Denver Empties Out, but Memories Linger On

Political and media travelers are pulling out of Denver by the thousands

Legions of national and international media have been leaving Denver and heading for St. Paul for the upcoming Republican National Convention. Some delegates and guests have been heading home, while others are staying on to enjoy the holiday weekend in Denver or in the mountains. Denver International Airport handled some 155,300 passengers yesterday (Friday, August 30), the day after the convention., slightly fewer on the first day of a popular holiday weekend.

On D-Day (most attendees' Departure Day) weather was superb, and while lines were long, the delays that some people experienced, especially at United, might have started elsewhere in the country and impacted the Denver hub.

Come fall, Denver and the rest of the country will see a decrease in air service. A combination of a slumping economy and uncertain fuel prices (down from their recent highs but still costly) continue to impact airlines. They in turn have tried to increase revenues with fare increases and unprecedented surcharges and cost-cutting maneuvers. Jazz, Air Canada's regional partner carrier, just announced that it would replace life vests with floatation cushions to save weight.

During major airlines' capacity cuts in the early 1990s and again a decade later, low-fare carriers entered the market to take up some of the seat slack. This time, air fares between major cities are up 16 percent since the first of the year and up 36 percent on routes less traveled, and low-fare carriers were the first to feel the fuel pinch. And airlines have made it more difficult to redeem frequent-flyer miles to save travel dollars.

Convention Volunteering - The Grand Finale

Convention wraps up at Invesco Field for Obama's acceptance speech; energy, enthusiasm and optimism prevail

The 2008 Democratic National Convention closed with a bang -- of fireworks, that is. Delegates, guests, politicos, media, celebs, security and we volunteers moved from one sports venue (the Denver's Pepsi Center, an arena built for basketball and hockey) to another (Invesco Field at Mile High, the awkardly named but imposing football stadium nearby), where there was also room for tens of thousands of attendees from "the community."

For us media distribution volunteers, it meant very long work day. We had to be at the Colorado Convention Center at 9:00 to pick up credentials, which included a lot of waiting around. I was on a bus at 7:30 a.m. Then by noon, we transferred to Invesco Field, where we also did a lot of waiting around -- but I did manage to get onto the field with a borrowed "Floor Pass." We had fewer distribution venues for the speech transcripts but security was even tighter, the elevators even more crowded and the distances greater. With longer speeches but fewer speakers, there was a lot of waiting around in a windowless room until it came time to distribute the text for Barack Obama's much-anticipated acceptance speech.

The public was admitted after 3:00, and the lines were imposing. People streamed in steadily, enduring the slow pace through the security screening station (set up in the white tent, below). Some sat down and wouldn't move. Others saved seats for more family, friends and colleagues who might still be in line or were milling around, buying food or souvenirs. By the time Obama's scheduled time approached, there was hardly an empty seat to be found in this huge 75,000-seat stadium.

Even though Stuart Shepard, director of digitial media for an arm of Focus on the Family, a Colorado Springs-based evangelical group, reportedly produced a video asking Christians to pray for torrential rain, during Barack Obama's acceptance speech, the evening could not have been nicer. If rain would have demonstrated God's objection to Obama's candidacy, the wonderful warm, windless summer evening must have been a sign of the Almighty's approval of the Democratic nominee.

Some people thought that the Doric colonnade that served as a backdrop for the podium was a bit much, but after all the day's speakers and entertainers were finished, it was a suitable setting of Obama's acceptance speech as a presidential nominee -- and it made the brief fireworks display that followed his speech possible. After all, you can't have a balloon drop in a stadium that is open to the sky.

Celeb Sightings

In addition to the well-known people pictured below, I saw (but was too close to photograph) Wolf Blitzer, George Stephanopolis and Oprah Winfrey. Here are the ones I did capture with my camera:

I photographed Ted Koppel (below) as we were leaving the stadium floor at the same time. Then, since we were going in the same direction, I hustled to catch up with him to tell him how much I enjoyed his China series on PBS and how much I preferred the old single-subject "Nightline" format when he was the host. He said, "It's now for 32-year-olds." Then, we reached the ABC area and he introduced me to two "Nightline" producers. I said, "I know I'm not your demographic, but I preferred the old format." I didn't have a chance to add, "The current format is for people with the attention span of fruit flies." So there!

I didn't get to see Jon Stewart of "The Daily Show," but I did see the crew hanging around and horsing around. Rob Riggle was in the mix somewhere.

Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper, who had ample reason to be proud of the manner in which the Mile High City hosted this convention -- and relieved that it all went so well.

Air America's Randi Rhodes:

And the man whom everyone came to see, hear, celebrate or report on, Barack Obama:

Convention Volunteering - The Penultimate Day

Democratic All-Stars speak at the Democratic National Convention's penultimate evening

Barack Obama's official nomination as the Democratic candidate for president was anticipated, but the way in which it occurred surprised many. While the roll call ("The great state of Wherever proudly casts XX votes for Senator Hillary Clinton and XX votes for Senator Barack Obama"), Clinton, accompanied by her New York colleague Senator Chuck Schumer entered the floor of the Democratic National Convention to join the New York delegation. There, in a gracious speech, she moved to suspend the rules and nominate Barack Obama by acclamation.


The evening was highlighted by some of the party's and the nation's best speakers and most highly regarded leaders. This Who's Who included former Secretary of State Madeleine Allbright, former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, present Senator Majority Leader Harry Reid, Evan Bayh, Senator John Kerry, Governor Bill Richardson and former President Bill Clinton, who spoke to honor both his wife's candidacy and to support Barack Obama's. The final scheduled speaker, Senator Joseph Biden and vice presidential nominee, was joined at the end by Senator Barack Obama, Democratic candidate for president. But you don't need me to tell you what you have seen on television or read in the paper. But I can offer you a few more images of people I had a chance to snap at the Pepsi Center today (some up close for the second time).


Ralph Nader being interviewed:

Former President Bill Clinton:

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi:

Senator Joseph Biden:

Convention Volunteering - Second Day

Day 2 of the convention; Day 3 of volunteering

Here are some famous people whom I saw up-close while volunteering at the Democratic National Convention. Again, my photographic disclaimer is that I'm using a digital point and shoot with limited range to the built-in flash. As they walk along the hallway where the media volunteers hang out, Secret Service agents move most political VIPs along quickly and also keep people at a distance. The result, some blurry images.

Below, "Today Show" anchor Ann Curry, on her cell phone. When I looked her up online to make sure that she was Ann and not Anne, and Curry not Currey, I found out that her father was from Pueblo, CO. Maybe she was calling some kinfolk here in Colorado.

