Travel Savings Alerts Newsletter -June 2006 Issue
tips2travel
P.O. Box 91033
Columbus OH 43209
http://tsalerts.fre.espaces.com
travel...@wowmail.com
ISSN: 1542-801X, Copyright 2006, All Rights Reserved
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In This Issue:
Ohio State Park 45% Savings
Arizona Biltmore Savings to 36%
El Al Value Vacations
New Business Class Airline
Fontainebleau Suites Miami Beach Summer Rates
New Mexico Pass for Museums, Monuments
Eat Cheap in NYC
Roma Pass
Up to 55% off at the Palms Turks & Caicos
Up To 40% Off Fairmont Summer Rates
Tips for Swimmers' Ear
Tambor Beach Hotel Summer Savings
Fre.e Shuttle to Universal Studios Hollywood
Greyhound "Road Rewards" Program
Fr.ee Roundtrip Air with Apple Honeymoon
Gas Relief
Budapest, Hungary by Kay Douglas
Wonders of America Sweepstakes
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HOT SUMMER SCENE STEALERS! - Get a whole new summer look with our hot
chile pepper red coral earrings. Handcrafted in Thailand, these
beauties have small cubes and beads of coral dangling from the finest
sterling silver wires and accented with 2mm sterling silver beads.
Perfect for all those summer activities. Value priced at $19.95.
Order at http://www.3ajewels.biz/
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Ohio State Park 45% Savings - - Maumee Bay State Park Resort in
northwestern Ohio offers summer packages, including a new package
called "Relaxation Destination," with a 45 percent savings.
Introduced this year, "Relaxation Destination" includes two nights'
lodging, $25 meal coupon, two half-hour massages, $20 gift certificate
for spa products, chocolate-covered strawberries and a bottle of wine.
Package components represent a 45 percent savings off regular prices.
Available through Oct. 31, 2006, "Relaxation Destination" is priced
at $319 per couple Sunday through Thursday and $339 per couple Friday
and Saturday.
The golf package gives players a chance to play at a bargain price.
Priced at $245 per person for Sunday through Thursday stays and $255
per person on Friday and Saturday, the package is based on double
occupancy and includes two nights' lodging in a double room, two
breakfasts per person, two dinners per person, 36 holes and use of a
golf cart for each person. The package is available through Oct. 31,
2006.
The "Family Adventure" packages offer two nights in a double room
and a $25 meal coupon for stays Sundays through Thursdays through Sep.
5, 2006. The first package is $279 and features a ½-hour jet ski
rental for two and unlimited paddle boat or canoe rental for four. A
$319 package includes 18 holes of golf and cart rental for two and
unlimited paddle boat or canoe
rental for four.
On the shore of Lake Erie, Maumee Bay State Park Resort is an easy
drive from Cedar Point Amusement Park and South Bass Island's
Put-In-Bay.
Package rates do not include taxes. The resort also offers
last-minute online bargains called "Hot Dates."
Maumee Bay State Park Resort http://www.maumeebayresort.com or
800/282-7275.
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Arizona Biltmore Savings to 36% - - Special room rates, enhanced
poolside amenities and on-property activities for adults and kids are a
part of a summer 2006 getaway at the 738-room Arizona Biltmore Resort
& Spa in Phoenix, AZ.
Through Sep. 10, 2006, the resort offers room rates from $129 weekdays
(Sunday to Thursday) and $159 weekends (Friday and Saturday). The
published rate during this period is $195 so savings are up to 36
percent. Rates are subject to availability and do not include tax and
$20 resort fee.
Summer activities include wine tastings, cigar rolling, regional
artisan displays, family pottery painting, and "Bilts'mores"
marshmallow roasts with a cowboy balladeer sing-along. At the
"Dive-In Movies," children and adults enjoy feature films projected
onto a large screen while floating in the Paradise Pool. The Kids
Korral program offers supervised sports, games, arts and crafts for
children five to 12 years old.
The Paradise Pool consists of three different pools of varying size
and depth; a 92-foot waterslide; in-water bar and dining; poolside
dining; beverage service anywhere in the pool area; a variety of
pool-side games and activities; and a pool-side spa offering massages,
manicures and hair braids. The resort also offers seven other pools;
two 18-hole golf courses; 18-hole putting course that meanders through
the resort gardens; seven tennis courts; full-service spa, salon, and
fitness center; life-size lawn chess; and croquet.
Arizona Biltmore http://www.arizonabiltmore.com or 800/950-0086.
