Santa Cruz Sentinel from Santa Cruz, California • Page 59

Santa Cruz Sentinel Sunday, Nov. 25, 1990 D-7 1 Travel Sierra 49er Express offers a luxury ride to Tahoe, Reno Worth packing for 1 jr- "1 By DAVID COWGER McClatchy News Service It. Li ra. 4 11 AMBLERS and skiers (some times one in the same) will AY ft. II i "if -i al I I I 1 lit -fw A HI1 i i rf? '1 -4 Vti yr1 ic 7 fe.

A. if Vl v- have an alternative this year to winter's often-chancy drive to Lake Tahoe resorts and the casinos of Reno, Nev. Beginning Dec. 7, a new train, the Sierra 49er Express, will carry passengers to the mountains in a style to which one could easily become accustomed. Operated by Transcisco Tours of San Francisco, the train will offer hors d'oeuvres and cocktails upon boarding, dancing to a live band, and full-course meals served on white linen and fine china, on both segments of the trip.

Travelers can book a trip that includes a reduced-rate, two-night stay-over in hotels at North Lake Tahoe or Reno or, if they choose, just go along for the ride, making their own lodging arrangements. Train service will be offered on weekends and once during the middle of the week. Tickets will include the cost of shuttle service from Truckee to the six participating hotels at Tahoe, and from the station in Reno to the 11 participating hotels there. Discounts on rental cars and ski-lift tickets will be available. Top fares will be charged to weekend travelers who stay at Squaw Valley Inn and the Resort at Squaw Creek $429.

Highest fares to Reno will be charged weekend travelers who stay at the Flamingo Hilton, Harrah's or Pepper- ski slopes Vacationers can wine, dine and dance their way to Lake Tahoe's Reno's casinos on board the Sierra 49er Express beginning Dec. 7. 'Santorini' by Sally Bookman. ATTENTION ARTISTS! Ever dreamed of spending your vacation in balmy island paradise, surrounded by exotic scenery and historical architecture? Local water color artists Sally Bookman has joined together with Judy Slattum of Danu Enterprise to create two trips especially designed for those who would like to have a trip that is stimulating, relaxing, educational, and productive. Visual Art on the Island of Bali will be offered from Dec.

27 until Jan.15, 1991. Participants will stay in the cultural center of Bali, Ubud, and make out-trips to locations that are especially striking on this "island paradise," followed by afternoon critique sessions with Bookman. Batik classes with Bali's foremost batik artist, Nyoman Suradnya are also include, as well as dance performances and visits to the home-studios of Bali's foremost painters. The package, which includes roundtrip air from San Francisco, accommodations, excursions, and classes is $2,400. Art and Architecture in the Greek Isles, from June 17-July 3, 1991, travels to three strikingly different and historically rich locates in Greece.

The first week is set on the dramatic island of Santorini, in Oia village, featured on may postcards and declared a living museum. From Santorini, participants travel to the harbor town of Nau-plion in the Peloponese, the first capitol of Greece and crowned with an impressive Venetian fortress. Last stop is the medieval city of Monemvassia, built on Greece's "rock of Gibraltar." This trip includes orientation sessions, architectural tours, roundtrip air, inner-island transport and accommodations. For information about either of these trips, call 683-2917. WOLFGANG Amadeus Mozart supplies the music and the itinerary for the next travel adventure sponsored by the Rotary Club of San Lorenzo Valley.

The lakes and mountains, and charming hill towns supply the beauty. "Amadeus A Traveler in Italy," narrated in person by the films producer, Robin Williams, will be presented at 2 p.m. Friday, Nov. 30, at the Scotts Valley Cinema. Verona, the town of "Romeo and Juliette" fame, and where Amadeus played his first Italian concert, Mantua, Milan and its fabulous La Scala Opera House, will be explored.

