Looks like Turkey

If you think the Valle d’Istria area of Puglia looks like Anatolia, Turkey, you’re right. When invaders left here centuries ago, they left their traditional architectural style of “trulli’’ houses topped with stone-covered cones.


The trulli appear atop hillsides, in olive orchards, amid the almond trees now flocked with white blooms, and in towns like Aberobello. The town itself has become something of a tourist trap, with a shop in every trulli, but it’s still a marvelous site.






EXPENSE ACCOUNT

It was a splurge day. Calories and budget aren't to be counted.

Puglia: The food's too good!

There is a problem with Puglia, and it is this: There is too much food, and it is too good.


About 50 percent of the vegetables grown in Italy come from this region, and more than 50 percent of the olive oil. The ingredients are so fresh that even the simplest meal will ruin your taste buds for the shipped and processed foods so common in the U.S.
There is a problem with Puglia, and it is this: There is too much food, and it is too good.

About 50 percent of the vegetables grown in Italy come from this region, and more than 50 percent of the olive oil. The ingredients are so fresh that even the simplest meal will ruin your taste buds for the shipped and processed foods so common in the U.S.

That wasn’t the point of my cooking class today at the Masseria Torre Coccara, but it may be the most memorable. That, and the fact that making pasta from scratch is an incredible amount of work. Four of us worked an hour to make enough orecchiette – the “little ears’’ – for lunch.


The other dishes were easier: a sauce of anchovies and broccoli rabe, pastry pockets filled with mozzarella and tomatoes, and a grouper baked with vegetables, capers and olives. Most of the vegetables are grown here on the farm – five minutes from the earth to the table.

And what isn’t grown here comes from just down the road, at small farms where the people gladly show you around even though you aren’t speaking the same language. But then, food and farming are the same language – whatever the words.

That wasn’t the point of my cooking class today at the Masseria Torre Coccara, but it may be the most memorable. That, and the fact that making pasta from scratch is an incredible amount of work. Four of us worked an hour to make enough orecchiette – the “little ears’’ – for lunch.

The other dishes were easier: a sauce of anchovies and broccoli rabe, pastry pockets filled with mozzarella and tomatoes, and a grouper baked with vegetables, capers and olives. Most of the vegetables are grown here on the farm – five minutes from the earth to the table.

And what isn’t grown here comes from just down the road, at small farms where the people gladly show you around even though you aren’t speaking the same language. But then, food and farming are the same language – whatever the words.

Scene from Alberobello

Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile

In Italy, travel on your stomach

The Husband often describes my travel life as “five stars to under the stars’’ – and sometimes it is literally true. (Think camel trekking in Australia to the Aman Resort at Borobodur and you get the picture.)

On this trip, the range isn’t quite as dramatic. Most of my lodgings are budget, but tonight I’ve splurged at the rustically beautiful Masseria Torre Coccaro, built in a defensive tower dating from the 1700s near the sea in Savelletri di Fasano. Rooms with vaulted ceilings surround a courtyard that is simple but artfully tended – the kind of warm sophistication born of an authentic place and genuine hospitality.


The tower sits on a working farm, and the owners still grow vegetables and make olive oil here. It all ends up on your plate at dinner, which is a spectacular experience of the sweetest carrots and fennel served raw with a basalmic vinegar sauce, red tuna carpaccio with a spicy fig sauce, pasta served with bits of local langoustine and zucchini grown on the farm. The Primitivo wine comes from 50 kilometers down the road, the cheeses next door, the pasta from this very kitchen.

This doesn’t come cheap – appetizers run 13-18 euros, pastas around 16 and main dishes 22-34. But when it comes to value, there’s nothing here to argue about. The meal was, simply, divine.

EXPENSE ACCOUNT

• Rental car: $46 per day
  
• Gas: $50
  
• Toll: $35
  
• Splurge hotel: $285 (single)
  
• Splurge dinner: $65 (so worth it!)
  
  TOTAL: $481
  If splitting a double room and car expenses: $200 for the room, about $307 per person
  

Driving in Europe isn't cheap

Driving in an unfamiliar city is always stressful. Doing it in a foreign country…that’s madness.

But driving is the most flexible way to tour the countryside, so for my trip to Puglia, I picked up a car in Rome. Getting out of town brought on the predictable migraine – the directions given by the rental car guy weren’t exactly right, the traffic was scary, I nearly took out a small van and another car. But finally, I was on the Autostrada doing 140 kph – that’s about 87 miles per hour – and getting passed nonstop.

My route led beneath snow-crusted mountains and across wide valleys green with lettuce, carrots and cabbages. The hills and valleys were lined with vines, squarely plotted with orchards of olives and almonds.

Diversions often bring unexpected pleasures, and so I cut away from the direct route to Bari and headed for the coast. A mistake. I got mired in the overgrowth of a town burst beyond its historic borders, a mad explosion of dusty streets, drab-but-useful shops and cars bolting from every side street. A headache squared.

The really sad news: Driving is expensive. My tiny Hyundai car cost $276 for six days – 46 per day including all the taxes and insurances. I refilled the tank once – 33 euros, or $50. The Autostrade toll: 23 euros, or about $35. Ouch.

Only in Rome

From a papal blessing in the morning to a gladiator lesson at night (more about that later!) -- I must be in Rome.

The dollar dumps

One of the drawbacks to winter travel: unpredictable weather. The day was gray and damp – not quite what I’d hoped for on the day designated for the Colosseum and Piazza Navona.


But it was fairly cheap, thanks to having bought my Rome Pass and paid my hotel before the dollar dumped to a new low.

The Pass covered my bus to the Pantheon, my bus to St. Peter’s for the Pope’s weekly blessing, my metro ticket to the Colosseum. The ticket to the papal blessing is free, of course – you pick it up a day in advance.

But before you buy the Pass, think hard about what you'll be doing, I learned. Day passes on the Metro/bus system cost 4 euros each -- meaning the Rome Pass is only a good deal if you'll be staying a full three days and if you'll be visiting at least two museums. (The Vatican Museums aren't covered.)

