True Stories

Used to be, when you came home from a vacation with 5 or 10 rolls of film, a quick trip to the Fotomat and a blank wall were all you needed to bore your friends with a living room slide show. These days, you return with memory cards filled with hundreds of digital images to dump onto your hard drive. Before you know it, your computer is crammed with thousands of files, all unhelpfully named something along the lines of DSCN970116b.jpg. Your photos are stored in a maze of subfolders, half of the images are sideways, and for some reason all the shots from the trip to Tuscany are tinted orange. Face it: You need help. Printing, e-mailing, storing If you're just looking to order prints or share a few vacation shots via e-mail with friends, upload them to one of the many easy-to-use Web services. The cheapest prints come from Snapfish.com (19¢ per 4 x 6), but it's only possible to make or edit photo books with PCs, not Macs. Shutterfly.com is fine for Macs and PCs, allows you to crop photos and fix red eyes with a few clicks, and offers prints for 29¢ (24¢ each if you order 100, 19¢ each for 500). Kodak's Ofoto.com also lets you do simple editing on Macs and PCs, and while a 4 x 6 is 25¢ and the prints are of crisp Kodak quality, ordering in bulk (20 or more) is generally cheaper through Shutterfly or Snapfish. Storing and e-mailing photos through each of these sites is always free, and they'll all make CD-ROMs of your images and pictures, from wallet- to poster-size. They can also print shots onto almost anything--teddy bears, wall clocks, coffee mugs, T-shirts, mouse pads, calendars, Christmas cards. Shipping charges start at $1.50 per order. Slide shows, albums, fine-tuning When you're hankering to proudly show off your photo collection, huddling around the glow of a computer screen and clicking a mouse just doesn't cut it. Three new digital photo programs let you do a lot more than what was possible at the old Fotomat. They're not that difficult to use, and they allow you to rotate and retouch images, arrange sophisticated online photo albums, and create everything from CD/DVD slide shows to glossy hardbound books worthy of a prime spot on the coffee table. iPhoto 5 All new Macs come with this program, which offers excellent editing, organizing, and book-making options. Color saturation, sharpness, and exposure controls let you toy with images like a pro. If that's too complicated, there's also a standard one-click automated fix. All editing changes are made to a copy of the original image--great for when you goof, but multiple copies can gobble up lots of hard drive real estate in a hurry. As for creating personalized photo books, iPhoto 5 gives you a fine range of possibilities--including choosing a favorite picture for the cover and adding captions of various fonts and lengths in eight different themed layouts. Prices are cheap, too: 20-page softcovered books are $4 to $20 depending on image size, and linen 11 x 8.5 hardcovers are a steal at $30. Additional pages are less expensive than what competitors offer, at 29¢ to 99¢ per. Another feature allows you to import short video clips from your digital camera and incorporate them into slide shows. The bad news is that iPhoto 5 only works with Macs, and creating Web pages or archiving your pics online requires a .Mac account ($99 per year). If you have an older model Mac, the cost of upgrading to iPhoto 5 is $79. apple.com. Photoworks To get images into a Photo-works account (free, and OK for both Macs and PCs), you can either upload them as usual, or drop a disc, memory card, or even a roll of old-fashioned film in the mail and they'll do it for you for $5. You alter photos and create albums online using standard editing tools-- rotate, crop, red-eye fix, brightness/contrast, and a few filter effects such as sepia (a brownish tint to make things look old-fashioned--fun for trips to Europe and ghost towns out West). Using Photoworks, however, can be a bit tedious. The browser processes each incremental change for you to review, so editing on the Internet takes forever. If you have a slow connection, it's better to touch up photos on your camera and then upload them. Photoworks does allow you to quickly edit titles and captions of all of your pictures on a single screen. The site has six different templates for creating photo books, which are somewhat pricey at $10 for a 8.25 x 5.25 softcover, up to $130 for a suede- or leather-covered 11.25 x 11.25 book, plus $1 or $2 for extra pages. You can't put photos on covers, but there are see-through cutouts on hardcovers. photoworks.com. Picasa 2 The editing tools of this Google-owned option are advanced, simple to use, and free. Like iPhoto, editing changes are made on a copy of the image. In addition to quick fixes like removing red eyes, cropping, and auto-contrast, Picasa 2 allows you to tweak photos endlessly and customize captions for each shot. The program is helpful if you're not a good housekeeper--it'll scan your entire hard drive for photos, even ones that have been accidentally misfiled. If you have TiVo, you can even export a slide show to your TV and watch it from the couch. The downsides are that Picasa 2 doesn't work with Macs, and, while it is good for e-mailing pictures and burning CD/DVD slide shows, all printing is conducted through third-party sites such as Snapfish or Shutterfly. Picasa 2 doesn't offer online archiving per se, but it is set up to use Hello (hello.com), a free instant-messaging system that will send photos to friends who are logged on. You can also create a blog and post albums full of photos on it for free using Google's Blogger. picasa.com.