In Florence, where Amadeus and his father were guests of the Grand Duke of Tuscany, we will meet Count Cuicciardini in his library. Rome, with its Sistine Chapel, fountains, streets and restaurants, as well as the Alban Hills, Lake jfUbano and Lake Nemi, the Appian Way, Vesuvisus, Pompeii, and above all, Venice, are included in this great setting for the music of Mozart. Tickets are available at the door for $6 each. For more information call 335-7961. A 17-DAY grand tour of Southeast Asia has been designed for independent travelers, combining leisurely-paced four and five night stopovers in Bali, Bangkok, Singapore and Hong Kong with confirmed departure dates every Thursday and Sunday from Los Angeles on Cathay Pacific Airways' non-stop service to Hong Kong.

Priced from $2,669 per person, the cost includes round trip air from San Jose, accommodations in hotels like Park Lane Radisson in Hong Kong; escorted sightseeing; American breakfast daily, and some meals; For more information, see your travel agent, or contact China Express, 278 Post Suite 408, San Francisco, Calif. 94108); or call It's a volume business. We're not appealing to the elite. It's a mainstream Jack Chatham, Transcisco's president Tahoe than Reno. It's a very affordable way to take 80 people to the Sierra." Tickets can be purchased from travel agents, or directly from Transcisco Tours at l-(800)-765-4937.

The 49er Express will fill the void created by the termination last year of the Reno Fun Train, which carried passengers from the San Francisco Bay Area to the gaming tables in Nevada for more than two decades. That train did not become especially successful in Sacramento. "We didn't sell many tickets on that one," said Michelle Sinagra of Giselle's Travel. "This new train, however, seems to be offering a different product more of a luxury train." Transcisco Tours, based in San Francisco, is a subsidiary of Transcisco Industries a San Francisco company with 18 years in rail car maintenance and retrofitting. The company currently operates the Texan, a dinner train service in San Antonio.

Within two years, a company spokesman said, Transcisco will introduce another luxury train between Los Angeles and Las Vegas. mill $319. The Sierra 49er Express will originate in San Jose, starting at 1:40 p.m. on Fridays, and stop in Oakland, Richmond, Martinez, Sacramento and Truckee before terminating in Reno at 9 p.m. Initially, five passenger cars one for smokers and an entertainment car will be assigned to the route.

Each car seats 76 passengers and has its own bar and kitchen. Passengers will be seated at tables for four. The menu will include such entrees as grilled marinated chicken breast, pasta al dente, filet of beef and New Zealand orange roughy. Train officials have promised an extensive wine list. There will be seven attendants per car.

Transcisco has done everything it could to make this a scenic ride. Passengers should have panoramic views from the large, 5- by 4-foot tinted windows. The floors of the cars have been raised 3 feet so that passengers are seated about 8 feet above the ground. Below are large storage bins for skis and luggage. Television monitors at the ends of each car will carry sports scores, weather updates and recorded messages about points of interest along the way.

Jack Chatham, Transcisco's president, said the company will need 50,000 passengers a year to make a go of it. "It's a volume business," he said. "We're not appealing to the elite. It's a mainstream product." He said market surveys indicate there could be a good response from corporations in the Silicon Valley. "We're looking for full car sales," he said, "probably more to Join The Santa ruz Sentinel To The Scandinavian Capital Riuia Departingjune 10,1991 Aboard The Deluxe Cwwn Ody ssey the 3rd Annual Santa Cruz Sentinel and Royal Cruise line hosted cruise to the enchanting 7 Mow cai 'oin capitals of the Nonhlands.

This cruise has it all, Special Bonus Amenities Group Discount Fares! "Early Bird" discount fares begin at $3611 pcrperson. This includes a 15 discount if you book before January 31, 199 1 FREE roundtrip air fare from major RCL gateway cities. Hosted Reception on board Complimentary bottle ot wine per stateroom IF YOU'RE looking for adventure at any age, it is waiting in New Zealand and in Australia. Queenstown, south island, is headquarters for world class white-water rafting, bungy jumping, para-sailing off cliffs. 40 mph jet boating, ice climbing and backpacking on the famed, rugged Millford Track.

A more gentle activity is a stay on a sheep farm and private home stays. For information on all this phone free, H800)-388-5494. While you are in the area you can pop over to Australia to attend an opera or concert in the world's most unusual opera house, and visit one of many zoos to pet some VERY unusual looking animals in and near beautiful Sydney. For general or specific information, call l-(213)-552-9566. Around the state "The 22nd annual "Festival of the Trees," will be presented by the Monterey Peninsula Museum of Art Nov.