Still, I already have mine. So Wednesday's only costs were lunch and dinner. With lousy weather, I lingered at both and ate more than I should have. It was yummy.

Sadly, I never did see the Colosseum. Winter hours were shorter than my guidebook had indicated, and I arrived exactly 6 minutes after it closed. I tried again early this morning....it's closed until noon for a workers' rally. Now, couldn't they have posted that yesterday?

EXPENSE ACCOUNT

• Lunch: $21 (14 euros)
  
• Dinner: $21 (14 euros)
  
• Bottle of water: $1.50 (1 euro)
  
• Hotel: $115
  
  TOTAL: $158.50
  (If I’d been sharing my room with another person: $101)
  

Day two: Rome expenses

EXPENSE ACCOUNT

A cheap day, thanks to the metro access provided by my Rome Pass.

- Vatican Museums entry: $21 (14 euros)
- Pizza lunch at the museums: $7.50 (5 euros)
- Dinner at a local trattoria (pasta, veal and salad shared with a friend): $24 (16 euros)
- Hotel (with breakfast): $115

TOTAL: $167.50
(If I’d been sharing room with another person: $115.50 per person)

Rome without crowds

In summer, Rome is wretchedly hot – and its often mobbed. But in February, relative calm reigns.


That was part of the allure for Mainers Helene and Bill Chase, Scott and Patty Ruppert and Dave and Maggie Baribeau. The Rupperts have visited many times before and chose February for both the temps and the relative peace. “Other parts of Italy go on holiday for renovations, but everything in Rome is open,’’ said Scott.

I arrived at the Vatican Museums about 10:30 – and waltzed right in, a luxury unthinkable in June. And while there were plenty of other visitors around – including several school groups – I could easily enjoy the Eyptian mummies, the Raphael-muraled rooms and even the cafeteria without having to elbow for space.


Today’s visit was like seeing the museums for the first time. Before, I took the shortest route to Michelangelo’s staggeringly beautiful Sistine Chapel. Today I took my time, tempted by a relatively new audio guide and other changes in recent years. The result: sore feet, an overwhelmed mind – and five hours that left me wishing for more.

“It’s all so breathtaking,’’ said Antoinette Schifferer of California, making her first visit. “I’m not a very religious person, but I found it moving. I can’t even explain why.’’

But then it was time to dash off to St. Peter’s before it closed for the day. The wait: 7 minutes – and that was for the security check.

A few scenes:

Rome report: Partly cloudy, 60 degrees

A great cheap sleep

So, what kind of hotel do you get for $115 per night? At the Hotel des Artistes near the Termini train station, I’ve got a clean room with pain that looks fresh, comfortable beds, a TV, spotless en-suite bathroom with a bidet (the water is a little tepid) and breakfast. Internet service costs extra.

I’d read reports that the neighborhood wasn’t the best, but by day it’s fine. And at night, there’s a metro stop just a block away. Next door is a Best Western. Granted, it’s a bit posher … but the price is nearly twice as much.

Rome: Don't ask cops for directions!

Rome is notorious for petty crime, and in tourist areas, you’ll find plenty of police. Part of their job: Reminding tourists that munching their ice cream or cheese in public isn’t cool – at least on the Spanish Steps. What they probably won’t be able to do: Give you directions. We have a half-dozen policemen before we found one who knew the location of a nearby street

Rome: Won't break the bank

The good news: The weather has cleared, Rome is beautiful – and it won’t break the bank.

After checking into my modest hotel, I grabbed lunch with a friend, sharing a yummy plate of antipasto and a bowl of spaghetti al carbonara, a local specialty, and a cup of badly-needed espresso. Then we hopped one of the on-again-off-again tour buses – a great way to get your bearings, I’ve learned, especially when you’re jetlagged.

The commentary was a bore – too many dates, not enough storytelling to make it interesting – but the ride was well worth it. Rome is the text book case that everything old is new again. Crumbled walls, the columns still staggering centuries after they were built, churches and Roman temples and the magnificent bounty of the baroque age aren’t museum pieces here – they’re part of the offices and apartments and churches where people work and live and pray.

“Can you imagine how Miami looks to people coming from here who visit for the first time?’’ my friend Kate asked. Fresh off the shelf.

EXPENSE ACCOUNT:


• Train from the airport: $15 (11 euros)
  
• Rome pass (begins tomorrow): $30
  
• City hop-off tour bus: $20
  
• Lunch at I Leoni d’Abruzzi: $13
  
• Lonely Planet guide: $36 (ouch!)
  
• Dinner at the friendly Hostaria Trevi (artichoke, veal stew and wine): $23
  
• Visits to the Spanish Steps and Trevi Fountain: free
  
• Bottled water: $3
  
• Taxi to hotel (sore feet!): $9
  
• Hotel: $115
  
  TOTAL: $228
  (Note: If sharing hotel, the cost would have been $170 per person including food, transport and all expenses – but not the Lonely Planet)

Grab that guidebook!

Looking to save money? Don't leave your guidebook at home. I searched high and low but was unable to find the Rome Lonely Planet guide in Miami, where it costs about 17 dollars. In Rome, it cost 24 euros - about 36 dollars.

In Rome under a cloudy sky

Here I am, in the Italian capital, dank but warmish at 60 degrees.

The report so far: Costs are under control.

The train from the airport to town cost 11 Euros, or about 15 dollars -- less than I'd pay for a taxi from MIA to my home.

Once here, I snagged two tourist-friendly deals. The first is the new Rome Pass, which gives you entry to the first two museums on a long list (including the Colisseum and Forum) for free plus all public transport for three days, for about $30. We'll figure out as we go whether this is a huge bargain, but given the price of taxis everywhere, I think it has to be.

My hotel room isn't ready for a few hours yet, but the place itself is clean and the staff abundantly friendly (and English speaking!) It's not a primo neighborhood but considering there's a Best Western next door and another across the street, I'm not too worried about safety. The hotel tab: $115 per night including breakfast. Can't argue with that!

