Best Choices for 2014

According to Budget Travel magazine, the best value travel destinations for this year are spread around the globe. Their number one choice is South Africa, followed by Venice, Italy and the Dominican Republic.

Buenos Aires is fourth, then Orlando, Florida, Atlantic Canada, Philadelphia and Warsaw, Poland.he final two are Seoul, South Korea and Riga, Latvia.

As I mentioned in another recent post, South Africa is a fascinating country, but air fare to reach it can be costly. One of the bargains there is the entrance fee to Kruger National Park, only about $20 and all the wildlife you can spot. Hotel rates in the country are down about seven per cent from last year compared to the U.S. dollar.

Venice is a gorgeous city, but I have always found it kind of a rip-off for the average tourist. The baggage handlers at the port were, in my experience, very money-hungry and except for the public vaporettos plying the canals, bargains were very few.

Buenos Aires is worth a visit, and tickets for a concert at the beautiful Teatro Colon start at only about $10. Hotel prices are lower than last year by about 8 per cent. However, for my money the real beauty of Argentina is found in its natural wonders such as Iguassu Falls.

Atlantic Canada is a pleasant summer destination, much less crowded than most resort areas in nearby New England. Philadelphia is a good weekend escape, with lots of history, great museums and culture. Warsaw is another very interesting city--don't miss the free piano concerts on Saturdays and Sundays during the summer at Lazienki Park.

To read the whole story in Budget Travel, so to http://budgettravel.com/features/10-best-budget-destinations-for-2014, 19628/.

Thanks for reading, guys. On two recent days the page view count surpassed 1,000, a record for this blog.

With regard to the last post on Brit in Ukraine, Phillips reports today that he was kidnapped by militia from the Donbass People's Army and forced to undergo a drug test, which luckily he passed. This type of independent reporting is valuable, but can be hazardous in a quasi-war zone.