December 2009

by Martha Wiley, Landstuhl, Germany

We printed readers’ letters about their favorite walking shoes (May ’09, pg. 44), which prompted a few more responses. Have another recommendation? Write to Best Walking Shoes, c/o ITN, 2116 28th St., Sacramento, CA 95818, or e-mail editor@intltravelnews.com. Include the address at which you receive ITN plus your phone number.

by John Dwyer, Port Townsend, WA

On a trip to South Africa with Africa 2000 (www.africa 2000tours.co.za), my husband, Maurice, and I visited The Crags Elephant Sanctuary (Plettenberg Bay; phone +27 44 534 8145, www.elephantsanctuary.co.za).

My husband, Tom, and I were in London the second week of September ’08 and stayed in the southern suburb of Penge in an old home turned B&B: Melrose House (89 Lennard Rd., London, SE20 7LY, U.K.; phone 0208 776 8884, e-mail melrosehouse@supanet.com or visit www.

melrosehouse.com).

In Bruges, my husband, Lewis, and I stayed at Huis ’t Schaep (Korte Vuldersstraat 14, 8000 Bruges, Belgium; phone 00 32 [0] 5 03 40 630, www.huishet

Following a fantastic 11-day trip in May ’09 with ITN advertiser Galapagos Travel (783 Rio del Mar Blvd., Ste. 49, Aptos, CA 95003; 800/969-9014, www.galapagostravel.com), we had a four-day extension on the Ecuador mainland arranged by their sister company, Galápagos Travel Proinvertur C (Av. Amazonas 477 Y Roca. Ed. Rio Amazonas 1012, Quito, Ecuador; phone [593 2] 562990 or fax 564440). The cost was approximately $800 per person.

For a stay in Yerevan, Armenia, the week of Sept. 13-20, 2009, I hired a private car (Mercedes) and driver from Beau Monde Service (Republic Square, 1 Amiryan St., Yerevan, 0010 Armenia; phone 374 10 59 99 64, fax 99 65, www.rentcar.am), located in the Marriott Hotel where I stayed. They have cars and drivers available 24 hours a day.

My guide, Karo Kouyoundjian, was an excellent driver and spoke perfect English.

In her article on Morocco (April ’09, pg. 24), I was pleased that Elaine Lavine wrote about Casablanca and Fés and included a photo of the Jewish Cemetery in Fés. Whereas, in Casablanca, the Hassan II Mosque is a major feature for tourism, there are other very interesting sites and features as well, particularly pertaining to Jewish culture.

While in India for five weeks in February-March ’09, my companion, Frank, and I decided to experience the northwestern state of Rajasthan, land of maharajas, palaces and ancient forts.