Time for a spin on a hop-on hop-off bus tour. With the Rome pass, it cost 13 Euros...a discounted price that will help me reorient myself in my jetlagged state.

'til later.....

Europe bound!

On Monday morning, I'll land in Rome. It will be my first visit since I backpacked there with my niece Kim -- who is getting married next month in England -- more than a dozen years ago.


But it's not nostalgia, it's you that's taking me there. Every year we ask readers where they most want to read about. And for the past few years, you've said Italy. So here I go.

The problem with Italy or any place using the euro these days is the cost. As I write this, my fave exchange website tells me the exchange is $1.48 to 1 euro and $1.96 to 1 British pound. I remember worse times -- back in 1979, when I studied in England, the exchange was $2.12 to the pound -- but this clearly makes pond-hopping pricey.

We've all heard the horror tales. $6 cups of coffee (yes, I bought one in London's Heathrow Airport last fall), $50 kebab dinners.

But how bad is it really? I'm here to let you know. Each day through March 9, I'll log on and give you my expense report.

Let me warn you: I'll be traveling pretty cheaply. The point here is not to spend money -- but not to backpack it, either.

In Rome, I've pre-booked my hotel via Hotels.com. I shopped around and found prices aimed at Americans through websites like Hotels.com and Venere.com were about 40 percent cheaper than booking with the hotel's own websites, which quote prices in euros.

If I were feeling a little richer, I could have had a lovely room for 100 euros at several better-than-average hotels. As it is, I'm paying $105 plus a handling fee, for a total of $115 per night, for a hotel recommended by both Fodor's and Lonely Planet near the train station. Not the best neighborhood, but not the worst. I'll let you know how it goes.

I'm renting a car to drive to Puglia, Italy's little known heel. By prepaying the car through Kemwel, I got a price of about $275 for a week...about $150 cheaper than using one of the usual cancel-at-will services.

In Puglia, I'm staying mostly in small mid-range hotels that charge about 50 euros per night, including breakfast, or about $75. This I know to be reasonable; when I drove across the U.S. two years ago, I generally paid that much or more to stay in chain motels.

My one splurge: A 100-euro-per night hotel. Usually, the Masseria Torre Coccaro -- a member of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World -- and it's highly rated cooking school charge much more. But this is the off season, and I was able to snag a surprisingly low rate.

That's one of the bonuses of traveling off-season, which in Europe usually means November-April. But there are drawbacks as well: Several of the hotels and restaurants we contacted were closed in February and early March.

I'll end my trip in England, at Kim's wedding. Readers sometimes ask about her; a dozen years ago, she and I wrote a story about our backpacking trip to Europe. It was her first trip to Europe. She arrived home in one piece, generally unscathed ... and with a lust for travel.

So it's a handy thing that she's fallen in love with a delight fellow name Henry, half British and half Spanish, who lives in Southampton, England. Her mother, of course, is blaming me for the fact that her yet-to-be-born grandchildren will be living abroad. But I'm blaming my brother, a techno-geek. You see, Kim and Henry met on the Internet.

----

1992: Jane Wooldridge, left, and Kim Wooldridge in Paris.

Getting a deal to Beijing

Several people have asked, so here's the answer:

The cheap airfares posted below are good for travel through various spring and summer dates, and in the case of the China deals, through mid-April. So how to get to the Olympics without breaking the bank?

A couple of strategies:

• Look for a flight to Hong Kong or Shanghai via your regular fave carrier (many of them go to both places), then look to snag a reasonably priced ticket from your pacific destination to Beijing on a Chinese carrier. Expedia sells tickets on several Chinese carriers (Travelocity and Orbitz don't.) BEWARE: If you take this approach and your first flight is cancelled or runs late, you could miss your connection. You can protect against this by (a) Leaving lots of time (like an overnight stay) between flights, and (b) Buying travel insurance. Two sources: Insure My Trip and Quotewright.
  
  
• Follow the same process above, but buy a train ticket to get to Beijing. You will want to prebook this. Many Chinese travel agencies can handle this for you; last year I used CITS and it worked well for me. (They've got offices in New York and L.A.)
  
  
• Check out Cathay Pacific, which sometimes offers an Asia pass to all its Asian destinations. I didn't see one there today but you never know.
  
  
• Consider going via Europe. You could buy a ticket to, say, London, then buy a cheap ticket via a London discounter (such as Trailfinders) to Asia. Again, you want to buy well in advance, and you want to leave plenty of time between your flights.
  
  
• Buy an Olympics travel package that includes air, lodging and tickets. WARNING: These are NOT cheap. Cosport is the official U.S. ticket seller; it and other companies offer Olympics travel packages.
  
  
• Grab a cheap flight to the West Coast, then hop onto Air China . (Yes, I've flown them, yes it was fine though the legroom was best suited to midgets.) Other options include China Eastern, which flies from L.A., New York, Dallas, Chicago and Vancouver, and Eva, which flies from Vancouver, Los Angeles, Seattle, San Francisco and New York. (I have a friend who swears by them.)
  
  
• Try to snag a budget tour during the Olympic period that doesn't include Olympic tickets, then dump the tour. For instance, Ritz Tours offers a 10-day China visit during the Olympic period for about $2,500 that includes air from L.A. SmarTours offers a similar package that costs slightly more but includes more cities and a Yangtze River cruise.
  
  
• Try other unexpected airlines. Both Air Canada and Korean Airlines offer flights.
  

Like to live wildly? You could just wait and see if an fare sale pops up. But given the interest in the Beijing Olympics, I wouldn't count on it.

----

PHOTO BY JANE WOOLDRIDGE / COPYRIGHT THE MIAMI HERALD

You gotta love a deal (but buy fast)

One of my several fave e-mail newsletters comes from Airfarewatchdog (we also post their deals daily on our website.)

