It’s gratifying to see that one of our favorite attractions for kids has not only moved, but moved up to a much bigger space with room for more activities. We were giddy with the mesmerizing images of the Human-Sized Kaleidoscope at the Children’s Museum of Portsmouth (see www.boston.com/travel/explorene/newhampshire/articles/2005/06/26/mirror_images_mesmerize_kaleidoscopic_explorers/) and we’re delighted that the kaleidoscope survived the move—and the name change. The Children’s Museum of New Hampshire opens on Wednesday, July 23, in new digs at 6 Washington Street in Dover (tel: 603-742-2002; www.childrens-museum.org). Check it out.

Posted by David Lyon, Globe Correspondent

No, this just isn't any old Hot Air Balloon Fest...this is the Hillsborough Balloon Festival and Fair! While the show-stoppers tend to be the gorgeous inflatables rising above the mountains, this event has so much to offer, it seems likely you won't be able to fit it all in. There will be fireworks, a 5K, carnival midway, live music and entertainment, tractor pulls, mud bogs, and artist's fair, despite the large balloons filling the skies.

So, you want to take a ride but are afraid...no problem. Alternative Number 1 is to try out Tethering. When a balloon tethers, it is secured to the earth so it will return to the spot from which it took off. Accompanied by the pilot, you will "go up" about 50 feet then come back to the ground. The cost is $10 per person to go up for approximately 5 minutes. Or you can choose Alternative Number 2: Night Glow. A Night Glow isn't a ride, but it is one heck of a show. Once fully inflated, the propane burner is adjusted so as to create a white flame that illuminates the balloon and makes it glow. The night glow is free too. See, no flying needed for full enjoyment.

The festival runs July 10-13 with the 2008 theme of "Celebrating Family & Friends"...easy to achieve in such atmosphere. Parking donation is $5 but general admission is free with extra fees charged for certain events [you can't ride in a balloon without a cool $175]. Leave Fifi at home as absolutely no pets of any kind are allowed on the fairgrounds. Balloon liftoffs and nightglow events are subject to weather conditions, and in the event of rain-out Saturday, fireworks will be rescheduled for Sunday with the festival remaining open until 10 PM.

It's not quite commonplace to celebrate a historic homestead that hasn't changed in over a century, but in Colebrook, N.H., you'll find a town doing just that. The Poore Farm Museum is a historic homestead or settlement that visually documents one family's life from the 1830s-1980s. The house, barns, and outbuildings are in original condition making a visit here is a step backward in time to what existed prior to rural electrification of the northern regions of New Hampshire.

This Sunday, July 6 marks the home's 14th Annual Open Barn & Celebration, commemorating its founder's 123d birthday. So of course, there will be free birthday cake and lemonade open to the public from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Traditional bluegrass will be performed outside by Gopher Broke beginning at 1 p.m. So pack a picnic, bring a blanket or chair, and celebrate the good ole days of yesteryear at the Poore Farm. Donations are requested at $8 per adult while children under 12 are free.

Weather looks good for Thursday July 3, in fact, it looks gruesome hot outside of Boston. Escape the triple-H threat and head to Gilford, N.H.'s Meadowbrook Farm for an outdoor concert of Kidz Bop. Yes, the same name from TV - the commercial that my kids try to act like they know, as they lip sync away to their favorite tunes [and they do a better job than Milli Vanili did too!]. Starting at 4 p.m., the Kidz Bop concert is a series of singalong collections that debuted in 2001. The genius behind the scenes knew that if he got kids singing versions of hit singles, and even cleaned up the language of some big hits, that parents would be all over buying the music for their kids. Kidz Bop collections have sold millions of records, topped the Billboard charts, and make every kid feel like they are in the thick of pop culture.

Tickets range in price from $19-$42 but there are no bad seats at Meadowbrook, which started holding concerts on the grass on the shores of Lake Winnipesaukee, in the middle of a tree farm. Today Meadowbrook is a big-time amphitheater rivaling the old Greatwoods [that doesn't date me does it?]. Anyway, give the night to the kids, put the twinkle of stardom in their eyes, and you can enjoy a family-friendly night outside under the stars of a N.H. Lakes Region sky.

Didn't have the camera along a couple of days ago for a trip with friends up Mount Major, a perfect family day hike.
Narrow trail with lots of boulders. Steep sections with big granite slabs. But mostly just well-kept trail for a mile and more to drop away views. Picture pebbles in a pond, only the pebbles are wooded islands, the pond Lake Winnipesaukee, with all its hues of blue.
The action came toward the top, where a particular three-year-old charged on, determined to keep up with her 5-year-old brother and a pack of even older boys. She made it, answering a summit query -- "are you OK?" -- with a sturdy, "of course, daddy."
Not so on the descent down Boulder Trail. Why did you stop there?
"Carry me, daddy!"
(For a more detailed report of another family's outing, and photos of the reward at the top, click here.)

Rumney Rocks, a popular rock climbing site in central New Hampshire, will reopen tomorrow, Friday. The area had been closed for several days as crews fought a slow-burning but stubborn fire that scorched much of the surrounding area on Rattlesnake Mountain.

Staff at the White Mountain National Forest issued a press release today cautioning returning hikers and climbers to beware dangerous debris, snags and more in the fire area. Trail edges may be unstable and, even if the surface looks level, it could collapse under a hiker's weight.

The release outlined additional risks for climbers: Those "returning to the crags in the Orange Crush, Bonsai, Main Cliff, and Darth Vader areas should be aware that previously exiting bolts, carabineers, slings, quick draws and anchors may no longer be stable."

For updates, visit here.

Tread lightly, and have fun.