A multi-day bike tour can be a fantastic experience: On a crisp, quiet morning in France, you might find yourself drifting alongside glorious fields of sunflowers. But you must consider the flip side--changing a flat in the rain with a sore behind and chafed thighs--before planning a vacation spent mostly on a bike seat. If you pay $400 or more per day to a high-end operator, you'll never have to worry about getting stuck in the rain, making a wrong turn, or changing a tire. There are also options if that's out of your budget, or if the idea of paying someone to refill your water bottle, adjust your brakes, and plan your every move doesn't seem like much of an adventure. Make the wrong move, though, and you'll need a few days' respite after your "vacation" ends. DIY and big-group rides Obviously, a bike tour costs less if you bring your own bike, skip hiring a guide, plan your own route, tote your belongings in saddlebags, and sleep in tents, hostels, or simple hotels. The rewards are unlimited freedom and a drastically reduced vacation tab--even with today's exchange rates, you can get by in Europe on $60 a day. Still, the trade-off that comes with having no one else to rely on, not to mention the exhausting workout your body takes from carrying all the extra gear, scares off everyone but the diehards. One way to ease the burden of biking with no support is to team up with a few buddies. Rent a van, remove the backseats to make room for bikes, and have each person take a turn driving. Use walkie-talkies when someone gets a flat or becomes tired. Another option is to join one of the group rides arranged by nonprofit cycling organizations; they're even less expensive than going it alone. The Georgia Bike Fest, a three-day ride in October, costs just $50, while the entrance fee for the Tour de Wyoming, covering 400 miles over a week in July, is $140. The National Bicycle Tour Directors Association's website (nbtda.com) lists dozens of group rides--they're annual events with hundreds of people that include luggage transportation, to get your gear to a new spot each night, and fees for camping in tents or in high school gyms. Meals, showers, mechanical and medical support, and a T-shirt are often included, and there are options to upgrade to nights in B&Bs or motels. Self-guided tours Inns and outfitters team up to offer cyclists packages with lodging and well-researched bike routes and maps, but not necessarily guides. In terms of price and hand holding, these packages are a middle ground between doing it yourself and going with a deluxe tour. The outfitters are often local operations, such as Country Inns Along the Trail in Vermont or Suffolk Cycle Breaks in En-gland. A few operators, including Diverse Directions and Blue Marble Travel, arrange self-guided trips throughout Europe. The tours offer flexibility in terms of lodging, itinerary, and extras such as bike rentals, meals, and baggage transfer. Since you're your own guide, there are plenty of opportunities to be spontaneous. "You might ride by a public pool," says Ed Hayduk, founder of the bike tour search site bicyclingworld.com. "On a self-guided trip you can go for a swim. You might not be able to do that on a tour with a scheduled itinerary." What doesn't come with a self-guided tour--and this is the deal breaker for many riders--is a support-and-gear (or SAG) van to follow you and help out if you get a flat or a cramp. Most of the packagers give you a number to call when something goes wrong, but having someone come and pick you up may take time and cost extra. Cycling and pampering Top dollar buys top service, including a SAG van, five-star hotels, delicious meals, and knowledgeable guides. Tours often include wine tastings and castle visits too. You can expect all of these perks, as well as a fresh slice of lemon in your water bottle and nearly unlimited flexibility, when paying $500 or more per day with Butterfield & Robinson, the crème of the bike tour world. The company's eight-night ride in New Zealand costs $5,000, not including airfare. If B&R is the Ritz of the cycling world, the Hyatts include VBT and Backroads (from $250 per day). The two outfits' tours are plenty plush, though they might not come with as much flexibility, or as many extras. With any bike tour, it's up to you to ask what's included (and what's not). Biggest little mistakes Stationary bikes will get your legs in shape, but only time on the road preps your backside for the bumpy roads ahead. Gel seats will only do so much. If the tour is far from home, bringing your entire bike can be a pain. Consider packing just your seat, pedals, and helmet, for comfort and safety. Keep your ego in check when considering your level of cycling. One cyclist's "moderate" uphill is another's thigh-burning nightmare. Always pack cool-weather and rain gear. Many "all inclusive" bike trips do not cover lunch or alcohol. Ask what kind of bike is included or you might wind up with an old, heavy ten-speed. Operators Georgia Bike Fest Oct. 7-9, 770/498-5153, brag.org Tour de Wyoming July 17-22, 307/742-5840, cyclewyoming.org Country Inns Along the Trail itineraries with meals, lodging, and luggage transfers, $140-$170 per person per night. 800/838-3301, inntoinn.com Suffolk Cycle Breaks hotel, bikes, luggage transport, and breakfasts, from $290 per person for Two-night ride 011-44/1449-721555, cyclebreaks.com Diverse Directions 877/858-5965, diversedirections.net Blue Marble Travel 215/923-3788, bluemarble.org Butterfield & Robinson 800/678-1147, butterfieldandrobinson.com VBT 800/245-3868, vbt.com Backroads 800/462-2848, backroads.com

