Religious Sites

(2 of 2 on Ireland)

During a trip to Europe’s Low Countries in spring 2012, my husband, Ed, and I spent May 2-4 in Bruges. Our lodging was the 37-room Hotel Jan Brito (Freren Fonteinstraat 1, B-8000 Bruges, Belgium; phone +32 50 33 06 01, fax 33 06 52), at €95 (near $129) per night, which we found on the Internet. The hotel is a 16th-century mansion extensively renovated in the mid 1980s.

My wife, Jane, and I had a memorable tour of southern India with Namaste Tours (O-130, DLF Shopping Mall, Arjun Marg, Phase 1, Gurgaon Haryana-122002, India; phone +91 [124] 4040636 or 637), Dec. 16, 2011-Jan. 3, 2012.

One of the most efficient, well-organized companies I have ever used, Namaste Tours arranged all the internal flights and trains as well as a car and driver for parts of our trip. A representative met us in each place and helped get our bags on the train or check us onto our flight.

Fans of the TV series “Downton Abbey” can tour locations used in filming the show. A one-day tour (£95 [near $155] per person) includes morning coffee in the Berkshire town of Bampton and afternoon tea at Highclere Castle, with transport from a local hotel or the train station, and a guide and entrance fees.

A three-day tour (£747 [$1,214] each) includes two nights’ hotel, selected meals, transport, more location visits and a chance to dress in period costume.

ITN asked subscribers who had attempted to trace a branch of their ancestry or find lost or unknown relatives outside of the US to let us know the types of resources they used. We wanted to know which websites proved helpful; whether or not they looked for records of baptisms, marriages or land ownership in a church, courthouse or library; where and approximately when they conducted their in-person search; whether or not they visited a graveyard and any advice they had on doing that, and what sort of expenses were involved in all this.

ITN asked subscribers who had attempted to trace a branch of their ancestry or find lost or unknown relatives outside of the US to each let us know the types of resources they used.

I took my children and grandchildren, 10 of us, total, to China, June 18-30, 2012. T.E.I. Tours & Travel (Pleasant Hill, CA; 925/825-6104) made all the travel and hotel arrangements for us except for the international flights, and we were extremely happy with their services.

Sarah Gilson of Hanover, New Hampshire, had an information request for ITN subscribers, so we asked you for the following.

(1 of 2 on Portugal)

Two of Portugal’s most remarkable monasteries — Alcobaça and Batalha — lie within 12 miles of each other 80 miles north of Lisbon. One celebrates a tragic love, and the other, victory in war.

9-day / 7-night tour of TURKEY. Highlights: Istanbul / Troy / Pergamon / Seven Churches of the Revelation / theater in Ephesus where St. Paul preached. Land, $2,100. Single supp., $350. TEO World Culture Tours (New York, NY; 888 / 444-1110).