Trafalgar Tours has launched something new for the discriminating traveler. Their new ‘Taste of America’ program invites guests to learn about food specific to a destination, as well as indulge in some of the continent’s most delicious dishes. “Gourmet travel is a rapidly expanding market with more and more Americans looking to try different regional cuisines with local foods that give them the

Trafalgar Tours

freshness of the farm-to-table experience,” says Paul Wiseman, President of Trafalgar USA. “With the Taste of North America program, we wanted to show Americans that they don’t have to travel far to taste delicious local specialties – some of the best cuisines are in their own backyard, whether it’s Louisiana’s spicy Creole cooking or Vermont’s flavorful cheeses.”

The new USA & Canada brochure features four gastronomic itineraries: San Francisco and Wine Country Delights, Wonders and Flavors of the Golden State, Tastes and Sounds of the South, and New York Zest and New England’s Best. • New York Zest and New England’s Best On the 11-day New York Zest and New England’s Best tour, guests get a taste of the east coast’s most delicious foods, from savory seafood to tasty ice creams. Arriving in New York City and departing from Boston, the trip stops off in Newport, Cape Cod, Nantucket, New Bedford, North Conway and Essex in between.

With two nights in New York, travelers have plenty of time to explore the flavors of the culturally diverse metropolis, and also join a food-themed local specialty tour to sample the tastes of the city. In New Bedford, guests go on a guided bog tour at a cranberry farm, experiencing the production of one of the area’s famous fruits. As the group travels through Vermont, you’ll spend a day trying local specialties at the family-owned Cabot Creamery (pictured above), which is known for its tasty cheeses; a cidery where you’ll learn about the craft of making apple cider; and a stop at Ben & Jerry’s, the famous ice cream makers whose original flavors have taken them from one store to worldwide fame.

On the trip to Boston, stop at Moonlight Meadery for a special “Be My Guest” experience and learn about making wine from honey, and feast on a lunch made from local New Hampshire ingredients. • Tastes and Sounds of the South Some of America’s best flavors live in the Deep South, and Trafalgar’s 10-day Tastes & Sounds of the South tour lets travelers discover the foods that the region is famous for. Starting in the country music capital of Nashville and ending in colorful New Orleans, guests visit Natchez, Graceland, Memphis and Lynchburg. In Lynchburg, you will be introduced to a local specialty and America’s favorite whiskey with a guided tour of the Jack Daniels factory (pictured below left). With two nights spent in Memphis, passengers take a day’s excursion to see the home of The King in Graceland, and are also treated to Trafalgar’s new “Your Choice” dining program that lets you select from one of four of Memphis’ favorite restaurants.

The feast continues in Natchez at a renaissance revival mansion, where you get a guided tour of the elegant southern home, then sit down to a specially prepared ballroom dinner. Finishing off the trip in New Orleans, enjoy a fun and interactive cooking class at the New Orleans School of Cooking (pictured above) before sampling their culinary creations at lunch. The trip wraps up that night with a farewell dinner at the famed Court of the Two Sisters. • Wonders and Flavors of The Golden State The 14-day Wonder and Flavors of The Golden State is the perfect trip for food-lovers looking to get a taste of California’s fresh produce and delicious culinary treats. Starting in LA and finishing in San Francisco, guests get the best of the Golden State as they visit Palm Springs, Santa Barbara, Monterey, Sequoia National Park, Bass Lake and Napa.

After a couple of nights in lively Los Angeles, head to Palm Springs and stop in the Coachella Valley to cool down with a tasty date shake on a local farm. That night, sit down to a dinner in the mountains at the top of the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway (pictured right). Moving on to idyllic Santa Barbara, delight in a “Be My Guest” lunch with a local chef and author, who will share local, seasonal foods for the ultimate farm-to-table experience.

After a few days sightseeing in Monterey, visiting Sequoia and Yosemite National Parks and sampling award-winning cheeses at the Hilmar Cheese Company, it’s on to San Francisco to spend Saturday morning exploring the Ferry Plaza Farmer’s Market on a food-tasting adventure. In Sonoma you will visit an olive press and learn about the harvesting process for making olive oil. The trip wraps up with a wine tasting at a Napa winery and a farewell dinner aboard the Napa Valley Wine Train, (pictured below) traveling through the beautiful vineyards. Trafalgar travelers can save between 5 and 10 percent on 2013 North America vacation with Trafalgar when they book and pay in full at least six months in advance. For more information, contact me at Travel Center (800) 870-9345 or TrvlWritr2@aol.com.

Jean Strauber

Entertainment Writer

More Posts

As I promised, here are more suggestions of things to do over Carmegeddon Weekend Part II.

VISIT LOS ENCINO STATE PARK

When was the last time you visited Los Encino Park located in Encino? This historic landmark is open from Wednesday through Sundays from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. Admission is free. Unfortunately due to the reduced staff, free guided tours are only available by appointment or during some special event. However the Garnier Building and the newly De la Ossa Adobe are available for self-guided tours during regular park hours. And, best of all, the ducks and geese that populate the spring are always ready to welcome you and your family. The folks at the Los Encinos State Park request that you purchase the duck food (25¢) and not bread that you might bring from home, because ducks and geese can’t properly digest the highly refined grains that we people eat. Los Encino State Park is located at 16756 Moorpark Street. You can park either on Moorpark and enter the rear gate or on Ventura Boulevard and enter through the Ventura Boulevard gate.

SANTA BARBARA CAR FREE GETAWAY

Caraggedon Part II

Mary Byrd, manager of the Santa Barbara Car Free Project, has stated, “We invite Los Angeles area residents and visitors to use the freeway closure and traffic as a chance to ‘Think Outside the Car.’ Take the train to Santa Barbara and avoid ‘Carmageddon’ entirely at the end of September, or plan to take a car free vacation in Santa Barbara in the future. Travel green and save some green.” Throughout 2012, the Santa Barbara Car Free Project invites visitors to save 20 percent on Amtrak Pacific Surfliner and San Joaquin services and you can also save up to 50 percent at more than 65 hotels, activities and restaurants with “Cool Car Free Discounts.” And, you can visit three top Santa Barbara Attractions without a car.

