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Travel Blog
Go upscale and beat the lines on theme-park vacations 4/16/2008 2:52:39 PM Link 0 comments | Add comment Thanks to new technology, and record-breaking ticket sales, amusement parks may be entering 21st century golden age. In March 2008, Six Flags announced plans for a new park in Dubai alongside Busch Entertainment’s Busch Gardens/Sea World; in May, 2007, Universal announced plans for a movie-themed park in South Korea, to open in 2012. Already, each year more than 17 million people visit Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, and five million people visit Seoul, South Korea’s Lotte World.
All over the world, especially outside North America, new amusement parks are coming online. In fact, according to hospitality industry scholar Robert Clymer, “on a percentage basis, Asian theme parks will grow faster than the U.S., followed by Europe and the Middle East.”
Regardless of whether they’re located in the United States or South Korea, or even Denmark, amusement parks promise entertainment and escape—typically, for the whole family. But they’ve come a long way since their origins in 16th-century Europe. Modern amusement parks are high-tech experiences. The Kingda Ka roller coaster at New Jersey’s Six Flags Great Adventure, for example, uses hydraulic launch technologies to reach speeds of 128 miles per hour. And the Pooh’s Hunny Hunt ride at Tokyo Disneyland runs without tracks; it uses a local positioning system that was patented especially for this ride.
Unfortunately, with success come the crowds. At most of the world’s top amusement parks, long waits for the most popular rides are inevitable. Walt Disney World is infamous for the twisting lines that lead to Space Mountain and the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror. It routinely takes one hour to reach the Speedway racetrack at South Korea’s Everland amusement park. It’s one of the universals of amusement parks: Wherever there are fun rides, there will be a not-so-fun wait.
For just this reason, many amusement parks now offer special access to visitors who demand a more exclusive experience. At Dolly Parton’s Dollywood amusement park in Tennessee, the $103 “Gold SuperPass” allows guests unlimited access to rides for one year and a 20 percent discount on all in-park purchases. Singapore’s Escape Theme Park and Wild Wild Wet offer a family package for $250 that includes unlimited visits to both parks and a free accommodation voucher for two adults and two children. Six Flags Magic Mountain, located outside of Los Angeles, even offers unlimited admission and the right to jump to the front of the line for just $125 a year.
Other amusement parks give guests the opportunity to go behind the scenes. At Arizona’s Out of Africa Wildlife Park, guests can arrange in advance for three-hour private tours that include the chance to feed a white tiger. At Universal Studios Hollywood, V.I.P.'s get a peek at actual soundstages and the enormous prop warehouse for $200 per person.
And then, famously, there’s the two-hour Around the World on a Segway tour at Disney’s Epcot Center. What started as a playful novelty for Segway nerds became expectedly popular. Epcot now offers four Segway tours each day, with the morning excursion held before the gates are opened to the general public. And no, guests are not expected to have any prior Segway experience.
For both amusement parks and guests, V.I.P. access is a win-win proposition. Guests can jump to the front of the line, experience parts of the park they normally wouldn’t see and ride their favorite rollercoaster over and over again. Meanwhile, amusement parks get to win that most valuable of non-corporeal commercial properties: customer loyalty. After all, a guest who has year-long access to every rollercoaster, log flume and go-kart track in your park is less likely to travel to the other park 200 miles down the road.
| Strategies for coping with air travel 4/15/2008 5:57:21 PM Link 0 comments | Add comment By BETH J. HARPAZ, AP Travel Editor
In recent weeks, thousands of air passengers have been stranded by airline bankruptcies and flight cancellations. And there may be more disruptions ahead as older jets continue to be scrutinized for safety and the economy bubbles with trouble.
So what's a traveler to do as the busy summer travel season draws near?
Pack light, know your options, consider buying travel insurance - and maybe even take the train instead.
"Flight delays, schedule changes, canceled flights, bankruptcies and mishandled baggage are pushing flyers' frustration to an all-time high," Michelle Doucette, content manager at IgoUgo.com, said in a press release declaring that "the summer of '08 just might be the summer of the train."
The travel Web site on Monday posted ideas for train travel at http://www.igougo.com/travel_blog including scenic rail trips and visiting cities with landmark train stations like Philadelphia's 30th Street Station.
If the train is not an option, here are some strategies for coping with the hassles of air travel in the weeks ahead.
-Limit luggage to one carry-on bag, advises Susan Foster of http://www.SmartPacking.com. That way, your "rebooking options are completely open," she said. If you must check luggage, don't do it "until you are positive that your flight is flying and reasonably on time."
-Do your homework. "Make clear notes about other flights operated by different airlines that meet your needs," said Foster. "Program airline phone numbers into your cell phone so you can immediately call to rebook yourself. If you wait for the airline to do this for you, you will not get a seat."
With details on other flights in hand, you can then ask, "for example, 'There's a Delta flight at 4:10 that will get me to my destination, can I get on it?'" said Amy Ziff, editor at large for Travelocity.
Staying informed also helps you juggle options. Last week, when American Airlines grounded 300 MD-80 planes for maintenance, Brett Snyder recommended that passengers find out what type of plane they had tickets for, and "start looking for connections that aren't on MD-80s." Snyder, who blogs about air travel at http://CrankyFlier.com, also urged passengers to "bring a lot of patience with you to the airport. ... Being nice can only help you."
-Consider buying trip insurance, which typically runs 4 to 8 percent of the cost of your trip. If your trip is disrupted by flight delays or cancellations, travel insurance should cover new tickets, hotel stays and incidentals. Some policies may also provide refunds if your plans change and you stay home. And insurance agents can help you rebook if you're stranded.
The day before Joyce Wehmeier of Pekin, Ill., was supposed to fly home from a two-week vacation in Hawaii, she learned that her airline, ATA, had gone out of business. She and her traveling companion had insurance with AIG Travel Guard and called the company.
"Miraculously this lady came back on and said, 'I found two seats tomorrow,'" Wehmeier said. "We needed to go back to work, so we were just thrilled."
