Travel Tidbits

On an Elderhostel trip to South Africa, we visited the Stellenbosch Village Museum (Erfurthuis, Ryneveldstreet 37, Stellenbosch 7600; phone 021 887 2948, www.museums.org.za/stellmus/village_museum.htm). It consists of four houses and their gardens, each in a different architectural style. From the rustic Schreudeurhuis of 1709 to the elegant, 2-story Grosvenor House from the 1800s, they provide insight into the lifestyles of the past. — JACKIE BLACK, Thunder Bay, ON, Canada

I overnighted in the modern town of Veliko Tarnovo, located on the Yantra River, while on tour. The city was Bulgaria’s capital during the Middle Ages, and today it still retains some of its most attractive features. Even more interesting was our visit to Arbanassi, once the summer residence of Bulgarian kings. The village is famous for its architecture; many of its houses are a cross between a dwelling and a fortress. Arbanassi is truly a photographer’s dream. — JIM HENDRICKSON, Lynden, WA