The Borromean Isles: magical gardens on Italy’s Lake Maggiore

Patricia Cleveland-Peck gazes in wonder at Isola Bella, a baroque garden shaped like a ship floating on the lake, is entranced by Isola Madre, a romantic garden full of flowers and enjoys a lunch of lake fish on Fisherman’s Island

Letter from France: May 2013

Whether you’re a novice or seasoned traveller, France will steal your heart. Each month, Frederic – our French correspondent – gives us the low-down on what to see and do across the channel

National Travel Health Network and Centre

From the website:

“The National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC) promotes standards in travel medicine, providing travel health information for health professionals and the public.

NaTHNaC is funded by the Health Protection Agency.”

Guilin City of Water

It was a two hour flight from Xian to the southern city of Guilin and the contrast between the former and the latter could not be more different. Before getting in to the interesting bits its perhaps worth remembering that the city’s Jiangbei Airport is a bit archaic so despite how desperate you may be to use the washrooms avoid the first few you come to as these are basic Chinese style and clearly have not been cleaned since Allcock & Brown flew the Atlantic!

The Big Summer Sleepover

This weekend, Los Angeles is being visited by Wills and Kate as the last part of the tour. They have attended a BAFTA dinner and will visit what is known as skid row. One thing they will not be able to do is participate in what is known as LA’S Big Summer Sleepover. But you can.

Come to America, But Pay More

Like a lot of countries, the US hasn’t weathered the recession that well. Like most countries it has decided it needs to raise more money. Like some countries it has decided that tourism is a way of generating additional money. But to get additional tourists it has to advertise and promote itself. How does it do this? By slapping a S10 tax on everyone who wants to visit the country. The money this raises will be matched by up to $100 million of private sector contributions and the whole lot will be spent on promoting tourism.
Sorry it’s not a tax, it is a fee that will be charged every two years when you apply for the ESTA form which allows you to enter the US in the first place. The only people who won’t have to pay will be Americans and those who have had to pay $131 for a visa
The good news is that although signed into law, no date for its introduction has been announced yet.
Will it make a difference? Will it stop people going there?

Letter from France: May 2013

Whether you’re a novice or seasoned traveller, France will steal your heart. Each month, Frederic – our French correspondent – gives us the low-down on what to see and do across the channel