Columns

Located on the salt flats of Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia, the world’s first salt hotel, the 30-bedroom Palacio de Sal (Palace of Salt), was built in 1998. — Bryan Henry, Contributing Editor, Hollywood, FL

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The Anglican St. Andrew’s Cathedral, the largest cathedral in Singapore, is located in the heart of the city. Photo: ©Sathianpong Phookit/123

Dear Globetrotter:

Welcome to the 488th issue of your monthly foreign-travel magazine.

This publication continues to prosper because of the travelers who subscribe to it (thank you) and the companies that advertise in it (thank them).

If you’re thinking of visiting a particular destination, consider the offerings of one of the tour operators who are providing support to ITN… and let them know where you saw their ad. They’ll appreciate the feedback....

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Heineken beer got its start in 1592 in a Dutch brewery under the name of De Hooiberg, but it got its name in 1864 when Gerard Adriaan Heineken acquired the original brewery and developed a special yeast that gave his beer its distinctive taste. — Bryan Henry, Contributing Editor, Hollywood, FL

Nguyen Thu Nhi (left) and Chef Nguyen Thanh Ngoan (right) with finished Vietnamese Rice Cakes — Parkroyal Saigon. Photos by Sandra Scott

Vietnam

My husband, John, and I live in upstate New York, and most of the retired people in our area are “snowbirds,” who head south to spend the winter in warmer, snow-free states. John and I head all the way to Asia for three months. We find Asia reasonable, cost-wise, and enjoy the diversity of cultures. We like the flexibility of wintering for a few weeks each in several countries.

In January 2016 we were in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), Vietnam. We had been there...

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In Britain, the kids are all right

Imagine being a kid forced to spend a big part of your summer vacation with robo-tourist Rick Steves (alias Dad). My kids, Jackie and Andy, did that a lot when they were young. I always considered it a great education for them, but they also had a lot of fun. 

One of their favorite destinations, Great Britain, enthralled them with colorful pageantry and evocative historical sights. Here’s what impressed them the most.

...

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Lions guarding one of the six temples at the Preah Ko complex.

Early Khmer temples at Angkor

Tomes have been written about Angkor. Not at all surprising, since this area, located in northwestern Cambodia, is one of the world’s foremost archaeological sites! It was, in its time, one of the greatest empires on Earth.

From the early ninth century until roughly the mid-15th, this part of Cambodia witnessed an explosion of temple building that reached its apogee in the 12th century with the construction of Angkor Wat by the Khmer king...

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Hot springs pool at Hveravellir — a true oasis in Iceland’s spartan lava interior. Photos by Randy Keck

Iceland (First of three parts)

To be certain, I had expected to encounter appealing landscapes on my June 2016 journey in a European island nation where, in a banishing of darkness at the height of summer, the sun never really sets. 

I was traveling, partially hosted by ElderTreks (Toronto, Canada; 800/741-7956, www.eldertreks.com), in amazing Iceland, where the adventure-tour operator (and advertiser in ITN) annually offers an 11-day tour. ElderTreks runs small-group...

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Luxembourg’s Grand Ducal Palace

Dear Globetrotter:

Welcome to the 487th issue of your monthly foreign travel magazine.I think it’s a good bet that you would be interested in getting the most euros for your dollars or the best value when making a purchase involving currency exchange. If you are, you’ll be glad to read the results of the fourth annual Currency Exchange Study, released on May 12 by the credit- and financial-advice company WalletHub (www.wallet hub.com).

When wanting to purchase...

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