Travelers' Intercom
Mobal phone
Seconding the readers’ recommendation in the March ’06 issue, page 14, I too have had great service with www.mobal.com.
Among ancient stones
One rainy November afternoon in Nepi, Italy, as we ducked under the portico of the striking Palazzo Communale with its baroque 18th-century architecture, school let out and the piazza in front of us exploded with activity.
Bills, tango, and shopping
I have some comments on letters in the April ’06 issue.
Romans the victors
In the letter “Ancient Carthage Secret” (April ’06, pg. 39), the assertion that Carthage won the first two Punic Wars is wrong. Rome won all three Punic Wars.
On ATMs
I agree in general with many of the readers’ “Money Matters” comments in the December ’05 and January ’06 (pg. 92) issues.
Felt safe in Yemen
I had wanted to visit Yemen for some time. Barbara Wagner of Lost Frontiers (Fairfax, CA; 888/508-2454 or www.lostfrontiers.com) assured me the trip was safe, and I signed up for a December ’04 tour ($3,650 for 21 days).
Waiting for assistance
ITN was mailed a copy of the following letter, sent by a reader to Traveler’s Emergency Network (TEN) on Dec. 8.
Trattoria in Rome
My trip to Italy in October ’05 included a stay in Rome. Before going, I jotted down the address of the Trattoria Otello alla Concordia from an earlier issue of ITN (April ’05, pg. 4). I’d eaten at that restaurant on an earlier trip and loved it!
Florence pizzeria
In Florence, Italy, in October ’05 we came across a pizzeria/spaghetteria with a varied selection of dishes at reasonable prices. Gusto Leo (Via del Proconsolo, 8-10/r) is located diagonally across from the Cavour Hotel.
Hebridean Island Cruises
For those who fervently believe that “less is more” and “smaller is better,” we recommend Hebridean Island Cruises, Ltd. (Griffin House, Broughton Hall, Skipton, North Yorkshire, BD23 3AN, England; phone 44 [0] 1756-704704 or visit www.hebridean.co.uk).
Republic of Georgia
My visit to the Republic of Georgia, May 13-June 19, ’05, was the perfect trip. The temperature was around 50º-68ºF. I would suggest taking a light, waterproof jacket and an umbrella, as rain can occur (although on this trip it was not heavy enough to interfere with sightseeing).
Know when and where with a Geochron
The Geochron is a global time indicator with a moving map driven by a clockwork mechanism and backlit with internal shutters. There are scales on the bottom to show the day of the week anywhere in the world and scales across the top to indicate the time of day anywhere. A separate scale gives the month and date.
Credit card vs. ATM vs. travelers’ checks
My wife, Glenda, and I traveled in Central Europe for a month in fall 2005 and used two credit cards for purchases and services (an American Express card and a Citibank MasterCard) and one debit card for ATM cash withdrawals (a Visa card obtained from our credit union).
Costa del Sol stay
I prefer to travel solo, so when Grand Circle Travel (Boston, MA; 800/221-2610 or www.gct.com) offered their “Classic Costa del Sol” program with no single supplement, I was hooked.
Restaurant in Bratislava
In the main shopping and tourist area of Bratislava, a fun restaurant with great regional Slovakian dishes is Staroslovenska Krema (Michalska ul. 14-16, Bratislava, Slovakia; visit www staroslovenskakcrma.sk).
Off-hours car rental fee
While on a Princess cruise from Copenhagen, Denmark, to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, we stopped in Falmouth, England, on Sept. 25, ’05. I had confirmed reservations for a rental car from Europcar.
St. Petersburg guide
I was in St. Petersburg, Russia, on business and some pleasure in October ’05. I was guided on a tour through the Hermitage by an excellent, knowledgeable guide, Anna Getmanskaya (Museum & Palace Tours, St.
Ensuring credit card usage overseas
For several years my wife, Paula, and I have used the same airline-affiliated Visa cards without incident, traveling to Malaysia, Chile, Slovakia, etc. Recently, the airline began transitioning to a MasterCard issued by a different bank than the Visa issuer.