The world is filled with outlet malls. Problem is, most have stores with negligible savings on B-grade merchandise. No thanks! At the finest malls, high-end stores deliver the real goods--last month's calfskin loafers, last year's luxury sheets--at blowout prices. (And really, does it matter what season they're from?) For those just as intent on saving time as money, we've picked the surest bets for scoring big. Cabazon, California Desert Hills Premium Outlets (premiumoutlets.com/deserthills, 951/849-6641) Hit: Chelsea Property Group runs many of the world's best outlet malls (premiumoutlets.com), including this one and three others on this list. Terrific options include Barneys New York, Gucci, and Space (the outlet name for Prada and Miu Miu). Miss: Both Donna Karan and the Gap make separate lines of clothing to sell at outlets. To get the quality you expect from each brand, avoid the outlets and head for the sale rack at one of the non-outlet stores. Get there: By car, it's 20 minutes from Palm Springs and two hours from L.A. on I-10. From Orange County, on Wednesday and Saturday, there's a 90-minute shuttle from the Anaheim Visitors Center leaving at 9 a.m. (877/991-4636, $35 roundtrip). Bonus: If you have a limited amount of time, skip the west wing (Max Studio, Nine West) and focus on the east (Coach, Zegna, TSE cashmere, Christian Dior). Central Valley, New York Woodbury Common Premium Outlets (premiumoutlets.com/woodburycommon, 845/928-4000) Hit: Expect chichi names like Carolina Herrera, La Perla (lingerie), Diane von Furstenberg, Michael Kors, Tumi (luggage), Stuart Weitzman (shoes), and Le Creuset (pots and pans). Miss: Don't waste time at WestPoint Stevens bed and bath when Frette has gazillion-thread-count sheets for as much as 90 percent off. Plus, Pratesi is opening its own shrine to sheets this month. Get there: From New York City, it's an hour drive. Or take a bus from Port Authority. Gray Line sends five buses a day (graylinenew york.com, $37 round trip), Shortline sends seven (shortlinebus.com, $28 round trip). Bonus: Several Hilton-owned hotels in New York City--Embassy Suites, Doubletree Guest Suites--offer a Shop & Stay rate that comes with coupons to use at Woodbury Common, as well as a $5 discount on a Shortline bus ticket (hiltonfamilynewyork.com). Gotemba, Japan Gotemba Premium Outlets (premiumoutlets.co.jp/gotemba, 011-81/550-81-3122) Hit: There are 165 stores, and some fabulous brands--Armani, Bottega Veneta, Loro Piana, Etro, Petit Bateau, Dunhill, Paul Smith, Vivienne Westwood, Salvatore Ferragamo, Bodum (coffeemakers), Gucci, and Tod's. Focus on the view of Mount Fuji later. Miss: Did you really travel all this distance to go to mid-range American stores like L.L. Bean and Lands' End? Get there: By car, it's 75 minutes from the western edge of Tokyo. From Shinjuku Station in Tokyo, you can either take the Odakyu Line train ($50.50 round trip) or the Odakyu Hakone Highway Bus ($27 round trip); it's a 100-minute ride either way (011-81/3-5321-7887 for info on both). Once you get to Gotemba Station, there's a free eight-minute shuttle to the outlets that leaves every 30 minutes. Bonus: Save your receipts. If you spend more than $418 over a year, you're entitled to a coupon book for any Premium Outlet mall in the world. The coupons offer deals like 10 percent off any purchase of $46 or more at French Connection. Las Vegas, Nevada Las Vegas Premium Outlets (premiumoutlets.com/lasvegas, 702/474-7500) Hit: Leave the Strip for a more reliable return on your money at Theory, Calvin Klein, Dolce & Gabbana, and, if you're in the throes of an impromptu elopement, Zales Fine Jewelry Outlet. Miss: The Las Vegas Outlet Center is closer, only 21D2 miles south of the Strip. But their big draws are Izod, Casual Corner, and Jockey. Get there: From the Strip, drive 10 minutes north on I-15, to the W. Charleston Blvd. east exit. Or grab the 301 or 302 bus to the Downtown Transportation Center for the Vegas Downtown Shoppers Express bus (702/229-6024, catride.com, $2). Or splurge: a 15-minute cab ride shouldn't cost more than $15. Bonus: On Tuesdays, shoppers over 50 get an additional 10 percent discount throughout the mall. Serravalle Scrivia, Italy Serravalle Designer Outlet (serravalle.mcarthurglen.it, 011-39/0143-60-90-00) Hit: The best time to come is in January and July--the countrywide clothing-clearance months. Visit Bulgari, Diesel, Mandarina Duck (bags), and Bose (electronics). Miss: American-brand stores like Samsonite, Tommy Hilfiger, and Wrangler/Lee will bear the brunt of the bad exchange rate. Chances are good you'll do better paying full price at home. Get there: The mall, run by McArthurGlen Designer Outlets, is on the A7 highway between Milan and Genoa. Take the exit for Serravalle Scrivia, and follow the signs to the outlets, modeled after an 18th-century Ligurian town. There are also seven trains (Treni Interregionali) daily from Milan that go to Arquata. From there, the mall runs 15 ten-minute shuttle rides a day (23 on Sundays!). Bonus: Next spring, the Barberino di Mugello outlet mall will open 15 miles north of Florence. In the meantime, the outlet stores spread out between Florence and Arezzo (Celine, Space) will have to satisfy.