Here’s how: 1) To Stearns Wharf: You can walk, bike or take the 50-cent MTD Waterfront/Downtown electric shuttle. it stops at the foot of the wharf at the Dolphin Fountain. 2) Mission Santa Barbara. You can walk or bike (mostly uphill) through beautiful residential neighborhoods or if it would be me, I’d take the MTD Bus Line 22. It stops opposite the Mission on Laguna Street. Fare is 41.75 each way; 85 cents for seniors; children under 45 inches ride free. 3) The Santa Barbara County Courthouse (one block from State Street): You can walk, bike or take the MTD Bus Line 22 wshich stops on the Anapamu Street side. Or take the 50-cent MTD Downtown Electric shuttle to the corner of State and Anapamu and walk east one block. The MTD Electric Shuttle has two routes to serve the public: Downtown (State Street) and the Waterfront (Cabrillo Boulevard). Cost is 50 cents per ride, children under 45 inches ride free. There is a free transfer available between the two shuttle routes. Both do run frequently. I Bike Santa Barbara is also offering $20 off per rider on biking tours of wine country; free admission at more than 10 area museums on September 29 including the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden and Santa Barbara Maritime Museum; the SOL Food Festival celebration of local organic food on September 29th. For complete information on Carmageddon II savings offers, the 2012 “Cool Car Free Discounts” offer and hundreds of more car free options-visit www. SantaBarbaraCarFree.org. •

AT THE LOS ANGELES ZOO

Just one of the programs at the Los Angeles Zoo is the Zoo’s Animals and You Programs. These are 15- minute animal close-ups that take place at stations in the Winnick Family Children’s Zoo at 10:45 am, 11:45 am and 12:45 pm. Animals you might see at the Animals & You Stations include the African Desert Hedgehog, Shingleback Skink, Inland Bearded Dragon and Colombian Rainbow Boa. The Los Angeles Zoo is located at the junction of the 134 and 5 Freeways in Griffith Park. For hours and admission fees go to lazoo.org.

SOUTH COAST WINERY HARVEST FESTIVAL

The South Coast Winery Resort & Spa welcomes one and all to their South Coast Winery Harvest Festival and to experience the “First Crush” with the 8th Annual Blessing of the Wines on Sunday, September 23. In keeping with the old world tradition, the South Coast Winery’s harvest festival family day will begin with a Blessing of the Wines officiated by Father Santos Ortega, of St. Catherine of Alexandria Catholic Church in Temecula. The Blessing is followed by barbequed foods, tethered hot-air balloon rides, horse-drawn hayrides, dancing and entertainment (provided by Roman Holiday), and of course, grape stomping contests, face painting and more. Cost for the South Coast Winery’s Harvest Festival is $55 per person ages 12+, $50 wine club members and $15 for children under the age of 12. The South Coast Winery Resort & Spa is located at 34843 Rancho Claifornia Road, in the heart of Temecula’s Wine Country.

For more information please call (951) 587-9463, Ext. 7210 or go to store.wineresort.com/cart/cat/Event-Tickets.aspx. Cost for South Coast Winery’s Harvest Festival is just $55 per person/$50 wineclub members/$15 children under age 12. For more information, please call 951-587-9463 Ext. 7210 or visit wineresort.com.

Jean Strauber

Entertainment Writer

More Posts

The president and CEO of Friendly Plane, Kevin Callaghan has announced their Fall 2012 visit to Cuba. The cost per person is $3,395, plus $500 estimated charter airfare from Miami. Here’s the itinerary:

Day 1:

Arrival in Miami and make your way to the Crowne Plaza Hotel. Later, when everyone has arrived, join an informal orientation and briefing. Get a good night’s sleep tonight, because tomorrow you’re up early to transfer together to the airport to board your flight for Havana.

Day 2:

Check in for your charter flight to Havana to begin your unforgettable journey to Cuba. Once aboard your flight, it’s less than an hour’s flight to Havana. Bienvenidos a Havana! Upon arrival, after customs formalities, meet your bi-lingual Cuban host, board your air-conditioned coach and head directly to your very first encounter in Cuba, a visit to the colorful neighborhood of Callejon de Hamel. Here you’ll find brilliant mural paintings, stalls selling herbs for curing colds and lovesickness alike, kiosks offering beaded bracelets representing spirits of the orisha religion (combining African spirit worship and Catholicism) and of course, music everywhere. You’ll meet and exchange ideas with artists, including Salvador Gonzalez Escalona (when in residence), whose prolific murals, which reflect the culture and religious beliefs of this area, adorn the neighborhood.

There are numerous community activities in the Callejon de Hamel, including art instruction aimed at educating the children in the neighborhood, and you will discover how the African Cuban religion (a fusion of African belief systems like spirit worship and Christianity), called Santeria, is portrayed in the street art. Enjoy your first lunch at a local restaurant in the center of Old Havana, then take a leisurely orientation walk through the cobblestone streets of this vibrant area. You will find many Cubans out taking a Sunday stroll with their families, offering you a perfect opportunity to interact with locals and immerse yourself in the colors of Cuba which surround you. Now that you’ve had a taste of what lies ahead of you during your week in Cuba, it’s time to drive to your hotel to check in, unpack and have a short rest. Before dinner this evening, attend a brief orientation meeting to review your travel itinerary and the documentation procedures for re-entry into the USA. Afterwards, enjoy a delicious welcome dinner at the hotel.

