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Easy Pass to Rome Since
time immemorial Romans have thought that they were the center of the
world. Now they are out to prove it by
making it easier and less expensive for visitors to see the magnificent
historic sites of the city. Once
in Rome it’s not difficult to realize that every time you put your foot down,
you are stepping on centuries of history, much of it yet to be uncovered. You can stand in the Roman Forum where the
leaders of the then known world met to plan their conquests and where the body
of Julius Caesar was displayed as Marc Antony delivered his double-edged
eulogy. You
can walk in the Circus Maximus where the hoof beats of thousands of horses
pulled chariots for the amusement of ancient race goers and stand in the Coliseum
where lions devoured devout Christians for the delight of the emperor. You
could do all of that but you would have to reach into your pocket for a handful
of lire and you would have to stand on line for the privilege of paying to see
the sights. Not
any longer. Rome’s
Deputy Mayor, Mariapia Garavaglia was a visitor in her “second favorite city,”
New York, last week to present a new initiative designed to alleviate the long
waits in line for attractions and the cost that might have been discouraging
tourism. “I
am here to sell Roma, something that is both easy and a pleasure,” she said
through an interpreter. “I am offering a
key to the city; a key that will give the visitor discounts on admission and
preferential entry to such magnificent locations as the Coliseum.” The
Deputy Mayor also announced that an agreement had been reached and signed with
Rome’s notoriously expensive taxi drivers who made a ride from the city’s
airports to a hotel a near-budget breaking experience. “And
I am most happy to report,” she said, “that Rome has become a city where
foreigners can feel safe.” Areas
of Rome, particularly near the famed Coliseum were rife with young criminals,
especially pickpockets. New law
enforcement initiatives have reduced crime and made the areas considerably more
visitor-friendly. The
new “Rome Pass,” costing 18 Euros until the end of this year and then adjusted
upwards by two Euros for 2007, will provide virtually unlimited access around
the city. The Pass will entitle the
bearer to free admission for the first to sites visited and then discounts of
up to half for the others. The pass will
be valid for three consecutive days from its first use. It
is valid for admission to all municipal and state monuments, museums and
archaeological sites. There will also be
reduced rates for exhibitions and events that are part of the network and will
be listed in the accompanying booklet. But
more, also included is a pass for use on virtually all public transport, buses
and underground, within the city. That
alone could pay the bearer back the cost of the pass. In
the packet in which the two passes are included are also a map of Rome, a
booklet listing events and a guide in Italian and English with a compilation of
attractions and sites within the Eternal City ranging from the Villa dei
Quintilli to the Anfiteatro Flavio, the famed Coliseum. The
map will provide detailed information of the underground stations, location of
museums and other sites, bus and underground timetables and important telephone
numbers. Of
equal importance is the agreement reached with taxi drivers that will set prix
fixe rates from Fiumicino and Ciampino Airports to the heart of Rome, which
includes the majority of hotels. The
rates will be 40 Euro from Fiumcino and 30 Euro from Ciampino to locations
within the Aurelian Walls. The same
rates will be valid for transportation from within those boundaries to the
airports. Ricardo
Strano, Director for North America of the Italian Government Tourist Board,
said his agency would be making a concerted effort to educate tour operators
and the public in general about the new programs and how they would greatly
benefit visitors to Rome. He noted that
Rome is an exceptionally popular destination for visitors from the United States
and has been named by Conde Nast Traveler Magazine as one of the three most
popular cities in the world. The
Roma Pass packets will be available at hotels in Rome as well as news stands
and tobacconist shops. In the United
States it will be available through travel agencies and tour operators. Experience the History & Romance of Puerto Rico with two Summer packages at the Sheraton Old San Juan
Smugglers' Notch Resort Vermont
Smuggler’s Notch, known as a “family
destination for winter and summer, is entertaining a program
designed to emphasize the need to keep the planet green and renew
resources. The
“Trash? Or No Trash?” event is an extension of the
Family Ties program, a weekly series of play dates orchestrated to
involve family members in a single activity. To participate in the
Trash Sculpture families bring man-made materials to the
presentation site and using Vermont’s basic bonding materials of
baling twine and duct tape add their “found” or recyclable items to
the sculpture to see how art is created from throw-away items.
