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Rundown for the Week of November 14, 2003

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Europe in Winter Let's face it, winter is upon us -- and we're embracing the season, touring some of the great cities of Europe to enjoy what they have to offer this time of year. Europe can be very cozy in the winter. So, grab a tuxedo and waltz your tail-feather off in Vienna, and revel in Amsterdam's warming "brown cafes." We'll even help you get to Europe on the cheap. Waltzing onto a Dance Floor in Vienna by Martin Stott Listen in RealAudio British reporter Martin Stott went to Austria a few years ago to try out one of the great Viennese pastimes: the winter ball season. December is the beginning of the traditional Viennese waltz ball season, a celebration of Old World elegance and a chance for even a tourist to experience a Cinderella-type evening. Web resource: More stories by Martin Stott photo: R. Gagliano   Slideshow Looking Past the Rain to the Warmth in Amsterdam by Rico Gagliano Listen in RealAudio Winter in Amsterdam is characterized by rain constantly spitting down, drenching everything in its path. But if you're like reporter Rico Gagliano, when you're in Amsterdam, you see more than just wet, cold, gray days: you find people that can generate their own warmth in a million little ways. Web resources www.fabulousfoods.com: A recipe for, and photographs of, the doughnut-like oliebollen www.zeedijk.nl: A bit about the brown cafe "In 't Aepjen," the centuries-old building it inhabits, and how it got its name www.thingstodo-amsterdam.com: A decent (but partial) list of Amsterdam's brown cafes www.chanteycabin.co.uk: Ken & Jan -- proprietors of the UK's "Chantey Cabin" -- have the answers to all your questions about maritime folk music goeurope.about.com: Average preciptation and temperature in Amsterdam, by month More stories by Rico Gagliano photo: courtesy Arlene Burns Adventure-Travel Destinations in Winter a chat with Arlene Burns Listen in RealAudio We're going to help you escape the coming winter and dive into some adventure travel. And, we have the right guide for you: Self-proclaimed freelance free spirit Arlene Burns talks to host Diana Nyad about some of her favorite winter adventure-travel destinations. Since the early 80's, Arlene has been in perpetual motion exploring the hidden niches of the Himalayas, the South Pacific, Southeast Asia, Eastern Africa, North/Central/South America, Mongolia and Russia. Suggested adventures www.velawindsurf.com/baja/: Windsuring in Baja California www.fences.com/s_chile/pumalin.html: Forrests in Chile www.exchile.com/guideplaces.html: Other places to visit in Chilean Patagonia www.emagazine.com: article - "After Founding Esprit and North Face, Doug Tompkins Dresses Up an 800,000-Acre Park" www.handspan.com: Adventure travel in Vietnam Europe Winter Deals Listen in RealAudio While most people think about taking a European vacation in the summertime, it's always cheaper in the off-season. So, are you in the mood for a winter trip to Europe? Our dealmeister Rudy Maxa will help get you there.

Web resources: Check out all the details of Rudy's European deals

photo: K. Markham

A Personal Tour of Budapest with Hungarian actress Erika Marozsan Listen in RealAudio Many of Americans haven't gotten to really know Budapest. Host Diana Nyad talks with Hungarian actress Erika Marozsan, the star of the new film "Gloomy Sunday," which was shot in her hometown of Budapest. Erika gives us a tour of the city, one that is a mixture of cultures and people, and a meeting point between East and West.

Web resource: www.rottentomatoes.com: Extensive list of reviews for "Gloomy Sunday"

photo: S. Jessup  Slideshow

Braving Volcán Concepción by Sioux-z Jessup Listen in RealAudio Sioux-z Jessup is what we call a "get-up-and-go type" -- if getting up and going means climbing an active volcano in Nicaragua. Volcán Concepción towers nearly a mile above Isla de Ometepe, an island in the middle of Nicaragua's largest fresh water lake. Against many of the locals' wishes, Sioux-z endured aggressive vampire bats, bees the size of her fist and deafening, wallop-packing wind to make the brutal climb. So, was it worth the effort?

Web resources www.centralamerica.com: Area fact sheet and boat schedules for Volcán Concepción travel.state.gov/nicaragua.html: U.S. State Department Consular Information Sheet

Bad Taste Tour Barbed Wire Museum Listen in RealAudio Whenever our intrepid reporter, Cash Peters, takes us on one of his infamous "Bad Taste Tours," it's pretty cut and dry. The Parisian Sewer Tour? Bad Taste. The Red Light District of Amsterdam? A no-brainer. But every so often, Cash stumbles upon a place that's difficult to decide if it's tacky and disturbing -- or if it's just plain weird. Cash takes us on a trip to the Barbed Wire Museum in Lacrosse, Kansas.

Web resource: "Barbed Wire Museum" originally aired on September 8, 2000

Sound Travels Notre Dame de Paris, France Listen in RealAudio Sound Travels, where we listen to a simple sound and travel the world, takes us inside the cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris. The voices, footsteps and people whispering and praying all echo along the stone walls and the high arched ceilings. The sounds merge and become a roaring white noise that pulses and breathes and seems almost alive. Scott Carrier was there with mic in hand when a choir began to sing.

Web resource: More "Sound Travels"

Deal of the Week Think Warm in Hawaii Listen in RealAudio Since the fall air is getting a bit chilly, our dealmeister Rudy Maxa says it's time to begin thinking warm. Good thing tour company Pleasant Holidays has some hot, rock-bottom deals on airfare and airfare/hotel packages. Click here for details and link information