September 2005 Table of Contents

Paris is the world's most gorgeous city. The chic Marais and St. Germain, the romantic stairway streets of Montmartre, the imperial grandeur that sweeps west from the Louvre to the Arc de Triomphe and the Eiffel Tower--all shine as brightly as ever. But the magic is spreading, especially to the north and east of the Bastille. The bohemian classes are infusing new vibrancy into old working-class quarters, turning a disused train station into a club, a hardware store into a bar, a railroad into a garden walkway, old workshops into atmospheric restaurants. Discover (or rediscover) Paris. Start here. AIRPORTS   Aéroport Roissy-Charles de Gaulle (CDG)   Aéroport d'Orly (ORL) TRANSPORTATION TO/FROM AIRPORTS   Métro and RER CITY LINKS   City of Paris   Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau   Yellow Pages and White Pages Phone numbers and facade pictures   Paris Balades Organized and DIY walking tours   AlloCine Movie information   Paris-Anglo and Parler Paris Tips for plugging into the city EVENTS   La Grande Parade New Year's Day parade   Banlieues Bleues Jazz festival, March-April   Foire du Trône Amusement park, April-May   Printemps des Rues Street performances, May   Internationaux de France de Tennis French Open at Roland Garros, May-June   Journées de la Maison Contemporaine Contemporary Home Days: houses designed by modern architects opened to public, June   Festival Agora Contemporary theater, dance and music festival, June   Festival de Saint-Denis Classical and world music festival, June   Fête de la Musique Free concerts in the streets on June 21   Foire Saint Germain Concerts, antique fairs and exhibitions, June-July   Festival de Chopin Candlelight Chopin concerts, June-July   La Goutte d'Or en Fête Rap, reggae and raï music festival, July   Le Tour de France July   Paris Quartier d'Été Music, theater, film and dance events, July   Paris-Plage Paris Beach: Imported sand, palm trees and splashing pools along the Seine, July-August   Cinéma au clair de lune Moonlight Cinema: Screenings of films where they were shot, August   Fête de l'Humanité Communist Party shindig with music, food and arts and crafts, September   Journées du Patrimoine Normally off-limits buildings, like the presidential Élysée Palace, open for the public, September   Techno Parade A parade of floats with sound-systems, September   Rendez-vous Électroniques Electronic music festival held in clubs, September   Fêtes des Vendanges de Montmartre Grape Harvest Festival, October   Nuit Blanche White Night: All-night cultural events, October   Foire International d'Art Contemporain International Contemporary Art Fair, October   Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe Horseracing, October   Salon du Chocolat Chocolate-makers show off their skills, October-November   Festival FNAC-Inrockuptibles Rock music festival, November   Festival d'Art Sacré de la Ville de Paris Religious music concerts in churches, November to December   Patinoire de l'Hôtel de Ville City Hall skating rink, December to February

Budget Travel Editors: Welcome to this week's Trip Coach. Let's get started... _______________________ Williamsburg, VA: What time of the year is the best time to travel to County Cavan, Ireland to do genealogical research? We would like to travel when the weather is temperate, however, cost is a consideration. Please advise. Budget Travel Editors: The Ireland B&B packages are perfect for you; you'll get round-trip airfare to Dublin, a seven-day car rental, and six nights of open vouchers good at more than 2,500 B&Bs across the country, including Co. Cavan. (Take a sneak peak at some of them by logging onto tandctrade.com; make sure you look for the ones that accept vouchers.) Your first night will be prebooked at a Dublin hotel (unless you request otherwise), but after that, you're free to skip around Co. Cavan booking each B&B night as you go. Don't think a week is long enough to trace your roots? Add on extra days. Want to splurge on one night in a castle? You can tack that on, too. If you wait to go until November, you'll still get pretty temperate weather (as temperate as Ireland weather ever is; many people happen to think that the chill and fog only add to the experience), but fewer crowds and better prices. Low season pricing runs November to March -- holidays excluded -- then rates start creeping up until the summer. Shop around