Paying for your train ticket

Italian Railways no longer accept foreign Visa cards. This was a big shock and meant we had to eat at more expensive restaurants which took Visa, to eke out our cash in train fares. There has been a 50% increase in train fares since the 1993 guide was published. We found it impossible to use credit cards in phones anywhere. However, toll-free reverse-charge calls are simple to make from anywhere and we were impressed by the sheer number of public phones. Our cell phones were not set up for global roaming, because we were afraid of the high cost.

Fear of Flying

All the more incredible, then, when in my Lufthansa in-flight magazine I spotted an advertisement for airline seats. "Yesterday at 30,000 feet between Hong Kong and Frankfurt, tomorrow in you home or office". That's right, for the very reasonable price of 1200 Deutschmarks (about $600), you can have your very own row of three (economy-class) airline seats to take home! And that's not even including lifejackets.The fact the Lufthansa even considers their seats to have a resale value shows that that pre-war concept of airplane chic somehow remains with us. Back in the 1930s, when flying was the preserve of the rich and the foolhardy, airplanes modeled themselves on luxury trains. There were separate dining areas, cocktail lounges ? even bedrooms. Today, unless they take the corporate Learjet, not even the toppest top executive can hope for such treatment, while for those untouchables flying economy class such as you and me flying is an experience which, if it was imposed on prisoners, would be declared unconstitutional as being a cruel and unusual punishment.

Still, no point in complaining. Check out these dirt cheap airline tickets and at least you won't be paying very much for your ticket.

Daniel Spoerri's Garden

The Giardino di Daniel Spoerri is situated in southern Tuscany on the slopes of Monte Amiata. Opened to the public only two years ago, the sculpture and installation park founded by the Romanian artist Spoerri is in continual evolution. Scattered throughout the 16-hectare property are artworks by such illustrious contemporary artists as Alphonse Huppi, Juliane Kuhn, Birgitte Neumann and Ester Seidel, in perfect harmony with the landscape and the perfect garden lighting. Eleven new installations by internationally-known artists have recently been added to the 52 permanent pieces, and a new restaurant serving local dishes and gourmet coffee has just opened in a restored farmhouse on the property.