Travel Tidbits

 A reader mentioned www.awardplanner.com (June ’07, pg. 4). My husband, a member of AwardPlanner, received a letter from them March 23, 2007, which read, “We have noticed a discernable increase in the amount of time required to research suitable award redemption alternatives, as well as a significant decrease in award availability options. Consequently, it has become increasingly difficult to satisfy our customers’ requests for award redemptions.

“Faced with these operational realities and the fact that we do not enjoy relaying to our customers that there are ‘No Awards Available,’ we have decided that, as of March 15, 2007, we are no longer accepting new members or membership renewals.” — PATRICIA BLAIR, Houston, TX

The lady who wrote about La Boca (July ’07, pg. 4) actually was visiting Buenos Aires (not Rio de Janeiro*), and the buildings there were painted “La Boca” style (not Italiano). Sailors there used to paint their boats, and if any paint remained with the pail they’d bring it home and paint a new section of their house, regardless of the colors it already displayed. Also, samba = Rio (Brazil), tango = Buenos Aires (Argentina). — BILL O’CONNELL, Castro Valley, CA

*ITN misread that portion of her letter; she did write “Buenos Aires.”

Both St. Petersburg and Moscow, Russia, have several railroad stations. Make sure to get the name of the correct station. — NESSIM CICUREL, Chicago, IL

My husband always looks for CDs with ethnic music from the countries we are visiting so he can put his travelogue on a DVD with music to coincide. — CLAUDIA REED, Las Vegas, NV