History

by Julie Skurdenis

In the Eilandje district of Antwerp, Belgium, Museum Aan de Stroom (MAS), or Museum on the River (Hanzestedenplaats 1, Antwerp; phone +32 3 338 44 34), will open May 17.

The new home for the collections of the Ethnographic Museum, the National Shipping Museum and the Folklore Museum, it will have exhibits showcasing the port city’s relationship throughout history to the rest of the world. (An information point is currently open.)

by Ed Kinney, Roanoke, VA

Tucked less than 10 miles below Canada’s Newfoundland, where the Gulf of Saint Lawrence and the Atlantic Ocean meet, several very small French islands with a rich legacy await visitors.

Out of 33 trips in 14 years, one of the best-conducted and -managed small-group tours I’ve taken was “Algeria’s Roman Heritage” with Patrick Syder Travel (Zenobia House, 23 Bowmans Close, Steyning, West Sussex, BN44 3SR, U.K.; phone/fax +44 [0] 1903 879737).

The fabulous 10-day trip, April 24-May 3, 2010, cost £1,795 (about $2,710) (single supplement, £300), including two internal flights. We traveled in a roomy, air-conditioned bus. Several of our meals could almost be classified as gourmet.

In November, after it was learned that terrorists may have been planning attacks, some high-profile sightseeing spots in Europe were closed to public access and security increased. In France, Germany and England, security personnel at public transportation hubs were on high alert.

In Berlin, at press time, the glass dome of the Reichstag building was closed to the general public indefinitely. Back in September, the Eiffel Tower in Paris was closed twice due to bomb threats.

The Historic Monuments of Dengfeng, China, were added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in August 2010, and now — to protect the buildings from damage caused by excess carbon dioxide, incense smoke and humidity levels — the government plans to restrict the number of tourists during peak travel times, according to China Daily.

The cluster of 11 monuments in the Songshan Mountains includes the Shaolin Monastery, Three Han Que Gates and the Observatory.