June 2006

On a tour of the Kamchatka Peninsula, Siberia, Russia, with Betchart Expeditions (Cupertino, CA; phone 800/252-4910 or visit www.betchart expeditions.com), we flew by helicopter to the Uzon Caldera and the Valley of the Geysers.

Uzon Caldera, the large, fairly flat-floored crater of a collapsed, long-dormant volcano, is largely open meadowland with many wildflowers and several ponds. The first things we saw were a mother brown bear with two of her cubs frolicking on the far side of a large pond.

On a South American trip in November ’04, we attended a tango show at El Querandi (Perú 302 [C1067AAH] Buenos Aires, Argentina; phone/fax [54/11] 5199-1770 or visit www.querandi.com.ar). It was arranged through our hotel and cost $40-$50 for the show and dinner.

About two-thirds of the performance was dancing and showed how tango dancing has evolved through the years. The dancing was very much in the traditional tango style with all its sensuality. The orchestra was also superb.

Tango in its various forms became a focal point of our December ’04 journey to Buenos Aires, Argentina. We have always enjoyed watching tango dancers and listening to tango music. We sought out tango lessons and tango salons, tango in the streets and tango in theater performances. And we never got our fill, as there are so many varieties. We decided that we did not want to do the usual tourist thing — a dinner show with professional tango dancers — but wanted to seek out Porteños (B.A. residents) dancing.

I just finished reading Raymond Kisch’s letter regarding Buenos Aires tango shows (April ’06, pg. 16) and deeply regret that he did not go to La Ventana (Balcarce 431, San Telmo, Buenos Aires, Argentina; tel. [5411] 4334-1314, 4334-1315, 433-0217 or 433-8689 or visit www.la-ventana.com.ar), where we saw a fabulous tango show in January ’06.

We took the trip “The Amazon Basin & the Galápagos,” Nov. 2-12, ’05, with Overseas Adventure Travel (Cambridge, MA; 800/955-1925 or www.oattravel.com). It was a great trip, and I feel OAT is a very good company to travel with for adventure, but I wish to write about a different aspect, FUNDESIN, or Foundation for Integrated Education & Development (visit www.fundesin.org).

by Marilyn Lutzker, Sunnyside, NY

On Peter the Great Cruises’ “Russian Waterways” cruise, I spent four days in St. Petersburg and three in Moscow and traveled 633 miles on three rivers, three lakes, a reservoir and a canal.

One evening in Helsinki, Finland, I went to Stockmann, the big department store, and bought Finnish glassware and cutlery. I was glad I shopped there, because when I went on to Russia later I bought the usual souvenirs but did not find the same quality of products to give for Christmas and birthday gifts. — MARY K. TAYLOR, Rockport, TX

Dear Globetrotter:

Welcome to the 364th issue of your monthly overseas travel magazine.