Cruise ship visits decline

Mexico is losing its appeal to potential cruise ship passengers. The number of ship arrivals has declined from 2,620 visits in 2005 to 1,843 in 2009. Many reasons have been given, from a shift in demographics to greater interest in cruises in Europe and Asia. Hoteliers in Mexico have been known to complain that cruise ships compete unfairly and bring little benefit to the country. The unfair charge is that cruise ships operate under “flags of convenience” provided by countries that minimize supervision, that the ships pay no local taxes and are subject to local labor laws. Since passengers eat and sleep on board, they spend little on shore. Nonetheless, when a flu scare caused many ships to cancel visits, Mexico lost millions of dollars normally spent on sightseeing, taxis and in souvenir shops.

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Jimm Budd

Reporting from Mexico City

Member of the Society of American Travel Writers

Promise for Campeche

Until now, Campeche has been discovered by only a few international travelers. The state, which takes its name from its capital city, lies along the Gulf of Mexico just north of Campeche. There, along three kilometers of beachfront, Europe’s Grupo Mall is developing a mega-project that is scheduled to include two hotels (one a 250-room Westin), a Jack Nicklaus-designed golf course, plus homes and condo apartments that will sell for up to $1 million. Europeans are expected to buy most of the properties, although 20 percent has been set aside for Mexican citizens. Total investment in the “Campeche Beach, Golf and Marina Resort” is programmed at $800 million and the project is set for completion within three years.

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Jimm Budd

Reporting from Mexico City

Member of the Society of American Travel Writers

Acapulco Convention Center

Having announced that the Acapulco Convention Center was to be closed, authorities now say it is being refurbished, a task that will take an estimated 24 months to complete. Meanwhile, it remains open and will be the venue for the Tianguis Turistico trade show in April. The center opened some 35 years ago to house the annual meeting of the American Society of Travel Agents.

Work also is continuing to complete the Mundo Imperial convention facility near the airport. Mundo Imperial, which includes a large hotel, shopping center and auditorium, failed to meet scheduled completion dates because of the worldwide economic slowdown.

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Jimm Budd

Reporting from Mexico City

Member of the Society of American Travel Writers

Nurses urged to learn English

As many as a million retired foreigners, most of them from the United States, are expected to move to Mexico during the next decade. Since they will be bringing money with them and employing people rather than taking away jobs, the government intends to welcome them warmly. For starters, the Health Ministry is urging nurses to learn English. Medical tourism is seen as another important source of dollars. Physicians and surgeons are likely to be fluent in English. Many have completed post-graduate studies abroad. Medical care in Mexico, while not cheap, costs considerably less than in the United States.

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Jimm Budd

Reporting from Mexico City

Member of the Society of American Travel Writers

Central Europe Experience

2010 has the makings of a big year for the Central Europe Experience with anniversaries, special events and new hotel openings. More than 20 years after the reunification of Germany, the Velvet Revolution in the Czech Republic and the fall of the Iron Curtain, the region is buzzing with one event highlight after another.

Austria, the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia make up the Central Europe Experience. For less than $100 a night, including accommodations, there is plenty to do, see and experience.

Here are some of the things happening this year:

2010 Event Highlights

Throughout the year — Gustav Mahler (1860-1911) anniversary in Vienna, Austria. He is a music pioneer of his time and influenced many composers. 2010 marks his 150^th birthday.

January — “Chopin,” a four-act opera based on the life of Polish composer Frédéric Chopin, takes place in Wroclaw, Poland.

February — Dogsled racing in Slovakia.

Feb. 5-16 — The Bohemian Carnevale in Prague, Czech Republic. Festival highlights include the Ballerian fashion party, Feb. 6; The masked Crystal Ball in 18^th-century dress Feb. 13 and the float-jammed Fat Tuesday Parade and fireworks finale on the medieval Charles Bridge Feb. 16.

March 19-April 9 — Pécs, Hungary Spring Festival. A celebration of classical and contemporary arts.

April — The Seventh Misteria Paschalia Festival, Krakow, Poland. Music linked thematically with the period of Holy Week and the Easter holidays.

April-May — International Festival of Ghosts and Monsters at Bojnice castle. The largest event of its kind in Slovakia.

May 12-June 4 — Prague Spring International Music Festival, Czech Republic. The annual Prague Spring International Music Festival has become a must-see for classical music lovers.

May 15-Oct. 3 — Oberammergau Passion Play, Germany. The Passion Play in the breathtaking town of Oberammergau in Bavaria dates back to 1633 and is held only once every 10 years.

May 20-24 — Budal Gourmet Wine, Champagne & Cheese Festival, Budapest, Hungary. At Budapest’s Millenåris Park, famous Hungarian, French, Italian and overseas top shelf wine producers, noted restaurants and cheese makers offer their best to entertain visitors, meanwhile, on stage, funky bands play the moodiest jazz in town.

June 11-20 — Bach Festival, Leipzig, Germany. The Bach Festival presents the immortal music of the great erstwhile cantor of St. Thomas’ Church in locations where he lived and worked.