AIG Travel Guard reported more than a 100 percent increase in calls coming in during the week of the airline bankruptcies, according to spokeswoman Erin McKeon.
Many airlines, cruise lines and travel Web sites offer insurance as an easy one-click add-on when you book trips online. Other sources for trip insurance include members of the U.S. Travel Insurance Association and http://www.InsureMyTrip.com.
-If you do get stranded, seek out discounts, refunds and vouchers.
If your airline has discontinued service, "call your credit card company to see if the charge can be removed," said Anne Banas of http://www.SmarterTravel.com. "It won't get you rebooked on another flight, but at least it'll help you get your money back."
Also, "look to see what assistance other airlines are offering," Banas added. "For example, when ATA recently closed its doors, Delta and US Airways offered stranded passengers $100 standby fares. JetBlue offered $50 fares to SkyBus passengers."
Airlines with delayed or canceled flights are not required to book you on other carriers. If they do put you on another airline, "the vast majority of passengers - those on restricted discounted tickets - will be forced to pay any price difference in the tickets," Banas said. But, she added, "it is possible that gate agents will make exceptions, so it never hurts to ask."
Banas also advises travelers to "know your rights." The "Contract of Carriage," usually found on airline Web sites and also known as "Rule 240," states that if a cancellation is "due to a problem within the airline's control, the airline will rebook you on the next available flight," or refund the unused ticket.
Airlines will often provide vouchers for meals, hotel and ground transportation for delays of more than four hours, Banas added.
-Finally, if your airline is in crisis, "take advantage of the relaxed cancellation and change policies and cancel or reschedule your trip," said Travelocity's Ziff. "If your trip is not a mission-critical, it is best to postpone it."
| Fliers not always entitled to refunds 4/11/2008 11:03:06 AM Link 0 comments | Add comment By ADAM SCHRECK, AP Business Writer
NEW YORK - The latest round of American Airlines flight cancellations has left tens of thousands of passengers searching for alternative ways to get to their destinations, but airlines are not required to compensate passengers for canceled flights.
The only time airlines legally have to provide compensation is when a passenger is bumped from an overbooked flight, according to the Department of Transportation's Aviation Consumer Protection Division.
However, passengers whose schedules are significantly affected — such as when the only available alternate flight involves flying on a different day or includes an unplanned stopover — are eligible for a refund in lieu of a later flight.
"If they'd rather have a refund than reschedule ... they can demand a refund even if their ticket is nonrefundable," said Transportation Department spokesman Bill Mosely.
American, the biggest U.S. carrier, has canceled more than 2,400 flights since Tuesday to inspect its MD-80 airliners. The airline has been working to put passengers on alternate flights, but with so many planes out of commission in hubs like Dallas and Chicago, there isn't always enough room for everyone. Other airlines also canceled a handful of flights to inspect their planes.
Passengers who did not buy their tickets directly from the airline might have better luck finding an alternate seat by contacting their online or brick-and-mortar travel agency.
"We can help push that process along and find seats that are available," said Brian Hoyt, a spokesman for Orbitz Worldwide Inc., the parent company of orbitz.com, cheaptickets.com and other sites.
American was offering travel vouchers to some inconvenienced passengers and putting some travelers in hotels. The Fort Worth, Texas-based carrier said customers who were forced to stay overnight because of cancellations should e-mail the carrier's customer relations department through a form on the company's Web site for details about compensation.
| Fliers not always entitled to refunds 4/11/2008 11:02:51 AM Link 0 comments | Add comment By ADAM SCHRECK, AP Business Writer
NEW YORK - The latest round of American Airlines flight cancellations has left tens of thousands of passengers searching for alternative ways to get to their destinations, but airlines are not required to compensate passengers for canceled flights.
The only time airlines legally have to provide compensation is when a passenger is bumped from an overbooked flight, according to the Department of Transportation's Aviation Consumer Protection Division.
However, passengers whose schedules are significantly affected — such as when the only available alternate flight involves flying on a different day or includes an unplanned stopover — are eligible for a refund in lieu of a later flight.
"If they'd rather have a refund than reschedule ... they can demand a refund even if their ticket is nonrefundable," said Transportation Department spokesman Bill Mosely.
American, the biggest U.S. carrier, has canceled more than 2,400 flights since Tuesday to inspect its MD-80 airliners. The airline has been working to put passengers on alternate flights, but with so many planes out of commission in hubs like Dallas and Chicago, there isn't always enough room for everyone. Other airlines also canceled a handful of flights to inspect their planes.
Passengers who did not buy their tickets directly from the airline might have better luck finding an alternate seat by contacting their online or brick-and-mortar travel agency.
"We can help push that process along and find seats that are available," said Brian Hoyt, a spokesman for Orbitz Worldwide Inc., the parent company of orbitz.com, cheaptickets.com and other sites.
American was offering travel vouchers to some inconvenienced passengers and putting some travelers in hotels. The Fort Worth, Texas-based carrier said customers who were forced to stay overnight because of cancellations should e-mail the carrier's customer relations department through a form on the company's Web site for details about compensation.
| Tasty food holidays from Greece to Thailand 4/10/2008 9:56:12 AM Link 0 comments | Add comment Imagine meandering through a centuries-old market, following your nose to find the most fragrant spices. Or buying mangoes that weren’t imported from the other side of the globe, but the other side of town. If you’ve forgotten that olives actually come from hundred-year-old trees—and not jars—it may be just about time for a cooking tour.
Every great meal begins with the best ingredients, and the best ingredients are typically found locally—whether it’s in your hometown or abroad. Cooking tours allow chefs of all skill levels to immerse themselves in a foreign culture in a way that traditional tourism cannot.
"A country's identity often hinges on its cuisine and attendant traditions,” says AnneLise Sorensen, a travel writer and editor for Rough Guides. For Sorensen, and an increasing number of hungry tourists, breaking bread with locals is the ideal way to become acquainted with a new culture. "[It’s] the first step in going from foreigner to friend."
