Take a Train

Take the A-Train … Or Take the B-Train If You Like

Countries all over the world offer passes that guarantee unlimited, flexible travel at a set price for a specified period, and it often only take one or two trips for you come out ahead by buying one. Below are some of the options.

Australia: Travel between most tourist sites in the vast nation requires an overnight trip, making air travel a practical option in many cases, but the view of the outback is better from ground level. Prince Range: The AustrailPass, with unlimited travel on all ROA railways, ranges from $500 for 14 days in economy class to more than $1500 for 30 days in first class. Austrail flexi-passes run from 8 days of travel in 60 days (economy) to 15 days of travel in 60 days (first class). Some routes are restricted. The Kangaroo Road “n” Rail Pass includes limited travel on Greyhound Pioneer buses. All passes must be bought outside Australia. Train tip: wildflower fans must see the spectacular blooms along the Indian-Pacific line from Sydney to Perth in September and October.

Canada: Train travel in the sprawling nation isn't a particularly efficient means of transport, but the Canadian line through the Rockies is popular among rail buffs for its spectacular views. The Canrail Pass allows unlimited coast-to-coast economy-class travel on VIARail lines for 12 days within a 30-day period. Price range: During the low season (January 6 – May 31 and October 1 – December 14) passes are around $400 for adults and about $300 for those under 25 or over 60. During the high season, they are at least $700 and $500. Canrail passes are not honored December 15 to January 5. Purchase passes from VIARail, Amtrack, or a travel agent. Train tips: In 1992, Canada's national passenger railway launched a restored, stainless steel fleet of passenger cars built in the 50s. The cars retain their art deco sleekness, but are updates with showers and advanced suspension systems.

University Tour. Photo by Elena.

Europe: A way of life for the teeming masses of backpacktoting college grads that storm Europe every summer, the Eurail pass is valid in many countries in Continental Europe (without any notable exceptions). The cheaper Europass covers three to five of the following nations: France, Germany, Spain, Italy, and Switzerland. And passes must be purchased in the United States and are good for 6 months from the time of purchase. Any travel agent can order passes.

Price Range: Eirailpass runs for 5 days of travel in 60 days to 90 days of unlimited travel. Youth passes are available for those under 26. Europass prices range from $400 for 5 days of travel to 60 days in three countries to $900 for 15 days of travel in 60 days in five countries. Train tip : if you're in a hurry, try the French TGV. It set the world record for passenger rail speed at 320 mph in 1999 and averages 130 mph on regular passenger routes.

India: Rail travel is a popular but slow alternative to India's sometimes harrowing airline system. Indrail passes are available in three classes : air-conditioned first class(sometimes includes a sleeper), regular first class or air-conditioned chair car (different cars, same pass), and second class (which tends to be very crowded). The definition of “first class” varies from line to line. Tickets must be purchased outside of India. From one day pass (second class) to up to 90-day unlimited travel pass (air-conditioned first class). Train tip: Many lines here rely on ancient telexes to confirm reservations; travelers often are stranded when the telex fails.

Japan: If you intend to do even minimal travel in Japan, a train pass is a great investment. An ordinary 7-day pass costs less than a round-trip ticket from Tokyo to Osaka, and the extensive Japan Raiway (JR) system rivals that of Continental Europe for speed and convenience. JR passes come in two flavors: green (first class) and ordinary (economy) . Both include travel on most Shinkansen (bullet trains), some buses, and the ferry between Honshu and Mijajuma. From $400 for a 7-day ordinary pass to $1200 for a 21-day green pass. Children 6 to 11 are half-price. Passes must be purchased outside Japan. Train trip: A 7-day train pass costs about as much as a cab from Narita airport to downtown Tokyo. Don't take a cab.

United Kingdom: Britain is not included in Eurail packages, but it does offer several rail passes of its own. Among them are the Britpass, the BritGermany Pass, and the BritFrance Pass. All include travel in Wales and Scotland, and some include ferry travel. All passes must be purchases in the United States and are good for six months from the time of purchase. A travel agent can provide details and order passes. Britpasses range from 10 days of travel to 30 days days, economy or unlimited travel (first class). Train tip: The Chunnel beneath the English Channel opened in 1994, allowing direct travel from London to Brussels, Paris, and Amsterdam.