Below is Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley with some constituents he encountered at the Denver Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau information and hospitality booth (hizzoner is the short guy in the middle).

Below, retired NBA superstar and now television sports commentator Charles Barkley taking his leave from some fans (Barkley is the tall guy in the middle).


Here is Colorado Governor Bill Ritter being interviewed by a Denver television station.

And New York Governor David Patterson also gives a hallway interview:

Below, Senator (and Barack Obama's running mate) Joseph Biden moves quickly down the hallway.

Hillary and Chelsea Clinton arrive for Hillary's "unity" speech asking the entire Democratic Party to support the candidacy of her primary-season rival Barack Obama.

Before Bill Clinton entered this section of the hallway, Secret Service agents moved us all to one side, which they did for no one else. Agents, who by now are accustomed to his habit of shaking every outstretched hand, probably figure it's more efficient to organize a receiving line rather than have him dart back and forth along the route.

And here he is, strolling down the hallway, shaking everyone's hand (including mine just before this photo) as if he nothing else in the world to do.

Convention Volunteering - Opening Day

Convention draws political and media celebs, and they draw stares and applause

As a volunteer on the "media distribution team," my view of the Democratic National Convention is a narrow one. I am a very small cog in a very large wheel. I and more than a dozen volunteers on my shift pick stacks of photocopied speeches and deliver them to media pods all over the Pepsi Center and in the surrounding parking lots. Sometimes we hand them to individual media desks; sometimes we leave a stack at the press information centers (PICs) for reporters themselves to collect.

There are several outdoor routes to four pavilions (i.e., large air conditioned tents with plywood floors and partitioned or curtained-off "offices") that house most major and some minor print media. There are runs to individual network complexes -- ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox -- with trailers and satellite dishes. There are areas within for within the Pepsi Center for print, broadcast and online media: Radio Row, Radio Suites, Writing Desks, Bloggers Alley, International Media. I had my pedometer on and walked just shy of nine miles today.

En route to the convention center to pick up our day's credentials, my Boulder friends were delayed due to a couple of demonstrations. Marching placket-wavers took up street as well as sidewalks, causing the shuttle on the 16th Street Mall to run only intermittently, because protesters were blocking the bus lanes. One group chanted, "No We Can't!", but it was unclear as to whether they were disaffected Hillary Clinton supporters or were grinding some other ax. Another group waved signs with clearer messages that were both evangelical and homophobic -- and also predictable. Then, we veered away from the 16th Street Mall, which had ceased being energizing and fun and was just annoying.

In the Pepsi Center my friend Laurel shook Jimmy Carter's hand but didn't get a picture. I saw media stars Anderson Cooper and Donna Brazile and soul singer John Legend but didn't get pictures. Here are some famous people whose pictures I did manage to snap with my little digital point-and-shoot, which doesn't allow for the rapid sequential shots of the bigger SLR:

Here's Dan Rather in the hallway (too far for my camera's modest flash to reach):


Here's Senator Ted Kennedy, riding to and from the podium area, ailing but inspiring by his very presence on the podium, let alone finding the strength to speak. As he rode along, he blew kisses to onlookers (trust me; that's what he was doing, which might not be apparent from the expression I caught in the one picture I managed to snap):

Here's Michelle Obama (just behind the sleeve of someone who walked into the one frame I managed to snap), heading down the same hallway en route to giving her evening-ending speech (someone behind her was carrying a garment bag with that beautiful teal green outfit she wore):


Here's (I think) fast-moving Caroline Kennedy (in black and mostly blocked by a women in a white jacket) who introduced her Uncle Ted:

Here's House Speaker Nancy Pelosi:

Dem Convention Has Denver A-Buzz

Fifty thousand visitors, give or take, are taking in city sights

My travels this week involve nothing more than a daily commute via RTD bus to Denver, where I am volunteering at the Democratic National Convention. Short as my trips are, they are as thrilling as any I've every taken, because they are to an event that will never again occur so close to my home in my lifetime. The last time Denver hosted a convention was exactly a century ago, when the city was was trying to shake its cowtown image.

In 1908, Oklahoma had become a state just the previous November, and Arizona, New Mexico, Alaska and Hawaii were still be admitted to the Union. Delegates arrived at Denver's beautiful Union Station by train. Some stayed right near the station at the Oxford Hotel (1891), the Barth Hotel (1882) or now-gone hotels. Other delegates took a trolley ride to the the Brown Palace Hotel (1892), more than a mile to the east. The Oxford is a charming boutique hotel, the Barth houses low-income senior citizens, and the Brown remains a historic jewel. Word on the street is that former President Bill Clinton, wanted-to-be President Hillary Clinton and won't-be President John Kerry are staying there this time around.

The 1908 convention itself took place is the Denver Arena Auditorium, now remade into a part of the Denver Performing Arts Complex. The 2008 convention is taking place at the Pepsi Center (above right), where the NHL Avalanche and NBA Nuggets usually play. State caucuses and other activities take place at the huge Denver Convention Center. Two blocks from the convention center, the 16th Street Mall is festooned with banners. Vendors are selling Obama buttons, pennants, T-shirts, flags and other souvenirs. Yellow-shirted local hosts (above left) answer visitors' questions. Manyh downtown streets are blocked and more will be, in effect expanding the pedestrian zone. Still, despite the ponderous presence of in-your-face security, the general ambiance is upbeat and positive -- and there's a electricity in the air and a buzz everywhere.

I don't know what security was like in 1908, but it was probably fairly tight for the day, since President William McKinley had been assassinated just seven years earlier. In 2008, I've seen uniforms from the Denver Police, county sheriff, state police, various Denver suburban police departments, Colorado Springs police, private security firms and the Transportation Security Agency. Officers on foot and horseback keep an eye on the legions of earnest protesters of all stripes, from Pro-Life to End the War Now crusaders, in case anything gets out of hand, perhaps clashing with each other. Officers on bicycles cruise the 16th Street Mall. Helicopters fly overhead. SWAT teams drive around the city ready to quell any trouble that may arise. Squad cars are parked all over the place. There's a K9 unit standing by.

Security people are posted at every entrance to every place, and within the agggressively fenced-off convention complex itself, your badge better be the correct side out. If it has flipped over backwards, someone in a uniform will ask you to turn it over so they can see the front with its distinctive hologram. The place is crawling with Secret Service Agents, some wearing serious dark suits and facial expressions to match, and others clad shirts that prominently say "Secret Service," which doesn't seem secret at all. The TSA has been enlisted to run the screening processes to get into the convention itself, just as they do at airports.