For Annemarie Colbin, founder of the Natural Gourmet Institute for Health and Culinary Arts in New York City and author of "Food and Healing," learning to cook traditional foods in their native environments leads to a greater understanding of where food actually comes from. On the Kea Artisanal cooking tour, for example, participants tour a goat farm on the Greek island of Kea to see exactly how feta cheese is made, and then share in a meal overlooking the Aegean Sea with the farmer and her family.
But a good cooking tour is more than just a lesson in food sourcing. Says Colbin, "Partaking in festive meals made with real local and seasonal foods, and with local rituals of appreciation, is good for your health because it is good for your soul." Unlike traditional culinary tours—which tend to focus on restaurant dining—these trips are hands-on. Travelers meet with everyone from local chefs with prized dishes to grandmothers willing to share their cherished recipes.
For some, it’s the local markets, more than the recipes, that make a cooking tour an outstanding experience. Says Sorensen, "The food market is a microcosm of the country, and in many ways, this is your chance to experience the destination in its purest and most memorable form: The daily shopping rituals, the spirited bargaining and the strange and wonderful seasonal fruits and vegetables that the locals take for granted." In Nova Scotia, just outside the eco-friendly Trout Point Lodge, cooking tourists learn to recognize the freshest trout and other local seafood. They’re then taught how to prepare them in true local style.
The world's markets are traditional and historic places that can feel a bit intimidating to newcomers. As part of a culinary tour, you are provided with guides to help with both ingredient choice and navigation. After these long but fruitful excursions, travelers ultimately feel like natives. Most are invigorated, not exhausted, by the bustling sights, sounds and scents. It’s yet another way to unlock your inner chef and feel like a participant, not just an observer.
Even if you think you know a region’s food, there’s no substitute for first-hand exposure. On the Artisans of Leisure Culinary Tour to Japan, participants learn about casual Japanese home-cooking as well as kaiseki, a meticulous multi-course meal celebrating what’s in season at that time, in that area. They’ll become acquainted with Japanese culinary culture through its ceramics and lacquerware, with particular attention paid to the small artistic details that make a meal authentic.
One needn’t head overseas to learn something new about food. In the heart of Louisiana's Cajun country, Epiculinary’s four-day Cajun Country tour introduces both amateur and professional chefs to robust local dishes like jambalaya, boudin and gumbo. After a long day of cooking like a local in the hot kitchen, it’s time to dance the night away like a local to red-hot Zydeco music. A little further south, fans of Mexican food can go beyond burritos at La Cocina de Oaxaca’s cooking tour in the land that gave us mole sauces, made from chocolate, mexcal and other ingredients that vary from region to region—and even person to person.
Whether it’s your favorite dish or a strange and foreign food, learning how to prepare a region’s authentic cuisine has never been more rewarding. On each of the ten tours listed here, you’ll enjoy a well-seasoned mix of hands-on cooking, tastings, market trips and, of course, sightseeing. You’ll learn the basics, as well as the tricks that natives don’t typically share with outsiders. Your journey will be longer than a cooking show, but shorter than a formal culinary education—and you’ll end up with new skills and ideas to bring back home.
| Do I lose my frequent flier miles if my airline goes under? 4/9/2008 10:30:16 AM Link 0 comments | Add comment By Tim Paradis, AP Business Writer
Q: What can I do if I have frequent flier miles on an airline that ceases operation?
A: With the recent bankruptcy filings from ATA Airlines, Aloha Airlines and Skybus Airlines some travelers might be wondering what would happen if a carrier they rely on goes under. While analysts don't seem to think major airlines are likely to falter, seeing three bankruptcies in as many weeks might cause some travelers to become concerned for the miles they've earned.
The short answer is that when airlines halt operations rather than just reorganize, the miles would likely disappear as quickly as a jet's vapor trail. But that doesn't necessarily mean starting over for all travelers.
In rare cases other airlines will step in to honor miles, though that's less likely to occur in bankruptcies of smaller airlines focused on vacationers, said Terry Trippler at TripplerTravel.com in Minneapolis.
"There is a possibility that there may be some other airline that may court your business. Given the current climate I sort of doubt it," he said.
Trippler noted that planes are already crowded and that airlines are getting pinched by high jet fuel costs so carriers aren't likely in a generous mood.
But observers say frequent travelers might have better luck.
"If you've got 10,000 miles that's one thing, if you've got 100,000 that's another thing," Trippler said.
Travelers who have accrued a large number of miles can essentially shop themselves around to airlines.
Janet Libert, editor of Executive Travel Magazine, noted that travelers who can show documentation of their frequent flier status on one airline can make the case that they deserve to be given similar status on a new airline because they will prove to be loyal customers.
"You have to prove to this carrier that you are going to be a good, solid loyal customer," she said. She noted that some frequent fliers often try to extract concessions at competing airlines even when their existing carrier isn't at risk of shutting down.
Airlines generally extend benefits to travelers based on how much they fly with them. Travel often enough with one carrier or its partners and top-tier members can get benefits such as use of lounges in airports and speedier check-in times.
"People play games all the time with their frequent flier program," she said.
Airlines can accept frequent travelers for a probationary period, allowing them to have the high status they enjoyed at another airline without waiting to accumulate miles. But these customers have to then prove their worth by flying often enough to show they deserve that status.
For those who travel often but not routinely, it could be difficult to earn miles quickly enough to satisfy airlines looking for travelers who can rack up a hefty log of miles in only a few months, for example. Business travelers are the most likely to be able to keep this pace.
While business travelers account for about 1 in 5 passengers, their business brings in roughly half of many airlines' revenue, Libert said. So business customers are going to be taken care of first.
"Any company — whether it's a retail store or a restaurant or an airline — they're going to focus on their best customer," she said.
But for those travelers who don't fly often enough to attract an airline's attention, there is often little they can do to hang onto their miles when a carrier shuts down.
"I believe that your miles have gone to Never-Never Land and are therefore probably worthless," said Tom Parsons, chief executive of bestfares.com. "That's really what happened with other airlines in the past too."
| It's Time to Think about Travel Insurance By David Armstrong, Aviation.com Columnist
San Francisco Bay Area journalist and frequent flier David Armstrong writes about business and leisure travel. He covers airlines and airports from a consumer's perspective, and writes about hotels, resorts, spas and travel destinations for a variety of media outlets. He was the aviation reporter at the San Francisco Chronicle for seven years and is a former arts critic and feature writer for the San Francisco Examiner.
