There's no such thing as a free beverage on US Airways which now charges for all beverages
When my husband and I flew United's to-be-discontinued Denver-London last March, I was surprised to be charged $5 for a split of very mediocre wine -- surprised because foreign international carriers continue to serve wine and beer gratis. Little did I know that this was the first of numerous fees that airlines would soon begin to impose on most passengers at check-in and now inflight.
Today, with no advance notice, US Airways started charging coach passengers $2 for bottled water and soft drinks and $1 for coffee and tea. Previously, it eliminated pretzel service.
This cheesy nickel-and-diming is disheartening, isn't it?
Friday, August 1, 2008
Denver Art Museum's iPods -- Plus
21st century museum adds 21st century audio -- and light meals now are served across the plaza
No museum in the nation made more of a recent splash than the Denver Art Museum did in 2006 with the opening of the radical Daniel Liebeskind-designed Hamilton Building, a dramatic angled structure clad in titanium. During a recent visit, I noticed the addition of iPod stations (with instructions on how to use the device and seats to plunk down on while you are doing so) to provide interpretation in as modern a mode as the building itself.
Several galleries are currently closed for the installation of new exhibits, but the gorgeous Landscapes from the Age of Impressionism continues through September 7, featuring 40 exquisite mid- and late-19th century French and American landscapes from the Brooklyn Museum’s collection.
The last time I wanted a bite to eat at the museum, there was a small snack bar in the North Tower, the older of the DAM's two connected buildings. The snack bar is no more. Kevin Taylor's Palette's Restaurant has now expanded into that space, and anyone who wants something lighter is directed across the plaza to Mad Greens, whose mid-day specialties are soups, salads and panini.
The museum is open daily except major holidays and Mondays -- except Monday, August 25, when it will not only be open but will be free to show off Denver's cultural side and artistic treasures in honor of the Democratic National Convention.
The Denver Art Museum is at 100 West 14th Avenue Parkway, Denver; 720-865-5000.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Delta Doubles Second-Bag Fee
Airline raises fee from $25 to $50, beginning next month
Early last May -- less than three short months ago -- Delta Airlines joined US airlines' stampede to charge most passengers for checked bags and imposed a $25 fee for the second bag. Come August 5, Delta us upping the surcharge race by doubling that fee to $50.
Pity the passenger (or his/her company) who must check more pieces than that. The third bag will now cost $125 (up from $80) and a whopping $200 apiece for the fourth through 10th checked pieces, which is more than many flight legs cost on an advance-purchase ticket .
Extra weight and size count too. An overweight bag between 51 and 70 pounds on a domestic rises from $80 to $90, and an oversize bag 62 inches to 80 inches of the total of its length plus its width plus its height rises from $150 to $175.
As bone thrown to first-class and certain premium passengers, Delta will still let them check up to three bags for free. Business travelers often carry on everything they need -- unless, perhaps, they are attending a trade show and are taking presentation materials. However, other flyers who routinely check many pieces will be paying big-time. FWIW, Delta says that it accepts up to 10 checked bags per passenger on its own flights and four checked bags on Delta Connection carriers.
Think of broadcast media or film makers who will be charged $175 per item for camera, perhaps film or video tape inventory, lighting, or sound equipment, will be paying a lot of such surcharges. Athletes with heavy equipment (hockey bags come immediately to mind) are really getting socked for extra baggage fees, as are people heading for sports vacations with ski equipment, fishing gear or golf bags.
"Commercial airlines are the cheapest way to deliver bags in America," William Swelbar, an airline expert with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, has been quoted as saying, noting the obvious that it costs more to fly on a heavier aircraft than one with a lighter load Swelbar postulated Delta's position as, "If I'm going to be in the moving business, I'm going to be compensated like a moving business."
Tom Parsons of BestFares told reporters, "They'd rather put high-paying cargo on that plane rather than people's bags." The phrase, "eople's bags," of course, implies people, and Parsons didn't add that cargo doesn't need to be reminded to buckle its seatbelt, drink those costly soft drinks and eat those little baggies of snacks, complain when a flight is delayed, get drunk and disorderly, or try to cram extra stuff in the overhead.
Early last May -- less than three short months ago -- Delta Airlines joined US airlines' stampede to charge most passengers for checked bags and imposed a $25 fee for the second bag. Come August 5, Delta us upping the surcharge race by doubling that fee to $50.
