Travelers' Intercom
Travelers’ Intercom USA
ITN is temporarily accepting brief write-ups about the US. Information on independent travel, cultural and traditional sites and sources of handmade crafts plus little-known natural wonders are welcome. Avoid touting commercial theme parks, casinos or highly publicized touristy sites.
A beautiful mistake
While on a multicountry tour in 2014, our group was staying at a hotel in Budapest. It was a Sunday morning, and since my husband, Jerry Liedl, and I had some free time, our guide said we might want to visit St. Stephen’s Basilica.
Travelers’ Intercom USA
ITN is temporarily accepting brief write-ups about the US. Information on independent travel. cultural and traditional sites and sources of handmade crafts plus little-known natural wonders are welcome. Avoid touting commercial theme parks, casinos or highly publicized touristy sites.
Mayan remnants in Guatemala
The focus of my trip to Guatemala in November 2019 was remnants of the Maya.
Independent trip to Portugal
It had been 20 years since we last visited Portugal, and we decided it was time to make a return trip to this delightful and friendly country.
Collecting on a travel insurance claim
My husband, Alan, and I wanted to go to Romania and Bulgaria in April 2020, so in October 2019 we went onto Vacationstogo.com and selected an Emerald Waterways (www.emeraldwaterways.com) river cruise from Bucharest to Budapest, planning an early arrival in Bucharest.
Fado sung by men
Reading the reader’s letter “Fado Experience in Lisbon” (Nov. ’20, pg. 12) reminded me of a similar experience my wife and I had in June 2018.
Planning a visit to Central and Western Africa
As part of my continuing quest to “see the world,” during four trips taken from July 2018 to March 2020, I visited the many countries in Western and Central Africa that I had previously missed, leaving only the Central African Republic and South Sudan.
Planning ahead with ‘Europe by Rail’
Here is a new pastime I use to help counter the COVID-induced travel doldrums. I grab my newly arrived copy of “Europe by Rail” (authored by Nicky Gardner and Susanne Kries), randomly select a page and begin an armchair train journey.
Charitable travelers
If any travelers are like me and like to help their fellow man by donating blood when they can, a change in blood bank policies is worth noting.
Aspire Down Under
I read Julie Skurdenis’ article “The Māoris of Aotearoa (part 1)” with great interest (Oct. ’20, pg. 27).
Fight jet lag with day flights
The traveler’s afternoon tea recipe for jet lag when flying to Europe is intriguing (“English Tea for Jet Lag,” Sept. ’20, pg. 24). Luckily, I live in a city that offers a different solution.