With Aloha, ATA, Skybus and Skyway Airlines all going out of business last week in one incredible five-day free-fall, it’s time for travelers to think about something they may not have considered before: travel insurance.
Buying travel insurance can’t stop an airline from liquidating — or cancelling your flight or losing your bags, for that matter — but it can increase the compensation you are paid if any of those things happen, and it can give you some peace of mind in turbulent times like these.
Whether you need travel insurance or can give it a pass depends on where you’re going, how long you’ll be traveling, and how much you’re paying to travel. It also depends on how much, or how little, trip coverage you may already be getting through your credit card company.
Say, for example, you are laying out $79 to fly Virgin America from San Francisco to Las Vegas and you’re not checking any bags; you plan to return home two days later, after trying your luck in the casinos.
You may need a lot of luck playing Vegas, but you don’t need travel insurance. You aren’t spending much money for your air, you aren’t going far, you’re traveling entirely within a highly developed country — in this case, the United States — and since you’re carrying it all on, you don’t have many bags that could be lost, damaged or stolen.
Conversely, it may be worth your while to buy travel insurance that covers cancelled flights, or lost, damaged or stolen bags, and helps find you a hotel room and another flight if — like a number of holiday-makers stranded in Hawaii when ATA stopped flying — your airline unexpectedly goes belly-up.
Travel insurance also becomes more desirable if you have a complex itinerary: Say, you’re traveling through unevenly developed Southeast Asia, you’re planning to be away from home for three weeks, you’re paying big bucks, and you’re taking lots of gear — which you will have to check.
Now, you may need the back-up travel insurance can give you. Some industry experts advise insuring your luggage, for example, by buying excess valuation insurance at the airport from the agent at the airline counter before you depart; this provides as much as $5,000 in additional coverage.
Many vendors sell travel insurance policies, including airlines. It’s better to buy a policy from a company other than an airline or tour operator. That way, if the company fails to deliver on promises — or fails entirely — you won’t be dependent on them.
Prices, types of travel insurance and what is and is not covered vary widely. As always, it pays to read the fine print. Travel insurance policies generally cost 4 to 7 percent of the price of a pre-paid trip; seniors may have to pay a bit more.
| Catalonia’s ‘Champagne’ Country 4/7/2008 10:35:27 AM Link 0 comments | Add comment By SARAH WILDMAN
IT’S so hard to leave Barcelona. The sea, the food, the art, the music, the shopping (the shopping!). But sometimes Las Ramblas, with its polylingual hordes of shuffling tourists, is so mobbed that even the most enthusiastic Barça fan can feel weary.
Catalonia, Spain
One way to take a break from Barcelona’s frenetic pace is to venture into the countryside of Catalonia. The first wineries of the Penedès, the Catalan answer to the Rioja, are a mere 20 miles away and can be the centerpiece of a perfect spring day trip from Barcelona. Indeed, a myriad of guided wine tours have popped up over the past few years, but on a recent visit to the region, my preference was to rent a car and devise my own tour, which began with cava, Spanish sparkling wine, and ended with a splurge on a fish-focused lunch in a Mediterranean seaside village.
You can pick up a rental at Europcar or Pepecar downtown; expect to pay a bit over $100 a day for the car, and another 30 to 40 euros ($47 to $63 at $1.58 to the euro) to fill up the tank at the end of the day. Then take Avenue Diagonal straight out of the city toward the AP-7 motorway (direction Tarragona). The massive 1920s-style hacienda of Freixenet, one of Spain’s largest cava producers, looms at exit 27. Be sure to make a reservation in advance because, unlike Napa, cava wine cellars and other Penedès wineries aren’t equipped for pop-in visitors. Freixenet (free) and fellow cava maker Codorníu (2 euros) are within a three-minute drive of each other and compete for visitors.
But before you tour a dark, century-old cellar, do a little exploring on foot. The little town of Sant Sadurní d’Anoia, its dusty streets barely wide enough for the cava trucks, is the center of an economy that is tightly tied to wine. Shops sell local Penedès whites, sparkling wines and a few reds at pocket-change prices. For two to six euros, you can buy a bottle and tuck it away for the beach, even if you’ve never heard of the vigneron. Cal Feru (Carrer Diputació 51; 34-93-891-0163; www.calferu.com) is a vast “cave” or cellar of Penedès wines and 120 varieties of cava. Next door at Gust de Poble (Plaça Manuel Raventós, 34-93-818-3467) the wine selection is more limited, but enhanced by great local chocolates, as well as cheese and jamón.
Up at Freixenet (Joan Sala 2, Sant Sadurní d’Anoia, 34-93-891-7000; www.freixenet.com) our one-and-a-half-hour tour was led by Emile, a young Frenchman. Emile gave an impressively engaging speech on sparkling-wine making — and let videos do a little myth building about the two wine-making families, cemented by marriage, who founded the company in 1914.
Bold-colored panels lit up as we walked, explaining how yeast plus sugar equals bubbles. As he narrated, Emile imparted helpful cava storing hints — never keep a bottle of cava more than two years and never store it horizontally. Finally the whole crew descended, on foot, several stories into the earth, down into cobwebby basements dug by hand in the 1920s. Hopping on a Disneyesque mini-train, we rocketed through basements and underground warehouses until we careened back upstairs to taste the cava.
Our next tour, my partner Ian and I realized, with stomachs rumbling, was two hours off. We drove up to Codorníu (Avenida Codorníu s/n, Sant Sadurní d’Anoia, 34-93-891-3342, www.codorniugroup.com) hoping we could get in early. The winery buildings are gorgeous examples of turn-of-the-century Catalan modernism designed by the Catalan architect Josep Puig i Cadafalch, a contemporary of Gaudí.
