World Tourism Blog

When Joel Simon was a kid, he and his brother began snorkeling around the pilings in murky Alamitos Bay near Long Beach, Calif. “It was one of the most intriguing places I’d ever been,” he says rapturously, nearly 50 years later. “These old rusty cans lying in the muck underneath the dock were actually like treasure chests containing barnacles and octopus and all kinds of wonderful encrusting organisms.”

He’s never lost his love of snorkeling. Today he runs Sea for Yourself, leading trips that combine snorkeling with marine ecology in places far and away from Long Beach, from Florida to Fiji.

Snorkeling can be one of the best ways to see a tropical vacation spot and gain an appreciation of its wild side — the kind that doesn’t do karaoke at the hotel bar until all hours of the night. It’s an activity that’s easy to do, there are myriad colorful, memorable sights to see and it’s a solid way to stay in shape when the daily routine’s been put on hold.

As a way to see the ocean, snorkeling has plenty of advantages over scuba. For one, it’s easy. If you can swim, you can snorkel with very little training. Second, it’s cheap, with no need for heavy, expensive gear purchased, rented or — worse — lugged onto the airplane.

“It’s not equipment-intensive — just mask, fins and a snorkel and off you go,” says Debbie Manos, co-owner of Salt Cay Divers in the Turks and Caicos. The minimum amount of gear can be liberating. And in some cases — diving with whales, for example — the lack of bubbles allows you to get closer to your quarry than you can with scuba gear. “It’s so peaceful. You can float on top of all the sea creatures swimming below and not disturb them in their natural environment.”

For casual snorkelers it’s possible to pick up a $20 mask and snorkel at a local dive shop, ask around for good spots — and jump right in. On the laid-back Puerto Rican island of Culebra, for example, world-class snorkeling is a short hike away via public transport. From the mainland, hop a ferry to Dewey, then take a bus to Playa Flamenco; Carlos Rosario Beach is just 20 more minutes away — on foot. Swim just a few yards offshore, and you’re snorkeling among a wild selection of coral, sea fans and reef fish.

Similarly, Makaha Beach Park on the Hawaiian island of Oahu  is located just off the main highway. Park the car and jump into fantastic snorkeling. Of course, at nearly every popular Caribbean and Pacific vacation spot, plenty of resorts and outfitters are ready to arrange half-day or full-day outings to the offshore reefs.

Then there are the snorkeling spots for real diehards who plan entire vacations around their dives and seek out some of the world’s most pristine coral reefs, often in remote places. Just getting to Rurutu in French Polynesia is a bit of an adventure (it’s 350 miles south of Tahiti); but then you still have to take a boat to find migrating humpback whales. Likewise, Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, one of the world’s great snorkeling spots, lies 12 to 50 miles offshore. In some places it’s possible to snorkel from an island resort; in other cases you’ll have to travel by boat for your day’s swim.

But what’s perhaps most satisfying about recreational snorkeling is that its joys are the same for those who do it on vacation once every few years as for those who live in tropical locales year round.

When Tori Cullins, co-owner of Wild Side Specialty Tours on Oahu, moved to Hawaii, she missed the “warm furry critters” from the mainland. “We don’t even have squirrels,” says the. “I took to the water to satisfy the nature disconnect I was feeling. Reefs are more diverse than rainforests, and what land animal can compete with the beauty, intelligence and evolutionary success of dolphins and whales?”

And on top of all that, snorkeling is a great way to get exercise on an otherwise sedentary vacation. “You are preoccupied with all the beauty of the underwater world and don’t realize how much swimming you are doing,” says Manos.

Whatever your level of commitment, a good snorkeling trip requires just four things: clear water, gentle currents, abundant aquatic life and the chance to get away from the crowds. Home Security Systems.

Dictionaries typically define hostels as inexpensive lodging, usually for young travelers. But Hostelworld.com, a Web site where travelers can book a hostel stay, is trying to change that definition.

As a spokeswoman for Hostelworld.com, Aisling White has written to dictionaries in the United States and Europe asking them to redefine hostels as inexpensive lodging for people of all ages.