The Pepsi Center has been transformed, both backstage and in the arena (below left). The centerpiece is a soaring podium backed by a "gigantimus" video screen (below right). I'm a volunteer on the "press team. I have completed two afternoons of orientation, training and volunteer briefings, which is why I've seen the Denver scene, so to speak. The real work starts tomorrow.

The buzz is building daily, and by tomorrow, it will be full-throttle excitement and adrenalin for the tends of thousands of delegates, media, DNC staff and volunteers, Republican war room warriors ready to spin the slightest Democratic verval misstep, and squadrons protesters (who I hope stay cool) and security forces (which I hope will have proved to be unnecessary).

Fewer Airplane Seats + Overbooking = More Bumps

Nearly 350,000 passengers bumped in the first half of 2008. That carries a cost for airlines -- and ultimately for the flying public

Put these random thoughts together any way you choose, and draw your own conclusions of the sort of mess American air travel is in:

• According to "More Flights Are Overbooked, but Payoffs Are Rising" in today's New York Times business section, "about 343,000 passengers were denied seats on planes...out of 282 million passengers. Most of those people volunteered to give up their seats in return for some form of compensation, like a voucher for a free flight. But statistics also show about 1.16 of every 10,000 passengers had their seats taken away outright because of overbooking — which may sound like a low rate, until your name is called."
• The article continued, "Back when most tickets were refundable or easy to change, and the airlines offered multiple daily flights to many cities, carriers used to routinely overbook about 15 percent of their seats. Passengers who missed their plane could simply catch a later flight. Rules are tighter now, and passengers with nonrefundable tickets can only expect a credit for an unused ticket, often minus a hefty fee, if they change their flight. That means they have more incentive to show up. But airlines still overbook."
• Compensation to bumped passengers is up. Times reporters Micheline Maynard and Michelle Higgins wrote, "Travelers can now receive up to $400 if they are involuntarily bumped and rebooked on another flight within two hours after their original domestic flight time and within four hours for international. They are eligible for up to $800 in cash if they are not rerouted by then. The final amount depends on the length of the flight and the price paid for the ticket....Compensation must be paid immediately in cash, or with a voucher if the passenger accepts it, and the airline must offer a choice of a refund, a return flight to their departure city or an alternative flight. Volunteers also receive compensation, which they negotiate with the airline. Passengers are learning, however, that if an airline does not get enough volunteers at a lower figure, they might be able to bid up the offer, and also obtain sweeteners that include vouchers for meals, hotels, transportation and even plane tickets."
• Passengers flying free or using a voucher are cutting into airlines' direct revenue streams.
• US carriers have announced plans to cut routes they claim are unprofitable. Airlines have imposed fuel surcharges and miscellaneous other fees. Despite these additional charges along with service reductions, planes are quite full and will be fuller come fall.
• The annoying, arbitrary and ever-changing Transportation Security Agency screenings add to the unpleasantness of domestic air travel today.
• With frequent-flier awards increasingly difficult to redeem (and now costly to redeem), miles have stacked up, adding to the liability on airlines' balance sheets.
• The recession in which the US finds itself, but is loathe to call by that name, is cramping many Americans' travel styles. Like it or not, "staycation" has become a word in the travel vocabulary.

The Airline Deregulation Act of 1978 let airlines chart their own operational courses and set (and change) air fares at will. Three decades later, in a very different world in terms of fuel costs, technology, sheer numbers of flyers and travelers' expectations, the airline industry in the US has broken, and no one seems to be taking much interest in fixing it.

Terror Watch List Hits One Million!

Travel impacted by a list containing the names of one out of every 300 Americans

According to the American Civil Liberties Union's Watch List Counter, the Department of Homeland Security's Terror Watch list passed the million-name mark a few days ago. Click on that link and you can see the counter spinning around as fast as the dollar counter on a gas pump. The ACLU website further reports:

"September 2007, the Inspector General of the Justice Department reported that
the Terrorist Screening Center (the FBI-administered organization that
consolidates terrorist watch list information in the United States) had over
700,000 names in its database as of April 2007 - and that the list was growing
by an average of over 20,000 records per month. (See also this new March 2008
report.)

"By those numbers, the list now has over one million names on it. Terrorist
watch lists must be tightly focused on true terrorists who pose a genuine
threat. Bloated lists are bad because they ensnare many innocent travelers
as suspected terrorists, and because they waste screeners' time and divert their
energies from looking for true terrorists. Small, focused watch lists
are better for civil liberties and for security."

At this rate, the only people who won't be on the Department of Justice's Watch List are those wearing American flag pins in their lapels. These days, the Justice Department doesn't seem much more concerned with justice than the Department of Defense is with war. IMO, such shifts in policy and procedures have a lot to do with Americans' travel experiences -- whether we are experienced hassles and delays when we fly or whether we feel "liked" when we travel abroad. For words like this, I'm probably going to end up on the list myself!

Early Returns Just Got Delayed

Frontier Airlines devalues its frequent flyer program

Beleaguered Frontier Airlines, currently in banktuptcy, used to boast that EarlyReturns, its loyalty program, was one of friendliest around with faster mileage accrual and easier redemption. No more. The Denver-based carrier sent an Email to Early Returns members saying that as of September 15, 2008:

"All award tickets will incur a $25 redemption fee

All tickets issued within 14 days of travel will incur a $75 expedite fee (waived for EarlyReturns PLUS+ and Weekend Web Fares)

Change itinerary: As long as another award seat is available on your desired flight, you can change the time, date, passenger name, or city pairs for $75 change fee (previously $35)

Cancelled itinerary: If you no longer want to fly on the original
ticket you booked, you may cancel your itinerary and redeposit the miles for $75 redeposit fee (previously $35); all fees are non-refundable and are
waived for Summit members

EarlyReturns New Redemption Levels (effective 9/15/08):

Travel within the contiguous U.S. or to/from Canada
15,000 miles one-way
20,000 miles round-trip
30,000 miles EarlyReturns PLUS+ one-way
40,000 miles EarlyReturns PLUS+ round-trip
Travel to/from Alaska or Mexico
20,000 miles one-way
30,000 miles round-trip
45,000 miles EarlyReturns PLUS+ one-way
55,000 miles EarlyReturns PLUS+ round-trip
Travel to/from Costa Rica
40,000 miles round-trip
65,000 miles EarlyReturns PLUS+ round-trip"

Frontier adds, "you can still redeem award tickets at the 'old' mileage rate until September 15, 2008. If you’re shy of the minimum mileage threshold, you can purchase miles to top off your account at a great discount! Visit the Buy Miles section of our website for details and directions on how to save up to 30% on the purchase of EarlyReturns miles."