Pity the passenger (or his/her company) who must check more pieces than that. The third bag will now cost $125 (up from $80) and a whopping $200 apiece for the fourth through 10th checked pieces, which is more than many flight legs cost on an advance-purchase ticket .
Extra weight and size count too. An overweight bag between 51 and 70 pounds on a domestic rises from $80 to $90, and an oversize bag 62 inches to 80 inches of the total of its length plus its width plus its height rises from $150 to $175.
As bone thrown to first-class and certain premium passengers, Delta will still let them check up to three bags for free. Business travelers often carry on everything they need -- unless, perhaps, they are attending a trade show and are taking presentation materials. However, other flyers who routinely check many pieces will be paying big-time. FWIW, Delta says that it accepts up to 10 checked bags per passenger on its own flights and four checked bags on Delta Connection carriers.
Think of broadcast media or film makers who will be charged $175 per item for camera, perhaps film or video tape inventory, lighting, or sound equipment, will be paying a lot of such surcharges. Athletes with heavy equipment (hockey bags come immediately to mind) are really getting socked for extra baggage fees, as are people heading for sports vacations with ski equipment, fishing gear or golf bags.
"Commercial airlines are the cheapest way to deliver bags in America," William Swelbar, an airline expert with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, has been quoted as saying, noting the obvious that it costs more to fly on a heavier aircraft than one with a lighter load Swelbar postulated Delta's position as, "If I'm going to be in the moving business, I'm going to be compensated like a moving business."
Tom Parsons of BestFares told reporters, "They'd rather put high-paying cargo on that plane rather than people's bags." The phrase, "eople's bags," of course, implies people, and Parsons didn't add that cargo doesn't need to be reminded to buckle its seatbelt, drink those costly soft drinks and eat those little baggies of snacks, complain when a flight is delayed, get drunk and disorderly, or try to cram extra stuff in the overhead.
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Nearby Mountains Cooler Than the Front Range
Higher elevations = cooler air = relief from daily temps above 90 degrees
Temperatures in the Denver -Boulder area have hit the mid-90s every day for what seems like weeks and weeks -- though unlike the Northeast, where I grew up, the humidity doesn't match the temperature. Even in the height of summer, pockets of snow remain at high elevations, and cool air makes hiking a joy when you start early to beat the high, searing sun on the ascent. Here are some recent getaways within a two-hour drive of Boulder to which we have escaped in the last few weeks:
Ypsilon Lake, Rocky Mountain National Park, July 4, 2008
Blue Lake, Indian Peaks Wilderness, July 10, 2008
Lake Isabel, Indian Peaks Wildnerness, July 14, 2008
Wilder Gulch, Vail Pass, July 19, 2008
Lake Dillon, between Frisco and Silverthorne, July 20, 2008
Bear Lake-Lake Odessa-Fern Lake Loop, Rocky Mountain National Park, July 22, 2008
Friday, July 25, 2008
TSA is Reaching Out to Children as Future Recruits
The Transportation Security Agency must be planning to be around for a long time, because it seems to be reaching out to children and appeal to their career aspirations. That's what James the Future Gringo discovered when he got a gate pass to help his mother manage her carry-ons at Denver International Airport. His blog post has several delicious observations and theories as to what this is all about. His efforts to obtain a yellow "DEN Junior TSA Screener" sticker were admirable but fruitless.
Meanwhile, I wonder whether these stickers are for real -- or whether someone with a mischievous but devious mind ordered them from a custom-sticker outfit. Whether the stickers are genuine or a joke, if you are as much of a fan of the TSA as I am (and as James seems to be), you definitely want to click on his post.
Travel Thumbnail #2: Frisco Historic Park & Museum
This is the second of a series of periodic reports on specific places I've visited -- and which you might want see to as well. Post a comment or let me know directly what you think of this new Travel Babel feature.
The Place: Frisco Historic Park & Museum, CO
The Story: This museum and local park containing a complex of historic structures from Frisco's mining hey
day is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year -- and next year, the town of Frisco itself turns 130. I've passed the old schoolhouse with the "Museum" sign many, many times, but it was usually before or after skiing, which meant the museum wasn't open, or when I didn't have time to stop and look around. A visit last week was enough to convince me that I had missed a genuine Colordo high-country treasure.
