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 16^th 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.  

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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.

For a unique way to mark the Royal Wedding, see the third item below.

Ready, set, SAVE on flights, hotels and car rentals

These days everyone is looking to save a few dollars when traveling. Here are some tips on cutting costs for hotels, car rentals and flights. First up is Robin Korman an executive with Wyndham Rewards., who proffers this advice:

Ring up a better deal. Call the front desk and ask the clerk about an extra night's stay free, a discounted rate or free upgrade – even if the hotel isn't currently advertising one. When you call, say something like, "I already have a reservation at another hotel at a cheaper rate, but I'll book with you if I can get a third night free."  (What’s the worst that can happen? The clerk says no?)

Check your insurance. Rather than paying the insurance that travel sites and car rental companies offer for a supplemental fee, check your own insurance policy. Often, your plan will include a travel clause that you may be unaware of. Particularly with rental car companies, this can save travelers over $30 a day.

Get to know the locals: No one knows a destination better than the people who live there year round. Ask for their advice on great affordable eating, fun sites and little known hot spots.

Avoid the ATM. Try to eliminate the need for ATM visits. You don’t want to spend all your time looking for an ATM from your bank any more than you want to spend money on ATM surcharges. By purchasing traveler’s checks, using a card whenever possible or bringing enough cash, you can avoid visits to the ATM.

Clip coupons. Take advantage of coupons. Whether it is for lodging, food, or attractions – coupons save money! And can be found virtually everywhere -- online, in local newspapers, at convenience stores, hotels, etc. Always read the fine print carefully for terms.

Here  is the advice of  Justin Soffer of Fly.com:

Pick your day carefully. Since airfare sales normally run Tuesday – Thursday, those are often the best days to book. Plan to travel on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, or Saturdays as these are typically the least expensive days to fly.

Don’t wait  to book car rentals. Rental car reservations rarely require a deposit and are normally cancellable without additional charges (the reservation cancels automatically when one doesn’t pick up the car), and so travelers can make (multiple, if necessary) reservations before finalizing air and hotel reservations. Reserve early and then keep an eye out for better prices, as rental prices can often drop as travel dates approach.

Pack less. Do laundry at the hotel or nearby cleaners rather than paying additional checked baggage fees. (This means less baggage to haul around as well.). Also make sure to research baggage fee information ahead of time to avoid unexpected expenses at the beginning and end of a trip. Fly.com recently launched an application that provides this information.

Capture the power of social media.  Sites such as -- tat-da! -- Fly.com often offer real-time Twitter fare (@Fly_com) and Facebook alerts (www.facebook.com/fly) for flights everywhere. Travelers who are flexible with their departure and return dates will find the best rates with “Fare Calendars” (click here for an example). Calendars, when available, displays flight costs for each day of the month.

Trivial question

What two South American countries lack a seacoast? (Answer somewhere below.)

Celebrate the royal wedding -- in Colorado

So you didn’t get an invite to the wedding of Britain’s Prince William and Kate Middleton on April 29. You can still feel like royalty with the Royal Wedding Package at the  JW Marriott Denver Cherry Creek. The  offer includes accommodations in a  for the night of April 28th, a souvenir Royal Tote Bag filled with glossy magazines featuring Wills & Kate, champagne and strawberries to toast  the happy couple and a $25 credit for either room service or a meal at Second Home Kitchen + Bar. And to ensure that you don’t miss the historic event - which starts at 4 a.m. mountain time -- the hotel will provide a cheery wake-up call at 3:45 a.m. The price starts  at $329 per night. Call 866-706-7814 or visit www.jwmarriottdenver.com. Use Rate Code: UY7.

