When we first visit the American Southwest, we bring with us lifetimes of expectation. We've heard about the miracle of American Indian people still living close to their homelands. We've seen a thousand photos of the stunning traditional crafts of Pueblo artists displayed on sun-warmed adobe walls.
Oaxaca, the southern Mexican city with Zapotec roots and a Spanish colonial gloss, simmers with a passionate spirit. Although known as a hotbed for social justice rallies, the city's infectious zeal goes far beyond the political. Come during one of Oaxaca's many festivals like Christmas week or the Festival of the Radishes, and you'll experience the city in its full glory. Fetes, however, can be found anytime. Andale!
SINGAPORE: ALL REVVED UP Singapore is set to stage its inaugural Formula 1 Grand Prix on Sept. 28 on the streets of Marina Bay. That's not the only first: It will be Formula One's first night-time race ever. Not ones to miss out on a good excuse to celebrate, Singaporeans are planning three weekends of festivities Sept. 20-Oct. 5.
Q: We booked a flight to Europe in business class using 180,000 award miles, and we've just learned that some of our flights will be in economy class. We need your help.
In the current travel climate, travelers have to do everything they can to keep expenses down. The airlines are downsizing, which is leading to fewer seats. More demand for those seats is leading to higher fares.
Excerpt from a letter from Walid Wahab of Miami, regarding David Swanson's story on Caribbean all-inclusive resorts from Aug. 17: ``He mentions Riu resorts, a Spanish company that has been developing large hotels rather fast around the island. I found these hotels very much out of scale and proportion to their tropical surroundings, right down to abusing the land and its beaches . . . It's worthwhile paying close attention to smaller all inclusive resorts such as Couples Swept Away, Couples Negril...
RX FOR MEDICAL KITS: I never go anywhere without a small but well-stocked medical kit, which is exposed to the same elements that I am. Good thing Adventure Medical Kits has introduced the Ultralight & Watertight line or emergency kits. Available in four sizes -- none weighing more than 10 ounces -- the kits consist of a bright yellow zippered nylon pouch containing one or two leak-proof and watertight self-sealing plastic pouches with first-aid essentials. The range of resources rises with the...
hed: Travelers to this west coast Florida city are a discerning lot. They prefer upscale hotels with fitness centers, concierge and spa services, high-thread- count sheets and plenty of plump pillows. It's no surprise the town has two Ritz- Carltons and several tony boutique hotels.
DRIED AND TRUE: If you have ever sweated inside your rainwear, getting nearly as soggy as if you had had no protection, the folks at Atlantis Weathergear have a dry idea for you. The company's Microburst line of jackets and pants are made of lightweight, waterproof, breathable and wind-resistant ripstop nylon. Adjustable elastic cuffs with Velcro tabs seal out aggressive rain drops, zippers at the arm pits help release built-up heat, and big, easy access pockets with quick-dry mesh linings let you...
GREAT BRITAIN: SAY CHEESE! This year's Great British Cheese Festival is slated for Sept. 27-28 at Cardiff Castle in the capital city of Wales. Britain's biggest Cheese Market will dominate the event with more than 500 cheeses from across the kingdom to sample and purchase, but visitors can also enjoy an extraordinary diversity of food and drink in the other markets on site.
Q: I'm disappointed with Days Inn's ''no cancellation'' policy reply and frustrated by its indifference to my predicament. I hope you can help me.
What is it about San Sebastian that has foodies reaching for superlatives (''culinary capital of Europe''; ``best place to eat in the world'')? Maybe it was the French aristocracy, who imported their haughty chefs in the 19th century, turning this belle époque town on the Basque coast of northern Spain into an epicurean resort. Or maybe it's the food-rich geography, a scallop-shaped coastline sandwiched between the fertile sea and mountainous farmlands. And then there are the Basques themselves...
If you're cruising, free (or nearly free) airfare is all the rage these days. The airfare deals are limited to selected sailings. Here are a few deals now being offered:
Q: My airline has gone under, taking my award miles with it. I need your help getting them back. My husband and I planned a trip to Maui to join our daughter and grandchildren for a summer vacation together. We contacted our credit card company, Capital One, and used 71,000 ''no hassle'' reward miles to book a roundtrip airfare from Los Angeles to Maui.
SCREEN SAVER: The screens on most cell phones and PDA's are incredibly fragile -- especially touch screens. A few specks of sand can make for deep scratches; a splash of water can wreak havoc on keypads. How then to take them safely to the beach or other hazardous environments? Aquapac is a good solution. The flexible transparent plastic sacks seal out dirt and water via plastic clips and gaskets at the top of the sack. The cases are waterproof down to 15 feet and in most cases allow for touch interface...
