A trip to Uruguay in April ’04 was my first to that country. I went to see Montevideo, its capital city. I also wanted to visit the small town of Colonia (its full name is Colonia del Sacramento) in the southwestern corner of the country, about a 2-hour drive from Montevideo. Having seen photos of its quaint, cobblestone streets and having heard that it had begun its existence as a Portuguese settlement, I was intrigued.

It is hard to believe that this lovely town beside the Rio de la...

Dear Globetrotter: Welcome to the 353rd issue of your monthly overseas travel magazine.

UNESCO officials have recommended that the number of visitors to Machu Picchu be cut in half, and they are considering placing the site on its “at risk” list.

Threats to the 500-year-old stone ruins in the Peruvian Andes include erosion of its pathways by all the foot traffic; walls being weakened due to people sitting on them, and stone structures being eaten away by salt deposits left by...

The common medical ailment associated with travel to developing countries is, as travelers to Mexico refer to it, “Montezuma’s Revenge.”

Montezuma’s Revenge affects 20% to 50% of travelers worldwide. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (www.cdc.gov), 10 million tourists a year are afflicted with travelers’ diarrhea. High-risk destinations include most of the developing countries of Latin America, Africa, the Middle East and Asia. Travelers’ diarrhea is slightly...