The rest of Q&A

Q – We’ve been searching for a really strange destination and thought your staff might be able to help. We will soon be opening an ice cream parlor in Sonoma, California. I’ve taken early retirement and before getting back to the hard work ahead in launching a labor intensive business, my wife and I want to travel a bit to discover the best, most interesting ice cream and flavors available anywhere. We’ve heard that there is a street filled with ice cream shops of high quality, one after another. But we don’t know where it is. Have you ever heard of Ice Cream Street? Where would you go to sample the most interesting, and best, ice cream and gelato on the planet?

A – We think you may have the name wrong. The closest we can come is Ice Cream City which is located inside some of the world’s greatest Family Amusement Parks in the Sunshine City shopping center in Tokyo. There are several dozen ice cream stands competing with one another for the most intense and outrageous flavors and both Italian and American styles are available. We know that you will be able to get ell-flavored ice cream, along with soy chicken, but the varieties are endless. Best of all, you can enjoy the wonders of Tokyo, where prices have been falling to reverse the tourist decline of the past five years.

After that, we would head to Florence, Italy to taste every flavor at our personal favorite, the iconic Vivoli. But Florentine friends are telling is that they think that Perche No!, near the Duomo, is as good. Try the Honeydew Melon at Vivoli. Simply amazing. Both establishments have been around for decades and their formulas remain state secrets.

As far as the States are concerned, we will assume you have tried, arguably the best ice cream purveyor in the United States – Capogiro in Philadelphia. That is where the bar is set at the moment.

Q –  We find your site rather confusing. On the one hand, it purports to be a cruise site, but we notice lots of information that seems way off topic. If you wish to have people use the site, you might want to think about sticking to one thing and doing it well. Our question has to do with Amazon River Cruising. We know that several of the deluxe lines like Silversea, Seabourn, and Crystal do Amazon itineraries but we are really interested in more of a comfortable, high quality expedition cruise experience with fewer people than a large cruise ship. Are there companies you might recommend?

A – Thank you for the advice. We won’t follow it because traveltruth.com is not a cruise web site. We deal exclusively with First Class and Deluxe vacation planning worldwide. There are many parts of the world where it is impossible or makes little sense to travel by ship. Our efforts are geared toward the upscale traveler who wants advice that is not tainted by sales pressure or advertising concerns.

There are several companies we think you ought to explore with your travel consultant.  They are: Abercrombie & Kent, Aqua Expeditions, International Expeditions, and Voyages of Discovery.

Of those, we would rate Aqua # 1 and A&K # 2.

Q – These hotels really get me angry. They always pretend they are full when I ask for an upgrade. Meanwhile, I know from online availability, that they have suites available. I am just constantly being turned down for upgrades and I know others are getting them. I dress quite well, I’m a decent looking guy, and I have a good job, so what am I doing wrong? I just want more than I paid for and I see nothing wrong with that.

A – Do you think it might have something to do with your attitiude when you arrive? Try this: Never ask for an upgrade. Ask for a corner room or “a room with a nice sitting area where I can get some work done”. Be as nice as you can be. Do not address the desk clerk by the first name on their tag. 

If there was a past problem with your behavior at one of the chain’s hotels, it is perfectly possible that you have a RAH next to your profile. We will leave it to you to figure out what those letters represent. Your profile designation will follow you around and you may never be upgraded.  If you suspect that is the case, schedule a meeting with hotel management and explain your feelings and ask if there is anything on your profile that is preventing you from being offered an upgrade. They may possibly respond honestly.  Finally, use a credit card that allows for automatic upgrades based on points.

The real trick is to never shout how important you are, in word or deed. Just be the nicest guy the desk staff has met that day and you will be surprised at what may happen.

Q –  My boss just informed me that I’ve won a two week trip to Italy that will include three nights in Sorrento, along the Amalfi Coast. My wife wants us to rent a car and do some driving. Do you think that’s a safe idea? Any tips on the towns nearby that are “must-see’s”. We’re really excited and would appreciate any advice. We tell everyone we know about this site. Keep up the good work.

A – We’re OK with you driving in Italy. The Italians, along with the Dutch, are Europe’s best drivers. You will hardly get lost, just stay on Strada Statale 163 or, as the uninitiated call it, the Amalfi Drive. This incredible two land road hugs the edge of the cliffs for twenty-five miles, passing some of Italy’s most beautiful views.

We would suggest you swim in the Grota dello Smeraldo, visit the lovely town of Amalfi, and definitely go a bit out of your way to see the small fishing village of Atrani, poff the main tourist track.  Unfortunately, many casual visitors to the Amalfi coast fail to see Ravello, a wonderful town with more incredible views and an artistic past. When you know Ravello, you know the Amalfi coast. Positano is lovely but the single street, Viale Pasitea will be filled with tourists, many of them just off the cruise ships for the day.

If you really want to feel like an Amalfi insider, visit some of the smaller villages in the hills, far above the sea. Try Montepertuso and Nocelle for starters.

Q – With great sadness, my husband and I read of the passing of Andy Griffith, a wonderful role model and, I think, a true southern gentleman. My husband suggested we just “drive to Mayberry”. Is there such a place and how would we get there? Hope this request is not sounding silly.

A – Not not at all. We all loved Andy though some viewers had a stronger attachment to Barney and they bear watching. There is no Mayberry but the show was truly inspired by a place in North Carolina named Mt. Airy, that Andy knew well. There’s an Andy Griffith Miuseum and every September there’s a celebration called “Mayberry Days”.

It’s all a bit touristic these days but you can still get a glimpse of small town life and there are numerous small towns within driving distance that have no tourists. You can actually tour Mt. Airy in a vintage sheriff’s car.

