that until recently were included in air fares (checked baggage, food, standby for earlier flights, a better seat, etc.), American Airlines is "rebundling" some fees. They're calling it the "Your Choice," and here's what the airline boasts that it now offers to passengers for yet another upfront fee:
•places you in Group 1 of General Boarding, which allows you to be one of the first groups to board the plane for your flight. (Group 1 boards immediately following PriorityAAccess customers);
•provides a $75 Flight Change Discount, which means that if you need to change your itinerary, you'll save $75 off the regular service charge when applicable;
•allows you to standby for an earlier flight on your day of departure at no charge;
•applies to all travelers in your reservation per-person charge;
•offered for an introductory price of as little as $9 each way. Prices vary based by market and routing;
Note that it doesn't allow you to check a bag without yet another fee -- and of all the add-on fees, this one drives most passengers bonkers -- and is driving them to Southwest. It does allows you to stand by for an earlier same-day flight at no charge, but if there are no seats on that earlier flight, you lose that crap shoot. And significantly, Your choice doesn't totally waive the flight change fee; it just cuts the excessive charge by $75. American doesn't say how long the Your Choice "introductory" price (currently $9-$18 each way) will be valid. It could be a week, a month, a year. I'm guessing that if people pony up for this new fee, American will jack it up fast.
The airline adds, "Later this summer American will offer Group 1 of General Boarding as a stand-alone option for customers, upon arrival at the airport. The introductory price for the Group 1 of General Boarding option is $10 each way, regardless of flight length, markets or routing. Services must be purchased for the entire itinerary. This option will be available for purchase up to one hour prior to scheduled flight departure, via the self-service check-in machines at most U.S. – and many worldwide – airports." Would you call this re-unbundling?
•places you in Group 1 of General Boarding, which allows you to be one of the first groups to board the plane for your flight. (Group 1 boards immediately following PriorityAAccess customers);
•provides a $75 Flight Change Discount, which means that if you need to change your itinerary, you'll save $75 off the regular service charge when applicable;
•allows you to standby for an earlier flight on your day of departure at no charge;
•applies to all travelers in your reservation per-person charge;
•offered for an introductory price of as little as $9 each way. Prices vary based by market and routing;
Note that it doesn't allow you to check a bag without yet another fee -- and of all the add-on fees, this one drives most passengers bonkers -- and is driving them to Southwest. It does allows you to stand by for an earlier same-day flight at no charge, but if there are no seats on that earlier flight, you lose that crap shoot. And significantly, Your choice doesn't totally waive the flight change fee; it just cuts the excessive charge by $75. American doesn't say how long the Your Choice "introductory" price (currently $9-$18 each way) will be valid. It could be a week, a month, a year. I'm guessing that if people pony up for this new fee, American will jack it up fast.
The airline adds, "Later this summer American will offer Group 1 of General Boarding as a stand-alone option for customers, upon arrival at the airport. The introductory price for the Group 1 of General Boarding option is $10 each way, regardless of flight length, markets or routing. Services must be purchased for the entire itinerary. This option will be available for purchase up to one hour prior to scheduled flight departure, via the self-service check-in machines at most U.S. – and many worldwide – airports." Would you call this re-unbundling?
25 Mart 2011 Cuma
Riviera Maya Puts Tourist Promotion into Overdrive
Fancy new hotels, upgraded old towns, eco-experiences, new attractions and Tulum lure visitors
A few weeks ago, representatives of tourism industry came to Colorado with updates about the Riviera Maya, the Yucatan Peninsula's sun-kissed coastline Caribbean coastline. South of Cancun and all of its high-rise razzmatazz stretched along a 14-mile-long Tourist Zone, visitors to the Riviera Maya nevertheless benefit from the proximity (11 miles to the north end of the Riviera Maya) to a good-size international airport. It is anticipating building its own airport within a few years, but from my standpoint, why cut down ancient jungle and foul up the place with airplane noise, fumes and traffic when a perfectly good airport is not all that far -- except that Cancun and the Riviera Maya are in different states, and politics is doubtless involved.
The infrastructure of the 81-mile Riviera Maya has been greatly upgraded since I was last there nearly 20 years ago. My husband and I had been scuba diving on Cozumel, just offshore. Since we weren't able to dive within 24 hours before flying home, we boarded a hydrofoil to a dusty town called Playa del Carmen, wandered up the main street and hopped on the first Tulum-bound bus. A rattly old school bus drove the two-lane road with a lot of jungle views and dropped us off along the highway, perhaps a quarter of a mile from the entrance to these magnificent ocean-view ruins. The bus fare was about $1.35. We explored the ruins at our own pace, consulting our guidebook and occasionally eavesdropping on an English-speaking guide. Then, we wandered back to the main road, boarded the next Playa del Carmen-bound bus (another $1.35 fare), just missed one hydrofoil and had a couple of drinks and a some dockside nibbles before returnbing to Cozumel on the next one.
Tulum photo by Bruno Girin from Creative Commons
That was then and this is now: 362 hotels with a total of 37,300 hotel rooms available in different categories from small and charming hotels along the shore to modern "integrated tourism complexes made up of luxurious five star hotels, marinas and golf courses," in the tourist-speak now practiced in this enchanted, enchanting part of Mexico. I think there's even a four-lane highway. Now, luxury hotels, including all-inclusive properties, have sprung up on the Riviera Maya -- mercifully lower-rise and with less density than other coastal resorts. If you want swimming pools, palapas, fine dining and a family-friendly resort environment, the Riviera Maya has those in abundance.
