Travelers' Intercom
‘Magic of Nicaragua’
My husband, Jim, and I visited Nicaragua to experience the beauty of the land, lakes, volcanoes, art and history. Our 12-day custom trip, Jan.
Indian elephant festival
The majestic elephant wields a special significance in India, having transported royalty over the centuries, entertained princes, led fabled charges by Rajput warriors and paraded in gold and velvet at religious celebrations.
Mixed review for hotel in Phnom Penh
While visiting our son in Phnom Penh, my husband, Bill, and I stayed near the airport at the Cambodian Country Club & Hotel (Street 2004, Group 6 Toeuk Thla, Russey Keao district, Phnom Penh, Cambodia; phone 023 885 591 or 592 — club membership is not necessary to sta
Avoiding MSG overseas
I am very sensitive to MSG. I also am diabetic and need protein. When I first went to China, in the 1990s, I took those little packages of peanut butter crackers with me. Other than that, I ate lots of boiled rice.
A gîte in Brittany
We have visited France 30-some times but until recently had stayed only in hotels, mainly family-run places in small towns. We had noticed attractive vacation cottages for rent but learned that they generally go for a week at a time and almost always Saturday p.m. to Saturday a.m.
Switzerland
Getting off the train from Interlaken, Switzerland, to Montreux in June ’12, just 11 days into our 3-week Swiss trip, my husband, Jerry, and I were gathering our things together when I said, “Where’s my Kindle?” We searched everywhere, and I determined that I had left it on my seat when we changed trains.
Turkey with TEO
We learned about TEO World Culture Tours (New York, NY; 888/444-1110), which specializes in small-group travel, from a letter in ITN (Aug. ’11, pg. 31).
Dining in San Miguel de Allende
If you’re in the enchanting town of San Miguel de Allende, Mexico (Nov. ’12, pg. 14), saunter over to Café San Agustín (21 San Francisco), owned by an Argentine movie star who occasionally drops by.
Apartment, guide in Rome
Four of us (two couples) spent a week in Rome, Dec. 26 2012-Jan. 3, 2013. As we have done for the past 20 years of traveling together during this holiday week, we rented a furnished apartment with two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a living room and a kitchen. We always choose a central location.
In love with Sarajevo
I visited Sarajevo, capital of Bosnia & Herzegovina, in late October ’11. I came by bus from Mostar and left by train for Pécs in Hungary. I fell in love with Sarajevo and hope to go back sometime.
Feeding elephants in Myanmar
In the course of making plans with an in-country guide for a tour of Myanmar about four months later, my husband and I signed up for a day program at Green Hill Valley Elephant Camp (17 [5A], Kyaung St., Ahlone Township, Yangon, Myanmar; phone +95 9 73107278 or 4923284 or 517068
Darjeeling stay
During a March-April ’12 India trip, my husband, Clyde, and I arrived in Darjeeling late in the afternoon to check into the Dekeling Hotel* (51 Gandhi Rd., Darjeeling 734101, West Bengal, India; phone 91 354 2254159, fax 2253298 — room rates, INR1,400-INR3,300 [near $25.50-$60] per
Dancing Bear in St. Petersburg
My husband and I and another couple booked a cruise with Silversea Cruises that included three days in St. Petersburg, Russia, July 18-20, 2012.
Art in Haiti
My most recent visits to Haiti were made during Royal Caribbean International cruises in 2010 and 2011, but my son and I first traveled there in 1985.
WWI museum near Paris
The impetus for our trip to Paris in May-June, 2012, was to visit the new World War One museum, the Musée de la Grande Guerre du Pays de Meaux (rue Lazare Ponticelli, 77100 Meaux, France; phone +33[1] 60 32 14 18).
Loyalty transferred
The editor’s piece on frequent-flyer-mile programs raised some thoughts (Jan. ’13, pg. 2).
’Stans tour
My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of our private tour of Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Tajikistan arranged by Aba Sayyoh Tour, Ltd. (M.
Septime in Paris
In Paris, I ate dinner on consecutive nights at Septime (80, rue de Charonne, Paris, 11, France; phone +33 01 43 67 38 29), Oct. 2-3, 2012.