Travel Briefs

In 2012, York celebrates its 800th year as a city. On July 9, the date when York’s royal charter was granted, choirs and musicians will perform a specially commissioned musical piece at the Eye of York, a lawn by the city’s 18th-century administrative buildings.

In addition to exhibitions, music festivals and tours, other events include the York Cycle of Mystery Plays, Aug. 2-27, the Traditional Dance Festival, Sept. 8, and Illuminating York, Oct. 24-27. Contact York City of Festivals (18 Back Swinegate, York, England, YO1 8ZD, U.K.; phone 01904 554666).

South Korean and North Korean officials have agreed to open two cross-border roads (the Seoul-Sinuiju road and one in the east) and to make test runs on the linked sections of two railways no later than October 2004.

They also are working on a joint industrial park project, with garment plants and other labor-intensive businesses, to be run by the South Koreans.

North Korea will be provided with a loan of 400,000 tons of rice “out of brotherly love and the principle of mutual help.”

The Swiss Knife Valley Visitor Center (Bahnhofstrasse 3, 6440 Brunnen, Switzerland) in Brunnen features information on scenic spots nearby plus a multimedia presentation on how Victorinox Swiss Army knives are made. (The knife’s ancestor was patented in 1897.) A museum as well as a store offering regional specialties and Victorinox products are on the ground floor.

By appointment, you can assemble your own, personal Swiss Army knife, under the guidance of an expert, for CHF30 (near $37), including engraving. Assembly takes about 15 minutes.

If you want to assemble four or...