News for the traveler
The Shoppers Shuttle of Boston Doubledeckers Inc. is the city's newest and most unique form of transportation. If you're in downtown Boston, you can take in the sights while shopping or on business. The fleet of big red double-decker buses connects the city's major retail areas: Back Bay, Downtown Crossing (near Jordan Marsh and Filene's), Quincy Market, and the Prudential Center. Every 10 minutes, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., the buses run to 25 stops, marked with the sign of a red double-decker bus.
The buses pass by such historic, familiar spots as Old South Meeting House, King's Chapel, Park Street Church, Haymarket, the Boston Common and the Public Garden, and Trinity Church. Fare for adults is 50 one-way; 25 for children and senior citizens. For further information, write Boston Doubledeckers Inc., 55 Brainerd Road, Allston, Mass. 02134 - or call (617) 739-0100.
The greenhouses of the Royal Palace in the Laeken district of Brussels are open to the public free of charge for a few dates each year. Built in the 1870s by King Leopold II, the royal blooms are housed in six acres of neoclassical rotundas, domes, and galleries.
During 1983, visitors will be welcome on April 20 and on May 1, 4, 7, 8, 11, 14, and 15 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. The greenhouses will be illuminated for evening visits from 9:30 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. on April 29 and 30, and on May 6, 7, 13, and 14.
Highlights include the Azalea House, with banks of red and pink blooms overhung by massive baskets of ferns, and the rotunda, with 25-foot columns supporting the central dome, a colony of birds, and a collection of orange trees. Entrance to the greenhouses is through the door of the private entrance on Avenue du Parc Royal.
American Express has announced that all US card members are automatically insured against loss of or damage to their baggage anywhere in the world when their payment for a plane, train, ship, or bus is charged with an American Express Card. There is no additional charge for the coverage, which includes carry-on baggage as well as checked baggage. The insurance provides up to $1,200 in coverage for the card member, his or her spouse, and any dependent children under the age of 23.
For more information, write to American Express Card Baggage Insurance Plan, PO Box 311, Jericho, New York, N.Y. 11753.
The EPCOT Center at Walt Disney World has added three new attractions since it opened in October 1982. They include the Electronic Forum, the ride-through portion of Journey Into Imagination, and an exhibit of ancient Chinese sculpture that includes bricks from the Great Wall of China.
Electronic Forum guests can choose from national, regional, and international news, sports, weather, and business news via satellite on touch-sensitive TV screens. They can also register their opinions on controversial topics. Computers instantly tabulate and display results of the electronic poll.
Summer hours at EPCOT and the Magic Kingdom will be extended at least until midnight. A three-day passport, giving unlimited admission to both parks, is the most popular ticket. It costs $35 for adults, $33 for juniors (ages 12 to 17), and $28 for children (ages 3 to 11.)