For Toronto hotel package, just add water

The Fairmont Royal York in Toronto is hoping guests dive into the Water Exploration Package, featuring tickets to  “Water: The Exhibition” at the Royal Ontario Museum. This new package features one night at The Fairmont Royal York and tickets to the new exhibit , showing now until Sunday, May 4. The package starts at about  $195 U.S. and includes a one-night stay,  two tickets to the museum and its water exhibit  and, so you’ll feel good about yourself, a $10 donation to the Lake Ontario Waterkeeper charity. But what’s so special about an exhibit on water? Well, this one uses cutting-edge technologies, multimedia installations, hands-on exhibits, live animals and cultural artifacts. For reservations, call 800-441-1414, or visit http://www.fairmont.com/royalyork/HotelPackages/discovery/waterexploration.

Worth quoting

“And that's the wonderful thing about family travel:  it provides you with experiences that will remain locked forever in the scar tissue of your mind.” -- Dave Barry

There’s mayhem in Manhattan …. of a different kind

"Mayhem in Manhattan: NYC Horror Weekend Getaway" is being planned by Tours of Terror for Friday-Sunday, July 29-31. The three-day ghoulish getaway  includes hotel accommodations; a group orientation party, tickets to the new Off-Broadway thriller "Play Dead" (www.playdeadnyc.com) created by Teller of Penn & Teller, a Scream Queen Soiree at the Jekyll & Hyde  restaurant/club (www.jekyllandhydeclub.com); the "Edgar Allan Poe & his Grisly Friends" Haunted New York City Experience; the "Peter Stuyvesant & his Ghostly Friends" Greenwich Village Ghost Walk; theater tickets to "The Addams Family" or another option; and a "Mad Monsters Friends & Fiends" farewell party. All guests will receive a souvenir ghostly goodie gift swag bag. The organizers expect to add a surprise or two, and the group will be joined by a  surprise celebrity horror guest star. The weekend cost is $299 per person for all activities/events/admissions/parties or $499 per person including all of the above plus the hotel  accommodations. The weekend is open to all ages but limited to 20 spots.  Call 203-795-4737 or email ToursofTerror@aol.com. The website is www.toursandevents.com.

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Fascinating fact

You can visit Samoa, Dublin, London, Mecca and Delhi without leaving California. All are communities in that state.

Trivial answer

Bolivia and Paraguay are the South American nations with no coast.

Get set to celebrate in New Orleans and Curacao 

Some call it "The Greatest Free Show on Earth." We're talking about the Mardi Gras. Only three weeks left between now and Fat Tuesday, so preparations for the 312-year-old  festival are well underway.

More than 60 parades are scheduled to roll through  Greater New Orleans in March,with  many of them taking place simultaneously. These range from French Quarter  groups (known as krewes) such as  Pete Fountain's infamous Half-Fast Walking Club (of which actor John Goodman is a member) to "super krewes" like Orpheus, whose ornate floats cost hundreds of thousands of dollars and take months to build. The Krewe of Endymion, meanwhile, includes celebrities Anderson Cooper, Kelly Ripa and Pat Benatar, who will all serve as royalty.All the information you need is at www.mardigrasday.com.

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Curacao's Carnival has been called the Mardi Gras of the Caribbean. Through March 8, visitors will join thousands of spectators in lining island roads for the Tumba Festival, with views of intricately-costumed groups dancing in competition to the Tumba beat, an Afro-Caribbean-Latin music hybrid. The Grand Carnival Parade on March 6, marks the peak of the celebration and concludes with the Grand Farewell Parade on March 8.  In addition to street parades, the monthlong celebration includes beauty pageants and parties galore. Through March 15, a Curaçao NOW! package can be booked, for a free night’s stay and other  amenities at participating properties.For more information, visit www.curacao.com or www.curacaocarnival.info. 

Trivial question

What does Mardi Gras mean in English?  (Answer somewhere below.)

Check out India's royal wealth with this Toronto package

The Fairmont Royal York hotel in Toronto is featuring a  Royal Maharaja Package, with tickets to  "Maharaja: The Splendour of India’s Royal Courts," on exhibit at the Art Gallery of Ontario through April 1, 2011. The package starts at $219 and includes two tickets to the gallery and a one night hotel stay. The exhibition looks at the splendor of India's Royal Courts, featuring over 200 works of art created for India's  kings, including artwork, tapestry, thrones, weapons and jewels. Call 800-441-1414, or visit www.fairmont.com/royalyork.

