Originally published September 14, 2007 at 12:00 AM | Page modified September 14, 2007 at 2:03 AM
Travel briefs
Wait for passports returns to normal
The U.S. State Department has restored passport service to the standard six- to- eight-week processing time for routine applications, and...
ANOEK DE GROOT / AFP/GETTY IMAGES
Sydney schism: People walk through a fence near Sydney's Opera House, which has since reopened to the public. As the giant fence that divided central Sydney during the APEC summit came down last week, angry tourism leaders accused police of damaging the city's image through overzealous security.
State Department
The U.S. State Department has restored passport service to the standard six- to- eight-week processing time for routine applications, and no more than three weeks for expedited service.
Some waited as long as three months earlier this year as the summer travel crunch hit. The passport agency found itself unprepared to handle processing for millions of new applicants as a result of a new rule requiring passports for those entering the United States by air from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and countries in the Caribbean region.
The State Department issued more than 16 million passports in fiscal year 2007, which ends Sept. 30, compared to 12.1 million in 2006. Those who have applied for passports but haven't yet received them have been allowed to re-enter the U.S. by showing proof of a passport application. That provision expires at the end of the month, but U.S. citizens who departed earlier with a proof-of-passport application receipt will be allowed back in after Sept. 30.
The government said it plans to expand processing facilities and continue to hire more specialists to meet rising demand as passport requirements are extended to land and sea borders, possibly as early as mid-2008. For information on applying for or renewing a passport, see http://travel.state.gov/passport.
South America
Bolivia to require U.S. tourists to have visas
Bolivia will require visas for U.S. tourists beginning Dec. 1, following through on a pledge to treat Americans much like the U.S. treats Bolivians entering the United States.
A 30-day tourist visa will cost $134, an amount similar to fees paid by Bolivian citizens applying to enter the U.S. Americans now need only fill out a small form upon entering Bolivia, which grants them 30 days' stay with the chance to apply for up to 90 days.
The U.S. government requires Bolivians to obtain visas to enter the United States, charging $100 for each, plus a $14 fee per family to begin the application process.
National parks
Glacier plans early closure of scenic road
![]()
Glacier National Park will close the alpine part of Going-to-the-Sun Road, the 48.7-mile scenic byway that bisects the Montana park, earlier this year than usual to repair damage caused by storms last fall.
The road will be shut down starting today, from Avalanche to Siyeh Bend, cutting off access to 6,646-foot Logan Pass, a popular lookout point, and the Logan Pass Visitors Center. Hikers and bikers will be able to travel six miles beyond the closure. Snows usually force seasonal closures of the road by November. See www.nps.gov/glac.
Peru
Historic sites suffer earthquake damage
Historic churches and colonial-era haciendas along Peru's southern coast suffered serious damage in last month's deadly earthquake.
The quake badly damaged at least 173 churches, monuments and historic buildings, with about one-third destroyed, said Cecilia Bakula, director of the state-run National Culture Institute.
The 329-year-old colonial Hacienda San Jose, outside the city of Chincha, suffered partially collapsed walls but was largely intact, saved by its wooden roof. The hacienda was declared a national monument in the late 1960s.
In the port city of Pisco — hit hardest by the Aug. 15 quake that injured more than 500 people — the five-story Embassy Hotel accordioned onto its ground floor, killing 15. Other hotels survived intact.
The Nazca lines, world-famous desert geoglyphs, suffered no damage, government officials said. (Geoglyphs are large images made on the ground using arrangements of stones or soil.)
New York
Improvements coming for Ellis Island ferries
The handover of ferries that take sightseers to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island will take place Jan. 1 when Statue Cruises LLC will take over the operation from Circle Line, which held the job for more than 50 years, according to the National Park Service.
Hornblower Yachts, the California-based owner of Statue Cruises, has plans to reduce wait times and offer free podcasts and multimedia presentations on immigrant history when it takes over the service. Tourists currently wait on a first-come, first-served basis for security screening and a spot on a ferry. With the new system, visitors will be able to make reservations for specific departure slots.
Compiled by Seattle Times staff and news services
Copyright © 2007 The Seattle Times Company
Hard times for tourist towns means good deals for travelers
Way down upon Australia's Murray River
Big deals Down Under, where summer is winter
Reader postcard from Nara, Japan

2009 fireworks time lapse
With strict parking rules enforced at this year's July 4th celebration on Wallingford Ave North, less cars and more spectators filled the streets.
Entertainment | Top Video | World | Offbeat Video | Sci-Tech
nwjobs

Post a comment

Michelle Goodman blogs about work/life balance.
Tax tips for new independent professionals
Post a comment
nwautos

Choosing a new compact car? Weigh the impact of your choice on your wallet and on the planet.
Post a comment
nwhomes

Find a new home or condo that fits your lifestyle.
Search New Developments
Builder Directory
- Landmark Smith Tower mostly vacant
- Property taxes: Appeals shoot up in King, Snohomish Counties
- Palin links resignation to 'higher calling' and blasts media in Facebook posting
- Former NFL MVP McNair killed
- Hard times for tourist towns means good deals for travelers
- Shooting unveils very different sides of McNair
- Tukwila residents rally against light-rail noise
- Quincy Jones remembers "the biggest entertainer on the planet": Michael Jackson
- Confessions of an Idol Addict | "American Idols" on tour: Live coverage from opening date
- Plasma and LCD beware; OLED screens ready to go mainstream
- Seattle Mariners at Boston Red Sox: 07/05 game thread
247 - Palin links resignation to 'higher calling' and blasts media in Facebook posting
172 - Hatred for the NBA runs deep, but don't take it out on the players
135 - Tukwila residents rally against light-rail noise
125 - Former NFL MVP McNair killed
112 - Property taxes: Appeals shoot up is King, Snohomish Counties
103 - Tent City on campus: UW stalls decision
100 - Anti-tax rally in Olympia attracts about 1,500
68 - Seeking your questions
53 - Mariners did their part, now they need help
44
- Property taxes: Appeals shoot up in King, Snohomish Counties
- Hard times for tourist towns means good deals for travelers
- Landmark Smith Tower mostly vacant
- Plasma and LCD beware; OLED screens ready to go mainstream
- Tent City on campus: UW stalls decision
- The People's Pharmacy | Estrogen mimicker found in sunscreen
- Toyota's Toyoda scolds execs for emulating U.S. car companies' mistakes
- Tukwila residents rally against light-rail noise
- Outdoor-theater season kicks off at Volunteer Park
- Seattle safety project: A snake shelter on Beacon Hill








