True Stories

June 16, 2005
Proving once and for all that travel is stranger, funnier, and more heartwarming than fiction
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Got a Great Travel Story?

One of the most fulfilling parts of travel is telling people about what you found. And that's what we'd like you to do. Our True Stories section is for your finds. Maybe it's a great hotel, or a terrific restaurant, or a quirky shop. Maybe it's just a good story, a funny anecdote the likes of which only seem to happen when you travel. Maybe it's a photograph. Maybe it's a poem, although I kind of hope not. A few things to remember: If your response is the best we receive before September 13, you'll win a three-night vacation to Rome courtesy of Monograms. The prize includes round-trip airfare for two from a New York gateway airport to Rome; three nights in premium hotel accommodations; a half-day group walking tour; buffet breakfast daily; a welcome drink; and a local host to help plan your excursions, secure tickets, and provide insider information on happenings and events. Valid for departures from December 1, 2005 to November 30, 2006. Subject to availability, nontransferable, nonnegotiable. Blackout dates apply. For more information on Monograms: 866/270-9846, monogramstravel.com. How to enter: TrueStories@BudgetTravelOnline.com or True Stories, Budget Travel, 530 Seventh Ave., 2nd Fl., New York, NY 10018. Sorry, we can't return photos. Tip: The majority of submissions we print have photos, so send us the best pics you've got. Write it like you were telling it at a party. That is, keep it brief and lively (250 words max). We regret that we won't be able to include everything we receive, and we reserve the right to edit for length and clarity. And once you send it in to us, it becomes our property--intellectual and otherwise. (And that includes the photo.) Include a phone number for any establishment you mention. If we can't verify the place exists, we won't be able to print your story. Besides, imagine how frustrating it would be if we raved about something and never told you how to reach it. If you, your relative, or a friend of yours owns said establishment, you should seriously consider running an ad instead. And if you or a relative of yours works here at BT, don't even think about it. Send photos, but try not to go crazy. Edit them down so we only get the good ones. If you're sending digital pictures, shoot them at 300 dpi at 3" by 5", and send them as a JPEG, TIFF, or EPS file. If you're sending prints or slides, don't send originals; we will not be returning them. We don't mind if you or your companions are in the shots, as long as you tell us who (and what) is in the photo so we can write a nice caption. And we need to be able to get in touch with you, if need be, so include your daytime phone number. Unfortunately, we won't be able to pay you. For the June issue, however, the reader who sends in the best combination of story and photograph, as determined by us, will win the 15-day First Class Eurail Flexipass as described above. You don't need to have gobs of money to travel well--you just need to have the right knowledge. Together, we'll be the smartest travelers out there. Where to send it E-mail: TrueStories@BudgetTravelOnline.com Mail: True Stories, Budget Travel, 530 Seventh Ave., 2nd floor, New York, NY 10018.

Snap Guide: Santa Fe

Santa Fe dazzles its 70,000 residents its more than 1 million annual visitors, with its sun-drenched high-desert landscape and happening art scene. No other place on earth possesses such a potent cultural blend. American Indian traditions still pulse strongly in nearby pueblos and a vibrant Hispanic culture has enlivened the region since the late 16th century, when Spanish conquistadores and settlers arrived. Throw in hordes of "Anglos," a term loosely applied to everyone else, and the blend becomes positively multicultural. Exploring it all takes time, which slows remarkably at 7,000 feet. Start here. AIRPORTS   Albuquerque International Sunport TRANSPORTATION TO/FROM AIRPORTS   Sandia Shuttle Express   Santa Fe Shuttle TRAIN   Amtrak BUS   Greyhound CITY LINKS   Santa Fe Convention & Visitors Bureau Official tourism website   Access Santa Fe Walking tours galore   Fanman Productions Santa Fe's guide to cool concerts   Indian Pueblo Cultural Center Info on New Mexico's 19 pueblos   Lensic Performing Arts Center Events of all kinds   Museum of New Mexico The site for must-see museums   Santa Fe Directory An eclectic directory of Santa Fe websites   Santa Fe Stay Alternative, affordable accommodations   Santa Fe Indian Market The 411 on shopping   Visit Santa Fe An insider's virtual guide to the city   Santa Fe Galleries Ninety-one art galleries and art-related events   The Santa Fe Art Institute Hosts exhibitions and lectures   Site Santa Fe Contemporary art exhibition venue   Lannan Acclaimed literary series   Santa Fe Institute Famous scientific think tank EVENTS   ArtFeast Late February   Taste of Santa Fe Early May   Rodeo de Santa Fe Fe Last weekend in June   Santa Fe Opera July and August   International Folk Art Market Early July   Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival Mid-July through late August   Spanish Market End of July and early December   Mountain Man Trade Fair & Rendezvous Second week in August   Santa Fe Indian Market Mid-August   Thirsty Ear Music Festival Labor Day weekend   Santa Fe Fiesta Early September   Santa Fe Wine & Chile Fiesta End of September   Santa Fe Film Festival First week in December   Farolito Walk Christmas Eve