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Give a Jaguar -- An Amber Jaguar
The remarkable face of a jaguar is hand-carved onto a lovely piece of
cherry amber that's 33mm x 20 mm in size. The dramatic pendent hangs on
an ultra-chic 18" natural-colored leather necklace cord with a sterling
silver clasp. Boy will this turn heads.
High-style boutiques and jewelers charge $500 or more for this glam
piece. It's yours for only $125 plus shipping & insurance. Order at:
http://www.3ajewels.biz, click on the amber category.
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El Al Value Vacations - - EL AL, Israel's national airline, offers
savings on vacation packages for passengers flying from the United
States to Israel through October 2006.
EL AL has partnered with first-class hotels in Israel to offer
air/land specials from New York (JFK/Newark) and Miami (twice-weekly
flights) and direct service from Los Angeles and Chicago to Israel.
Packages include five nights' accommodation with Israeli buffet
breakfast daily at some top hotels in Israel (prices are per person,
based on double occupancy). Reduced rates for children and extra
nights are also available.
Package prices are: New York nonstop to Israel staying at the Dan
Panorama Hotels in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and Haifa $1,419; Regency
Jerusalem Hotel (with two 45 min. spa treatments) $1,459; Holiday Inn
Hotels (Crowne Plaza) in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Eilat, the Dead Sea and
the Holiday Inn in Haifa $1,499; Carlton Hotel in Tel Aviv $1,549;
Sheraton Plaza Jerusalem and Sheraton Moriah Tel Aviv and Tiberias
$1,579; and the Inbal Hotel in Jerusalem $1,599.
Package prices from Los Angeles staying at the Dan Panorama Hotels in
Jerusalem, Tel Aviv & Haifa for $1,729; Regency Jerusalem Hotel (with
two 45 min. spa treatments) for $1,769; Holiday Inn Hotels (Crowne
Plaza) in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Eilat, the Dead Sea and the Holiday Inn
in Haifa for $1,809; Carlton Hotel in Tel Aviv for $1,859; Sheraton
Plaza Jerusalem and Sheraton Moriah Tel Aviv and Tiberias for $1,889;
and the Inbal Hotel in Jerusalem for $1,939.
Package prices from Miami staying at the Dan Panorama Hotels in
Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and Haifa for $1,589; Regency Jerusalem Hotel (with
two 45 min. spa treatments) for $1,629; Holiday Inn Hotels (Crowne
Plaza) in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Eilat, the Dead Sea and the Holiday Inn
in Haifa for $1,669; Carlton Hotel in Tel Aviv for $1,719; Sheraton
Plaza Jerusalem and Sheraton Moriah Tel Aviv and Tiberias for $1,749;
and the Inbal Hotel in Jerusalem for $1,809.
Packages from Chicago staying at the Dan Panorama Hotels in Jerusalem,
Tel Aviv and Haifa for $1,529; Regency Jerusalem Hotel (with two 45
min. spa treatments) for $1,569; Holiday Inn Hotels (Crowne Plaza) in
Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Eilat, the Dead Sea and the Holiday Inn in Haifa
for $1,599; Carlton Hotel in Tel Aviv for $1,659; Sheraton Plaza
Jerusalem and Sheraton Moriah Tel Aviv and Tiberias for $1,679; and the
Inbal Hotel in Jerusalem for $1,739.
Packages are subject to availability and must be ticketed at least
three weeks prior to departure. Tickets are valid six to 30 days, are
non-refundable once issued and must be ticketed in "H" class. Up
to $82 in taxes not included. Cancellation/change and other
restrictions may apply.
EL AL http://www.elal.com or 800/EL AL-747.
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New Business Class Airline - - Silverjet is the new business-class
only, low-cost airline for London to New York service. The first
all-business class airlines with low-cost fares, MAXjet and eos, began
operating between London and the U.S. in November 2005.
According to Silverjet CEO Lawrence Hunt, the airline is expected to
start Luton to Newark business-class service six to nine months after
it lists on London's Alternative Investment Market (AIM) in May.
The company eventually wants to run a 10-aircraft fleet to other
destinations. All 100 seats onboard will have flatbeds and full
business class service. There will also be significantly reduced
check-in times, as little as 30 minutes. The airline will be based on
a model similar to short-haul budget counterparts easyJet and Ryanair.
Hunt told the UK press that airlines gain the most profits from
premium customers and lose money in economy class. Business class
passengers subsidize economy class. Without economy seats, prices can
come down without any compromise in service.
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Fontainebleau Suites Miami Beach Summer Rates - - Fontainebleau Suites
in Miami Beach, FL offers a summer rate on all studio and one-bedroom
suites. The studio suites, 500 square feet with a spacious sitting area
and kitchenette, start at $169 per night. The 1,000 square-foot,
one-bedroom suite features a full living room with dining area and
breakfast bar, full kitchen, two full bathrooms, walk-in closet and
washer/dryer. It starts at $269 per night.
