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Yemen proved to be an “otherworldly” experience, unlike any I’ve had.
Our visit there, Jan. 25-Feb. 1, 2014, was part of a trip with a local guide and driver that had been arranged for two adventurous American women and me by Spiekermann Travel Service (Eastpointe, MI; 800/645-3233), which advertises in ITN.
I visited many of Amsterdam’s more than 50 museums during my Sept. 5-16, 2013, visit. A list of museums can be found on the “I amsterdam City Card” map, which you can buy for €2.50 (near $3.50) at the information booth in front of Centraal Station. The map is good and includes ferry routes.
Most of the museums I visited were in or near the Jordaan district. The eight museums described below were former residences.
Freiburg is reputed to be both the warmest and the sunniest town in Germany. When my wife and I visited this “jewel of the Black Forest” in late November 2013, it was at least somewhat sunny, but temperatures were near freezing.
Like many travelers, we were there to see the town’s medieval Altstadt (Old Town) and cathedral, along with its Christmas markets. In addition to enjoying our brief visit to this university town, we learned some useful information about parking in Freiburg.
by Stuart Green; Long Beach, CA
For guests ages 8-17 who travel on Lindblad Expeditions’ (800/397-3348) ships in 2014, the company is holding its Lindblad-National Geographic Young Explorer Challenge.
Participants who submit a multimedia PowerPoint presentation capturing their journey compete for a 2-night cruise from Seattle to Puget Sound and Washington’s San Juan islands. Three prizes will be awarded by February 2015, one each for ages 8-10, 11-13 and 14-17.
For mobility-impaired visitors to Jerusalem’s Old City, a brochure on self-guided tours is available from the Israel Ministry of Tourism.
The tours are titled “From Jaffa Gate to Zion Gate,” “The Jewish Quarter,” “The Temple Mount Compound,” “The Via Dolorosa” and “Jerusalem in the Second Temple Period.” The tours cover five to ten points of interest each and can be completed in a few hours, depending on pace.
Until June 14, 2014, over 100 works by the painter El Greco will be on display in Toledo, Spain, at the Museum of Santa Cruz (3 Calle Miguel de Cervantes, 45001, Toledo; phone +34 925221036). Open 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Mon.-Sat., 10-3 Sun. Admission free. A list of works is posted at www.elgreco2014.com.
El Greco, born in Cyprus, moved to Venice, Rome and, in 1576, Spain, settling in Toledo. 2014 marks the fourth centenary of his death.
In London, plans are underway to eliminate, by summer 2014, the option of paying bus fares in cash.
The new system will require all bus passengers to pay using an Oyster card, which can be purchased in Tube stations, London travel information centers, bus stations and rail stations. A full list of locations is available on the Transport for London website.
Currently, members of Delta Air Lines’ SkyMiles program earn frequent-flyer miles based on the distances they travel, but under the new program starting in 2015, the number of miles earned will be based on the cost of the ticket.
The changes will most reward those who fly less often on costlier trips. It also will benefit those who book trips on short notice and cannot take advantage of bargain tickets.
Dear Globetrotter:
Welcome to the 458th issue of your monthly foreign-travel magazine. For those of you reading this publication for the first time and wondering what’s in store, here’s what ITN is all about.
Covering destinations outside of the United States, ITN presents letters and articles written by its subscribers, who range from independent travelers to people who enjoy group tours and from those who travel on a tight budget to those who prefer luxury accommodations.