International Travel News

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April 2012 issue | Appears on page 54

Sincere apologies

I have been in the hospitality business (hotels) for more than 30 years and would like to respond to the subscriber’s letter titled “Emirates Flight Failings” (Feb. ’12, pg. 26).

While it does sound like the subscriber received very poor service during her flight on Emirates, and the picture of the toilet says it all, I would note that she states she wrote to the airline on June 6 and that when she hadn’t received a reply by the 10th, she wrote to the Department of Transportation....

April 2012 issue | Appears on page 54

Kudos to KAL

From New York City’s JFK Airport, my wife, Dorothy, and I headed for Phnom Penh, Cambodia, with Korean Airlines (KAL) on April 15, 2011. Our flight included a stop in Seoul with only one hour to make our connection. Unfortunately, we were delayed two hours taking off from JFK due to “technical problems.”

During the 14-hour flight to Seoul, the flight attendant assured us several times that we need not worry. When we arrived in Seoul, we found that we were two of 139 passengers who...

April 2012 issue | Appears on page 55

Vintage cars in BA

I am writing to thank Jeremy Willinger of New York City for the great tip on visiting the vintage car museum at the Automóvil Club Argentino (1850 Avenida del Libertador) in Buenos Aires, Argentina (Aug. ’11, pg. 16).

My husband and I spend a month in Buenos Aires each winter and are always happy to learn of new places to go and things to see. We visited the museum Feb. 8, 2012, and enjoyed it as much as Mr. Willinger indicated we would.

A correction about its location — as you...

April 2012 issue | Appears on page 55

Awed in Iceland

During a tour of Iceland in September 2007, we visited the waterfall Gullfoss, which was spectacular. We could walk right up to the edge of it. In its form, it almost reminded me of a wedding cake.

At Þingvellir, I stood on the bridge between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates. It felt as if I were standing on a world map. It was amazing. The fault line seems to go on forever.

MARIA CIANCIO Ossining, NY

March 2012 issue | Appears on page 14

‘Paris, Paris’

The American Library in Paris (10 rue du Général Camou, 75007 Paris, France; phone +33 [0] 1 53 59 12 60) is a great institution. It has a wonderful collection of books (in English). Even more interesting for the short-term visitor, it runs evening and afternoon programs — book reviews, authors speaking, etc., also in English — open to the public, for a small fee.

I attended a session by two authors on Nov. 16, 2011. One of them, the travel and food writer David Downie, discussed his...

March 2012 issue | Appears on page 14

A glimpse at Macedonia and Kosovo

I took a fascinating trip to Macedonia and Kosovo, March 10-20, 2011. These countries were the two components of the former Yugoslavia that I had never visited, and I explored them with Dzengis Patel, an outstanding guide and driver.

March 2012 issue | Appears on page 16

Seeks low-price barge cruise

In the January ’12 edition of ITN, on page 54 a subscriber mentions having taken a six-day barge cruise in France at a cost of what works out to $524 per person a day. My wife and I would like to experience a barge cruise but not at $524 per person per day. We would be very grateful to anyone who could provide information on companies that will charge a much lower rate for a barge cruise in France or Holland.

March 2012 issue | Appears on page 16

Museo Pajcha in Salta

Salta, in the far northwest of Argentina, has several interesting small museums. For my wife, Tamara, and me, the pick of the litter was Museo de Arte Étnico Americano (Fundación Pajcha, 20 de Febrero 831, Salta, Argentina; phone +54 387 422 9417 [website in Spanish]).

Museo Pajcha is located about eight blocks north and two blocks west of the Cathedral and the Plaza 9 de Julio. It recently moved to new quarters across the street from its original location at 838 20 de Febrero, but...