Placido Domingo to Perform at Chichen Itza

Gala concert worth a cultural journey to the land of the Maya

I never was fortunate enough to hear the Three Tenors in concert. Placido Domingo, Jose Carreras and the late Luciano Pavarotti sang at the Baths of Caracalla in Rome in 1990, at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles in 1994, near the Eiffel Tower in Paris in 1998 and in Yokohama in 2002 in junction with soccer's quadriennial World Cup finals, plus selected sites around the world.

One of these three incomparable tenors, Placido Domingo, is scheduled to headline a gala concert on October 4 at Chichen Itza on Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula to celebrate the revered Mayan site's 20th anniversary as a UNESCO World Heritage site and the first anniversary of its selection as one of the New 7 Wonders of the World. A stage will set up in front of the giant Pyramid of Kukulkan (aka, El Castillo), flanked by the remnants of 1,000 columns and inspiring the name, "Placido Domingo in Chichén Itzá: The Concert of the Thousand Columns." Tickets are $50 to $1,000 and may be purchased through Ticketmaster in Mexico.

For Placido Domingo, this concert will be something of a homecoming. has a special fondness for Merida where Born in Spain and raised in Mexico, he made his debut recital in Merida beside his mother, Pepita Embil, a well-known zarzuela performer. Over the years, he has headlined a number of charity events to benefit victims of natural disasters. Proceeds from this concert will be used in the ongoing restoration and conservation of Chichen Itza, as well as the development of services in the surrounding Maya communities.

Very few of us can just bop over to Chichen Itza for the concert and go right home afterwards. The Hacienda Xcanatun, a restored 18th century plantation now an intimate 18-suite boutique hotel on the outskirts of Merida, is offering a Night to Remember Concert Package, starting at $1,370 per two for three nights from $1,700 for two for four nights. The package includes double-occupancy suite accommodations; a Yucatecan fusion feast prepared by the Hacienda Xcanatun 's chef on the evening before the concert with musicians playing zarzuelas and classic favorites; and white-glove transportation to the Chichen Itza for the concert in a luxurious, air-conditioned bus with open bar and canapé service.

The suites feature high, wood-beamed ceilings, hand-carved furnishings, antiques and original painting, and views of exuberant tropical gardens from their terraces. In-suite amenities include a selection of artisanal Maya chocolates and a bottle of red, white, or sparkling wine. Taxes and hotel service charge are additional.

The Hacienda Xcanatun includes two freshwater swimming pools, an intimate spa offering beautyand wellness and holistic Maya treatments, an eight-acre garden. Tennis and golf privileges are nearby. For more information or to reserve, call he Hacienda Xcanatun at 888-883-3633 or Email hacienda@xcanatun.com.

K2 Claims 11 More Climbers' Lives

World's second-highest peak is deadliest of the 8,000-meter Himalayan summits

Not a lot of travelers are journeying to Pakistan for pleasure these days, the most notable exceptions being mountaineers who attempt to ascend K2, at 28,251 feet (8,611 meters) second only to Mt. Everest in elevation. It is also the deadliest of the major Himalayan mountains. According to the keepers of such grim statistics, 284 climbers had summited K2 since 1939 and 66 have perished there, often on the way down.

Eleven people have now been added to those numbers. According to reports, it appears that nine climbers were swept away in an ice avalanche -- likened to a fast-moving glacier five miles up that severed ropes and buried their victims. Two rescuers also died. Among those believed to have died were five Koreans, two Nepalese and one each from Serbia, Holland, Norway and a France -- all brethren on the mountain that claimed them.

As one who is drawn to the mountains in general, I write this in tribute to their skills, ambition and commitment. Himalayan climbing is adventure travel to the max. Sadly, this time 11 did not return.

Mexican Knockers -- Door Knockers, That Is

Some doors of San Miguel de Allende's colonial city center are plain and others are fancy. The door knockers are invariably interesting. Here are a few:

Thirsty? Pay up on US Airways

There's no such thing as a free beverage on US Airways which now charges for all beverages

When my husband and I flew United's to-be-discontinued Denver-London last March, I was surprised to be charged $5 for a split of very mediocre wine -- surprised because foreign international carriers continue to serve wine and beer gratis. Little did I know that this was the first of numerous fees that airlines would soon begin to impose on most passengers at check-in and now inflight.

Today, with no advance notice, US Airways started charging coach passengers $2 for bottled water and soft drinks and $1 for coffee and tea. Previously, it eliminated pretzel service.

This cheesy nickel-and-diming is disheartening, isn't it?

