Travel Briefs
Rent lighthouse in Croatia
Apartments and houses attached to lighthouses can be rented on the coast in Croatia. Locations of accommodations range from remote islands to populated mainland areas. Prices range from €299 to €859 (near $400-$1,156) per week in the off-season to €640-€1,299 ($860-$1,750) in high season.
Wind and wave music, Croatia
What looks simply like a series of concrete steps descending into the Adriatic Sea at Zadar, Croatia, is actually a pipe organ that is played by the waves and wind.
Uganda range war
Six months after being evicted from Kidepo National Park in Uganda, near the Kenya border, over 4,000 Toposa warriors from southern Sudan reentered in early May along with their 10,000 head of cattle.
Christmas museum
The German Christmas Museum in Rothenburg ob der Tauber features old-time Santa Clauses, nutcrackers and Christmas decorations and describes the history and customs of the holiday. Entry €4 ($5). Open daily 10 a.m.-5 p.m. April to Dec. 23 and 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Dec. 24-31.
Deilmann golf cruises
MS Deutschland features a golf theme in 2007. Among others, the 11-night “Britannica Golf” cruise offers rounds of golf at the 18-hole course at St. Andrew’s in Scotland and rounds at five other courses in Ireland.
Helsinki Citybikes
During summertime (from mid-May to September), Helsinki offers Citybikes. Find one of the 26 Citybike stands in the city center, pay a deposit of €2 ($2.65) and tour as you please on one of the bright green bikes. After you have finished, return the bike to any Citybike stand and your €2 deposit is returned.
Cutty Sark fire
A fire on May 20 burned for over two hours aboard the historic 19th-century Cutty Sark, kept in dry dock at Greenwich in southeast London. The skeleton was substantially damaged and much of the deck was destroyed.
Naypyidaw’s debut
Naypyidaw, the new capital city of Myanmar that was built at the behest of the military ruling party, was opened to journalists for an Armed Forces Day parade in March.
Rail Europe’s Pass Finder
Rail Europe’s websites now offer an easy-to-use Pass Finder function. Type in the name of the country or countries you’re planning to visit and specify the number of days you want to use the train and the number of days you’ll be in each country, and you will be presented with both first- and second-class options.
‘Hindenburg’ mockup
At the Zeppelin Museum in Friedrichshafen, Germany, a life-size reconstruction of a 33-meter section of the LZ 129 “Hindenburg” can be explored. The museum houses the world’s largest collection on the history of the airships.
Clock Museum in Portugal
The town of Serpa, in southern Portugal, has a clock museum housed in a former 14th-century convent. The collection includes more than 1,700 watches and clocks dating from the 17th century, including many rare Portuguese watches.
Princess & NCL go ‘e’
Norwegian Cruise Line has followed Princess Cruises in converting to all-electronic cruise documents. Passengers receive e-mail messages directing them to the website for access to the documents.
Lighthouse and penguins
Montague Island, off the coast of Narooma, New South Wales, Australia, has a historic lighthouse and a nature reserve which seals and seabirds, including little penguins, call home.
Madagascar remnants
The Madagascar government has proclaimed 15 new conservation areas, adding 2.65 million acres for a total of nine million acres under protection.
Golf in Thailand
Through Oct. 31, 2007, Laguna hotels in Phuket, Thailand, have a “Golf Unlimited Package” offering unlimited daily rounds at the Laguna Phuket Golf Club; breakfast, and free transport between all six Laguna hotels, the golf club and shopping center.
easyCruise Greece
The 170-passenger easyCruiseOne is visiting 11 Greek islands on 3- to 14-night itineraries in 2007. Travelers can choose anything from a weekend break to a 2-week vacation by combining itineraries. A 3-night cruise is £35 (near $70) per person, and a 14-night cruise is £224 ($440) per person, double occupancy.
London by bike
Go Pedal is a service supplying bikes to guests of any hotel in London. The simple hybrid bikes come with locks, helmets, maps and touring advice. Rental costs about £20 (near $39) per day (more for just one bike), including delivery and collection. Call 07850 796320, www.gopedal.co.uk.
King Henry VIII
Celebrating the 500th anniversary of King Henry VIII’s accession to the throne, Hampton Court Palace, London, opened on June 28 a permanent exhibition telling the story of his early reign. There are historic paintings from the Royal Collection plus audiovisual and hands-on displays.
Slavery exhibit
“Breaking the Chains,” an exhibition about Britain and the slave trade, opened in Bristol in April 2007 and will run for two years. It occupies one floor of the city’s British Empire & Commonwealth Museum.
Rent a Vespa in Rome
Auto Europe offers rentals of Vespas and other scooters in Paris and Rome. It can take as little as 25 minutes to cross Paris on a scooter, and travelers can visit areas closed to regular traffic. Also, Vespas get around 90 mpg, and no special license is required.