Originally published May 11, 2007 at 12:00 AM | Page modified May 11, 2007 at 2:00 AM
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ShareVenice | Cleaning up the tourists at St. Mark's Square
Venice will deploy stewards in St. Mark's square to prevent tourists from stripping off their T-shirts, taking a nap or dropping fast-food...
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Croatian crew: Rowers glide through the harbor of Split, Croatia, on the Adriatic. Split, founded thousands of years ago, increasingly draws tourists to its historic buildings and beaches; vacation costs are substantially less than in Western Europe.
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Venice will deploy stewards in St. Mark's square to prevent tourists from stripping off their T-shirts, taking a nap or dropping fast-food wrappers in the piazza that Napoleon dubbed "the drawing room of Europe."
Officials want to improve decorum and cleanliness in a square that has long been one of the world's biggest tourist attractions, bordered by St. Mark's Basilica and the Grand Canal.
"Six stewards, men and women, will explain to tourists that it is not a good idea to eat, camp out, lay down or walk around the city bare-chested," said the deputy mayor, Michele Vianello, adding that the stewards would not be handing out fines.
The city is working on laws to stop the sale of fast food in the square "to try to limit the amount of rubbish, which is difficult for us to clean up," Vianello said.
The city is a protected UNESCO World Heritage site.
Puget Sound | Take a ride or a look at vintage steam train
Railway enthusiasts can take a special Puget Sound Steam Special day trip on May 19. Two historic steam locomotives will power the train, which will travel from Tacoma to Everett and back. To get tickets (which begin at $289) contact Tickets West, www.ticketswest.com or 800-992-8499.
For background on one of the locomotives, the Union Pacific 844, which is traveling from Wyoming to Tacoma this month with stops and rides along the way, see www.upsteam.com
Kansas | Cowboy-style theme park opens near Wichita
A new amusement park themed on Kansas' cowboy history opened this month just north of Wichita off Interstate 135. Wild West World cost $30 million to build and offers 24 rides, a mock frontier-town boardwalk, gazebos for live entertainment, arcade games, food stands and restaurants. 316-425-7000 or www.wildwestworld.net
Nepal | U.S. warns travelers as unrest continues
Nepal's Maoist rebels are violating November's peace accord through acts of extortion and abduction, the U.S. State Department said, extending its alert to travelers visiting the Himalayan kingdom. In a new travel warning, the State Department urged Americans to be cautious and ready to change plans at short notice: See www.travel.state.gov for details.
Cayman Islands | Stop anchoring to save reefs, cruise ships told
The Cayman Islands government has banned cruise chips from anchoring near Spotts Dock, a port where their massive chains have destroyed coral reefs.
Environmental officials say some living coral can be preserved despite extensive damage along the sea floor near the Spotts Dock facility, which is used as an alternative port when seas are too rough for cruise ships to call on the George Town harbor.
"A cruise ship anchoring for one day can destroy nearly an acre of reef, said John Bothwell, a research officer with the British Caribbean territory's environment department.
Cruise ships capable of holding their position without anchoring will still be allowed to unload passengers in Spotts Bay, about 10 miles east of the capital.
Vacations | Europe too pricey? See these U.S. sights
If the weak dollar has put travel to Europe out of your reach, stay closer to home and plan a trip around "Destination America," as showcased in Smithsonian Magazine.
The magazine recommends cultural destinations including Louisiana's Cajun country, where you'll find good food and music; the Berkshires in Western Massachusetts, with literary and artistic connections to figures like Herman Melville and Norman Rockwell; Alcatraz, the former federal prison and National Park site on an island off San Francisco; Galena, Ill., the "outdoor museum of the Victorian Midwest," where historic architecture includes Ulysses S. Grant's post-Civil War mansion; and the (civilian) sailing community of Annapolis, Md.
The magazine also lists festivals and diversions including Burning Man, the arts festival, Aug. 27-Sept. 3, in Black Rock Desert, Nev.
Details and online-only features are at www.smithsonianmagazine.com
Seattle Times staff and news services
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