with Ireland.com (800/896-4600, ireland.com/travel), Brian Moore International Travel (800/982-2299, bmit.com), and Celtic Tours (888/833-4373, celtictours.com), to see who's got the best deal for you. _______________________ Lake Charles, LA: When traveling coach class to Europe what is the best seat selections? Budget Travel Editors: Aside from a good rule of thumb of asking for a bulkhead or exit row seat on any flight, international or domestic, when you check in, I'd recommend visiting seatguru.com. The website lists major airlines, their carriers, and gives the lowdown on which seats have the most room, are the quietest, etc. Good luck! _______________________ Bradenton,FL: We would like to plan a train trip in Italy for late October or May, 2006. In your opinion when is the best time to travel to Italy? Thank you. Budget Travel Editors: Both October and May are safe bets for a visit. You can expect generally sunny skies, pleasant weather for outdoor sightseeing, and a (comparative) dip in tourism and prices. If you opt for October, avoid staying over into November--Italy's wettest month. _______________________ Fairfax, VA: Several years ago my parents went on a trip across Canada by train. My Mom really wants to go on another trip like that but she thinks the price has really gone up over the years and may now be unreasonable.I would like to plan this trip for my family. Can you suggest a company that may give us the best deal? The trip would be for about a week and possibly in May (if this is a good time) Thanks Budget Travel Editors: Via Rail, Canada's Amtrak, travels from Toronto to Vancouver (or vice versa). If you're willing to invest the time and money to travel by train, it's a great route through diverse landscapes. You can even request special stops between Sudbury Junction and Winnipeg. The train leaves Toronto on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays and Vancouver on Fridays, Sundays and Tuesdays. A one-way, comfort-class, adult fare departing Toronto in May is about $350 ($425 CAN), and there are off-peak and advance purchase discounts. Here is more information about the Toronto-Jasper-Vancouver route: viarail.ca/trains/en_trai_toja.html If you're looking for a shorter train trip, we're covering this topic in the upcoming September issue. Via Rail has just introduced a new class of service called the Easterly class from Halifax to Montreal from May through October, which includes redecorated cars, two meals featuring local cuisine, and a "Maritime Learning Experience". You can reserve your tickets at viarail.ca. _______________________ Lake Charles, LA: We are planning a trip to Italy this fall. We would like to drive from Rome to Milan and take in the sights and cities along the way. We are planning to visit Rome, Spoleto, Florence, Venice and Milan. Is driving in Italy only for daredevils? Do you have any recommendations on not to miss sights along the route. Thanks for your help. Budget Travel Editors: Go for it! Road tripping from Rome to Milan will give you the most flexibility, provided you pack a good map, and keep alert. Be sure to set out on foot once you arrive at various stops. Despite its dicey reputation, driving is often more straightforward on the autostrada than in urban areas, where efforts to preserve an overabundance of cultural riches, plus bureaucratic inefficiencies, can lead to unexpected road closings, parking restrictions, and confusing signage. Narrow, one-way roads and zig-zagging vespas don't help either. You could spend several weeks just traipsing around the five cities mentioned and along the way there are countless not-to-miss sights with loyal followings. Here are some personal favorites: Assisi, home of Giotto's frescoed lifecycle of St. Francis; San Gimignano whose iconic towers suggest a medieval Manhattan; Fiesole, an Etruscan hilltown overlooking Florence; Ravenna for spectacular Byzantine mosaics and Dante's tomb; trademark porticos, red brick and meat sauce in the university town of Bologna; and the pristine Lago di Como, encircled by the Alps and picturesque villages. _______________________ Washington, DC: We are trying to plan a December honeymoon that won't cost more than a couple thousand dollars, direct flight from DC. Thinking about Caribbean, but not sure exactly which island to go (just went to St. Martin not long ago, so not that one). Advices? Suggestions? Thanks. Budget Travel