Airfare Bargains

Again today, a customer called to remind me that an online website selling air reservations had a bargain airfare she wanted me, as a travel agent, to look at. But then the woman also added, then it said the airfare was no longer available when she went to the purchase page.

Do clients call often and "remind" other travel agents about discounts they see, but cannot book?

I have also noticed another curious trend with airfares. It seems that the low "bargain" airfares are primarily only available on the very early flights at the crack of dawn, or very late at night. I realize the economic standpoint that people will often pay more to fly at a more reasonable hour of day.

It becomes very frustrating, when watching for lower airfares for clients, that they have to take these less desirable flights, often for a better airfare.

Has anyone else noticed this trend? Possibly it is just something that seems more conspicuous to me lately in my work. What are your thoughts?

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State Department issues worldwide Sept. 11 travel advisory

By Melanie Mason, Los Angeles Times

7:52 p.m. CDT, September 2, 2011

Marking the upcoming 10th anniversary of Sept. 11, the State Department on Friday issued a worldwide travel alert, noting the continued possibility of terrorist threats for U.S. citizens traveling and living abroad.

So what kind of impact might the alert have on travelers?

"None whatsoever," said Michael McCarron, a spokesman for San Francisco International Airport, in an interview. "There should be no impact on traffic."

McCarron and LAX spokesman Albert Rodriguez both said they anticipated no extended waiting times or other logistical complications at their respective airports as a result of the alert.

The State Department said in a release that the alert was not pegged to any specific threats. But, it said: "U.S. citizens should be aware that Al Qaeda affiliates and allies have demonstrated the intent and capability to carry out attacks against the United States and our interests around the world. In the past, terrorist organizations have on occasion planned their attacks to coincide with significant dates on the calendar."

According to the State Department's website, travel alerts provide information about "short-term conditions, either transnational or within a particular country, that pose significant risks to the security of U.S. citizens." Friday's alert did not mention specific countries.

The alert expires Jan. 2, 2012, and supplements a similar advisory the department released in July.

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Southwest Airlines-No Longer Low Cost

Southwest Airlines used to be the airline travelers could fall back on to obtain a low priced flight when other airlines were much higher. That is not so true any longer.

For example, one advantage for travelers and travel agents changing tickets, was that anyone could use a credit on a ticket that was not used. This was great for companies that had infrequent travelers, therefore they could just apply the unused credit to another traveler. Not anymore. Only the person named originally on the ticket can use the credit.

Southwest's Rapid Reward frequent flier program has evolved from travelers being able to book a flight as long as practically any seat was available on the flight. Then it changed to only a limited number of seats being available for frequent flier seats. Now they have revamped the entire program, giving points depending on the price paid for the flight. They advertise that any seat is now available for the program, however, a flier must often use a lot of their points to obtain many of the flights.

Well, as we all know, change is inevitable. Even though they use to have some quirks that agents did not care for, overall, Southwest used to be a great airline to work with. Then again, the world has changed much since they started out in Love Field in Dallas many years ago. I suppose they may still be great, that is up to each individual opinion.

What is your opinion, agents? What do your clients think?

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Learn something by going on vacation

I am not a good lounger. I don't like to waste a vacation doing something that passes itself off as an activity just because it's a verb, like "sunning." I prefer to strap on a backpack and disappear into the woods for a few days, covering enough miles before pitching a tent so I'm too exhausted to think about the vulnerability of my situation and whether the chupacabra actually exists.

My fiance also is an uneasy lounger, so when I learned about the five-day apprenticeship program at Thos. Moser Cabinetmakers in Auburn, Maine, I thought it had best-gift-ever potential and reserved two spots. The company's Customer in Residence program pairs amateur woodworkers with master cabinetmakers to build heirloom-quality furniture.

My fiance, an optometrist, had built furniture in the past as a hobby, which turned into an accidental side job. I have whittled sticks to roast marshmallows.

Our instructor, Dick Guite, was just as prepared to work with a novice as an experienced hobbyist. Participants need not have experience or even know the difference between a band saw and a miter saw. But it helps to have an appreciation for woodworking, or at least craftsmanship, because the program includes 30 hours of hands-on shop time.

"I would say for those of us who drive a desk for a living, it's a lot of time on your feet," said fellow apprentice Gregg Child, a yacht broker from Newport, R.I.

From the first day, "We were really thrown into the flow of the woodshop and were allowed to be part of every step of the furniture-making process," said Ted Everett, a former investment manager and stay-at-home dad from Westport, Conn. "One day I was even mistaken for a cabinetmaker."

I was never mistaken for someone who would ever get the hang of power sanding, let alone being a professional cabinetmaker.

The Customer in Residence program is offered eight months of the year, from April through November, and costs $3,500 for individuals and $4,500 for couples. Thos. Moser customers are given priority, but first-time buyers like me are cheerfully accommodated when there's room. The session ends with a ceremony during which participants, their mentors and Thomas Moser himself all sign the pieces they built. "It's not unusual for people to tear up during the signing ceremony," said program director Steve Wyman. "This is a life-changing experience for people."

The price includes lodging at the historic Harraseeket Inn in nearby Freeport; daily transportation to and from the workshop (a scenic 30-minute drive on country roads); and most meals, including group dinners at fine restaurants with members of the Moser family and the company's management team. On top of tuition, participants also must pay retail price for what they build.

"Seeing the progression from raw wood to finished product and the multiple steps and care taken was an eye-opener," said fellow apprentice Marshall Goldman, an electrical company president from Sunnyvale, Calif. "I have a new appreciation for woodworking in general."

Goldman feels the way I do about vacations: "The Customer in Residence program engaged me in such an intense manner that I couldn't think about business and my other affairs. This type of vacation gives me a mental respite from the day-to-day grind and a fresh perspective when I return."

Knowing I'm a writer, Guite told me on Day 1 that "every piece of wood has its own story." Little did we know that one of the gorgeous pieces of cherry hardwood we picked out for our dining table had a surprise ending for us.