These rates are in effect through Sept. 30, 2006, excluding holidays,
and subject to availability.
Fontainebleau Suites features a coffee bar, express business center,
breakfast buffet, fitness center, fr.ee wireless Internet, grocery
shopping service, plus a f,ree shuttle to Bal Harbour Shops, Aventura
Mall and Lincoln Road.
In addition to the new amenities, Fontainebleau Suites also features
more than 1,000 feet of ocean beach, lagoon swimming pool, 7th floor
outdoor pool, poolside restaurant and bar, in-room dining, valet
parking, and full concierge and housekeeping services.
All Fontainebleau suites feature a king bed and queen sofa bed,
32-inch LG flat-screen television, entertainment system, separate bath
tub and stall shower, marble bathroom floors, work desk, large closets
and balcony. All are equipped with flatware, dishware and glassware.
Two-bedroom suites are also available, connecting a studio and
one-bedroom suite via a private marble foyer. Extended-stay plans are
offered for anyone looking for a "home away from home."
Fontainebleau Suites Miami Beach http://www.fontainebleau.com or
800/548-8886.
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Fr-ee Fun San Diego -- This savings-packed FR.EE brochure features
almost 40 Fun, Fr-ee Things to do in San Diego. When heading to
Southern California, attend concerts or visit a State Historic Park and
keep that cash in your pocket by knowing what you can see and do for
fr-ee.
To order Fr-ee Fun San Diego for a $1 handling fee, send
an email to in...@onthegopublishing.com with Order Fr-ee Fun San Diego
in the subject line.
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New Mexico Pass for Museums, Monuments - - With the nation's largest
and most diverse family of state-run museums, the New Mexico Department
of Cultural Affairs offers a one-ticket pass for entry into all of the
state's 14 museums and historic monuments.
The New Mexico CulturePass allows you one-time visits to each of the
eight museums and six monuments that are funded and operated by the
State of New Mexico. The $20 pass is valid for one year from date of
first use and is available to New Mexico residents and tourists. The
passes are good for general admission only. Films shown in museum
theaters, certain special events and programming are not included.
Museums in the New Mexico CulturePass include: Palace of the
Governors, Museum of Fine Arts, Museum of International Folk Art,
Museum of Indian Arts and Culture in Santa Fe; Museum of Natural
History and Science, National Hispanic Cultural Center in Albuquerque;
New Mexico Museum of Space History in Alamogordo; Farm and Ranch
Heritage Museum in Las Cruces.
At $20, the New Mexico CulturePass represents more than a 50 percent
savings if all 14 museums and monuments are visited. The average
admission price to a state museum is $5, $3 to a State Monument.
The CulturePass is sold at all state museums and monuments, on the
department's website and at the Tourism Department's visitor centers
statewide.
New Mexico CulturePass http://www.newmexicoculture.org
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Eat Cheap in NYC - - It's possible to find dining deals at New York's
top restaurants. The DiningFever web site is fr.ee and easy-to-use
website and is dedicated to displaying restaurant special-offers and
discounts. On the website, you can find deals offered by high-end
restaurants, casual cafes, and even fast food establishments in the New
York City area.
You can search restaurant deals by cuisine, neighborhood, restaurant
name, day of the week and other categories. Offers also includes
discounts and savings for dine-in at home meals through delivery or
takeout. In addition, you can sign up for the "Top Deals Newsletter",
which will send you new and exclusive deals.
Finding a deal is easy. Search through the categories or click on the
special deals listed on the home page. Once you find a preferred deal,
either print out the certificate or mention DiningFever at the
restaurant.
Many deals are displayed for a limited time and the list of
special-offers changes daily. No membership or fees are required and
the website does not require you to provide personal information.
Dining Fever http://www.diningFever.com
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Roma Pass - - This is the Italian capital's first cultural tourist
card offering discounts and services to encourage visits to the
city's museums.
For 18 euros, the pass allows you fr.ee admission to two museums or
archaeological sites and discounts to other museums.
The Roma Pass comes with a Roma Pass Transport, your public transport
ticket; a Roma map illustrating the location of Tourist Information
Points; underground stations; museums and sites of interest listing
addresses, phone numbers, and transportation timetables; the Roma Pass
guide listing museums and sites of interest that joined the initiative;
and Roma News, a program of events and services eligible for discounts
divided by art, music, theater, dance, entertainment and sightseeing
tours.