U.S.A.: Despite government subsidies, Amtrak has had trouble competing with airlines in most areas except along the Eastern Seaboard and parts of the West Coast, so it has abandoned many less popular lines. Train travel enthusiasts might consider Amtrak's All Aboard America fares, though. They are good for 45 days, but you must choose your itinerary in advance and are allowed only three stopovers. Amtrak divides the nation into three regions: east, west and central.. Tickets range from $300 in one region to $900 (peak) for travel in all three regions. Peak season is from June 17 to August 21. There is a 50 percent discount for children 2 to 15 and a 15 percent discount for seniors over 62. Train tip: Amtrak began the first regularly scheduled transcontinental train service in U.S. History in 1993. The Sunset Limited makes the 3,000-mile journey from Miami to Los Angeles in just 69 hours.

Company Town

Company Town

By Madeline Ashby

Aviation/Metabolist

“So,” Hwa said. “You<ve done some succubus play, right?”.

The aviation was alive with jazz. Violet light streamed across the black-and-white chequered floor. In the centre of the room, the bar rotated slowly. One revolution an hour. Hwa had counted three revolutions. She had lost track of how many bourbons that meant. Or which of the very specialized types she'b en drinking. Probably all of them.

Layne sipped her drink. “Sure, like once or twice. It's super rare, though. Like it's a thing they try once and don't really go back to, unless they some like it. What are you at?”

“Where did you get the suit?” Hwa gestured at herself. “For being invisible.”

“Or, my God. You don't need to be invisible, Hwa. Get over yourself.”

“Not, it's not like that,” Hwa said, for the second time in as many days. “I don't...” I don't want to be invisible, she should have said, but the words were harder to get out than she expected.

“Besides, it's fucking tough to rent that shit,” Layne said. “Like, it's super regulated. Like worse than guns. Which is kind of sad. Background checks and everything. They're woven with smart sensors ; if you rent one, the person you rented it from knows where the suit is every minute.”

“Could you buy one?”

“Yeah, a shitty one. Not the good stuff. The military stuff costs.”

“But if I wanted to buy the military stuff.”

Layne looked at Hwa as though she were extremely stupid. “Then go to the Lynches! They have a whole Security branch, right? Don't you work for them?”

“I'm in another department,” Hwa said. “I file reports to Security, but I'm a...” She struggled to find the right phrase. “Discretionary hire?”

“Well, if anybody has that stuff, it's them. I even heard them joking about it. Or Eileen did. I think she's the one what told me about it.”

A very big city. Photo by Elena.

Hwa said nothing. She'd tried to ping Eileen, just to talk, and had even tried to explain why she<d gone back to working for the Lynches, but nothing came of t. Eileen had written her off. Completely. And Layne knew it. Everyone knew it. And it was awkward and awful as hell.

“What else is going on at work?”

Oh, not much, they just blew up this town so they could build a star in the ruins.

“They're making me go to Homecoming,” Hwa said. “With Joel. They're sponsoring it.”

“Don't look so sad! You can handle it. It's just a dance.”

Layne looked sleepy. It was late. Her flapper costume was fading. She'd rented the look for only a few hours, and now her pearls flickered  in Hwa's specs.

“It's the whole principle of the thing,” Hwa said. “I don't dance. Sunny dances. I don't dance.”  

“Who is Sunny?”

“Never mind.”

“Do you mean your mom? Wasn't you mom a dancer?”

“No. She was in a girl group, and the group danced, in videos. But she wasn't, like, a dancer. She wasn't an artist, or something. She was just following orders..”

Layne brushed her pink hair aside and stared at Hwa hard through the veil of way too many brandy Alexanders. “Go Junghwa.” She pointed. “You hate your mother.”

Hws shrugged. “So? The feeling's mutual.”

Grevin Museum

Grevin Museum of Montréal

Established on the fifth floor of Montréal’s Eaton Centre, on Sainte-Catherine Street, the Grévin museum is integral to downtown Montréal’s cultural scene.

