Travelers' Intercom

I traveled through the Czech Republic in August ’13 and had the chance to stay in a lovely, new hotel in Prague, the Residence Agnes (Haštalská 19, 110 00 Prague 1, Czech Republic; phone +42 222 312417, fax +420 222 312840).

Just a 10-minute leisurely walk from the Old Town Square, the 22-room hotel has a friendly, English-speaking staff, serves a fabulous breakfast and provides a “courtesy car” for short trips. There are several very good restaurants nearby.

The summer rate...

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From the river, a view of the Old Bridge and castle in Heidelberg.

My daughter, Gina, and I were in Heidelberg, Germany, on April 24, 2011 (Easter Sunday). It was a glorious day and we decided to take a cruise upriver to Neckarsteinach.

From April 16 to Oct. 16, boats of the Weisse Flotte, or White Fleet (Neckarstaden 25, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany; phone 06221 20181, fax 20211), leave every hour, in both directions, from below the Old Bridge. The round-trip fare from Heidelberg to Neckarstaden was €11.50 (near $15.50). We bought our tickets at...

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Uxmal’s Casa del Adivino (Pyramid of the Magician).

Magnificent Chichén Itzá is the most visited set of Mayan ruins in Yucatán, Mexico. It’s certainly the most famous. Busloads of visitors descend upon Chichén Itzá’s pyramid El Castillo daily. Meanwhile, equally impressive but underrated Uxmal slumbers less than a 200-kilometer drive away. 

My wife, Paula, and I spent five nights in the state capital, Mérida, in December ’12. While certainly worth a visit on its own merits, Mérida — relaxed and safe (...

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I love to travel, making four or five trips a year. Each year for my Christmas cards, rather than listing the names of places I visited, I create a montage of photographs I took in these places. I then write a personal message on the back and identify the scenes.

How can you explain the beauty of Rio, which I visited seven times? Or the fishermen’s homes in Burano, in the Venetian Lagoon, all painted in different colors? Or a modern building sitting next to a Merlion, the...

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I have found that agents at many foreign airport security checkpoints are concerned about batteries in carry-ons. My most bizarre incident occurred in January ’13 when I was leaving Bamako, Mali, on a tour with Universal Travel System (Santa Monica, CA). 

After my carry-on passed through the scanner, our tour escort, Herb Gobles, and I were pulled out of the line for a detailed check of our carry-ons. The agent checking my bag confiscated my spare AA and AAA batteries that were packed...

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My wife and I travel to see interesting places and people and take lots of photos. If you like to do this too, do not go to Morocco! On our 2011 visit, people would run out of restaurants and physically accost us, demanding that we either erase the picture or give them money! 

This happened even at night in the big square filled with thousands of people. One man wouldn’t even let us take a picture of his cat!

Pictures of cute, little 6-year-old girls all dressed up for a...

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When traveling with a digital camera, have a special place to keep your used memory cards and flash drives so they do not get misplaced. On a trip to Southern Africa in March-April ’13, I somehow lost a drive with about 500 pictures on it. Moving every day or two to a different place during a trip can take its toll. 

Also, in addition to labeling the media with the subject of the contents, adding a name and address or email address to contact is advisable, in case someone finds it and...

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A note about the subscriber’s letter “Took New Bills to SE Asia” (Aug. ’13, pg. 50) — for years, I have been getting newer currency before I travel, and I’ve found that the bills do not have to be brand new and never used. They just should be clean, with no marks, not wrinkled or folded, and no older than about Series 2009, or five years from the year you are traveling. I ask my small-town bank a week in advance and get the currency easily.

I last visited Southeast Asia in 2002. I...

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