To be honest, my fiance did most of the work under Guite's constant tutelage while I spectated (one of those passive acts, like sunning, that qualifies as a verb if not an activity). But near the end of the week, I was solely responsible for spraying linseed oil on our "finished" dining table, a process that revealed a crack in the wood that had been invisible. Guite was more upset than we were. Such a final-stage fiasco had never befallen an apprentice; however, it happens to cabinetmakers quite often, and because Thos. Moser guarantees its furniture for life, any piece found to have a flaw is scrapped and hours of labor repeated.

Such being the case, I felt grateful for the defect and the surprise ending to our working vacation. Child said it best: "The experience is as much about learning to respect the skills and abilities of the craftsmen as it is about the furniture you're building."

Guite rebuilt that section of the table after our departure, so the story about the solid cherry wood table my fiance and I handcrafted "by ourselves" will forever have an asterisk.

But there were happy endings all the way around. We six alumni who completed the apprenticeship in May still keep in touch. Everett wrote in an email that the bench, hall table and stools he built have become conversation pieces: "Having this beautiful furniture in my home is a pleasant reminder of the wonderful experience I had in Maine, the people I met and the things I learned. They also give me a unique story to share with friends who come to my home, many of whom have commented on the furniture before knowing about its background."

As for me, I didn't waste any time breaking our table in with some marathon sessions of wining and dining.

Call me inconsistent, but those qualify as activities.

If you go

We flew into Boston's Logan International Airport on a Saturday, rented a car and drove 120 miles up the Atlantic coast to Freeport, Maine, spending one night in witchy Salem, Mass., and eating lobster bisque wherever we could. You also can fly into Portland, Maine, just 20 miles from Freeport.

Three out of five evenings are free for touring the area, if you're not too tired. The Harraseeket Inn is within walking distance of restaurants and shops, including the flagship L.L. Bean complex of stores, open 24 hours.

Other working vacations

Don't like lounging? There are plenty of vacation destinations that invite you to pay for the privilege of working. Here are two opportunities to expend some elbow grease and come away with a sense of accomplishment. And muscle fatigue.

Keep them dogies rollin': Montana Bunkhouses Working Ranch Vacations sends serious horseback riders as well as fun-seeking families to more than 20 cattle ranches in Big Sky Country. Take part in daily ranch chores and seasonal activities such as cattle drives, roundups and calving. Prices include meals and accommodations and start at $1,500 for six- or seven-day trips, with discounted family packages available. 406-222-6101, montanaworkingranches.com

Make a mean guitar: What's "mean" is you can't take it home. But if you're serious about perfecting your luthiery techniques (if you have to look that up, you're probably not a big enough guitar enthusiast), you'll feel rewarded nonetheless after completing the five-day, 40-hour acoustic-guitar-building workshop at Everett Guitars in Atlanta. Four students work together on one "class guitar," learning alongside Kent Everett. The class costs $1,295 (not inclusive) and is offered twice a year, in spring and fall. everettguitars.com

ctc-travel@tribune.com

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Wisconsin food on the road

"This ain't a Weight Watchers trip," warned a colleague, as she scribbled down stops I absolutely must make between getting off the S.S. Badger ferry in Manitowoc, Wis., and arriving in Door County two hours north. She plotted an itinerary that would include the major food groups of the Badger State: smoked fish, cheese curds, chocolate, hamburgers and summer sausage.

And when I got off the boat, I followed it:

Late's: The tiny, unimposing restaurant in a quiet Manitowoc neighborhood features an undulating counter with red stools. A hamburger ($2.50) with the works comes wrapped completely in white paper like a little present. The bun was crispy after being grilled with plenty of butter. The meat was only millimeters thick, its edges crisp, too. Delicious. 1924 S. 9th St., Manitowoc, Wis.; 920-682-1539

Beerntsen's Confectionery: Beerntsen's has been there since 1932 and still has the walnut booths and art deco interior. It was crowded with shoppers snapping up chocolate bark, chocolate truffles and chocolate meltaways. I bought two boxes of chocolates for gifts, plus one little snack bag with three chocolates for myself. Are you kidding? That bag was gone by the time I drove out of town. 108 N. 8th St., Manitowoc, Wis.; 920-684-9616, beerntsens.com

Suzy Q's Fish Market: Local smoked whitefish is their specialty. They also had smoked salmon, salmon dip, whitefish dip and all kinds of other smoked things in the dinky shop. I had no cooler, but I bought some whitefish dip ($4.50). I drove out of town with the bag on the car floor near the air conditioner. 1810 East St., Two Rivers, Wis.; 920-793-5240, susieqfishmarket.com

Konop's Meat Market: Local men in the store were talking about whatever happened to Czechoslovakia, anyway? I ordered the picnic summer sausage, no spices (half-pound, $2.50). I added it to my stash near the air conditioner. N2062 County Road Ab, Stangelville/Denmark, Wis.; 920-388-3892

Krohn's Dairy: Up the road a couple miles from Konop's is this venerable dairy (N2915 County Road Ab, Luxemburg), now part of Trega Foods. The gift shop sells all kinds of cheeses, but my colleague had been specific. Cheese curds. Get the cheese curds.

"I'll have some cheese curds," I said, following orders to get fresh curds that "squeak in your mouth and when you bite down you can squeeze the milk out of them."

"Sorry, we're out," the clerk replied. "We only make them Sundays and Fridays."

What could I do? I bought some Swiss cheese instead and bagel chips, and when I got to my Door County hotel room (which had a refrigerator, thank goodness), I made myself a whole spread: crackers with whitefish dip, crackers with sausage and Swiss cheese, chocolate for dessert, and thought, wow, what a nourishing state.

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Disney's new luxury Hawaiian resort 'Aulani' opens

KAPOLEI, Hawaii (AP) — Aloha, Disney!