The rodeo, with its bronco-riding, calf-roping cowboys and cowgirls, seems about as quintessentially Western as you can get. But the Painted Pony Rodeo, the oldest weekly rodeo in the country, is actually just a few hours’ drive from Boston, in the Adirondacks’ Lake Luzerne.
But tomorrow, the Painted Pony Rodeo crosses into northern Vermont for a show in Highgate. This is professional rodeo, and the event should attract up to 100 men and women from as far away as Texas, who are earning professional points competing in events like bareback bronc riding, steer wrestling, team roping, and cowgirls’ barrel racing, where riders steer their horses at a fast clip around a set of barrels.
There’s also an opening pageant, as well as rodeo clowns, and a trick roper who can do just about anything with a lasso. Wear your cowboy hat or come early: The first 100 kids children to arrive get a free cowboy hat.
Tickets for adults are $15, for children $10, and ages 5 and under free. Gates open at 4 p.m., and the show starts at 7, rain or shine.
Posted by Kathy Shorr, Globe Correspondent

Have you ever gotten up early to watch the sunrise? Let me rephrase that: Have you ever gotten up early to drive to the top of the highest peak in the Northeast to watch the sun come up over the Atlantic Ocean? The Mount Washington Auto Road is opening early on three Sundays this summer (June 29, Aug. 3, and Aug. 31) to allow drivers extra early access to the summit of Mount Washington. On June 29, the auto road will open at 3:30 a.m., on Aug. 3 it will open at 4 a.m., and on Aug. 31 it will open at 4:30 a.m. The regular rate applies ($20 per car and driver, $7 each additional adult, $5 for ages 5-12, and children under 4 free) as do certain vehicle restrictions. These rates include that famous bumper sticker and an audio tour on CD or cassette in English, French, or German. On a regular day, most vehicles take about 30 minutes to make the 7.6-mile ascent. Just don’t wait until the last minute to arrive. The popularity of last year’s sunrise drives showed that it may take as long as 30 minutes just to get through the Toll House at the mountain’s base. Someone once said, ‘‘We can only appreciate the miracle of a sunrise if we have waited in the darkness.’’ So what’s a little exhaust?

And so the cuts begin. American says it will cancel its daily Boston-San Diego service Sept. 3. The struggling carrier also says it will halt New York-London Stansted as of July 2, Chicago to Buenos Aires Sept. 3.Chicago-Honolulu Jan. 5, and trim American Eagle service in September to 33 flights, from the normal winter schedule of 55 daily departures.
These reductions are all part of the carrier's plan to reduce its schedule by as much as 12 percent and that of its regional Eagle service by as much as 11 percent. American detailed all this about a week ago -- at the same time it dropped the bomb about charging passengers $15 for even a first checked bag.
Be forewarned. This is just the beginning. News of more cuts will continue to trickle out.
If you are planning travel in the fall, you might do well to start making those plans soon. Decent fares and available seats will not be easier to come by as time passes.

Italian airline Air One said today it is launching its first flights between the US and Italy, including a flight from Logan Into Milan.

Air One said its inaugural flight to Boston will arrive at Logan International Airport on June 14; the Boston-Milan connection will fly daily, excluding Tuesday and Thursday.

Air One noted in its press release, "From lift-off, Air One passengers will be immersed in Italian culture, thanks to Italian cuisine, in-flight entertainment offering Italian films, and with onboard outfitting that guarantees maximum relaxation, making the flight an authentic 'Made in Italy' experience."

(At left, a Milan landmark.)

The press release also noted that Milan is "the industrial and financial heart of Italy, as well as the point of departure to some of Northern Italy's top destinations: elegant Turin; romantic Verona, the city of Romeo and Juliet; exclusive Lake Como, and the magnificent Alps."
(By Chris Reidy, Globe staff)

OK, so you totally didn’t get Pi Day back in March. Will the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter feed the soul like your grandmother’s lemon meringue? No! It’s time to raid the recipe box for Canterbury Shaker Village’s Everybody Loves Pie pie contest May 31 in Canterbury, N.H. Any homemade pie is welcome, from traditional apple to one of your own invention. Prizes (which include cooking classes and gift certificates from The Shaker Table) will be awarded to the top winners. The entry fee is $10, and procrastinators are in luck: Pies will be accepted through noon on May 31. The pie contest is one of the highlights of Canterbury Shaker Village’s Simply Food Day from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. There will be cooking classes, craft demonstrations, hayrides, tours, and food samples galore. (General admission: adults $15; 60 and over $13; $7 kids 17 and under, free for children under 6.) According to its website, Canterbury Shaker Village is ‘‘dedicated to preserving the 200-year legacy of the Canterbury Shakers and to providing a place for learning, reflection, and renewal of the human spirit.’’ If that renewal includes eating pie, count me in.

Uncle Samuel, dude that he is, has just raised the caps on the amounts that airlines must pay to passengers who get involuntarily bumped.
The rule changes, which take effect in May, double the limit carriers must cough up to The Inconvenienced.
This is the way it will work: If you get bumped and the carrier gets you on another flight and to your destination less than an hour late, you get nothing, nil, nada, zilch.
If, however, they get you there between and hour and two hours late (or between 1 and 4 for international flights), they owe you compensation of 100 percent for that flight, up to a cap of $400. If it's more than two hours (or 4 for international flights), they owe you 200 percent, with a limit of $800.
Still unclear? OK, let's say you booked a round-trip for $600 to San Jose (as in: do you know they way to), and you get bumped. You were supposed to arrive at 3 p.m. But they get you on another flight and you land at 4:30. They owe you 100 percent -- or $300 -- for the one-way leg they messed up. Got it?
Bear in mind this does not affect you if they tell you they're overbooked and you voluntarily give up your seat. Then the compensation is a matter of mutual agreement (usually, when they ask for volunteers they tell you what they're offering).
The rule changes also cover more flights: any flight with 30 seats or more (before you had to be on one with 60 seats to qualify).
The US Department of Transportation has been working on these changes for months. But the final rules couldn't have come at a better time as we are just about to hit the busy summer travel season and folks have gotten skittish -- and understandably so given the nearly daily bad news about delinquent airline safety checks, flight cancellations, and poor treatment of passengers.
More to the point, with the airlines raising fares, cutting flights, and pushing to make sure every seat is filled, there can't help but be more overbooking so more bumping. Given what's going on, it's worth committing these rules to memory, hombre.