There are also tourist developments that appear to be enlightened and enlightening. Xel-Ha is described as "open-sea aquarium offer[ing] a myriad of land and water activities, ecological attractions, world-class restaurants and countless more unimaginable experiences." I'm intrigued by the concept of a responsible attraction that protects wildlife, marinelife, birdlife and habitat while offering the kinds of safe experiences that many travelers, especially families, seek today. Another attraction that appears to combine gentle adventure, visitor education and resource protection is Xplor, which provides an opportunity to swim through a stalctatie river, hand-paddle an undrground raft and ride a zipline above the trees and water, all of which seem designed to protect the natural resources. The two-seat amphibious vehicles that "conquer all terrains between jungle, water, rocks and grottos" -- maybe not so much.
If you prefer a vibrant town with a lots of amenities aimed at visitors, Plaza del Carmen is such a place. No longer a laid-back Mexican town, it has been developed a good culinary presence and an interesting art and music scene. It also has an abundance of tourist shops, tourist-trap bars, gringo-ized restaurants and even a WalMart. I wouldn't go back for those, but I would for the arts, the festivals and the chance for some of the nearby eco-opportunities, including cenote snorkeling or diving -- and of course, to revisit the ruins at Tulum.
Clearly, presentations, like that given by the Riviera Maya representatives make everything look great, even facilities not normally of interest. What impressed me about this one was the range of accommodations now available, from backpacker-friendly to five-star luxury, presenting something for every type of Mexico-bound traveler. And from what I'm hearing, prices for the rest of 2010 (until Christmas) are rockbottom low, even at top properties. Summer is a season of high heat and low prices, but consider a deal at a complete resort with a great beach, a large pool and air conditioning, where the heat won't bother you.
Head to Playa del Carmen on Thursday evening, when it's cooler, for a weekly cultural and street festival starting at 8:00. 5ta. Avenida in Playa del Carmen, the main street, features painting , sculpture, dance, poetry, theatre, photography, performance art and video. Come fall, festival season kicks up again.
The infrastructure of the 81-mile Riviera Maya has been greatly upgraded since I was last there nearly 20 years ago. My husband and I had been scuba diving on Cozumel, just offshore. Since we weren't able to dive within 24 hours before flying home, we boarded a hydrofoil to a dusty town called Playa del Carmen, wandered up the main street and hopped on the first Tulum-bound bus. A rattly old school bus drove the two-lane road with a lot of jungle views and dropped us off along the highway, perhaps a quarter of a mile from the entrance to these magnificent ocean-view ruins. The bus fare was about $1.35. We explored the ruins at our own pace, consulting our guidebook and occasionally eavesdropping on an English-speaking guide. Then, we wandered back to the main road, boarded the next Playa del Carmen-bound bus (another $1.35 fare), just missed one hydrofoil and had a couple of drinks and a some dockside nibbles before returnbing to Cozumel on the next one.
That was then and this is now: 362 hotels with a total of 37,300 hotel rooms available in different categories from small and charming hotels along the shore to modern "integrated tourism complexes made up of luxurious five star hotels, marinas and golf courses," in the tourist-speak now practiced in this enchanted, enchanting part of Mexico. I think there's even a four-lane highway. Now, luxury hotels, including all-inclusive properties, have sprung up on the Riviera Maya -- mercifully lower-rise and with less density than other coastal resorts. If you want swimming pools, palapas, fine dining and a family-friendly resort environment, the Riviera Maya has those in abundance.
There are also tourist developments that appear to be enlightened and enlightening. Xel-Ha is described as "open-sea aquarium offer[ing] a myriad of land and water activities, ecological attractions, world-class restaurants and countless more unimaginable experiences." I'm intrigued by the concept of a responsible attraction that protects wildlife, marinelife, birdlife and habitat while offering the kinds of safe experiences that many travelers, especially families, seek today. Another attraction that appears to combine gentle adventure, visitor education and resource protection is Xplor, which provides an opportunity to swim through a stalctatie river, hand-paddle an undrground raft and ride a zipline above the trees and water, all of which seem designed to protect the natural resources. The two-seat amphibious vehicles that "conquer all terrains between jungle, water, rocks and grottos" -- maybe not so much.
If you prefer a vibrant town with a lots of amenities aimed at visitors, Plaza del Carmen is such a place. No longer a laid-back Mexican town, it has been developed a good culinary presence and an interesting art and music scene. It also has an abundance of tourist shops, tourist-trap bars, gringo-ized restaurants and even a WalMart. I wouldn't go back for those, but I would for the arts, the festivals and the chance for some of the nearby eco-opportunities, including cenote snorkeling or diving -- and of course, to revisit the ruins at Tulum.
Clearly, presentations, like that given by the Riviera Maya representatives make everything look great, even facilities not normally of interest. What impressed me about this one was the range of accommodations now available, from backpacker-friendly to five-star luxury, presenting something for every type of Mexico-bound traveler. And from what I'm hearing, prices for the rest of 2010 (until Christmas) are rockbottom low, even at top properties. Summer is a season of high heat and low prices, but consider a deal at a complete resort with a great beach, a large pool and air conditioning, where the heat won't bother you.
Head to Playa del Carmen on Thursday evening, when it's cooler, for a weekly cultural and street festival starting at 8:00. 5ta. Avenida in Playa del Carmen, the main street, features painting , sculpture, dance, poetry, theatre, photography, performance art and video. Come fall, festival season kicks up again.
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