Another airline demonstrating how "how important you are to the future of Frontier Airlines. Thank you for your understanding and encouragement through these hard times."

I'm Dreamin' of Santorini

Tempting fall bargains on fantasy Greek Island

I've long wanted to visit the Greek Islands, and I suppose someday I will. The desire to go there is usually tucked away in the back of my mind. But sometimes they force their way to forefront, like now, with the film version of Mamma Mia!, which was filmed on the islands of Santorini, Skiathos and Skopelos. Santorini, breached volcano, is arguably the most iconic and certainly stars in my Greek Island dreams.

I''m afraid that the era of small, Mamma Mia!-style inns is long gone, but a luxurious boutique property can make an escape to Santorini affordable with a first-ever discount package. Through October 31, Astra Apartments & Suites is offering a fourth night free with a three-night stay. The “Fall in Love at Astra” package starts at about $1,100 or $275 per night for two. Included are a traditional Greek breakfast every morning, champagne and chocolates served at sunset on the second evening.

The October weather on the beautiful Cycladic island of Santorini is mild, with average temperatures around 70 degrees Fahrenheit. The property has just 16 domed-ceiling apartments and 12 luxurious suites decorated in traditional island style with works by local artists. Eight units have private plunge pools or outdoor Jacuzzis, and an infinity pool perches 1,000 feet above the turquoise Aegean Sea. A day spa offers a full range of massages and facials. Astra’s new restaurant serves fresh fish and Santorinian specialties under the stars. It sounds idyllic to me.

Astra has been written up in such persnickety publications as Travel & Leisure, National Geographic Traveler, Food & Wine and Bon Appetit, which is a good enough recommendation for me. Now, if I could only afford to fly to Santorini this fall......

For more information on Astra or reservations, visit one of the websites (http://www.astra-apartments.com/ or http://www.astra.gr/) or call 011-30-2286-2-47-65.

Passenger's Tale of Personal Tragedy and Airline's Callousness

A father's fatal fall. A canceled flight. An airline's brutal heartlessness. Shakespearean tragedy.

Just yesterday, I vowed to find renewed joy in travel. This morning, I received an Email with the following Email from a reader in southern California that is causing me to defer my quest for good travel news. I do not know her but did look her up on the Internet, and it turns out that she is in public relations specialist (hence the logical, well-written missive) and one of her specialties is social justice. There was nothing that even hinted of justice about the way US Airways treated her last year in the wake of a family tragedy -- and that was before the huge run-up of air fares and the plague of surcharges:

"The story:

"A husband and wife booked a flight on US Airways for October 2007 to join
the husband's parents on a vacation at a cost of $1,008. Then, the wife's
father suffered an out-of-town fall and broke his neck. He went into
intensive care, was med flighted home, and eventually died on October 15.
During this ordeal, the wife cancelled her and her husband's flight, and asked
US Airways for a refund.

"She was denied, but the agent advised her to write to the refunds
department. She did so, including with her letter a copy of her father's
death certificate and also sharing that she had missed a great deal of work
during the 2 months of her dad's hospitalization, her family had expended
$10,000 on the medvac flight to get her father home, and she and her husband
were not going to be able to reuse their tickets anytime in the next year; the
vacation opportunity was over, and the lost income plus the $10,000 hit her
family had suffered precluded any travel plans for quite awhile.

"US Airways denied the refund, merely repeating boilerplate stating that
the husband and wife had a year from the date of booking (not the travel date,
mind you) to reuse the tickets, after of course paying a $100 per-ticket change
fee. The wife then wrote directly to Doug Parker, CEO of US Airways
and cc'd president Scott Kirby to plead her case. The result was the same
answer, again from a customer relations rep. The wife then filed a
complaint with the Better Business Bureau, but the file was closed after
BBB contacted US Airways and was unable to receive a reply from
them.

"To add insult to injury, last week US Airways emailed the wife saying 'Our
records indicate that 14,954 miles [in your Dividends Miles account] were
forfeited because your last activity date was more than 18 months ago.'
Apparently, buying $1,000 worth of tickets and then being denied a refund when
the tickets couldn't be used, doesn't qualify as activity worthy of keeping
one's status as a dividend miles member.

"Here's a great quote from US Airways Passenger Refunds Representative
Samantha Gartung's letter to the wife: 'US Airways embraces an optimistic
outlook regarding passengers who are unable to travel due to unfortunate
circumstances. We remain confident that you will be able to utilize
the ticket for your travel enjoyment.'

"Isn't it comforting to have an airline express confidence that you can
spend money with them?

"Oh, and yes, the wife is me."

The writer asked me (and probably other travel writers and bloggers as well) to help get the word out. I don't know her, and I haven't checked on what US Airways' side of the story might be -- if, indeed, they even have a valid side, under the circumstances. I hope that her efforts to cast a wide net will result in the kind of publicity that will indeed persuade or pressure the airline to restore those frequent flyer miles and perhaps even refund the $1,008 for the flights she and her husband did not take.

Travel Insurance

Like most of us, the couple probably did not have travel insurance -- and if they did, it might not have included compensation for trip cancellation due to a serious accident/illness of an immediate family member. We never know what coverage we might need until an incident has occurred. But in addition to wishing her success in her battle against US Airways, I'll take this as a cue at least to explore buying travel insurance. I'll bet the with 20/20 hindsight, she wishes she had some. SquareMouth, a website comparing travel insurance, has been recommended by a number of respected travel publications.

Help Me Rediscover the Joy of Travel

Have my posts become too whiny -- or has travel simply become a chore rather than a joy?

I like to travel. I really do. Or at least I used to. You'd never know it from my recent posts on this blog though. I seem to be on a roll writing about things that I find annoying: Rising air fares and declining airline service. Airline surcharges and costly hotel "extras" (not just the mini-bar but WiFi, parking, usurious telephone charges, etc.). The Transportation Security Agency's policies that affront travelers. Highway delays. Hotels that waste electricity and water in the name of "luxury." Or, on the other end of the scale, accommodations have been allowed to go to seed.

Believe it or not, I have exercised some self-restraint. I really haven't written the price of gas that has skyrocketed the cost of a road trip. Nor did I regale you with the tale of the speeding motorcyclist who broadsided my car while I was on Colorado's Western Slope ( biker landed in the hospital; I'm OK, and I have a new car).