Where to Watch Wild Weather

The Weather Channel stormwatcher picked 10 spots; I have an 11th

If you've ever seen a tornado, you've watched wild weather. Those who were in Miami for Hurricane Andrew, in New Orleans for Hurricane Katrina or on Galveston Island for Hurricane Ike certainly witnessed devastatingly wild weather, as did those in the path of assorted tsunamis, typhoons and earthquakes. If you want to experience wild weather, check out The Weather Channel's stormtracker's Jim Cantore list of 10 vacation destinations for experiencing "wacky weather." He added suggestions of the best (therefore least wild and wacky) times to go there, but I'm not including those here. After all, if you're seeking wild weather, you don't want mild weather -- and I have one of my own to add (photo at right, and my suggestion below).

Cantore's Top 10 Wild Weather Destinations

• Death Valley, California - The hottest, driest and lowest-elevation spot in North America; 760-786-3200


• Breaux Bridge, Louisiana - Cantore was there during Hurricane Gustav and watched the storm roll in over the Delta; 888-565-5939


• Dangriga Town, Belize - Hurricanes and tropical storms can wallop the coast of this Central American town; 800-624-0686


• International Falls, Minnesota -Nicknamed "the icebox of America," this is the coldest town the continental United States; 800-325-5766. Just last year, Fraser, Colorado, was vying for the title, and everything in the lower 48 pales beside places inland in Alaska. think Fairbanks.


• Gulf Coast, Mississippi - Cantore cited Hurricane Katrina as an example of the coast's brutal wather phenomena; 888-467-4853


• Sydney, Australia - "Vast Australia experiences weather ranging from snowstorms to sandstorms, said Cantore, but singled out Sydney for its "phenomenal dust storms"; 310-695-3200


• Killington, Vermont -"Mountains on one side and the coastline on the other," said Cantore, described as a native Vermonter. I wonder why he picked Killington. How about Sugarloaf, Maine, of Mont Ste.-Anne, Quebec, like Killington, ski mountains that rise above the surrounding countryside; 802-773-4181


• Big Island of Hawaii, Hawaii - Cantore cited thick clouds atop snow-capped Mauna Kea, but he didn't mention the fumes that blow from Kilauea, a volcano that has been erupting and producing lava flows since January 3, 1983; 800-464-2924


• Crater Lake, Oregon - Cantore mentions "snow [that] can cover the landscape from October through June in some areas," but that's no big deal for us Coloradans. He also mentiones that "the coastal region of Oregon can get more than 100 inches of rain annually, which in higher elevations translates to a lot of snow — as much as 16 feet at times." The Sierra Nevada range is similar; 541-594-3000


• Barrow, Alaska - Cantore says that temperatures in the country's northernmost city average temperature is 10 degrees plus 64 days without sun, 907-852-5211

No. 11 from Claire

How could a stormwatcher ignore the west coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, where the storm-watching season stretches from November through Feburary. Hotels and resorts in and between the hamlets of Tofino and Ucluelet offer storm-watching packages for guests who really want to experience wild Pacific storms. The photo above comes for the Wickaninnish Inn; 250-725-3100.

Do You Have a 12th to Add?

Let me here from you. Leave a comment with your suggestions.

Denver Art Museum's iPods -- Plus

21st century museum adds 21st century audio -- and light meals now are served across the plaza


No museum in the nation made more of a recent splash than the Denver Art Museum did in 2006 with the opening of the radical Daniel Liebeskind-designed Hamilton Building, a dramatic angled structure clad in titanium. During a recent visit, I noticed the addition of iPod stations (with instructions on how to use the device and seats to plunk down on while you are doing so) to provide interpretation in as modern a mode as the building itself.

Several galleries are currently closed for the installation of new exhibits, but the gorgeous Landscapes from the Age of Impressionism continues through September 7, featuring 40 exquisite mid- and late-19th century French and American landscapes from the Brooklyn Museum’s collection.

The last time I wanted a bite to eat at the museum, there was a small snack bar in the North Tower, the older of the DAM's two connected buildings. The snack bar is no more. Kevin Taylor's Palette's Restaurant has now expanded into that space, and anyone who wants something lighter is directed across the plaza to Mad Greens, whose mid-day specialties are soups, salads and panini.

The museum is open daily except major holidays and Mondays -- except Monday, August 25, when it will not only be open but will be free to show off Denver's cultural side and artistic treasures in honor of the Democratic National Convention.

The Denver Art Museum is at 100 West 14th Avenue Parkway, Denver; 720-865-5000.

Promising a Report from Mexico

I have been in Mexico since Thursday, first at the 2009 Society of American Travel Writers convention in Guadalajara with a cast of hundres and now with a smaller group on a post-convention extention to Guanajuato. I saw virtually nothing of Guadalajara I the Hospicio Cabanas for an evening opening reception, the Corona brewery and various streets and neighborhood. I have seen a lot of Guanajuato and am staying at the quaint Hotel Mision, where the Internet access, electrical infrastructure and telephone are also quaint. I have conscientiously taken picturs and notes, and when I get somewhere with less qauint Internet access, I intend to share my travel experiences with you. Stay tuned.