February 2015

I love it when I convince people to engage with the Europe I show them. But when they become engaged with each other in Europe ... I like it even more.

A port city on the Baltic Coast of Poland, Gdansk is truly amazing -- and amazingly historic. From its medieval Golden Age to the headlines of our own generation, big things have happened here.

The monument shown in the photo in the December 2014 issue is located in Panama City's Plaza de Francia (French Park), at the tip of Casco Viejo, the city's colonial neighborhood. At the top of the obelisk, built in commemoration of those who died during construction of the Panama Canal, is a rooster, France's national symbol. Smaller monuments, each topped by a bust of a prominent French explorer, surround the obelisk.

This interactive crossword puzzle is no longer available online.

Located in Abu Dhabi’s Yas Mall, ROGO’s is the world’s largest roller coaster-inspired restaurant.

Diners at the 2-story, 360-seat restaurant place food orders using handheld digital tablets while seated at their tables. Food is delivered in a covered pot or jar strapped to a tray that slides, secured but gravity driven, down one of 30 “roller coaster” tracks that loop and twist around the dining room.

The Agatha Christie International Festival (www.agatha christiefestival.com), held annually in Devon, England, will celebrate the 125th anniversary of Christie’s birth in 2015. The festival will take place Sept. 11-19 at Torre Abbey in Torquay, the town where Christie was born (on Sept. 15, 1890) and raised.

On the 7-day, 6-night “Caledonian Canal River Cruise” from Muirtown to Banavie, Scotland, aboard the 8-passenger Scottish Highlander, golf enthusiasts can sign up for a golf-themed tour package on the May 10 and Oct. 4, 2015, departures.

Including local transfers, all meals and daily escorted excursions, the cruise fare ranges from $4,090 per person, double occupancy, to $5,450, with whole-boat charters starting at $22,000.