I drove from Charleston, W.Va., to Mt. Airy, N.C., taking Interstate Highway 77. Found it a beautiful, scenic drive.
— Nancy S.
Studying Spanish
DOWNERS GROVE — Thank you for running pieces on student travel. The best place I’ve heard of to study Spanish is the Instituto Falcon in the quaint town of Guanajuato, Mexico. They arrange for homestays with Spanish families for less than $20 a day plus class fees (www.infonet.com.mx/falcon; e-mail: infalcon@redes.int.com.mx). For more about other language programs, contact Transitions Abroad at www.transabroad.com
Guanajuato has wonderful shopping, numerous theaters, museums and street performers. UNESCO has declared the mountain town a World Heritage Site.
— Krista Osness
A home in Ireland
MENDOCINO, Calif. — Recently, my husband and I made another visit to Ireland where his family still lives in Waterford. We found our way to a beautiful country home in the green Wexford hills — Ballinkeele House (011-353-53-38105; fax 011-353-53-38468). Our hosts, John and Margaret Maher, attended to our every need from cocktails before dinner to wonderful Irish coffee in the drawing room afterwards. The rooms and the beds were especially well designed. This lovely old Palladian house (and the hospitable Maher family) is an experience not to be missed.
Pamela S. Palmer
Great Drive suggestions
HOFFMAN ESTATES — I am responding to the Tribune asking readers to determine a Great American Drive. A few suggestions:
1. Travel to Connecticut, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine in the fall. The leaves would be an incredible sight and each evening you could stay at a quaint bed-and-breakfast.
2. Travel to Washington and Oregon spending most of your time traveling along the coast.
3. Travel to Utah and take part in a river-rafting trip.
4. If the harsh red-rock country is not for you, travel to West Virginia or Virginia and raft some rivers there (I am trying very hard to get in a rafting trip for you).
5. Trek along the Appalachian Trail.
6. Last, but not least, leave the country for Belize!
You may also want to consider taking along a traveling companion (someone in their teens or 20s — I am 29).
— Karen Jacobson
———-
Stay tuned. We received far too many suggestions to do all of them, but at least one of these is on Alan Solomon’s agenda.
Like to share a travel experience, recommendation–or warning? Write to the Chicago Tribune, Travel Section, 435 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, Ill. 60611. Include your name, address and phone number.