Just in are these eye-poppers. I'm cutting and pasting their whole list, but here are a few highlights:

• Miami-Beijing, $861 roundtrip on Air Canada, good through mid-April
  
• Miami-Munich, $408 roundtrip for winter travel on Lufthansa and United
  
• Miami-Burlington, Vt., $179 roundtrip through early June on Northwest
  
• Miami-Savannah, Ga., $149 roundtrip through April 1 on AirTran
  
• Miami-Portland, Maine, $179 roundtrip through April 1 on AirTran
  
• Fort Lauderdale-Denver, $198 roundtrip through June 25 on Southwest
  
• Fort Lauderdale-Los Angeles, $204 roundtrip through May 21 on American
  
• Fort Lauderdale-New York LaGuardia, $139 roundtrip through May 20 on U.S. Airways
  
• Fort Lauderdale-San Jose, Costa Rica, $248 roundtrip this winter on American
  

You know the drill: Limited availability, some restrictions apply, etc.....which means you better buy fast.

-------

Source: Airfarewatchdog.com
Miami Area Area AirfaresAs of Tuesday, February 19, 2008 12:41 PM EST
* Unadvertised - can be dropped at any time.

FROM MIAMI(MIA)

US Domestic Airfares
Akron, OH $179 RT NEW! No min. stay, One-way for half RT fare, Travel thru Apr 1, 2008 (FL)
Atlanta, GA $149 RT * No min. stay, Nonstop flights (FL)
Bloomington, IL $179 RT NEW! No min. stay, One-way for half RT fare, Travel thru Apr 1, 2008 (FL)
Boston, MA $139 RT * 1 night min. stay (US)
Burlington, VT $188 RT * No min. stay, Travel thru Jun 10, 2008 (DL)
Burlington, VT $179 RT * No min. stay, Travel thru Jun 10, 2008 (NW)
Charleston, SC $149 RT NEW! No min. stay, One-way for half RT fare, Travel thru Apr 1, 2008 (FL)
Chicago Midway, IL $151 RT * No min. stay, Nonstop flights, One-way for half RT fare, Travel thru Jan 15, 2009 (FL)
Cincinnati, OH $189 RT * No min. stay, Travel thru Jan 15, 2009 (NW)
Dallas, TX $179 RT NEW! No min. stay, One-way for half RT fare, Travel thru Apr 1, 2008 (FL)
Dayton, OH $179 RT NEW! No min. stay, One-way for half RT fare, Travel thru Apr 1, 2008 (FL)
Elmira, NY $159 RT * 1 night min. stay (US)
Flint, MI $179 RT NEW! No min. stay, One-way for half RT fare, Travel thru Apr 1, 2008 (FL)
Hayden/Steamboat Springs, CO $361 RT * 1 night min. stay (AA)
Jackson Hole, WY $361 RT * 1 night min. stay (AA)
Los Angeles, CA $240 RT * No min. stay, Travel thru Jun 25, 2008 (FL, US)
Memphis, TN $179 RT NEW! No min. stay, One-way for half RT fare, Travel thru Apr 1, 2008 (FL)
Milwaukee, WI $179 RT NEW! No min. stay, One-way for half RT fare, Travel thru Apr 1, 2008 (FL)
Minneapolis, MN $179 RT NEW! No min. stay, One-way for half RT fare, Travel thru Apr 1, 2008 (FL)
Moline, IL $179 RT NEW! No min. stay, One-way for half RT fare, Travel thru Apr 1, 2008 (FL)
Newburgh, NY $179 RT NEW! No min. stay, One-way for half RT fare, Travel thru Apr 1, 2008 (FL)
Newport News, VA $179 RT NEW! No min. stay, One-way for half RT fare, Travel thru Apr 1, 2008 (FL)
Portland, ME $179 RT NEW! No min. stay, One-way for half RT fare, Travel thru Apr 1, 2008 (FL)
Raleigh/Durham, NC $143 RT * No min. stay, Nonstop flights, Travel bet Apr 1-30, 2008 (AA)
Salt Lake City, UT $189 RT * No min. stay, Travel thru Jan 15, 2009 (NW)
Savannah, GA $149 RT NEW! No min. stay, One-way for half RT fare, Travel thru Apr 1, 2008 (FL)
White Plains, NY $179 RT NEW! No min. stay, One-way for half RT fare, Travel thru Apr 1, 2008 (FL)
Wichita, KS $179 RT NEW! No min. stay, One-way for half RT fare, Travel thru Apr 1, 2008 (FL)

International Airfares
Adelaide, Australia $1623 RT * 7 nights min. stay, Includes all taxes (QF)
Beijing, China $861 RT * 5 nights min. stay, Includes all taxes (AC)
Brisbane, Australia $1499 RT * 4 nights min. stay, Includes all taxes (QF)
Brisbane, Australia $1623 RT * 7 nights min. stay, Includes all taxes (QF)
Frankfurt, Germany $419 RT * Sat. night min. stay, Includes all taxes, Winter travel (LH, UA)
Hong Kong, Hong Kong $803 RT * 5 nights min. stay, Includes all taxes (AC)
Melbourne, Australia $1499 RT * 4 nights min. stay, Includes all taxes (QF)
Melbourne, Australia $1623 RT * 7 nights min. stay, Includes all taxes (QF)
Munich, Germany $408 RT * Sat. night min. stay, Includes all taxes, Winter travel (LH, UA)
San Jose, Costa Rica $237 RT * Sat. night min. stay, Nonstop flights, Includes all taxes, Winter travel (MP)
Shanghai, China $819 RT * 5 nights min. stay, Includes all taxes (AC)
Sydney, Australia $1499 RT * 4 nights min. stay, Includes all taxes (QF)
Sydney, Australia $1623 RT * 7 nights min. stay, Includes all taxes (QF)
Tokyo, Japan $879 RT * Includes all taxes (AA, NW)
Toronto, ON $245 RT * NEW! No min. stay, Nonstop flights, Travel thru May 20, 2008 (AA)