Roma Pass and Roma Pass Transport are valid for three days from their
validation date. The pass can be purchased from all museums and sites
that joined the initiative and Tourist Information Points within Rome.
Roma Pass http://www.romapass.it
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Face-It Luggage Tags -- Your Face on Your Luggage -- There's no
mistaking your luggage with the Face-It Luggage Tag. The durable,
laminated tag displays your face and the phrase "This Face Belongs With
This Luggage."
A Face-It Luggage tag makes it less likely for a stranger
or thief to walk off with your luggage and helps you recognize your
luggage at a glance in hotels or airports. Face-It Tags are also
available for briefcases, portfolio books, backpacks, sporting
equipment, bicycles, musical instruments and more.
Click here to order Face-It Luggage Tags
http://www.onthegopublishing.com/face-it.shtml
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Up to 55% off at the Palms in Turks & Caicos - - During the off-season,
romance packages at the Palms, in Providenciales, Turks and Caicos
Islands, offer significant savings.
Through Dec. 19, 2006, the romance packages at the 72- suite resort
feature eight-day or five-day stays with discounts from 45 to 55
percent, compared to high season rates. Packages start at $1,600 for
five days and $2,650 for eight days and include room tax, service
charge and spa gratuities. Savings depend on room categories.
Additional nights are available.
Packages include stays in an oceanfront room, one-bedroom oceanview
room or oceanfront suite; a couple's massage; daily breakfast; one or
two dinners for two at the resort's signature restaurant; bottle of
champagne on arrival; roundtrip airport transfers; non-motorized
watersports and entrance to the fitness center and tennis court.
The Palms lies on 12 acres of gardens at the center of 12-mile Grace
Bay Beach. Rooms and suites feature balconies or terraces, marble
floors, vaulted ceilings, custom made mahogany furnishings, 488
thread-count bed linens and high-speed internet. There are flat panel
LCD televisions in each room and DVD/CD players in suites. Kitchens
feature classic cabinetry and are equipped with Viking appliances.
The Palms http://www.thepalmstc.com or 866/877-7256, 800/567-5327 in
Canada.
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Up To 40% Off Fairmont Summer Rates - - Enjoy summer savings with
Fairmont Hotels & Resorts' Only One Way summer rates.
Rates in Canada start from approx. $140 at the Fairmont Royal York in
Toronto. Rates in the United States start from $129 at the Fairmont
Dallas. International rates start from approx. $149 at the Fairmont
Pierre Marques, Acapulco or the Fairmont Acapulco Princess.
This special is more attractive if you use your American Express Card.
Fairmont extends a $50 food and beverage credit per room, per night,
for stays of two consecutive nights for any Only One Way booking made
before June 30, 2006. Bookings must be made on an American Express Card
with travel taking place through Sep. 5, 2006. Only One Way rates are
subject to availability and priced per room, per night, and do not
include taxes.
Additionally, teeing off has never been easier with Golf for Fr.ee at
the Fairmont Chateau Whistler Golf Club. Book a night at the Fairmont
Whistler through June 29, 2006, and you will receive two individual
rounds of golf, on the house. Rates start at $259 CDN (approx. $234 US)
per room, based on double occupancy. Golf For Fr.ee returns in the fall
Sep. 25 to Oct. 9, 2006. All Fairmont Chateau Whistler guests also
receive unlimited, f.ree access to the Practice Facility at Canada's
first David Leadbetter Golf Academy
Fairmont Hotels & Resorts http://www.fairmont.com or 800/830-1411.
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Tips for Swimmers' Ear - - For some, it happens like clock-work. The
kids swim in the pool at your resort and your vacation comes to a
screeching halt because they are wracked with ear pain.
A panel of scientists issued guidelines providing evidence-based
recommendations for the treatment of acute otitis externa, or
"swimmer's ear." The panel represented the fields of otolaryngology --
head and neck surgery, pediatrics, family medicine, infectious disease,
internal medicine and emergency medicine.
Acute otitis externa, or AOE, affects one in every 100 to 250
Americans each year. Characterized by inflammation of the external ear
canal, AOE is caused by water trapped in the ear canal following
swimming. The trapped water leads bacteria that normally inhabit the
skin and ear canal to multiply, causing infection and irritation of the
ear canal.
Among the recommendations:
Antiseptic and antibiotic eardrops are the preferred therapy for most
AOE, because they are safe, give prompt relief and do not promote
resistant bacteria.
Oral antibiotics are not recommended for uncomplicated cases because
they have more adverse effects than eardrops and may be less effective.
The use of ear candles is not recommended since they have never been
shown to be effective and have dangerous side effects.
The guidelines are from the Dayton, Ohio-based, American Osteopathic
College of
Otolaryngology.
