This is the August 2014 issue

Boarding Pass

The Samuel Beckett Bridge over the River Liffey joins Guild Street on the north bank to Sir John Rogerson’s Quay on the south — Dublin, Ireland. Photo ©Laurentiu Iordache/123rf.com
Beware of professional pickpockets in Europe
By David Tykol
Appears on Page 2
 

Features

The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Mellieha.
Discovering a destination worth devoting some time to on a first-time visit to the Mediterranean island of Malta
By Judith Anshin
Appears on Page 6
 
The thumb you see in the lower right corner belongs to one of this gorilla’s friends, who was grooming him, an activity that occupies a good deal of their time.
A rewarding trek to see Rwanda’s mountain gorillas
By Marvin Silverman
Appears on Page 20
 
At one of Montpellier’s most popular street cafés, a band played while people dined outside.
Experiencing the joys of French living on a 4-week immersion program in Montpellier
By Claudia Dantoin
Appears on Page 38
 
The eighth-century step well at Abhaneri included a Hindu temple.
Tigers, temples and, of course, the Taj Mahal on an affordable tour of northern India
By Karen Wells
Appears on Page 50
 

Travelers' Intercom

Replacing a debit card overseas
By Brigid Duffy
Appears on Page 13
 
Dublin airport to Northern Ireland
By Stephen O. Addison, Jr.
Appears on Page 13
 
Christ Church Cathedral — Dublin. Photos: Gurman
A look at literary Dublin
By Irma Gurman
Appears on Page 15
 
Just wanted to get home
By Wendy Maloon
Appears on Page 26
 
Copa flight oversold
By Linda Huetinck
Appears on Page 28
 
Many old Cuban mansions have been converted to paladares, privately owned high-end restaurants.
Road Scholar tour of Cuba
By Fred Steinberg
Appears on Page 28
 
Volunteering in Cuba
By George Carter
Appears on Page 31
 
Praise for LCA Toptour in Alsace
By Marjorie Wright
Appears on Page 33
 
Jane O’Brien and the statue of Lady Linshui at Lady Linshui Temple in Tainan, Taiwan.
Shangri-La in Tainan
By Kevin O’Brien
Appears on Page 34
 
Dining in Hong Kong
By Jim Delmonte
Appears on Page 34
 
Kudos to Novotel in Yogyakarta
By Dave Smith
Appears on Page 34
 
Prosthesis info card
By Fr. Michael Fill
Appears on Page 36
 
Scanning devices relied upon
By Karl Strobl
Appears on Page 36
 
Artificial implants and airport security
By Denise Doporto
Appears on Page 36
 
Collapsible hiking poles
By Samantha Sartain
Appears on Page 37
 
Mind Lisbon’s slippery sidewalks
By Irwin Schatzman
Appears on Page 54
 
Pickpockets in Paris
Appears on Page 54
 
Luang Prabang lament
By Kathy Wilhelm
Appears on Page 56
 
Water bottle Aquaclip®
By E. Tobias Earl
Appears on Page 57
 
Ladies’ cabs in Dubai
By Nancy J. Norberg
Appears on Page 57
 
Traveling & Giving: Reader’s Digest popular
By Rosemary Stafford
Appears on Page 57
 
Trans-Siberian railway trip
By Stan Ink
Appears on Page 73
 

Calling All Readers!

Child monks learning to dance at Kuenga Rabten, the winter palace of Bhutan’s second king, south of Trongsa. Photo: Bernstein
Rating foreign tour companies that customize tours
Appears on Page 42
 
Map-printing challenge
Appears on Page 48
 

Columns

The Samuel Beckett Bridge over the River Liffey joins Guild Street on the north bank to Sir John Rogerson’s Quay on the south — Dublin, Ireland. Photo ©Laurentiu Iordache/123rf.com
Beware of professional pickpockets in Europe
Boarding Pass

By David Tykol
Appears on Page 2
 
A Tarahumara woman in the Copper Canyon — Mexico. Photos by Wayne Wirtanen
Discovering Mexico’s Copper Canyon
Adventure Travel for the Mildly Adventuresome

By Wayne Wirtanen
Appears on Page 59
 
jamon iberico de bellota
Eating in Spain — sustenance for the soul
Rick Steves' Europe

By Rick Steves
Appears on Page 62
 
Granada’s charming, early-19th-century Hotel Dario. Photo by Randy Keck
Nicaragua: Central American adventure
Far Horizons

By Randy Keck
Appears on Page 63
 

Travel Briefs

Michelangelo’s ‘David’
Historic aerial photos, Europe
Beijing subway security
SAS lowers bag fees
A brighter Taj Mahal
Restoring Trevi Fountain
Museumplein tickets
Museum of Anatolian Civilization
Tuscany cooking school
Cabin on a raft
Paris’ love locks
Finnair SkyWheel
Anne Frank portrayed

Funniest Thing

Pontiff plaudits
By Custis Haynes
Appears on Page 57
 

Where in the World? Correct Answers

Tumuli Park
Tumuli Park, Gyeongju, South Korea
Appears on Page 77
 

News Watch

Rise of ISIS in Syria & Iraq
Pakistan Taliban attacks
Nigeria and Cameroon fighting Boko Haram
Ukraine, rebels and Russia
Unrest in Libya
Rwanda-Congo clashes
Attacks in Southeast Kenya
Refugee numbers spiking
Bombs in Cairo
West Bank kidnappings
Sri Lanka curfew
Ebola in West Africa
American jailed, N. Korea
Current warnings for August 2014

Tours

Burundi & Rwanda”
“Best Value Botswa­­na”
“Argentina-Patagonia — The Remote Paradise”
“Knitting New Year’s Cruise On The Danube”
“Art Collections Of Milan”
“Persian Treasures Of Iran”
“Orangutan Adventure In North Sumatra”