Other blogs and websites (The Cranky Flier, Christopher Elliott's ombudsman-ish site called simply Elliott, Frugal Travel Guy, Upgrade: Travel Better among others) keep the traveler (aka, the customer) in mind.

Commuting Doctor Repeatedly Delayed

Whenever I think I've been too grouchy, along comes another example of why travel has become so frustrating and joyless -- and in the following case, that puts my inconveniences into perspective. Al Lewis, whose syndicated column appears in the Denver Post, wrote about Dr. Joel Schwartz, an obstetrician specializing in high-risk pregnancies, who flies once a week from Denver to Las Vegas. "If he's not in the office on time, he has a packed waiting room. His partners must pick up his caseload. And his anxious patients may end up with a doctor they do not know.

"Schwartz, who commutes from Denver to Las Vegas every week, doesn't like
to roll the dice when it comes to air travel. After Denver- based Frontier
Airlines filed bankruptcy earlier this year, he said he bought five months'
worth of tickets on United Airlines. His first United flight was canceled. His
second was nearly two hours late.

"A consummate traveler, he said he found the airline's employees unusually
grumpy. When he called customer support, he said he could only reach people in
exotic locales who seemed scantly empowered to help him. So Schwartz bought
backup tickets on Southwest Airlines to ensure he'd be on time for his patients
each week.

Schwartz said once he's burned through his nonrefundable United
tickets, he's going back to Frontier or Southwest, or anywhere else....

"'You would have to cut my arm off before I'd ever go back to United,'" he
said. At this point, it's hard to say what might be worse. United's service? Or
a one-armed obstetrician who can't always get to his Las Vegas office on
time?"

Dr. Schwartz has clearly had it with United, and so, according to Lewis, have pilots. "They [the pilots' union] are demanding that CEO Glenn Tilton resign. They are hanging out their dirty cabin blankets on a website called Glenn Tilton Must Go. As airlines drown in rising jet fuel bills, the pilots union says Tilton's performance is among the worst....Tilton is a former oilman who took Texaco through bankruptcy and helped merge it with Chevron Corp. before joining United in September 2002. He and his crew earned tens of millions taking United through Chapter 11, hacking away at airline workers and their benefits. Along the way, they leased a shiny new headquarters on Chicago's Wacker Drive. Then they sharpened their knives again to get through an unprecedented spike in fuel prices."

It is difficult to adopt an upbeat attitude toward travel providers that not only take advantage of customers by cutting costs and downsizing their workforces but are enriching themselves in the prcoess.

Blogger Reports Bizarre TSA Agent's Treatment of Disabled Passenger

Dr. Schwartz, even if delayed, certainly can fend for himself at the airport. Denver blogger James, Future Gringo, with a pass to accompany his mother to her gate at Denver International Airport, witnessed a TSA's downright bizarre action when clearing a developmentally disabled passenger through security.

He reported, "This agent was visually inspecting the wheelchair and probing around some cushions as expected, but then she did something that I would never expect: She took an ETD (Explosive Trace Detection) Swab, and repeatedly rubbed the child’s face with the swab. She did this a few times with the swab attached to the plastic forceps. I don’t recall her putting the swab IN the machine, but after finishing she gently caressed the child’s face a few times with her hand - which I thought was equally as strange." Strange indeed.

James also commented, "Now this TSA officer was not being forceful or rude, and was actually quite gentle and friendly with the child. However the act of rubbing a child’s face with a substance bothered me. A fully able bodied person would never consent to having their FACE rubbed with a dabber or swabber. A person in a wheelchair who is cognizant and articulate would not allow this. Why should a wheelchair bound child who can’t speak for themself be subjected to this? Granted this only lasted about 15 seconds, but I didn’t think it was right or appropriate on the part of the TSA."

Prices, airline policies, arbitrary TSA procedures and all the rest nothwithstanding, I'll try to be more positive, because I like to travel. I really do.

Flooding in Grand Canyon Area Forces Evacuations

Havasupai community and visitors most impacted by up to 8 inches of rain and a breached dam

It's been a tough week for the natural wonders of the West. A few days ago, as reported here, the 12th-largest arch in Arches National Park collapsed. Today (August 17), rains caused floods that breached an earthen dam Sunday in a side canyon of the Grand Canyon -- but outside of the boundaries of Grand Canyon National Park. Helicopters rescued scores of Supai village residents, visitors and campers. Up to eight inches of rain have fallen in the Grand Canyon area since Friday. The Supai village, traditional home to the Havasupai people, is located high in Havasu Canyon, a side canyon.

Gerry Blair, of the Coconino County Sheriff's Department, told Associated Press reporter Amanda Lee Myers that the breached dam was "only one factor in the flooding." The sheer volume of water itself caused flooding, and a flash flood warning has remained in effect. Blair said that search-and-rescue teams were staying in the village overnight, because not all of the 400 residents initially were evacuated. Helicopter operation had to stop when darkness fell.

AP also reported that Grand Canyon National Park spokeswoman Maureen Oltrogge confirmed to Myers that some hiking trails were washed out, footbridges were damaged, and trees were uprooted. Among those airlifted out by helicopter were 16 people (Park Service photo, above right) who were rafting the Grand Canyon on a private permit. They were all uninjured but had been stranded on a ledge where Havasu Creek joins the Colorado River after flood waters washed their rafts downriver. Rescuers escorted visitors out of the Supai Campground, about 75 west of the Grand Canyon Village, the park's leading tourist area on the South Rim.

Autumn in August

A few chilly, rainy days with snow above 10,500 feet provide foretaste of fall and winter

Colorado is a favorite summer escape for Texans and other Sunbelt/Sweatbelt dwellers seeking to escape the heat and humidity. Anyone visiting over the past several days certainly has gotten away from the heat, but steady rain have brought unusual humidity for mid-August. Right now, in Boulder, the temperature is 50 degrees and the humidity 93 percent. Earlier in the week, those numbers were reversed.

Up to six inches of snow have been reported in the high country, according to television traffic reports this morning, and Trail Ridge Road through Rocky Mountain National Park is or was closed. (Channel 9 News photo, right, taken today in Rocky Mountain National Park.)

All this is a reminder that the 2008-09 ski season is scheduled to launch less than three months from now. Keystone plans to open November 6. Arapahoe Basin still has its 2007-08 calendar online, and Loveland's website is currently down, so I don't know when these contenders for early-to-open honors plan to begin operations.