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Protect Luggage with Baggage Guard Seals -- The pre-numbered, one-time
use plastic padlocks are the perfect way to protect your luggage since
they cannot be reinstalled once removed. That feature lets you
instantly know if someone tampered with your luggage. Yet when TSAs at
airports need to inspect your luggage, Baggage Guard Seals can be
easily removed. A package of 10 Baggage Guard Seals is still only
$9.95.
Click Here to Order
http://www.onthegopublishing.com/products.shtml#seals
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Tambor Beach Hotel Summer Savings - - Barcelo Hotels & Resorts offers
summer savings at the Barcelo Tambor Beach Hotel on Costa Rica's
Pacific coast. The all-inclusive summer packages start at $199 per
person, based on double occupancy, for a three-night stay including
taxes. Reservations can be booked through June 30 for travel through
2006.
Located on the Nocoya Peninsula along Bahia Ballena, the Barcelo
Tambor Beach Hotel was awarded the "Blue Flag," which certifies that
its beaches are environmentally safe and clean.
In addition to 402 guest rooms and suites, the hotel offers a casino,
a discotheque and a nightclub-style theater for entertainment. As an
all-inclusive resort, there are a selection of restaurants and lounges
that include buffet and a la carte European-style dining.
Recreational activities include a swimming pool and Jacuzzi, tennis
courts, a fitness
center, a children's play park and zoo, boutique shopping and nearby
golf. Charter deep sea fishing or eco-tours can be added to a vacation.
Packages including airfare and ground transfers are available.
Barcelo Tambor Beach http://www.barcelo.com or 800/BARCELO.
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Fr.ee Shuttle to Universal Studios Hollywood - - Universal Studios
Hollywood will offer a fr.ee shuttle service from Anaheim to Universal
Studios Hollywood in time for peak travel season.
Beginning Saturday, July 1, 2006, Universal Studios Hollywood has
joined with Southern California Gray Line to offer the fr.ee roundtrip
shuttle service. The buses will feature a live narrated scenic tour
provided by a "driver guide" who will offer highlights of Southern
California locations and attractions including behind-the-scene movie
and television information.
The fr.ee shuttle will be for people who purchase a full-price
admission ticket to Universal Studios Hollywood through Southern
California Gray Line directly, through hotel concierges, via
wholesalers and online.
The buses will depart from various Anaheim-area hotels twice daily at
approximately 8 a.m. and 11 a.m. Return trips from Universal Studios
are tentatively scheduled between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m.
Admission to Universal Studios, including roundtrip transportation, is
$59 for ages eight and older; $49 for ages three to seven; children
under three are fr.ee.
Universal Studios Hollywood http://www.universalstudioshollywood.com
or 800/Universal.
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Greyhound "Road Rewards" Program - - Greyhound Lines launched their
Road Rewards, a new web-based program to reward passengers who purchase
tickets on Greyhound.com. Customers with a membership in the program
can earn rewards from discounted food and beverages to fr.ee tickets.
Customers receive points every time they purchase a Greyhound ticket
online and take a trip. Destination Points are calculated by the number
of one-way trips you travel. A one-way trip is equal to one Destination
Point. Every 16 Points (or 8 roundtrips) you collect, you get a fr.ee
roundtrip ticket. Points accumulate and are good for a year. Points can
also be used for discounts on companion fares, fre.ee tickets and food
at any Greyhound food service location.
As with airline frequent flyers programs, Road Rewards members can
view their points and rewards online.
Greyhound http://www.greyhound.com or 800/231-2222.
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Cheap Tix Chart -- Buy Tickets at a Discount -- Special ticket outlets
sell discounted day-of-performance tickets to theater productions,
films, and sporting events. Discounts can be 50 percent or more. On The
Go Publishing's Cheap Tix Chart, still only $14, lists outlets in the
U.S. and eight foreign cities that sell discounted, day-of-performance
tickets.
Click here to order
http://www.onthegopublishing.com/products.shtml#tix
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Fr.ee Roundtrip Air with Apple Honeymoon - - Book a honeymoon now for
travel Aug. 15 through Oct. 31, 2006 or May 1 through June 30, 2007,
and Apple Vacations will give you two fr.ee charter air tickets to
travel during the same time frame again in 2007/2008. Return air seats
are valid for anywhere USA3000 Airlines flies from Aug. 15 to Oct. 31,
2007 or May 1 ro June 30, 2008. Tickets are non-transferable.
To qualify you need proof of travel with Apple Vacations and a copy of
your marriage certificate which must be dated Aug. 15 to Oct. 31, 2006
or May 1to June 30, 2007.