Bay of Pigs

Day 3:

Havana. Start your day with a visit to a local ration store in the Vedado section of Havana, where your Cuban host will explain the system of rationing and the twocurrency system as well as the difference between Ration Stores, Cuban Peso Stores, and CUC Stores. Continue to the Angela Landa Elementary school, located in Old Havana. This primary school (ages 5 – 12) is located in a beautiful historical building which has been carefully renovated by Havana’s Office of the Historian. Interact with the children in their classrooms and participate in a discussion session with some of the school’s administrators and teachers about Cuba’s education system and how it compares to that of the United States. (This is the opportunity for you to personally deliver school supply gifts to the children or school. Any donations are greatly appreciated). Proceed to one of Papa Hemingway’s favorites, La Bodeguita del Medio, for lunch followed by a visit to historic Havana. Visit the Plaza de la Revolucion, the Cemetery of Christopher Colombus, the Miramar area and Morro Castle, with its magnificent views of Havana. Late this afternoon before dinner, participate in an open discussion with an English-speaking historian from the University of Havana. The theme of this open, uncensored discussion centers on the history of U.S.-Cuban relations in the 20th and 21st Centuries. Current day Cuba finds itself in the initial stages of encouraging investment in local business. One area where new ventures are flourishing is in the restaurant industry. This evening, meet with the owner or general manager and some of the workers of one of Havana’s finest and most interesting new restaurants, El Gijon. Hear firsthand how new businesses — especially restaurants — get started, find working capital, and make a profit in a society where private business ventures are almost unknown. Also, learn about the history of the “Association” restaurants, of which El Gijon is one of the best. Afterwards, enjoy dinner at El Gijon.

Day 4:

Depart Havana after breakfast this morning and drive to the Bay of Pigs (pictured above). Hike for about one hour through thick bush led by a Cuban nature guide to a hidden pool which is connected underground to the Caribbean Sea. Lunch is served at the Cueva de los Peces where there will be a wonderful opportunity to snorkel and view this rarely visited tropical fish reef. Continue the drive along the Caribbean coast to the charming old Spanish colonial town of Trinidad. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage site, Trinidad is one of the best preserved towns in all of Latin America. Dinner this evening is at a beachfront hotel located on Playa Ancon on the Caribbean Sea.

(To be continued next week…)

Jean Strauber

Entertainment Writer

More Posts

How to Speed Through CBP Processing  

 LOS ANGELES— Summer is one of the busiest international travel times in the U.S. and with the start of the travel season this Memorial Day, U.S. Customs and Border Protection is reminding travelers of some important tips.  With increasing passenger volumes due to a nine percent increase in travel and tourism since February 2011, there are things returning U.S. citizens or residents, and international visitors can do to help speed their processing.

Trusted Traveler Programs

First and foremost, please ensure you have an approved travel document. The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative requires U.S. and Canadian citizens, age 16 and older to present a valid, acceptable travel document, such as a passport, a U.S. passport card, a trusted traveler card (NEXUS, SENTRI, Global Entry or FAST/EXPRES), permanent resident card or an enhanced driver’s license that denotes both identity and citizenship when entering the U.S. by land or sea. U.S. and Canadian citizens under age 16 may present a birth certificate or alternative proof of citizenship when entering by land or sea. All travelers must have a valid passport book for international air travel.

One of the easiest ways to speed your crossing through a land border port is to obtain a radio frequency identification enabled travel document such as a U.S. passport card, border crossing card or permanent resident card issued after 2008, enhanced driver’s license/enhanced identification card or trusted traveler card.  There are dedicated Ready Lanes at more than 20 land border crossing locations throughout the nation, specifically designated for travelers with RFID-enabled cards which will expedite entry and make crossing at a land port of entry more efficient.

Customs and Border Protection

The NEXUS and SENTRI programs are also available for frequent border crossers to facilitate faster processing at land ports of entry.  Pre-approved, low risk travelers can use dedicated lanes to speed through land border crossings, saving time for travelers while freeing up officers to focus on those travelers we know less about and may pose more of a risk.

At U.S. airports, the fastest and easiest way to securely speed through CBP processing is to become a member of Global Entry.  This trusted traveler program allows pre-approved, low-risk travelers the ability to by-pass traditional CBP processing and to use self-service kiosks, located at 25 airports in the U.S.  Travelers who use the Global Entry kiosks experience reduced average wait times of 70 percent versus travelers going through traditional passport inspection, and more than 75 percent of travelers using Global Entry are processed in under five minutes.  The program is available to U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents, Mexican nationals, and Canadian citizens and residents through membership in the NEXUS program.  Additionally, citizens of the Netherlands may use the program under a special reciprocal arrangement that links Global Entry with the Dutch Privium program in Amsterdam. 

Travel Requirements for Visa Waiver Visitors to the U.S.

All nationals or citizens of the 36 Visa Waiver Program countries are required to have an approved Electronic System for Travel Authorization, or ESTA, prior to boarding when traveling by air or sea to the U.S. under the VWP. ESTA applications may be submitted at any time prior to travel, and once approved, generally will be valid for up to two years or until the applicant’s passport expires, whichever comes first. Authorizations will be valid for multiple entries into the United States. CBP recommends ESTA applications be submitted as soon as an applicant begins making travel plans.

Travel Checklist

• Have all the required travel documents for the country you are visiting, as well as identification for re-entry to the United States.  Passports are required for air travel.  Visit travel.state.gov for country-specific information.
  

• For citizens of Visa Waiver Program countries, make sure that you have an approved Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) before boarding.  For those traveling on a visa, have a completed I-94 form when approaching CBP processing.

•  Have a completed Customs Declaration form (6059b) upon reaching CBP processing. Declare everything you are bringing from abroad, even if you bought it in a duty-free shop.  Know that things bought abroad for personal use or as gifts may be eligible for duty exemptions.  If you are bringing them back for resale, they are not.
  

• Know the difference between prohibited merchandise (which is forbidden by law to enter the U.S.) and restricted merchandise (items needing special permit to be allowed into the U.S.). For more information, please visit the Restricted/Prohibited section of the CBP website.
  

• Do not attempt to bring fruits, meats, dairy/poultry products and/or firewood into the United States without first checking whether they are permitted. For more information, please visit the Bringing Agricultural Products Into the United States section of the CBP website.
  

• Build additional time into trips during busy travel seasons and understand that CBP must conduct a thorough inspection of the nearly one million travelers entering the country each day.
  

• Understand that CBP officers can inspect you and your personal belongings without a warrant.  This may include your luggage, vehicle, and personal searches and is meant to enforce our laws as well as protect legitimate travelers.
  

