Travel Briefs

November 2009 issue

Prehistoric rock art

The valley near Vila Nova de Foz Côa, in northeastern Portugal, is home to extensive displays of underground and outdoor Paleolithic art — horses, aurochs (wild bulls), etc.

The site, which was originally to be covered with water from a dam, was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1998 and opened to the public. In the center is the museum Quinta da Ervamoira, showing bread making and wine producing.

Entry costs €5 ($6.25) and must be arranged in advance. Closed Monday. Phone +351 279 768 260 or 261, fax 768 270 or visit www.ipa.min-cultura.pt/coa/en.

February 2008 issue

Welly wanging in Wales

On the southwest coast of Wales, the annual Mud Festival takes place in 2008 on Sept. 6-7. Showcasing mud’s importance in estuaries, activities include welly wanging (the throwing of a Wellington boot as far into the estuary as one can), tug-of-war, mud hut construction and a “mud safari” walk in the estuary.

Admission to the WWT National Wetland Centre Wales (Llwynhendy, Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, SA14 9SH; phone 01554 741087, fax 01554 744101 or visit www.wwt.org.uk/centre/120/national_wetland_centre_wales.html) costs £6.30 (near $12) adult or £4.95 senior/student. Open daily 9:30...

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October 2008 issue

Norway’s culture

Norway’s heritage will be the focus of a year-long program entitled “Year of Cultural Heritage in 2009.” It will include exhibitions, cultural tours, monument collections and school projects. The website www.kulturminneaaret2009.no/english will pre­sent a cultural monument of the week and an article of the month.

January 2008 issue

Walk Phuket

A “Phuket Town Treasure Map” shows a 2-kilometer walking trail of the Old Town of Phuket, Thailand, identifying historic buildings, shops and restaurants and offering snippets of information. 

For a copy, contact the Tourism Authority of Thailand Phuket office (73-75 Phuket Rd., Muang, Phuket, 83000 Thailand; phone [66] 076 211 036 or 212 213, fax 076 213 582, www.tourismthailand.org).

February 2009 issue

Crystal Cruises savings

Book a 2009 Europe, Asia or transatlantic cruise aboard the Crystal Symphony or Crystal Serenity by March 31 and receive 20% off on one of more than 50 Crystal itineraries in 2010. The 2010 cruise must be booked by Nov. 30, 2009. Contact Crystal Cruises (888/799-4625, www.crystalcruises.com).

September 2008 issue

Surrealism exhibition

The Scharf-Gerstenberg collection, housed in Berlin in the newly renovated Stüler building (10 miles east of the city center, opposite the castle), is hosting a 10-year exhibition of surrealist and presurrealist art. Including works by René Magritte, Paul Klee and Salvador Dalí, the collection is open 10-6 Tuesday-Sunday. €8 ($12.50).

Contact the Stülerbau (Schloßstraße 70, 14059 Berlin, Germany; phone +49 0 30 34357315, fax +49 0 30 3435 7312, www.smb.museum).

March 2009 issue

Frequent-flyer e-mails

YAPTA (www.yapta.com) is a flight-search engine that finds options for you based on your flight dates, times and preferences. It tracks airfares on flights you want and notifies you via e-mail if the prices change.

Now YAPTA also notifies you when award seats become available for which you may use your frequent-flyer miles. Frequent-flyer programs currently supported include those of the airlines Alaska, Continental, Delta, United and US Airways. The service is free to use; the site carries advertising. 

August 2008 issue

Solar eclipse cruise

On July 22, 2009, a total eclipse of the sun will be visible on a path from west to east across central India, continuing over SE Asia, central China and the Pacific Ocean, ending in Polynesia. Viewing times will be as high as 6.39 minutes (a time length which won’t occur again until 2132). 

Eclipse of the Century is offering an 8-night cruise from Keelung (Taipei), Taiwan, that will put the ship at an optimum viewing point, near Yakushima Island, Japan. 

The cruise-only price of £1,395-£2,375 per person, shared room, includes five nights aboard Superstar Libra with all meals...

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