ambulans's Blog

It has been a while since I've enjoyed going to church so much.

As a lapsed Catholic I tend to keep my church attendances to Christmas and, if I'm feeling quite a lot of guilt, Easter.

However, I would happily go to "church" at Maastricht's Kruisherenhotel on a daily basis.

A former gothic church and monastery dating from the 15th century, the buildings have been beautifully renovated to welcome disciples of a new kind of religion -- luxury.

Boasting 60 rooms, dazzling but sympathetic light installations and a mezzanine restaurant and accompanying womb-like wine bar in the church's nave, it's easy to be quickly converted.

The food is also pretty good; my fish and scallops starter followed by venison the perfect communion for a late autumn evening.

The Kruisherenhotel, though, is only one of Maastricht's many gems.

The southern Netherlands city of 120,000 people does not feature prominently on many lists of must-visit places, but it should.

An easy train journey from Brussels and Amsterdam and a mid-distance journey from London, Paris and several German stations, Maastricht is laden with good restaurants (there are four Michelin-starred eateries), shopping, history, public art and surrounded by pretty villages with woodland walking paths.

The city center, like a miniature Paris, is split in two by the Maas river. Roman history and a Latin Quarter featuring boutiques and art galleries dominate the left bank, while on the right the Bonnefanten -- a contemporary art museum -- and hip retro design shops hold forth.

The religious theme continues on the left bank at Selexyz Dominicanen -- yet another church that has been converted, this time into a fabulous English- and Dutch-language book store.

Originally built in the 13th century by the Dominican order, its most recent use before 2007's spectacular renovation was as an indoor bike pound.

It now features a three-story black steel bookstack in the high nave, together with a noisy cafe in the choir. If it sounds like desecration, you couldn't be more wrong. It is a book and architecture lover's heaven on Earth.

As proud locals tell my wife and me, there are plenty of empty churches in the area that could do with a similar makeover.

Book browsing is hungry and thirsty work, but there are plenty of options for a prolonged stop: pull up a chair at one of the many cafes that surround the city's squares or head for the Mosae Gusto underground food hall.

Typically food halls give me the willies; bad food cooked hours earlier, reheated and served up for the masses.

The Mosae Gusto is the complete opposite. It gathers high-end outlets together, giving you the chance to take away delicious food or eat in and watch your meal being prepared in the open kitchens.

If it's more traditional French-influenced food with a tasty flourish you are after, then head for the welcoming La Courage on the Rechtstraat, one of the city's oldest streets.

Refueled and clearly with a blessed life to give thanks for, we stop off at a church that is still used for its original purpose.

The imposing Cathedral of Saint Servatius, originally founded in the 6th century, is the oldest church in The Netherlands, though it was substantially rebuilt and enlarged between the 11th and 15th centuries.

Saint Servatius, responsible for spreading Catholicism to the Low Countries and a diplomat in the fourth century, is buried in the crypt and his relics (i.e. bits of his bone fragment) spookily feature in the basilica's treasury.

In times of distress, his relics were carried around the town -- a procession which is now carried out every seven years.

The cathedral draws many pilgrims, with Pope John Paul II once a visitor in 1984.

Having given our praise we make a quick stop at Maastricht's ceramic museum, where the brilliant World Press photo exhibition is in residence.

The museum, a stone's throw from the river, is surrounded by tasteful inner-city apartments and close to the striking Bonnefanten, where art works by modern and old masters find a comfortable home together.

Unfortunately, it's a bit too early for us to be eating again, so we return to our hotel and the countryside around the village of Houthem-St.Gerlach -- a 10-minute train ride outside Maastricht.

Local residents are out running and cycling, while others walk their dogs to the nearest pub; everyone says hello.

The area is dotted with caves, some of which were once inhabited and a few can be toured.

Across the road from our hotel, Vue de Montagne, is the entrance to La Caverne de Geulhem -- a series of caves it uses as a restaurant and to host functions for as many as 400 people.

In a way, the caves are a metaphor for Maastricht; its delights may have been a secret for some time, but it's a pilgrimage well worth making.

The old warehouses of Portland's Pearl District are home to increasingly cool cultural diversions. Spend a weekend browsing the neighborhood's art galleries, snack on a pumpkin-pie cupcake and enjoy dinner and a show.

Take it home

If prices in the Pearl's posh galleries put a damper on your holiday gift giving, head to the Pacific Northwest College of Art for its annual student-art sale. Future famous artists sell surprisingly sophisticated gifts reflecting their fields of study: one-of-a-kind monotypes and screen-printed cards, jewelry with semiprecious stones, gorgeous oil paintings and thought-provoking metal sculptures.