These days, said White, hostels are moving away from their Spartan roots. They still have communal kitchens and bathrooms. But while dormitory-style sleeping arrangements are typical, many hostels offer private rooms as well, and some even have private bathrooms with fluffy towels and hair dryers.

“They’re almost akin to a boutique hotel,” said White, speaking from Hostelworld’s headquarters in Dublin.

One of the main reasons travelers choose hostels is the price. They typically charge a fraction of what other types of lodging cost. As Jim Williams writes in his “Hostelling Handbook,” “The reality is this: suppose you have $5,000 and a lot of time — you have taken a year off school and worked for a while and are taking some time to travel. You could spend this amount in a few weeks at expensive hotels and restaurants OR you could stretch this money and travel for perhaps two years. This is where modern hostelling fits in.”

But, he adds, “You are not paying for a five-star hotel and it won’t be one.”

Hostelling is a venerable tradition in Europe, Asia, and Australia. But while Americans, especially young ones, often turn to hostels while traveling overseas, they are less accustomed to staying in them in the U.S. Here, budget travelers, long accustomed to moving around by car, think first of motels.

The more than 450 U.S. and Canadian hostels in Williams’ handbook are usually occupied by Europeans and other foreigners, not by North Americans, said Williams, who ran a hostel in New York City for 20 years.

Gradually, though, perceptions are changing. White said inquiries on Hostelworld from U.S. travelers rose 20 percent last year, which she attributes to changing amenities.

Hostels cost less than most hotels and motels. The venerable Earl’s Court Youth Hostel close to central London charges about $26 per night; a bed in a two-person dorm room with ensuite bathroom at the Columbus Circle Hostel in New York City is $38.

Hostels also tend to be sociable places. The young Australians, New Zealanders and others who travel for several months or even years at a time use hostels as a place to find jobs, make friends and learn about the area. “I don’t think you’ll ever be lonely in a hostel,” said White.

White is trying to spread the word that hostels are fine places for families and older travelers. In a survey completed in January, Hostelworld.com found that 36 percent of hostel customers were 18-24 years old; 42 percent were ages 25-34, and 9 percent were 35-44. Thirteen percent were over 45.

“Hostels are adapting,” said White. “While there is the party hostel for younger people, a lot of hostels are changing to private rooms to make sure they are accessible to every person who is trying to save money while traveling.”

Online hostel booking sites abound. Hostelworld.com is one of the largest, with 1.6 million visitors a month, according to the research firm comScore. Other top hostel-booking sites, according to comScore, include HostelBookers.com, which advertises no booking fees; HostelsClub.com, which requires a $2.50 fee for each booking and a nonrefundable 10 percent deposit in advance; and Hostels.com, which has a $2 booking fee and 10 percent nonrefundable deposit. Hostelworld charges a $2 fee, but after you make three bookings, you don’t have to pay fees again.

The Hostelworld.com site includes suggested itineraries, mini-tour guides to 60 places around the world, and an iPhone application to make it easier to find and book a hostel room while you’re on the go.

Hostelworld.com carries thousands of user ratings, and uses guest ratings to honor the best hostels worldwide each year. This year, five of the top 10 were located in Lisbon, out of 23,000 hostels worldwide.

“A lot of the hostels there (in Lisbon) have a nice modern feel,” said White. “One or two have dorms and rooms designed by local designers.”

Hostelworld.com’s top U.S. hostel was USA Hostels San Diego, which charges $57 for a private room with twin beds.

Williams recommends using hostel booking sites to find a place, and then doing the booking itself directly with the hostel management. That way, a family looking for a four-person hostel room can ask the staff if theirs is a party place with a nightly pub crawl, or something more peaceful.

“Hostels are incredibly different,” he said. “Go to the original source to get the information.” If you speak to staff in person about room charges, “nine times out of 10 you’ll get a better rate,” Williams added.

And while you’re doing your research, check the user ratings, available on most of the hostel booking sites. They provide some genuine-sounding details and can shed light on the general experience of budget travel.