Many local small-town museums are a jumbled hodegpodge of anything anyone chose to donate, from genuine historic treasures to old trash. Unlike such museums, which do have their own funky charm, Frisco's is sensibly laid-out, well lit, clearly labeled and truly informative -- in short, it was curated, not thrown together.
The museum (built in 1899 as a saloon, later the town's schoolhouse, now listed on the National Register of Historic Places) features a working railroad layout (put a quarter in the slot and watch the train go around), old school desks that children love to sit in and a variety of such displays as glass-cased objects from the Swan River Valley's past. Recent civil engineering history spotlights the construction of the nearby Dillon Dam and Eisenhower Tunnel. In the natural history realm, there several taxidermed specimens of local fauna.
Beside and behind the museum are nine relocated buildings. The oldest is an 1860 cabin, before there really was a Frisco. Others range both chronologically and functionally from the 1881 jail to the 1943 Log Chapel. Most date from the 1890s, and all contain additional historic displays from mining, ranching and trapping in the valley. Household goods, furnishings, clothing, the role of women in the valley, ski history and more are documented. Some structures also include recorded, push-botton audio narrations in voices from the past. In all, it is extraordinarily well done.
Tips for visiting: If you are interested in American history, Western history, Colorado history or mining history, be sure to allot a couple of hours for your visit.
Cost: Free
Coming Event: The museum's official silver anniversary celebration of the park and museum takes place August 15-17, 2008, featuring an art and antique show, an old-fashioned ice cream social and live music.
More Information: The Frisco Historic Park & Museum is located at 120 Main Street; 970-668-3428. Click here for the museum's own audio-video preview, or see my almost-silent movie by clicking on the image below. It is my first effort at including a video segment, so please excuse an amateur's technical inadequacies.
Summer hours (May-September), 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.; Sunday, 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. Winter hours (October - April), Tuesday-Saturday, 10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m., Sunday, 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. Closed Monday. The park tself is open, even when the buildings are closed.
Frisco's Main Street is roughly parallel to Interstate 70. Take exits 201 or 203, and follow the signs.
The Place: Frisco Historic Park & Museum, CO
The Story: This museum and local park containing a complex of historic structures from Frisco's mining hey
day is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year -- and next year, the town of Frisco itself turns 130. I've passed the old schoolhouse with the "Museum" sign many, many times, but it was usually before or after skiing, which meant the museum wasn't open, or when I didn't have time to stop and look around. A visit last week was enough to convince me that I had missed a genuine Colordo high-country treasure.Many local small-town museums are a jumbled hodegpodge of anything anyone chose to donate, from genuine historic treasures to old trash. Unlike such museums, which do have their own funky charm, Frisco's is sensibly laid-out, well lit, clearly labeled and truly informative -- in short, it was curated, not thrown together.
The museum (built in 1899 as a saloon, later the town's schoolhouse, now listed on the National Register of Historic Places) features a working railroad layout (put a quarter in the slot and watch the train go around), old school desks that children love to sit in and a variety of such displays as glass-cased objects from the Swan River Valley's past. Recent civil engineering history spotlights the construction of the nearby Dillon Dam and Eisenhower Tunnel. In the natural history realm, there several taxidermed specimens of local fauna.
Beside and behind the museum are nine relocated buildings. The oldest is an 1860 cabin, before there really was a Frisco. Others range both chronologically and functionally from the 1881 jail to the 1943 Log Chapel. Most date from the 1890s, and all contain additional historic displays from mining, ranching and trapping in the valley. Household goods, furnishings, clothing, the role of women in the valley, ski history and more are documented. Some structures also include recorded, push-botton audio narrations in voices from the past. In all, it is extraordinarily well done.
Tips for visiting: If you are interested in American history, Western history, Colorado history or mining history, be sure to allot a couple of hours for your visit.
Cost: Free
Coming Event: The museum's official silver anniversary celebration of the park and museum takes place August 15-17, 2008, featuring an art and antique show, an old-fashioned ice cream social and live music.
More Information: The Frisco Historic Park & Museum is located at 120 Main Street; 970-668-3428. Click here for the museum's own audio-video preview, or see my almost-silent movie by clicking on the image below. It is my first effort at including a video segment, so please excuse an amateur's technical inadequacies.