July 17 — Life Ball, Vienna, Austria. It is one of Europe’s most fun and flamboyant AIDS charity events and has grown to be a renowned society gathering.

Aug. 13-15 — Grand Prix Motorcycles World Championship, Brno, Czech Republic. Brno, the Czech Republic’s second largest city, hosts the World Motorbike Championship. Since 1987, the newly built Masaryk Circuit has offered racing fans one of the premier venues in the work, which recently won the IRTA trophy for “Best Grand Prix” in 2007.

August-September — Jewish Summer Festival, Budapest, Hungary. The festival is one of Hungary’s most important, most visited and most interesting cultural art events.

September — Coronation celebrations, Bratislava, Slovakia. The Coronation celebrations are a spectacular three-day event, when a medieval atmosphere full of kings and queens, nobility, troubadours and thousands of curious spectators enlivens the city.

Oct. 2-23 — Fryderyk Chopin Competition, Warsaw, Poland. Sixth International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition. Renowned Jury, extraordinary concerts and — traditionally — great excitement at the Warsaw Philharmonic.

Oct. 12 — Munich: 200 Years of Oktoberfest. Oct. 12, 1810 marked the birth of Oktoberfest. Honoring the marriage of Crown Prince (later, king) Ludwig I and Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen, Oktoberfest began as a horse race. In 1811, a parade was added to the festivities. By the end of the 19^th century, brewers had erected the now-familiar beer tents. Now, Oktoberfest is arguably Germany’s most-anticipated event. People of all nationalities gather in Munich to experience this Bavarian tradition, have fun, guzzle overflowing steins and enjoy local delicacies. A bit of a misnomer, it’s held on the Wies’n fairground from mid-September to early October.

Oct. 19-31 — Festival of Lights, Berlin. Berlin will sparkle as a range of illuminations and projections light up landmarks and spaces, including Brandenburg Gate, Berlin Cathedral and the radio tower.

November-December — International Film Festival of the Art of Cinematography PLUS CAMERIMAGE, Lodz, Poland. This is an extraordinary event where art and technology meet creating a unique and unforgettable atmosphere at the Grand Theatre in the film capital of Poland.

Christmas Markets in all CEE countries. Usually the last week of November until Dec. 24. Sparkling Christmas lights and decorations adorn the streets of Central Europe’s cities and villages. Visitors can savor local specialties from thin potato pancakes to mulled wine.

Dec. 30 — New Year’s Eve Gypsy Concert, Budapest, Hungary. New Year’s Eve celebration starts early on Dec. 30 featuring the “Hundred Member” Gypsy Orchestra. Welcome the New Year with Gypsy and Hungarian folk music.

New Hotel Openings

Sofitel Vienna — October sees the opening of Vienna’s newest five-star hotel, close to the Schwedenbruecke, an important hub between the inner city and Vienna’s up-and-coming Second District. The 18th floor will house a top-tier restaurant with stunning views over the city, as well as a stylish bar. A Swarovski boutique opened in the city Dec. 2.

Kameha Grand Hotel — Opened in Bonn, Germany in November. It is a five-star hotel with 360-degree views. A postmodern wall of glass separates this hotel from the drop of the Rhine River and the rise of the Siebengebirge hills. It is just 15 minutes by car from the Cologne/Bonn Airport and 40 minutes by train from Frankfurt Airport.

Hotel President — It has been park of Budapest’s bustling heart since October.If it were not for the designer rooms, this place would be straight out of “Bourne Identity,” complete with a bulletproof Presidential Suite and a rooftop helicopter landing pad.

Hilton Garden Inn, Krakow — Two milestones at once. In the spring, Poland gets its first Hilton Garden Inn and the brand ticks off its 500th hotel. The Inn is in central Krakow and offers 154 rooms on six floors.

Kempinski Hotel River Park — Opening May 2010 in Bratislava, Slovakia. On the border of both Austria and Hungary, Bratislava is accustomed to being a hybrid. It has a rich history. The hotel is centrally located under Bratislava Castle and within easy walking distance of Old Town. The hotel also is on the banks of the Danube River.

Aeroméxico to renew Shanghai service

Aeroméxico has announced that it will renew its twice-a-week service from Mexico City to Shanghai via Tijuana starting March 26. The service reportedly had been suspended due to visa problems (“reportedly” because the airline never gave an official explanation).

Mexico requires visas of citizens coming from China and from several South American countries. Aeroméxico launched its new route hoping to attract passengers lacking visas to the United States, only to discover Mexican regulations were keeping them away. Now passengers in transit will find transit visas much easier to obtain.

Aeroméxico also announced that it will be increasing service to Japan to three flights per week. Japan Air Lines, after 38 years, has terminated its Mexico City–Tokyo service.

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Jimm Budd

Reporting from Mexico City

Member of the Society of American Travel Writers

Arches National Park has ‘Wow!’ Factor

Landscape Arch and Delicate Arch (below).

Story & Photos By Stan Wawer

As national parks go, Utah’s Arches is one of the small guys. It is also one of the most surreal, with its sandstone monoliths and ever-changing arches.

