Travelers' Intercom
Riots in Burkina Faso
Violent protests in Burkina Faso’s capital, Ouagadougou, on Oct. 30 resulted in protesters capturing and setting ablaze the parliament building, the city hall and the ruling party’s headquarters.
Joys of finding souvenirs and gifts
My husband and I have been very blessed to travel to many places. One of the joys we have is bringing home treasures that remind us of our journeys and the people and places we’ve visited.
Tragedy on a scenic Arctic cruise
For our third trip to Svalbard, the Arctic archipelago northwest of mainland Norway, my wife, Gwen, and I chose to travel on Quark Expeditions’ (Waterbury, VT; 888/332-0008, www.quarkexpeditions.com) all-suite, 120-passenger Sea Spirit.
Issues with Global Entry
I read the letter “Global Entry Advantages” (Sept. ’14, pg. 54), regarding programs allowing approved travelers expedited security screening for selected departures in US airports.
Expo Milano 2015
I love fairs. Whether it’s a street fair in Paris, the Hong Kong Book Fair, the Seville Feria, the Bergen Food Festival in Norway or the Frampton Country Fair in Gloucester, I enjoy them all.
Agriturismo in Veneto
Following a Bolzano visit during my 14-day/13-night Italy trip in 2014 (Oct. ’14, pg. 16), I spent six days around and in Venice, in the Veneto region. Because I had a 6:45 a.m.
Joys of trip journals
I’ve been writing journals of my travels ever since my first trip to Italy in 1980 with my husband.
Yemen suicide bombings
In eastern Yemen and in the capital, Sana’a, a series of suicide bombings in October targeted ethnic Houthis.
Touring whisky distilleries in Scotland
Uisge Beatha, Gaelic for “water of life,” is known around the world as Scotch whisky. When my wife, Margaret, and I traveled in Scotland in June 2014 (Nov. ’14, pg. 20), we knew we had to learn more about the national beverage.
SMCCU Dubai culture tour
My husband, Ed, and I spent four days in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, in April 2013 (May ’14, pg. 14). Our final full day there was special.
Having money saves money
Some banks do not charge wire fees if you have a good relationship with them — for example, if you have a bank account that’s connected to a stock brokerage account, as account holders with Bank of America could have with Merrill Lynch.
Lux Express in the Baltics
When my wife, Paula, and I visit Europe, we typically travel by train. But while arranging intercity transportation for our visit to the Baltic States in September 2014, our research indicated that buses were a better transit option in those countries.
Pakistan border bombing
At least 55 people were killed and more than a hundred were injured by a suicide bomber on the Pakistani side of the Wagah border crossing with India after the evening border-closing ceremony on Nov. 2. The blast occurred outside a nearby restaurant.
Day tour from Lisbon
Before joining a Douro River cruise in Portugal in June 2014, my husband and I booked a small-group day trip from Lisbon to Sintra and Cascais at $70 per person. We booked it through Viator (San Francisco, CA; 866/648-5873, www.viator.com).
Travelogue blog
I found Florence Drake’s letter, “Keeping a Travelogue” (Oct. ’14, pg. 32), to be interesting. Traveling with a group to Romania in 2007, I used a borrowed laptop and dial-up Internet to send my first travelogue. It was a difficult process, at best.
Mexican students missing
In Iguala, Guerrero, Mexico, on Sept. 27, students from a teaching college who were protesting unfair hiring practices were fired on by police as they boarded buses they had hired to transport them. Six people were killed.
Dacey’s Cornish Tours
My husband and I had booked a cruise on Holland America Line’s Prinsendam, which had a port call in Fowey, Cornwall, England, on July 24, 2014. We’re great fans of the PBS British comedy “Doc Martin” and wanted to see the town of Port Isaac, where it’s filmed.
Boutique hotel in Prague
Prague is truly a city for walking. My husband and I went there for the first time in June 2014. We chose one hotel as a base from which to do some genealogical research and travel around the countryside.
Barcelona’s Poble Espanyol
Visitors to Barcelona who confine their sightseeing to the Gaudí architecture, Las Ramblas pedestrian mall, the Gothic Quarter and the inviting beach miss one of the city’s most enticing attractions.
Computers at JFK Customs
My husband, Ray, and I arrived at New York’s JFK Airport on Delta Air Lines flight 185 from Paris, Sept. 21, 2014. Our flight was on schedule.