“Apart from this place being slightly out of the way the only issue was there was a rat living in the roof right above my bunk gnawing through the wall all night long,” wrote a reviewer named Sean on Jan. 18 of the St. Christopher’s Inn in Paris. “I think this is more of a Paris problem rather than the hostel though,” Sean wrote. “It is by far the best value in an expensive place.” Home Security Systems.

In a few days, Vancouver, B.C., will welcome the world to the XXI Winter Olympics.

The world’s cars? Not so much.

In fact, if you’re planning to attend the upcoming festivities in Vancouver or Whistler, you should probably be prepared for travel challenges of Olympian proportions.

More traffic, fewer roads
Officially speaking, there are nine Olympic venues in the Vancouver metropolitan area, plus another six in and around Whistler. Add in a slew of unofficial venues — celebration sites, sponsor sites and other attractions — and the potential for Games-induced gridlock is high.

According to Dale Bracewell, Vancouver’s (aptly named) director of Olympic transportation, the city is preparing for an extra 150,000 daily trips into downtown during the Games. That’s 30 percent above average — at the same time that access restrictions will cut road capacity by 20 percent.

“We’re expecting it to be like rush hour,” says Bracewell, “but for 12 hours a day.” To minimize hassles, keep the following in mind and bookmark TravelSmart2010 for updates.

Road closures/restrictions: Leave the car in the hotel garage. There is no parking at any Olympic venue and precious little in the downtown core. Several major streets will also be reconfigured to provide priority access to buses and Olympics-accredited vehicles.

Pedestrian corridors: Bad news for drivers, but good news for pedestrians, portions of four major arterials — Granville, Robson, Beatty and Hamilton — will operate as pedestrian-only walkways daily from noon to midnight.

Olympic Line streetcar: Vancouver’s first streetcar in 50 years will provide a convenient link between the Canada Line — the city’s new rapid-transit service between the airport, Richmond and downtown — and Granville Island. It’s free through March 21.

Public transit: TransLink, Vancouver’s transportation agency, will offer expanded service on its buses, SeaBus water taxis and the SkyTrain rapid-transit system. All are free for event ticket holders on the day of their event.

Beyond the city limits
Getting to the mountain venues at Cypress (snowboarding and freestyle skiing) and Whistler (alpine, cross-country and sliding events) will also require advance planning.

Cypress Mountain: The road to Cypress is now closed to private car travel and will remain so until March 9. During the Games, public access will be limited to event ticket-holders, all of whom will be required to ride Olympic Bus Network motorcoaches to and from the venue. Roundtrip tickets are $25, available on a first-come, first-served basis and can be reserved here.

Getting to Whistler: Whistler-bound travelers will face a one-two punch of transportation restrictions: Access to the Sea to Sky Highway will be strictly limited and there will be essentially no public parking at the resort itself.

Starting on February 11, permits will be required to travel north of Squamish during the hours of 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. Travelers with accommodations should have received their permits with their reservation confirmation. Those that haven’t can pick one up at a Permit Office in Squamish; proof of accommodation with confirmed parking will be required.

Visitors with event tickets but no accommodations will need to ride Olympic Bus Network coaches from Vancouver to the competition venues. Trips are linked to specific venues (e.g., Whistler Creekside or the Sliding Center); ski/snowboard gear is not permitted, and the last return trip departs two hours after the competition ends. Roundtrip tickets are $50.

Visitors without event tickets or accommodations, e.g., day-skiers and other visitors, can choose from several companies that will provide bus service between Vancouver and Whistler. Roundtrip tickets start at $70; Ridebooker.com is currently offering transportation/lift ticket packages for $134.

Finally, note that the Sea to Sky Highway is open to all car travel outside the permit hours. However, given the road’s cliff-lined route and its spectacular scenery, it really should be seen in the daylight.

Fast, light and car-free
It sounds daunting, and in some instances, may prove to be so. On the other hand, Vancouver is blessed with an excellent public-transit system and the city and event organizers have worked hard to set up systems to manage the flow of residents, visitors, athletes and officials. In fact, depending on the event, some visitors may be able to rely on public transit entirely, forgoing the need to worry about driving, parking and traffic jams altogether.