A sure sign of spring are the thousands of blooming daffodils and early wildflowers in Blithewold Mansion's gardens on the shores of Narragansett Bay. The grounds of the 1908 mansion in Bristol, R.I., are a melange of color and scents during the annual Daffodil Days April 12-May 4. Though the yellow-and-white flowers are the centerpieces of the festival, visitors can stroll the Great Lawn with its bay views or linger in gardens, both classic and more informal.
The 17th-century English country-styled manor, complete with gargoyles and crests, was built as the summer home of Augustus Van Wickle, a Brown University graduate who became a coal baron in Pennsylvania. The 45-room mansion anchors the grounds with its 33 acres of gardens and striking trees, such as a 90-foot giant sequoia, ginkgo, and weeping pagoda.
Afternoon teas with scones and assorted desserts are served in the mansion's dark oak-paneled dining room overlooking the water Wednesday through Friday at 2 and 3 o'clock. Special children's teas will be served at 2 o'clock on April 16-18. Don't miss the Butler's Pantry with its displays of china, silver, and crystal.
The mansion also houses such indoor exhibits as floral arrangements, paintings from nature by area artists, and the Colonial Dames of America's collection of Bessie McKee's (Van Wickle's widow) turn-of-the-20th-century hats. But during Daffodil Days, garden variety visitors want to be outside.
Admission for adults is $10, seniors and students $8, children under 17 free. Afternoon tea is $10 (plus admission). Grounds and gardens open daily 10 a.m.- 5 p.m.; self-guided tours of mansion and gardens Wednesday-Sunday 10-4.

Posted by Marty Basch, Globe Correspondent

Did you call before you drove out to Logan? You should have.
Today's toll is estimated to hit at least 1,000 nationwide, including 17 flights at Logan, mostly to Chicago and Dallas-Fort Worth, affecting about 1,900 customers. Nationwide as estimated 110,000 travelers were affected. Yesterday, American canceled about 460 flights -- as many as five at Logan -- of its MD-80 planes to check the bundling of wires in some planes, the same issue that forced both it and Delta to cancel a combined total of more than 700 flights last last month.
American has said that flight safety has not been

compromised.

Passengers wait at the American counters at O'Hare Airport in Chicago Wednesday morning. (AP Photo)

The tighter scrutiny on safety checks is happening as the FAA has tightened inspections since coming under fire from Congress and others for letting Southwest fly planes that had missed safety check-ups. Airline spokesman Ned Raynolds said that it was highly likely there would be more cancellations tomorrow but he couldn't give a better estimate. Bottom line: Got a flight with American? Call before you go.

Some tidbits gleaned from the morning news:
*Aer Lingus just cut a partnership deal with United. This comes a couple months after the Irish carrier reached a similar code-sharing pact with JetBlue.
What this means is that it will be easier to fly between anywhere United -- or JetBlue -- flies and any place Aer Lingus does.
Now if you and/or yours only hop between Boston and Dublin or Shannon, it's maybe not such a big deal. But it will make a difference for relatives across the pond who might want to make the rounds here in the States. Or maybe for that daughter of yours living in San Francisco who hasn't been to see the grandparents outside Donegal in a bit.
*Hard to believe but John Weikle, the founder of the bankrupt carrier Skybus, is "working on a plan" to get discounter flying again, the News & Record of Greensboro, N.C., reports. The airline has about $10 million in cash, Weikle said, which is enough seed money to attract other investors. Locally, Skybus flew out of and into Portsmouth, N.H., and Chicopee, Mass.
Excuse me? Didn't we just leave a bunch of folks stranded this weekend?
If you revive it, they will come? Can I have a show of hands: Even if Skybus makes it back, who will take a chance?
My advice? If they get it going again and you're determined to do it, snag tickets early and fly right away. Long-term planning is perhaps ill-advised, methinks.
(Thanks to Today in the Sky for pointing us to this last item.)

Passengers are left scrambling for ultracheap transportation after Skybus filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection yesterday.

Skybus's Chapter 11 filing comes 10 months after it began offering low-cost, bare-bones service from small airports such as Portsmouth International Airport in New Hampshire, about 50 miles from Boston. Skybus abruptly halted flights Saturday, becoming the fifth small airline last week to disclose it would cease operations.

Skybus follows bankrupt Aloha Airlines, ATA Airlines, and regional carrier Skyway Airlines, which all shut down last week. And small charter carrier Champion Air last week said it plans to pull the plug on passenger service by the summer.

The failures highlight turbulent times for an industry squeezed by rising fuel prices, increasing competition, and safety concerns - and leave fewer options for travelers already complaining about worsened performance.

Passenger gripes rose 60 percent last year compared to 2006, according to the annual Airline Quality Ratings study that was released yesterday by researchers at the Wichita State University and University of Nebraska at Omaha's Aviation Institute. The analysis of the 16 largest US airlines also showed they mishandled more bags, denied boarding to more passengers, and landed more flights late in 2007 - earning the industry its lowest score since the ratings started 18 years ago.

"I don't see any way this is going to get better," said researcher Dean Headley, citing airlines' high fuel costs, cutbacks on seat capacity, hiring freezes, and unprofitable operations. "Everything's working against it."
Posted by Nicole C. Wong, Globe Staff

FULL ENTRY

AirTran joins US Airways and JetBlue in offering a standby deal for passengers holding tickets for Skybus, which shut down Saturday.
AirTran's offer is much like the ones offered by the other two, which I wrote about Saturday. It's $50 per flight plus taxes and fees; to set it up you need to call the reservation line 800-247-8726. You'll need to show your original Skybus ticket receipt or e-ticket confirmation when you check in, and all travel must be completed by April 15.

