There has been lots of travel reading this week, and much of has surrounded the Air France disaster.  It’s easy to get caught up in the negative and the fear of travel at times like this.  As someone who works in the industry, though, I think it’s just as important to remember the joy of travel, and the celebration of discovering new lands, new people, and new experiences.

Gadling – 10 passengers we love to hate, the baggage claim vulture.  It would be funny if it weren’t so true.

The Amsterdam Guide – Coffee shops and hash houses.  It’s what we really want to know, but are afraid to ask.  Marianne gives us some recommendations and practical etiquette.

Nomadic Matt – The top 10 party cities.  Reading this made me feel a little old, but only for a few minutes, as it’s more than just clubs.

Luxury Travel Guide – Where the wealthiest traveler’s stay.  I’d have to get together a couple thousand of my closest friends to afford these spots.  Pretty fabulous, though.

Traveling Mamas – Mountain Mama gives a review of The Beatles’ LOVE, a Cirque du Soleil show.  I loved this show myself!

The South Florida Traveler – If your feet are aching after a night of serious partying, kick off your heels and pick up some after-party shoes from a vending machine.

Gail at Large – Tempting treats at a Toronto cookie shop.  You get to choose your own dough, add your favorite extras, and then they’re baked and ready for you in just a couple of minutes.  Yummmmm!

About ten minutes east of downtown Denver are 23 acres of gardens and plants that will make you feel like your much further away from the concrete of the city.  The Denver Botanic Gardens (1005 York Street, Denver) contain 45 gardens and over 32,000 plants.  (I discovered the York Street gardens while on a shopping expedition; they are very near the Cherry Creek Mall.)

The gardens represent a wide range of gardening styles and plant collections, covering diverse parts of the world.  It’s an interesting blend or culture with flora and fauna.  And, because this is the mile high city, there’s some focus on high altitude climate and how that can impact a garden.

While it’s hard to believe that a botanical garden can be even “greener," Denver seems to have done it with the city’s first green roof.  It’s a real-life example of how green roofs can be used for individual building owners, and for larger communities, in creating an eco-friendly urban environment.  Green roofs provide habitat for a variety of creatures, and help reduce pollution and decrease noise.  They’re economically friendly too, as green roofs help reduce heating and cooling costs as well as help extend the life of the roof.

The Denver Botanic Gardens are open year round.  Summer hours are Saturday – Tuesday, 9 am - 8 pm; Wednesday – Friday, 9 am – 5 pm.  The rest of the year the gardens are open 9 am – 5 pm daily.

Admission is $10.50 for adults; $7.50 for seniors (65+) and military; $6 for youth (4-15) and students; and FREE for children 3 and under.

There are also three satellite locations, each offering a distinct experience:

• Denver Botanic Gardens at Chatfield
• Mount Goliath
• Centennial Gardens

While it’s tempting to think of the gardens as a summer destination, each seasons brings a new experience.  So go back often!  It will be a new experience every time.

Photo credit:  flickr

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Kauai is the oldest of the main Hawaii Islands, and is the fourth largest of the islands, and is about a 100 miles from Oahu.

Often referred to as the “Garden Isle,” Kauai is one of the wettest spot in the world, with an annual rainfall of 460 inches. 

I’m most familiar with the town of Lihue, on the southeast coast of Kauai.   Most visitors, however, may be more familiar with Waimea, once the capital of the island, and the first place in Hawaii visited by Captain James Cook. 

While there’s still beaches and sand, the lushness of Kauai lends itself to lots of other outdoor activities.

To learn more about Kauai, and all the other Hawaiian Islands, head over to The Hawaii Traveler, and read what Jody has to say about one of the top vacation spots in the United States.

Photo credit:  personal collection

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Head to Las Vegas with all the “cool kids” of blogging for the 2008 BlogWorld & New Media Expo at the Las Vegas Convention Center on September 20th-21st.  An exclusive “Executive & Entrepreneur” conference will be held the day before on September 19th.

Now in its second year, the only industry-wide trade show, conference, and media event promotes blogging and new media with its seminars, panel discussions, keynotes, and exhibitor booths.  Not only that, it’s a heck of a lot of fun!

If you are already a blogger, vlogger, or podcaster, or maybe you just want to know more about them all, this conference is sure to give you a chance to learn, network, and party with some of the stars of the blogosphere.

BWE conference pricing starts at $75 for exhibits only, $300 for full access, and $750 for the Executive & Entrepreneur conference.  If you want to go, register by August 22nd when the prices go up. 

The conference will be held in the South Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center, 3150 Paradise Road, Las Vegas.  The convention center is conveniently located on the monorail system, providing easy access to and from major strip hotels.

One more reason to go to BlogWorld Expo – I’ll be there.  If you’re going, be sure to leave a comment so that we can meet up!

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Q.  Do you eat local food when you travel, or do you try to stick with “safe” American food?

A.  I try to eat local whenever I can, and enjoy experimenting with the various cuisine where I am traveling.  While you won’t find dining on fried worms, or sauteed insects, I generally prefer to sample some of the local dishes.  Why eat American food, since I can get it  any time when I’m at home.

I try to use common sense, and refrain from unsanitary street vendors, but all in all I’ve had good experiences with small, out-of-the-way cafes.

I much prefer to be adventure and savor the local delicacies — like the HUGE lemon in this photo.  The lemon was used, along with several others, to make a refreshing lemonade while I was in Sorrento, Italy. 

This area of Italy is known for its lemons, used for delicious gelato, and also for lemoncello, a very popular lemon liqueur.

Photo credit:  personal collection

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When we travel we often forget that things are not always as they are back “home.”  Here’s one difference that international visitors may find when they visit the United States:

Unlike many countries, the United States has no national sales tax that is comparable to the GST (goods and services tax) or the VAT (value added tax) that is found in many other countries.  Instead, each state, county and/or municipality sets their own tax rate.