That’s what Jeremy Brahm of Portland is doing. Originally, he and his friends had hoped to see three or four events over the course of four or five days. Unfortunately, they only got tickets to one event and minimum-stay requirements made lodging outrageously expensive.

Instead, he says, they’ve decided to do it as a one-day trip — flying into Vancouver Airport in the morning, taking the new Canada Line SkyTrain into downtown, seeing the sights and a hockey game and reversing their steps to catch an evening flight home. “We’re trying to make it as easy as possible,” says Brahm. “We’re bringing our tickets, our wallets and our passports, and that’s about it.” Home Security Systems.

The rush you feel while standing on the edge of the sprawling Grand Canyon is a traveler’s rite of passage. The 277 miles of gold and bronze–hued landscape is one of the natural world’s most gorgeous sights to behold; add a soft blue sky to the mix, and you’ve got yourself one of the world’s best views.

From the Grand Canyon to the Matterhorn, the world’s most iconic vistas are part of the travel canon for good reason. They induce wanderlust.

They get us thinking about the four corners of the earth as well as humankind’s minor place in the scheme of things. And when we see them in person, we are startled and humbled by their physical magnificence.

Far from nature’s wonders but equally spectacular are the world’s greatest cityscapes, which can leave an equally compelling impression: perhaps hope or opportunity, in the case of New York City, or romance in Paris.

“Parisians might be less obvious about it, but we all secretly love the Eiffel Tower,” says Paris-based blogger and travel guide Heather Stimmler-Hall of Secretsofparis.com. “Especially when it sparkles in the sun or peeks out on a foggy day.”

These days, amazing views are just a Google search away. Vacation photos from colleagues and friends fill our inbox, and both amateur snapshots and professional photography have saturated the web. Yet seeing a stunning landscape in the flesh is more than just a pretty picture—it stirs something within.

Perhaps it’s a combination of the senses: the slow progression of a copper dawn spilling onto the Urubamba Valley in Peru, the sound of fluttering prayer flags in Bhutan’s Black Mountains, or the smell of roasting chicken in Paris’s 18th Arrondissement. These elements are part of the lasting effects of an experience that can’t be captured on film.

Of course, a quintessential viewing moment can be ruined—perhaps by bad weather or a crush of tourists. That’s why for each amazing view, we’ve given you the best time to go, weather-wise, as well as a secret viewing spot to help you avoid the foot traffic when you’re there. “People will always want to see the biggies, like the Berlin Wall or the Empire State Building,” says Henrik Tidefjaerd, a Berlin-based coolhunter at Berlinagenten.com who travels around the world to discover edgy, new destinations. “That’s fine, but more and more want to have their own authentic experience with these iconic images. They want their own view, not a postcard image.” Home Security Systems.

Struggling to communicate with foreigners in their own language is one of the most interesting aspects of traveling for many people, but new smartphone applications and other technological advances are changing the game.

It’s nearly 2010, another milestone in a century where sci-fi fantasy is fast becoming high-tech fact. Travelers are boldly traveling where (and how) they’ve never traveled before, free from the burden of guidebooks, pocket-bulging brochures and absurdly oversized fold-out maps that shout “tourist” (and “pick my pocket”).

These days, destination, museum and other sightseeing guides fit in the palm of your hand — along with a compass and GPS — so you’ll never be late for a flamenco show and lost in Sevilla, or anywhere else on earth, again.

They’re available as applications for the cellular phenomenon that is the smartphone. BlackBerries, iPhones, Androids and other devices can search four-star Florence restaurants by the moonlit Arno River or surf for hotel recommendations and book a room, all on the spot.

Need to SitOrSquat in Spain? Toilet apps like Have2P (includes an “urgency detector”) and SitOrSquat (it functions worldwide) locate lavatories and offer restroom reviews. Tap the smartphone screen and presto! — a renewable resource of travel tools and information materializes. Hard money training.

Remember getting through an airport without removing your shoes, dumping your water bottle or showing ID?

Remember when buying plane tickets by phone was faster than using a clunky Web site with a dial-up connection?