What I do know is that many people are looking to economize this season -- especially since just getting to the slopes will most likely be more expensive than in the past. With that in mind, this is the time for skiers and riders decide where in Colorado they want to slide this winter. Each ski area, large or small, has its own value-laden season pass. Examples of Colorado's big-league passes are Vail Resorts' new $579 EPIC Ski Pass (unlimited, unrestricted, season-long access Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone, Heavenly and Arapahoe Basin) and the $439 Rocky Mountain Super Pass Plus (unlimited access to Winter Park/Mary Jane and Copper, plus six unrestricted days and free skiing every Friday after 12:30 p.m. at Steamboat).

Just to underscore what exceptional values these are, consider that an Aspen Premier Season Pass (Aspen Mountain, Aspen Highlands, Buttemilk, Snowmass) is $1,769 if purchased before September 12, $300 more if purchased later. That does serve to keep the riff-raff away, but then again, the riff-raff probably can't afford the gas to drive to Aspen anyway.

The best deal of all is Colorado Ski Country USA's 2008-09 GEMS card, which at just $10 (ten dollars!) is worth considering even for those purchasing a Rocky Mountain Super Pass, an EPIC Ski Pass and/or a pass to any single ski area. Ten smaller areas belong to the GEMS group: Arapahoe Basin, Echo Mountain, Eldora, Loveland Ski Area, Monarch Mountain, Powderhorn Resort, Ski Cooper, SolVista Basin and Sunlight Mountain Resort. Benefits include free lift tickets to three GEM resorts, two-for-one lift tickets at four others and discounted lift tickets at six resorts.

The rain will stop, some of that high-country snow will melt and temperatures will rise again, but the calendar pages will not stop turning, and ski season is drawing closer by the day.

TSA-Approved Laptop Bags

Metal-free laptop cases should ease airport security hassles -- but the TSA continues its relentless intrusive ways

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Also, see "Fliers Cheer Laptop Policy Change" from USA Today, August 15 issue, published after I wrote the following report about one of these approved cases.
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First came TSA-approved luggage locks for checked luggage that the Tansportation Security Agency can open but that theoretically others who might wish to riffle through bags. Now from Pathfinder Luggage comes Checkpoint Friendly Compu Brief, a laptop carrier bag that has reportedly been redesigned in accordance with TSA instructions, without metal, zippers, closures or labels that could obscure the view of the computer as it passes through X-ray screening apparatus. The company says that they have tested it California's Ontario Airport and were able to see a clear view of the laptop.

Preorders of the two initial designs, briefcase (estimated at $120-$125) and wheeled ($150-$200), are being accepted at 800-759-9738. In addition to these bags, Pathfinder says that they are developing a fashionable, lighterweight version for the female traveler.

This new product will mean one less thing for laptop-toting flyers to deal with as they remove their shoes, belts and jackets, take keys, change, iPods and cell phones out of their pockets, and drink that last sip of water. However, it will be no solution at all for the Department of Homeland Security's new regulation permitting them to confiscate laptops from international travelers, keep them however they wish, copy information from hard drives, analyze it with forensic software and in other ways trample travelers' civil liberties.

TSA Intrusions Continue Anyway

In a new blog post called "No ID at security: Fast-track to a government “list”? Either way, why are we bothering?," Upgrade: Travel Better details all sorts of reasons not to fly anywhere, convenient new computer bag or not, domestically or internationally, if it involves the TSA. The agency has reportedly been storing personal information from all sorts of government documents about thousands of air travelers who might have forgotten their "government-issued ID" or perhaps had a wallet and driver's license stolen. I you are in that situation, Upgrade: Travel Better notes that "you’re now required to answer 20 questions about your personal life [that] is disturbing. What does this have to do with airplane safety, exactly?"

The blog further notes:

"The TSA has yet to provide an adequate explanation for how checking identification actually enhances security. Yes, there are some bad people who want to blow up planes. But if you actually search them before letting them onboard, then they should be able to walk into the airport carrying a Mickey Mouse Club membership card
and a smile and that should be that. Cockpit doors are locked, pilots have guns,
and passengers aren’t about to take crap in the sky. But you’ll
never get a straight answer out of TSA for why ID checks are necessary for domestic
travelers."

Hear! Hear!

DIA Traffic Up; National Air Capacity Down

Colorado airports' service drops relatively modest

According to an interactive map compiled by USA Today, the number of seats on US commercial airlines has been dropping steadily with more cuts to take effect this fall. Changes range from a modest 0.5 percent in Wyoming, which doesn't have a large population or that much air service to begin with, to a 15.6 percent in mammoth California to a whopping 17.2 percent in Missouri. Colorado's capacity, according to the figures compiled by the paper, is down 1.8 percent.

Meanwhile, Denver International Airport, the 800-pound gorilla among the state's airports and one of the world's busiest, saw a record 4.8 million passengers arriving, departing or connecting in July 2008. I wasn't one of them (my last flights were in June), but it appears that in the short haul, surcharges, extra fees for formerly free services and the reduction or elimination of many of those services don't seem to be keeping people from flying.

DIA's capacity is down 2 percent, while Colorado Springs (CSO), the state's second-largest city, is down 15.6 percent, albeit from a much smaller base. Capacity at most of the Western Slope airports has actually increased from 48.5 percent in Aspen (ASE) to 8.9 percent in Montrose (MTJ).

It's interesting to click on the map and play around. It's kind of nifty, because when you click on a particular state, up come statistics (percentages and average daily seats forecast for November 2008) for individual airports within that state.

"New York Times" Discovers Denver; Mile High City Will Survive

Know-it-all newspaper doesn't...

The illustrious New York Times assigned Eric Wilson, who usually seems to report on shopping, to write "36 Hours in Denver." He got a lot right but also a fair amount falls under the "not exactly" category.

Wilson wrote about "the imposingly gray state Capitol, a dead ringer for the one in Washington, only made of sound Colorado granite." Dead ringer? Not exactly. Consider the vastly different sizes, the significantly different overall proportions and the very different dome shape and scale. Perhaps these buildings look alike to someone who pretends that the US Capitol (above left) and the Colorado Capitol (right) have identical columns and pay no mind to our state capitol's gleaming gold dome, its lack of massive wings and its absence of a pair of grand staircases such as those that grace the US Capitol.

Special note to Eric Wilson and other New Yorkers: The mere presence of a dome does not automatically create a US Capitol clone. Even the New York State Capitol in Albany has one, but city people don't normally venture very far upstate, let alone, evidently, visit our state.

Regarding food, Wilson writes, "There’s no getting around Denver’s culinary specialty, red meat, the starring attraction at Old West-themed barbecue joints all over town." Even without pointing out what an out-of-date cliche that is, his citation of Buckhorn Exchange and The Fort bear noting. At 115 years old, the Buckhorn Exchange, Denver's oldest restaurant, and The Fort, arguably its most distinctive and most Western, are very worthwhile stops for city slickers from New York, even if only for their artifacts.

