Travel Briefs

Eight-hundred years of history in 30 minutes — the documentary “The Riga Story,” in English and Russian

In 2012, York celebrates its 800th year as a city. On July 9, the date when York’s royal charter was granted, choirs and musicians will perform a specially commissioned musical piece at the Eye of York, a lawn by the city’s 18th-century administrative buildings.

In addition to exhibitions, music festivals and tours, other events include the York Cycle of Mystery Plays, Aug. 2-27, the Traditional Dance Festival, Sept. 8, and Illuminating York, Oct. 24-27. Contact York City of Festivals...

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Now that Thalys runs a direct high-speed train daily between Brussels International Airport and Paris Gare du Nord (Jan. ’12, pg. 47), travelers from India, Canada or the US to Brussels flying Jet Airways can take advantage of a new code-share to transfer to Paris at no extra charge (or land in Paris and take the train to Brussels). When a traveler books his flight, a code-share number for the Thalys ticket is automatically included. The one-hour 47-minute train trip normally would cost €78...

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On the Caribbean islands of Grand Cayman, Little Cayman and Cayman Brac, 25 accommodations (hotels, condos, house rentals) and seven activity companies, including Cayman Luxury Charters and Indigo Divers, are offering a “Worry Free Hurricane Guarantee” for the hurricane season, June 1-Nov. 30.

Guests may cancel reservations with as little as 48 hours’ notice with no penalty or, at most, one night’s rental cost, as opposed to the 100% penalty for late cancellations charged the rest of...

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In Israel, a complex of buildings from the tenth to sixth centuries BC that were exposed during a multiyear archaeological dig are now open to the public inside the Walls Around Jerusalem National Park (phone 800 25 24 23). Archaeologists have named the complex the Ophel City Wall (see Nehemiah 3:26) and have built passageways around the various buildings, which include a gatehouse, royal edifice and fifth-century-AD wall. Also on display is the earliest written document to be discovered in...

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The “Berlitz Complete Guide to Cruising & Cruise Ships 2012” (Berlitz. 688 pp. $24.99 paperback) has route maps, details on 285 cruise ships and info on cruise trends, specialized cruises and getting the best cruise bargains. The ship data is also available for $9.99 as an app for Apple iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch; look for “Berlitz Cruise Ships” in the app store.

In the Copenhagen International Airport, at Kastrup, is a new lounge, the CPH Apartment (phone +45 32 31 34 74), designed to resemble a modern city dwelling. The lounge is located past security check-in at Terminal 2 and open 5:30 a.m.-8 p.m. daily. The DKK169 (near $32) entry fee covers use of computers, WiFi and recharging outlets plus hot and cold drinks, snacks and fresh fruit.

Since 2007, all US passports have carried Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) chips; some credit cards also have them. Unfortunately, these devices also enable unauthorized persons to scan any chips nearby, raising the possibility of identity theft. SecureMyID wallets and organizers contain metal to block scans. Among products are a leather passport case (5½"x3¾"x½", $24.99), a leather mini-wallet (3¼"x45⁄8", $15.95), a men’s nylon trifold wallet (4"x3¼"x½", $29.99) and a ladies’ leather...

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