Fascinating fact 

Little Rock, Ark., was originally known as Arkopolis.

Candy Man sweetens hotel stay at Chicago's Ritz

The Ritz-Carlton Chicago, A Four Seasons Hotel, has teamed up with a local sweet shop, Candyality, to present The Candy Man. Dressed in a red- and white-striped jacket and matching hat, this sweet felow will bring his traveling candy cart right up to guests rooms. He delivers to rooms by appointment between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. daily and offers his sweets -- gummy, chocolate, sour, crunchy and sweet candies -- at $5 per half-pound.  For hotel information, visit www.fourseasons.com/chicagorc or call 312-266-1000.

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Worth quoting

“Boy, those French. They have a different word for everything.” -- Steve Martin

Free breakfast for Waikiki food donors

Waikiki's Ala Moana Hotel is giving a complimentary buffet breakfast to guests who bring in a donation for the Hawaii Foodbank. Visitors staying at the hotel who contribute six cans or five pounds of food from now to April 3  willget  a coupon for breakfast at the in-house eatery, Plantation Café. For hotel information, call 800-446-8990 or visit www.alamoanahotel.com.

Trivial answer

Mardi Gras, which is French, translates to Fat Tuesday, so called because of the feasting that takes place. In the Christian calnedar, the day is known as Shrove Tuesday, the day before Lent begins (and feasting ends) on Ash Wednesday.

What they say ... and what they actually mean

Photo by the Walt Disney Co.

The July re-launch of the Hall of Presidents attraction at the Magic Kingdom adds an audio-animatronic likeness of President Obama, who will have a speaking role, along with the figures of Washington and Lincoln. Disney World employees do a lot of speaking, too, but some remarks need a "translation."

Years ago, a group of Walt Disney World employees (or "cast members," in Disneyspeak) put together a satirical newsletter that unofficially translated phrases frequently heard around the Magic Kingdom. Here are highlights from the list, which was reprinted in the book "Realityland."

* "We are experiencing technical difficulties."

Something bad just happened.

* "We should be operating again in about an hour."

I have no idea how long it will be.

* "These 3-D glasses will impair your normal vision."

They look goofy if you wear them outside.

* "Excuse us, please."

If you don't move, a one-ton cart will run you over.

* "Yes, I do work here."

What tipped you off, genius? The nametag or the dorky costume?

* "Please remain calm."

It's time to panic. You are all going to die!

Websites' airline-ticket trick upsets a senator

U.S. Sen. Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) has introduced legislation to stop online websites from offering service under a major carrier's name and waiting until buyers pay to reveal that a small regional carrier is actually doing the flying. "The airlines are pulling a bait-and-switch, and it could be making flying less safe," Schumer told the Daily News. He cited Expedia and the big airlines' own websites.

A luxury rafting trip for $995 a person

A new four-day Middle Fork of the Salmon Rafting Adventure, beginning Aug. 25, will be offered for $995 per person. The 70-mile trip, from ROW adventures is a one-time event. Rafting will start in Boise and end in Salmon, Idaho. The free-flowing Middle Fork drops 3,000 feet through central Idaho's remote "River of No Return" wilderness. Natural and diverse, the Middle Fork of the Salmon River is one of America's first "Wild and Scenic Rivers" protected by Congress.

Call 800-451-6034 or e-mail info@rowadventures.com. For more about Salmon rafting, click here.

Worth quoting

"Is there anything as horrible as starting on a trip? ... The last moments are earthquake and convulsion."

-- Anne Morrow Lindbergh

A chance to see the Dead Sea scrolls in Toronto

The Fairmont Royal York is promoting a Dead Sea Scrolls Package that gives preferred access to the newly opened exhibit at the Royal Ontario Museum. The package is available seven days a week and includes a night's accommodations, complimentary valet parking for one car, a $25 food and beverage credit and two adult tickets to "Dead Sea Scrolls: Words that Changed the World," with a reserved time. Rates begin at about $205 U.S.