This means that what you pay in tax in one location may be different from what you’d pay in another location.

Additionally, in some locations certain goods are tax exempt, most typically food, and some things are taxed at different rates.

Prices quoted on a sales tag or by sales personnel do not include tax, so be sure to take that additional charge into consideration when evaluating a purchase price.

Confused?  Just ask what the sales tax is.  We don’t try to keep track of what it is from one place to another, and not knowing isn’t a big deal.

One way that you may avoid paying sales tax is to have your purchase shipped out of state.  Since a shipping charge will likely apply, you need to make sure that any savings outweighs the additional cost.  If you’re making a rather large purchase, ask your sales clerk about this option and decide if it’s the way to go.

And if you’re visiting Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, or Oregon, you’re really in luck.  Those states have no state sales tax at all.

Photo credit:  wikimedia

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No, it’s not Venice.  It’s the Gondola ride at the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Okay, it’s a little touristy, and it’s definitely NOT Venice, but it’s still a bit of romantic fun away from the flashing lights and noise of the casinos.  You need to take a break from the fast paced action some time, and this isn’t a bad choice.

The gondolas have been fashioned after authentic Venetian ones, each seating four, and operate rides both indoors and out.  If your party doesn’t fill the gondola, you’ll likely be paired up with others.

The indoor gondolas float their way through the Grand Canal Shoppes, beneath bridges, shops, and cafes that have been created to give the feel of Venice.  The ride lasts about 15 minutes.

The outdoor gondolas offer a more “authentic” feel (since you really are outdoors), but are a few minutes shorter.  On a nice day I’d choose outdoors.

Same day reservations can be made in person, starting at 9 am for the indoor ride, and 10 am for the outdoor ride.  The gondolas operate Sunday – Thursday 10 am – 11 pm, and weekends till midnight.

The ride costs $16 per person.  A private two person gondola ride can be arranged, and is often used for special celebrations.

The Venetian Hotel is located at 3355 South Las Vegas Boulevard (map it).

Photo credit:  personal collection

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Today’s matchbook of Bateaux Parisiens comes from Jon at Travel Photo Daily.  He said that he just came across it, but that is was at least five or more years old.  It brought back lots of great memories of my trip to Paris last fall, so a very big THANKS for the contribution.

Bateaux Parisiens is a cruise company that conducts sightseeing, lunch, and dinner cruises on the Seine, along with operating a river-boat shuttle called Batobus.

I opted for an evening sightseeing cruise, and for an hour we cruised the Seine while the hostess pointed out a number of attractions.  The commentary was pleasant and informative, and not filled with the typical puns and drivel that you so often get on tours.

Schedules vary, but details and information can easily be found in the city.  At the time I was there the sightseeing cruise operated every half hour until 10 pm, and cost €11.  It was easy to walk up and get a seat.  Reservations required, however, for lunch and dinner cruises.

Thanks for the contribution, Jon. 

Photo credit:  Jon Rochetti

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Go directly to jail.  Do not pass go.  Do not collect $200.

It turns out that you don’t have to commit a crime or play Monopoly in order to find yourself in jail.  At least if you’re in Boise, Idaho.

The Old Idaho Penitentiary State Historic Site was used as Idaho’s prison between 1870-1973.  Originally the prison was a single building, but grew to several buildings surrounded by a high sandstone wall.  Additions to the prison complex were constructed with sandstone that the prisoners quarried and cut, and then used in the construction.

As happened at many prisons in the 1970’s, the over-crowded conditions led to a prison riot, occurring here in both 1971 and again in 1973.  The result was moving the prison population and closing the old prison in 1973.  That same year the prison was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Prison exhibits include a video detailing the history of the prison, along with some of its notorious inmates, and some of the conditions of prison life.  You’ll also see an array of weapons (some very cool old swords), and an explanation of the history of prison tattoos.  You can also visit Siberia (solitary confinement) as well as Death Row.

Among all the stone and bars, however, the prisoners also maintained the grounds and a rose garden.  Today you’ll find both in the same condition as they were maintained my inmates in the early 1900’s.  There is beauty, even in prison.

The prison is located at 2445 Old Penitentiary Road in Boise, Idaho (map it).  It is open all year long (closed on holidays).  Summer hours (Memorial Day through Labor Day) are 10 am – 5 pm.  The balance of the year, hours are noon – 5 pm.

Admission is $5 adults; $4 seniors; $3 children ages 6-12.

NOTE:  You’re going to be doing a lot of walking over uneven territory, so good walking shoes are recommended.

Photo credit:  Peter Wollheim

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With the upcoming winter Olympics, all eyes seem to turn east, as the world focuses on Beijing specifically, and China more generally.

I’ve never been totally enthusiastic about visiting China, due in large part, I think, to the era that I grew up in.

So I’m fascinated about the special programing that the Travel Channel has coming up:  China Week.  Regular Travel Channel hosts will present shows dedicated to Chinese history, culture and food.  The programming will be broadcast in Hi-Def, so you’ll really get the feeling of being there.

Here’s a little teaser of what you can expect from one of my favorite Travel Channel hosts, Samantha Brown:

That sure makes me want to visit the Great Wall.  Sam always seems to have a great time, and I’d love to go on a getaway with her pretty much anywhere!

Other programming includes two new specials, Seven Wonders of China and Wild China, an encore episode from Anthony Bourdain, and Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern.  That last one sounds both interesting AND scary.

This is a great prelude to the Olympics!

China Week starts Sunday, July 27th.  Since air dates and time will vary depending on your location, check the Travel Channel’s schedule for detailed broadcast information.

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