Remember when you needed a guidebook to plan a vacation, and when you had to phone ahead to get directions?

All these things are different now, thanks to two forces that have changed travel and tourism in the last decade profoundly and forever: Terrorism and technology.

Long before Sept. 11, 2001, air passengers walked through metal detectors and had their carry-on luggage screened by X-ray. But these procedures failed to prevent the 9/11 attackers from boarding four jets with knives and box cutters.

In the aftermath of the attacks, the Transportation Security Administration was created, “the number of prohibited items doubled or tripled,” all checked bags were screened, and “the scrutiny passengers undergo was increased,” said Robert Baker, director of global security intelligence studies at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott, Ariz.

A few months later, in December 2001, Richard Reid tried to blow up a plane by igniting explosives in his shoe. That led to barefoot passengers padding through the checkpoints. Then in August 2006, British authorities uncovered a plot to blow up aircraft using liquid explosives. That led to restrictions on liquids and gels.

Today, travelers who forget that snow globes, wine and water bottles aren’t allowed through airport checkpoints seem absurdly out of touch. And there’s little sympathy if you miss your flight because you didn’t allow enough time for security lines.

The attitude toward air travel has changed over the last decade too. Flying isn’t fun anymore. It’s just one big headache: Flight delays, lost baggage, overbooked flights, fewer onboard amenities and fees for things that used to be free.

Despite the hassles, though, Americans fly more now than they did a decade ago. U.S. air travel hit a record high in 2007 with 769.6 million passengers, 100 million more than flew in 2000. Even with the recession, more people flew in the first eight months of 2009 — 478.6 million — than in the first nine months of 2000 — 453 million, according to the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics.

Why do we take so many flights when it’s so unpleasant? Because families are spread out; jobs require travel; and relatively low ticket prices encourage it. Bureau of Transportation Statistics data comparing average domestic itinerary fares for the second quarter show that they were actually 11 percent lower in 2009, at $301, than in 2000, at $339.

Technology is the other big force that’s changed travel in the last decade. Expedia and Travelocity began accepting online bookings in 1996, but the phenomenon of using the Internet to routinely book and plan travel has exploded in the 21st century.

In 2009, for the first time, more than half of travel bookings were made online, according to Douglas Quinby of PhoCusWright, a travel industry research company. (If you’re surprised that online bookings make up only 50 percent of travel, consider this: Most group travel, most cruises, many complicated itineraries and even the majority of lodging reservations are still booked through a travel agent, by phone or in person, Quinby says.)

But the Internet’s impact on travel is not just in booking; it’s also in planning trips. Instead of buying a guidebook, today’s traveler might consult a destination Web site. To find a restaurant, you might go online to Yelp or Chowhound, or ask friends for a recommendation through Facebook or Twitter. For hotels, you might visit TripAdvisor.com, which started allowing customers to post reviews in 2001 and today has over 30 million of them.

Technology has even changed the way we drive to our destinations. MapQuest started offering directions online in 1996, the same year GM introduced Onstar. Google Maps dates to 2005. An early handheld Garmin GPS device sold for $589 in 2003; today’s Garmins start as low as $89. But you might not need one if your phone has a mapping app. Hard money training.

Countries that manage Antarctica are considering new controls on ships visiting the frozen continent to reduce the growing threat of human and environmental disasters posed by exploding numbers of tourists, an official said Wednesday.

A proposal for a code to ensure ships plying the world’s southernmost seas could withstand hitting an iceberg and other measures are being discussed at a meeting this week in New Zealand of more than 80 experts from signatories to the Antarctic Treaty, the international accord to oversee the region.

Antarctica’s pristine environment, unpredictable and extreme weather, mostly uncharted waters and vast distances from habitation pose major dangers for vessels and major problems for rescuers in any emergency.

In the past, most shipping in Antarctica has been limited to scientific vessels bringing researchers or supplies. But traffic has burgeoned in recent years as tourists flock to see the world’s last great wilderness.

Annual tourist numbers have grown from about 10,000 a decade ago to 45,000 last year. Tourists can pay between $3,000 and $24,000 for a two-week trip, in style ranging from basic to all-out luxury.

