Gail Newlin — Troy, MI
When I think of China, the first thing that comes to mind are pandas. With their black-and-white coats, Mickey Mouse ears and Buddha bellies, they inspire an irresistible urge to hug them. So I had to add “holding a panda” to my list of things to do before I die.
In Thailand, a popular destination for Asians and Europeans is Hua Hin, a beach resort town about 125 miles south of Bangkok in an area favored by the Thai royal family. It is where King Rama VII (1893-1941) built a beautiful summer palace, now a tourist attraction, and it is where the current king made his residence, in another palace nearby, until his poor health required that he move to a hospital in Bangkok.
This month’s winner is SAMANTHA SARTAIN of Colorado Springs, Colorado:
My dad was assigned to France Field in the Canal Zone of Panama in 1939. I was only 3 at the time, but I DO remember this.
Just before Thanksgiving that year, a friend of my mother’s got a live turkey, then began to prepare it. This entailed chloroforming it, as she just couldn’t do an axe job on it. Next she plucked out all of its feathers. That’s when she got a phone call from an old friend.
by Joyce Bruck; Ocean Ridge, FL
My wife and I have been independent travelers for over 40 years and have seldom used a travel agent. Having been to Portugal before, staying in the Algarve region, we wanted to go to northern Portugal in May ’13 and stay in pousadas (government-operated inns).
My wife, Bonnie, and I took a month-long tour of China, Mongolia and Russia that included a 7½-hour daytime train ride from Ulan Ude, Russia, to Irkutsk, located to the west of the southern end of Lake Baikal. On Sept. 22, 2012, after finishing our organized tour, we continued on our own on the Trans-Siberian Railway from Irkutsk to Moscow, about a 70-hour trip, and flew home from there on Sept. 26.
(Second of two parts, go to part one)
Last month, I described etiquette in various European countries. This month, I cover etiquette in a few more countries.
Italians are guided by first impressions, so it is essential to demonstrate good manners when greeting people.
Do not wrap gifts in black, as it is traditionally a mourning color. Also, don’t wrap them in purple, as that is a symbol of bad luck.
If invited to an Italian’s house…
My husband, Jerry, and I took a 7-week trip to Mexico and Guatemala, April 23-June 8, 2013, that focused on the Mayan world and also took in nine Spanish-colonial cities.
Starting in the Yucatán Peninsula in MEXICO, we decided to spend five days first on the Mayan Riviera at Esencia. This fabulous resort is a bit out of our usual price range, but we were glad that we splurged. It is a small resort, with personalized service and extremely comfortable beach cabanas on a quiet beach. I heartily recommend it.
My husband, John, and I were in Seoul, Korea, in March 2013 and enjoyed a number of meals.
Debra Driscoll of Dallas, Oregon, had the following information request for subscribers: “How do you handle traveling with special dietary needs? I especially would like to know how you find fresh fruits and vegetables, brown rice and cooked beans. I also welcome any tips on cooking with sparse kitchen equipment. In putting together your own meals, how do you ‘make do’ in hostels, etc.? Do you pack hot pots or hot plates or use the coffee maker in unusual ways?”