• Monitor border wait times for various ports of entry. Travelers are encouraged to plan their trips during periods of lighter traffic or to use an alternate, less heavily traveled port of entry. For more information, travelers can find up to date wait time information on the CBP website. 
  

• If you are a frequent international traveler and haven’t already become a member of a trusted traveler program, sign up now. For more information, please visit the Trusted Traveler section of the CBP website.
• Familiarize yourself with the “Know Before You Go” brochure or section of CBP.gov.

George Thomas

More Posts

In 2004 I had the real pleasure of visiting the Utah towns of Moab, Price and Vernal on a Canyonlands, Dinosaurs and Outlaws tour. We gasped at the beauty of Arches National Park, oohed and aahed at the petroglyphs and pictographs etched so many hundreds and thousands of years ago, were amazed at the fossils exhibited at the new fossil museum in Vernal, jumped into one of the quarries at the Cleveland-Lloyd Dinosaur Park and were awed by the Dinosaur National Monument. For those of you that have long admired the scenery in the John Ford westerns from Hollywood’s Golden Age, or even in the more recent 20th century’s “Thelma and Louise,” Utah’s Canyonlands have long been a popular destination for Hollywood producers. You can see the Canyonlands on your own but you can also book guided tours. Guided tours might have an advantage for exploring as you’ll have local guides who are immersed in the history,

Delicate Arch, a highlight of Arches National Park in Utah. Visitors from all over the world flock to Moab to see this beautiful icon. Photo courtesty of Canyonlands By Night.

geology and flavor of Canyon Country. They will add a dimension that is otherwise unavailable. Here are some guided tours presented by Canyonlands By Day And Night that you might want to use when visiting Utah’s Canyonlands:

Canyonlands By Day and Night – Your guides will help you see the magic of Canyon Country by night. A riverboat on the Colorado River will take you on a journey where you’ll find a star-filled sky and high red rock canyon walls. The hosts are knowledgeable and humorous while sharing not only the wonders of their backyard, but also Indian legends, geology and history. Meanwhile the rock walls come alive with powerful lights, adding color and beauty. The adventure begins at dusk.

Ancient American Expedition – This is a fourhour daytime (morning or afternoon) tour that will take you to little-known rock art sites. They include original, ancient depictions of what archaeologists call the Moab Man, the Birthing Stone and the Intestine Man. You’ll be on both paved and backcountry roads through breathtaking vistas.

Deserts To Alpine Peaks Adventure – This tour will take you on both paved and dirt roads to explore the La Sal Mountains’ snowcapped peaks, abundant meadows filled with wildflowers, clear streams and mountain lakes. You’ll be awed by the vistas of the Colorado River and Canyon-edged valleys. Don’t be surprised if you find deer, elk and even wild bear in view. The four-hour tour (morning or afternoon) will pass many familiar movie and television commercial locations.

Land Before Time Excursions – 4-by-4 enthusiasts come to Moab and the Canyonlands for some of the best trails available to off-road vehicles. You’ll travel into the backcountry with guides and vehicles wellversed on these trails, including Gemini Bridges and most modern and bestequipped boats for this part of the Colorado River. On your boat trip from Moab, you’ll see spectacular, remote canyons, petrified forests, fossil beds, Indian ruins, arches, petroglyphs, Thelma and Louise point and Dead Horse point. The motors will be turned off for part of the trip for a quiet float with only the sounds of nature to be heard.

Canoe Trips – If you want to explore on your own, Canyonlands By Day And Night has canoe rentals available for a self-guided trip to discover magnificent red rock canyons. High quality Osagian canoes, equipped with everything needed for a safe and relaxing trip are featured. Choose between a 10 and 18-mile trip departing daily. A shuttle pick-up is included.

Arches National Park – This is a must-see and do if you’re visiting Utah’s Canyonlands. Like me, you’ll find the four-hour tour (either morning or afternoon) spellbinding and enchanting. A knowledgeable guide is available, who will relate the history of the arches and detail how the forces of nature have created this wonderland. Within the park’s 76,519 acres is the highest concentration of natural stone openings in the world. Look for the Delicate Arch, North and South Windows, Double, Turret, Skyline and Landscape Arch. Your mini-bus will also take you to see Balanced Rock, Fiery Furnace, Devil’s Garden and the Three Gossips.

Canyonlands National Park Island In The Sky- This four-hour tour (either morning or afternoon) will take you to the plateau known as ‘The Island.” You’ll gaze down at scenery reminiscent of the Grand Canyon, with the river bottom 21,000 feet below. Views include the distant La Sal Mountains, the confluence of the Green and Colorado Rivers and the pinnacles of the Needles District on the bottom. Your guide will fill you in on the mysteries of the geology, history and unique character of the land.

Where God Put The West Movie Tour – On this four-hour morning or afternoon tour you’ll experience the scenic beauty and geographic diversity of many of the sites where over 50 movies have been filmed since 1949. You’ll discover firsthand why so many movie companies found this land so enchanting. On this tour you’ll also be invited to taste Moab wines at Castle Creek Winery and visit the John Wayne Museum. For more information about these and other tours provide by Canyonlands By Day And Night, please go to canyonlandsbynight.com or call (435) 259-BOAT.

Jean Strauber

Entertainment Writer

More Posts

Top Secret Tours has scheduled a second UFO Discovery Tour of Arizona and Nevada. Departing April 13-21, 2012 this tour includes the following:

UFO and Area 51 Tours

DAY 1

Arrive in Albuquerque International Sunport Airport and travel to Petroglyph National Monument. Archaeologists have estimated there may be over 25,000 petroglyph images (an example is pictured, right) along 17 miles within the monument boundary. You will head to Visitor’s Center to learn more about the area and then it’s an on-you-own (o-y-o) lunch. You’re then on your way to Sorcorro where you’ll visit sites connected to the Lonnie Zamora 1964 UFO sighting.

