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June 2008 issue

The Clink

Wherever English is spoken, the word “clink” indicates a place of imprisonment or punishment, but few people know that it was a real prison.

The prison that gave its name to all others was owned by the Bishop of Winchester within his palace on the Bankside in London. From the 12th century, his prison was used for, amongst others, the prostitutes and customers who broke his rules of 1161 in his 22 licensed brothels lining the Bankside.

Later, during the 16th century, the Clink was used almost exclusively for so-called heretics who disagreed with the Bishop’s views, and during...

September 2007 issue

Most/Least Helpful National Tourist Ofﬁces

Most helpful — Switzerland Tourism (608 Fifth Ave, New York, NY 10020; 877/794-8037 or 212/757-5944) and the website www.myswitzerland.com.

I was interested in visiting a hospital in Interlaken and sent an e-mail to info.usa@myswitzerland.com. They informed me of the following website, which was exactly what I needed: www.spitalinterlaken.ch.

Most helpful — Austrian National Tourist Ofﬁce (Box 1142, New York, NY 10108; 212/9446880) and the website www.austriatourism.at/us.

I needed information on the city of Seefeld in Tirol and they mailed me complete information. The...

January 2007 issue

Japan — Traveling solo in Tokyo

Susan Benton, Hermosa Beach, CA

Recently, I had the opportunity to visit a friend’s parents who live in Tokyo. While I had a free place to stay, I had no tour guide, no mode of transportation and no sense at all of Tokyo and its culture beyond what I had gleaned from guidebooks and depictions in movies à la “Lost in Translation.”

My hosts were gracious and accommodating, providing useful information that went beyond my guidebook and steering me in the right direction on things to do and see. On a few occasions we dined together in the evenings. However, both teachers at the...

October 2008 issue

A case for undies

My husband, David, and I thought we were pretty savvy travelers. On an August ’07 trip (Aug. ’08, pg. 52), we packed a few things in each other’s bags, double-checked the destination tags the airlines put on our checked bags, locked the bags with our TSA locks and had our 3-1-1 baggies present and accounted for, but we still ended up in hot water when our bags did the Charles de Gaulle shuffle and failed to arrive in St. Petersburg, Russia. Our entire concept of carry-on bags changed in mere minutes.

We had quit taking large carry-ons when they got a little too heavy to lift easily...

July 2007 issue

Buenos Aires + Uruguay + Panama

My wife, Barbara, and I booked a trip to Buenos Aires for March ’07 with Escapes Unlimited (2012 Lerner Lane, Santa Ana, CA 92705; 800/243-7227, www.escapesltd.com). We would be flying COPA airlines, which uses Panama City as its hub. Since it was necessary to change planes there anyway, we chose to take a layover in Panama City on the way down. (We had good service on COPA, by the way.)

At a cash price of $1,077 each (use of a credit card would have cost extra), the tour package, March 14-22, included air from Miami; two nights in Panama City at Hotel Marbella; six nights in Buenos...

February 2007 issue

Scenic Japan

Sagano, on the outskirts of Kyoto, is where many Japanese go to view the fall colors. When my husband, Don, and I, were there in October ’05 it was too early for leaf viewing.

The Tenruyji Temple complex, with its gate, moat and walls, is a favorite sight in this ancient city where time seems to have stood still. We took a rickshaw ride to sightsee, stopping for a “Kodak moment” at the Togetsukyo Bridge.

Another activity was to take the train that follows a scenic route through the bamboo forests of Arashiyama (Mt. Arashi) — right out of a Japanese fairy tale.

...

August 2007 issue

Marrakech ‘oasis’

In connection with a short trip to Marrakech to see one of the last remaining medieval North African walled cities, I stayed at Riyad Al Moussika (62 Derb Boutouil, Kennaria, Marrakech-Medina, Morocco; phone +212 [0] 44 38 90 67, fax 44 37 76 53, www.riyad-al-moussika.com).

This is a beautiful small hotel (three suites, two doubles, one single). The property is at the end of a long narrow alley and is entered through an anonymous doorway. Once inside, you enter a private world with an interior patio decorated with orange trees, a marble fountain with roses floating in it and complex...

September 2008 issue

Antarctica & Chile with Smithsonian

We took a magnificent 14-day tour of Antarctica and the Chilean fjords with Smithsonian Journeys (Box 23182, Washington, D.C. 20077-0843; 877/338-8687, www.smithsonianjourneys.org), Jan. 9-23, 2008.

The cost for two was $19,078 including airfare from New York’s JFK to Buenos Aires and Ushuaia, Argentina. We bought trip insurance, at $1,700 for the two of us, primarily because of JFK in January and having only one chance to meet the boat in Argentina.

All meals (and gourmet they were) were included. The wine was great.

There was no tipping aboard ship or on any other...