Wilson described The Fort as "what appears to be a 1960s rendition of the Alamo." It may appear that way to him, but in fact, The Fort is a smaller-scale replica of and tribute to Bent's Fort along the Santa Fe Trail -- in southeastern Colorado, not in Texas and about 670 miles apart. The Fort is revered for its own role in honoring and even preserving Western history in general and Colorado history in particular. The food is very good, the wine list very sophisticated and the ambiance unique. But "barbecue joints"? Not exactly.

Wilson recommends a visit to Rockmount Ranch Wear for authentic Western shirts but neglects to mention that founder Jack Weil still comes to work every day at the age of 107. In fact, he was alive in 1908, the last time Denver hosted a political convention -- but it was the Republicans who met in Colorado's capital a century ago. This might be the most interesting single factoid about Rockmount.

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Note: Jack Weil died on August 14, 2008, having gone to work almost until the end. He was still doing that when Wilson researched his story and when the Times published it.

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According to Wilson it was "Larimer Square in LoDo, where gold was first discovered in Colorado in the 1850s." Again, not exactly. If he had visited Inspiration Point Park, several miles northwest of LoDo at Sheridan Boulevard and 50th Avenue, he might have seen a historic plaque inscribed, "One mile north of this point Gold was discovered on June 22, 1850, by a party of California-bound Cherokees. The discovery was made by Louis Ralston, whose name was given to the creek, (a branch of Clear Creek). Reports of the find brought the prospecting parties of 1858 and produced the permanent settlement of Colorado. Erected by the State Historical Society of Colorado from the Mrs. J.N. Hall Foundation and by the American Trails Association and Citizens of Denver. 1941."

As far as nightlife is concerned, he wrote about drinks at Rioja, which is actually far better known for its food, and added that "Within a three-block radius, there’s also a wine bar, Crú; a Champagne bar, Corridor 44; and a nightclub called Open Bar." In fact, Rioja and the three bars/clubs he listed are all on the same block -- the 1400 block of Larimer.

Wilson, the New York shopping maven, inexplicably sends visitors to the tacky Mile High Flea Market. He didn't mention that the flea market is a dozen miles or so from downtown Denver, that it is only open Friday through Sunday and that there is an admission charge -- modest to be sure, but something the "newspaper of record" normally would note.

As part of his practical travel tips, Wilson noted, "A cab from the airport to most downtown hotels is $47." Well, that's a New Yorker's view of the world if ever there was one. Except visitors with big expense accounts or big bank accounts, or parties of more than one or two, savvy travelers heading to a downtown hotel would take RTD's SkyRide from the airport to the Market Street station for just 9 bucks.

Arches National Park's Wall Arch Collapses

Park's 12th largest arch collapsed in the middle of the night with no witnesses and no injuries

On August 3, Wall Arch was one of the more prominent and accessible sandstone arches in Utah's Arches National Park. At 71 feet high and and 33 1/2 feet wide, it was the 12th largest of the 2,000-plus arches known in the park, according to the National Park Service. Sometime on the night of August 4, Wall Arch came tumbling down, blocking a section of the Devil's Garden Trail beyond Landscape Arch. Fortunately, the collapse did not occur during the day, when visitors frequent the trail. (The park service's before and after photos appear below.)



"Not being a geologist, I can't get very technical but it just went kaboom," chief ranger Denny Ziemann told reporter Tom Wharton of the Salt Lake City Tribune. "The middle of the arch just collapsed under its own weight. It just happens."

Wharton also wrote, "Ziemann said the trail closure extends from Double 0 Arch to Wall Arch. If the rest of Wall Arch falls soon, the Park Service will clear off the trail to make it passable. If it continues to teeter over the trail, it may be a while before the trail reopens."

The park service itself reported that "On August 7, 2008, representatives from both the National Park Service Geologic Resources Division and the Utah Geological Survey visited the site and noted obvious stress fractures in the remaining formation." The trail is currently closed because debris has not yet been removed -- a tricky operation under any circumstances, but even more so in an area where motorized vehicles are generally not used.

Recognizing that natural phenomena are attractions in their own right, park service and the Moab Area Travel Council officials put a positive spin on the loss of one the park's most iconic arches, describing the event as a rare opportunity to see "geology in action."

Quiet Policy Changes at Colorado's Shrine Mountain Inn

We discover the need for more BYOs at popular backcountry hut

With my husband and/or friends, I have been to Shrine Mountain Inns four times in the last two years -- three times in summer for peak wildflower season (Indian paintbrush and other blooms, top right), once in late winter. I love the trio of easy-access log huts anytime. With flush toilets, showers, and hot and cold running water, Walter's, Jay's and Chuck's represent real backcountry luxury.

In winter, when it is necessary to ski or snowshoe in with a heavy pack loaded with cold-weather gear, food and drink, the route is mercifully short (about 2.7 miles from the Vail Pass parking area) and straightforward, and is an area with minimal avalanche hazard. In summer, it is possible drive up the Shrine Pass Road, pass through the private property gate to the Shrine Mountain Inns and pull practically to the door. That means it's no sweat at all to take a cooler loaded with eggs, fresh fruits and vegetables and whatever meat or other goodies you might want to grill, a couple of bottles or wine, and other "civilized" food and drink.

Six of us -- three who had been to Shrine Mountain Inns before and we thought we knew the drill-- drove in yesterday. We were all looking forward to the tranquility of the backcountry, an overnight at Walter's (center, right) and some hiking amid the splendor of midsummer wildflowers. We brought relatively sumptuous foods and wine. but we didn't bring sleeping bags or bedding, because up until a few months ago, quilts were supplied.

Sherry, the long-time hut keeper, had a stash of sleeping bags -- for rent at $10 each, including a cotton liner. I suppose if any of us had read the info page on the website carefully, we would have brought our own, as we routinely do for other huts in the 10th Mountain Division Hut System, which handles bookings for the privately owned Shrine Mountain Inns.

Sherry wasn't sure whether the quilts would be back for the winter season, so if we go up again then, we'll be sure to inquire when we book. If the policy hasn't changed, next time our sleeping bags will come with us. In summer, so will real wine glasses and decent kitchen knives. Hut kitchens are equipped with a miscellany of yard sale-style cooking implements, dishes, mugs and glasses, which is part of their charm. Still, next time, especially in summer when we can drive right up, I will also bring at least one paring knife and one chef's knife. And if we have wine, I'll bring wine glasses. Since we took the trouble to bring reasonably good wine, it would have been better with wine glasses instead of jelly glasses, water tumblers and coffee mugs.