The Walt Disney Co.'s new upscale, beachside Hawaiian resort Aulani opens Monday, thousands of miles from the nearest Disney theme park. And while Mickey Mouse and friends can be found on the property, Hawaii's culture, history and natural beauty are the biggest stars.

"The resort is not a replication of any of our theme parks. We know if guests want to go toDisneyland, they'll go to Disneyland," said Djuan Rivers, a Disney vice president who oversees the resort. "Our guests are coming here first and foremost for Hawaii and everything Hawaii has to offer."

Joe Rohde, head of Aulani's creative team, grew up in Honolulu and said "we made a choice early on to really, really focus on Hawaiian culture as a defining element of Aulani."

Aulani is located on the west side of Oahu, about an hour's drive from Waikiki. The sprawling 840-unit resort is the first major Disney property to offer a mix of regular hotel rooms and Disney Vacation Club time shares away from a theme park. (Disney's smaller resorts in Hilton Head, Ga., and Vero Beach, Fla., are time shares.)

Aulani is a Hawaiian term for messenger of a chief or higher authority. Showcasing the host culture as Aulani's main theme is a departure from other Disney properties where the iconic mouse and other Disney references are visible at every turn. True, visitors will find a surfer Mickey lamp in each Aulani guest room, with his image subtly blended in the bedding design, and Disney cast members portraying Mickey, Minnie, Donald and the rest of the crew can be found strolling around in bright aloha shirts and shorts. But the spotlight here is definitely on Hawaii.

"This story is about this place, that you came to see, experience and want to take away memories from that are different than the memories if you went to Idaho," Rohde said.

Tom Staggs, chairman ofWalt Disney Parks and Resorts and the company's former chief financial officer, said Aulani "captures the very best of the rich Hawaiian storytelling and culture with a touch of Disney."

Designers have incorporated historical and contemporary island scenes, artwork, values, designs, textures, colors, language and traditions in nearly every aspect of the place, from taro fields and native foliage in the landscaping, to the Olelo Room lounge, where everything is labeled in the Hawaiian language, including the chairs (noho) and the floor (papahele). Olelo's staff, including servers and bartenders, is fluent in Hawaiian and will speak to each other in the island's native tongue while sharing the language with guests. Other employees have also undergone some language and cultural training.

"Here you are in Hawaii. You will meet people who are Hawaiian. You will meet people who speak Hawaiian. I think that's cool," Rohde said.

The resort's two main towers have 359 hotel rooms, 481 time-share condo units, two main restaurants, conference rooms, an 18,000-square-foot spa, a fire pit for storytelling and a vast water play area.

Hotel rooms range from $399 a night for a 420-square-foot room to $2,449 a night for the Ahu Ulu Suite (two bedrooms, 1,910 square feet). An ocean view room runs $549 a night, which rivals prices at Hawaii's most posh resorts.

Disney would not comment on the cost of building Aulani, which has been reported at more than $800 million. But behind the scenes, the resort has not always been the happiest place on earth. Disney broke ground on the project in November 2008 during the recession and temporarily suspended sales of time-share units in July amid concerns that it underpriced annual fees, including maintenance costs for the units. The Orlando Sentinel first reported that Disney fired three executives over the financial mistake including Jim Lewis, president of Disney Vacation Club. Disney said it recalculated the annual fee and was taking deposit reservations from prospective buyers, but not executing contracts until modifications are made in the registration materials.

Besides an 8,200-square-foot pool, there is a 950-foot-long lazy river where kids can glide along in a tube through forests and caverns, a saltwater snorkel lagoon filled with tropical fish, a rock formation with lava tube slides and an aquatic jungle gym called Menehune Bridge. Pay an extra $45 to visit a water preserve where you can feed stingrays and see starfish and anemones. A portion of proceeds will be donated to conservation efforts in Hawaii.

A supervised kid's club for children ages 3 to 12 called Aunty's Beach House was inspired by Rohde's aunt's beach home in Punaluu. With the exception of a fireplace, which most Hawaiian homes don't have, it's designed to look like a traditional home, decorated with old trophies, photos and a garage filled with tools and tins. The high-tech windows are digital portals depicting scenes from around Hawaii.

Kids can watch Disney movies, play dress-up or video games, or participate in activities such as learning hula while parents play golf, hit the spa or beach or enjoy a quiet meal. Tweens and teens have a separate hangout where they can listen to music, eat frozen yogurt and surf the Internet.

The landscaping is inspired by an ahupuaa, an ancient Hawaiian land division system that extended from the mountain to the sea. Situated between the towers is a lush tropical forest that serves as a make-believe hideout for Hawaiian trolls, or menehune. Closer to the ocean, coconut trees sway in the Pacific breeze.

A canoe and maritime theme inspired by the legendary Hawaiian voyaging canoe Hokulea is found throughout Aulani, from artwork to handmade lashings on signs and structures. High arches in the architecture evoke traditional Hawaiian canoe houses.

"We return again and again to this canoe idea because of this whole sense of arrival, journey and also because the canoes are this sort of this quintessential Hawaiian art form," Rohde said.

Aulani is expected to attract many of its visitors from the West Coast and Asia. With Japanese guests in mind, time share units are equipped with rice cookers, chopsticks and a tea drawer.

Around the corner from the resort, farther up the Waianae Coast are unspoiled beaches and mountainsides, a stark contrast to the blight from the deep poverty and homelessness that has long plagued this part of Oahu. Some locals have voiced concern about preserving the area's rural character, but with an expected workforce of 1,200, Aulani is bringing in much-needed jobs.

Aulani sits on 21 acres of a larger property, the Ko Olina Resort, which also houses a golf course with waterfalls, luxury homes, a public beach park, and the J.W. Marriott Ihilani Resort and Spa. The Marriott resort houses theNFL's Pro Bowlers and for years was the biggest building in the area, but it's now dwarfed by Aulani.

Staggs said a key component of Disney's business strategy is to figure out where families like to vacation. "Our guests told us that Hawaii is one of their favorite vacation destinations," he said, "and we created Aulani in response to that feedback."