DAY 2

After breakfast and lunch you will head to the National Radio Astronomy Observatory. You’ll tour the Very Large Array (VLA) and learn how these 27-shaped antennas form a giant radio telescope. If you remember the movie “Contact” with Jodie Foster, she is seen driving through the VLA. Then it’s an o-y-o lunch, after which you’ll journey from New Mexico to Arizona. During a drive through the Apache Sitgreaves National Forest you’ll hear about the Travis Walton UFO experience. Your destination: Snowflake Arizona. An included dinner tonight includes a lecture by Travis Walton, who wrote Fire in the Sky about his UFO abduction and experience.

DAY 3

Reboard your comfortable coach and head towards your next destination, Meteor Crater, and learn about the crater that was created by a meteorite more than 50,000 years ago. The crater is significantly featured in the climax of the movie “Starman.” From the crater you’ll travel through Flagstaff and beautiful Oak Creek Canyon to Sedona, AZ.

DAY 4

Take a tour of Sedona with local guide Tom Dongo, among the world’s top UFO and Paranormal Researches. With him you’ll view Sedona’s most significant locations. You’ll visit the stunning Chapel of the Holy Cross and see some of the most spectacular natural landmarks such as Bell Rock, Airport Mesa and Cathedral Rock. The afternoon is free to shop, hike, take a Pink Jeep tour of the area or even take the hop-on/hop-off trolley that takes you around town and to the outskirts where you can spot a mysterious sink hole and the Coffee Pot Rock Formation. You’re invited to join an optional UFO Sky Watch Tour in the evening.

DAY 5

Go back through Oak Creek Canyon to the old Route 66 and to Williams and, then, on to the Grand Canyon National Monument. Stops will include Desert View, Mather Point, Yavapai Observation Station and the Hopi House at Grand Canyon Village. Then it’s lunch and I personally recommend the beautiful El Tovar Hotel’s Dining Room or more informal Lounge the Bright Angel Lodge Arizona Room. Your afternoon is free to shop for souvenirs or take a ranger guided walk and learn more about the Canyon.

DAY 6

You have a free morning at Grand Canyon Village. Why not a mule ride down to Lookout Point? After an o-y-o lunch you’ll head to Kingman Arizona. During your ride you will hear about one of the best documented UFO sightings, the “Phoenix Lights.” You continue your journey to the 1953 purported Kingman UFO crash site before checking into your Kingman hotel. If there’s time you can visit the Historic Route 66 Museum, Army Airfield Museum and the Mohave Museum of History and Arts.

DAY 7

The next stop will be Hoover Dam, where you’ll be on the second highest bridge in the United States and cross from Arizona into Nevada. After lunch, there’s a tour of the famed Las Vegas Strip and a stop at the Atomic Testing National Museum and their many exhibits, including one opening March 26 about the mysterious Area 51. You’ll check into your hotel and have to relax before a special farewell dinner with noted author and aerospace engineer T.L. Keller as the guest speaker.

DAY 9- You can make arrangements to extend your stay in Las Vegas to head to McCarran International Airport and your flight home. Fare: $1,995 per person/double occupancy. For more information about this TOP SECRET tour you can phone (800) 870-9345, e-mail me at TrvlWritr2@aol.com or consult your travel professional.

Jean Strauber

Entertainment Writer

More Posts

It was in 1947 that a man named Kenneth Arnold, a skilled and experienced pilot, reported seeing nine unusual objects flying in a chain near Mount Rainier, Washington. His description of them being “flat like a pie pan”, or “saucer-like” gave birth gave birth to newspaper reports of “flying saucers.” There had been earlier printed reports: In 1878 a local farmer reported seeing a large, dark, circular flying object resembling a balloon flying “at wonderful speed.”

UFO tour Roswell

Martin also reported it as being the size of a “saucer.” In 1926 Nicholas Roerich reported members of his expedition saw “a shiny body flying from north to south. Field glasses were at hand. It is a huge body.” During World War II, Allied and Axis pilots seeing “foo fighters.” `In 1948 a US Air Force pilot sighted and pursued a UFO for 27 minutes over Fargo, North Dakota In 1952 during two consecutive weekends, July 19-20 and July 26-27, an air traffic controller at Washington National Airport, spotted seven objects on his radar. And, then, July 8, 1947 there was the Roswell UFO incident where it was printed that the United States Army Air Forces allegedly captured a flying saucer and its occupants. Top Secret Tours offers to the curious, the non-believer or the skeptic an opportunity to travel to fascinating UFO sites in a once-in-a-lifetime educational experience in helping you to discern what the truth is.

TOP SECRET TOUR NO. 1

DAY 1

Arrive Albuquerque International Sunport and transfer north to Santa Fe for lunch at the Santa Fe Plaza. You’ll have time to browse through some of the local Native American art galleries and various shops that ring the plaza. Your tour director will probably show you the building on Palace Street that was the address of people living in Los Alamos: birth certificate, driver’s license, checkbook, etc. Later, you’ll board you motorcoach for a drive to Los Alamos with your first stop at the noted Otowi Station Book Store and Science Museum. You’ll check into your hotel before your tour director’s noted Welcome Dinner.

DAY 2-

After breakfast you’ll begin with a Walking Tour of the Atomic City, including stops at the historic Fuller Lodge, Bathtub Row (so named because they were the only residences that had bathtubs-others only had stall showers), Ashley Pond and the Ice House Memorial. You’ll also visit the Los Alamos Historical Museum. After Lunch (on your own) you’ll visit the Bradbury Science Museum, one feature being a replica of “Fat Boy”, the atomic bomb that exploded over the Trinity Site and ushered in the Atomic Age. Tonight, its dinner on own.

DAY 3

After breakfast and hotel check-out you will be heading to the Frijoles Canyon located in Bandelier National Monument. At the Visitor Center you’ll learn about the ancestral Pueblo people. You’ll hike along the Main Loop Trail where one sees the ruins of Tyuonyi village, original cliff dwellings and hundreds of ancient Petroglyphs. After lunch (on your own) the afternoon drive will take you to the nearby White Rock overlooks to take in the panoramic view of the Rio Grande River. Your day will conclude in Albuquerque and a visit the Museum of Nuclear Science and History. Dinner is included tonight.