Apple Vacations offers honeymoon packages in Cancun and the Riviera
Maya; Mexico's Pacific Coast; Punta Cana and La Romana in the
Dominican Republic; Aruba; Jamaica; or Bermuda.
Apple Vacations offers fr.ee honeymoon amenities such as room
upgrades, basket of fruit or flowers, or a bottle of wine or champagne.
A uniformed in-resort customer service representative is on-site for
assistance
Apple Vacations provides charter flights from major cities including:
Atlanta, Baltimore, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Denver,
Detroit, Hartford, Minneapolis, New York, Newark, Philadelphia,
Pittsburgh, St. Louis.
Apple Vacations Honeymoons http://www.applevacations.com/honeymoon
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Gas Relief - - With gasoline prices rising almost daily, it's no
surprise that travelers are facing sticker shock at the pumps.
To help defray gas costs, some properties and destinations are coming
to the rescue by offering gas gift cards or gas discounts. Be sure to
mention packages or offers when booking.
Through July 1, 2006, Emerson Inn by the Sea, in Rockport, MA will
give out a Mobil gas card for a midweek stay with their One for the
Road package. For a two-night stay, you receive a $20 Mobil gas card
and an additional $10 gas card for each additional midweek night stay.
The limit is five night and $50. http://www.EmersonInnbytheSea.com or
800/964-5550.
The following Best Western hotels offer gas gift cards or gas
discounts.
Best Western Tuscan Inn in San Francisco at Fisherman's Wharf offers
the "Vroom rate for a one-night stay, fr.ee wine reception and a $20
Shell gas card. June 1 through Oct. 31, 2006, the rate is $189, $209
on weekends. Nov. 1 through Dec. 31, 2006, the rate is $159, $179 on
weekends. http://www.tuscaninn.com or 800/648-4626.
Best Western Executive Inn, in Salt Lake City, UT has a "Gas and
Go" package that includes a $15 gas card for each night's stay plus
fr.ee breakfast and Wi-FI. The package price is $79.95 per night.
http://www.bestwestern.com or 800/327-2803.
Best Western Music Capital Inn bestwestern.com 877/334-8378 and Best
Western Center Pointe Inn 888/334-1894 in Branson, MO are part of the
"Gas Buster" program through Sep. 29, 2006. You receive a $50 Gas
Buster discount card for every $40 worth of gas receipts you provide,
dated within the previous two days of arrival to one of Branson's
many Welcome Centers. The card entitles you to discounts at either
hotel for up to five nights. Gas Buster information at
http://www.explorebranson.com
Millennium Maxwell House, in Nashville, TN, 866/866-8086, offers a
"Family Fuel" package from $129 that's valid through Dec. 30, 2006.
The package includes overnight accommodations, up to $20 gas credit
deducted from hotel bill (dated within 24 hours of check-in), fr.ee
breakfast buffet for two adults and up to two children and an $89 rate
for a second room for families with more than two children. Fr.ee
breakfast not included with second room.
Millennium Hotel in Minneapolis, MN, 800/522-8856 , offers a "Hot
Summer Special" at $119 per room, per night, good Thursdays through
Sundays, through July 4, 2006. It includes overnight accommodations and
a fr.ee $10 SuperAmerica gas gift card. Mention promotional code
HOTSUM when booking.
The Traverse City, MI "Pump Up Your Summer," promotion gives a
$25 Speedway gas card to every visitor who calls the Convention &
Visitors Bureau and reserves a stay of four nights or longer in any of
its 43 participating hotels, motels or resorts between now and Labor
Day.
The cards are redeemable for gas or merchandise at Speedway service
stations anywhere in the country. To qualify, you must book your room
through the Bureau's "Pump Up Your Summer" reservation line,
800/714-0051.
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Budapest: Simple Pleasures and Cosmopolitan Diversions - - Article and
Photos by Kay Douglas
Tempting as it may be to cram as many sights and cities into a
European vacation, there's much to be said for taking a more
leisurely approach. For starters, there's no feeling of needing a
vacation from the vacation after returning from ten or twelve day's
nonstop sightseeing. Consider instead taking in the here-and-now of
the local scene rather than solely concentrating on splendid monuments
from the past. After all, much of the charm of a European city lies in
the urbane hum of everyday life.
Taking such a laid-back approach in Budapest, I spend my first few
days in the city, well, not in the city at all, but in the tranquil
hills above it. The Buda hills have long been favored for the villas
of the wealthy, but they are popular with ordinary folk, too, who come
by bus or on the small cog railway to enjoy family outings. On a
chilly day in mid-March, although there's not a trace of snow on the
streets in the city below, a light snow is falling in the hills.