These, of course, are minor blips on a wonderful 24 hours. We arrived in the early after, hiked the Shrine Mountain Trail with its wondrous wildflowers, put in many hours working on one of the most vexing jigsaw puzzles any of us had ever seen (bottom, right), lingered over a relaxing dinner and after a leisurely breakfast the next morning, packed up to leave -- refreshed relaxed and happy. It is amazing how much of an escape 24 hours not too far away from can provide -- even under gray skies.

We drove back down to I-70, got off in Frisco to a convenient trailhead and hiked the North Tenmile Creek Trail from the outskirts of town into the Eagles Nest Wilderness. More wildflowers. We capped the short getaway with margaritas and a late lunch on the deck of a restaurant called the Boatyard in Frisco. The drinks hit the spot, the food was fine and it was a suitable re-entry from the high-country hut.

Tributes to Cowboy Culture

The iconic West lives on in museums showcasing Western art, rodeo and entertainment

When I was in Oklahoma City recently, I spent not-enough-time in the National Cowboy & Western Museum, one of the wonderful institutions throughout the West commemorating, memorializing and sometimes romanticizing the cattle and the cowpokes who have worked them under the big blue dome that covers the Western prairies, valleys and canyons. A montage of cowboy and television cowboys provide a "hey, remember that!" pop-culture connection to what is a far more comprehensive display of American West -- Anglo, Hispanic and black cowboys at work; rodeo as a social connector for ranchers on the West's vast open lands and as entertainment; the US Cavalry; the art of the West; excellent children's interpretive sections, and even beautiful gardens. The image below shows the rear of the museum, as seen from the gardens.

As a born-and-bred New Englander, I continue to be captivated by Western art and culture. In addition to the National Cowboy & Western Museum, here are other excellent museums with significant permanent, rotating and visiting exhibitions that celebrate and enlighten about various aspects of the American West:

• Buffalo Bill Historical Center (five museums, including the Buffalo Bill Museum, the Plains Indian Museum and the Whitney Museum of Western Art), Cody, WY
• Buffalo Bill Museum and Grave, Golden, CO
• Cheyenne Frontier Days' Old West Museum, Cheyenne
• Colorado History Museum, Denver
• Gilcrease Museum, Tulsa
• The Journey Museum, Rapid City, SD
• Leanin' Tree Museum and Sculpture Garden of Western Art, Boulder, CO
• Mormon Museum, LDS Museum of Church History and Art, Salt Lake City
• National Hispanic Cultural Center, Albuquerque
• National Museum of Wildlife Art, Jackson, WY
• ProRodeo Hall of Fame, Colorado Springs

I've enjoyed visits to and been fascinated by them all

Placido Domingo to Perform at Chichen Itza

Gala concert worth a cultural journey to the land of the Maya

I never was fortunate enough to hear the Three Tenors in concert. Placido Domingo, Jose Carreras and the late Luciano Pavarotti sang at the Baths of Caracalla in Rome in 1990, at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles in 1994, near the Eiffel Tower in Paris in 1998 and in Yokohama in 2002 in junction with soccer's quadriennial World Cup finals, plus selected sites around the world.

One of these three incomparable tenors, Placido Domingo, is scheduled to headline a gala concert on October 4 at Chichen Itza on Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula to celebrate the revered Mayan site's 20th anniversary as a UNESCO World Heritage site and the first anniversary of its selection as one of the New 7 Wonders of the World. A stage will set up in front of the giant Pyramid of Kukulkan (aka, El Castillo), flanked by the remnants of 1,000 columns and inspiring the name, "Placido Domingo in Chichén Itzá: The Concert of the Thousand Columns." Tickets are $50 to $1,000 and may be purchased through Ticketmaster in Mexico.

For Placido Domingo, this concert will be something of a homecoming. has a special fondness for Merida where Born in Spain and raised in Mexico, he made his debut recital in Merida beside his mother, Pepita Embil, a well-known zarzuela performer. Over the years, he has headlined a number of charity events to benefit victims of natural disasters. Proceeds from this concert will be used in the ongoing restoration and conservation of Chichen Itza, as well as the development of services in the surrounding Maya communities.

Very few of us can just bop over to Chichen Itza for the concert and go right home afterwards. The Hacienda Xcanatun, a restored 18th century plantation now an intimate 18-suite boutique hotel on the outskirts of Merida, is offering a Night to Remember Concert Package, starting at $1,370 per two for three nights from $1,700 for two for four nights. The package includes double-occupancy suite accommodations; a Yucatecan fusion feast prepared by the Hacienda Xcanatun 's chef on the evening before the concert with musicians playing zarzuelas and classic favorites; and white-glove transportation to the Chichen Itza for the concert in a luxurious, air-conditioned bus with open bar and canapé service.

The suites feature high, wood-beamed ceilings, hand-carved furnishings, antiques and original painting, and views of exuberant tropical gardens from their terraces. In-suite amenities include a selection of artisanal Maya chocolates and a bottle of red, white, or sparkling wine. Taxes and hotel service charge are additional.

The Hacienda Xcanatun includes two freshwater swimming pools, an intimate spa offering beautyand wellness and holistic Maya treatments, an eight-acre garden. Tennis and golf privileges are nearby. For more information or to reserve, call he Hacienda Xcanatun at 888-883-3633 or Email hacienda@xcanatun.com.

K2 Claims 11 More Climbers' Lives

World's second-highest peak is deadliest of the 8,000-meter Himalayan summits

Not a lot of travelers are journeying to Pakistan for pleasure these days, the most notable exceptions being mountaineers who attempt to ascend K2, at 28,251 feet (8,611 meters) second only to Mt. Everest in elevation. It is also the deadliest of the major Himalayan mountains. According to the keepers of such grim statistics, 284 climbers had summited K2 since 1939 and 66 have perished there, often on the way down.

Eleven people have now been added to those numbers. According to reports, it appears that nine climbers were swept away in an ice avalanche -- likened to a fast-moving glacier five miles up that severed ropes and buried their victims. Two rescuers also died. Among those believed to have died were five Koreans, two Nepalese and one each from Serbia, Holland, Norway and a France -- all brethren on the mountain that claimed them.

As one who is drawn to the mountains in general, I write this in tribute to their skills, ambition and commitment. Himalayan climbing is adventure travel to the max. Sadly, this time 11 did not return.