THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, November 6, 1994 TAG: 9411040112
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: STEPHEN HARRIMAN
LENGTH: Long : 145 lines
BLESS THIS food . . . . The Jamestown Settlement has a ``Foods and Feasts in 17th-Century Virginia'' program planned for Nov. 24-26. Although there was no ``Thanksgiving'' tradition at early Jamestown, the settlers were very thankful for every morsel they had.
Many in that original bunch of FFVs who came here with Capt. John Smith starved to death. Smith regarded the lot of them as pretty worthless - many were ``gentlemen'' unaccustomed to manual labor - and he issued an order: Those who don't work don't eat.
What the first settlers did eat came mostly from Powhatan Indians, whose benevolence waned as the hapless settlers became more and more intrusive. By 1622 the natives were restless enough to kill as many of the English as they could. But that's another story.
Costumed interpreters will roast game birds, venison and fish over open fires and stew vegetables in clay pots in the Powhatan village. Health regulations preclude the consumption of this food by visitors, but, if your appetite is whetted, the Settlement Cafe will be serving a traditional Thanksgiving meal throughout the three-day event.
Lots of other period stuff is planned, including daily militia exercises.
Admission to Jamestown Settlement - that's the state-administered site that has the triangular fort, the three ships and an excellent museum - is $7.50 for adults, $1.75 for children 6 to 12. Info: (804) 229-1607. GREAT GOLF
Within a day's drive are four of the 17 resorts cited by Golf Magazine in its November issue as ``Gold Medal Resorts'': The Greenbrier, The Homestead, Pinehurst Resort & Country Club and Williamsburg Inn/Golden Horseshoe. ``Silver Medal'' winners include Kingsmill and Wintergreen. IT GETS BETTER WITH AGE
Here are a couple of holiday deals . . . if you're heading west. Hotel Vintage Plaza in Portland, Ore., is offering a pay-the-year-you-were-born room rate, Nov. 24 to 27, Dec. 23 to 30 and Jan. 1 to 5. If you were born in 1945, you pay $45 per night ($20 for each additional person). Info: (800) 243-0555.
Also, Hotel Vintage Park in Seattle offers its ``Holiday at the Park'' package through Dec. 30. For $250 per night, families get two deluxe rooms, a nanny for four hours, dinner for two in the hotel's Tulio Ristorante, pizza delivered to the children and fresh-baked cookies at turndown. Info: (800) 624-4433. BUDGET DEAL
Icelandair has introduced a Two-for-One program. Buy a full-fare round-trip SAGA (business class) ticket to Europe and earn enough bonus miles to get a second ticket free. Use it later or take someone with you. Info: a local travel professional or (800) 757-SAGA. ISLAND FANTASIES
Ten great ``fantasy island vacations for families,'' as recommended by Child magazine in its October issue: 1. U.S. Virgin Islands; 2. Hawaii; 3. Barbados; 4. Aruba; 5. St. Martin/St. Maarten; 6. Anguilla; 7. Jamaica; 8. Nevis; 9. Puerto Rico; 10. The Bahamas.
The British Virgin Islands tops a list of most popular charter-boat destinations compiled by the Boat Owners Association of the United States. The rest of the Top 10, in order, were the Bahamas, Florida Keys, St. Maarten/St. Lucia, Tahiti, Chesapeake Bay, Greek islands, Australia, Pacific Northwest and Turkey. MOON OVER VEGAS
A Pennsylvania woman has won a trip for two to Las Vegas in a nationwide contest that sought the funniest reason for visiting the gambling capital. Joyce Raffensberger of Harrisburg, Pa., replied, ``I want to visit Las Vegas because I've been married 36 years and still like to see my husband lose his pants.'' The contest was judged by humorist Dave Barry and sponsored by the ``1994 Casino/Resort Fun Book and Guide.'' WHERE ARE WE GOING?
An informal poll of U.S. Tour Operators Association members showed that Europe was the No. 1 destination for U.S. travelers booking vacation packages and tours, with Italy the top country. The survey also showed that Turkey was increasingly popular, as were China and Southeast Asia, particularly Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia. The USTOA's members book more than half the tours and vacation packages sold in the United States. TAX TIP
If you dine at the United Nations coffee shop, you won't pay New York City's 8.25 percent tax on food. The U.N. is considered international territory. CUBA, BY HOOK OR CROOK
While the United States and Cuba wrestle over politics and immigration policy, a Canadian tour company has decided the time is right to promote its Cuban tours to Americans. Toronto-based Wings of the World Travel is offering 10- and 12-day tours of Cuba departing from Nassau, the Bahamas or Cancun, Mexico.
Technically, it is not against U.S. law for U.S. citizens to visit Cuba; they just are forbidden from spending money there.
``Because our tours are fully hosted and totally prepaid, participants neither exchange nor spend money while they are in Cuba,'' company destination specialist Larry Ross reported.
The tours include Havana, two days in the colonial city of Trinidad, Cuatro Palmas resort, a stop in Cienfuegos and a visit to a crocodile farm. Cost for the trips starts at $2,495, excluding air fare from the United States to Nassau or Cancun. Departures are scheduled for this Friday, Dec. 9 and Dec. 28. Info: (800) 465-8687. VEGAS BY RAIL
Casino-hopping in Las Vegas will get easier with a $25-million monorail being built between the MGM Grand Hotel, Casino & Theme Park and Bally's Las Vegas.
The two big casinos have broken ground for the mile-long monorail, scheduled for completion in July, that will carry two six-car trains. It may be the best way to avoid all the porno literature that is distributed along the Strip and litters the sidewalks and gutters. IF I HAD A HAMMER
Escape to Belize, but bring your hammer on a 15-day cultural immersion and development assistance program beginning Jan. 6.
Participants have the opportunity to learn about the indigenous culture of Pueblo Viejo, a small village in the Maya Mountains, while helping the residents build a house for the village nurse.
Volunteers gather information for future teams and help establish a relationship with the villagers. A background in health care or carpentry is welcome but not required. Weekends are free to tour Belize.
Cost: $1,000 per person, double occupancy, including pretrip training materials, accommodations and meals. Not included: air fare to Belize City. Info: Global Citizens Network, 1931 Iglehart Ave., St. Paul, Minn. 55104; (800) 644-9292. NUMBER, PLEASE
British phone numbers dialed from overseas now have an extra ``1'' in front of the city code. Calling Britain requires 011, the international access code; 44, the country code for Britain, and a city code, all followed by the phone number you're trying to reach. The change means that the city code becomes a three-digit or four-digit code (it varies depending on city), with 1 as the first digit.
For example, to call a number in Manchester, England, you dial 011-44-161, plus the local phone number. Previously, the city code was 61. The change applies to England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Callers who fail to use the extra 1 can get through only until April 15. MEMO: Travel-wise is compiled from wire-service reports, news releases, trade
journals, books, magazines and the deepest recesses of the writer's
mind. Send comments and questions to Travel-wise, The
Virginian-Pilot/The Ledger-Star, P.O. Box 449, Norfolk, Va. 23501-0449. by CNB