___

Online:

Aulani: http://resorts.disney.go.com/aulani-hawaii-resort/

___

Follow Jaymes Song at http://twitter.com/JaymesSong

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Patagonia's massive glaciers inspire awe, reflection

LOS GLACIARES NATIONAL PARK, Argentina (AP) — The face of Perito Moreno Glacier resembles a colossal fortress, its jagged spires of ice towering about 200 feet (60 meters) above a lake dotted with icebergs.

It is Patagonia's most-photographed glacier, yet as we stand before it I realize that images can only begin to capture its grandeur: the panorama of ice that fills our field of vision, the thunderous cracking sounds that echo from within the glacier as it slowly shifts and advances.

My wife and I have come with our two children to southern Argentina to see and experience its glaciers and mountain landscapes. We are among hundreds of visitors who stand watching from a network of raised walkways on a slope facing the glacier.

Suddenly, the cracking sound grows louder and a cascade of ice tumbles down the sheer snout of the glacier. A column the size of a 20-story building slowly begins to tip away and collapses in a giant splash about 500 yards (meters) from where we are standing.

Then other pieces break off and fall in a series lasting more than a minute, leaving a dozen new icebergs floating away.

"Woo-hoo!," my 6-year-old son shouts. "It's just like sand."

The calving glacier reminds him of sand cascading down a steep dune he had climbed a few days before on the Argentine coast.

Perito Moreno is among the most accessible large glaciers and remains relatively intact even as glaciers all over Patagonia have been retreating in the past few decades.

During that trip earlier this year, we all stood gazing at the glacier, leaning on the wooden railing and silently waiting for the next ice fall. Some people lifted cameras now and then, while others sat quietly on benches taking in the view.

Along the section of glacier that had just calved, the newly revealed wall glowed deep blue, indicating the ice had been tightly compressed during its long journey down the mountain slope.

We had heard and read that waiting for a big ice collapse could require patience, so we felt fortunate to have witnessed the spectacle within minutes of arriving. We lingered on the walkways, enjoying the cool air and seeing the glacier from different angles.

Light rain began to fall, and we retreated to a snack bar for hot chocolate.

The next day, we took a boat tour of the glaciers that border Lake Argentino.

There are dozens of glaciers in the area fed by the Southern Patagonian Ice Field, which blankets a wide swath of the Andes between Chile and Argentina. Huge quantities of meltwater flow into Lake Argentino, and then down the Santa Cruz River to the Atlantic.

We started at the port of Punta Bandera and set out aboard a catamaran carrying nearly 200 people. The wind was very cold, so we started out inside the cabin, then put on wool hats and scarves and went out on deck for a better view as we approached several icebergs glistening in the sun.

The icebergs were a gemlike radiant blue, contrasting with the charcoal-colored mountainsides behind them. The ice had been sculpted by sun and lake water into fantastic shapes topped with spikes and curves.

As we headed toward Upsala Glacier we encountered more and larger icebergs, and the boat stopped once we faced a barrier of floating ice. Some passengers posed for photos at the boat's railing with craggy masses of ice floating behind them. I wished I could get a glimpse from the air of the many icebergs floating between our boat and the glacier.

Guides announced over the loudspeaker in Spanish,English and French that Upsala Glacier could be seen in the distance. They didn't mention that it has shrunk dramatically over the past century, nor did they discuss how the glaciers have fared overall in the face of global warming. I wondered how quickly climate change might eat away at these majestic giants.

I later learned that according to a recent study by British and Swedish scientists who analyzed about 350 Patagonian glaciers, all but two of the glaciers have receded significantly since the late 1800s, and have been shrinking at a faster rate during the past three decades.

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Biking Manhattan: No getting past 9/11

A simple accident of the calendar put me in Manhattan last Sept. 11. I was there not for the memorial observance led by Vice President Joe Biden at ground zero but, because of a free weekend and a good airfare, to prove that there is a great outdoors in the heart of New York City beyond Central Park.

There would, however, be constant reminders of the date.

The weather was just as gloriously sunny as it was on that day back in 2001, and if New York was supposed to be in a solemn mood, apparently no one told all the people strolling, jogging, biking and otherwise embracing what has to be the city's greatest meteorological month.

After breakfast at the Boathouse on The Lake in Central Park, my wife and I would be joining them on rented bikes to navigate that silver lining of a bike trail that hugs the shores of Manhattan.

We took off from a bike-rental storefront just south of Central Park and picked up the bike trail at 59th Street in Hudson River Park, which stretches five miles south to Battery Park. Nothing against Central Park, but Hudson River Park deserves more notice from visitors. Though it parallels some highly trafficked streets a safe distance away, it is loaded with tree-insulated enclaves that look out onto the Hudson and New Jersey.

This gives New Yorkers some eye-pleasing, soul-soothing horizontal in their vertical lives.

The bikeway is so flat that calling it a physical challenge would be an exaggeration. We glided south along the park amid polite but significant bike traffic, stopping on occasion just because. And if you're not serving a clock, you could make a day or more of it. The diversions are many: batting cages, skating rinks, a driving range, a water park, a trapeze school.

After stopping for a $3 lemonade and a $6 crepe at a concession wagon in one of those forested niches, we pushed south toward Battery Park, first having to detour off the bike route at ground zero. On that day it still looked like any fenced construction site, except for a massive American flag hanging from a building overlooking the whole scene (site of a new memorial).

This was an odd moment. It was Sept. 11, after all. The vice president was on the other side of the fenced area, offering his words. I stopped for a few minutes, trying to imagine the worst kind of horror happening in such a beautiful place on such a beautiful day, when the best of humanity met the worst of humanity.

Ten years later, it's still a shock, and being in that spot didn't help the brain process it. It didn't seem real.

Those people who never got to go home again used to walk right where I was, and they would head over to where I was going, Battery Park, on beautiful days to relax or take a leisurely lunch.

