December 19, 2013 
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Delta Air Lines: More than 220 Destinations in the U.S.
In This Week's Issue:

Frequent Traveler: Musician Maraca, from Paris through the Caribbean

Recharging in the Caribbean, avoiding holiday travel and why regional weather forecasts are worth watching. 

By Mark Holston 

 

During the past 17 hectic years of his career as a bandleader, Cuban-born Orlando "Maraca" Valle has performed in more than 50 countries. The Paris-based musician is a virtuoso flautist adept at styles of music ranging from Cuban folkloric genres to Latin jazz, Maraca, as he is professionally known, is also a noted composer and arranger. He leads two acclaimed groups: Maraca y Otra Visi�n, and Maraca & his Latin Jazz All-Stars, a band that recently performed at Paris' renowned Th�atre du Chatelet.

 

Can you share your tips for a successful business trip?

Things are nicer if you speak Spanish, even if it's only a few words! If you make good friends, the next time you visit, you can rely on local people to help you see and do things you might never even imagined could be possible. It makes your business relationships easier too.

Hotel Fiesta Americana

 

Avoid, as much as you, traveling during Christmas or Easter holidays. In addition to fare increases, airports, planes and touristic places are crowded. Also keep in mind that some tropical countries have rainy and hurricane seasons which can hit the country and jeopardize your business trip.

 

You have checked into dozens of nice hotels over the years. What are a couple that stand out?

I've always liked the Hotel Fiesta Americana in Mexico City, where the food, service and comfort are consistently excellent. For pure relaxation, the Jalousie Hilton Resort & Spa Hotel in Saint Lucia is where I head when it's time to unwind and relax.

 

Which airports hit good or bad notes for you?

I enjoy the Mexico City airport (Benito Ju�rez International). It is lively and practical, but watch out for your documents, especially your passport. Always keep them with you and avoid giving them to any suspicious-looking officials. And, although I am a Cuban, I hate Havana's airport (Jos� Mart� International)! They always make things more complicated than they need to be.

Mexico City

 

Some people are intimidated by really large cities, but you find them inviting. Why?

I'm particularly fond of Mexico City and Rio de Janeiro. Yes, they are big, but they are very vivacious. Be a little adventurous! You can find plenty of interesting things to see and do, both day and night.

 

The region is noted for its diverse culinary traditions. What do you like?

I enjoy local food in general; it makes me want to travel even more! Visitors should try some of the traditional food I am particularly fond of. I'd suggest Mexican posole (a hearty soup), Venezuelan arepas(flatbread made of corn flour), and a Cuban classic called moros y cristianos (Moors & Christians), which is black beans cooked with white rice.

Cuban cigars

 

What's something you look for to bring home for yourself or as a gift?

Cuban puros (cigars) are always a good gift, particularly for cigar aficionados. A good bottle of local rum from Cuba, Puerto Rico or Venezuela is also a fine choice. I love handicrafts from "El Atillo" near Caracas, and of course good Colombian coffee.

 

Do you have any tips for what to pack?

No worries! You can find everything in Latin American cities and in airports! 

 

Hotel Fiesta Americana by *CliNKer*; Mexico City by *CliNKer*; Cuban cigars by Alex Brown

 

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News from our Partners
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  Delta

 

Two new daily seasonal flights from New York to the Dominican Republic: Delta will add two additional daily flights each between New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport and Santo Domingo and Santiago, running June 5-October 29, making five daily Delta flights between New York and each of the nation's two largest cities 

 

Delta announces new Saturday seasonal flights from New York's JFK to Caribbean: Added roundtrip service to Grenada January 11-August 30, to Antigua July 5-August 16 and to Providenciales, Turks and Caicos March 8-August 30. 

 

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Hidden Gem: Bossa Nova & Companhia
Bossa Nova & Companhia

Have a spare hour or two on your next Rio de Janeiro trip? Step into one of Brazil's legendary music boutiques. 

 

By Mark Holston

 

While CD stores have virtually disappeared in most countries, Brazil remains a notable exception. In most large cities, specialty shops featuring contemporary and historic recordings by the country's legendary music-makers still prosper. Visitors from abroad will delight in finding so much entrancing Brazilian sound at their fingertips.