Another one bites the dust. Discounter Skybus shut down today and plans to file for bankruptcy protection next week, croaked by the rocketing cost of jet fuel and the crumbling economy.
Dearly departed Skybus launched just last year and made a splash by offering 10 seats, each for $10, on every flight. They saved money by charging for EVERYTHING: water, checked bags, pillows. They also shaved costs by flying into places that don't get used much--or at all (but are sort of close to places where you might want to be). In New England, they offered a "Boston" option, which meant you were flying out of and into Portsmouth, N.H. They also flew from "Hartford" (Chicopee, Mass., really). From either, you could get to Greensboro, N.C., and Columbus, Ohio; from "Boston" you could also go to the Fort Myers and Jacksonville areas in Florida.
OK, but that's ancient history. You're holding tickets. What to do? You have a couple of choices. First you can try to chase your credit card company for a refund. And I wish you good luck with that.
Your other option is to grab the standby lifelines being thrown out by US Airways or JetBlue.

FULL ENTRY

ATA, which has been in a death spiral for a while, has gone under. The discounter canceled all flights after filing for bankruptcy and posted advisories on its website and at ticket counters.
The troubled airline halted its Logan flights a while ago, but it struck a code-share deal in February 2005 with Southwest, which flies out of Providence, Hartford, and Manchester. This meant you could book flights for either airline from either airline and if you could be booked on connecting flights using both.
Confusing, yes?
Now the big question: What does this mean to me? If you recently booked flights through Southwest, either for all ATA service of a combination of the two, SWA is probably trying to reach you right now to rebook. Most of the combination flights would likely involve flights through Las Vegas, L.A., Oakland, or Phoenix to Hawaii. If that's you and you haven't heard from Southwest yet, you can call them at 800-308-5037.
If you booked either a straight ATA flight or a combo through ATA, sit down and pour yourself a drink because you're not having a good day. You no longer have travel plans and you'll have to contact your credit card company for reimbursement.
Southwest officials were still sorting through the wreckage so they weren't sure how many passengers may be affected in the region. But all you care about it whether it's you. So now you know.

Thanks to the tanking dollar against the rising pound and Euro, accents are
plentiful on New England's slopes, from the Eastern Europeans manning the
lifts to the Brits skiing. Bretton Woods, N.H., is no exception. So, I
wasn't surprised, when I struck up a conversation on the Rosebrook Express
chair, to hear what sounded like a British accent peppering the reply to my
usual conversation opener: "Having a good day?"
I've met folks from all over and received insider tips from those chance
chairlift meetings, and I've meet folks from Newfoundland to Alaska, Bosnia
to New Zealand. But until yesterday, no one had ever replied to my "Where's
home?" question with "The Isle of Man."
Whoa -- I Googled the grade school geography files collecting dust in my
brain: Great Britain, no; Ireland, no; Scotland, close; Wales, not really.
Hmm, as familiar as I was with the name, I couldn't pinpoint it on my
inner-vision map.
"It's way out in the Irish Sea," he said. At least I was somewhat close in
my mental ramblings.
Back in my room, I Googled my computer's brain. Ahhh yes. The 227-square-mile Isle
of Man is located between England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales (roughly
midway between Liverpool, England, and Belfast, Ireland). It's a
self-governing kingdom with its own language (Manx) and currency, although
English is the spoken language and the pound is accepted. Its parliament,
called Tynwald, was founded by the Vikings 1,000 years ago. Who knew? Not
me, but I'm intrigued enough to see if I can add it to a travel itinerary
the next time I'm in the general area.
But it won't be for skiing: It doesn't have a ski resort.

Posted by Hilary Nangle, Globe Correspondent

Delta Air Lines says it will stop direct flights to at least six cities from Boston and roll back daily service to two other destinations, surrendering its spot as Logan International Airport's largest carrier based on the number of destinations served to JetBlue.

The service cutbacks are aimed at coping with the soaring price of jet fuel, which hit $100 a barrel a month ago and hasn't backed down. While some airlines are raising fuel surcharges and tacking on fees for extras such as more legroom and a second checked-in suitcase, Delta is cutting capacity on less profitable routes nationwide.

As a result, Boston travelers will find 14 percent fewer seats available in June compared to a year ago, said Delta spokeswoman Susan Chana Elliott. "Most of it is going to be on your point-to-point flights, flights that aren't routed to our hub and that are served by 50-seat regional jets that are disproportionately impacted by the high cost of fuel."

More reductions in service may come, but some flights could return on a seasonal basis, Elliott said.

In June, Delta will terminate nonstop service to Las Vegas, New Orleans, Greensboro, N.C., Savannah, Ga., Louisville, Ky., and Charleston, S.C. Delta is also canceling its second daily flight to Los Angeles International Airport, leaving it with one daily run as of May 1.

Posted By Nicole C. Wong, Globe Staff

FULL ENTRY

The TSA -- yes, they of the water-bottle rules, shed the shoes, and most recently the ski-lane system of airport security -- want to know what you really think about how things are going at Logan.
It's part of their new era of glastnost (the term? It's a late Cold War thing; you wouldn't understand) that was kicked off a few months ago with the launch of their blog.
Now they're kicking the tires on a new deal in which they're asking users of six airports (Logan, Dallas-Fort Worth, Dallas-Love, LAX, Salt Lake City, and Denver) to leave a comment on the blog about what they think about airport security.
So here's your chance. Got feedback? Had your laptop hard drive erased? Been strip-searched after being tripped up by your underwire? It's time to clear the air and let the healing begin.

For those of you not paying attention, Easter comes early this year. It's a perfect time to put all your eggs, a dash of piety, and a weekend getaway into one basket. (Don't forget the jelly beans and marshmallow Peeps.) At 6:30 a.m. on Sunday, March 23 Sunset Hill House in Sugar Hill, N.H., is hosting an ecumenical sunrise Easter service. Then from 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., the inn will hold a brunch, with part of the proceeds going to a homeless shelter in nearby Franconia. The brunch is $17.95 for adults, $12.95 for children. There will be an Easter egg hunt at noon (free for all children) with prizes awarded. The inn's stunning view of the White Mountains is worth a trip to the Sunset Hill House. Room rates range from $115-$360.