Nothing tops the Grand Canyon for spontaneous awe, but the 119 square miles that make up Utah’s Arches National Park gives you a lot of bang for your buck, your mind ringing with superlatives as you hike the rugged trails.

Arches’ 73,000 acres has that “Wow!” factor, with its more than 2,000 miracles of nature — arches, spires, pinnacles, fins and balanced rocks.

I recently visited Arches for the first time. I don’t know what took me so long. After all, I’m a national parks kind of guy. I’ve been to most of the National Parks west of the Mississippi and many of them east of it. Arches’ state neighbors, Bryce and Zion, were on my radar screen years ago.

The scenery in Arches is an ever-changing one. Ice and water, persuasive forces of gravity, along with time constantly change the configuration of an arch, create new ones and destroy old ones. Arches usually form slowly, but quick and dramatic changes do occur. In 1940, a large boulder suddenly fell out of Skyline Arch, almost doubling the size of the opening. The arch now has a span of 72 feet and a height of 33.5 feet. On Aug. 10, 2008, Wall Arch collapsed.

The park is full of such stories. On Sept. 1, 1991, hikers thought they heard cracks of thunder from distance clouds, according to a Ranger at the Visitor Center. Visitors resting under Landscape Arch, one of the park’s signature arches, noticed loud cracking and popping noises overhead. They fled as small rocks tumbled from the slender 306-foot-long span. Moments later, a 60-foot-long rock slab peeled away from the arch’s right side. When the dust settled, 180 tons of fresh rock debris lay scattered on the ground.

Arches was born of seeping salt, which began about 300 million years ago. Saltwater from a nearby ocean flooded the area. The water evaporated, leaving a deposit of salt. Constant flooding and evaporation left deposits of salt that, over millions of years, became thousands of feet thick. If that wasn’t enough, along came debris that washed over the salt from the higher elevations.

Debris was eventually compressed into rock and along came domes, cavities, faults and anticlines. As rock deposits slowed — between 60 million and 10 million years ago — erosion began in earnest. Good old erosion opened cracks in anticlines beneath the rock. Eventually the salt valleys began to collapse, setting the stage for the formation of the arches and what the park has to offer to today’s visitors.

In 1971, President Richard Nixon (yes, that Richard Nixon) signed into law an act of Congress designating Arches as a national park. In 1998, the park’s area was expanded by 3,140 acres to include Lost Spring Canyon, bringing the total to 119 square miles.

Sunrise and sunset are the best times to view the arches and the many monoliths, including Park Avenue. The sheer walls of Park Avenue reminded early visitors of buildings lining a big city street. Rising majestically, these geologic “skyscrapers” tell the story of three important rock layers. These layers began forming more than 150 million years ago as tidal flats, desert and beach deposits. Over time, more layers of rock, covered these deposits. Tremendous pressure from this rock compressed the buried sand into sandstone and cracked it. As erosion removed the overlying rock, the layers now exposed began to weather.

Within thepast 2 million years, erosion of the cracks in the Entrada has left vertical slabs like the rock wall in the picture on this page. These slabs, called fins, are the first step in arch formation.

Park Avenue Trail is an easy hike along a canyon floor, offering close-up views of massive fins, balanced rocks and lofty monoliths.

Wear comfortable footwear — hiking boots, cross trainers or good walking shoes — in the park. If you are going to see the many arches up close and personal, you will be hiking on some rugged trails and over beach-like sand. Delicate Arch, another of the park’s signature arches and one they predict could collapse at any time, is a rugged three-mile hike with an elevation gain of 480 feet. Rangers suggest you take at least one quart of water per person. Believe them. It’s a tough hike and summer temperatures can easily reach more than 100 degrees. It is hiked best and seen at sunset.

Arches’ wild and eclectic landscape is best viewed in the spring or fall when temperatures are mild. If you can stand the cold of winter, the intoxicating arches and monoliths glow white with snow.

Courthouse Towers, the Three Gossips, Devils Garden, Parade of Elephants, Tower of Babel and Sheep Rock all can be seen from the main park road.

Year-round activities abound inside and outside Arches. Hiking, photography, four-wheel-drive trips, wildlife watching and camping all can be done in any season. The park is open 24 hours a day, year-round and, except for Christmas Day — Dec. 25 — a park ranger is available during visitor center hours.

Arches National Park is a photographer’s dream and a place where you can spend hours or days contemplating nature’s wonderment.

Getting There

By Car: If you are traveling from the West, take I-70 east to the 191 south to the entrance of Arches. If you are coming from the East, take I-70 west to the 191 south to the entrance of Arches.

Where to Stay

Moab is a great little town with excellent accommodations and restaurants. Arches is only five miles north of downtown and Canyonlands National Park — Island in the Sky District— is just 32 miles away. The Colorado River flows through Moab and offers a multitude of outdoor experiences, including rafting.

For more information on Moab, go to www.moab.net. For more information about Arches National Park, go to www.ohranger.com/arches.