Each week’s sculpture will be named by participants and winners will
be announced at the Thursday Vermont Country Fair.
The avian
species may be gently scrutinized
by Smugglers’ guests in a variety of new ways this summer. The Birds
and Bloomers Wike is the beginners’ introduction to identifying the
songs and sights of local bird inhabitants. An experienced guide
teaches bird watching (and wildflower identification) tricks.
This easy wander is ideal for kids and parents to enjoy
together. Two new bird gardens with seating for humans
will lure Smugglers’ guests to quiet observation of the winged
creatures who visit the feeders, baths, and houses in these
habitats. Binoculars on loan from the Clubhouse enhance focus
and identification. A special Birds for Kids pack that
includes a Stokes Beginner Guide to Birds – Eastern Region and
kid-sized binoculars are also available to borrow.
Guests inclined to self-study may learn to
identify bird songs from a comfy chaise lounge on their condo deck,
memorizing the vocalizations – both songs and calls - from the
Bird Songs book by Beletsky, a notable bird biologist.
The book has more than 250 recordings of common birds accompanied by
illustrations and easy-to-understand text about each bird’s range,
ecology and behavior. This bird-watcher’s aid with the digital
audio technology may be borrowed from the Clubhouse at Smugglers’
Notch Resort pre or post other birding activities or
nap. The Living Machine
Tour showcases a unique wastewater
treatment solution. Plants, flowers and even a few critters
make their homes in a specially built green house where they purify
effluent through their growth and consumption of grey water.
Guests are guided through the Living Machine, a bright and odorless
glass structure, by the Living Machine’s knowledgeable operator who
explains the process. The Living Machine Tour is part of the Smuggs
Village Intro Wike which explores The Village and surrounding area.
(A wike is more strenuous than a walk, but less demanding than a
hike.) Environmental
topics are discussed by guides in
many of Smugglers’ daily hikes. For example, the story of Smugglers’
efforts to protect bear habitat becomes part of the Bears &
Berries Wike for families. During the River Walk guides discuss
stream bank restoration and erosion controls that preserve water
quality. In the Rum Runner’s Wike and Bootleggers’ Basin Wike
environmental controls instituted to monitor snowmaking water usage
and stream flow retention become part of the topical
delivery. The Bargain Bin
& Rental Shop is a new shop in
Smugglers’ Smugglers’ Notch is an award-winning
family Resort located amidst the Green Mountains of northern
Ireland, a bit of green
for everyone’s heart By
Bob & Sandy Nesoff Member: North American
Travel Journalists Association You first see it in the distance as your jetliner moves from the dark blue of the Atlantic Ocean and over the sharply defined cliffs of Ireland’s western coastline. The green is so bright it almost screams at you. It brought to mind our first baseball game in Ebbets Field, the home of the hated Brooklyn Dodgers oh so many years ago. Walking with the crowd through the concrete and steel passageways into the arena and suddenly being blinded by the beautiful green of the field. They don’t play much baseball here, more likely golf, but the color is so rich and beautiful as to defy description. Little wonder they call it “The Emerald Isle.” The Continental flight over has been exactly as a flight should be…smooth and uneventful. Customs and Immigration at Shannon are both perfunctory and within minutes we spot the neatly dressed man in the queue holding a sign with our names on it. And just a scant few minutes later we are seated in luxury in a black Mercedes and on our way to the brand new Doonbeg Golf Resort on Ireland’s coast. The drive is only about an hour but you find yourself almost wishing that it took longer as you zip through the countryside and past quaint little village that seem to have been conceived in a storybook. As the car moves along the moors a magnificent castle looms in the distance, surrounded by the lush countryside. The driver crooks a finger, points to it and announces that this is the Doonbeg Golf Resort. Perhaps the only thing missing is a greeting from the “Lord of the manor.” You can feel the tensions of home beginning to slip away. Only recently opened, Doonbeg looks for all the world like a classical castle. Surrounded by a links golf course and fronting onto the ocean, Accommodations are easily five star, worthy of an overall five star designation for Doonbeg. Those familiar with a links course know that it means walking the “18” with little room for a cart. But that means nothing for the opportunity to stay here. For the non-golfer Doonbeg has plenty