Editors: Congratulations! It's tough to recommend a Caribbean island without knowing your interests and whether you prefer an active or leisurely honeymoon, so how about the islands of Trinidad and Tobago? Trinidad is urban, sophisticated, and exciting, while Tobago is smaller and relaxed. Both have exceptional geographic diversity, from mountains to rainforests to sandy beaches, and an interesting mix of cultures (West Indian, East Indian, and Chinese), food, and music. The islands are located off the coast of Venezuela, outside the hurricane belt. You can fly nonstop from Washington, DC to either Port-of-Spain, Trinidad or Tobago on American Airlines or BWIA Airlines starting from around $350 RT. Both airlines also offer package vacations: BWIA is currently offering roundtrip airfare from DC to Tobago plus 7 nights at Arnos Vale Hotel from $866 per person, if you travel by December 15. You can also check other companies (cheapcaribbean.com, for example) for package deals. We wrote about Trinidad in the December/January 2003 issue of Budget Travel magazine. Read the article here. _______________________ Rocklin CA: What is the best strategy to make favorable currency exchange transactions? I am traveling to Australia and New Zealand for 3 months. Budget Travel Editors: A good rule of thumb is to just use ATMs in Australia and New Zealand. Exchange rates are fair and if you use cash, you'll avoid paying fees for foreign transactions. (However, it is wise to have the ability to trace your travel expenses.) Capital One is the only credit card that doesn't charge a fee for overseas transactions. You also might want to look into American Express' Travelfunds Card, a prepaid "Travelers 'No' Cheque Card". If you use it before Oct. 15, then you get a free companion airfare, however there are fees. Read the terms and conditions here. _______________________ San Diego, CA: Please Help!! I'm looking for the cheapest airfare to Zurich in July 2006 in time for the World Cup. My friend lives in Zurich and I'm planning to join him for 2 weeks of football (soccer) but first I have to get there and so far I haven't found anything for less than 1K!! When should I start looking? How much should I expect to pay? Thank you. Budget Travel Editors: Since I don't know what gateway you're leaving from, it's hard to price tickets. However, I would recommend beginning your shopping in March of next year. You'll pay too much if you purchase your tickets more than 6 months out. Ideally, 3 months prior to departure is the sweet spot, unless you're willing to risk waiting for last-minute specials. Another way to go is to find the most affordable flight to Europe (usually London is the cheapest), and from there grabbing a no-frills flight like EasyJet or RyanAir to Zurich, or even Geneva. _______________________ Budget Travel Editors: Thanks for all your questions. _______________________

Therese Patterson, of San Diego, is no travel novice. She's been to every continent except Antarctica and Africa, and last spring she started planning a trip to check the latter off her wish list. After spotting an offer in Budget Travel from 2Afrika, she contacted the company about its 13-day safari in Tanzania and Kenya. "I was really looking forward to seeing the animals and connecting with the people," Therese said. Unfortunately, the rep at 2Afrika said the dates she requested were sold out. The next day, Therese received an e-mail from Brett Lorenzo, general manager of Empire State Travel, with an offer identical to 2Afrika's--same layover in London, hotels, meals. It seemed odd to receive an unsolicited e-mail, but Therese had requested information from several operators, and thought that perhaps Empire had gotten hold of 2Afrika's (or another company's) database. After exchanging several e-mails and speaking over the phone with Brett once, Therese reserved the Empire trip for herself and three friends. Before sending a $400 deposit for the group, Therese posted questions about the company on online forums, but got no response. The New York Department of State website, however, listed Empire as registered and legit. The day Brett confirmed receiving Therese's check, Therese called Kenya Airways to verify her seats. "If they had no record of our names, I still had time to cancel my check," she said. "Well, we had reservations, so I assumed everything was on the up-and-up." But afterward Brett failed to