Cross-country skiers, fitness walkers, mountain bikers, and joggers
flock to the nature preserve just across from the hotel where I'm
staying. Drawn to this bucolic scene, I pass my first afternoon doing
just what everyone else seemed to be doing - - taking a long, leisurely
stroll in the woods.
That evening, I put myself (literally) in the hands of one of the
Hotel Normafa's skilled massage therapists. For a surprisingly
modest fee, he patiently kneads out the kinks and tightness I've
built up in my shoulders and back during the long flight to Hungary.
Afterwards, I take an evening dip in the outdoor pool, which is
surprisingly warm given the late-winter chill in the air. A gentle
steam rises from the surface of the water, which is lit from below, and
stillness reigns. The only movement comes from the ripples I make
while quietly treading water and from the gently falling snowflakes as
they drop onto the water's surface. It seems exotic to be
luxuriating in the warmth of the pool as the bracing outdoor air
tingles on my face, but it's a fitting introduction to Budapest's
bathing culture.
Refreshed after this short idyll up in the hills, I move on to a
slightly more ambitious - - but still casual - - exploration of the
city. A Hungarian friend recommended the Central Market as one of the
best places to get a sense of Budapest's daily life. There I find a
bustling scene, as tourists standing indecisively before vendors are
outmaneuvered by housewives intent on their daily shopping. The vast
market, which from the outside resembles nothing so much as an enormous
train station, is packed with stalls selling fruits, vegetables,
spices, meats, cheeses, wines, and a multitude of other foods from
around the country. I pay particular attention to the displays of
peppers, which are available in an impressive array of types. I've
soon learned the essential terms for paprika -- edes for "mild" and
csipos for "spicy."
Above the main floor of the market, a second level is mostly
handicrafts and souvenirs but also features a popular lunch counter.
After obtaining a savory bowl of gulyas leves (goulash soup) and a
salami szendvics, I wedge myself onto a stool between two groups of
shoppers, hemmed in on either side by their purchases. We exchange
nods before settling into the serious business of eating.
Once I've made my way over to the Pest side of the Danube (for
Budapest is bisected into two distinct sides, Buda and Pest, on either
side of the great river), I find simply strolling the wide avenues and
smaller side streets to be an absorbing activity. The great building
boom of the late 19th and early 20th centuries in Budapest was
unmatched by any other city in Europe. The best way to get an overall
sense of this ambitious development is to walk the mile-and-a-half
length of Andrassy Avenue, a broad tree-lined promenade flanked by
intriguing side streets. There you'll find grand buildings such as
the imposing Opera House, the most prominent landmark in a hub of
cultural gems that includes the Operetta Theatre and the famed Liszt
Academy of Music in Liszt Ferenc Square, a sophisticated pedestrian
zone flanked by inviting restaurants and cafes.
Speaking of cafes, many of the city's venerable coffee houses have
undergone a renaissance in recent years, and something of the vibrancy
of the pre-World War II coffee house culture has re-emerged. Of
course, the most prestigious kavehaz is the famed New York Cafe, but
this unfortunately has been closed for renovation for some time.
Instead,, so I make a pilgrimage to the equally venerable Gerbeaud,
which anchors busy Vorosmarty Square. It's more expensive than the
average coffee house, however, so on other occasions I dawdle with
coffee and newspaper in lesser-known spots, where the range of cakes
and decor may not be as impressive, but where the clientele is
decidedly more local.
After a particularly long ramble one day, taking in the various
squares and parks near Parliament followed by a long stroll down the
Pest Embankment and then across Elizabeth Bridge, I decide it's time
to take another dip (metaphorically speaking) into the deep pool of
Hungarian bathing culture. While most visitors are drawn to the
admittedly grand facilities at the Gellert Hotel, I found the bathing
experience there to be a tad on the impersonal side, not to mention
that with a basic fee of 3,000 HUF for entry and use of a kabin (a
small changing room supervised by an attendant), it's the most
expensive of Budapest's bathing establishments and thus less
frequented by city residents.
However, the next morning I visit the Kiraly baths, and I find this a
far more soothing experience, even though initially it seems dauntingly
foreign. None of the attendants speak English, but after paying the
modest entry fee of 1,100 HUF (approximately $5 US), I manage to
navigate my way through the warren of changing rooms, finally emerging
into the large domed chamber of the traditional Turkish-style hammam.