Travel Tips

Rick Steves

Look in the dictionary under Europe and you will surely see Rick Steves' name. Over the past 25 years, he's expertly guided us through across the Continent, United Kingdom, Ireland, and beyond, entreating us to become temporary locals and educating us on how to be smart independent travelers. Rick Steves is the author of 30 European travel books, the host, producer and visionary behind nearly 100 travel shows for public television entitled Rick Steves' Europe, and the owner of Europe Through the Back Door, a company that leads 300 tours to Europe annually. He's also the perfect interview subject for "Window or Aisle?", our travel Q&A. Window or aisle? Window, please. The last thing I ate from a minibar? Cashews and orange juice. I won't leave home without... My laptop. The best trip I've ever taken? And why? I think three trips worked together to shape me as a traveler: Europe the first time on my own (as an 18 year old in 1973) - it expanded my back yard. India in 1978 and 1983 - it humbled me culturally. El Salvador/Nicaragua in 1989, 1991 and 2005 - it awakened me politically. My dream trip? Italy in the spring with no Fiats or Motorbikes anywhere and an ability to speak Italian. The movie or book that inspired me to pack my bags? Name of the Rose, Trinity, and Solzhenitzen's open letter to the Soviet Leaders. My greatest travel pet peeve? Beds with rubber covers under the sheets so I don't stain the mattress. They make me sweat. I rip them off and stow them under the bed. How I deal with jetlag? I put a fake departure date on my calendar two days before I really fly and get everything related to the trip done by that deadline in order to leave home well-rested. I work until I'm too sleepy on the flight (usually giving me two hours of sleep just before we land). I switch my wrist watch and mind to local time when the pilot announces what time it is where we're landing. Once in Europe, I stay active and productive on the day I land (jet lag hates bright light, fresh air and exercise). I plan on waking up wired the first morning at about 5am and suffer through the next day or two with a sleepy lull in late afternoon and then enjoy being 100 percent and immersed in Europe. If I could travel with any living person... Myself so I could accomplish twice as much research or get the job done and get home twice as fast. I'll never go back to... Hong Kong. It's a shoppers' Nirvana...but just not for me. If I could be anywhere right now... River rafting with good friends in Idaho. For more on Rick Steves, visit his website (ricksteves.com). You'll also find information there on his latest and greatest products, such as his complete 2000-2005 seven DVD anthology, which includes 43 complete "Rick Steves Europe" TV shows, outtakes, and bonus interviews.

Snap Guide: London

There's more to London than Beefeaters, Westminster Abbey and the Queen. It's the largest, liveliest city in Europe, taking in the posh, boutique-filled streets of West London as well as the trendy, ramshackle squares of the once-industrial East End. "Gastropubs" have popped up everywhere from Clerkenwell to Chelsea; even the River Thames is now rimmed with experimental theaters, galleries, and spiffed-up wharfs. Discover historic London's creative and culinary rebirth for yourself. Start here. AIRPORTS   London Heathrow (LHR)   London Gatwick (LGW) TRANSPORTATION TO/FROM AIRPORTS   Heathrow Express   Gatwick Express   London Underground CITY LINKS   London's Official Visitors' Guide   Map of London Underground   Online Address Locator   This is London Online version of the daily Evening Standard   London Footprints Free, printable walking tours   London Net Up-to-date listings for entertainment and nightlife   Pub Guide Exhaustive guide to the city's ale houses   Square Meal Authoritative restaurant site with multiple search options   Official London Theatre One-stop shopping for West End shows EVENTS   Chinese New Year February   Oxford & Cambridge Boat Race late March   London Marathon mid-April   Chelsea Flower Show late May   Architecture Week June   Derby Day early June   Royal National Theatre Summer Festival   Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships June/July   The Proms July-Sept   Notting Hill Carnival August   Open House Historic Homes Event   Pearly Kings & Queens Festival October   London Film Festival Oct-Nov   Bonfire Night November 5