A carpet of flowers in Brussels
Europe, the affordable, fun and sometimes quirky way
Travel to Europe is slowly picking up. In fact, the European Travel Commission is expecting to see 2 to 3 percent more Americans in 2011 than in 2010, as the U.S. economy bounces back. Hotel prices and other costs have been lowered in countries such as Greece, Ireland and Portugal, and Central European countries continue to be highly affordable.
But where do you find the deals? One place is www.visiteurope.com, with quick links to European Travel Commission members’ websites. A recent search turned up packages such as these:
Virgin Vacations offers a Brussels and Amsterdam city break for eight days, with three nights in each city, rail transfer with reserved seating, and daily breakfast. Land prices range from $509 to $589, but round-trip air/land packages are available ranging from $1,199 to $1,649 from New York (including fuel surcharges but not taxes and fees; other gateways are of course available).
Brussels is easily manageable in a few days, with fabulous museums from Old Master paintings to modern art, surrealist Magritte and even comic strips, plus funky neighborhoods for shopping and night life. Amsterdam, meanwhile, is a city of commerce with canals, cafés, museums brimming with the works of Dutch artists like Rembrandt, Vermeer and Van Gogh, and Anne Frank’s house filled with historical exhibits. The train ride in between is a classic European experience. Visit www.virgin-vacations.com to book.
Sceptre Tours’ Emerald Isle independent tour features round-trip air, six nights' accommodation with daily Irish breakfast, and a weekly standard shift car rental for $739-$1,129 per person, and offers travelers flexibility to set their own itineraries. First night is in a pre-booked hotel in Shannon or Dublin. The next five nights are spent in B&Bs sprinkled throughout the country. Upgrades in accommodations and automatic cars are available, as are extra nights. Another option is an upgrade to a five-star castle for the final night. Over 100 US gateways are available.
Poland in One Go is an eight-day/six night all-inclusive escorted tour that covers all the must-sees for the first-time visitor, with extra treats for even a repeat visitor. The $1,300 per person price tag covers lodging in Warsaw, Krakow and Zakopane, ground transport, an English-speaking guide and most meals. Highlights include the Museum of the Warsaw Uprising, a private Chopin piano concert, a Klezmer music concert in Kazmierz, a horse-drawn cart ride in Krakow’s Old Town, a cable car ride to Mt. Gubalowka, and visits to World Heritage Sites. Land dates are June 3-9 and Aug. 5-11. Immediately following the August trip is the Simple Pleasures tour, Aug. 12-19 that visits lesser-known areas to experience everyday life. A day is spent learning to cook Polish dishes such as pierogi, and another day includes a class in pottery painting in a village where the houses are painted with floral motifs. Other highlights include a raft trip along the Dunajec River gorge and a farewell cruise on the Vistula River to the Janowiec Castle ruins, as well as visits to a 16th century wooden church, a World Heritage Site, the Wooden Churches of Debno, and more. Priced at $1,700 per person double occupancy, if booked with Poland in One Go, each package will be discounted by 5 percent. Since prices are paid in Polish zlotys, the actual charge in U. S. currency could be lower, but will never be higher. To book either or both packages, visit www.staypoland.com.
Trivial question
Which of the Great Lakes does not border Canada? (Answer somewhere below.)
A FASTPASS to see Mickey at Disney World ...
Walt Disney World guests can now go backstage at Town Square Theater for photos and autographs with Mickey Mouse without waiting in a standby queue. That's the result of the first-ever use of Disney's FASTPASS Service for a character meet-and-greet. FASTPASS allows guests to reduce waiting by designating a window of time when they can return for a theme park experience. Town Square Theater is located just inside the Magic Kingdom entrance. Previously known as Town Square Exposition Hall, the venue has been re-imagined as a turn-of-the-20th-Century theater where posters proclaim Mickey as the star of a magic show.Ya gotta love it.
.. and an app to help you see everything else
The Undercover Tourist has a free smartphone app designed to save time and help you find attractions when visiting Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando. Visit www.undercovertourist.com.
Tour guide joke (Bonaire)
"That reddish-colored tree with falling-off bark that you see over there is a gumbo-limbo tree but we like to call it a tourist tree because it is red and peeling."
Mother's Day spa packages at Donald Trump's places
A Mother’s Day Spa Package is being offered at The Spa at Trump's four locations across the U.S.: Trump International Hotel & Tower- Chicago, Trump International Hotel-Las Vegas, Trump International Hotel Waikiki Beach Walk and Trump SoHo New York. You can choose from two packages costing $299 each: a 90-minute Trump Classic Massage followed by a 60-minute, revitalizing Kate Somerville Dermal Quench Facial with a bonus Kate Somerville Protect SPF 30 sunscreen – a $494 value. Or a 90-minute Trump Gemstone Massage, combining gemstone-infused oils with flowers and herbal essences, followed by a 60-minute, balancing Kate Somerville Trump Results Facial and the bonus Protect SPF 30 sunscreen – a $504 value. The package can be purchased through Mother’s Day, May 8, and must be used by Sept. 5. A 20% service charge on treatments is additional. Visit www.trumphotelcollection.com/spa-reservations.
Fascinating fact
Lightning strikes the CN Tower in Toronto an average of 75 times per year. (Long copper strips run down the CN Tower to grounding rods buried below ground to prevent damage.)
It's a great time to go to jail -- for a tour, that is
The Missouri State Penitentiary in Jefferson City, Mo., is now offering tours day and night -- as if it weren't eerie enough during the day. The landmark, which was decommissioned in 2004, charges $12 for a two-hour tour, $17 for special subject tours focused on specific themes, such as the riot of 1954; $17 for two-hour Twilight tours; $25 for Ghost Hunt tours; and $100 for Open Paranormal Investigations, where you start with the standard tour and then spend the night at the penitentiary to investigate paranormal activity. Eeek! Visit www.missouripentours.com or call 866-998-6998.
Trivial answer
Lake Michigan is the only Great Lake entirely within the United States.
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