International Travel News

Travel Briefs

April 2009 issue | Appears on page 77

Saga Rose’s farewell

The Saga Rose, built in 1965 (as the Sagafjord), will depart Southampton, England, for its 44th and final cruise, a 37-night voyage through the Mediterranean, on Oct. 30, 2009. The 587-passenger ship will visit Barcelona, Venice, Rome, Corfu, Dubrovnik, Rhodes, Alexandria and Casablanca.

Highlights include the Pyramids of Giza, a Venetian masked ball and a celebration in Vigo, where the Saga Rose will be joined by her sister ship, Saga Ruby. Fares run £8,999-£16,629 (near $12,260-$22,...

April 2009 issue | Appears on page 77

RMS St. Helena

The last Royal Mail ship — which sails the South Atlantic between St. Helena, Ascension Island, Walvis Bay, Cape Town and Tenerife (and the UK twice a year) — will reach the end of its working life in 2010.

The UK Dept. for Int’l Development had announced plans in 2005 to build an airport on St. Helena, to open in 2010; however, due to government delays and the credit crunch, the project was placed on hold in November 2008. If construction started immediately, the airfield would not...

April 2009 issue | Appears on page 87

Escape to Shape

Escape to Shape (New York, NY; 601/818-8137, www.escapetoshape.com) is offering a week-long fitness vacation in Marrakech, Morocco, May 2-9 and May 9-16, 2009. The trip includes a 7-night stay in a luxurious private desert home and a variety of fitness classes and excursions.

Highlights include Vinyasa yoga sessions taught by world-renowned trainers; cooking classes focusing on healthy ways to enjoy the foods of the region at home; hikes to a variety of locations, including along the...

April 2009 issue | Appears on page 87

Travel with Spirit

Looking at travel from a Christian perspective, the magazine Travel with Spirit (Box 1318, Sunset Beach, CA 90742; 888/518-7571, www.travelwithspirit.com) was launched in January. Published by Travel Network Group, LLC, it offers faith-based travel, mission and ministry articles. The cost is $9.95 for four issues per year.

April 2009 issue | Appears on page 87

Paris from a balloon

The Ballon Air de Paris (phone 01 44 26 20 00 or visit, in French only, www.ballondeparis.com) is a huge, tethered hot-air balloon that lifts 30 people at a time 150 meters into the air over Parc André Citroën to enjoy views of Paris.

Operating daily, it takes visitors for 10-minute rides from 9 a.m. until 30 minutes before the park closes. On weekends and holidays the price is €12 (near $15.50) adult, €10 for kids 12-17 and €6 for kids 3-10. Weekday prices are €1 less.

About a...

March 2009 issue | Appears on page 22

Tokyo fish market

Tokyo’s huge Tsukiji fish market once again is open to tourists, as of Jan. 19, 2009; a ban had been enacted Dec. 15, 2008. Tourists are allowed to visit the entire market from 5 to 6:15 a.m. They will be given guidelines against touching the 600-pound fishes and disrupting auctions with flash photography.

March 2009 issue | Appears on page 22

Nara’s free museums

In Nara, the first capital of Japan, as of Sept. 6, 2008, international visitors receive free tickets at four museums simply by showing their passports.

A 30-minute train ride from central Kyoto, these include Nara Museum of Art (17th-century Ukiyo-e woodblock prints), Nara Complex of Manyo Culture in Asuka Village (Manyoshu, Japan’s oldest collection of poetry), Nara Museum of Folklore (Machiya-style houses, tools) and Archaeological Institute of Kashihara (items from 1938 excavation...

March 2009 issue | Appears on page 22

Football Museum, São Paulo

Tracing football’s (soccer’s) growth from a game for the elites to a passion for all the 190 million people of Brazil, the Museu do Futebol opened in September 2008 at the Pacaembu Stadium (Praça Charles Miller, Consolçao, São Paulo) in São Paulo, east of the central downtown area.

See sports reel footage of Pelé and Garrincha. Put on 3-D glasses and watch Ronaldinho dribble a soccer ball to a samba beat without letting it touch the ground. Take a penalty kick at a goal and have the...