Travelers' Intercom
Ely’s Octagon
Ely, Cambridgeshire, in England, is a beautiful small city with a glorious 12th-century cathedral whose most outstanding feature, to me, is the Octagon Tower. Constructed of eight massive pillars which support 200 tons of timber, glass and lead, the Octagon seems to hang in space.
Attended the Summer Olympics
My wife and I had no plans to go to the Olympics. Neither of us are big sports fans. In fact, I had never been drawn to any sport on TV until they started televising poker. That’s my kind of sport!
Guide around London
Before our visit in October ’02 I had never been to London, and we three girls were a little nervous about a private tour guide; I was traveling with my daughter and my sister.
On procuring visas
On our trip to Southeast Asia in January ’05, we will be visiting Thailand, Burma (Myanmar), Cambodia and Hong Kong.
For Nepal, Bhutan and Tibet
My fiance and I took a wonderful 2-week trip to Nepal, Bhutan and Tibet in September ’04.
Smoking and air travel
In response to the inquiry about smoking in air terminals, as recently as September ’04 people were smoking in the airports of the Azores. These are, obviously, small places; smokers were not confined to designated sections but present even in the gate areas.
Tips on visiting Prague
My wife and I took a trip to Europe in May ’04. Here are some tips for travelers to Prague.
60 years after Battle of the Bulge
Both my wife, JoAnn, and I are World War II history buffs, primarily because family members were in uniform during that period. Beside the D-Day landings in Normandy in June 1944, probably the best known and most ferocious battle was the Battle of the Bulge in Luxembourg and Belgium.
Fine dining in Europe
In the May ’04 issue (page 52) a reader raved about La Tour d’Argent in Paris. Thirty-plus years ago we dined there and also had their famous pressed duck.
Credit card fraud
We were in Spain for three weeks in April and May ’04. We kept all of our receipts for credit card purchases and when our bill came we verified that the correct amounts had been posted.
Mixed view of Lirica cruise
I took a Caribbean cruise aboard Mediterranean Shipping Company’s Lirica, Jan. 26-Feb. 6, ’04, and wish to give my impressions. My perspectives come from over 50 cruises, including canal and Atlantic crossings.
Oases in western Egypt
In the spring of 2004 I took a most exciting and unusual trip to Egypt. Instead of just visiting the tourist sites in Cairo and Luxor, four companions and I visited five oases in the western Egyptian desert.
Money hunt in the Balkans
On a trip to the Balkans my husband and I took in May ’04, we had wanted to travel by bus and find accommodations as we went. As soon as we arrived in Tirana, Albania, we realized that language problems would require us to have a car and driver.
D-Day sites day tour from Paris
When we were in Paris for a week in early April ’04, we wanted to tour the D-Day battlefields in one day.
Memories of La Tour d’Argent
I enjoyed Rita Murray’s comments about her meals in Paris at La Tour d’Argent very much (May ’04, pg. 52). I wonder if ITN readers might be interested in reading about how different things were in Paris and at the Tour d’Argent in 1952.
Airport oasis
When at the Honolulu International Airport, I enjoy the gardens there. You will see them from above, but go downstairs and walk through them.
Travels in Nicaragua
My husband and I spent a lovely week in Nicaragua, Nov. 10-18, ’03.