Travel Briefs
Korean landmark torched
The Namdaemun, a 600-year-old gate that guarded the ancient walled city of Seoul, Korea, was reduced to its foundations on Feb. 10 in a 5-hour fire fought by 100 firemen. The structure allegedly was set ablaze by a 69-year-old man who felt he had not been sufficiently compensated by the government for property.
Venice vs pigeons
In yet another crackdown in Venice, Italy’s, St. Mark’s Square, the sale of pigeon food has been banned, this against the objections of vendors of bird seed and corn in the piazza.
Singapore airport
In Singapore, Changi Airport’s new Terminal 3 opened in January 2008. The 7-story building (three below ground and four above) has a roof with 900 skylights, and there is a 5-story-high vertical garden with four waterfalls.
EasyCome, easyGo
EasyCruise One, the ship that was the first to sail for the low-cost company easyCruise (www.easycruise.com), owned by Setlios Haji-Ioannou, is up for sale.
Chopper over Rome
The Hassler Roma hotel’s “Roman Skyline Package” includes a helicopter ride in Rome over the Vatican and St. Peter’s Basilica, the Colosseum and the Pantheon.
FAA demotes Philippine Air
The Federal Aviation Administration has downgraded the status of Philippine Airlines to Certificate 2, citing a lack of regulations that comply with the International Civil Aviation Organization’s safety standards.
Berlin museums night
Twice a year, about 100 of Berlin, Germany’s, museums open from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. Patrons can see the art and also sample lectures, music, theater, culinary events and more. “Long Night of Museums” takes place Aug. 30, 2008, and Jan. 24 and Aug. 29, 2009.
Venice’s vaporetti
The vaporetto (water bus) line numbers in Venice, Italy, have changed. The main circular line around the heart of the city is still Line 1. Line 2 (formerly No. 82) is now the express line. Line 3 is now for Venetian residents only and not for tourists. Check the signboard on any boat before boarding.
U.S. border crossings
As of Jan. 31, 2008, all persons crossing land borders or sea borders into or out of the United States must show appropriate documents proving citizenship and identity.
Roman villas restored
Two Roman villas and private baths dating from the second to fourth centuries have been restored and opened to the public in Rome, Italy.
Passport price
On Jan. 31, 2008, the price of a United States passport increased from $97 to $100 for an adult and from $82 to $85 for anyone under 16. The new, limited-use passport card (for land or sea crossings but not for air travel) now costs $45 adult and $35 child.
Berlin Tempelhof to close
Historic Tempelhof International Airport (aka Berlin Templehof) is scheduled to close in October 2008 due to reduced use and rising costs.
Peter Deilmann Cruises
The no-smoking ban aboard the MS Deutschland as well as the other nine European river ships of Peter Deilmann Cruises (Alexandria, VA; 800/348-8287, www.deilmann-cruises.com) has been extended to all indoor areas. Smoking on board now is confined to the outside decks only.
MAXjet fails
MAXjet, the all-business-class airline based in Dulles, Virginia, declared bankruptcy on Dec. 24, 2007, and ceased flying. Booked passengers should seek a refund from their credit card companies or travel agencies.
Burgundy wine barge
The 6-night cruise “Grand Cru Special” on the 12-passenger barge Napoléon will focus on the 33 wines that come from plots of land certified as Grand Cru (great growth), the highest classification for vineyard land in Burgundy, France.
Flight seat for kids
For children who can sit upright on their own and who weigh between 22 and 44 pounds, CARES is a safety harness that straps around an airplane seat and provides child-sized restraints that attach to the lap belt.
Elizabeth I
In the wake of the new film “Elizabeth: The Golden Age,” on the website www.eet.org.uk an information sheet can be downloaded that allows visitors to follow in the footsteps of Queen Elizabeth I (1533-1603), from her childhood home in Hertfordshire to Tilbury Fort in Essex, where she rallied the tr
Women cruising Galápagos
Eight-day/7-night “women only” cruises to the Galápagos Islands will sail April 13-20 and Aug. 24-31, 2008.
Welly wanging in Wales
On the southwest coast of Wales, the annual Mud Festival takes place in 2008 on Sept. 6-7.
Using cell phones in flight
In December 2007, Air France began a 6-month test allowing e-mail and text-messaging service to cell phones while in flight (no voice calls yet). Only one Airbus A318 plane is testing the program, and no one will know ahead of time if it will be used on their flight.