Travelers' Intercom

July 2009 issue

Orangutan sanctuary, Malaysian Borneo
By Ted Mullett

Here are my impressions of Malaysian Borneo from a 2-week November trip my wife, Carol, and I took there with smarTours (New York, NY; 800/337-7773, www.smartours.net).

It’s hot (of course), bustling, surprisingly clean, inexpensive and, best of all, very friendly. We walked everywhere, on city streets and jungle trails, and took boats and rode public buses, always feeling safe and enjoying friendly receptions. All the roads were in very good condition. Kuala Lumpur is a very big city, but it’s very tourist-friendly and easy to get around in on foot or by transit....

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April 2009 issue

Wildlife on African safari
By George Hobgood

In November ’07, my wife and I traveled to Botswana, Zambia and South Africa on a private trip for just the two of us organized by Rothschild Safaris (Denver, CO; 800/405-9463, www.rothschildsafaris.com). They did an exceptional job in helping us set up this trip, and I would highly recommend them. It was not inexpensive, our 21 days costing $15,720 per person without international airfare, but the trip was first class. In Botswana we stayed at Mombo Camp, Botswana’s top wildlife documentary location, where many of the National Geographic specials on African wildlife are...

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August 2008 issue

Tembe National Elephant Park
By Jackie Black

At Tembe National Elephant Park (www.tembe.co.za) on a November visit to South Africa, the high wooden blind near the water hole provided the opportunity for us to watch an amazing collection of animals slaking their thirst: wary giraffes with their awkwardly splayed legs, regal waterbucks with white “toilet seat” markings on their rears, herds of shaggy nyala, ugly warthogs. . . . All deferred to the massive, elderly elephants when they lumbered up to drink, splash and rinse, greeting each other.

JACKIE BLACK

Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada

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June 2008 issue

A treasure from the Hermitage
By Gerald Rodriguez

Just one of the three million pieces of art in the 1,000-room Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg.

GERALD RODRIGUEZ

Santa Fe, NM

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December 2009 issue

Dazu Wheel of Life

Dazu was one of the stops on our fabulous month-long trip to China with China Focus Travel (San Francisco, CA; 800/868-7244, www.chinafocustravel.com) in August ’07.

The Dazu Rock Carvings have eluded the ravages of war, purges and treasure hunters, the vivid carvings still standing to relate stories culled from Taoist, Confucian and Buddhist beliefs.

Among the outstanding carvings is the Wheel of Life (pictured above; photo by Claude Hansen), in which a giant, toothy demon holds the gigantic wheel depicting the possible states of reincarnation.

JOAN HANSEN...

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October 2009 issue

Wildlife in Patagonia

My friend Mary and I took the 15-day “Patagonian Frontiers” cruise-tour from Odysseys Unlimited (Newton, MA; 888/370-6765, www.odysseys-unlimited.com) in February-March ’08. After four days in Buenos Aires, we flew to Ushuaia, Argentina, and toured Tierra de Fuego National Park, then boarded the M/V Australis for 3½ days of calm sailing and fun Zodiac trips to islands, including Magdalena Island, where 200,000 penguins live. We then went to Torres del Paine National Park, where our hotel, Rìo Serrano, had a fantastic view of the rugged mountains. The weather was...

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August 2009 issue

Pena Palace in Sintra, Portugal

Jews lived in Portugal for centuries, both during the Moorish period and after the Christian conquest. My husband, Jerry, and I took an excellent, 10-day customized tour of Portugal and Morocco, with an emphasis on the history and culture of Jews in both countries. We arranged it with Heritage Tours (New York, NY; 800/378-4555, http://htprivatetravel.com). In Portugal we visited Lisbon, Sintra and Óbidos. In Sintra, don’t miss the Pena Palace (pictured above, behind Nili); I have never seen anything like it except maybe at Disneyland. In Tomar, what had been a synagogue in the 15th...

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January 2008 issue

Hotel Amstel, Amsterdam
By June Griffin
Hotel Amstel

On a cruise through Holland and Belgium in spring 2005, we saw a number of canals, including this one in Edam. We sailed round trip from Amsterdam, and one highlight came at the end of the 10-day cruise as we drove through the tulip fields of Holland to visit Keukenhof Gardens, near Lisse. We had a last day in Amsterdam and I arranged to have lunch (served Monday-Friday) at the famous hotel Amstel (Professor Tulpplein 1). I knew this gracious hotel from past visits, and a lunch at their 2-Michelin-star restaurant, La Rive, is a treat.

JUNE GRIFFIN, Lewiston, ME