International Weekend Airfares
Aruba, Aruba $306 RT NEW! Nonstop flights, Includes all taxes, Travel next weekend (AA)
Barranquilla, Colombia $470 RT NEW! Nonstop flights, Includes all taxes, Travel next weekend (AA)
Belize City, Belize $618 RT NEW! Nonstop flights, Includes all taxes, Travel next weekend (AA)
Bogota, Colombia $447 RT NEW! Nonstop flights, Includes all taxes, Travel next weekend (AA)
Curacao, Netherlands Antilles $280 RT NEW! Nonstop flights, Includes all taxes, Travel next weekend (AA)
Tegucigalpa, Honduras $564 RT NEW! Nonstop flights, Includes all taxes, Travel next weekend (AA)

FROM FORT LAUDERDALE (FLL)

US Domestic Airfares
Allentown, PA $138 RT * No advance purchase req, No min. stay, Nonstop flights, One-way for half RT fare (G4)
Aspen, CO $220 RT * 1 night min. stay (DL)
Atlantic City, NJ $149 RT * No min. stay, Nonstop flights, Travel thru May 21, 2008 (NK)
Austin, TX $186 RT No min. stay, One-way for half RT fare, Travel thru May 21, 2008 (WN)
Baltimore, MD $162 RT No min. stay, Nonstop flights, Travel thru Apr 30, 2008 (WN)
Baltimore, MD $186 RT No min. stay, Travel thru Jun 25, 2008 (WN)
Birmingham, AL $148 RT No min. stay, One-way for half RT fare, Travel thru May 21, 2008 (WN)
Birmingham, AL $159 RT * 1 night min. stay (US)
Bloomington, IL $179 RT NEW! No min. stay, One-way for half RT fare, Travel thru Jun 4, 2008 (FL)
Blountville/Johnson City, TN $98 RT * No min. stay, Nonstop flights, One-way for half RT fare (G4)
Brownsville, TX $199 RT * No min. stay, Travel thru Jun 13, 2008 (CO)
Buffalo, NY $168 RT No min. stay, One-way for half RT fare, Travel thru May 21, 2008 (WN)
Burbank, CA $198 RT No min. stay, Travel thru Jun 25, 2008 (WN)
Burlington, VT $179 RT * No min. stay, Travel thru Jun 10, 2008 (NW)
Charleston, SC $149 RT NEW! No min. stay, One-way for half RT fare, Travel thru Jun 4, 2008 (FL)
Charlotte, NC $133 RT * No min. stay, One-way for half RT fare, Travel thru Jan 15, 2009 (FL)
Charlotte, NC $159 RT * No min. stay, Nonstop flights, One-way for half RT fare, Travel thru Mar 7, 2008 (B6)
Chattanooga, TN $98 RT * No advance purchase req, No min. stay, Nonstop flights, One-way for half RT fare (G4)
Chicago Midway, IL $212 RT No min. stay, Nonstop flights, Travel thru Apr 30, 2008 (WN)
Chicago Midway, IL $198 RT No min. stay, Travel thru Jun 25, 2008 (WN)
Chicago Midway, IL $151 RT * No min. stay, One-way for half RT fare, Travel thru Jan 15, 2009 (FL)
Cleveland, OH $178 RT No min. stay, Travel thru Apr 30, 2008 (WN)
Columbus, OH $150 RT * No min. stay, Nonstop flights, One-way for half RT fare (SX)
Columbus, OH $162 RT No min. stay, Travel thru Apr 30, 2008 (WN)
Columbus, OH $186 RT No min. stay, One-way for half RT fare, Travel thru May 21, 2008 (WN)
Dallas, TX $220 RT * No min. stay, Nonstop flights, Travel thru Aug 22, 2008 (AA)
Dallas Love, TX $198 RT No min. stay, Travel thru Jun 25, 2008 (WN)
Dayton, OH $179 RT NEW! No min. stay, One-way for half RT fare, Travel thru Jun 4, 2008 (FL)
Denver, CO $198 RT No min. stay, Travel thru Jun 25, 2008 (WN)
Elmira, NY $159 RT * 1 night min. stay (US)
Erie, PA $139 RT * No min. stay, Travel thru Aug 3, 2008 (NW, US)
Flint, MI $179 RT NEW! No min. stay, One-way for half RT fare, Travel thru Apr 1, 2008 (FL)
Greenville, SC $98 RT * No min. stay, Nonstop flights, One-way for half RT fare (G4)
Gunnison, CO $211 RT * 1 night min. stay (AA, UA)
Hartford, CT $186 RT No min. stay, One-way for half RT fare, Travel thru May 21, 2008 (WN)
Hayden/Steamboat Springs, CO $210 RT * 1 night min. stay (CO, AA, NW)
Houston Hobby, TX $186 RT No min. stay, One-way for half RT fare, Travel thru May 21, 2008 (WN)
Huntsville, AL $58 RT * No min. stay, Nonstop flights, One-way for half RT fare (G4)
Huntsville, AL $09 OW * Nonstop flights (G4)
Indianapolis, IN $162 RT No min. stay, Travel thru Apr 30, 2008 (WN)
Indianapolis, IN $186 RT No min. stay, One-way for half RT fare, Travel thru May 21, 2008 (WN)
Ithaca, NY $159 RT * 1 night min. stay (US)
Jackson, MS $148 RT No min. stay, One-way for half RT fare, Travel thru May 21, 2008 (WN)
Jacksonville, FL $96 RT No min. stay, Nonstop flights, Travel thru Apr 30, 2008 (WN)
Jacksonville, FL $98 RT No min. stay, Travel thru Jun 25, 2008 (WN)
Kansas City, MO $162 RT No min. stay, Travel thru Apr 30, 2008 (WN)
Kansas City, MO $64 OW NEW! Southwest Ding! Fare, No roundtrip purchase req (WN)