Tours advertise “Cava and Art.” A small museum illustrates the influence of cava makers’ wealth on art and architecture at the turn of the last century. Medieval architecture fans might want to check out another part of the Codorníu group — the exquisite Abadía de Poblet, a 13th-century monastery surrounded by vineyards, about an hour and a half away (Passeig de L’Abad Conhill 6, Poblet; 34-977-870-358).
At Codorníu, we told the desk we couldn’t wait for our tour and asked to see the shop. From there we snuck out onto the grounds for a quick peak at the gardens, and the Puig i Cadafalch-designed Raventós family mansion, and then headed back on the road.
“Easy” was the way Freixenet’s parking lot attendant described the trip from Sant Sadurní d’Anoia to Sitges, a gay-friendly former fishing town on the Mediterranean coast rumored to have a raucous night life. An hour later, we were rewarded with a breathtaking coast line. On the tiny Platja de Sant Sebastià, a solitary woman practiced yoga, her black-clad silhouette stark against the profile of the Església de Sant Bartomeu i Santa Tecla, a 17th-century cathedral built on the shoreline.
It was 4 p.m., the time most restaurants close; and no matter how many diners are still happily chewing away, nothing will make a restaurateur take on a new table. We climbed the narrow streets to the Platja de la Fragata, past the neo-Classical Edifici Miramar, the site of Catalonia’s international film festival, and the late 19th-century town hall. We finally sat down at the excellent, though terribly overpriced, Restaurante Maricel (Passeig de la Ribera 6; 34-93-894-2054). Lunch for two — monkfish in mushroom sauce and a delightfully creamy vegetable soup — came to a stomach-dropping 87 euros.
Putting that indulgence out of our minds, we wandered the boardwalk and then up Carrer Nou, the beginning of a warren of winding alleys with galleries and little shops. At Galería des Arts Aplicades Pau d’Arara (Carrer Major 9; 34-93-894-2844), we peeked into an exhibition of the Argentine artist Fernando Suarez: huge canvases, filled with movement. In a separate room were sculptures cast from ceramics, wood and glass (75 euros and up).
Nearby, at the jewelry store Inaures Joyas (Carrer Major 25; 34-93-894-7076; www.inaures.com), we stopped in to check out the gorgeous wearable art from across Europe offered by the owners Aurora Artés and Monika Hellwig.
Finally, we stumbled back down the road for a drink at Villa Lola, a jazz bar with low beige couches outside, facing the sea, and contemplated finding our way back to beloved Barcelona.
| Catalonia’s ‘Champagne’ Country 4/7/2008 10:35:24 AM Link 0 comments | Add comment By SARAH WILDMAN
IT’S so hard to leave Barcelona. The sea, the food, the art, the music, the shopping (the shopping!). But sometimes Las Ramblas, with its polylingual hordes of shuffling tourists, is so mobbed that even the most enthusiastic Barça fan can feel weary.
Catalonia, Spain
One way to take a break from Barcelona’s frenetic pace is to venture into the countryside of Catalonia. The first wineries of the Penedès, the Catalan answer to the Rioja, are a mere 20 miles away and can be the centerpiece of a perfect spring day trip from Barcelona. Indeed, a myriad of guided wine tours have popped up over the past few years, but on a recent visit to the region, my preference was to rent a car and devise my own tour, which began with cava, Spanish sparkling wine, and ended with a splurge on a fish-focused lunch in a Mediterranean seaside village.
You can pick up a rental at Europcar or Pepecar downtown; expect to pay a bit over $100 a day for the car, and another 30 to 40 euros ($47 to $63 at $1.58 to the euro) to fill up the tank at the end of the day. Then take Avenue Diagonal straight out of the city toward the AP-7 motorway (direction Tarragona). The massive 1920s-style hacienda of Freixenet, one of Spain’s largest cava producers, looms at exit 27. Be sure to make a reservation in advance because, unlike Napa, cava wine cellars and other Penedès wineries aren’t equipped for pop-in visitors. Freixenet (free) and fellow cava maker Codorníu (2 euros) are within a three-minute drive of each other and compete for visitors.
But before you tour a dark, century-old cellar, do a little exploring on foot. The little town of Sant Sadurní d’Anoia, its dusty streets barely wide enough for the cava trucks, is the center of an economy that is tightly tied to wine. Shops sell local Penedès whites, sparkling wines and a few reds at pocket-change prices. For two to six euros, you can buy a bottle and tuck it away for the beach, even if you’ve never heard of the vigneron. Cal Feru (Carrer Diputació 51; 34-93-891-0163; www.calferu.com) is a vast “cave” or cellar of Penedès wines and 120 varieties of cava. Next door at Gust de Poble (Plaça Manuel Raventós, 34-93-818-3467) the wine selection is more limited, but enhanced by great local chocolates, as well as cheese and jamón.
Up at Freixenet (Joan Sala 2, Sant Sadurní d’Anoia, 34-93-891-7000; www.freixenet.com) our one-and-a-half-hour tour was led by Emile, a young Frenchman. Emile gave an impressively engaging speech on sparkling-wine making — and let videos do a little myth building about the two wine-making families, cemented by marriage, who founded the company in 1914.
Bold-colored panels lit up as we walked, explaining how yeast plus sugar equals bubbles. As he narrated, Emile imparted helpful cava storing hints — never keep a bottle of cava more than two years and never store it horizontally. Finally the whole crew descended, on foot, several stories into the earth, down into cobwebby basements dug by hand in the 1920s. Hopping on a Disneyesque mini-train, we rocketed through basements and underground warehouses until we careened back upstairs to taste the cava.
Our next tour, my partner Ian and I realized, with stomachs rumbling, was two hours off. We drove up to Codorníu (Avenida Codorníu s/n, Sant Sadurní d’Anoia, 34-93-891-3342, www.codorniugroup.com) hoping we could get in early. The winery buildings are gorgeous examples of turn-of-the-century Catalan modernism designed by the Catalan architect Josep Puig i Cadafalch, a contemporary of Gaudí.
