Skiing with traditions in the Franco-Swiss Alps
January 26, 2009 ·
It’s hard to resist a feeling of superhuman grandeur when you stand perched over an ocean of fresh snow watching the sun creep over the “Dents du Midi” — the Teeth of the South — a wolf’s jaw of jagged peaks soaring 10,000 feet from the valley below. Such a vision of natural splendor is [...]
Want a cheap vacation? Try a short cruise
January 21, 2009 ·
Seeking a getaway despite the downturn, Olivia Gonzalez called her travel agent with an agenda. “I said, what kind of deals do you have?” said the Miami resident, who is in her 60s, standing outside the Port of Miami. What she found was a six-day, five-night cruise through the Bahamas and Turks and Caicos for [...]
Lots more to see around Tampa than the Super Bowl
January 12, 2009 ·
You could almost see the cartoon steam come out of the ears of St. Petersburg residents last fall when ESPN analysts repeatedly referred to their city’s American League champion baseball team as the “Tampa” Rays. Forgetting the “Bay” part of the name of the Tampa Bay Rays was a major slight to St. Petersburg, the [...]
New Orleans kicks off Carnival with festivities
January 12, 2009 ·
Roll out the king cakes, plastic beads and Mardi Gras masks. Carnival season has begun in New Orleans. Jan. 6, the 12th night on the Biblical calendar, marked the beginning of the 153rd annual pre-Lenten celebration. Before it wraps up Feb. 24, almost 100 parades will have rolled in the area and thousands of riders [...]
New Year in NYC Chinatown: Culture, shopping, food
January 5, 2009 ·
The Year of the Ox begins Jan. 26 and stores all over Chinatown are selling bright red decorations to mark the new year. But while it’s easy to pick up cheap souvenirs at shops around the neighborhood, it’s also worth spending a day seeking out the unfamiliar. You can sample new dishes, listen to a [...]
NY ski areas expect more close-to-home traffic
December 22, 2008 ·
The green gondola cars streamed back up the Adirondack mountain while occasional skiers made loose parallel turns down the intermediate slope called Wild Air, stopped, removed their skis, then immediately stepped aboard the lift again. “It’s good,” snowboarder Andrew Baker said. He headed into the glass-fronted lodge at Gore Mountain, midmorning in early December, the [...]
Wonton noodles, free shows delight in Hong Kong
December 22, 2008 ·
Chances are that by the time you get off a plane in Hong Kong, you’ve already spent half of your trip’s budget on that flight. But even with a reputation for being one of the world’s top five most expensive cities to live, Hong Kong can be surprisingly cheap when you travel and eat as [...]
