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A personal narrative is presented which explores the author's experience of staying at the Saugerties Lighthouse in Saugerties, New York.

WALKING the High Line? That's cute. The length of Central Park? Bucolic. The marathon? Try adding six miles. Circumnavigating Manhattan is the ultimate and extreme city walking tour and promises the seemingly impossible: a path less traveled on an overly trodden island. Half sightseeing tour, half endurance test, the journey at Manhattan's edge takes you into the shadows of 19 bridges, through as many parks and past art installations, city landmarks and 360 degrees of ever-changing views. Each spring for the past 25 years, scores of people have done the walk as part of the Great Saunter, started by Cy A. Adler, now 82, who also wrote the 2003 book on the subject, ''Walking Manhattan's Rim,'' a (slightly outdated) guide crammed with local history and civic commentary. I did the walk solo one Saturday, starting with a coffee at dawn from the Starbucks above the Chambers Street subway near the top of Battery Park City. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

NEW York is a ceaseless cacophony of screeches, rumbles and honks, an improvisational score of stilted, urban jazz. Some call it noise. We drown it out with our iPods, become inured to sleeping and working under it and eventually tune the city out. But New York is also filled with veritable sidewalk symphonies: free, live concerts in public places that attract their own devoted groupies. There are well-publicized performances in parks by the likes of the New York Philharmonic and the Metropolitan Opera; there are some 100 sanctioned subway buskers selected through a competitive process that rivals ''American Idol,'' including the Meetles, a Beatles tribute band, and others who perform New Orleans jazz, Chicago blues, Finnish a capella, classical punk cello and Native American nose flute. And then there are lesser-known performances, some hidden in plain sight. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ONCE upon a time -- about 200 years ago to be more precise -- there were two brothers, Wilhelm and Jacob Grimm, who lived in the Kingdom of Hesse, now part of Germany. They loved fairy tales and set about collecting and publishing them -- to the delight of readers around the world, young and old, forever after. You could celebrate the approaching bicentennial anniversary of the debut of ''Kinder und Hausmarchen'' (''Children's and Household Tales''), the Grimm brothers' famed collection -- it was first published in 1812 -- by strolling through Disney World's tidy faux castles alongside grinning, crinolined mascots. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

THE BASICS The Roosevelt, formerly the Fairmont, reopened in July after an 18-month, $170 million restoration and several delays, having been shuttered after the waters from Hurricane Katrina flooded the basement and mangled the plumbing and electricity. It was also rechristened a Waldorf Astoria property and reverted to the moniker of its heyday from the 1920s to the '60s. Back then the New Orleans landmark was flamboyantly famous enough to serve as the model for Arthur Hailey's 1965 novel ''Hotel.'' [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Hong Kong Highlights for Two 21-Year-Olds My son and a friend will be going on a Habitat for Humanity trip to Phnom Penh, Cambodia, in January and would like to make a stop in Hong Kong first. Can you suggest comfortable places to stay in Hong Kong for two 21-year-olds, as well as sites and dining suggestions, for the end of December? [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

New York City for a Teenage Visitor Do you have any ideas for entertaining teenage visitors in New York City? My teenage cousin is coming to New York, and I'd like to find some fun things to do with her. I found an article from 2007 on the subject, but I wanted to see if you had any updates. -- Meagan Hess, New York City [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Apartment Versus Hotel in Madrid I am going to Madrid to be near the Prado for study. My usual people at Doorways Ltd. have apartments in Italy and France but don't do Spain. I'm looking for a rental company I can trust so there will be no surprises and so I will have someone to call if there is a problem. Failing that, can you recommend some hotels near the Prado? -- Mark Oxman, Amherst, Mass. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Cooking Classes in Mexico What recommendations do you have for cooking schools/culinary experiences in Mexico? -- Lynne Mijangos, New York [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Best European Destination in November? My husband and I are planning a quick five-day trip from New York to Europe in mid-November. Considering the weather and any exciting events that may be occurring at that time of the year, where would you suggest we go? We have been to London, Brussels and Paris on previous vacations during the summer. -- Gail Lamotte, Orinda, Calif. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Yunnan Without Tour Guides What's the best way to arrange off-the-beaten path travel in a country where you don't speak the language? I'm hoping to travel to Yunnan Province in China next spring but don't want to go with a tour and don't want to completely wing it either. -- Karla Robertson, San Francisco [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

