I think of Amsterdam as a painter’s palette with a variety of colors to dip into. There are the vibrant rainbow shades of the famous floating flower market complemented by the subdued ochre tones of old city buildings bordered by blue canals.

And everything in this gallery of a city is easy to get to and easy to see. Whether by boat, foot or public transportation, no place is more than a few minutes from the heart of the Old Town.

On our trip to Amsterdam in July ’...

Panama Canal

On reading the current series on Panama by Randy Keck, my wife, Jean, and I are reminded of our trip there 10 years ago. As we recall, it was arranged as a more or less private tour through Panama Jones.

The thing that the company owner, Winston Rice, said up front and emphasized was that, prior to going, one should read “The Path Between the Seas” by David McCullough (latest edition, 2004, Simon & Schuster. ISBN 0743262131 — 698 pp., $35...

A reader recently “fumed” about speed traps in New Zealand after receiving a $25 fine for exceeding the posted 100 km/h speed limit by 10 km/h (Oct. ’06, pg. 79).

$25? Just wait until you get to Switzerland, where exceeding the posted limit by as little as either 2 or 3 km/h (depending on the officer’s equipment) incurs a fine much heftier than $25.

Let’s be prudent motorists and good ambassadors. LORENZ RYCHNER Denver, CO