We resumed our mission. On through Battery Park, which offers a getaway wealth of its own, with either fine dining or more street food amid fountains and gardens. Frankly, the view is better with the street food. You can have a hot dog with the Statue of Liberty. It's here that you get your first glimpse of her.

Back on our trail, we pushed around the south end of Manhattan to the Battery Maritime Building to catch the free weekend ferry to Governors Island, which is perfectly poised in New York Harbor for stunning views of the Manhattan skyline, Liberty Island and Jersey City all at once.

Half a mile off Manhattan, the island was a military installation from George Washington's time until the Coast Guard sailed away in 1996. Still there are old barracks, a maritime high school, lots of green space, plus some landmark houses left over from various commanders. It's also very bike friendly, with broad streets and paved paths and no cars to run you over. A chunk of the island is a National Historic Landmark District, and about 87 acres is now in the city's hands. New York is still making park plans for this incredible gift.

This also is where angry New Yorkers wanted the 9/11 plotters tried, rather than on Manhattan soil. Again, such a painful thing in such a beautiful place. That, however, turned out to be unnecessary.

For us, it was back over to Manhattan and northward up the bike trail. This overlooks the East River, which certainly isn't as beautiful as the Hudson but does give you a look at such icons as the Empire State Building, the Chrysler Building and the Brooklyn Bridge. You'll even see people fishing.

The trail on this side is rough in patches, and it abruptly ended in a blind dead end at 37th Street. Heading back across town to return our bikes, we cut east to First Avenue and turned north to the United Nations. From a bike seat, this globally important site seemed smaller, diminished. On a bike, you see things differently.

We continued on, heading east now on 51st Street. And the significance of this day was about to become inescapable.

Glimpsing something that looked like a church window inside the firehouse at 165 E. 51st St. in Manhattan, I hit the brakes and called to my wife. We entered the open bay door, and there, on the east wall, were 10 photos and plaques, with these words: "In the Arms of Angels"; "Midtowns Eastside Heroes"; "We Will Never Forget."

Ten guys left this tiny fire station for the World Trade Center in 2001, and they would never come back.

Suddenly, this tiny fire station seemed huge.

On 9/11, 343 firefighters and paramedics left stations like this, never to return. In just six hours and 16 miles, I had so come to appreciate where these people worked, lived and played. And even more, what they gave.

If you go

Dining on the Lake: If this is the only experience you have in Central Park, you won't regret it. In pleasant weather, the Boathouse Restaurant's deck on the water is exquisite, with food appropriate to the occasion. For brunch, get in line early if you want a good seat. 212-517-2233, thecentralparkboathouse.com

Bicycle rentals: The easiest thing to do is ask your hotel concierge to arrange for your bike to be delivered to your hotel. Beyond that, Manhattan is peppered with bike rentals. The one I used was selling off its rental bikes, however.

Chelsea Piers: It's difficult not to stop at this place. Chelsea Piers Sports & Entertainment Complex is a 28-acre sports village on the Hudson. 212-336-6777, chelseapiers.com

Governors Island: This is a great place to bike for fantastic vistas of New York Harbor. The free ferry operates from the Battery Maritime Building, 10 South St., adjacent to the Staten Island Ferry, Friday-Sunday and holiday Mondays from May 27-Sept. 25. You can take your bike. 212-440-2200, govisland.com

Museum of Jewish Heritage: The museum, not far from the 9/11 site, calls itself "a living memorial to the Holocaust." It hosts permanent and rotating exhibits, public events and educational programming, among other things. From a second-floor window, visitors have a clear sight of the Statue of Liberty. 646-437-4202, mjhnyc.org

rwerland@tribune.com

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Autopsy planned for dead Yellowstone hiker

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, Wyo.—

Rangers investigated Saturday whether a Michigan man was the victim of a grizzly attack in Yellowstone National Park or if the bear had come upon the hiker's body after he died.

The man was found Friday morning by two hikers on the Mary Mountain Trail, which runs northeast of the park's iconic Old Faithful geyser. Investigators found grizzly bear tracks and scat near the man, but were not immediately sure whether the grizzly caused the man's death or disturbed his body after he died.

"Bears are opportunistic when it comes to food sources," Yellowstone spokesman Al Nash said.

"It's very clear that there was a bear around the man's body. What we don't know is whether this was a bear attack, or whether the bear came upon this man's body after he died."

Authorities say the man likely died Wednesday or Thursday. Park officials did not plan to name the hiker -- a man in his 60s from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan -- until Sunday, pending family notification.

His death comes after a female bear attacked and killed a 57-year-old California man on the popular Wapiti Lake Trail, miles away from where the Michigan man was discovered Friday.

The female bear that killed the California man was not killed because officials said the sow was only defending its cubs and had not threatened humans before.

An autopsy is planned for the Michigan man in Montana, outside the park.

An aerial search of the area Saturday turned up no bear activity. Nash said that park rangers and wildlife biologists were combing the area on foot.

"They are reviewing and investigating the scene to see if they can find any clues about what happened," Nash said.

Yellowstone Superintendent Dan Wenk said that the hiker was found with a snack bar in his closed backpack, but that it appears the grizzly did not try to get at the food.

Mary Mountain is a 21-mile-long backcountry trail in the central area of the park. It's closed from March to June because park managers list it as "high-density grizzly bear habitat."

Mary Mountain was closed after the man was discovered, along with the Cygnet Lakes Trail and a section of the Hayden Valley west of the Grand Loop Road.

Nash said that the Michigan hiker was staying in the park, but not camping off the Mary Mountain Trail. The man was not carrying bear pepper spray, which is advised for hikers in the area, Nash said.

AP-WF-08-28-11 0450GMT

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Airlines abandon Northeast, N.Y. closes subways

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. airlines cancelled more than 10,000 flights due to Hurricane Irene by late Saturday, while New York and other eastern cities initiated sweeping storm-related shutdowns of rail and mass transit systems.