Catch a show

The once-vacant, castlelike Gerding Theater at the Armory has been transformed after its $36 million eco-renovation. For people-watching, sip wine in the loft overlooking the lobby, then settle in for Portland Center Stage's one-man play "R. Buckminster Fuller: The History (and Mystery) of the Universe." Sunset.com: Life in the Pearl

One-stop gallery hop

Who cares if it's raining when you have the DeSoto Building/Museum of Contemporary Craft -- four fine art galleries and an innovative museum under one roof? Hit the museum's Holiday Shoppe (December 3-January 4) for funky felt rings and handcrafted ornaments.

Great Pearl eats

Wild rice-smoked duck breast is steps from the Gerding Theater at Ten 01. Or try Isabel; we like the brown rice and tofu bowl with peanut sauce. Then there's 50 Plates, a casual bistro serving all-American classics. Sunset.com: Green in Portland

A twist on pumpkin pie

Warm up for T-Day with a luscious pumpkin pie cupcake filled with pumpkin cream at Cupcake Jones, a grab-and-go bakery. (Then place your order for Thanksgiving dessert.)

WANT MORE ENTERTAINMENT? (Portland's got it)

For budding theater buffs

Kids will eat up the juicy Oregon Children's Theatre production of Roald Dahl's classic "James and the Giant Peach," while you'll get a kick out of the high-flying special effects and dry humor.

For small-stage premieres

See classics and local playwrights' works on one of Artists Repertory Theatre's two intimate stages. Get some comic relief during the hectic holidays with Marc Acito and C.S. Witcomb's "Holidazed," a humorous look at modern families coping with old-fashioned Christmas traditions.

For indie-film fans

The Northwest Film Center presents themed series, retrospectives and annual film festivals. The Portland International Film Festival, held in February, features nearly 100 films from more than 30 countries.

"Voluntourism is not about martyrdom," says Christopher Hill, CEO of Hands Up Holidays, a London-based company that arranges high-end excursions that incorporate volunteering. "It's about making a difference, even if you're staying at a luxury hotel."

With a growing number of hotels and tour operators offering trips that give back, the experience is more accessible than ever -- from stints building houses with Hands On New Orleans and four-week HIV awareness programs in Thailand with the Global Services Corps to helping orphaned children in Kenya with Micato Safaris.

But the key to a successful volunteer vacation involves a few basic considerations: What kind of an impact are you looking to have? How will the project you choose benefit the local community? (The latter is of particular concern, since less reputable charities and companies that overstate responsible-travel claims are all too common.)

"The most efficient and reputable organizations are those whose ultimate goal is to help communities work independently," says Brian Mullis, president of Sustainable Travel International, in Boulder, Colorado. Travelers who would prefer a relatively simple, low-key project, such as conducting a wildlife survey in Costa Rica, can opt for a hotel program. For a longer trip that involves daily contact with locals, a tour operator or nonprofit may be your best bet.

To help you decide where to start, we've outlined what to watch for, and how to continue to make an impact after you return home. Travel + Leisure: 10 tips for traveling green

Hotels and travel companies with outreach programs

If you'd rather devote only part of your vacation to a cause, there are other, less demanding ways to give. Check out the many philanthropic programs offered by hotels (both high-end and chain brands) and travel companies, including opportunities for guests to volunteer.

According to the International Ecotourism Society, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit, more than 66 percent of American travelers believe that hotels have an obligation to protect the environment and support local communities. The concept isn't entirely new -- eco-lodge Lapa Rios in Costa Rica, for example, has offered travelers the chance to volunteer for almost a decade. Travel + Leisure: Best new green hotels

Ritz-Carlton recently launched Give Back Getaways (givebackgetaways.com), a program that invites guests at 62 properties to help with projects ranging from research at Dubai's Hutta Dam to river cleanups. Fairmont (fairmont.com/environment) and RockResorts (giveandgetaway.com) have also instituted outreach programs at properties worldwide.

Booking advice:

• Make sure the fees fall into the right pockets when a trip requires that you pay to volunteer. Before signing up, ask your hotel what percentage of your money goes directly to the local community (rather than to the hotel's balance sheet).

• Many hotels will exchange philanthropic work for reduced room rates; on select dates, for example, the RockResorts in Colorado offer discounts to guests who volunteer at national forests within the state.

