Travelers' Intercom
Discounts on pousadas in Portugal
I spent two weeks in Portugal, May 12-27, ’04, staying only at pousadas. These are government-owned hotels, usually converted castles, palaces or monasteries.
Making the best of a canceled cruise
We received a letter today, April 15, from the American Canadian Caribbean Line (461 Water St., Warren, RI 02885; phone 800/556-7450). Inside we found a voucher along with a visa refund slip for a cruise we had planned to take from Belize City.
District Six Museum, Cape Town
In Cape Town, South Africa, the District Six Museum (25A Buitenkant St.; phone 461-8745) memorializes an important chapter in that country’s history — when an entire neighborhood was bulldozed at the height of apartheid. Being a civil rights activist, on my trip in March ’04 I was attracted to this museum.
Handicapped-accessible travel
In June’s “Boarding Pass,” on page 121, Carol Vorchheimer’s plea for handicapped-accessible-travel outfits struck a note with us.
Paris dining
On a trip to Paris in June ’03 we stayed, as usual, at Hôtel du Danube (58 rue Jacob, 75006 Paris, France; phone +33 01 42 60 34 70, e-mail info@hoteldanube.fr) — in the Saint Germain des Pres area on the Left Bank.
Suspected infected passenger put off ship
My wife and I booked passage on Holland America’s ms Prinsendam for a 22-day cruise, Sept. 1-Oct. 3, ’03. The ship started in San Francisco, stopped in San Diego and continued to Mexico, Guatemala, Costa Rica, the Panama Canal, Aruba and the Bahamas, then on to Philadelphia and Boston.
Nahuat Tours in El Salvador
My wife, A.J., and I spent a week exploring a considerable amount of El Salvador in April ’04. As our base we used the InterContinental Hotel, very conveniently located opposite the largest shopping complex in San Salvador, the Metrocentro.
Friendly folks in Buenos Aires
My wife and I stayed at the Sheraton Buenos Aires Hotel (San Martin 1225, Buenos Aires, 1104, Argentina) on Jan 30 & 31, ’04, as part of a package tour to Antarctica.
Day cruise in Fiji
My husband and I began planning our January ’04 trip to Australia and New Zealand about a year ahead. Several people mentioned that a stopover in Fiji would be a good way to end it.
Enamored of Iceland
My husband, Compton, and I wanted to get away to gain new perspectives and hoped to find some peace in Iceland. We found that and much, much more. The one week we spent there in September ’03 was most memorable and exciting. We only regret that we did not have more time.
Budapest dining, train
• The restaurant Karpatia Etterem es Sovozo (Inboda Ferencier Tere 7-8, Budapest, Hungary; phone 0036-1-317-3596) is located in Buda, not far from the Danube.
Quick refund from International B&B
My husband, Eugene, and I were scheduled to leave on April 12, ’04, on a month-long trip to Eastern Europe, beginning in Prague.
Lesser-known sites in the Cotswolds
(Part 3 of 3) — We spent six weeks in England, July-August ’03, mostly exploring the Cotswolds area (May ’04, pg. 82 & June’04, pg. 84). We were based in Cirencester.
Enjoying Venice
We arrived in Venice, Italy, on April 8, ’04, flying from Chicago via Madrid on Iberia Airlines — excellent service, comfort and food. Luggage was handled promptly and efficiently.
Deck plans in brochures not always reliable
A reader mailed ITN a copy of her letter to Great American Travel, as follows.
Trauma in Guatemala
In the June ’04 issue, on page 34, Barbara Virden described being robbed at gunpoint on a highway in Guatemala on Feb. 21. I was also on that bus.
Inquire about ‘optionals’ in advance
We took Trafalgar’s tour No. 159 to Finland, Russia, Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania, Sept. 9-24, ’03. The tour cost us $2,560 each, including air from Philadelphia. This was our fourth Trafalgar tour and possibly the last, due mainly to the prices of and number of optional tours this tour had.
A special place in the South Pacific
If you enjoy discovering new places, here is a very special treat.
Provence is ‘compact’
One mistake we made planning our 4-week stay in Provence in 2002 was trying to stay in too many different places. We didn’t realize just how small and compact Provence is. It is enough to stay in two or three places, and all sightseeing attractions can easily be reached on day trips.