DAY 4

The first destination, after breakfast and hotel check out, is the White Sands Missile Range and a tour of the Trinity Site where the world’s first atomic bomb was detonated at 5:29:45 a.m. Mountain War Time on July 16, 1945. After lunch you continue to the Lincoln State monument in the tiny hamlet of Lincoln, New Mexico, one of the most authentic “Old West” towns remaining in the United States. You’ll then travel on to Roswell for your hotel check in and included dinner with guest speaker, Stantion Friedman, the original civilian investigator of the Roswell Incident.

DAY 5

After breakfast your day will begin with a Walking Tour of downtown Roswell where you’ll re-trace the events of that day in July which became the “Roswell Incident” followed by a visit to the International UFO Museum and Research Center. After lunch there’s a tour of the former Roswell Army Air Field/Walker Air Force Base. The rest of the afternoon you’re at leisure with dinner on your own. Later you’ll hear from Dennis Balthaser, a Certified UFO Investigator with MUFON (Mutual UFO Network).

DAY 6

The morning, after breakfast and hotel checkout, you’ll have free time in Roswell to relax, shop and visit the impressive Robert Goddard Collection at the Roswell Museum and Art Center. The exhibits display actual engines, rocket assemblies and other rocketry parts developed by pioneer rocket scientist Goddard. During the afternoon you will travel through some fantastic scenery in the Lincoln National Forest to the Lodge Resort in Cloudcroft (alt. 9,000’). Overnight and Dinner is on your own at the Lodge.

DAY 7

Several options are open to you today. You can relax and a spa treatment, golf, hike, play horseshoes, or even encounter “Rebecca’s ghost.” Other options would be a short drive to Alamogordo and visit the New Mexico Museum of Space History, including the John P. Stapp Air and Space Park, International Space Hall of Fame and more. Another choice would be to visit the National Solar Observatory, located in the nearby village of Sunspot. Dinner is on your own tonight and overnight in Cloudcroft.

DAY 8

After Breakfast you’re on your way to White Sands and thr Whiter Sands Missile Range Museum. Your tour of the museum includes the impressive V-2 exhibit and outdoor missile park with over 50 different missiles and rockets that have been tested at White Sands. Tonight it’s at Truth or Consequences (NM) for hotel check-in and dinner on your own. A bit of trivia: Once upon a time there was a very popular radio show called “Truth or Consequences” produced and hosted by Ralph Edwards, also know for very popular early TV program, This Is Your Life. In 1950 he offered to air the program from the first town that would rename itself after the show. Hot Springs (NM) won the honor and for the next 50 years Edwards visited the town during the next 50 years even though the show was no longer on the air. The city still celebrates Fiesta that first May weekend.

DAY 9

After breakfast you will be taking a Morning Tour of Spaceport America, the world’s first commercial spaceport and global headquarters for Virgin Galatic Airlines. Keep your eyes open for Very Large Array (VLA) which, if you saw the movie Contact, is comprised of 27 radio telescopes in a “Y” pattern. After lunch you’ll then board your bus and head north to Socorro for hotel checkin. Dinner is on your own tonight. DAY 10- After breakfast and hotel check-out your motorcoach will make its way to Albuquerque and the airport for flights home.

Jean Strauber

Entertainment Writer

More Posts

Did You Know That…..

There Is a Museum Of Hoaxes?

Established in 1997 by Alex Boesc, you can find humbugs and hoodwinks from ancient deceptions to modern day “urban legends” at this intriguing museum. It’s open 24/7, and is divided into different sections. There’s a historical wing which presents hoaxes in chronological order, a gallery of April Fool’s Day hoaxes, a Tall-Tale Creature Gallery that includes jackalopes and the elusive fur-bearing trout. Check out the exhibits. Go to www. museumofhoaxes.com to learn more.

There is a Museum Of The Confederacy?

The Museum of the Confederacy, open since 1896, has now opened a second facility in Appomattox. In the 5,000 square feet of exhibit space you’ll the museum has focused on events surrounding the end of the Civil War, the surrender at Appomattox and the reunification of the country. It’s the premier national repository of Confederate artifacts, located in the historic Court End district in downtown Richmond, Virginia. The complex also include the White House of the Confederacy, a National Historic Landmark restored to its wartime elegance. The museum’s three floors contain the world’s largest and most comprehensive collection of Confederate artifacts, belonging to the most famous of generals and the unknown common soldier alike. For more detail go to www.moc. org.

There is a Wright Brothers National Monument?

Located on the site of Orville and Wilbur Wright’s successful experiment in powered flight, the memorial is near what is now called Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina, just outside Kitty Hawk. Atop the 90-foot Kill Devil Hill is a 60-foot granite monument which was dedicated in 1932. Alongside the monument are busts of Wilbur and Orville. A boulder marks the spot where the Wright Flyer left the ground and remained aloft for the historic 12 seconds and 120-foot flight. At the Wright Brothers Visitor Center you’ll see the story of the two brothers and their history-making achievement with exhibits; full scale reproductions of a 1902 glider and the 1903 Wright Flyer; an original engine block from the 1903 flyer; and a reproduction of the Wrights’ first wind tunnel. The 20,000 foot Centennial Pavilion offers movies, educational programs and additional exhibits. For more information go to www. nps.gov/wrbr. Historic Fact: On December 17, 2003 an attempt was made to re-create that historic flight but, the plane crashed upon take-off.

There is a Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site?

Located adjacent to the Morton Field Municipal Airport in Tuskegee, the Tuskegee National Historic Site is now operated by the National Park Service. The site includes two World Ward II-era training planes, oral history stations, an orientation room and a fourminute video detailing the role of Morton Field in its training of Tuskegee Airmen. There’s also bookstore and gift shop. For more details go to www. nps.gov/tuai

There is an Unclaimed Baggage Center?