 

In the multi-level Bossa Nova & Companhia music boutique in Rio de Janeiro customers are transported to a magical time and place. Enveloped by sultry Bossa Nova grooves and surrounded by furnishings and artifacts of the early 1960s, patrons of this one-of-a-kind store are made to feel like they are guests in some rich, swinging Carioca bachelor's opulent pad. Period furniture and vintage stereo systems accent the mood. "The store is like a sanctuary for lovers of Brazilian music," says its manager, Leila Martins.

 

Located in the heart of Rio's storied Copacabana neighborhood, just two blocks from the iconic Copacabana Palace Hotel, Bossa Nova & Companhia is situated at the entrance of a small alley. Fifty years ago, that alley served as the epicenter of Rio's burgeoning Bossa Nova and jazz scenes, populated by a several clubs. Known as Beco das Garrafas, or "Bottles Alley," the site earned its name because residents of the surrounding apartment buildings would hurl bottles into the alley in protest when the music became too loud or continued into the wee hours of the night. Among the musicians who performed there were S�rgio Mendes, Ant�nio Carlos Jobim and dozens of other famous artists.

 

Inside Bossa Nova & Companhia

A focus on music made in Rio

Today, Bossa Nova & Companhia is dedicated to the music traditions associated with Rio. "That's bossa nova, choro and samba," Martins explains. The store has been open for just over six years, but Martins has logged two decades of experience in the Brazilian music business. Her father, Carlos Alberto Afonso, is a noted music historian who runs a companion store, Toca de Vinicius, located in the neighboring district of Ipanema and named in honor of the Brazilian composer, poet and lyricist Vinicius de Moraes. It is known as "The Bossa Nova Reference Center."

 

Both outlets offer much more than just CDs and vintage, collectable LPs. In addition to Carnaval percussion instruments, books dealing with all aspects of music - from biographies to texts of music theory and methods - account for most of the inventory. The noted author, columnist and critic Ruy Castro contends that Bossa Nova & Companhia likely contains the largest offering of books on Brazilian popular music to be found anywhere in the country.

 

Bossa Nova & Companhia is located at Rua Duvivier, 37, Copacabana. Toca de Vinicius is located at Rua Vinicius de Moraes, 129 C, Ipanema.

 

Photos courtesy of  Bossa Nova & Companhia  

 
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Travel News
                                                 

New Airline Routes and Route Changes

Mexico

Aeromexico has started seasonal non-stop daily service between Mexico City and Denver, Colorado, U.S. In January, it will begin offering a second non-stop flight between the two cities on Monday, Tuesday, Saturday and Sunday.

 

Caribbean

Seaborne Airlines now flies between San Juan, Puerto Rico's Luis Mu�oz Marin International Airport and La Romana International Airport in La Romana, Dominican Republic. The Thursday and Sunday flights are the only direct service between the two cities. Seaborne plans to up its frequency to daily after March 15.

China Southern Airlines

 

Beginning January 15, Seaborne will begin flying between Luis Mu�oz Marin International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico and St. Kitts' Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport, with continuing service to Nevis, at Vance W. Amory International Airport.

 

International Connections

On February 14, China Southern Airlines will begin daily flights between Vancouver, British Colombia, Canada and Guangzhou, Guangdong province, China. It will use Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft for the flights.

 

Japan-based All Nippon Airways will begin daily round-trip non-stop service between Vancouver, British Colombia, Canada and Tokyo's Haneda Airport on March 30. This is ANA's first Canadian destination.

 

Airline Alliance News

The Star Alliance officially invited Avianca Brazil to join, extending parent airline Avianca's membership to its Brazilian line. Avianca Brazil is expected to fully join Star Alliance some time next year.

 

Air India has restarted its integration into the Star Alliance, after it was suspended in 2011.

 

Other Airline News

Mexico-based Volaris launched a new on-board food and beverage service, called Entre Nubes, which offers food, beverages and relaxation kits for purchase. The menu focuses on snacks and sandwiches.  

JetBlue's Fly-Fi in-flight Wi-Fi

 

JetBlue Airways (U.S.-based) is rolling out its new Fly-Fi in-flight Wi-Fi system, which the airline says is faster than previous generations of in-flight Wi-Fi and can handle far more devices than other in-flight systems, without seeing a speed drop. Users report speeds of between 12 Mbps and 28 Mbps - faster than typical home Internet access. The Fly-Fi service, which is available only while flying over the continental U.S. and in some areas around just outside the country's borders, is currently on four JetBlue planes, but the airline is quickly installing it additional aircraft; it expects its whole fleet to be upgraded by 2015 (the airline's blog indicates which flights have Fly-Fi, on a daily basis). For the next six month, there is no charge for using Fly-Fi. For an extra US$9 per hour, passengers can use even more bandwidth. Fly-Fi is satellite-based.

