In the March ’08 issue, page 59, a reader wrote that he was disappointed with the outdoor Village Museum in Bucharest, Romania. We were in Bucharest in September ’07 and found the Village Museum to be wonderful. It is located on the banks of a pretty little lake, with native trees, shrubs and flowers all around. Houses and other outbuildings from all over Romania were dismantled, taken there and reassembled. Most are from the 1800s.
by Yvonne Michie Horn
Colombia has a reputation as a potentially dangerous destination, but I felt no uneasiness when walking around the old walled city of Cartagena for five days in January ’08.
by Marilyn Lutzker, Sunnyside, NY
Vienna is an urban delight. It is a majestic and opulent city for lovers of art, architecture, music, coffee and pastry.
The Museo Nazionale del Cinema (Via Montebello 20, Turin; phone +39 11 8138 560 or 561) was our favorite museum in Turin, Italy. We spent about half a day there.
While in Madrid on a weekend in April ’07, we opted to skip the Prado on this trip due to long lines and check out the Museo Sorolla (Calle General Martinez Campos, 37, 28010 Madrid, Spain; phone +34 91 310 1584).
Located in the home of the Spanish Impressonist Joaquin Sorolla (1863-1923), this museum on this terrific single artist is easy to get to by metro. It’s just four stops north on the No. 1 line from Puerta del Sol.
What to do on a free day in Kyoto? On our trip “Japan’s Cultural Treasures” with Overseas Adventure Travel (Cambridge, MA; 800/221-0814, www.oattravel.com), Oct. 10-25, 2007, we decided to try something other than temples, which certainly are abundant in the area.
Here are some highlights of an 11-day tour to Algeria I took Oct. 27-Nov. 6, 2007, with Adventures Abroad (1124 Fir Ave., Ste. 101, Blaine, WA 98230; 800/665-3998). The land price of $2,290 included dinners and breakfasts. The single supplement was $400; insurance cost $334, and round-trip air from Miami to Algiers was $1,525.
During a wonderful 4-day visit to Paris at the end of April ’07, my husband, Lou, and I visited some of the city’s lesser-known museums. What a treat these were!
On a visit to Helsinki, Finland, in 2006, at noon on July 26 I bought a 24-hour Helsinki Card* for €29 (near $39). I flashed the card as I took a train to the ferry dock, where I boarded the boat for a quick sail to the Helsinki Zoo (€8, or $11). (All prices listed are what entry would have cost without the card.) The bear cubs were delightful and easily the highlight of my visit. I took a tram home (€2.20 per trip).