The museum’s setup was designed by Franco-Québécois experts in the field. Dick Walsh and Julien Bertevas (CDA Production), Moment Factory, Patrice Peyrieras, De Pinxi, Dushow, Europea and many others. With its original décor, ambiance, interactive and sensory experiences, and dozens of wax figures including local and international stars from the past and present, the Grévin gives the public the chance to meet the stars.

Grévin Montréal is accessible to everyone including those with reduced mobility. You’re welcome to use cameras and video recorders inside the Grévin Museum. In fact, the administration encourages you to take photos next to your favourite celebrities on display.

Coordonnées de Grévin Montréal:

705, Rue Sainte Catherine Ouest - bureau 5-104

H3B 4G5

Montréal, Québec

All the pictures have been taken by Elena.

Marilyn Monroe.

Scarlet Johanson.

Harrison Ford and Julie Payette, Canadian astronaut.

Penelope Cruz.

Yoko and John. Hair Peace, bed peace.

Michael Jackson.

Steve Jobs.

Meryl Streep.

Nelson Mandela and Queen Elizabeth.

Nicolas Cage.

Cameron Diaz.

Founders of Canada.

Alain Ducasse - born on September 13, 1956. - Monaco-based chef.

Ghandy and other men of religion.

Giselle Bundchen.

Mother Nature's Deluxe Abodes

Mother Nature's Deluxe Abodes

National park lodges show off the best of rustic architecture

In addition to the largest canyons, the biggest geysers, and the most pristine wilderness, America's national parks contain some of the best preserved rustic hotels in the United States. These capacious lodges were built with stones and trees hewn directly from the stunning landscapes they occupy in an attempt to recreate the great outdoors indoors. Park architects such as Frederick Law Olmsted, eschewing straight lines and sophisticated accoutrements and instead building soaring lobbies, gnarled log balconies, four-story, stone fireplaces and log furniture that harkened back to pioneer days.

Rustic architecture reached its apotheosis during the 1930s with numerous WPA projects designed to put men to work and promote national parks. Many of the buildings are now either national landmarks or on the National Register as some of the most beautiful places to stay in the country. The rooms are as comfortable as those of any fine urban abode, but the hotels remain what their creators intended: one of man's most ambitious attempts to build on a grand scale in harmony with nature.

Here, Harvey Kaiser, vice president of Syracose University and author of Landmarks in the Landscape, a history of park architecture, recommends the most beautiful lodges in the country. All are either national landmarks or on the National Register; many have undergone major renovations. Because of their popularity, some lodges may be difficult to reach by telephone, so we've included fax numbers and addresses to write for more information.

Ahwahnee Hotel (/915) – Yosemite National Park: Its asymmetrical rock columns and varied levels convey the impression of a mountain range. The concrete exterior is dyed red to match the redwood forest. The floor-to-ceiling stained glass windows offer splendid views of the soaring walls of Yosemite Valley. Open year-round.

Bryce Canyon Lodge (1925): Bryce Canyon National Park. Atop a mesa overlooking the colorfully hued stone walls of Bryce-Canyon, the lodge and adjacent cabins are classic examples of rustic architecture. A wave-patterned, cedar-shingle roof, stone masonry,wrought-iron chandeliers, and liberal use of sold log beams (one measures 52 feet) give an Old West feel. Open April 15 to November 1.

El Tovar Lodge (1905): Grand Canyon National Park. Only 50 feet from the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, El Tovar was one of the first railroad destination resorts. Original promotional literature described it as a combination of Swiss Chalet and Norway villa. With Indian murals and crafts throughout, it is among the most eclectic hotels in the national parks. Today, it is also one of the most luxurious, with first-rate service and gourmet meals. Opean year-round.

Lake McDondals Lodge (1913). Glacier National Park. This mountainous lake region, so similar to the Swiss Alps, inspired architects to build one of the premier examples of Swiss chalet hotel architecture in the United States. Lying atop a small rise, the western façade of the hotel faces out across Lake McDonald, the largest lake in the park, with views of the magnificent snow-capped mountain beyond. Open May to October.