Tens of millions of air travellers, train passengers and subway and bus riders scrambled to adjust their routines, work commutes and vacations as transportation networks gradually scaled back operations.

Coordinated transportation-related closures or slowdowns, often seen during winter storms in the Northeast, were mostly announced on Friday to try to give travellers enough time to adjust and ensure they stay away from Irene's fury.

They were left to contemplate transportation service cuts lasting into Monday and possibly longer, depending on how hard Irene hits the Northeast on Sunday.

New York's subway system, which carries 7 million riders daily and operates the largest fleet in the world, had never closed due to weather.

"There is no mass transit available," said New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, advising New Yorkers in evacuation zones who had not yet left where they could board special buses headed for safer locations. "The airports are basically all closed."

He said it was unlikely that subway and other mass transit operations would be up and running by Monday morning's commute.

Airlines cancelled more than 10,000 flights from Friday through Monday, according to the online flight tracking service Flightaware.com.

The Northeast is the most congested area of U.S. air space and the three New York-area airports -- John F. Kennedy and LaGuardia airports in New York and Newark airport in New Jersey -- bore the brunt of East Coast cancellations.

The three facilities handle about 6,000 flights on an average weekend day, and nearly 100 million domestic and international passengers annually. Disruptions in the region were felt across the country and overseas.

The New York-area airports closed at 5 p.m. BST for arrivals and the last departures occurred in the early evening. Those airports were effectively closed and service would not resume until post-storm conditions were assessed, officials said.

The virtually empty rain- and wind-swept tarmac at Reagan National in Washington handled sparse Saturday traffic, usually the lightest day of the week. The nation's capital was not expecting a head-on hit from the storm.

Posted schedules showed flights only heading west to Detroit, Milwaukee and other cities. Reagan National, Washington Dulles, and Baltimore-Washington airports all planned to stay open through the storm even though airlines were halting service.

Philadelphia International Airport closed until late Sunday afternoon at the earliest, a spokeswoman said. Airlines pulled out of there as well.

Airports have backup generators that are usually reserved for maintaining power at air traffic towers and for public safety. But expectations were that Washington airports would be back in operation quickly.

"If it goes through and is all over by late (Sunday) morning or early afternoon, things should get back on track," said Tara Hamilton, spokeswoman for Reagan National and Washington Dulles.

As at New York airports, airlines moved jetliners to safer areas like Chicago and other Midwest airports.

"We are not keeping any aircraft in Irene's path," said Andrea Huguely, a spokeswoman for American Airlines, a unit of AMR Corp.

Other carriers heavily affected include US Airways, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines.

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Big flavors in a Big Ten town

A driving trip across southern Indiana and its rolling hills, forests, limestone bluffs and quaint small towns doesn't mean you need to banish your hunger with fast food or bland diner fare. You can, indeed, feed your inner foodie.

All it takes is a stop in Bloomington, population 80,000, but home to the 40,000-student Indiana University, whose presence has had the collateral advantage of inspiring or sustaining a virtual United Nations of ethnic and otherwise eclectic dining options. You can find Tibetan, Indian, Turkish, Ethiopian, Korean and Burmese along with the more predictable Chinese, Mexican, Japanese, Thai and Italian. Especially memorable among the ethnic offerings are Anyetsang's Little Tibet (anyetsangs.com, 812-331-0122), Anatolia (restaurantanatolia.com, 812-334-2991) for Turkish fare and Shanti (812-333-0303) for Indian specialties.

Among the nonethnic offerings, one of my favorites is FARMbloomington (farm-bloomington.com, 812-323-0002), opened in 2008, where internationally trained chef and owner Daniel Orr infuses his restaurant with a passion for local food and flavors.

The dinner menu, with entree prices in the $25 range, includes options such as Maplewood Farm baby back ribs and Gunthorp Farm double thick bone-in pork chop. There's also roasted chicken, broiled trout, jerk salmon, pasta and vegetarian plates. Several burgers are on the menu as well as the gourmet pizzas known as FARMpies ($13.50), including the Wild Bianca, topped with green herb pesto, ricotta, shiitake and oyster mushrooms and white truffle oil, and named for Orr's high school girlfriend.

On a recent Sunday night, I ordered redbud salad as an entree. It arrived with the petals sprinkled atop greens and asparagus spears — fresh and delicious. The blossoms, it turns out, were among the edible items that Orr had foraged from a neighbor's wooded land near his home in Columbus, Ind., about 40 miles from Bloomington.

Orr is not the only one doing the harvesting. Restaurant employees tend gardens at their homes and bring in provisions. And Orr has been known to trade meals to customers who come in with peaches from their backyard trees.

"We're not organic. We're not vegetarian. But we are a sustainable restaurant. … We support our local farmers," Orr said, ticking off a list of locals who supply pork, beef, eggs and bread. But he notes that not everything is local: "We haven't found a way to raise salmon and tuna in Indiana yet."

Some don't-miss items are the garlic fries, flavored with Parmesan, chili flakes and turmeric aioli and the Lugar burger, named for the Indiana senator and declared the best burger in Indiana in 2009 by Food Network magazine. The Lugar is made with bison meat from two southern Indiana ranches, flavored with Columbus Cowboy Espresso Chili Rub and topped with artisanal cheese.

My daughter and I shared a remarkable dessert: red berry cobbler bursting with a sweet-tart mix of raspberries, strawberries, cranberries and cherries. It was served warm with a topping made from Orr's great-grandmother's biscuit recipe and a scoop of locally made vanilla ice cream.

Around the corner and just past Bloomington's quaint downtown square from FARM is another standout: Restaurant Tallent (restauranttallent.com, 812-330-9801), probably Bloomington's most upscale restaurant.

Chef David Tallent and his wife, Kristen Tallent, are locals who studied at the Culinary Institute of America. Kristen Tallent is the general manager and pastry chef and develops the wine list, which has a nice selection in the affordable category. For the past four years, David Tallent has been a James Beard Foundation nominee for best chef in the region, and the restaurant carries a four-diamond designation from AAA.