return her e-mails. Full payment for the trip was due in mid-June, and Therese grew anxious. She called 2Afrika asking if the company knew anything about Empire State Travel. Kenneth Hieber, president and CEO of 2Afrika, dropped a bomb: Brett Lorenzo was someone who Ken knew as Noel Mendoza, a 2Afrika employee who had been siphoning off clients for a separate operation--none other than Empire State Travel. Ken had learned about the scheme in mid-April, around the same time Therese had sent her check to Empire--also around the same time that Brett/Noel disappeared. Ken knew that Noel was a big Green Bay Packers fan, and he eventually deduced that his former staffer had adopted as his alias the first and middle names of quarterback Brett Lorenzo Favre. He also discovered that Noel's green card was fake, so Noel's real name was likely neither Noel nor Brett. Ken speculates that he lost as many as 50 customers to Empire State Travel. At press time, a handful of Empire clients were in limbo because they'd paid in full for flights on Kenya Airways but never received the tickets. As is customary, the airline printed the tickets and mailed them to the booking agency, unaware that Empire's owner and sole employee had fled. 2Afrika has been trying to clean up the mess, including rebooking people who got burned. Happy that she only lost $400, Therese Patterson started from scratch with 2Afrika and is bound for Kenya and Tanzania this September. What, if anything, could Therese and the others have done to protect themselves? This is one of the strangest scams we've heard of, and Therese did a fine investigative job. One additional step she might have taken is inquiring with the Better Business Bureau. We did, and there was no record of Empire State Travel. That only meant that the BBB hadn't received inquiries or complaints about Empire (common for new companies), not that the operation was or wasn't crooked. We also would have asked Empire if it belonged to any established professional organizations, such as the United States Tour Operators Association. Every USTOA member posts a $1 million bond to refund customers should it cancel tours, enter bankruptcy, or fold entirely. Empire State Travel wasn't a member of any such organization; then again, neither are 2Afrika and many other reputable tour operators. Unlike 2Afrika, however, Empire State Travel has never been recommended by a respected travel authority, at least as far as we know. When in doubt, demand newspaper or magazine articles and customer referrals to verify that a company is what it says it is. (Brett had contacted Budget Travel in early 2005, requesting that we include his package in 40 Best; we declined after Brett didn't reply to our questions about his company.) The one way to protect yourself is to pay with a credit card, because the issuing bank will reimburse you in case of fraud. Some tour operators, including 2Afrika, offer a discount for cash or check payments--a backdoor way to offset the charges they incur with credit cards. But if you're at all worried about a tour operator, the additional 3 percent you might pay for using a credit card is worth it. How to Tell When Something's Fishy You hear about a tour operator via an unsolicited e-mail, postcard, or phone call. The company will only make contact with you via e-mail. There's rarely--or worse, never--a live person to talk to over the phone. Credit cards are not accepted. You won't get all the booking details in writing until you make payment. The company refuses to supply referrals from satisfied customers. Resources Better Business Bureau bbb.org Consumer Affairs consumeraction.gov United States Tour Operators Association ustoa.com

Seven sites that are actually useful... 1. Fly.faa.gov/flyfaa/usmap.jsp A color-coded map shows which U.S. airports are experiencing delays. One Friday afternoon, Las Vegas was yellow (16- to 30-minute delays), Chicago Midway was green (no waits), and Philadelphia was orange (delays due to weather). Real-time updates are also available via pager, phone, PDA, and e-mail. 2. Minimus.biz The one-stop shop for everything travel-size: shampoo, toothpaste, mouthwash, laundry detergent. There are plenty of items for snacking on the go too, including single-serving boxes of Froot Loops (52¢ each), nine-gram packets of Heinz ketchup (6¢), 3D8-ounce containers of Carnation Coffeemate Amaretto creamer (14¢), and individual bags of Twinings of London Earl Grey tea (15¢). 