Tours advertise “Cava and Art.” A small museum illustrates the influence of cava makers’ wealth on art and architecture at the turn of the last century. Medieval architecture fans might want to check out another part of the Codorníu group — the exquisite Abadía de Poblet, a 13th-century monastery surrounded by vineyards, about an hour and a half away (Passeig de L’Abad Conhill 6, Poblet; 34-977-870-358).
At Codorníu, we told the desk we couldn’t wait for our tour and asked to see the shop. From there we snuck out onto the grounds for a quick peak at the gardens, and the Puig i Cadafalch-designed Raventós family mansion, and then headed back on the road.
“Easy” was the way Freixenet’s parking lot attendant described the trip from Sant Sadurní d’Anoia to Sitges, a gay-friendly former fishing town on the Mediterranean coast rumored to have a raucous night life. An hour later, we were rewarded with a breathtaking coast line. On the tiny Platja de Sant Sebastià, a solitary woman practiced yoga, her black-clad silhouette stark against the profile of the Església de Sant Bartomeu i Santa Tecla, a 17th-century cathedral built on the shoreline.
It was 4 p.m., the time most restaurants close; and no matter how many diners are still happily chewing away, nothing will make a restaurateur take on a new table. We climbed the narrow streets to the Platja de la Fragata, past the neo-Classical Edifici Miramar, the site of Catalonia’s international film festival, and the late 19th-century town hall. We finally sat down at the excellent, though terribly overpriced, Restaurante Maricel (Passeig de la Ribera 6; 34-93-894-2054). Lunch for two — monkfish in mushroom sauce and a delightfully creamy vegetable soup — came to a stomach-dropping 87 euros.
Putting that indulgence out of our minds, we wandered the boardwalk and then up Carrer Nou, the beginning of a warren of winding alleys with galleries and little shops. At Galería des Arts Aplicades Pau d’Arara (Carrer Major 9; 34-93-894-2844), we peeked into an exhibition of the Argentine artist Fernando Suarez: huge canvases, filled with movement. In a separate room were sculptures cast from ceramics, wood and glass (75 euros and up).
Nearby, at the jewelry store Inaures Joyas (Carrer Major 25; 34-93-894-7076; www.inaures.com), we stopped in to check out the gorgeous wearable art from across Europe offered by the owners Aurora Artés and Monika Hellwig.
Finally, we stumbled back down the road for a drink at Villa Lola, a jazz bar with low beige couches outside, facing the sea, and contemplated finding our way back to beloved Barcelona.
| Catalonia’s ‘Champagne’ Country 4/7/2008 10:35:16 AM Link 0 comments | Add comment By SARAH WILDMAN
IT’S so hard to leave Barcelona. The sea, the food, the art, the music, the shopping (the shopping!). But sometimes Las Ramblas, with its polylingual hordes of shuffling tourists, is so mobbed that even the most enthusiastic Barça fan can feel weary.
Catalonia, Spain
One way to take a break from Barcelona’s frenetic pace is to venture into the countryside of Catalonia. The first wineries of the Penedès, the Catalan answer to the Rioja, are a mere 20 miles away and can be the centerpiece of a perfect spring day trip from Barcelona. Indeed, a myriad of guided wine tours have popped up over the past few years, but on a recent visit to the region, my preference was to rent a car and devise my own tour, which began with cava, Spanish sparkling wine, and ended with a splurge on a fish-focused lunch in a Mediterranean seaside village.
You can pick up a rental at Europcar or Pepecar downtown; expect to pay a bit over $100 a day for the car, and another 30 to 40 euros ($47 to $63 at $1.58 to the euro) to fill up the tank at the end of the day. Then take Avenue Diagonal straight out of the city toward the AP-7 motorway (direction Tarragona). The massive 1920s-style hacienda of Freixenet, one of Spain’s largest cava producers, looms at exit 27. Be sure to make a reservation in advance because, unlike Napa, cava wine cellars and other Penedès wineries aren’t equipped for pop-in visitors. Freixenet (free) and fellow cava maker Codorníu (2 euros) are within a three-minute drive of each other and compete for visitors.
But before you tour a dark, century-old cellar, do a little exploring on foot. The little town of Sant Sadurní d’Anoia, its dusty streets barely wide enough for the cava trucks, is the center of an economy that is tightly tied to wine. Shops sell local Penedès whites, sparkling wines and a few reds at pocket-change prices. For two to six euros, you can buy a bottle and tuck it away for the beach, even if you’ve never heard of the vigneron. Cal Feru (Carrer Diputació 51; 34-93-891-0163; www.calferu.com) is a vast “cave” or cellar of Penedès wines and 120 varieties of cava. Next door at Gust de Poble (Plaça Manuel Raventós, 34-93-818-3467) the wine selection is more limited, but enhanced by great local chocolates, as well as cheese and jamón.
Up at Freixenet (Joan Sala 2, Sant Sadurní d’Anoia, 34-93-891-7000; www.freixenet.com) our one-and-a-half-hour tour was led by Emile, a young Frenchman. Emile gave an impressively engaging speech on sparkling-wine making — and let videos do a little myth building about the two wine-making families, cemented by marriage, who founded the company in 1914.
Bold-colored panels lit up as we walked, explaining how yeast plus sugar equals bubbles. As he narrated, Emile imparted helpful cava storing hints — never keep a bottle of cava more than two years and never store it horizontally. Finally the whole crew descended, on foot, several stories into the earth, down into cobwebby basements dug by hand in the 1920s. Hopping on a Disneyesque mini-train, we rocketed through basements and underground warehouses until we careened back upstairs to taste the cava.
Our next tour, my partner Ian and I realized, with stomachs rumbling, was two hours off. We drove up to Codorníu (Avenida Codorníu s/n, Sant Sadurní d’Anoia, 34-93-891-3342, www.codorniugroup.com) hoping we could get in early. The winery buildings are gorgeous examples of turn-of-the-century Catalan modernism designed by the Catalan architect Josep Puig i Cadafalch, a contemporary of Gaudí.
Tours advertise “Cava and Art.” A small museum illustrates the influence of cava makers’ wealth on art and architecture at the turn of the last century. Medieval architecture fans might want to check out another part of the Codorníu group — the exquisite Abadía de Poblet, a 13th-century monastery surrounded by vineyards, about an hour and a half away (Passeig de L’Abad Conhill 6, Poblet; 34-977-870-358).