In Scottsboro, Alabama, where since 1970 a 40,000 squarefoot store is the final resting place for all those pieces of luggage that have gone unclaimed by their owners. The airlines (or bus or train companies) send this baggage after 90 days to the center in Scottsboro, where items are sorted, cleaned, tested and priced before being put up for sale. Some get donated to charities while others, like some ancient Egyptian artifacts, were sold through Christie’s in New York. On their web site I found comments from people who had made purchases at the store, which ran the gamut from very impressive to the other direction. For more details go to unclaimedbaggage.com.

Emu

There is a Virginia Air & Space Museum?

The Virginia Air & Space Center is the official visitor center for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s Langley Research Center. At the Virginia Space Center you will find more than 30 historic aircraft, among them the Apollo 12 Command Module, a Mars meteorite, and a 3-billion-year old moon rock, to name a few. Visitors will find interactive artifacts and exhibits in the museum’s Adventures in Flight Gallery, the Space Gallery, including working as an air traffic controller, flying an airplane, piloting a space shuttle, and programming a Mars rover for a mission. Another gallery features an all-digital Ham Radio station. Why not try “wing walking” on a Jenny bi-plane, working as an air traffic controller to land a crippled passenger jetliner, or sitting in the cockpit of an FA-22 fighter jet? Future astronauts can rake a ride on a MaxFlight simulator, a Hampton carousel, bumper boats or a Simulated Ride Vehicle (SRV). For details go to www.vasc. org.

There is The Kentucky Down Under Australian Animal Park?

In the town of Horse Cave, Kentucky, it has been suggested that they change the name to Kangaroo Cave because it’s home to many Australian marsupials. Located between Louisville and Bowling Green, Horse Cave has become known for the kangaroos, Emus (pictured) lorikeets, didgeridoos and other Australian favorites that would more likely find in Melbourne or Sydney. The Kentucky Down Under Animal Park is home to a flock of native Australian birds. Grab a cup of seed to feed these feathered friends at Terra Rosella and the Bird Garden, home to resident budgies, the laughing kookaburra, the budgies and the lories. In the section known as Camp Corroboree will be an interpreter-led demonstration of Australian music, tools and other traditions, like dog-herding demos. At the Outback Walkabout, there’s a 30 minute guided tour where you’ll meet many of these animal visitors from “Down Under” who do enjoy all the attention they get from the park visitors. The name, Kentucky Down Under, also aptly describes the network of caves that meander below the surface of the park. Your guide will point out the “cave popcorn” and the “cave cauliflower” during your trek. The animal areas are closed between November and Mid- March the caves are open all year For more information go to www.kdu.com.

Jean Strauber

Entertainment Writer

More Posts

Have you heard about Caravan Tours? For more than 60 years, Caravan has provided escorted tours in the United States, Canada, Panama, Guatemala and Costa Rica. And, for a relatively low cost. A couple of readers e-mailed me and recommended that I write about their tours. They had taken Caravan’s Costa Rica tour and were impressed with the quality for the low cost. In Caravan’s 2012 brochure you’ll find these full escorted tours for $995, $1,095, or $1,195. For only $995 (or $1,095 or $1,195 depending on the time of year) per person/double occupancy you can select from the 10-Day Nova Scotia and Prince Edward and Cape Breton Islands or the 10-day tour of Costa Rica. Highlights of the Nova Scotia tour include a drive along the beautiful Cabot Trail, a visit with the First Nation people at the Mi’kmaq Heritage Center, a whale watching cruise, the fascinating Alexander Graham Bell Museum in Baddeck, the Fortress of Louisbourg where you’ll be transported back to the 17th century; a short ferry ride to Prince Edward Island and a ride to the red sandy beaches and cliffs of the Prince Edward Island National Seashore. You will continue on to the province of New Brunswick and the Bay of Fundy to observe the high tides change as much from 6 to 8 feet per hour.

Nova Scotia Caravan Tours

It’s then on to Halifax in Nova Scotia for your final two days. While staying in Halifax you’ll have a morning visit to the fishing village and artist retreat of Peggy Cove with its classic lighthouse. A visit to the 17th century fort, Citadel Hill is also included. While in Halifax there is free time for souvenir shopping or taking in the Maritime Museum with its many Titanic artifacts; the Commons, a beautiful park where you can see the tree that King George VI planted on his 1939 visit; the Pioneer Cemetery, or even the shops. Included meals are all breakfasts and four dinners. Your accommodations are the Hilton Garden Inn, Halifax Airport; Laurie’s Inn at Chelicamp, Cape Breton; Auberge Gisele’s Inn at Baddeck; North Winds on Prince Edward Island and the Marriott Harbourfront Hotel in Halifax.

Features of the Costa Rica Natural Paradise tour begin when you arrive in the capital, San José, and stay for the next two nights. During your first full day in Costa Rica you’ll visit the Coffee Brit, a coffee plantation, where you’ll enjoy a guided tour and sample fresh Costa Rica coffee; the Poás Volcano where you can peek inside the volcano from an overlook, if the weather permits; and hike the Escalonia Cloud Forest Trail, a habitat for epiphytes, orchids, ferns and tropical hummingbirds. Leaving San José on the third day, drive through the Braulio Carrillo Park where you’ll view cascading waterfalls and visit a butterfly garden on your way to the 47,000-acre Tortuguero National Park, home to more than 300 bird species. You’ll then check into the Tortuguero Park’s Laguna or Pachiro Lodge for free time to enjoy the swimming pool and tropical gardens. Your fourth day of this Costa Rican adventure will find you cruising along canals with a naturalist guide. You’re on your way to the mysterious waters of Caño Palma Wildlife Reserve and the Green Turtle Station to learn more about the efforts to protect the turtles. You will walk along the Atlantic turtle nesting beaches with your guide, and then to Tortuguero village.