Q – I am a country club wine drinker but I do keep the Wine Bible next tot he remote and I am slowly getting into French red, particularly Bordeaux’s. We’re headed to France to do some tasting with another couple who thinks that the Trader Joe’s label is really prestigious. But I do want us to go to the very best vineyards. If you could let us know which Bordeaux’s are considered the very best, I’d be eternally grateful.

A – Well this is a bit tricky as there are tens of thousands of wine connoisseurs who wish to taste the best Bordeaux’s. To get into the very best vineyards, you need to know someone and, even then, it is extremely difficult to get to the Premier Grand Cru First Growth estates. We suggest that you work with your consultant to make all arrangements through one of the world’s top wine experts specializing in the top-level French production. Even then, you may be disappointed. Work at least a year in advance to have any chance at all. There are the wine tours you should target – they are the best of the current crop of Grand Cru’s:

Chateau Lafite Rothschild Medoc (Pauillac)

Chateaux Margaux Medoc (Margaux)

Chateau Latour Medoc (Pauillac)

Chateau Haut-Brion Pessac-Leognam

Chateau Mouton-Rothchild Medoc (Pauillac)

Q – I am a software gun for hire and I travel about 80% of the time. I know that there are often great deals online at the hotels I’m staying at but I just don’t have the time to check it all out on a daily basis. Is there any way to get the same rate as the internet when you’re at the check-in desk? Very cool site but wish you had more for the business traveler. Not all of us can be on a perpetual vacation.

A – Some experts suggest the “let’s be realistic” approach at the front desk. You might try pointing out that the average online site is getting close to 30% in commission from the hotels they are selling. So suggest that if the hotel will give you 20-25% off the online price, they will still be making a profit on your stay. But be careful how you handle this as it could easily backfire.

We’ll never be a site for business travelers. Dealing with the vacations in people’s lives that really matter is our narrow focus. Trust you understand.

Q – Very cool site but we wish you would have more on food and restaurants. It would be great if we could get all kinds of restaurant information mixed in with your highly valuable travel insights.

My husband and I will be in Copenhagen at the end of June, having just ended a cruise. My husband mentioned there is supposed to be a terrific new site in Copenhagen called Blue Planet and he was thinking about adding a day to our trip so we could spend some time there. Do you know anything about this and would it be worth the extra day?

A –  Well it looks like you are in luck. Copenhagen’s absolutely stunning new aquarium, Blue Planet, is scheduled to open on March 22nd in time for the summer tourist season. We expect this to quickly become one of the two or three leading tourist attractions in Scandinavia. There will be almost 500 species and just over 20,000 animals housed in a building that is already being nominated for major architectural awards. Copenhagen design firm, 3XN has created a building that resembles moving water and the aquarium’s rooftop will swirl, resembling the world’s largest whirlpool. Guests flying into or out of Copenhagen’s Kastrup Airport will have the best some amazing views of this new complex.

Absolutely spend an extra night and get your tickets in advance. This one will open to spectacular reviews.

We’ll try to do more on food and restaurants. Thanks for sharing that.

For more info please visit best digital multimeter.

Q – We have a little but of a dilemma. We are doing a land tour that begins in Istanbul and includes two nights in the city with sightseeing. But to use frequent flyer miles with US Air, we had to add on three additional nights to make our upgrades work. So we now have three nights in a Muslim country with the sightseeing of all the major places already included in our tour. Your site mentions “Lifestyle Touring” for people who don’t want or need historical bus tours. I suppose that’s us. Any suggestions?

A – You can have your agent arrange private sightseeing or you can contact the Concierge at your hotel to arrange the kind of sightseeing you really want. But very few guides are prepared to really take you inside the daily lives of the residents. The best program for you would be the Istanbul Lifestyle Touring Program designed through our sister company, A Taste of Life Ashore. Just go to www.atasteoflifeashore.com and you will see the options in Istanbul.

Q – We are thinking about taking a cruise on the Paul Gauguin in Tahiti. We are looking at an 11-Day sailing out of Papeete to the Society Islands. We are casual people, we don’t like dress up nights but we’re ready to try some quality after our last disappointing cruise on one of the mega-ships. I guess we need to know if this is a good time to go, if the line is reputable, and about what we should expect to pay after their advertised two-for-one and Free Air deal.

A – The Paul Gauguin is owned by an American based in Tahiti, is well-funded, and is highly reputable. It is, in our view, the very best way to experience the islands in the South Pacific and the ship is elegant but casual. Dress is about the same as it might be in a nice Hawaii-based hotel. For men, slacks and a Hawaiian shirt are fine.

There is a bit of a rainy season that hits the island sin mid-winter but most travelers think the risk is well worth it. The Free air is available non-stop from Los Angeles – not from your hometown. The line is currently offering two-for-one pricing which can bring the price of a picture window cabin down to $5595 per person inclusive of air. That is a per diem price, without air, that is in the $400-$450 range, an exceptional price for a fivbe-star rated experience. The balcony cabins start at $7045 plus port charges inclusive of air. The Gauguin gets high marks from traveltruth in terms of its on board service and food. We applaud the line for being able to capture some of the essence of the islands it visits by being upscale without being uptight. All in all, an excellent choice and, we believe, a far better experience than anything on the water in the Caribbean.

As to down sides: It is an eight and a half hour flight and you would probably want to upgrade to Business Class, a costly move. The islands you will visiut are small, often having just one primary circular road. This is not an itinerary for historians, shoppers, or drinkers. It is an itinerary for dreamers, lovers, and those seeking to break away from mainstream cruising.