At Codorníu, we told the desk we couldn’t wait for our tour and asked to see the shop. From there we snuck out onto the grounds for a quick peak at the gardens, and the Puig i Cadafalch-designed Raventós family mansion, and then headed back on the road.
“Easy” was the way Freixenet’s parking lot attendant described the trip from Sant Sadurní d’Anoia to Sitges, a gay-friendly former fishing town on the Mediterranean coast rumored to have a raucous night life. An hour later, we were rewarded with a breathtaking coast line. On the tiny Platja de Sant Sebastià, a solitary woman practiced yoga, her black-clad silhouette stark against the profile of the Església de Sant Bartomeu i Santa Tecla, a 17th-century cathedral built on the shoreline.
It was 4 p.m., the time most restaurants close; and no matter how many diners are still happily chewing away, nothing will make a restaurateur take on a new table. We climbed the narrow streets to the Platja de la Fragata, past the neo-Classical Edifici Miramar, the site of Catalonia’s international film festival, and the late 19th-century town hall. We finally sat down at the excellent, though terribly overpriced, Restaurante Maricel (Passeig de la Ribera 6; 34-93-894-2054). Lunch for two — monkfish in mushroom sauce and a delightfully creamy vegetable soup — came to a stomach-dropping 87 euros.
Putting that indulgence out of our minds, we wandered the boardwalk and then up Carrer Nou, the beginning of a warren of winding alleys with galleries and little shops. At Galería des Arts Aplicades Pau d’Arara (Carrer Major 9; 34-93-894-2844), we peeked into an exhibition of the Argentine artist Fernando Suarez: huge canvases, filled with movement. In a separate room were sculptures cast from ceramics, wood and glass (75 euros and up).
Nearby, at the jewelry store Inaures Joyas (Carrer Major 25; 34-93-894-7076; www.inaures.com), we stopped in to check out the gorgeous wearable art from across Europe offered by the owners Aurora Artés and Monika Hellwig.
Finally, we stumbled back down the road for a drink at Villa Lola, a jazz bar with low beige couches outside, facing the sea, and contemplated finding our way back to beloved Barcelona.
| Visit gardens in the South 4/4/2008 11:02:17 AM Link 0 comments | Add comment By ROGER PETTERSON, Associated Press Writer
For northerners, it's about time for spring gardening chores again. But before you haul your tools out of the garage, consider taking some travel time down South to see what a few of the region's big gardens are doing to welcome spring. Maybe you'll get some ideas for your own backyard planting.
Haven't been to Alabama before? The Spring Festival of Flowers at the Huntsville Botanical Garden — http://www.hsvbg.org/events/flowerfest.htm — is a good reason for a visit. The festival runs until April 30, with demonstrations, a plant sale, and a workshop and contest for photographers. There's a link to last year's photo contest winners at the bottom of the page. Go to the top of the page and click on "Garden Tour" for guides to the park's sections and a slick virtual tour, and hit "Visitor Info" for directions and fees. And if you can be there late in the month, the garden's Butterfly House and Nature Center will be opening for the season.
While you're there, the Huntsville visitor's bureau — http://www.huntsville.org/ — can show you around to the sights and help you find places to eat, shop and spend the night. Take a look at the "Huntsville Passport" to see if the savings coupons interest you, and then try "Virtual Tours" for a look-around. Before you move on, click on "Maps & Transportation" and the "Attractions" map; the botanical garden is southwest of the city center, before you get to the U.S. Space & Rocket Center.
If you're not going to any other garden spots in the Southeast on this trip, at least spend some more time in the surrounding part of Alabama. The Alabama Mountains Region — http://tinyurl.com/2rhuf4 — has a map of the area, with suggested spots to visit and a search function where you can dig for other things to see and do, from hiking and camping to museums and antique shops.
Eager for more gardens? Drive 200 or so miles southeast of Huntsville to Pine Mountain, Ga., and the Spring Celebration — http://www.callawaygardens.com/ — at Callaway Gardens. This sprawling development boasts 20,000 azaleas along with dogwoods and other spring flowers. Click on "Gardens" for profiles of the three main garden areas, and take your walking shoes so you can try their "Nature Trails," including rhododendron, azalea and wildflower trails.
As long as you're in the area, go to the state's Georgia Travel — http://www.georgia.org/Travel/ — put your cursor on "Discover" to open the menu and then click on "Presidential Pathways" for details on the travel region that includes Pine Mountain.
If you want more without leaving Georgia, head south to Thomasville — http://www.downtownthomasville.com/ — and the 87th annual Rose Show & Festival, April 24-26. Thomasville also boasts antique and other shops, so click on "Downtown Directory" to see what's available.
Thinking of adding a vegetable garden? Head northeast from Thomasville to Vidalia and the Vidalia Onion Festival — http://www.vidaliaonionfestival.com/ — on the same weekend as the rose show. Check out the Vidalia Area — http://www.vidaliaarea.com/ — for places to stay and more things to see and do.
A little farther to the northeast, the Festival of Flowers runs until May 18 at the Biltmore — http://tinyurl.com/34chgb — the palatial estate built by George Vanderbilt more than a century ago in the mountains of North Carolina. As a bonus to seeing the gardening display, you get to see Biltmore. And then you can explore the city of Asheville — http://www.exploreasheville.com/ — and its scenic surroundings.
| 10 ways to get the best airplane seat Want that aisle seat? There's no guarantee but here's tips to help you get it
We've all been there — the small child kicking the back of your seat, the lack of leg room, the war over the armrest. While there's no fail-safe way to guarantee that aisle seat in the exit row near the front of the plane with no one sitting next to you, we have some tactics that will help. Check out our tips for getting the best seat on the plane — and then share yours!
What makes a great seat?
Exit rows, aisle or window seats, and seats close to the front of the plane are typically considered the best. On a short business trip, you probably want an aisle seat near the front of the plane. On an overnight flight, you'll want a window seat so you can rest your head. Nervous fliers may want to sit over the wing, where there is less turbulence.