I had my first taste of rabbit — Hoosier rabbit ($28), as a matter of fact — during a memorable meal at Restaurant Tallent. And no, rabbit doesn't taste like chicken. It does, however, taste a bit like pork, but more tender. Also on our table that night were Gulf shrimp and grits ($18), and Viking Farm's lamb ($27). Each was very good, but the lamb was definitely the standout, falling-off-the-bone tender and served over goat cheese polenta with root vegetables and a spritz of tangerine.

Desserts were notable for their combinations: ganache tart with mint whipped cream and chocolate espresso sauce ($8), carrot cake French toast with cardamom cream cheese ice cream ($9) and rhubarb galette ($10). The rhubarb dish was topped with rosewater black pepper ice cream, and it was like nothing I've ever tasted — light and creamy but with the lingering hint of pepper that mixed surprisingly well with the rosewater.

Gotta love that small-town dining.

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Airlines cancel more than 8,000 flights as Hurricane Irene hits land

NEW YORK (AP) — Travelers across the country are facing days of grief ahead as thousands of flights are being cancelled because of Hurricane Irene.

Airlines are scrapping more than 8,300 flights this weekend from North Carolina to Boston, grounding passengers as Irene sweeps up the East Coast. There were more than 3,600 cancellations on Saturday alone.

All New York City-area airports closed to arriving flights at noon on Saturday, when the city's public transportation system shut down. The biggest airlines, United Continental Holdings Inc. and Delta Air Lines Inc., canceled thousands of flights each. Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and Washington Dulles International Airport were both open as of noon, but most flights had been cancelled.

Airlines declined to say how many passengers would be affected by the hurricane, but the numbers will likely reach into the millions. That's because so many flights, both domestic and international, make connections through major East Coast hub airports. Even passengers not flying anywhere near the East coast could be delayed for days as airlines work to get planes and crews back into position.

Train and bus service is also extremely limited. Greyhound has suspended service between Richmond, Va. and Boston. Amtrak is reducing its Northeast schedule Saturday and cancelling all trains from Washington to Boston Sunday. It wasn't immediately clear how many passengers were affected by the cancellations.

Hurricane-force winds first arrived near Jacksonville, North Carolina, at dawn. A little more than an hour later, the storm's center passed near the southern tip of North Carolina's Outer Banks.

The last time the airlines were hit with a huge natural disaster was this winter, when they cancelled thousands of flights ahead of a pair of massive snowstorms. Both storms in December and February led to more than 10,000 cancellations over several days and left many stranded at airports.

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Samantha Bomkamp can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/samwilltravel

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President Obama Offends Travel Agents

President Obama has now ruffled the feathers of the travel agent community, implying that they are now obsolete, taken over by on line travel sites. At a town hall meeting in Atkinson, IL, the President stated:

"One of the challenges in terms of rebuilding our economy is businesses have gotten so efficient that--when was the last time somebody went to a bank teller instead of using the ATM, or used a travel agent instead of just going online? A lot of jobs that used to be out there requiring people now have become automated."

The American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA), fired back with a letter to the White House, reporting that the U.S. travel agency industry "is comprised of nearly 10,000 U.S.-based travel agency firms operating in 15,000 locations. We have an annual payroll of $6.3 billion. Most importantly, our businesses produce full-time employment for more than 120,000 U.S. taxpayers."

That workforce is fairly large these days, particularly considering the many people unemployed and maybe wish they had one of those 120,000 jobs. Yes, it is true that on line travel sites have changed the way people around the world make airline, car, hotel, and cruise reservations. Travel agents have had to make major adjustments to stay in business, and stay viable in the travel world.

Many travel agencies have closed their doors with the constant changes, but those who have stayed are changing with the times and offer a valuable service to their clients. Remember, ASTA's motto, "Without a travel agent, you're on your own."

As a travel agent, what is your reaction to the President's remarks?

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Nation's biggest subway system, arriving NYC-area flights, Broadway halt for Hurricane Irene

NEW YORK (AP) — The nation's largest subway system and arriving flights at the five main New York City-area airports were to be halted at noon Saturday as Hurricane Irene spun its way up the Eastern Seaboard, forcing more than 300,000 evacuations and dimming lights at Citi Field and on Broadway.

All Broadway musicals and plays were canceled for Saturday and Sunday, as well as "Zarkana" by Cirque du Soleil at Radio City Music Hall and Lincoln Center Theater's "War Horse." It's the first time Broadway has shut down for an emergency since the blackout in 2003.

Bridges and tunnels also could be closed as the storm approaches, possibly clogging traffic in an already congested city. Taxis in New York City were to switch from metered fares to zone fares, meaning riders would be charged by which part of the city they were being driven to, rather than how far they were being taken.

But by Saturday morning, many New Yorkers appeared to have heeded the warnings about the approaching storm. Bridges and streets were nearly empty, with few people walking or driving. With the shutdown deadline looming, most cars on a train on the No. 1 subway line that runs the length of Manhattan's West Side were empty already in the early morning.

On Wall Street, sandbags were placed around subway grates nearest the East River, which is expected to surge as the hurricane nears New York.

The five main New York City-area airports were scheduled to close at noon Saturday for arriving domestic and international flights. Three of them, Kennedy, LaGuardia and Newark Liberty, are among the nation's busiest.

At Kennedy airport Friday night, travelers rushed to make some of the last flights leaving before the hurricane was expected to hit. Some terminal entrances were already closed ahead of Saturday's shutdown. Passengers waiting in line for security checks were led between terminals on ramps closed to vehicles as security agents tried to get the passengers through on time.

Officials hoped most residents would stay with family and friends, and for the rest the city opened nearly 100 shelters with a capacity of 71,000 people.

Irene was expected to make landfall in North Carolina on Saturday, then roll up the Interstate 95 corridor reaching New York on Sunday. A hurricane warning was issued for the city Friday afternoon, the first time that's happened since Gloria in 1985.