 

Dublin, Ireland-based ultra-low-fare carrier Ryanair will allow passengers to book their seats in advance for flights after January 31. It also will offer premium seating for an additional fee.

 

Airport News

Southwest Airlines, a U.S.-based low-cost carrier, plans a US$300 million renovation of its terminal at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport in Florida. The renovation, which she see construction begin late in 2014 and finish in 2017, will coincide with Southwest's plan to make the airport one of its international hubs. Southwest has said it wants to add 25 daily international flights from Fort Lauderdale. The airline currently flies around 70 flights from the airport to domestic and international cities.

 

Duty-free shopping

Other Air Travel News

As of January, passengers connecting in European Union countries will be able to carry duty-free liquids onboard airplanes, and airports will ease restrictions on baby food and liquid medicine. The EU hopes that new liquid scanners, now being installed at London Heathrow Airport, will allow European airports to eliminate the current ban on full-size containers of liquids by 2016.

 

The United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC) passed an initial proposal to that would allow cell phone calls during flights. The FCC will listen to public comments and will vote again on the proposal early next year, and then will issue a ruling. The U.S. Congress and Department of Transportation have both criticized the plan. Eventually, a compromise could allow cellular data and text messaging to be used in flight, but ban voice calls. European Union-based airlines and United Kingdom-based airlines have allowed mobile phone calls for five years.

 

Hotel News

Home2Suites by Hilton opened its first location outside the U.S.: The 97-suite Home2Suites by Hilton Queretaro, Mexico. Located at the main entrance to the Queretaro suburb of Juriquilla, the hotel includes communal and individual work areas in the lobby, as well as workspaces and kitchens in every suite. Amenities include complimentary breakfast, a fitness center, a food market and an on-site restaurant. It also has an outdoor swimming pool, half basketball court and two steam rooms.

 

The 157-room Hyatt Place San Jose del Cabo opened in Los Cabos, Baja California Sur, Mexico. The select-service hotel offers free Wi-Fi throughout and a free hot breakfast buffet, as well as more than 1,500 square feet of flexible meeting space and a 24-hour gym, business center and caf�. Located 20 minutes from Los Cabos International Airport near San Jose del Cabo's historic center and art district, it is the first Hyatt Place in Mexico.

 

The 156-room Hyatt Place Bayam�n and Casino opened near San Juan, Puerto Rico, in the city of Bayam�n. Like other select-service Hyatt Place hotels, it offers free Wi-Fi and hot breakfast buffet, as well as a 24-hour kitchen and bakery caf�. It also has 1,967 square feet of flexible meeting and event space, a business center, a fitness center and an outdoor pool. It is the first Hyatt Place hotel in the Caribbean, and the only Hyatt-brand hotel in Puerto Rico.

 

Blue Diamond Hotels & Resorts opened two hotels in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic: the 470-room Royalton Punta Cana and the 525-room Memories Splash Punta Cana. The all-inclusive properties are separated by a waterpark. Both properties offer free Wi-Fi throughout, and the Royalton offers meeting space.

 

The 401-room Hilton Garden Inn New York/Central Park South-Midtown West is set to open in New York City, about six blocks from Central Park, in January. The largest Hilton Garden Inn in North America, it includes free in-room Wi-Fi, complimentary 24-hour business center and fitness center, two flexible meeting rooms and a 24-hour food market.

 

Security and Safety Updates

The British Foreign & Commonwealth Office has lifted its advisory against all but essential travel to Ciudad Juarez, Mexico which is on the border with the U.S. state of Texas. The city, which has been a center for violence for years, has seen a significant drop in crime. The U.K. government still advises travelers to "take care, travel during daylight, inform relatives or friends of your travel plans and use reputable hotels only."

 
China Southern Airlines by Aero Icarus; Passenger using Fly-Fi, courtesy JetBlue Airways; Duty-Free Shops by Jen SFO-BCN; San Juan, Puerto Rico by dameetch
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