International Travel News

Travelers' Intercom

May 2011 issue | Appears on page 32

Paris Métro tickets

On a visit to Paris, Sept. 21-29, 2010, several times my wife and I had problems getting Métro tickets at the smaller stations that had only one agent, who seemed only to supply information and did not dispense tickets anymore.

He’d tell us to use the automated machine, which only took chip-and-PIN cards or coinage. Some machines did take paper money, but it was hard to tell which were which.

We always tried to get a carnet of 10 tickets at a time to avoid having to repeatedly...

May 2011 issue | Appears on page 33

Antigua café

While in Antigua, Guatemala, in November ’10, my travel partner, Eilieen, and I had a delightful lunch at Café Condesa (Central Park, 5a Avenida Norte, Numero 4, La Antigua; phone/fax [502] 7832 0338 or e-mail lastrescondesas@hotmail.com), which was recommended by another ITN subscriber (Aug. ’10, pg. 46). I had carried a copy of the recommendation with me and gave it to the manager, who was delighted to have it.

We ate very good food in a courtyard with a fountain tinkling next to...

May 2011 issue | Appears on page 33

Vacuum bags

You probably have seen ads for plastic bags that use a vacuum cleaner or other special gadget to compact clothes for efficient packing. The idea is good. The problem, however, is that when you’re away from home, where do you find a vacuum cleaner to use when packing for your return trip?

Our solution is to buy large (two-gallon or larger), resealable freezer bags from our local supermarket. We keep heavy socks in one bag and underwear in one or two others.

We partially seal the...

May 2011 issue | Appears on page 54

India with Worldview Tours

I love India. I visited again at 83, traveling with my 60-year-old son on the 16-day “Ancient Heritage of South India” tour, March 6-23, 2010, with Worldview Tours (Newport Beach, CA; 800/373-0388). It was offered with no single supplement, making it affordable for us.

I would certainly recommend Worldview Tours, whose Nino Mohan assured us that even if few people signed up, the tour would still go. As it turned out, we had a driver and air-conditioned Toyota SUV all to ourselves. All...

May 2011 issue | Appears on page 54

Treasures of Travel in Turkey

After taking the 22-day “Eastern Turkey and the Black Sea” tour from Treasures of Travel (Edmonds, WA; 800/572-0526), we’re convinced that the region has it all: dramatic scenery, antiquities, archaeological sites dating back to perhaps 9,000 BC reflecting the various empires that once ruled in the area and, today, a fascinating variety of ethnic cultures.

Our tour, May 5-26, 2010, cost $3,600 per person, including one internal flight. We chose this tour after receiving a number of...

May 2011 issue | Appears on page 55

Ein prosit! at Oktoberfest

My wife and son and I attended the 200th anniversary of Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany, with BayernTrips (Ironwood, MI; 888/686-4240), which we found on the Internet. BayernTrips owners Scott and Vonia led our 12-day “Connoisseur’s Trip,” Sept. 11-22, 2010. The land cost was $2,500 per person, with single supplement $495.

After everyone in our small group arrived in Munich, we set off to visit Weihenstephan, the world’s oldest brewery. Its outdoor courtyard was the perfect spot to...

May 2011 issue | Appears on page 56

License requested

Rick Steves states that he has never been asked for an International Driving Permit (Jan. ’11, pg. 67). My wife, Judy, and I have traveled to Europe a modest 10 times and never had one before our trip in September ’10, but I was so glad I had it that time.

As we were leaving Salzburg, Austria, for Bad Reichenhall, Germany, one evening around 9:30 p.m., right at the city limits two policemen waved yellow flares at the car in front of us. I drove slowly to pass but was pulled over too....

May 2011 issue | Appears on page 57

‘Casual pub’ in Brussels

Among all the cafés, restaurants and other more elegant and expensive “refreshment stops” in the cosmopolitan city of Brussels, it’s not easy to find a casual pub, but Au Brasseur (rue des Chapeliers 9, 1000 Brussels, Belgium; phone 02 512 6868) is something special.

We were in Brussels Dec. 8-14, 2010, and found Au Brasseur on our very first day while taking shelter from some blustery winds after walking through the Grand Place. Only a block off the square in the city’s historic...