Dude, what next? Discounter JetBlue, which currently offers free in-flight television, will charge $10 to $20 more for some seats with more legroom.
Six rows on some of their planes will offer four more inches than usual -- 38 total -- and the fees will run from $10-$20, depending on the length of the flight.
Now JetBlue isn't the first to do this. Northwest already charges $15 more for some seats -- say, in the exit row -- with more space. But air travel wise wise guys say they now expect other carriers to play copycat.
Why? The airlines are getting squeezed big time by higher fuel and other costs. So they're looking for other ways to raise scratch and cut costs. American and Northwest JUST raised international fuel surcharges by $20 for a roundtrip, and Delta jacked up its domestic fares by $10. Last week most of the Sky Kings kicked up domestic fuel charges by as much as $50. United and US Airways recently started charging some passengers for checking a second bag. And most of the carriers are looking for places to trim schedules and ground planes.
And there will be more of all of this.
The next logical optional charge would be air. No, I'm not suggesting that they would withhold it completely. Just the stuff that's, well, most breathable. And smells best.
Or perhaps they can go the bake sale route.

Dude. Not really, but sort of, so keep reading. This is the story. A little bird (actually TheAirDB) told me that Skybus is going to start offering service from "Boston" (Portsmouth, N.H., really) to "New York" (Newburgh, N.Y., which is really about 80 miles north of Manhattan for all of you geographically-challenged types).
What? You've never heard of Skybus? (You're so ignorant sometimes you're like embarrassing to hang with.) They're the guys who started up last year and they set aside 10 seats for $10 on every flight. And the real fares are pretty low, too. How do they do it? Well, first of all they fly into places that don't get used much or at all (but are sort of close to places where you might want to be). And they charge for EVERYTHING: Water costs $2 a bottle; checked luggage $5 a bag per flight; and pillows $12 each. My pal Nicole Wong wrote a cool story last month about what it's like to fly with these guys.
OK, so you don't care about the "Boston" to "New York" deal. Well, they're also planning to start flying from Springfield (you know, like Western Mass.? Like Basketball Hall of Fame?)
to Punta Gorda and St. Augustine, Fla.
Ultra-cheap flights to Florida. Hmm. Sound better? OK, now, you CAN'T get these deals just yet because, well, they're not soup yet. But I'm predicting in the next few days....(so shake yourself and start paying attention to Current Events, OK? Sha.)

¡Que tremendo! I arrived in Buenos Aires yesterday. Here’s what to expect when you get here:
At least 15 percent of the population will be dancing tango in the streets. Most everybody else will be eating beef (meat the tour books describe as “succulent”) rushed in from the Pampas by gauchos.
Eva Perón has been dead 55 years, but crowds at the Casa Rosada will still be chanting “Evita! Evita!” And if a soccer match is just ending, at least 1.3 million futbol fans will be on the rampage.
Those who are not tangoing, eating beef, or rampaging will be shopping, hanging out at a sidewalk café, or agonizing at a therapy session. No matter who or where they are, invariably they will be well-dressed, attractive, and flirtatious.

Posted by John P. Harrington, Globe Staff

FULL ENTRY

You can't help but wonder. It's hard to find someone who hadn't heard the run of bad press Southwest Airlines has had in the past days -- well, maybe Eliot Spitzer didn't, but he was understandably distracted.
It began about a week ago when we learned that the popular discounter -- which flies out of Providence, Hartford, and Manchester, N.H. -- was facing a $10.2 million fine for keeping almost 50 planes in the air after the carrier told Uncle Samuel that it had missed required structural inspections of the jetliners.
This week Southwest grounded dozens of planes because it couldn't figure out whether an important safety inspection had been done properly. Scores of flights got canceled. Yesterday, Southwest said that four of the planes it grounded had small cracks and needed repairs.
Now both the airline and Uncle Samuel say that these problems weren't dire and that they mostly result from what amounts to some lousy record-keeping.
Still.
Don't get me wrong. I like Southwest (but then I have a nearly pathological love for bargains; truth is, I'm kind of a discount stalker). But it makes you wonder what else they're doing wrong. Has anyone out there noticed any slip in service or funkiness in any recent experiences with Southwest? Please share.

Hola, muchachos. Comment ça va? My pal Carolyn Johnson has a cool story in this morning's Globe about a social networking website, MyHappyPlanet, started by a Harvard Business School student that helps people learn languages.
Sites like this one let members dust off those language skills by communicating through written messages, talking, or IMs with each other (yes, dude, in foreign languages). MyHappyPlanet also has features that lets users correct grammar and vocabulary when sending messages and includes a phrase translator.
The site also hosts a series of user-generated videos that give you a taste of cultures and languages around the world. I had to include one of them here, "One Semester of Spanish Love Song.'' But, WARNING, DANGER, WILL ROBINSON, it's a parody. So if you happen to be an earnest, serious student of language you might want to avert your eyes or least mute the sound. Ciao. Adjö. Sun-kia. Do svidanja.

My neighbor Mary just informed me she is the sister of Boston's "Wild Man of Comedy,'' Kevin Knox. Kevin has been battling cancer for 4 years and his friends have put together a spectacular show, "A Night for Knoxie, Raisin' Money -- Raisin' Hell,'' at the Palace Theater in Manchester, N.H., on Sunday, March 9, at 7 p.m.
The show's lineup of comedians includes Kevin Flynn of "Sex in the City,'' Gary Gulman of HBO’s "Tourgasm'' and "Last Comic Standing,'' Tony V of Showtime's "The Brotherhood" and "Seinfeld," Steve Sweeney of "There's Something about Mary,'' Frank Santorelli of HBO’s "The Sopranos,'' and Lenny Clarke of "Rescue Me.''
Tickets are $23.50, and you can buy them online. Besides being available online, there may be some at the door -- if the show doesn't sell out early.

Let us bow our heads. The venerable old Pan Am airline brand may finally have breathed its last. New Hampshire-based Boston-Maine Airways Corp., which was the most recent airline to resurrect the brand name of the renowned carrier after its collapse in 1991, suspended flights as of Friday, according to a message on the airline's website. Last one out, please hit the lights.
For most airline customers, this is not such a big deal: Pan Am had scheduled service only to Hanscom in Bedford, Portsmouth, N.H., and Trenton, N.J. And, frankly, not even so much of that.
Newspapers in Trenton, N.J., and Portsmouth, N.H., traced the financial and management problems the carrier has faced over the years, culminating in a Feb. 1 notice from the Feds that they were looking to pull the plug on the carrier's flight certificate. The company has until March 3 to file a reply.
How the mighty have fallen. They used to be a real player. Kind of like the Yankees... Know what I mean?