THERE was a long moment late into a recent Saturday night, when the Sazerac Bar in New Orleans felt like the early 1930s. Tim Laughlin, a local musician, blew a big-band number on a piercing clarinet; a young man in spats and a fedora spun his dance partner dizzily; and uniformed bartenders shook cocktails behind the bar. Chatty tipplers, some in seersucker suits, raised the din to a jovial shout, and you could just imagine Gov. Huey P. Long, a onetime regular, pulling on a gin fizz to cool off at the hottest spot in town. When the Sazerac Bar reopened its doors in July for the first time since Hurricane Katrina, it reset the clock. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Planning a Surprise Trip in Britain and Ireland I am planning a surprise trip for my father to Ireland, Scotland and Wales; it would be a two-week trip. I wonder if you'd recommend any towns and cities to visit. We are very interested in local food and pubs, as well as local markets and shopping. -- Patricia A. Carbone, Red Bank, N.J. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Architecture in Spain, Portugal and Morocco My wife and I are both in the field of architecture and plan to visit Spain, Portugal and Morocco this October and November. We have 20 days. Can you guide us? -- Kamal Patel, Anand, India [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

BLOCK ISLAND, R.I. THE sights of an East Coast summer -- body surfers careering toward the beach, children licking fudge ripple off sticky knuckles, bicycles casting shadows on hot pavement -- vanish after Labor Day, when pool closings and school openings signal the beginning of a more somber season. But on this island, 13 miles offshore, the summer idyll slides far into fall. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

San Francisco Layover My boyfriend and I are flying to Los Angeles via San Francisco, and we have a four-hour layover. He has never seen San Francisco. Someday we'll take a dedicated trip to the Bay Area, but -- assuming our plane arrives on time -- what do you suggest we do with the tiny window of time we'll have? It will be late afternoon. -- Marian Berelowitz, Brooklyn [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

To Lisbon With Baby in Tow We plan to visit Lisbon in September with our baby, who will then be 1 year old. We'd like to stay for around five days so we can see many of the historical decorative arts sites. We like staying in colorful, old neighborhoods but have not attempted this usual mode with a baby. Do you have any tips for Lisbon with a baby? -- Anna Miles, Auckland, New Zealand [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Anniversary in the Caribbean To celebrate our fifth anniversary, my husband and I have decided to go somewhere in the Caribbean in September. I wonder if we've chosen wisely, though, because so many resorts seem to shut down then for ''annual closing.'' We've sort of narrowed it down to St. Barts. But we're open to other islands as long as they fit our criteria of a nice resort for no more than $500 a night, a short flight on American Airlines, good food, great beaches and something to do if the weather takes a turn for the worse. -- Quimby Mills, Montreal [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Will a Visitor to New Orleans Be Disappointed? I remember my trip to New Orleans a few years before Katrina, and in three days I knew it was my favorite city in America. I wonder if post-Katrina, even if life may have returned to near normalcy, the city has lost some of its character, with all the rebuilding. Is there a big disappointment in store for a post-Katrina visitor? -- Lalit Bhatia, Bangalore, India [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Chartering a Yacht in the Greek Isles My ultimate dream trip is a cruise of the Greek isles, with a twist. I'd like to hire a yacht that accommodates up to 12 couples. We'd be able to dictate our itinerary within reason and be able to have our meals prepared onboard. How can I accomplish this? Hoping to do this in mid-September. Is that a good time? -- Jennifer Edwards, West Bloomfield, Mich. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