3. Seatguru.com Detailed info on airline seats--recline, legroom, laptop jacks, and where the view of the movie is obstructed--that's submitted by actual travelers. Passengers on AirTran's 717 should know ahead of time that seats in row 20 don't recline, and because they're near the engines, rows 28--30 are loud and don't offer much of a view. Row 31 is probably the worst: no windows or reclining. 4. Waittime.tsa.dhs.gov The Transportation Security Administration lists the expected wait at security checkpoints. Clearing security at the Delta entrance at Terminal D in New York City's LaGuardia takes an average of 19 minutes (but can stretch up to a maddening 41) for flights leaving at 7 a.m. on a Monday. At noon, however, the wait is generally less than a minute. 5. Wine-searcher.com Listings from more than 5,000 wine stores around the world make it easy to locate (or buy online) that sauvignon blanc you loved in Chile. The site also reveals what wines cost. That snazzy bottle of Vin de Pays des Côtes de Pérignan 2000 your buddy brought home for you from France? It only set him back $6. 6. Worldclimate.com Monthly averages of temperature and rainfall for almost anywhere. In Cuzco, Peru--gateway to Machu Picchu--the temperatures are in the 50s year-round. But the city receives about six inches of rain in January and less than half an inch per month from May to August. That's important info if you plan on hiking. 7. Worldtimezone.com Fills you in on what time it is in Beijing (or anywhere else around the globe) and spots that do and don't observe daylight saving time. It's also a wealth of quirky tidbits, like the fact that Australia has both vertical and horizontal time zones in the summer, and that, depending on the time of year, Rio de Janeiro might be one, two, or three hours ahead of Boston. And seven perfect for goofing off 1. Airlinemeals.net Photos and reviews of in-flight meals served by more than 300 carriers, as well as vintage pics from over the past half-century. There are also recommendations on where to eat while you're waiting to get on the plane--such as a noteworthy offshoot of the popular downtown restaurant La Brûlerie St.-Denis in the main terminal at Montréal-Trudeau Airport. 2. Anyworkanywhere.com Job listings for seasonal employees--waitstaff in Ibiza, nannies in England's Lake District--that are perfect for daydreamers. Anglo-Hellenic, a language school with branches all over Greece, pays staffers at least $600 a month for teaching basic English to kids, with lodging and health insurance included. 3. Engrish.com A collection of humorous ways English is mangled around the world. In Japan and other countries, nonsensical English words and phrases are placed on T-shirts, candy wrappers, and shop signs often only because they look cool. That's the only explanation for the Crack Sandwich, available in Asian supermarkets. As far as we can tell, it's a kind of cookie, not a new way of ingesting illegal drugs. 4. Hotelchatter.com Guests write in about their night in "hotel heaven" or "hotel hell," and there's plenty of gossip about which celebrity checked in where and with whom. Where else would you read about how Melanie Griffith was cluelessly wandering around Toronto, unable to find the hotel she was staying in--even after several people had pointed her in the right direction? 5. Koalanet.com.au/australian-slang.html Australian English is much earthier than anything in Crocodile Dundee. Being stonkered, as full as a goog, off your face, or having the wobbly boot on all mean the same thing: You're drunk. (Note: Not suitable for kids, unless you're OK with them asking you about shark biscuits or having a naughty.) 6. Sleepinginairports.com How to survive a night in the terminal, from people who've done it. Singapore's Changi has comfy seats, Internet cafés, prayer rooms, a spa, and even a pool and free movies. Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea, on the other hand, was where one contributor saw seven people killed in a gang shooting. 7. Thebathroomdiaries.com What's good--and what's disgusting--about some 8,000 public bathrooms in more than 100 countries. Golden Plunger awards go to the world's nicest lavatories, including ones at Hong Kong's 3-D Gold Store, home to a solid-gold toilet, and New York City's Bar 89, where the glass stalls automatically turn opaque for privacy when you lock the door.