to offer. It is a short ride to the docks for a ferry cruise to the Cliffs of Mohr. We opted instead for the run to the Islands. While the cliffs are a stunning sight, we definitely made the right choice. The ferry cuts a gentle path through Galway Bay, heading west with the Cliffs below us to the south. The slight rise that is the island of Innishmore creeps almost warily up on the horizon. Clambering ashore we have found ourselves in an Ireland that has somehow escaped the 20th century, much less the 21st century. The small village has no hustle, no bustle. It does have the locals moving about tending to their daily business. The small line of horse-drawn carts lined up at the dockside are about the only surrender to tourism. The island has been designed by the tourism department, or so it seems. The little plots of pasture delineated by fences of rocks eons old, dot the landscape. Sheep graze peacefully, oblivious to the clicking of camera shutters. People walking the stone paved roadway gently wave to each other as they pass; some smiling and voicing a greeting to the visitors. This isn’t Times Square. The van on the way back to Doonbeg flies through some of the most beautiful villages that have been constructed out of a visitor’s guide. Unfortunately we do not have the time to stop and browse the shops or pubs because we have a tight schedule and are due back at Doonbeg. Our entire stay in Ireland is only two nights and there is so much to pack into that tight time frame. At the resort the golfers have reluctantly come off the course. We looked at the faces for the traditional frustration known only to golfers and fishermen who love their sport but curse it at the same time. We found nothing but smiling and contented golfers who spent the entire evening talking about each hole on the links with reverence. Set in the middle of the moors, Doonbeg affords ample opportunity to see and enjoy the countryside. On our final day we opted for horseback riding through the moors. Again we passed through the picturesque villages on the way to the riding stables, a short and comfortable ride away. Each rider is mounted on a horse and then evaluated for proficiency. Riders are also required to don a helmet that could easily have passed for a black construction workers top piece. Oh well, safety and insurance regulations, we suppose. The ride took us into some of the back country with virtually no buildings in sight. There was none of the Texas-type whoop-dee-do and galloping. Ireland is a country that needs to be taken in slowly with time to appreciate its culture, history and sights.
Consumer Reports: Travel Insurance is Rarely Needed In most cases, travelers would do better saving their money for souvenirs, rather than wasting it on travel insurance, says a recent issue of Consumer Reports. Travel insurance often merely duplicates coverage that people already have. CR recommends that travelers should think twice
before purchasing products including trip cancellation/interruption
insurance, personal effects or baggage coverage, emergency medical
assistance, accidental death policies, and
others. “Many people don't realize
it, but travel insurance often duplicates coverage they already have
through their credit cards, homeowners insurance, life insurance and
other policies,” said Greg Daugherty, Editor at Large at Consumer
Reports. Daugherty said that one possible exception would be
emergency medical coverage for travelers in poor health heading
overseas, if their health insurance doesn’t cover them outside the
Credit cards sometimes provide coverage for
accidental death, lost baggage and rental cars; and homeowners
insurance often covers policyholders’ possessions outside the home
and damage to luggage and cameras. The Consumer Reports points out that consumers
are likely to receive refunds even on canceled trips and events
considered beyond an airline or other provider’s control, such as
war or a natural disaster. In addition, airlines are required to
reimburse travelers for lost bags.
- Before you buy, check your homeowners and other policies to
avoid any overlapping coverage. These policies may already provide
adequate protection. - Avoid purchasing policies through tour operators or cruise lines. If they go bankrupt, you could be out of luck. Instead, purchase through a third party insurer such as InsureMyTrip.com.
- Bear in mind that not all credit
cards offer protection and that some are better than others. The
American Express platinum card, for example, provides a hefty
$500,000 in accidental death and dismemberment
insurance. The
full report about travel insurance, in the May 2007 issue of
Consumer Reports is available to subscribers of www.ConsumerReports.org. | | |||||||||||||
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