GLASGOW has the classic second-city complex -- locked in a never-ending comparison with its more popular and tourist-accessible sibling, Edinburgh, less than 50 miles away. But give Glasgow a little extra attention, and you will find that, like the famously inscrutable dialect of its residents, this understatedly stylish city is worth deciphering. With its mix of modern and classic architecture, plentiful cultural and culinary options, shopping districts and large green spaces, the city holds an appeal for both civic-minded locals and sophisticated travelers who find discovering a place is half the fun. Friday [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

A Solo Cross-Country Trip I am a single woman in my mid-40s embarking on a cross-country road trip from Los Angeles to New York. I have many friends along the way I will be visiting, but I have a few questions: Am I crazy? Is there a reliable service that can connect me with a vehicle I can drive one way if I decide not to take my car? Any suggestions on off-the-beaten-path places and things to see/do, etc? -- Madge, Los Angeles [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The Best Hawaiian Island for a New Life My girlfriend and I have lived in Brooklyn for a year, and when our lease is up in August we're considering downsizing everything we have to a few bags and moving to Hawaii. Given that it is a chain of islands, how does one choose which is best? Our needs are simple: we'll need public transportation or, preferably, an area that is bicycle friendly, has quality restaurants, the beach and jobs. -- Nicholas Yoder, Brooklyn [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Cheap Lodging in Paris and Venice I would like to know if you could recommend any budget hotels or bed-and-breakfasts in Paris and Venice. In Paris, I would like to be near the Paris Opera and museums. In Venice I plan to visit the galleries and see musical events. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Grand Cayman With Children My wife and I will be traveling to Grand Cayman with our 3-year-old son. We are primarily going to enjoy the beaches, but would also like to spend some time exploring the island. Can you suggest any hotels, restaurants and activities that are geared toward children but that my wife and I would be able to appreciate as well? -- Brendan Toomey, Brooklyn [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Day Trips From Limerick I will be traveling to Ireland as an au pair this summer, I'll be staying in Limerick. I would like to get to know the country more when I'm there. I would like to make short one- or half-day trips when I have free time. What would you recommend? I have only a student budget. -- Jolanta Wantula, Trinec, Czech Republic [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Southeast Asia Budget I am planning for my first solo trip to Southeast Asia after I graduate from my master's program. I aim to spend three to four weeks in the region. I would like to know how much money I should roughly expect to spend a day and what to see. -- Christopher Kan, Syosset, New York [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island I am planning a 10-day vacation with my boyfriend at the end of July. We are taking the ferry from Bar Harbor, Me., to Halifax, Nova Scotia. We're told we must go to Prince Edward Island, but I'm not sure of distances. Maybe Cape Breton Island instead? We are interested in hiking, biking and camping, too. We will have a car. -- Nancy Rand, New York [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Road Trip Through National Parks My wife and I are planning a four-week cross-country trip from Pennsylvania by minivan in July. We would like to visit national parks. Any recommendations? Our plans include either motels or camping, light hiking, taking pictures and driving less than 300 miles a day. -- David Yoon [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

My daughter is turning 21 at the end of July. She wants to celebrate the event with a trip to Las Vegas that will include family and friends ranging in age from 16 to 86. We will have a large group, approximately 24. What is the best way to get a group deal for all of us? -- Randall A. C. Birks, Calgary, Alberta [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

We are a couple with a 14-month-old toddler and will be staying with my wife's parents in San Diego in July. We have seen most of San Diego and would like to explore some more of Southern California on day trips or short outings. We are reasonably adventurous, but will probably draw the line at bungee jumping. Hikes in national parks sound like a good option -- or is it too hot? -- Christian Barkei, Shanghai With a toddler in tow, I agree that you should draw the line at bungee jumping, and I'd also skip nearby Tijuana. Southern California in July can get quite hot, so you should take extra precautions to protect your 14-month-old against heat, dehydration and too much sun. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Touring Civil War Sites This June my 13-year-old son, 11-year-old daughter and I are planning a week-plus car trip to the Civil War battlegrounds in Pennsylvania and Virginia. We were hoping to stay at quaint B & B's and eat at great local restaurants. We were also hoping to get personal guides to some of the major battlegrounds. Any tips? -- Kate Cordsen, Bronxville, N.Y. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