Existing rules bar tourists or tour operators from leaving anything behind — like garbage or human waste — and protect animal breeding grounds.

But there are no formal codes on the kind of vessels that can use the waters or the kinds of fuel and other chemicals that they can carry.

In a recent scare, the Canadian cruise ship Explorer hit an iceberg and sank in November 2007. All 154 people aboard were saved by a nearby Norwegian vessel during a window of good weather, but light fuel oil continues to leak into surrounding waters from the Explorer’s sunken hull.

Four other passenger ships have run aground in Antarctica in the past three years.

Trevor Hughes, the head of Antarctic policy at New Zealand’s foreign ministry, said the sinking of the ice-strengthened Explorer was a wake-up call to Antarctic Treaty nations, and experts from all key members of the Antarctic Treaty now want a tough new code for shipping in Antarctica.

“Without regulations, we are going to have a disaster where a lot of lives are lost and where oil spills out into the environment, and we see penguins being smothered and poisoned by fuel oil in their rookeries,” Hughes told The Associated Press.

The proposed code, which must be ratified by treaty states to become binding, would cover vessel design and construction for polar operations, equipment and crew training. In a similar move, the U.N. International Maritime Organization recently approved guidelines for ships in polar waters.

New Zealand is one of the dozen founding members of the Antarctic Treaty, along with the United States, Russia, Britain and others, and is among those leading the push for shipping regulation.

Steve Wellmeier, executive director of the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators, said the group supports new mandatory controls.

“We welcome consistency and oversight of all vessels, including passenger vessels,” he said.

New Zealand and Norway are also pushing for a ban on carriage or use of heavy fuel oils in the Antarctic region, which is due to be ratified in 2010.

“Heavy fuel oils in the Antarctic Treaty area pose the greatest threat of long-term environmental damage,” said Catherine Taylor, director of Maritime New Zealand, the agency responsible for fighting oil spills in the country’s Antarctic zone. Hard money training.

Wintertime guests at Necker Island, British Virgin Islands include Jimmy Fallon and Nancy Juvonen, Mel Gibson, Steven Spielberg, Oprah Winfrey, and Larry Page. Why they like it: A private island owned by Virgin founder, Sir Richard Branson, Necker is hardly your traditional resort.

If you’re Jennifer Lopez (the ninth-richest woman in entertainment with a net worth of $110 million), you have a $350 million fragrance and fashion empire, and your husband just bought ownership in the Miami Dolphins, where do you spend your winter vacations?

Answer: Anywhere you damn well please, of course. But for J-Lo, “winter getaway” has sometimes meant heading to the Mexican resort Las Ventanas, in Los Cabos.

It’s not surprising why: the luxurious Las Ventanas has the perfect formula for any traveler looking to escape a dreary winter. There’s a long, crowdless, milky-white beach that stretches for miles; giant suites with private Jacuzzis on big balconies overlooking the sea; and Mini Cooper convertibles and fully loaded Kindles to borrow.

But what really draws J-Lo (and fellow superstars like Leonardo DiCaprio, Charlize Theron, Adam Sandler, Fergie, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Brad Pitt) is that the resort is private and remote. It doesn’t even have a sign. Hard money training.

El Greco’s vision of the veil of Veronica hangs near a golden crown with 447 emeralds. Just a few steps away, a recumbent sculpture of the crucified Jesus Christ rests before its return to a Spanish hermitage in time for Holy Week.

“Sacred Spain: Art and Belief in the Spanish World” at the Indianapolis Museum of Art is drawing visitors from around the world for an unprecedented exhibition of 71 pieces from 45 lenders — many of them private — in Spain, Mexico, Peru and other countries. Madrid’s Prado has loaned five works alone.

The free exhibition, which continues through Jan. 3, has thrilled experts and other visitors alike. Harvard Art Museum curator and cultural historian Ivan Gaskell said it inspired him intellectually like no other exhibition he has seen this year.

“I was moved by the totality of the exhibition, by the selection,” Gaskell said.