Exit row seats usually offer a bit more legroom, but they're not appropriate if you're traveling as a family. By federal law, no one under 15 may sit in an exit row, and infants are not permitted in the rows immediately behind or in front of an exit row either.
Many fliers also like "bulkhead seats," which are the seats directly behind the physical barriers (such as walls, curtains or screens) that separate different parts of the plane. Because there are no seats in front of you, you won't get stuck with another passenger reclining into your lap — and you often get some extra legroom as well.
But be careful: Not all "bulkhead" rows are created equal. On some planes, the first bulkhead row may be cramped and uncomfortable. For more information, go to SeatGuru.com, where you can check out seat maps for nearly every type of plane on every major airline.
Keep an eye on seat pitch, especially if you're tall. This is a measure of how much space there is between a seat and the one immediately behind or in front of it — so the higher the number, the more legroom you will have. SeatGuru lists both seat pitch and width (when available) for most airlines.
The middle seat in any row is generally undesirable. Rows near flight attendant areas and restrooms may be noisier and experience more traffic, and seats very close to cabin movie screens can be uncomfortable, or bright if you are trying to sleep. SeatGuru.com also identifies other potential problems on its seat maps, such as limited recline or reduced seat width.
10 ways to get a better seat
1. Join a frequent flier program
This is the most reliable tactic you can use. Providing your frequent flier number at the time of reservation goes a long way toward netting you a good seat, especially if you are a loyal, high-ranking member. If you don't already have your seat assignment when you arrive at the airport, present your number at check-in.
2. Buy your tickets early
The number of seats available for pre-assignment dwindles as the travel date approaches. If you can't buy your tickets at least several weeks in advance, be sure to check in online as soon as possible before your flight to select a seat, or arrive at the airport early if online check-in isn't available.
3. Consider purchasing a better seat
Several airlines now offer economy-class seats with extra legroom for an additional fee. JetBlue has just introduced "Even More Legroom" seats on all its flights, allowing passengers to pay $10 — $20 each way for an exit row seat with 38 inches of seat pitch (instead of 34 — 36 inches on its regular seats). United offers Economy Plus Access to high-ranking frequent fliers and to any travelers who pay the annual fee of $349; this entitles travelers to five more inches of seat pitch in the coach cabin. (If any Economy Plus seats are still available at flight time, they can be purchased for $25 to $30 one way.)
4. Select your seat when you book
Most airline Web sites and major booking engines allow you to choose a seat when you purchase your ticket, or to return to your reservation after your initial purchase and make your seat selection later. In most cases this process is free, but AirTran charges $6 per person, per one-way trip to select your seat in advance if you're traveling on a sale or discount coach fare.
5. Confirm your seat at check-in
Most airlines allow passengers to check in online 24 hours before their flight departs. At that point you can confirm the seat you've already chosen or even choose a better one.
6. Get to the airport early
If you arrive too late at your gate, you may lose your seat.
7. When in doubt, ask
Once you reach your gate, ask whether any new seats have opened up. If other passengers upgrade to business class or don't show up for the flight, you may get lucky and grab a better assignment.
8. Be specific
If you know exactly what seat you're interested in, it can be easier for agents to get it for you. Instead of asking for an exit row or "a good seat," try asking for "12A" — you'll be more likely to get what you want (or an acceptable substitute).
9. Keep the agent informed
If you have a medical condition, let the agent know. Most will do their best to accommodate you.
10. Kindness counts
Approach agents in a spirit of understanding. They hear complaints and demands all day. Treat them like human beings, and they may surprise you.
| Carnival-owned brands to refund fuel surcharges The latest mea culpa on retroactive fuel surcharges comes from industry titan Carnival, which has struck a deal with the Florida Attorney General to return $40 million to customers.
Carnival and five sister cruise lines -- Princess, Holland America, Cunard, Seabourn and Costa --have agreed to give back all the fuel surcharge money they collected for bookings made before Nov. 7, the date the company announced plans for a surcharge.
The agreement, which will affect more than a million bookings, comes just three weeks after Royal Caribbean and its sister line, Celebrity Cruises, reached a similar deal with the Attorney General. The Royal Caribbean-owned brands are giving back $21 million in retroactive fuel surcharges.
“I commend Carnival and its cruise lines for taking the necessary steps to ensure that this matter is resolved in their passengers’ best interest,” the Florida Attorney General said in a statement. “I appreciate this company’s commitment toward protecting not only our citizens and our guests but also Florida’s reputation as an attractive vacation destination.”
Controversy over retroactive fuel surcharges has swirled since November, when Carnival and other lines began adding fuel surcharges as oil prices shot up. While some lines only applied their new fuel surcharges to new bookings, Carnival and Royal Caribbean also levied their fuel surcharges on bookings made prior to their announcements -- a so-called retroactive fuel surcharge.
Carnival-owned brands have been charging passengers an extra $5 per day, as has Royal Caribbean and sister line Celebrity Cruises. Norwegian Cruise Line has added a $7 per day surcharge, and a few lines are levying even more, including Windstar ($8.50 per day) and Silversea ($10 per day).
The Attorney General's Office began investigating fuel surcharges at cruise lines last month after several hundred cruisers filed complaints with the agency over the practice. The main issue was the legality of the retroactive fuel surcharges.
The Attorney General's Office says that Carnival and its sister lines have promised that in the future they will ensure clear and conspicuous disclosure of any fuel supplement charges at the time reservations are made, as well as in their advertisements.
The announcement from the Florida Attorney General also says Carnival will contact consumers eligible for refunds and must report to the agency on the status of refunds within 30 days.
Monday's announcement only affects retroactive fuel surcharges at Carnival-owned lines. The company will continue to levy its fuel surcharge on bookings made after its Nov. 7 announcement.
There still are a few holdouts in the rush to add fuel surcharges. Among major lines, Disney has yet to add one. And as we reported here in December, small ship and river cruise operator Tauck World Discovery has vowed not to add a fuel surcharge, despite soaring fuel costs.
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