29 Dec. 3 in the Monterey Room of the Monterey Fairgrounds, Fairgrounds and Garden Roads. More than 20 trees trimmed with handcrafted ornaments will be displayed. Tours of the museum's historic La Mirada adobe are also scheduled. Festival hours are 10 a.m.

until 9 p.m. Thursday through Sunday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $3 for adults and 40 cents for children under 12 accompanied by an adult.

La Mirada and Festival admission: $6.50 (sorry, no wheelchair access or children at La Mirada.) Adobe tour reservations or festival information is available at 1-372-5477. Another popular attraction in Monterey is "Christmas in the Adobes," featuring 17 historic adobes decorated with period Christmas decorations, musical entertainment and refreshments. This is scheduled from 5 to 9 p.m., Thursday and Saturday, Dec. 13 and 15. Sponsored by the Old Monterey Preservation Society and the California State Department of Parks and Recreation, tickets are priced at $7 for adults and $1 for children 6-17.

Tickets are available at Cooper Store, 525 Polk Monterey. Compiled by Mel Bowen The Sentinel welcomes news items for Worth Packing For especially travel packages, activities, andinteresting destinations of general Interest-to Santa' CrU2 Cdunty Please mail news items to: Worth Packing For. Sentinel Newsroom, P.O. Box 638, Santa Cruz, Calif. 95061.

We must receive information by the Tuesday prior to the Sunday of publication. INCLUDES: 4- TRANSPORTATION 2 NIGHTS LODGING 4 FREE CONT. BREAKFASTS 4- LIFT TICKET HEAVENLY 4- LIFTS AT SQUAW VALLEY Tour leaves Fridays at 3 to return Sunday at 10pm. Transportation ii on Pacific Monarch's new Setra Coaches. A recent movie will shown during transit followed by a variety ot music.

Remember the CASINOS are only a block away with tree transport back and forth! The rates are based on double occupancy though single, triple and quad rates are available. Dates are as follows 121490-121690 122190-122390 11191-11391 11891-12191' 20891-21091 21591-218S1-'Slightly higher rates lor 4 day trip. from unforgettable treasures of an and history, to stunning scenic grandeur, to some of the finest shopping in the world. You will experience an inaugural call at Warnemunde, East Germany where you'll venture into the newly opened city of East Berlin. Also visit London, Leningrad, Helsinki, Stockholm, Copenhagen, Oslo and Amsterdam.

Experience all this from the luxurious, spacious and elegant CrtmTi Odyssey. From the moment you board in tendon, her European crew will make you feel pampered and at home in the midst of superb service and exquisite cuisine. Your hosts on board this magnificent cruise will be Dave and Lynn Regan. Dave has been General Manager at the Santa Cruz Sentinel since 1983 and is very active in the community. They both hope you will join them on this cruise of a lifetime! Great gift Ideal Discounts for groups of 30 or morel Space Is limited! 1-S0O-942-TOUR.

Come and experience the Royal Cruise ine difference: ft Renowned Old World Service from our fnendly Greek crew fr Dancing with our famous Gentlemen Hosts it Exciting New Beginnings enrichment programs ft American Heart Association cuisine alternatives ft Complete Land Programs and Shore Excursions ft California's Favorite Cruise Line Rovul WCruisc Line For reservations and infonnation, contact one of the participating Travel Agents today! DOfTT mill TXt MMTTWti't 1 I EUROPE 1991 Including air fare, breakfast dinner daily London the Theatre $1344 March 11, 1991 for 10 days England, France, Switzerland, Italy, Austria, Germany $3070 June 21, 1991 for 21 days Andy Sally Di Girolamo 426-50S4 or 425-8146 EAST MEETS WEST A 16-day, fully-escorted tour of East Europe-Czechoslov- kia, Poland, Hungary East Germany, with a Danube Cruise of Vienna. Departing: June 12. 1991 BROCHURE Colvlllt ft Sylvia Smyth 408-336-3360 I'ii. itic Ave- 1(12 Itmviiluwn Sjtiifn i'mr. RIoXcUmv- WiiMiett TRAVEL.