Columns

Dear Globetrotter:
Welcome to the 354th issue of your monthly overseas travel magazine.

The Kingdom of Jordan may not have the oil wealth of its Middle East neighbors to its east. It does, however, have wonderful art and historical riches available now for ordinary travelers to view in this troubled area. Petra is certainly Jordan’s crown jewel and a must for every tourist, but, having gone that far, travelers shouldn’t bypass Jerash, Madaba (July ’99, pg. 146) and Jordan’s capital, Amman. To these treasures, we’d add another site.

According to tour operators and tour wholesalers serving Latin America, there has been an increase in leisure travel to this area. The demand for alternative foreign destinations has whet the traveler’s appetite for soft adventure and indigenous cultures. The availability of upscale travel products in the sector of country inns, jungle lodges and expedition cruises has made the area more appealing to the less adventurous traveler.

The purpose of this column will be to keep our readers abreast of recent news from this corner of the world.

(First of three parts)

The common medical ailment associated with travel to developing countries is, as travelers to Mexico refer to it, “Montezuma’s Revenge.”

by Lew Toulmin

(First of two parts)

Cruise ships are wonderful, but there is one thing that is better: sailing a real tall ship.

Dear Globetrotter:
Welcome to the 353rd issue of your monthly overseas travel magazine.

Two hours’ drive south of Santiago lies one of Chile’s most renowned wine-producing regions, Valle de Colchagua. On my last visit to Chile, in February ’05, I had the opportunity to visit, albeit too briefly, this impressive valley of abundance on the Ruta del Vino.

A lengthy list of awards and medals have to date been earned by the valley’s wineries in prestigious international competitions and publications. This was highlighted in 2003 when the Colchagua Valley was named Wine Region of the Year in the U.S. magazine Wine Enthusiast. Valley wines are of consistently high quality.

by Wayne Wirtanen

(Part one of two)

The Great Wall. There’s little doubt that it is China’s most famous sight. Stretching almost four thousand miles across China, it meanders snake-like over mountains and valleys and over vast steppes and arid deserts. Some sections of the wall are in ruins; others are barely visible, all but obliterated by time. Still other sections have been restored.