Magellan Press is out with a guide for hungry travelers: ''Where the Locals Eat: The 100 Best Restaurants in the Top 50 Cities.'' That's US cities, and Boston is included.

Entries include a range of food and prices. Boston restaurants include Brown Sugar Cafe for the best Thai and the Cask 'n Flagon for the best sports bar.

If you think the $11.95 price is too steep, particularly for a guide that includes only one New England city, check their website for more foodie news and blogs.

And if you have your own local winner, share your tip with us.

It is worth turning around for the roadside shop called Quesos Chela, which serves fresh empanadas, shakes made from milk, corn, sugar and more ...

Discounter Skybus Airlines Inc. is increasing its fees for priority boarding and checked-in bags to offset higher fuel costs and shorten customers' wait at the airport counter, the carrier announced Friday. In early March, passengers who want to board the plane before general boarding starts will have to pay $12.50 per flight segment, up from $10. Beginning with flights departing on Feb. 19, passengers who check in one or two bags at the airport will have to pay $12 per piece for each flight segment, up from $5. However, customers who check in and pay for their bags online will only be charged $10. Skybus flies from Portsmouth, N.H., to Greensboro, N.C., and to the Fort Myers and Jacksonville areas in Florida.
Posted by Nicole C. Wong, Globe Staff

To entice airlines to roll out nonstop service between Boston and Asia, Latin America, Africa, and the Middle East, the Massachusetts Port Authority's board approved rebates on Logan International Airport's landing fees for new international routes.

For routes that provide at least three nonstop flights a week throughout the year, Massport, which runs Logan, will for the first time give a 75 percent credit on landing fees during the first year of service and a 25 percent credit the second year - worth a total of $300,000 to $750,000 per new route.

Additionally, Massport will donate advertising space on one or two billboards in Terminal E, the international terminal, and publicize the route on the airport's local radio ads for a year.

Initially, Massport expects this International Air Service Incentive Program to cost the authority a couple of million dollars. But officials predict Massport will recoup some money after three or four years, as an increase in the number of international passengers boosts parking and concession revenues.

"Competition among airports for new service remains fierce, especially for new international service," Massport's chief executive, Thomas J. Kinton Jr., said at the board meeting. "The package," he later added, "is designed to minimize the risk of new service, not subsidize routes that are not self-sufficient."

Logan isn't the only airport giving this discount. Breaks on landing fees - which cover the expense of operating the airfield - are widespread on new international routes, experts said. Though airlines face significant financial risks on start-up routes, airports stand to gain a lot as the big jets used on international flights funnel passengers through the airports - helping to offset airlines' shift to smaller planes on domestic routes.

Logan currently offers nonstop service to 32 international destinations, but all of them are in Europe, the Caribbean, or Canada.

Massport has been eager to inaugurate nonstop flights to Beijing, Shanghai, Tokyo, Mexico City, Tel Aviv, and Mumbai - cities that are frequented by business, academic, and leisure travelers from Greater Boston.
Posted by Nicole C. Wong, Globe Staff

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Somebody say, yee-ha! U.S. Airways Express will restore nonstop service between Logan and Albany International (?!) in April. (alright, you boys in the back of the class stop snickering; we're talking about the capital of the Empire State here.)
The Boston Business Journal is reporting that Colgan Air will run daily flights Sunday-Friday. Flights will depart Boston at 6 p.m. and arrive in Albany at 7:20 pm., with return flights scheduled for 6 a.m. weekdays and 12:45 p.m. Sundays.
Service to Albany ended last month when Colgan and Big Sky Airlines, operating under Delta Connection, stopped flying the route. Now that it's back we should plan a trip. Wonder if Eliot Spitzer bowls?

Maybe your legs are shot from skiing or you’re just looking for a different way to explore the mountains. Great Glen Trails in Pinkham Notch, N.H., is whisking people up the Mt. Washington Auto Road this year aboard a custom-designed SnowCoach, which is a 9-passenger van that has a unique track system instead of tires. The SnowCoach takes passengers to treeline, at about 4,000 feet, where they can enjoy expansive views of the White Mountains. Those interested in getting a workout, can snowshoe 4.5 miles back down the road. SnowCoach tours last just over an hour and run 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily, weather permitting, through March. Tickets are $40 for adults, $25 for kids 5 to 12, and there’s no minimum age. Call 603-466-2333 for more info.

New Englanders looking to escape the snow may find better deals this year by flying beyond Florida.

Travelers leaving from Logan International Airport can reach some popular destinations in the Caribbean for 5 percent to 35 percent less than they could last winter, while flying to Florida vacation spots can cost 5 percent to 15 percent more than a year ago.

The reason? Airlines are shifting large planes from domestic routes to more lucrative international routes. Fewer seats on flights within the United States and more seats to the Caribbean, Bermuda, Latin America, and South America drive domestic airfares up and international ticket prices down. Additionally, while airlines have been tacking hefty jet fuel "surcharges" on domestic fares, they've been adding smaller fees or even rescinding them on tickets to some popular Caribbean destinations amid intense competition on those routes, said Rick Seaney, the chief executive of FareCompare.com, a Dallas consumer airfare research website.

"It's supply and demand," said Seaney, whose website crunched for The Boston Globe the yearly data for February and March airfares between Boston and these winter getaway destinations. "The more supply, the cheaper the price."