Summer hours (May-September), 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.; Sunday, 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. Winter hours (October - April), Tuesday-Saturday, 10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m., Sunday, 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. Closed Monday. The park tself is open, even when the buildings are closed.
Frisco's Main Street is roughly parallel to Interstate 70. Take exits 201 or 203, and follow the signs.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Personal Luggage Scale Saves Money and Check-In Hassles
Draconian checked-bag and overweight-bag fees call for cleverness -- before you leave home
Domestic airlines have seemingly been in a race to see who can impose the most agg
ressive fees for checked bags -- policies that I and other observers have howled over with outrage. It seems that airline passengers are now traveling lighter, only with carry-ons when possible. Southwest, the rare airline that still checks two bags free for domestic flights, seems to have been a beneficiary of these new policies.
But the majority of flyers travelers are booked on other carries, and many of us want to avoid or minimize checked-bag fees whenever and however we can. Balanzza has come up with a simple, hand-held digital luggage scale that you can use to weigh your bag before you leave home (or before you return home with your purchases) to make sure that no single piece of luggage moves into the overweight-bag zone. The scale itself weighs less than a pound and can weigh bags up to 100 pounds.
Strap the device to the handle of your bag, lift it, wait for the beep, put the bag down and read the weight on a digital screen. If you need to repack, you can do so before you get to the airport. Two models are available -- one that designed to be lifted with one hand, the second with two hands. Either one costs $24.95.
Travel Blog Offers Dozens of Packing Tips -- Mostly for Women
Months before airlines put the hammer down by levying baggage charges, a blog called Travel Hacker ran a piece called "The Art of Packing: 44 Tips to Save Space, Time and Keep Your Organized." While it does not specifically address such issues as minimizing the number of bags to be checked or keeping the weight down on those bags, some of this advice does help with packing strategy.
These tips are overwhelmingly geared to fashion-conscious women travelers. Number 6, for instance, reads, "If possible, try to pack only one sweater and/or jacket for your whole trip. Unless you’re going to Paris Fashion Week in the winter, you should be able to get away with sporting the same outerwear for a few days. You can jazz up your outfits with different accessories to keep your look from getting too tired out too quickly. You’ll be saving yourself a ton of extra packing space, so you can stock up on more fun items like shoes and shirts. Even better if you decide to wear or carry your jacket on the plane instead of forcing it into your luggage." But if that describes you, take a look and see anything that might help you pack lighter, smarter and better.
Domestic airlines have seemingly been in a race to see who can impose the most agg
ressive fees for checked bags -- policies that I and other observers have howled over with outrage. It seems that airline passengers are now traveling lighter, only with carry-ons when possible. Southwest, the rare airline that still checks two bags free for domestic flights, seems to have been a beneficiary of these new policies.But the majority of flyers travelers are booked on other carries, and many of us want to avoid or minimize checked-bag fees whenever and however we can. Balanzza has come up with a simple, hand-held digital luggage scale that you can use to weigh your bag before you leave home (or before you return home with your purchases) to make sure that no single piece of luggage moves into the overweight-bag zone. The scale itself weighs less than a pound and can weigh bags up to 100 pounds.
Strap the device to the handle of your bag, lift it, wait for the beep, put the bag down and read the weight on a digital screen. If you need to repack, you can do so before you get to the airport. Two models are available -- one that designed to be lifted with one hand, the second with two hands. Either one costs $24.95.
Travel Blog Offers Dozens of Packing Tips -- Mostly for Women
Months before airlines put the hammer down by levying baggage charges, a blog called Travel Hacker ran a piece called "The Art of Packing: 44 Tips to Save Space, Time and Keep Your Organized." While it does not specifically address such issues as minimizing the number of bags to be checked or keeping the weight down on those bags, some of this advice does help with packing strategy.
These tips are overwhelmingly geared to fashion-conscious women travelers. Number 6, for instance, reads, "If possible, try to pack only one sweater and/or jacket for your whole trip. Unless you’re going to Paris Fashion Week in the winter, you should be able to get away with sporting the same outerwear for a few days. You can jazz up your outfits with different accessories to keep your look from getting too tired out too quickly. You’ll be saving yourself a ton of extra packing space, so you can stock up on more fun items like shoes and shirts. Even better if you decide to wear or carry your jacket on the plane instead of forcing it into your luggage." But if that describes you, take a look and see anything that might help you pack lighter, smarter and better.
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