Seek out and identify native edible plants in the Cornwall countryside in classes offered by the Wild Food School (phone 01208 873788). A half-day introductory session costs £30 ($44) per person and a weekend-long course, £140 ($206).
After a two-month closure due to an elevator breakdown (April ’10, pg. 80), the At The Top deck on the 124th floor of the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, reopened in March. A prepurchased ticket costs AED100 (near $27) and immediate entry, AED400. Contact Burj Dubai (phone, int’l, +9714 8888124, or, in UAE, 800 28843867).
“The Wildlife of Costa Rica, A Field Guide” (2010 Comstock Publishing Associates [Cornell University Press]. ISBN 0801449057 — 360 pp., $29.95) covers 450 of the region’s most common and interesting species.
With 600-plus illustrations, the 8½"x5½"x½" book provides details on animals’ habitat, range and behavior as well as tips on identification.
From Amazon.com for $19.77 + $3.99 shipping or from Cornell University Press for $29.95 + $6 shipping (607/277-2211).
Discounts in Europe on guided coach day-tours and walking, biking and boating trips plus cooking classes and more are available with the “Europe Travel Pass” from Travel to Europe (Box 439, Lexington, MA 02420; 781/863-0125).
In Germany, discounts include 10% off bike and Segway tours, 20% off guided walks in Hamburg and Munich and 10% off hop-on/hop-off sightseeing buses.
The pass, good with 55-plus companies in 25 cities, costs $15 per person and is valid for one month from the first use.
Uganda’s Bujagali Falls, which flow from Lake Victoria, are famous for white-water rafting and bird-watching. Sometimes referred to as “the source of the Nile,” the falls will close to the public in January 2011, when dam construction for the Bujagali Power Station is expected to be completed.
In April, Syria became the first Arab country to implement a ban on smoking in public places. Smoking is now outlawed on public transportation and in schools, cinemas, theaters, restaurants and cafés. The traditional Arab nargile, or hubble-bubble pipe, is included in the ban. Fines for violating the ban run SYP500-SYP100,000 (near $11-$2,769).
Offering free entry and priority access to 55 major attractions, including St. Paul’s Cathedral, the Tower of London and the Churchill War Rooms, “The London Pass” costs £40 (near $59) plus shipping for one day up to £90 for six days. It comes with a city map and a guide showing how to best use the pass. The website lists all attractions.
Walking distance from the Colosseum, the exhibit “3D Rewind” (Via Capo d’Africa 5, Rome, Italy; phone +39 0 6 77076627) centers on a video tour of ancient Rome with 3-D renderings.
There also is the exhibit “Wearing a toga,” a bronze shop reproducing ancient daily objects and the opportunity to take photos in period costume. Entry, €15 ($18) adult or, purchased online, €13.50.
Through Dec. 31, 2010, people 66 years of age or older from any country can ride Irish Rail-operated trains in Ireland (but not Northern Ireland) for free with the “Golden Trekker” pass. Each pass is good for four days, and visitors may apply for up to three passes each (all at once, if desired).
At the Macau Communications Museum (Estrada S. Maria II No. 7, Macau SAR, China; phone +853 2871 8570), more than 100 years of stamps are on display, many relating to the city’s history.
The museum is open 9:30-5:30 Tuesday-Sunday. MOP10 ($1.25) adult, MOP5 child or senior.