First conceived more than a decade ago and more than three years in development, the exhibit won’t travel beyond Indianapolis. Many pieces must return home to convents and parishes in time for Lenten observances that begin Feb. 17.

Others rarely go on public display at all. A private collector loaned the golden Crown of the Andes, originally cast three to four centuries ago to adorn a statue of the Virgin Mary in a Colombian cathedral. It’s reputed to be the oldest and largest collection of emeralds in the world.

“The owners of the objects want them back,” exhibition curator Ronda Kasl said.

“Sacred Spain” reunites Juan de Valdes Leal’s twin paintings “Allegory of Vanity” and “Allegory of Salvation,” which had been separated since they were sold at auction in 1938. They’re the first works the visitor encounters as Kasl introduces the exhibition with a gallery called “In Defense of Images.”

The Roman Catholic Church’s 18-year Council of Trent ending in 1563 answered charges of idolatry in artwork by upholding the ability of paintings, sculptures and other works to inspire devotion and to stir the faithful.

“It’s not enough for art to be beautiful. It also has to be useful, devotional,” Kasl said.

In the case of the twin “Allegory” paintings, Kasl said, “what he was trying to do was to contrast the eternal and the temporal. It talks about the potential for human action, for good or for bad.”

Just as Roman Catholics and members of some other Christian denominations believe in Christ’s presence in the Eucharist, church doctrine also taught that Jesus, Mary and other saints were present in the relics of their lives and some works of art.

A gallery called “True Likeness” examines such works, like a set of side-by-side paintings in trompe l’oeil — a technique intended to create the illusion of three dimensions. El Greco’s circa-1590 rendering of Veronica’s veil, which tradition holds was stained with the image of Christ’s face while he bore his cross toward Calvary, is paired with a work by Spanish-born Dominican friar Lopez de Herrera in Mexico in 1624. The latter shows braids of thorns piercing Christ’s skull and drops of blood dotting his face.

Duke University religion professor David Morgan, author of “Visual Piety” and other books on religious visual culture, said the devout treat such works as the real presence of Christ, not merely artwork.

“It’s something more. It’s an image of Jesus come to life,” Morgan said in a public conversation about the exhibition with Harvard’s Gaskell.

The life-size, realistic wooden sculpture, Dead Christ, attributed to Juan Sanchez Barba, has never before gone on display outside the Spanish town of Navalcarnero, where it has been part of Good Friday processions since 1652. Gaskell says he has seen similar works inspire people to touch them, or make the sign of the cross and quietly pray.

“It can prompt a devotional response in some viewers,” Gaskell said, likening it to the kissing of icons or the veneration of cross on Good Friday.

A docent told him she was giving a tour to a class of Catholic high school students who appeared so visibly moved by some of the works in “Sacred Spain” that she felt she should stop talking so not to disturb them.

Dead Christ is part of a gallery with blood-red walls called “Moving Images” that also includes several paintings inspired by the Passion that are life-sized, which was important, Kasl said. Hard money training.

One evening last summer, 450 people snagged round-trip airline tickets to Europe for a mere $250, including taxes. The spectacularly low fares were available for only a few hours; by the next morning, Delta had discovered its pricing glitch and hiked the fare again. How did those people learn about the deal in time?

By following Rick Seaney, CEO of FareCompare.com, on Twitter. Other lucky travelers last summer were able to nab $9 JetBlue tickets from JFK to Nantucket and $444 round–trips on United from the West Coast to Australia. How? By watching JetBlue and United onTwitter: Those airlines are giving their followers first dibs on some of their steepest sales.

You may know Twitter only as the butt of late-night comedians’ jokes, and if you haven’t spent much time on Twitter, it’s easy to dismiss it as a silly social-networking fad for narcissists telling one another what they ate for lunch.

But I’ve been on Twitter for more than a year now, and I’m here to tell you that the perks you can glean from it are no joke. Ignore it and you’ll miss out on significant travel benefits, including deals you can’t find elsewhere.

The trick to Twitter is figuring out who to follow—meaning, whose Twitter updates (”tweets”) to receive. Follow the right people and you’ve got an instant personalized travel news feed on your mobile phone or computer. Hard money training.