If the storm stays on its current path, skyscraper windows could shatter, tree limbs would fall and debris would be tossed around. Streets in the southern tip of the city could be under a few feet of water, and police readied rescue boats but said they wouldn't go out if conditions were poor.

Several New York landmarks were under the evacuation order, including the Battery Park City area, where tourists catch ferries to the Statue of Liberty. Construction was stopping throughout the city, and workers at the World Trade Center site were dismantling a crane and securing equipment. Bloomberg said there would be no effect on the Sept. 11 memorial opening the day after the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attacks.

But sporting events, concerts and even Broadway were going dark.

Bloomberg weathered criticism after a Dec. 26 storm dumped nearly two feet of snow that seemed to catch officials by surprise. Subway trains, buses and ambulances got stuck in the snow, some for hours, and streets were impassable for days. Bloomberg ultimately called it an "inadequate and unacceptable" response.

This time officials weren't taking any chances. Transit officials said they can't run once sustained winds reach 39 mph, and they need eight hours to move trains and equipment to safety.

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5 things to do when a big storm threatens to delay or cancel your flight

The Associated Press

12:39 p.m. CDT, August 27, 2011

When a big storm threatens to delay or cancel your flight, here are some tips:

1. CHECK YOUR STATUS

To avoid getting stranded at the airport, check your flight status early and often. Check at least once on the day you're flying and again before heading to the airport. If you need to rebook, do it online. Hold times to speak with airline agents could be hours long.

2. PREPARE

Once you're ready to head to the airport, come prepared. Write down your flight number and departure time. Do the same for similar flights. This will make things easier if the airline lets you change your flight for free and you need to rebook with an agent.

3. WORK ALL THE ANGLES

If you're already at the airport when your flight is canceled, it's time for double duty. Walk over to customer service. While in line, dial the customer service number. You'll probably reach someone on the phone before getting to the front of the line. Want a third option? Try Twitter. Some airlines have already begun to help stranded passengers over the social media site.

4. BE CAREFUL ABOUT CHANGES

If you push back your flight, be sure about your new plans before you lock them in. Otherwise, you'll be out $150. Many airlines only waive change fees once in bad weather.

5. VOUCHER OR CASH

If you cancel your booking altogether, the airline might offer you a voucher for a future flight. But you can ask for cash instead.

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Spring Green, then and now

In September 1984, my boyfriend and I set off by car in a steady, cool rain for a long weekend in Spring Green, Wis. It was our first trip together.

Was I anxious about how well my fledgling relationship with co-worker Howard Reich would withstand the inevitable tensions of a trip? Probably, but I don't remember that now. I only know that the memories we made in Spring Green would amuse us for years to come.

So in June, when our 25th wedding anniversary came into sight, we decided to retake that trip and find out what had changed about Spring Green — and us — in the intervening years.

Why Spring Green in the first place? It has three major attractions: American Players Theatre, an outdoor company; The House on the Rock, a well-known curiosity; and Taliesin, the Frank Lloyd Wright estate. The town's proximity to Chicago, a three- to four-hour drive, and its modest cost also made it a good choice for two young people.

This time we set off on a sweltering mid-July day for Spring Green redux.

Lodging

Now: We found our hotel, the Round Barn Lodge, with little difficulty in the sparsely populated town. The lodge, as its name suggests, is built around what had been a circular dairy barn. Our room was spacious and comfortable, if not luxurious.

Then: When we opened the door to our room at one of the motels in town (we can't remember which one), we found a swarm of flies. Any other aspects of the room have been obliterated in my memory by the vision of my future husband enthusiastically flattening any insects he could corner.

Tips: The area has an array of motels, inns, bed-and-breakfasts and hotels. Call two or more months in advance to reserve a room. Lodging information: Spring Green Area Chamber of Commerce, 800-588-2042 or 608-588-2054; springgreen.com, click on "lodging."

Taliesin

Now: Taliesin, which is celebrating its centennial this year, is the home on the 600-acre estate where Wright lived for more than 45 of his 91 years. Several other buildings are on the estate, including the Hillside Home School, the summer location of the Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture (it winters in Arizona).

Several tours are available; we chose the Highlights Tour, which lasts two hours and covers the school building and private residence. We boarded a shuttle bus at the visitor center and listened as our informative guide, Kyle Adams, spoke about Wright's life and work.

The private residence proved especially enchanting, its beautiful furniture, fixtures and delicate Asian art objects pleasing the eye as much as the spectacular views to be seen from every window.

Then: We were unable to see much of Taliesin on our first visit; the tour program was in its infancy then.

Tips: Tours began April 28 and run through Oct. 31 this year, and it's best to reserve one. Most of the buildings' rooms are not air-conditioned or well heated. A series of cultural events is being held to celebrate the centennial, including a performance Sept. 23 by the Chicago-based Third Coast Percussion music ensemble. Tour and event information: 877-588-7900, taliesinpreservation.org

The House on the Rock

Now: The "house" — really a complex of 17 buildings — defies description. It is part museum, part theme park and part monument to its creator, Alex Jordan Jr., an eccentric man who died in 1989 at age 75. He started out to build a weekend retreat at the top of a tall rock column and ended up creating what at one time was the most popular tourist attraction in the state (it currently has nearly 400,000 visitors a year, according to its website).

Think of a collection you have seen in other museums, and it is here. Dolls and dollhouses? Check. Antique guns? Check. Circus, aviation and maritime artifacts? Yes, all of those and more. But those collections alone don't make this place unique.

What does? Exhibits dreamed up and built by Jordan and his staff that are somewhere between wondrous and horror-movie-worthy: a roomful of organs of every shape and size; arguably the largest carousel in the world (according to the House), studded with more than 20,000 lights and 269 handcrafted carousel animals; and a series of ever-larger music-making contraptions and rooms packed with instruments that play themselves, sometimes with animatronic human figures built in.

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