After lunch at your lodge you can join an afternoon boat excursion into Tortuguero Park. Your fifth day begins with a visit to a pineapple plantation and then a scenic drive to the San Carlos Valley before reaching Fortuna, which will be your base while you explore Caño Negro wildlife refuge and see the nearby Arenal Volcano’s glowing lava flow, before returning to the Arenal Springs for a relaxing soak. On your seventh day, venture into the rainforest to see the Hanging Bridges and hike on six suspension bridges through lush tropical rainforest canopy. You’ll then move on to Guanacaste province to experience the only tropical dry forest in Costa Rica, before driving to the country’s Pacific Coast for a two-night stay at the beautiful J.W. Marriott Resort and Spa. Your continuing adventures include a visit to the Natural Trail of Hacienda Pinilla, a wildlife tropical bird and wildlife sanctuary. The afternoon at your hotel is for you to beachcomb, stroll along the beach, take advantage of the spa facilities for a facial, or enjoy the hotel’s infinity pool, the largest in Central America.

Day nine finds you driving through the cattle ranches of Guanacaste, enjoying a bird and crocodile spotting cruise on the Tarcoles River or cruising through a mangrove reserve before heading towards the capital, San José, and the Aurola Hotel. Hotels on this journey are: Barcelo Palacio and Real Intercontinental, San José; Laguna or Pachira Lodge in Tortuguero Park; Lomas del Volcan, Arenal Springs, Aernal Manoa, Magic Mountain, the J.W. Marriottt Resort and Spa, Guanacaste and Pacific Beach; and the Aurola in the capital, San José. Caravan has scheduled another Eight-Day sojourn which features Mt. Rushmore, Grand Tetons and Yellowstone National Park from $1,095. Guests will enjoy a stay in Rapid City (SD) from where you’ll visit the Crazy Horse Memorial and Mt. Rushmore.

You’ll also visit Little Big Horn, where Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull overwhelmed the forces of General George Custer. This tour includes a visit to Cody (WY) where you’ll find the Buffalo Bill Historical Center as well as the Plains Indian Museum and the Whitney Gallery of Western Art before heading to Yellowstone National Park and your accommodations at the Old Faithful Inn. One of the best features of the Inn is that you’re a short walk from the Old Faithful Geyser. You’ll enjoy your complete tour of Yellowstone, both the upper and lower loops. Look for the Paint Pots, Yellowstone’s Grand Canyon and the Grand Canyon Falls which are twice the height of Niagara Falls.

At Mammoth Springs try and spot the elk, deer and bison which abound in this park. In Grand Teton National Park, Caravan will provide a picnic lunch on the banks of the Snake River. Keep your fingers crossed for good weather because you’ll soon be in a raft floating down that river. The seventh day will find you crossing into Idaho to cross the historic Oregon Trail. You will drive through the picturesque Logan Canyon as you make your way to your final destination, Salt Lake City (UT). Your hotels are: The Radisson in Rapid City, HIlton Garden Inn in Billings, Old Faithful Inn in Yellowstone Park, The Virginian Lodge in Jackson and the Hilton Garden Inn in Salt Lake city in Utah.

Jean Strauber

Entertainment Writer

More Posts

At the annual meeting of the Corporate Travel Center I had a most interesting conversation with Steve Avalos of AMA Waterways, one of the leading providers of river cruising. Steve shared with me news of AMA’s new combination land and river cruising on the African continent. Here’s more information about AMA’S Africa Safaris and Wildlife Cruises on board the Ms Zambezi Queen.  The 16-Day Stars Of Africa itinerary includes three nights in Cape Town, South Africa; three nights in the Kruger National Park area, South Africa; and one night in Johannesburg, South Africa before embarking on a four-night safari cruise and ending with two nights at Victoria Falls. From $8,995 per person, double occupancy.

River Cruise in Africa

The 16-Day African Sunsets itinerary features three nights in Cape Town, South Africa; two nights in Okavango Delta, Botswana; two nights in the Savute Safari area, Botswana; a four-night safari cruise which ends with two nights in Victoria Falls. $10,995 per person, double occupancy. The 19-Day Golden Trails Of Africa features one night in Nairobi, Kenya; eight nights at game reserves – Amboseli (Kenya), Lake Manyara (Tanzania), Ngorongoro (Tanzania) and Serengeti (Tanzania); one night in Johannesburg, South Africa; a four-night safari cruise and two nights in Victoria Falls. From $11,495 per person, double occupancy.

The four-night cruise on board the 28-passenger MS Zambezi Queen features the following: – Accommodations in a balcony stateroom. – Private boat game drives along the banks of the Chobe River. – A visit to Kasenu village where you’ll interact with the local residents. – Experience a Mokoro (a type of canoe propelled through shallow waters by standing in the stern and pushing with a pole) ride on the Chobe River. – Enjoy a traditional African Boma Dinner, an African BBQ on an island in Namibia, and a beach picnic lunch. – All meals included during the cruise with complimentary wine and beer. – An air-conditioned top deck consisting of the dining room, lounge with magnificent view, a solarium area and even a private pool, – Mosquito screening throughout the ship. The fare does not include international flights, intra- Africa flights, taxes and fuel surcharges.

AMA Waterways is offering their cruise guests complimentary stays when you book the following cruises: • Europe’s Rivers & Castles: A seven-night Nuremberg-Luxembourg (or reverse) cruise. Select two-nights Prague or threenights Paris. From $2,599 per person (cruise only). Departs July 21, Aug. 9 & Oct. 27, 2012. Vineyards Of The Rhine & Mosel: A seven-night Luxembourg-Amsterdam cruise and three nights in Paris. From $2,799 per person (cruise only). Departs June 27, 2012. The Romantic Danube: A seven-night Vilshofen- Budapest (or reverse) cruise. Select three nights in Prague or three nights in Paris. From $2,499 per person (cruise only) U.S. Departure Dates: April 10 and Oct. 2 and for your stay in Prague April 14, 2012. AMA is also offering a two for one stay in Lucerne and Zurich on their The Enchanting Rhine sevennight Amsterdam to Basel (or reverse) cruise. From $2,599. For only $520 (per person) you can add two nights in Lucerne and two nights in Zurich. One departure only August 14, 2012. For further information contact your travel professional or me at (800) 870-9345 or e-mail me at trvlwritr2@aol.com.

Jean Strauber

Entertainment Writer

More Posts