Responsible tour operators

Unlike hotels, travel companies have no universal third-party eco-certification. As a result, a tour operator might offset 100 percent of its carbon emissions for clients' airline travel, but place them in a lodge that dumps untreated wastewater into local rivers.

To assess how responsible a company actually is, Martha Honey, cofounder of the Center on Ecotourism and Sustainable Development in Washington, D.C., suggests starting with some simple questions: What are the company's environmental practices? Does it give a portion of its profits to charity? (New York-based Micato Safaris, for instance, pays the administrative costs of its nonprofit AmericaShare, so 100 percent of donations made go directly to the community.) What kinds of projects do they fund? What does the company do to help guests understand local development and conservation issues?

Also, look at online message boards, such as Lonely Planet's Thorn Tree Travel Forum (lonelyplanet.com/thorntree) and tripadvisor.com, for trip reviews. Or vet potential operators at Sustainable Travel International (sustainabletravelinternational.org), Responsible Travel (responsibletravel.com), travelphilanthropy.org and Orbitz's multipurpose green site, eco.orbitz.com.

Finally, consider checking bona fides with a third-party auditor such as Green Globe (greenglobe21.com) or Green Leaf (greenleaf.org).

Booking advice:

• Smaller tour groups and hotels (think 20 versus 100 people, and boutique hotels versus megaresorts) have a lower ecological impact.

Reputable charities

After returning from a vacation, you may be moved to continue to help fund a project in the destination you've visited. If you're not careful, however, your money may not end up in the right place. Vet the charity through watchdog groups such as charitynavigator.org, BBB Wise Giving Alliance (give.org) and the American Institute of Philanthropy (charitywatch.org).

These organizations rate nonprofits based on such factors as availability of financial and operational information to the public, efficiency of fund-raising activities and how donations are spent. Many international aid organizations have regional or national partners that can use your support -- UNICEF, for example, allies itself with a number of local NGO's in destinations in the Pacific Islands, Africa and South America.

Also, consider charities that will allow you to make targeted donations. At globalgiving.org, travelers can search for projects by area, while kiva.org enables individuals to make microfinance loans in communities around the world.

Targeting your donation:

• Rather than giving a small amount to each of several charities, donate to one or two organizations to ensure the highest impact.

• Ask whether your tour company or hotel has a practice of contributing to local causes. Abercrombie & Kent (abercrombiekent.com), Six Senses (sixsenses.com), CC Africa (ccafrica.com), Intrepid Travel (intrepidtravel.com) and Lindblad Expeditions (expeditions.com) all sponsor nonprofits that work in destinations abroad

source: CNN.com 

They've played in some of the coolest clubs around. So it goes without saying that these six jazz greats know a thing or two about where they like to chill out between gigs.

New York City

When it comes to jazz joints in Manhattan, the question for baritone saxophonist Claire Daly is not where to go, but how many places she can pack into one night.

Three of her favorite spots downtown are within blocks of each other. "They're friendly, local haunts," Daly says. "You could spend the whole evening at any of them, or club-hop from place to place."

Daly usually starts her night at the Prohibition-era 55 Bar, where luminaries like Miles Davis alum Mike Stern often jam (55 Christopher St. ). Then it's off to Sweet Rhythm, a hangout formerly home to Sweet Basil that attracts the best of the upstarts and such veteran players as drummer Lewis Nash (88 Seventh Ave.).

By 1 A.M., Daly needs some sustenance, so she heads to the Garage Restaurant & Cafe, a swanky jazz supper club that serves steak frites and fresh Malpeque oysters during big-band shows (99 Seventh Ave.). BudgetTravel.com: New York hotels at a price that's right

New Orleans, Louisiana

Double bass player Ben Jaffe came into this world to the beat of New Orleans' famed music. "My parents arranged for a band to play at the hospital the day I was born," Jaffe says. He ultimately followed in the footsteps of his late father, tuba player Allan Jaffe, and joined his dad's New Orleans-based ensemble, the Preservation Hall Jazz Band.

When the group isn't on tour, Jaffe often checks out two of his favorite acts, the New Orleans Jazz Vipers and trumpeter Shamarr Allen, at The Spotted Cat (623 Frenchmen St., 504/943-3887), in the Faubourg Marigny district adjacent to the French Quarter.

"It's where locals go to hear acoustic jazz," he says. "The place is set up like a living room, so you can sit on a plush old couch and listen to music while watching passersby through the club's big bay windows."

St. Louis, Missouri

Whenever he visits St. Louis, reed player and bandleader J. D. Parran of Spirit Stage checks out Jazz at the Bistro in the stylish Grand Center arts district. The main room has family-style seating, so you can meet and mingle with such living legends as pianist Cedar Walton (3536 Washington Blvd., 314/289-4030).