A masked Aztec god, the muscles of his chest outlined in black tattoos, launches from the top rope of the ring, glittering feathers streaming from his costume. Below, a pair of little people in yellow spandex hold down another masked wrestler in a spread-eagle position. The flying Aztec flips and plunges through the thin fog of dry ice hovering over the mat. He lands with a thwack and the crowd groans with pleasure at the sight of a perfectly executed desnucadora (power bomb neck breaker). The Aztec rolls his opponent onto his back and the referee slaps the mat: "¡Uno, dos, tres...!" It's una caída (a pin). Still, it's not over. Using his knee, the Aztec shoves his opponent's face into the mat; with one hand he pulls his victim's head back into a quebradora de a caballo (camel clutch chin lock), and with the other hand tugs the man's mask away, dealing a death blow...to the loser's pride. It's just another night of Lucha Libre, Mexico's in-your-face brand of professional wrestling. Lucha Libre which translates to "free fighting," is second only to soccer as the country's most popular sport. The use of masks mimics traditions of the original Aztecs, who wore them into battle to inspire fear, and has been popular since the sport began in Mexico City in the 1930s. Today, you can find masked warriors duking it out almost anywhere in Mexico on almost any night of the week. All major cities, including Guadalajara, Monterrey, and Tijuana, have at least one venue for matches with wrestlers from the two major professional leagues, the CMLL and the AAA. (You're also likely to pass a parking lot or school gym with a homegrown local match between amateurs.) The best place to take in the action is Arena Mexico in Mexico City (189 Calle Dr. Lavista, Col. Doctores, 011-52/55-5588-0385). Known as the Catedral de Lucha Libre, it's the CMLL's home base and the most prestigious wrestling stadium in Mexico, hosting big name stars and the truest-to-tradition fights. Tickets start at $10. If you wouldn't mind a wrestler landing in your lap, ask for a ringside seat. Matches generally take place on Friday, start at 8:30 p.m., and last until around 11:00. Part of the fun is deciphering all of Lucha Libre's uniquely detailed rules. Whatever arena you choose, fellow fans include everyone from middle-class families with kids to masked older men with dates in tow. Dolled-up teenage girls scream for the oiled-up técnicos (heroes) who strut in accompanied by buxom, bikini-clad dancers. Matches are fought tag-team style; the teams can be made up of a combination of men and women, including minis (little people). There are two types of characters: técnicos and rudos (villains). Sometimes it's tough to tell who's who. (One clue: if you see a gringo wrestler--such as the one named Mr. Texas--you can be confident he's a rudo.) Everyone enters to his own theme song--usually hard rock or mariachi. Unlike the American version, where a single pin ends a match, Lucha Libre requires the best of three caídas, creating soap-operatic tension as each side is virtually guaranteed to win at least one of the first two caídas, forcing a third to decide the match. The most dramatic of all are the revelos suicidas, matches where the losing wrestler agrees to have his head shaved, or worse, surrender his mask. (The importance of the mask cannot be overstated. It represents the honor of the wrestler, and to have it taken is the ultimate humiliation. Mexico's most famous wrestler, El Santo, chose to be buried in his.) Thanks to an enthusiastic fan base and a growing industry, it's remarkably easy to track down a match. The CMLL website, cmll.com, lists upcoming events in Mexico. And cmllusa.com posts updates about Lucha Libre tours of the U.S. In each Mexican town, promoters place ads for matches in newspapers and the magazines Lucha 2000 and Box y Lucha, as well as on the chat boards of TV stations Univision and Galavision. In the States, Los Angeles--based production Lucha VaVoom integrates Lucha Libre wrestling with a burlesque show and comedians and takes it on the road. The next Lucha VaVoom, a greatest-hits show, is June 29 and 30 at the Mayan Theater in downtown L.A (luchavavoom.com).