But in most cases, it's still much cheaper to stay in the United States. Sun-seekers on a budget will still probably prefer Florida, where they can reach beach scenes like Miami, West Palm Beach, and Fort Lauderdale from Logan for $180 to $190 round trip, including taxes and fees. Although, travelers who have been eyeing an island escapade but have hesitated because of the higher airfare may find the time is right, with $240 to $300 round-trip prices to St. Thomas, Bermuda, and Nassau, Bahamas.
Posted by Nicole C. Wong, Globe Staff

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If you live near Logan, say someplace like Eastie, you've probably heard the drum beats getting louder, particularly near Terminals A and E, the homes of Delta and Northwest. That's because the folks who know and write about such things at the WSJ and NYT are telling us that the pair are getting closer to tying the knot.
What will this mean to you (because that is what it's all about, no?)? If you'll recall -- and I know you won't, which is why I'm writing this -- my pal Kimberly Blanton wrote a story last month saying that if the two merged it would perhaps not hurt us so much because Delta, with 16 percent of the Logan business, largely flies south to spots like Atlanta and Florida, while Northwest, with a mere 5.4 percent, is a West Coast carrier.
So did we duck a bullet? Maybe.
Delta, which seems hungry to get hitched, could still do the deed with United, which it has also been flirting with, corporate hussy that it is. If that happens it would create a carrier that would serve more than a quarter of the 28 million who flew into and out of Logan last year. There would be greater overlap, so routes would probably get snipped, and fares on longer flights to places like the West Coast would rise.
So, if there's going to be a deal, I think I know who I'm rooting for. I think.

JetBlue announced today that six of its winter snowbird routes will now be available throughout the year.

For New England, JetBlue will offer year-round service between the Orlando International Airport in Florida and both the Burlington International Airport in Vermont and the Portland International Jetport Airport in Maine.

Those service expansions will give New Englanders additional connecting-flight options for traveling south of the US border.

In March, JetBlue will introduce its first international service from Florida with nonstop service from Orlando to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic and Cancun, Mexico.

The carrier hopes to begin offering service from Orlando to Bogota later this year but is waiting approval from the US Department of Transportation.
Posted by Nicole C. Wong, Globe staff

Waterville Valley, in New Hampshire’s White Mountains, has a deal for the first two weeks of February. The Fab Feb. offer includes midweek lodging and lift tickets, access to the White Mountain Athletic Club, and shuttle bus transportation. Guests who book for three nights will get a $50 voucher for Town Square restaurants and shops. This two-night minimum package starts at $99 per person per night and is valid through Feb. 14. A group lesson can be added for $18 a person. Either go to the Fab Feb. page or call 800-GO-VALLEY.

Posted by Richard P. Carpenter, Globe correspondent

OK, so it will a little too late for Mardi Gras or to catch the season opener at Wrigley... But JetBlue will offer one daily nonstop from Logan to Chicago O'Hare, as well as to New Orleans, beginning on May 1. Introductory fares will start at $89 for Chi-town and $99 for The Easy. Decisions, decisions. Would I rather have a beef dog with mustard, onion, pickle relish, a dill pickle, tomato wedges, and a dash of celery salt or a little file gumbo, an oyster po' boy, and a cold Abita? There is no choice. Crank up the chanky-chank. Cher.

A 5-cent flight. Say no more. Spirit is adding two daily nonstops between Boston and Fort Lauderdale. The first flight will begin April 17 and the second May 1. The discounter currently offers service to Fort Lauderdale via Myrtle Beach.
But check this out: They are making 5-cent introductory one-way fares available if you book by midnight tomorrow -- that's Jan. 30. And here is some of the rest of the fine print: You must book a roundtrip. For your trip out, the nickel fares are available April 29 or 30, or May 14 or 15, and on the way back May 7 or 8 (there are also nickel fares from Fort Lauderdale available April 17 or 18). If you can't get a nickel fare but travel Mondays-Thursdays you can still get a reduced rate of $61.95 for travel between April 17 to June 12.
This could be cool. I've never been to Lauderdale, but I did see "Where the Boys Are.'' Surf's up.

If my heart had cockles, I am sure they would be warmed by the mere thought of Milwaukee. It's like a Mecca of culture (It might rival Scranton, fictional home of our beloved "The Office.'' )
Think of it. You got your pop culture: Laverne, Shirley, the Cunninghams, The Fonz, Joanie, Chachi. And then, your high culture: the Pabst Mansion, Milwaukee Beer Museum as well as the virtual Museum of Beer and Brewing, which like Pinnochio hopes to someday be real. And don't get me started about the International Clown Hall of Fame.
Now that I've got you hot to go, you should know that AirTran is planning to add two nonstops a day from Beantown to Beerville starting May 21, with one departing at 6:30 a.m. and the other at 5:30 p.m. and arriving about an hour and a half later.
Wait, you say that Big City Life is not your cup of decaf and you really would rather head to the country? Well, my friend, Cape Air will commence three daily nonstops from Logan to the New York burgs of Plattsburgh as well as to Saranac Lake.
Hey, I like Saranac Lake. It's pretty, and they make a Saranac Black and Tan there, right? Wait, you mean it's actually made in Utica? Does Cape Air fly there?

This just in folks...92.5 the River just whispered something great in my ear, right after Ryan Adams did. TODAY, Jan. 25, start coughing and sniffling and tell your boss you have to leave early. The first 100 people to present their Ski & Ride coupon at Cannon Mountain TODAY can ski for ONLY $9.25. And if that's not sweet enough, the station is also sponsoring a Bass Apres Ski Party in The Lift pub from 2-4 p.m. There will also be chances to win some great prizes, including a pair of skis from Fischer Ski! Earn your Oscar now, and ski for under ten bucks today!

The barter system is apparently alive and well. If you’ve always wanted to learn about the process of maple sugaring, or want to be able to produce your own, the Remick Museum in Tamworth, N.H., has a proposition for you. John Dyrenforth, a Remick Museum trustee and long-time maple producer, is offering a series of workshops to aspiring syrup makers in exchange for volunteer work in the Remick Farm’s new sugar house. The sugar house is still under construction, and the “sweat equity” will help complete the building as well as pay off your debt for participating in the workshops. They run on three consecutive Saturdays, Feb. 16 and 23 and March 1, starting at 10 a.m. each day, and will cover tapping, tubing, and buckets (Day 1, two hours), gathering sap (Day 2, two hours), and the boiling down, filtering, and canning process (Day 3, a six-hour session). By pitching in, you’ll be supporting the Remick Museum’s goal of preserving the agricultural way of life in the Granite State. The museum, officially the Remick Country Doctor Museum & Farm, is the product of a foundation established by Dr. Edwin Crafts Remick. Remarkably, before Dr. Remick’s death in 1993, he and his father Dr. Edwin Remick provided 99 years of continuous medical care to Tamworth and nearby towns. The village of Tamworth is in central New Hampshire between the White Mountains and the Lakes Region. To learn more about the program, or to register, go to remickmuseum.org or call Susan Junkins, the museum’s volunteer coordinator, at 800-686-6117 or 603-323-7591.