Kansas City, MO $129 RT * No min. stay, Travel bet Apr 1-30, 2008 (NW)
Kansas City, MO $186 RT No min. stay, One-way for half RT fare, Travel thru May 21, 2008 (WN)
Knoxville, TN $118 RT * No advance purchase req, No min. stay, Nonstop flights, One-way for half RT fare (G4)
Long Beach, CA $199 RT * No min. stay, Nonstop flights, One-way for half RT fare, Travel thru May 21, 2008 (B6)
Long Island, NY $186 RT No min. stay, One-way for half RT fare, Travel thru May 21, 2008 (WN)
Long Island, NY $64 OW NEW! Southwest Ding! Fare, No roundtrip purchase req (WN)
Los Angeles, CA $204 RT * No min. stay, Nonstop flights, Travel thru May 21, 2008 (AA)
Los Angeles, CA $198 RT No min. stay, Travel thru Jun 25, 2008 (WN)
Louisville, KY $186 RT No min. stay, One-way for half RT fare, Travel thru May 21, 2008 (WN)
Minneapolis, MN $164 RT * 1 night min. stay, Travel thru Jan 15, 2009 (F9, US)
Moline, IL $179 RT NEW! No min. stay, One-way for half RT fare, Travel thru Apr 1, 2008 (FL)
Montrose, CO $210 RT * No min. stay (CO, AA)
Nashville, TN $168 RT No min. stay, One-way for half RT fare, Travel thru May 21, 2008 (WN)
Nashville, TN $146 RT No min. stay, Nonstop flights, Travel thru Apr 30, 2008 (WN)
New Orleans, LA $122 RT No min. stay, One-way for half RT fare, Travel thru May 21, 2008 (WN)
New York JFK, NY $179 RT * No min. stay, Nonstop flights, One-way for half RT fare, Travel thru Jan 15, 2009 (B6)
New York LGA, NY $139 RT * No min. stay, One-way for half RT fare, Travel thru May 20, 2008 (US)
Newark, NJ $119 RT * No min. stay, One-way for half RT fare (US)
Newport News, VA $149 RT NEW! No min. stay, One-way for half RT fare, Travel thru Apr 1, 2008 (FL)
Norfolk, VA $168 RT No min. stay, One-way for half RT fare, Travel thru May 21, 2008 (WN)
Oakland, CA $228 RT No min. stay, Travel thru Apr 30, 2008 (WN)
Oakland, CA $198 RT No min. stay, Travel thru Jun 25, 2008 (WN)
Omaha, NE $186 RT No min. stay, One-way for half RT fare, Travel thru May 21, 2008 (WN)
Omaha, NE $64 OW NEW! Southwest Ding! Fare, No roundtrip purchase req (WN)
Omaha, NE $162 RT No min. stay, Travel thru Apr 30, 2008 (WN)
Ontario, CA $198 RT No min. stay, Travel thru Jun 25, 2008 (WN)
Ontario, CA $212 RT * No min. stay, Travel thru Jan 15, 2009 (AA)
Orlando, FL $96 RT No min. stay, Nonstop flights, Travel thru Apr 30, 2008 (WN)
Orlando, FL $98 RT No min. stay, Travel thru Jun 25, 2008 (WN)
Palmdale, CA $198 RT * NEW! No min. stay (UA)
Peoria, IL $171 RT * No min. stay, Travel thru Aug 22, 2008 (NW)
Philadelphia, PA $168 RT No min. stay, Travel thru Jun 25, 2008 (WN)
Philadelphia, PA $146 RT No min. stay, Nonstop flights, Travel thru Apr 30, 2008 (WN)
Phoenix, AZ $114 RT * No min. stay, Travel thru Jan 15, 2009 (NW)
Phoenix, AZ $198 RT No min. stay, Travel thru Jun 25, 2008 (WN)
Pittsburgh, PA $168 RT No min. stay, One-way for half RT fare, Travel thru May 21, 2008 (WN)
Plattsburgh, NY $198 RT * No min. stay, Nonstop flights, One-way for half RT fare (G4)
Portland, ME $179 RT NEW! No min. stay, One-way for half RT fare, Travel thru Apr 1, 2008 (FL)
Raleigh/Durham, NC $51 OW NEW! Southwest Ding! Fare, No roundtrip purchase req (WN)
Raleigh/Durham, NC $148 RT No min. stay, One-way for half RT fare, Travel thru May 21, 2008 (WN)
Richmond, VA $159 RT * 120 days min. stay (FL, US)
Rockford, IL $158 RT * No advance purchase req, No min. stay, Nonstop flights, One-way for half RT fare (G4)
Sacramento, CA $198 RT No min. stay, Travel thru Jun 25, 2008 (WN)
San Diego, CA $198 RT No min. stay, Travel thru Jun 25, 2008 (WN)
San Francisco, CA $198 RT No min. stay, Travel thru Jun 25, 2008 (WN)
San Jose, CA $198 RT No min. stay, Travel thru Jun 25, 2008 (WN)
Santa Ana, CA $212 RT * No min. stay, Travel thru Jan 15, 2009 (AA, F9, NW)
Savannah, GA $149 RT NEW! No min. stay, One-way for half RT fare, Travel thru Apr 1, 2008 (FL)
St Louis, MO $168 RT No min. stay, One-way for half RT fare, Travel thru May 21, 2008 (WN)
St Thomas, USVI $282 RT * 2 nights min. stay, Nonstop flights, Travel thru May 21, 2008 (NK)
Syracuse, NY $164 RT * No min. stay, Travel thru Jan 15, 2009 (NW)
Tampa, FL $96 RT No min. stay, Nonstop flights, Travel thru Apr 30, 2008 (WN)
Tampa, FL $98 RT No min. stay, Travel thru Jun 25, 2008 (WN)
Washington Dulles, DC $186 RT No min. stay, One-way for half RT fare, Travel thru May 21, 2008 (WN)