North Rim Lodge (1927). Grand Canyon National Park. Lying on the edge of the North Rim, the lodge with adjacent cabins offers an inexpensive alternative to El Tovar. It is built into the side of the rim; its several levels actually step down from the canyon rim. The many terraces and observation decks offer breathtaking views of the canyon. Also notable is the oversize fireplace on the eastern terrace – big enough for an adult to walk into. Open mid-May through mid-October.

Old Faithful Inn (1904). Yellowstone National Park. The first national park building constructed in an architectural style harmonious with the grandeur of the surrounding landscape, this hotel boasts a seven-story-high log lobby. Many rooms have views of the world-famous Old Faithful geyser nearby. Open May 5 to October 22.

A hotel at night. Photo by Elena.

Oregon Caves Chateau (1934). Oregon Caves National Monument. Located in the Siskiyou Mountains next to the entrance to the only limestone cave formation in Oregon, this hotel actually spans a small gorge; the fourth floor is at road level. The fireplace, according to a recent study, is one of the largest in the state if not on the entire West Coast. Also of note is a stream that runs through the first-floor dining room and disappears outside into a lush green forest. Open March 11 to May 22, and September 7 to December 31 at bed-and-breakfast rate.

Paradise Inn (1916). Mount Rainier National Park. One of the earliest ski resorts in the country, Paradise Inn lies at an elevation of 5,400 feet. The exterior has a lovely, shimmering silver quality due to the use of timbers that were aged 30 years before construction. Significant are the hand-crafted artistry and Gothic feeling reminiscent of northern European woodwork. Open May 17 to October 1.

Stanley Hotel (1909). Rocky Mountain National Park. A regular stop for world leaders such as the emperor of Japan – but still affordable – this Neo-Georgian hotel provides Old World elegance in the heart of the Rockies. Canopy beds and antique furniture are found throughout the unique rooms. Although unlike the rustic landmark hotels on the list, Kaiser felt that it was too magnificent to leave out. Open year-round,

Wawona Hotel (1876). Yosemite National Park. This hotel predates the rustic movement, but it is the largest existing Victorian hotel complex within a national park, and one of the best preserved in the United States. The hotel complex also contains the studio of Thomas Hill, one of the last great painters of the Hudson River School. Open April 1 to November 25 continuously and intermittently the rest of the year.à, roome with bath.

Mammoth Cave National Park

Mammoth Cave National Park

3 milliom visitors per year – 82 square miles – The largest cave on earth. Mammoth Cave, KY.

  

Inside the world's largest cave's 335 miles of charted passageways are 70-foot chambers, Indian artifacts, an underground river, and some plant and animal species that have been isolated from the outside world for more than a million years. In fact, there are five species of animals unique to the cave.

Mammoth Cave has intrigued man for thousands of years. Native Americans first came 4,000 years ago and continued to use if for about 2,000 years. Tourists started visiting after the War of 1812, and by the mid-1800s it was one of the most popular tourist sites in the country.

Two-thirds of the park is composed of distinctive karst topography – the type of land surface that forms above a cave that features sinkholes, cave entrances, and disappearing streams. There are nearly 100 sinking streams called pnors that disappear abruptly onto holes on the ground.

Trees in blossom. Photo by Elena.

Peak season tips: The cave, of course, is the main attraction. It is always best to reserve cave trips in advance.

Camping: Houchins Ferry (no trailer hook-ups) and Denison Ferry (tent sites only, no water) sites are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Reservations are needed for Maple Spring Group Campground sites.

Best one-day trip: A great variety of cave trips in terms of length and difficulty are available, some lasting an hour, others most of the day. After or before your cave trip, take a short hike on the ¾-mile Cedar Sink Trail to see good examples of karst topography. You may also want to take the one-hour boat trip down the Green River or a walk along the Cave Island nature walk, part of which also goes along the river.

Best experience: Various cave trips are operated throughout by the National Park Service and are offered every day in the summer and on some weekends in the spring and fall. Be warned: Caving involves stooping, bending, crawling. Helmets and lights are provided, but visitors should bring their own knee pads. Long pants and boots are required, and gloves are recommended. Make reservations no earlier than 56 days before and no later than one hour before you wish to tour the cave.