Delta, the third-largest US airline, is Logan Airport's largest carrier with 16.2 percent of all passengers.

If Delta Air Lines Inc. merges with another carrier, a deal with United Airlines may be costlier for Boston-area travelers than one with Northwest Airlines.

One year after thwarting a takeover attempt by US Airways Group, Delta's executives said this week they would seek permission from the company's board to enter merger discussions with Northwest and UAL Corp.'s United.

If a merger results, it could trigger a long-anticipated consolidation spree in the airline industry driven by record oil prices, which have boosted fares nationwide in recent months, airline industry analysts said Friday.

But a Delta-United merger would be the more costly of the two possible outcomes for Boston-area passengers, because it would combine top-tier airlines into a single carrier that would serve more than one-quarter of the 28 million passengers who flew into and out of Logan International Airport last year.

"There's more opportunity for cutting out routes, and when routes are going to be cut out, what happens is there's going to be a tendency to increase prices," said Boston University finance professor Allen Michel.

At Logan, Delta, the nation's third-largest airline, serves about 16.2 percent of passengers, compared with number two United's 9.7 percent, and Northwest's 5.4 percent. Fare increases, under a Delta-United merger, would be most likely "on the long profitable routes" such as Boston to Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Denver, Michel said.

Posted by Kimberly Blanton, Globe staff

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One of the more interesting things about traveling through New Hampshire
during primary season is the chance to do a little drive-by political
forecasting. A thoroughly unscientific survey of the 21 roadside political
signs stuck in the snow between Londonderry and Hancock (Routes 102, 111,
101 and 123) reveals that the big winner may be apathy. That said, the
probable winner of the Republican primary is ... RON PAUL, with 67 percent.
Yes, you heard it here first. With one supporter each, Mitt Romney and Rudy
Giuliani are in a heated battle for second place with the formidable Mark
Klein. On the Democratic side, it appears that Paul will be battling ...
HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON come November. Clinton has captured 50 percent of
Democratic supporters, while Edwards has 25 percent, Obama 17 percent. Biden
brings up the rear with just one sign.

Remember: You read it on the web, so it must be true.

Posted by Patricia Harris, Globe Correspondent

Over the last two years, I spent some time blogging for Explore New England as the NH travel guru. For some readers that job title translated easily into NH Wedding Expert! I can't tell you how many people wrote in, pleading for wedding advice. If they only knew my own wedding was announced, planned and over all within three months time, they probably would have thought twice before letting me decide on beach versus black tie. Now, I do not always float around in la-la land...I do realize that most people plan weddings out many more months, even years in advance. Worries over centerpieces, bridesmaid flowers and seating arrangements have even been the cause for no wedding at all! With this in mind, and for all those who will get engaged tonight, I give you a wedding event not to be missed.

Friday, Jan. 4, at the Capitol Center for the Arts, bring your wedding planner guide, your groom, your mother ,and your maid of honor to balance the two, and get to a FREE, information only event that will introduce you to every wedding specialist in the book - caterers, photographers, DJs, planners - in a casual, no-pressure-to-decide-between-roses-or-peonies-bouquet setting. And what fun it would be making these bigger than life decisions without a cash bar, door prizes, and appetizers to ease the upset stomach! Event is from 6-9 p.m. and yes, you heard me correctly, all this advice is FREE.

Big Sky Airlines, which flies to small and medium-size communities under the Delta Air Lines banner, is ending service to eight destinations on Boston routes after Jan. 7. Those cities are: Allentown, Pa.; Burlington, Vt.; Trenton; and Massena, Ogdensburg, Plattsburgh, Saranac Lake, and Watertown, N.Y. "Sustained unusually bad weather, disappointing revenue, and record high fuel prices have significantly disrupted their operations to the point that they are not sustainable," Delta said. (Nicole C. Wong, Globe business staff)

Globe correspondent Ethan Gilsdorf has been walking from Massachusetts General Hospital to Lee, N.H., this week in memory of his mother and to raise money for the Brain Aneurysm Foundation. He sent this last night.

Tuesday, Dec 18, 9 p.m., Amesbury, Mass.

Today was a good day. The weather was ideal: sunny, pristine blue skies, comfortably cold temps that meant I could walk without hat or mittens most of the time. The ice that began flinty and slick mushed up some under the sun. I didn't slip once.

Yes, my feet hurt. A friend noted, "You realize you're walking back-to-back marathons, with a 30 pound pack, with no training." "Uh, yeah," I replied. You don't want to hear about the state (and shape) of my left pinky toe at the end of the day.

But what made Day 2 inspiring was the goodness of people. I left Andover and enjoyed their well-groomed and plowed sidewalks. Folks from Boxford to Groveland honked in support --- a glass delivery truck, the fuel guy, an older couple. At a garden center-bakery where I stopped for coffee, a man reached into his wallet and gave me a $20 contribution to the Brain Aneurysm Foundation. And another customer, perhaps feeling put on the spot but without any money, persuaded the cashier to lend her few bucks and passed them to me.

The kindness kept growing as the miles added up.

On a Haverhill back road, a red pickup stopped, popped into reverse, and a man rolled down his window. His name was Ernie. "Would you like some cocoa?" He invited me back to his kitchen for hot chocolate, his wife's yummy homemade pastries, and conversation. Ernie also gave money.

Later, a woman and her mother delivering newspapers drove past me, pulled a 180, and pulled to the roadside. "What's up with Mom?" she asked. Another donation.

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