FAROE ISLANDS
The Faroe Islands form a mesmerizing 18-piece jigsaw puzzle, adrift between Iceland and Norway in the North Atlantic. Colorful villages huddle in emerald-green valleys beneath inscrutable barren peaks. Dramatic headlands plunge sometimes 1,000 feet into the frothing ocean swell.
JAMAICA: ROOMS WITH A VIEW SuperClubs, known for its lavish all-inclusive properties, has done a complete 180 with its Rooms Resorts: a simple continental plan hotel for visitors who want to explore activities and dining beyond their resort. That's not to say it's bare bones. There's the beach, a restaurant and bar, pool, fitness center -- but guests are encouraged to take in the local flavor as well. Rooms Resorts opened in Negril last month following the success of its sister property in Ocho Rios...
BED CHECK: MILAN The AC Milano is a 160-room gray stone monolith that opened nearly two years ago about two miles from the city's center. At first the setting, near train tracks and the city's vast cemetery, seemed remote. But then I saw that the No. 3 tram stops outside the hotel every few minutes, offering a pleasant, 10-minute trip to the Duomo. Not only that, but the hotel is just a few blocks from the hippest shopping street I found in five days of combing the city: Via Maroncelli. If you're...
Q: My husband and I recently booked a flight to Europe through Alaska Airlines using our frequent flier miles. We're going to Zurich via London on British Airways, one of Alaska's partner airlines.
RINGLING MUSEUM BANYAN CLOSED The Banyan Café on the grounds of the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art in Sarasotia has been closed for renovations. It is expected to reopen in early October. Dining choices during the renovation include the Cá d'Zan Café, open 10:30 a.m.-4 p.m. daily, and the Treviso Restaurant in the John M. McKay Visitors Pavilion, open for lunch 11 a.m.-4:30 p.m., 5-8 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday for dinner and 11 a.m.-4:30 p.m. for Sunday brunch...
In the wake of massive financial losses, the major airlines are about to cut their flights, schedules and destinations by as much as 15 percent. That 4 p.m. nonstop to Milwaukee is about to become a 7 p.m. departure making two stops en route. That 8 a.m. flight to Tampa is about to be canceled altogether.
BOOKING AGENT: The Marklight is a battery powered book light that earns its keep even when it's not illuminating a page -- as a bookmark. The engineers at Showertek started with the idea of a typical long narrow paper bookmark, then substituted two layers of flexible leather in place of the paper, and inserted a slim LED flashlight between the layers at the top end. Voila! The Marklight. The flashlight has three tiny permanent LED bulbs and two brightness settings. The leather can be bent to aim...
LOUISIANA: CREEPY CRITTERS New Orleans has gone bug-eyed over its new insectarium, and why not? About a year late in opening (Hurricane Katrina put a damper on the original plan), the $26.2 million Audubon Insectarium's displays include spiders, centipedes and crawfish as well as ants, mosquitoes and other insectoid six-leggers. Nit-pickers might say that means it isn't an insectarium, but whatever it's called, chief entomologist Jayme Necaise estimates a population of 35,000 live residents, emphasizing...
Sixth Street in Austin is legendary, but ''best known'' doesn't always equal ''best bet.'' For nightlife in Austin, revelers should look beyond Sixth Street and test out Starlite, Opal Divine's or Club de Ville.
CHILE
TORRES DEL PAINE NATIONAL PARK, Chile -- Like oceans that reach beyond the horizon, the soaring, spiky, granite peaks of Chile's Torres del Paine National Park cut us down to size.
Q: I have a trivial travel issue that is turning into something that's anything but trivial. Frontier Airlines mishandled my bags on a recent flight to Salt Lake City. I had missed a connection, and the airline promised to send the bags to my hotel. It also gave me a sheet explaining that I would be reimbursed for up to $25 in incidental expenses.
Those controversial X-ray scanners -- you know, the ones that show a clear picture of what is underneath passengers' clothing so that screeners can easily detect weapons -- made their debut at Miami International Airport last week.
Two airlines pulling out of FLL AIRLINES TAKING OFF Two discount airlines are pulling out of Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. Midwest Airlines said it will discontinue service on Sept. 8. The airline had one daily flight to Milwaukee.
TAKING THE KIDS
You can hit the road with your family this summer without hitting the car roof. The family road trip is legendary for meltdowns and grouchy parents. But the open road is actually a great place to disconnect all of those iPods, BlackBerrys, Game Boys and PDAs, relax and reconnect with family.
MONTREAL: INFINITE STYLE Is there a more famous set of initials in haute couture than YSL? The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts is showing this first retrospective devoted to the designs of fashion legend Yves Saint Laurent, who died last month at 71.
