Tributes to Cowboy Culture

The iconic West lives on in museums showcasing Western art, rodeo and entertainment

When I was in Oklahoma City recently, I spent not-enough-time in the National Cowboy & Western Museum, one of the wonderful institutions throughout the West commemorating, memorializing and sometimes romanticizing the cattle and the cowpokes who have worked them under the big blue dome that covers the Western prairies, valleys and canyons. A montage of cowboy and television cowboys provide a "hey, remember that!" pop-culture connection to what is a far more comprehensive display of American West -- Anglo, Hispanic and black cowboys at work; rodeo as a social connector for ranchers on the West's vast open lands and as entertainment; the US Cavalry; the art of the West; excellent children's interpretive sections, and even beautiful gardens. The image below shows the rear of the museum, as seen from the gardens.

As a born-and-bred New Englander, I continue to be captivated by Western art and culture. In addition to the National Cowboy & Western Museum, here are other excellent museums with significant permanent, rotating and visiting exhibitions that celebrate and enlighten about various aspects of the American West:

• Buffalo Bill Historical Center (five museums, including the Buffalo Bill Museum, the Plains Indian Museum and the Whitney Museum of Western Art), Cody, WY
• Buffalo Bill Museum and Grave, Golden, CO
• Cheyenne Frontier Days' Old West Museum, Cheyenne
• Colorado History Museum, Denver
• Gilcrease Museum, Tulsa
• The Journey Museum, Rapid City, SD
• Leanin' Tree Museum and Sculpture Garden of Western Art, Boulder, CO
• Mormon Museum, LDS Museum of Church History and Art, Salt Lake City
• National Hispanic Cultural Center, Albuquerque
• National Museum of Wildlife Art, Jackson, WY
• ProRodeo Hall of Fame, Colorado Springs

I've enjoyed visits to and been fascinated by them all

AlaskaTransportation News

Alaska travel representatives met with travel met media & shared news

Alaska is one of my favorite places. I've been from Southeast (Juneau, Wrangell, Petersburg, Ketchikan, Skagway, Haines, Sitka) to Prudhoe Bay on the Arctic Ocean. I've been there is summer (glorious weather, abundant wildflowers, sport fishing, hiking) and in winter (fabulous skiing, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, snowmobiling, dogsledding). The cities and towns are enticing year-round. Here are some recent and upcoming developments in transportation that are of interest to Alaska visitors:

Transportation (Cruise Ships, Ferries, Trains)

Alaska Marine Highway - The ferries remain the best way for thrifty independent travelers to explore the coat. Eleven ferries travel on 3,500 miles of sea lanes between Bellingham, Washington, to Dutch Harbor in the Aleutians. Ferries accommodate vehicles (including RVs), motorcycles, bicycles and kayaks. Reserve for vehicles and staterooms, but foot passengers can just walk on. They're welcome to pitch a tent on the back deck and eat their own food.

Alaska Railroad - A self-propelled railcar, the Chugach Explorer, entered service earlier this year on the Glacier Discovery Route between Whitier and Trail Creek. The railroad partnered with the Forest Service for ranger-guided hikes on the Spencer Glacier Trail, a whistle stop on the route. It is efficient, quiet and emits for fewer pollutants than conventional locomotives. During 2009, the railroad has been offering a free one-day Adventure Class train trip to anyone turning 50 during the year. Perhaps, it or a similar promotion will be available in 2010 -- but meanwhile, if you celebrated the big 5-0 in '09 and will be in Alaska, grab your free ticket.

American Safari Cruises - In 2010, seven-day sailings to/from Juneau on intimate 12-, to 36-passenger yachts include two days in Glacier Bay. Guests can sea kayak or zodiac to explore the shore, opportunities not offered to big-ship cruises passengers. The first of two larger (but not much larger) vessels enters service in 2011 under the brand, InnerSea Discoveries.

Cruise West - The "Spirit of Oceanus" won't be sailing Alaskan waters in 2010, because this small ship embarks on The Voyages of the Great Explorers, a round-the-world cruise on March 6, 2010.

Gray Line Alaska - Sixty-year-old operator of sightseeing programs operates more than 200 motorcoaches, 10 railcars and two day boats now has new packages that include overnights in Princess Lodges.

Holland America - In 2010, the line's "Amsterdam" sails a regular 14-day Seattle-Anchorage itinerary that includes the new (to Holland America) ports of Homer and Kodiak Island.

Princess Cruises - For 2010, new Family Fun Cruisetour, a 12-night cruise + land package with pricing discounted for entire families, not just additional passengers sharing the cabin. Land portion includes two nights in Fairbanks, two just outside of Denali National Parks.

Seldovia Bay Ferry - New ferry at the southern end of the gorgeous Kenai Peninsula linking the artsy town of Homer with Seldovia, a seldom-visited (until 2010), roadless village where the Seldovia Village Tribe has a new museum. Also, abundant birding, hiking and a historic Russian Orthodox Church. Fare: adult $59, $29.59 ages 12 and under roundtrip, including a look at the Gull Island Bird Sanctuary, where some 16,000 seabirds nest.

On the Road Again

My own travel schedule has me dizzy

My recent travel schedule has had me at airports and in the air almost as much as airline crew. Since October 8, I have flown to Guadalajara and back on Continental via Houston, to Louisiana and back via Dallas/Fort Worth via American (to Baton Rouge and from New Orleans) and I’m now in Santa Barbara on United and US Airways with a change of plane in Phoenix, an itinerary I’ll be reversing on Tuesday. One more trip like this and I’ll meet myself at Denver International Airport. I will have been on a dozen flights passing through eight airports in two countries and four US states, with a total of 86 hours at home. I'm both exhausted and exhilarated. Random thoughts:

Highlights – No flight delays and minimal security lines. Free WiFi at Denver International Airport and Phoenix Skyharbor.

Low point – Having my watch stolen at the security checkpoint at Houston International Airport. I reported it, and some level of investigation was purportedly initiated. I’ll blog about it if and when the issue is resolved.

With all that, you might forgive me for being 1½ trips behind in posting.

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?