You'll find Flax under ''Art Materials and Supplies'' in the San Francisco phone book, which is like defining the Grand Canyon as a riverbed: it may be technically true, but it grossly understates the depth, breadth and wonder of the place. An irresistible beacon for artists, art students and crafts-happy dilettantes, this vast concrete-and-steel space also attracts tourists by the streetcar-load, and even celebrities like Robin Williams. Flax is for the customer who knows the difference between a run-of-the-mill squirrel-hair paint brush and a Kolinsky sable brush, but also for the Martha Stewart disciple who genuflects before overflowing racks of gift bags and boxes, ribbons and a rainbow of a la carte stationery. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Barcelona With Kids My wife and I are planning a family trip with my two children, ages 3 and 6, this summer to Barcelona. Are there things to do in and around Barcelona that are fun for kids? We are particularly interested in beach activities. Also, what are the best areas one or two hours away for families to relax and enjoy? -- Bruce Nierenberg, New York [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

CROSS-COUNTRY BY AMTRAK My husband and I find traveling in the cramped space of air coach increasingly uncomfortable as we've aged and acquired some medical problems, but first class is very expensive. We wonder if traveling across the country from Davis, Calif., to Washington by Amtrak, and especially via the California Zephyr, is a better alternative to flying. How are the accommodations? Can we put our feet up during the day? Would we be able to get exercise? [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Day Trip to London From Paris My husband and I will be traveling to Paris this month, to celebrate our 10th anniversary. We would like to go to London while we're there. We are staying in Paris, so we'd like to spend only the day in London, and travel back to stay at our hotel. What can you recommend as the best means of travel and what to do and where to eat in London? -- Katasha Tyson, Charlotte, N.C. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Post-Graduation Trip to the Greek Isles My girlfriends and I are getting ready to graduate from college in May and were planning a trip for the summer. We have always wanted to visit the Greek isles and are thinking that a cruise would be the best way to see everything. Are there any cruise lines that cater to young adults? We don't want to spend a lot of money, and we don't want a ''Girls Gone Wild''- type of experience, but we still want to be surrounded by people our age and have fun. -- Meredith Dausch, Iowa City [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Side Trips Out of Berlin My brother is living in Berlin for the next two years and I plan on visiting him in May for one to two weeks. I do not want to spend the entire time in Berlin. Can you suggest a few day trips and a weekend trip? I am especially interested in visiting other countries. -- Emily Gordon, New York [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Beaches in Brazil I am planning to visit Brazil this spring for 10 days. Any suggestions for the best beaches to visit during this time? I was thinking about the Natal and Recife area to possibly avoid the rain. -- Sonal Jain, New York [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

I'm planning a trip to Switzerland for Christmas and New Year's. Can you recommend some artistic neighborhoods like Williamsburg in Brooklyn? -- Anya [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

I would like to do a combination trip of Jerusalem and Petra. Could I fly to Jerusalem, stay three nights and then cross the border to Jordan and stay another three nights? I will then get back to Tel Aviv to catch my flight. Would crossing the border be a problem? -- Rebecca Vilas ''Since Jordan and Israel have diplomatic relations, there is, in principle, no problem,'' said Steven Erlanger, the Paris bureau chief for The Times, who previously led the paper's bureau in Jerusalem. Mr. Erlanger wrote ''Jerusalem, Now'' (April 16, 2006) in Travel. In an e-mail message, he explained that it is possible to drive across the Allenby Bridge, the closest border crossing from Jerusalem . You would then take a Jordanian taxi to Petra, a drive he described as ''fairly long, windy and hot.'' [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

