travel

Next to the White House, Monticello may be the most recognized building in the United States, thanks to the fact that its image appears on almost every nickel minted since 1938.
The estate -- its name means "little mountain" in Italian -- was Thomas Jefferson's home, his creation. It was virtually a work in progress for much of his adult life.

The meat sizzled loudly, the juice vaporizing into smoky wisps before it could trickle down the sides of a savagely hot rock the size of a canned ham -- a crude, makeshift tool for cooking. Sometimes you just have to make do.
Then my wife ordered a Chardonnay to go with her penne pasta in black truffle and Parmesan cream sauce.

The nation's bloodiest war started with a historic battle in which no one died.
The Civil War, our deadliest conflict, one that would end with some 620,000 fatalities, began here on April 12, 1861.

Like living torpedoes, a dozen bottlenose dolphins scrambled into the pressure wave streaming off the bow of the American Safari Quest as the 120-foot-long vessel charged across these azure waters at 12 mph.
The sleek gray mammals bulleted along with us, jostling each other for position, dipping in and out of the artificial surf, breaching and blowing with pure exhilaration.

Michigan's reeling auto industry seems to get all the press, but there are riches to explore beyond the gloomy headlines in this tourist treasure trove: a land of history, a place of picturesque coastal towns and lighthouses, and museums that rival any in the world.

Passing by the desk of a colleague, I noticed his usual carefree blond locks were more closely -- and more creatively -- trimmed, in a style that seemed to reflect the handiwork of a less-than-holy union of Dirk the Marines' barber and a 25-horsepower weed whacker.
"Um, new haircut?"
He grinned. "Yup. From a Pakistani man in Barcelona."

Getting there:

Pompeii is within easy driving distance of Naples, off Motorway A3 Napoli-Salerno/Salerno-Napoli. But be prepared: It's more expensive to park outside the gate than it is to tour the grounds inside it. Fortunately, you can also get to the site by train (Pompeii has its own stop on the Circumvesuviana line to Sorrento) or by bus from Naples or Sorrento.

The summer run of pink salmon in southeast Alaska's Anan Creek attracts the bears.
The salmon carcasses the bears leave behind attract the eagles.
And all those salmon, bears and eagles attract the tourists.
It's a win-win situation for all involved, except those spawning "humpies" that are sacrificed for the greater good.

Access to the Anan Wildlife Observatory is controlled through daily passes issued by the Forest Service from July 5 through Aug. 25. Passes are $10 each.

Responsibility code for skiers and snowboarders:

1. Always stay in control, and be able to stop or avoid other people or objects.
2. People ahead of you have the right of way. It is your responsibility to avoid them.
3. You must not stop where you obstruct a trail or are not visible from above.