The Korea Herald

Alamo’s mythic past lives comfortably with San Antonio’s lively present

Nov 21, 2014

SAN ANTONIO ― The most famous building in Texas is smaller than you expect, and it’s about as pretty as your average California mission. In fact, it was once a mission, though these days it stands across the street from an unholy row of Ripley’s and Guinness tourist operations. You can cover it in about two hours.Yes, it’s the Alamo. And yes, it’s worth remembering ― and maybe some rethinking too.This is where William Travis, David “Davy” Crockett, Jim Bowie and about 200 other rebels died fight
Arts and culture to be highlighted in German tourism

Nov 21, 2014

The German National Tourist Office announced that next year it will shine a spotlight on German Renaissance painter Lucas Cranach the Younger as the year 2015 marks the 500th anniversary of his birth. Germany is one of the most-visited cultural destinations for European tourists. The celebration of the Renaissance painter will present portraits of religious reformers including Martin Luther, Katherine Von Bora and Philip Melancthon.(wylee@heraldcorp.com)
JetBlue to add bag fees on cheapest tickets

Nov 21, 2014

JetBlue will add bag fees and squeeze seats a bit closer together as it tries to boost profit.The airline said that it will create three ticket classes beginning in the first half of 2015, and only the top two will include at least one free checked bag.Other big airlines have added fees for checked bags since 2008, when they needed to cover rising fuel costs. In the first six months of this year, U.S. airlines raised $1.7 billion from bag fees. JetBlue’s decision will leave Southwest as the only
‘Stamp Tour’ around South Jeolla Province

Nov 21, 2014

South Jeolla Province will offer gift vouchers and accommodation in a five-star hotel for travelers who visit the province’s tourist attractions and spend more than one night in the province. Interested tourists should collect a stamp from each destination, take a photo and upload it onto www.namdokorea.com with reviews. The event runs from Dec. 1 to Feb. 1, 2015. The province will also operate a shuttle bus for travelers that stops at tourist spots, including Suncheonman Bay, historical spots a
Perfect day in Carmel: Beach picnics, wine walks and sunset concerts

Nov 14, 2014

Many travelers use Carmel-by-the-Sea as a base for exploring the greater area, taking in such nearby attractions as the always-fascinating Monterey Bay Aquarium and picturesque Point Lobos.I get that. Yet I also understand why someone might never want to leave once they set foot in this lovely European-style village. It offers just about everything one could want, from sandy beaches and gorgeous scenery to first-rate accommodations, restaurants and all kinds of recreational activities.It would b
In Norway, cool experiences trump luxury

Nov 14, 2014

Big box, luxury vacations got you down? If the thought of whiling away another uninspired vacation under an umbrella is less than motivating, you may need to rethink your travel strategy. So what to do? Consider recharging through adventure rather than sloth. Add a dose of adversity, which provides for the possibility of personal growth. But by all means, add levity. After all, this is supposed to be me-time.Here, a trio of offbeat Norwegian hotels where the experience goes beyond 400-count line
Visit NYC after holidays too: Tourism agency

Nov 14, 2014

New York (AP) ― New York City’s tourism agency wants to lure visitors between January and March by reminding them that there are great deals on theater tickets, restaurants and hotels.NYC & Co. President Fred Dixon says winter is “an ideal time to experience New York City at a more affordable price.”Promotions include Restaurant Week from Feb. 16 to March 6. A three-course dinner at participating restaurants will be $38 plus drinks, tax and tip.Tickets will be two-for-one during Broadway Week fr
Saint-Tropez hopes to draw Asian tourists

Nov 14, 2014

Saint-Tropez, a popular luxury vacation destination for Hollywood celebrities, hopes to see more Asian tourists following a promotional event in Seoul on Tuesday. The world-popular high-end vacation town with a population of just 5,000 draws more than 6 million tourists from 85 countries around the world each year. It became popular after French actress Brigitte Bardot acted in a movie there in the 1950s. The vacation spot for Western tourists expects to attract more Korean tourists as direct fl
Fest celebrates kimchi-making

Nov 10, 2014

For Koreans, kimchi-making is the annual family or neighborhood ritual that prepares them to get through the long winter with nutritional kimchi. This year, this custom called “gimjang” will be celebrated in a big way in bustling spots across Seoul such as Gwanghwamun, Cheonggye Plaza and Seoul Plaza. The 2014 Seoul Kimchi Making and Sharing Festival will run from Friday to Sunday with a variety of events related to kimchi. The festival invites citizens and tourists to taste different kinds of k
Holy city’s history gets lost in age of iPhone

Nov 7, 2014

EPHESUS, Turkey ― This is one of the best preserved, loveliest and most historically significant Greco-Roman ruins in the world.It also is a key religious spot, believed to be where the apostles Paul and John and Jesus’ mother Mary all lived or spent time, and where the Gospel of John was written.But in the age of the iPhone, all that seems like trifling history.In the age of the iPhone, what seems to be the point of visiting here is taking pictures of yourself to post on Instagram to prove you
Fiji: Where you find family you didn’t know you had

Nov 7, 2014

SAVUSAVU, Fiji ― As the departing guests gathered under the coconut palms to wait for the airport shuttle, Jane began to sniffle and tears ran down her cheeks.The rest of us, startled, exchanged looks. Knowing her, a once-upon-a-time debutante with manners to match, we thought she’d been put off by Koro Sun Resort, the most family-friendly ― and the noisiest ― of the three beach resorts we’d visited in Fiji, southwest of Samoa in the tropical South Pacific.“I hate to leave,” she said, mopping he
Lotte Water Park offers spa package deal

Nov 7, 2014

Lotte Water Park in Gimhae, South Gyeongsang Province, is offering an 80,000 won spa package, which includes 10 admission tickets to the water park and half-price discount coupons on life vest rentals. With the tickets, visitors have access to the jjimjilbang, a Korean-style public sauna with various facilities designed according to different themes. The jjimjilbang is one of the largest in the country with an area of 3,140 square meters. It can accommodate about 1,000 people. The water park als
Tourists’ safety fears: pickpockets, N.K., car accidents

Nov 7, 2014

The three biggest safety concerns for foreign tourists traveling to Korea were pickpockets, the North Korean threat and car accidents, according to a recent survey of foreign tourists by the Korea Tourism Organization.Thirty-five percent of 704 foreign respondents said they were concerned about pickpocketing, 17 percent said they were worried about the North Korean threat and another 17 percent said they were concerned about accidents involving public transportation. The answers were given befor
Free and unfettered

Oct 31, 2014

Mt. Soyosan stands between Great Master Wonhyo’s hermitage and Camp Casey of U.S. Forces Korea
Old, neglected neighborhood gets artistic touch

Oct 31, 2014

Arario CEO displays lifetime collection in deserted old buildings on Jejudo Island