Viewing by month: March 2008
Big mess at Heathrow Terminal 5.
On seeing Niagara Falls, Oscar Wilde proclaimed it "the second major disappointment of American married life." These days, the biggest disappointment in every travelers life is Terminal 5 at Heathrow.By end of day Saturday, British Airways had cancelled nearly 250 flights, affecting 14,000 passengers. Flights departed with no baggage whatsoever. Planes sat on the tarmac for hours. Baggage handlers couldn't keep up with the new, automated system. And parking was no where to be found.
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San Carlos de Bariloche and Argentina's Patagonia.
If you haven't been to Argentina yet, chances are it's on your short list. The charms of Buenos Aires are one of travel's worst-kept secrets.
But Argentina is one of the most beautiful countries in the world. So even those who are just planning to pop down for a city visit should add
Patagonia and the Lakes district to their itinerary.
San Carlos de Bariloche, a two-hour flight from Buenos Aires, makes an easy gateway. The town, which looks like a Swiss village, is underwhelming - you'll see all there is to see in a couple of hours. But the location on Lake Nahuel Huapi is beautiful.
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Tasting Irish cheese in Dublin.
The California Cheese Board says "great cheese comes from happy cows." And apparently, that same theory applies to Irish dairy products.Frequent rain and moderate temperatures allow cows to graze on an all-you-can-eat buffet of green grass virtually all year long. And today, Irish butter and cheese are recognized around the world for their quality.
If you're going to Dublin, there are several places where you can sample the best Irish dairy products.
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Vatican treasures touring the U.S.
The Vatican Museums in Rome attract 4 million visitors a year. About 3.9 million spend so much time waiting in line, that once they get in, they take one of the color-coded routes to the Sistine Chapel and call 'er done. Which is a shame, because the Museums' Greek, Roman, Egyptian, Etruscan, and Renaissance collections are among the finest in the world.
This summer, you can see 2,000 years of Vatican art and history without even crossing the pond. Vatican Splendors from Saint Peter's Basilica, the Vatican Museums, and the Swiss Guard showcases more than 200 works of art, artifacts, and mosaics -- many of which are rarely on display.
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Relief finally in sight at Heathrow.
If you’ve flown through Heathrow lately, you know that things could only get better. Between interminable security lines, lengthy delays, and woefully inadequate baggage handling facilities -- British Airways lost an average of 3,000 bags a day in 2006 -- Heathrow seemed ready to implode at any moment.But the end is finally in sight. On March 14, 2008, the Queen opened the eagerly anticipated Terminal 5, which will welcome its first flight on March 27.
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