Click here or call 800-441-1414.

And speaking of Toronto ...

Canada's largest city is multicultural indeed, with nearly 47 percent of its population belonging to a visible minority group. To emphasize that, someone decided to do a little Photoshopping on the cover of the city's Summer Fun Guide.

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New Hampshire enters the blogosphere

A new blog, "Karno Trip Picks," is continually updated with the latest travel news from selected New Hampshire-based travel organizations and destinations. These include the Waterville Valley Resort, the White Mountains Attractions organization, the Currier Museum of Art in Manchester, the Cog Railway, the Barnstormer's Theatre in Tamworth, and the M/S Mount Washington cruises on Lake Winnepesaukee. Readers can subscribe via email, via an RSS feed, or follow the feed on Twitter @LkarnoTripPicks.

The blog can be found at http://www.karnotrippicks.com/. The Twitter feed is called "New Hampshire Travel."

Friday's trivia answer

No, Hagatna is not an East European stew. Rather, it's the capital of Guam and one of the American island territory's busiest commercial districts.

Let us now praise great tour guides

Photo by Austin-Lehman Adventures

A great guide actually knows what he is talking about and can convey his enthusiasm to all ages.

Over the years I have had some wonderful tour guides, and I have had some wretched ones. Why the difference?  Some of the traits, such as dedication to, and passion for, the job are obvious. But Dan Austin, co-founder and director of Austin-Lehman Adventures, cites a few traits than can make a guide not merely good but great. For instance:

Having ESP. No, really. The best guides are naturally intuitive, with the innate ability to foretell what a guest is thinking or wanting. 

Handling the unexpected. They have a Plan B ready in case of such things as sudden weather changes, lodging snafus and road delays.

Multi-tasking.They can quickly switch from chauffeur, coach,and doctor, to teacher, culinary wizard, athlete, mechanic, social worker and psychologist. 

Having a sense of humor. They can help even the most bashful particpants break out of their shells , thus creating bonds among strangers. 

Yes, there are times when even independent travelers wish they had a good guide around when confusion crops up. Everyone can use a guardian angel now and then.

Fascinating fact

New York's Central Park, consisting of 843 acres, is almost twice as big as the country of Monaco, with 485 acres. In 56 minutes, the average person can walk across the width of Monaco, which is  the second smallest country in the world, after Vatican City, which has 108 acres. 

See Cirque du Soleil in Toronto, for free

As part of Toronto's Luminato Festival, Cirque du Soleil will give free performances on the city's waterfront, June 12-14. That, of course, is just one of many events during the festival, June 5-14.

For festival details, including other free events and money-saving packages, go to www.luminato.com.

Worth quoting

The wise traveler learns not to repeat successes but tries new places all the time.

                                                                                                                      -- Paul Fussell

An online magazine all about Hawaii

Some say that one day we may real all of our magazines electronically. In any event, you can now read about Hawaii in that manner.  The Magazine is  published by the vacation-planning website Hawaii.com, with breezy page-turning technology. The first issue contains features about what you don't know about our 50th state, Father Damien, the whales of Maui, Kualoa Ranch, and the isle of Lanai.

   Visit www.hawaii.com/magazine.

Summer savings on cruises in France

France Cruises, which conducts luxury canal and river sailings, has cut prices for July and August. One example:  A $2,000-per-couple discount is available on  July 25 and Aug. 15 departures of the 16-day rand Exploration of France. Cruisegoers spend a week in Southern France aboard the MV Princesse de Provence, embarking and disembarking in Lyon. After an included TGV transfer to Paris halfway through the trip, they board the MV Cezanne for a week-long cruise, embarking and disembarking in Paris. Eleven guided land excursions are included. Prices start at  $2,925 per person.

For details, click here. For information on all trips, visit www.francecruises.com.

Trivial question

By area (not population), what is the largest municipality in the United States? (Answer Tuesday.)