International Airfares
Abbotsford, BC $482 RT No min. stay, One-way for half RT fare (WS)
Beijing, China $858 RT * 5 nights min. stay, Includes all taxes (AC)
Calgary, AB $418 RT No min. stay, One-way for half RT fare (WS)
Charlottetown, PE $358 RT No min. stay, One-way for half RT fare (WS)
Comox, BC $502 RT No min. stay, One-way for half RT fare (WS)
Edmonton, AB $438 RT No min. stay, One-way for half RT fare (WS)
Halifax, NS $338 RT No min. stay, One-way for half RT fare (WS)
Hamilton, ON $238 RT No min. stay, One-way for half RT fare (WS)
Hong Kong, Hong Kong $769 RT * 5 nights min. stay, Includes all taxes (AC)
Kelowna, BC $482 RT No min. stay, One-way for half RT fare (WS)
London Heathrow, UK $570 RT * Sat. night min. stay, Includes all taxes, Spring travel (AC)
Moncton, NB $358 RT No min. stay, One-way for half RT fare (WS)
Montreal, QC $258 RT No min. stay, Nonstop flights, One-way for half RT fare (WS)
Ottawa, ON $298 RT No min. stay, One-way for half RT fare (WS)
Prince George, BC $506 RT No min. stay, One-way for half RT fare (WS)
Regina, SK $408 RT No min. stay, One-way for half RT fare (WS)
Saint John, NB $398 RT No min. stay, One-way for half RT fare (WS)
San Jose, Costa Rica $248 RT * Sat. night min. stay, Nonstop flights, Includes all taxes, Winter travel (AA)
Saskatoon, SK $410 RT No min. stay, One-way for half RT fare (WS)
Shanghai, China $818 RT * 5 nights min. stay, Includes all taxes (AC)
St John's, NL $398 RT No min. stay, One-way for half RT fare (WS)
Taipei, Taiwan $859 RT * Includes all taxes (UA)
Thunder Bay, ON $338 RT No min. stay, One-way for half RT fare (WS)
Toronto, ON $238 RT No min. stay, One-way for half RT fare (WS)
Toronto, ON $164 RT * No min. stay, Travel thru Jan 15, 2009 (NW)
Vancouver, BC $482 RT No min. stay, One-way for half RT fare (WS)
Victoria, BC $482 RT No min. stay, One-way for half RT fare (WS)
Winnipeg, MB $378 RT No min. stay, One-way for half RT fare (WS)
Zurich, Switzerland $549 RT * Sat. night min. stay, Includes all taxes, Spring travel (AC)

Cruising: Early birds get the best worms

This weekend I'm cruising aboard the Celebrity Century, on a four-night cruise to Key West and Cozumel. It's part of series we're writing about weekend cruises from South Florida; you can catch it later this spring at www.MiamiHerald.com/travel.

Meanwhile, though, here's what you need to know: Don't be late.

Used to be that you could dash from your office mid-afternoon, jump aboard ship and minimize the out-of-office time. No more. Thanks to new rules from Homeland Security, all passengers on all ships have to be on board no less than 90 minutes in advance.

And to make matters worse, once you do get on board, you may find that all the spots in the specialty, reservations-only restaurants and spa are all taken. Which is a real bummer.

Celebrity doesn't allow agents or anyone else to make reservations in its specialty restaurants pre-boarding. Our travel agent told us that since we were in Concierge Class -- a premium upgrade including canapes, Frette bathrobes and specialty service -- we shouldn't have any trouble getting a reservation in Murano, this ship's specialty restaurant. WRONG. We can't get a space for love or money, and my husband had to be very insistent before the restaurant even offered to put us on the waiting list. So you have to wonder what good the concierge can do ... at least on a short cruise like this.

(The good news: Food in the main dining room last night was very, very good, and it's included in the price we've already paid. In Murano, we'd have to pay $30 per person extra.)

When I went up to the spa just after the mandatory safety drill, the spa manager said people had been standing in line since 11 a.m. to snag spa appointments, and there were no appointments left for the periods we'd be at sea (and not many for times when we're in port!)

Bottom line: If you want to use the ship's services, you'll need to get aboard early. Which defeats the purpose of a weekend cruise for working stiffs like me.

Are you downsizing? We want to know!

Yes, the economy has been wobbly lately. Is that affecting your vacation plans? We want to know.

Are you planning to stay closer to home? Take fewer trips? Visit with friends and family instead of staying in a hotel? Trimming days off your trip?

If you...or anyone you know...is trimming back, please contact my colleage Jay Clarke at jclarke@herald.com.

Phoenix suffers from grumpy grumpy TSA

I love Miami, but there are good reasons we're known as one of the rudest cities in the U.S. Based on this morning's experience, I'd say Phoenix has us beat.

Well, not Phoenix, where the people are actually pretty nice despite having a horrific Super Bowl hangover. I'm talking about the TSA staff at Phoenix's Sky Harbor International Airport.

Yeah, it's a ridiculously early hour. But that's not an excuse for the TSA attitude here, which is most politely described as CRANKY CRANKY CRANKY!

The entry space for TSA is long and narrow here, which is clearly part of the problem. But it doesn't excuse bad manners.

One generously apportioned TSA man pushed through passengers on his way through, charging like a fullback (oh God, even I've got a Super Bowl hangover) through the opposing passengers who were just doing what you do in airports, which is to say standing in line waiting for the next guy. Did Mr. TSA Fullback utter the words, "Excuse me?'' Not in my presence. And not when he charged back through the other way just a few minutes later.

OK, so he missed his morning Wheaties. Or maybe he's pulled a double shift, I think.

Then I get to the X-ray belt, where the morning's TSA quarterback is barking orders, and more discontent becomes obvious.

Yes, BARKING. As in, I was the high school coach and my team towed the line, damn it. As in, I was a drill sargeant at Fort Bragg and don't you forget it ('cause I haven't.) As in, I am the alpha dog, and he who crosses me will be left on the wrong side of the security creek and miss his flight.

Of course, none of that is what he said. What he did yell was: Female assist at No. 3. Male assist at No. 2, no alarm.