With the goal of enjoying Christmas in a quaint New England atmosphere, my extended family has arranged to gather for five days at an inn in Brandon, Vt. There will be 18 of us, ranging from 2 months to 80 years. We do not plan to ski or snowboard. Any advice on what to see or do in the area that might have a holiday feel? Also, the inn will not be serving dinner on Christmas day. Any restaurants in the area that do something festive for Christmas? -- Maureen McLoughlin, New York Brandon, Vt., is a small town, so seeing the area will require some driving.About 45 miles north, for example, is Shelburne, home to Shelburne Farms (www.shelburnefarms.org), featured in Lisa Foderaro's article ''Gifts From the Gilded Age'' (Sept. 28, 2007). There are hiking trails there and the grounds, laid out by Frederick Law Olmsted (of Central Park fame), would make for a nice day trip. The farm's Welcome Center is not open on Christmas Day but the grounds are. Its calendar includes a children's event called ''Explore the Farm in Winter'' on Dec. 30. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

My wife, Jennifer, and I would like to take our just-turning-2 twins to somewhere tropical in January. We're looking for family-friendly island accommodations with amenities suitable for two toddlers, and for places with direct flights from New York. -- Jonathan Morrill, Brooklyn [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

I'm thinking of going to Paris for Christmas. I went once before, and finding Christmas dinner was a challenge. Any ideas for Christmas lunch or dinner there? -- Geoff Russell, Houston [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

''THE first law for a secret agent is to get his geography right,'' Ian Fleming wrote in ''The Man With the Golden Gun.'' And so it is for anyone following the trail of the man who created the world's most famous secret agent through his adopted island of Jamaica, a journey that starts near Kingston on the tiny spit of beach called the Palisadoes that connects the city to Norman Manley International Airport. Most of the traffic heads into the capital, but if you steer westward, snaking around the contours of dunes on the poorly paved street toward the peninsula's dead end, you'll find Morgan's Harbour Hotel in Port Royal. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

My girlfriend and I are looking to get away for a weekend -- somewhere warm where we could enjoy the beach, but also where we might be able to see something cool. I thought of Cancun and the Chichen Itza pyramids nearby. Someone else mentioned that Tulum might be more interesting for the relaxing beach part of the trip. Any advice? -- Kevin Lapin, New York [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Many hot spots around the globe had just a brief time in the sun -- a moment when they were the it destination for celebrities and the wealthy of their era. For Jamaica, that golden age was the 1950s and early '60s, when the island was slotted into the jet-set itinerary after Florida and before Barbados. The island's spotlight brightened and dimmed in concert with the birth of international celebrity and the vagaries of international politics, but it was lighted in World War II, when Jamaica was a British colony and an Allied base, and its strategic importance led to increased aid and infrastructure development. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Friends from Britain, along with my friends and me from Canada, plan to rendezvous in Manhattan. We arrive early on Thanksgiving Day. For all of us, Nov. 27 has no special significance. We have been having some difficulty determining what we can do on this day and evening. Many restaurants and shows will be closed on the holiday. Any suggestions? -- Sean Blane, Ottawa [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

I've been told the best way to deal with telephone use in Europe is to (1) buy a cheap cellphone in the United States and (2) buy a chip in the country in which one is traveling, insert it and use that phone locally. How does the whole thing work? Rita Irons, New York [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

I want to take a trip by myself, but I have no idea where to go! I would like it to be outside the United States, relatively safe (I'm a 24-year-old female) and with enough to explore but with options for places to go and relax. I understand there are some risks in traveling alone, but it's an experience I would like to have while still young. With others, I've been to Paris, Amsterdam, Brussels, Budapest, Cyprus, Athens, Toronto, Dominican Republic and Ecuador. -- Ana Fermin, Rochester The world, or quite a bit of it, at least, is your oyster. Considering the places you've been and keeping in mind that you are traveling alone but, I assume, don't want to be isolated from locals and other travelers, I have five places for you to consider. I can vouch for each of them in terms of safety, fun, sociability and excitement, but to further your research, go to nytimes.com/travel and look at the destination pages for archived articles, venue information and other trip-planning advice. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]