Parran's other local haunt is the Scott Joplin House State Historic Site. Ragtime notables, including Donald Ryan and Richard Zimmerman, play several shows a year at the house, still furnished as it was when ragtime legend Joplin wrote "The Entertainer" there in 1902 (2658 Delmar Blvd., 314/340-5790).

Chicago, Illinois

According to trombonist Steve Swell, bandleader of Slammin' The Infinite, Velvet Lounge showcases some of the Windy City's coolest jazz bands.

"The place was founded in 1982 by a fantastic elder statesman named Fred Anderson, who plays tenor sax there," Swell says. "Fred was an early member of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians, which helped many black musicians develop and record their own music."

Velvet Lounge moved to a new space in 2006 (67 E. Cermak Rd.), but die-hard fans will be glad to know it's still presided over by an enormous shabby-chic chandelier that was a hallmark of the old venue.

Amsterdam, Netherlands

"Everything about Bimhuis, from the comfy seats to the terrific sound system, is first-rate," says jazz composer and violinist Jason Kao Hwang.

The concert hall overlooking Amsterdam's harbor puts on more than 300 concerts a year, featuring the best of the local scene and plenty of international stars, including sax player Pharoah Sanders.

"Unlike at most venues, the bar is separated from the stage, so chatter doesn't disrupt the performance," Hwang says. But if you do take a break for a drink, you won't miss a note -- music is piped into the bar (Piet Heinkade 3).

Cologne, Germany

Jazz pianist Ursel Schlicht, who moved to New York City from Germany in 1995, has a soft spot in her heart for Loft in Cologne (Wissmannstrasse 30). (Owner Hans-Martin Müller, a jazz flutist, converted his apartment into the club in 1989.)

"A lot of albums have been recorded at Loft because it has great acoustics," Schlicht says. "And the huge Steinway grand piano attracts the who's who of international and local new-jazz pianists, including Georg Ruby."

As you'd expect from the name, Loft is an open space with seating that allows the audience to sit close to the musicians. "Because it's so intimate," Schlicht says, "it's easy to strike up a conversation with the players after each gig."

source: CNN.com 

In November, CNN Business Traveller continues its special on how the travel industry is being affected by the financial crisis, this time focusing on tourism and destinations.

Richard Quest presents the show from New York, the epicenter of the crisis where world markets and industries alike are only now feeling the real effects.

To get a global overview, we have CNN correspondents from each continent. We'll also speak with a host of tourism ministers from Malaysia, Montenegro, Kenya, and Peru, to name a few.

Asian Tiger

The global financial crisis is hitting Asia on two fronts; a fall in consumer spending has reduced demand for Asian exports and fewer international travelers are flying to the region's popular tourist destinations. According to the Airports Council International (ACI), total international passenger traffic fell 2.7% in September. It's first monthly decline since the outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in 2003. International traffic to Asia fell 6.6%, the most of any region. Can Asia roll with the crunches and keep tourists coming? Hugh Riminton files a report from Hong Kong.

Peruvian Promise

Stock markets in Latin America have been swept up in the global meltdown. Falling demand for commodities is threatening to reduce export earnings in the region's biggest economy, Brazil. CNN's Morgan Neill visits one of the continent's most popular tourist destinations, Machu Picchu in Peru. He asks Peruvian Tourism Minister Mercedes Aráoz how the country plans to keep the tourists coming.

Safari so good

With a weak Rand, you would think that South Africa is being hit hard by the financial crisis. But it is not all bad news. While it's still expensive to get to South Africa, once you're there, high-end activities like luxury safaris are becoming more affordable. We visit Johannesburg where travelers armed with foreign currency are getting the most out of Africa.

Visit London

From the West End to the London Eye to the Tower of London, the capital of the United Kingdom is fighting hard to beat the credit crunch. Jim Boulden finds out what is being done to attract new crowds to the world's most popular destination for international tourists.

New York, New York

The National Debt Clock near Times Square says it all; an extra digit has been added to display the new total of $10 trillion. Economists predict that the $700 billion bail-out of the nation's economy will send this clock ticking to $11 trillion. In New York, Wall Street has taken a hammering, fewer theater goers are booking Broadway shows and people are spending less money in anticipation of hard times. CNN's Richard Quest speaks with George Fertitta, CEO of tourism board NYC & Company about the challenges the city faces.

ambulans

to ambulans