And he didn't just bark at staff. He barked at passengers non-stop.

Put your bags flat. Get that bag flat. Your bag wasn't flat (even though the guy in front of me had put it in flat, and the bag was flipped up.) He barked instructions about the 3-ounce-liquids in the one-quart Ziplock plastic bag, about shoes, about computers and cameras and water and every other potential sin.

It wasn't the content -- people do seem to completely lose their sense of time and motion when they hit the X-ray line -- but the delivery that was so offensive.

Sure, there are lots of retirees out here who may not hear well and need the volume. Yes, it's 6 a.m. and most brains aren't really functional yet.

But the barking? Totally unnecessary, totally offputting, totally RUDE.

No wonder all the TSA staffers here were scowling.

TSA is an agency many of us love to hate. We love them because we need the security, we need the protection against the unimaginable and now too possible. But we hate them because of what seems to be amazing inefficiency -- can you say "hurry up and wait?'' -- and an attitude that comes off way too often as supercilious and power hungry.

TSA must know something about this -- and not only because Travel Detective author Peter Greenberg dubbed them "morons in uniforms.'' TSA recently launched its own blog. It's clearly a PR effort, but it's remarkably friendly, and a good example of how government ought to deal with complaints: Seriously, directly, timely.

In response to posts about airports that were requiring all electronics be removed from carry-on bags, for instance, the blogger writes:

After some calls to our airports, we learned that this exercise was set up by local TSA offices and was not part of any grand plan across the country. These practices were stopped on Monday afternoon....thanks to everyone for asking about this and for giving us a chance to make it right.

I rarely find myself applauding government these days, but here's an attitude that's right. Government for the people -- a recognition that the people are paying the tab and therefore, are boss. So a little applause is in order....along with a suggestion that other government agencies follow suit.

Now, if they can just do something about this cranky guy at the Phoenix airport....

Does "green'' matter to you?

When you make a travel decision, does "green" matter to you?

That's one of the questions that came up on a lunch panel in Scottsdale, Ariz. I'm here with a number of other journalists -- including Dana Dickey of Conde Nast Traveler, Travel Troubleshooter Chris Elliot and Travel Mom Emily Kaufman -- talking to PR professionals at the Hyatt Regency Resort at Gainey Ranch.

No one is questioning whether the environment is important, or whether we should be protecting it. What is up for debate is whether travelers care enough about it to make environmental impact part of their decision-making.

Conde Nast Traveler thinks social consciousness is so important that it has created a "green'' travel conference for industry decision-makers. And for those executives, the environment is crucial; if there's not enough water to keep the golf courses green or not enough water to support wildlife, those types of tourism could disappear.

But Chris brought up the reality check: For his cost-conscious readers, room rate probably comes first. Most of Conde Nast Traveler's readers bend toward luxury travel and can afford to make decisions on criteria aside from value.

My own view: There's a baseline now. All travelers expect hotels to have some basic "green'' practices in place, just as they expect hotels to have wireless internet access. Not meeting those basic expectations is a problem. But many of the green programs implemented by hotels and other suppliers are largely "green washing'' -- they sound good, but they don't deliver. So unless a green program shows demonstrable impact, it may not mean much -- unless it affects the traveler's cost.

It's a strange conversation to be having in a desert community known for magnificent golf courses. But all is not lost: At this Hyatt, the greens are maintained with recycled water. Which is a real impact, and makes them truly green.

What do you think? Vote in the web poll at right.

Pondering a second home? We too!

It's a time of strange confluence. On the one hand the economy wobbles; on the other, it's the time in my husband's and my lives that we are pondering a second home. And, statistics be true, we're not alone.

It's not that we need two homes, or that we can even use them just now. But we can see a time in the years to come that The Husband might have more flexibility in his job life than is now the case. And with the real estate market slipping, perhaps this is the moment for getting a good deal.

Our plan: Look for raw land. Because we can't use a second home just now, getting a house -- with all those real estate taxes -- doesn't work for us. So we're thinking to snag a piece of land and wait until our lives have shifted to actually build on it.

Heading to the mountains

We've followed in the footsteps of many South Floridians and headed north. But while many of our neighbors have landed in North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia, we thought we'd try something different (though we'll surely make it to N.C., my birthplace, before we make a final decision.)

This past weekend, we headed off to the mountains of Virginia, concentrating our search on Little Washington and Staunton, with stops in Culpeper and Charlottesville.

Friends have a place in Little Washington, a 1700s town of 200 that is probably best known for the spectacular Inn at Little Washington. The surrounding county is protected by strict zoning, leaving the aged and rounded shoulders of the Blue Ridge pristine save for the odd farmhouse, silo and cows. Rappahannock County lies just over an hour from Dulles Airport, making the region reasonably accessible.

Therein lies part of the problem. Zoning requires most countryside land tracts to measure at least 25 acres; smaller tracts (some with homes) do exist, but they're relatively rare, explained realtors Rick and Kaye Kohler, who showed us around.

If that arrangements works for you, it's a spot well worth considering. Shenandoah National Park lies but a dozen miles away, and Luray Caverns another 10 miles further. Several excellent restaurants dot the area, and there's a fine fresh-roast Central Coffee in Sperryville. The upbeat and historic town of Culpepper (good gourmet shop, fun art galleries and shops, plus loads of Civil War history) lies less than 30 minutes away. An hour's drive will take you to Charlottesville, Monticello and the University of Virginia.

But cheap it isn't. A 50-acre tract just outside town was priced at more than $750,000. A double tract of 1.5 acres in town was priced $359. Friends, we learned, had recently bought a two-bedroom house on 3 acres for about $500,000. (It was fully updated and had a spectacular view.)

The most affordable land we saw was a 5-acre parcel priced around $200,000. But we didn't much like the idea of investing that much in property with a view of the least-attractive houses we'd seen in the entire county.

So it was on to cozy Staunton, home of the Blackfriars Shakespeare theater and soon, to the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library. Check back tomorrow to find out what we discovered.