These baths are the oldest in the city, dating from 1546. What I
notice immediately is that I'm the only one wearing a bathing suit,
but the dozen or so nude elderly women - - who are all obviously
regulars - - take little notice of me. Soon, like the women around
me, I've retreated into my own private world, lulled by the soothing
warmth of the medicinal waters. A hazy veil of steam hangs in the air,
pierced by beams of light coming through apertures in the domed
ceiling, and a companionable silence prevails. I never want to leave.
Of course, I do leave, and soon resume my peregrinations through the
city. One day I make my way out to Varosliget, or the City Park,
where I find the immense Szchenyi Baths, the largest bathing complex in
Europe. Here I opt for the mixed-bathing outdoor swimming pools, entry
fee with use of cabin, 2,300 HUF), and paddle back and forth in the
long lap pool, employing the slow breast stroke favored by my fellow
swimmers.
The diversions of the City Park are not confined to bathing, however.
Just across the street from the Szechenyi complex are the grounds of
the city circus, and then not far from that is an unexpectedly nice
place to stroll, the City Zoo. On a quiet and rather ordinary weekday
afternoon, only a handful of visitors, mostly mothers with prams and
retirees, are on hand to watch an attendant give an extraordinarily
docile rhinoceros a dust bath. At any other zoo in the world such
goings on would generate a hundred-and-one camera flashes, but here it
is simply part of the daily routine.
Around the corner from the dusty rhinoceros, I come across one of the
zoo's most remarkable features, an elaborate Secession-era elephant
house. It resembles a cross between a Turkish mosque and Mughal
palace, with rounded blue cupolas and a single white minaret soaring
high into the air. Lively ceramic tiles adorn the entrance, while
inside a riot of intertwining art nouveau-style vines embellish the
vaulted ceilings and archways. As I stand lost in admiration at this
decorative feast, a pigmy hippo swims hopefully up to a nearby glass
partition but soon sinks back into the water with a sigh. He's
obviously used to being eclipsed by his surroundings.
On another afternoon, I enjoy yet another bathing establishment popular
with locals, Rudas Baths, which are housed in a somewhat
disreputable-looking building not far from the imposing Gellért Hotel.
However, looks can be deceiving. Inside, the Rudas proves to be the
most pleasant and convivial of the baths I've visited, having been
recently, yet the entrance fee is still a relatively modest 2,000 HUF.
Until recently, the steam baths here were for men only, but starting in
January 2006 a "test period" of women's hours was initiated on
Tuesday mornings and Thursday afternoons. The large central octagonal
thermal pool echoed with the animated conversation and laughter of
women relaxing after a long day's work. It's clear that they are
making the most of their "test period" at Rudas. (By the way,
it's always advisable to check the web site maintained by the
company that administers Budapest's public baths and spas for current
hours, prices, and policies. See below.)
On my last full day in Budapest, I briefly consider all the museums
and monuments that I've not yet seen, then with scarcely a twinge I
join what seems to be a city-wide Sunday pilgrimage to Margitsziget
(Margaret Island), a lovely oasis of greenery set in the middle of the
Danube River. This is where many of the city's residents flock on
weekends. When I alight from the #4 tram from Pest, I find a lively
scene in progress. Scores of people are out walking their dogs,
hundreds lounge on benches scattered around the park, and still more
gather for al fresco meals at picnic tables. All up and down the
pathways that run the length of the island, people are taking walks,
riding bicycles, jogging, and roller-blading. Surrey-type bicycles
rented out to groups of four or more are extremely popular, too.
Throughout the day, I reflect on the things I've done and seen
during eight days in Budapest. Of course, they include visiting many
of the city's major sights and historic attractions. Still, as I sit
soaking up the sun on a park bench, I can't help but reflect that
when it comes right down to it, simple pleasures are the cosmopolitan
traveler's ultimate indulgence.
For detailed information on Budapest's public baths and spas, visit
http://www.spasbudapest.com. There you will find specific information
for each bath or spa, including opening hours, entry fees, seasonal
changes, and prices for therapeutic treatments. Note that several
baths issue a partial refund of the entry fee for stays lasting less
than two or three hours.
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Wonders of America Sweepstakes - - The Travel Industry Association of
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On May 27, 2066 the USPS released the Wonders of America stamps.
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Following a one-time registration process, a map of the United States
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No purchase is necessary to enter the Wonders of America Sweepstakes.
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After playing the game, you have an opportunity to learn more about
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Wonders of America Sweepstakes http://www.SeeAmerica.org
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Had a good experience on a plane recently? Stumbled across the perfect
place to stay, eat or drink? Tell us about it, email us at:
travelne...@aim.com
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PLEASE NOTE: All links are sent as clickable links. Some email programs
such as AOL, Yahoo, & Hotmail change the links so that they are not
clickable.
If you have problems clicking on a link, just copy and
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