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Show f Isthmus Tehuantepec. This is the land of the fabled Tehuanas, often called the most beautiful women in the world (that depends on who is doing the looking, of course). Personally, I have seen better but I have seldom of People and places Still something to be learned seen taller. by Ron Smith Newspapers Writer Knight-Ridde- r NOT LONG ago an English writer described a journey he made from Stratford-on-Avo- n to London with a busload of American tourists. While the bus rolled along, he said, the tourists dozed, chatted, read newsapers, and played cards. They paid no attention at all to the scene through which they the traffic were passing surging into the city, the soaring new buildings, the twisting new highways, the massive new apartment projects. Why, he finally asked, did the visitors bother to fly all the way across the Atlantic if the lifestyle of a foreign country was a matter of such indifference to them? Weve got all that back home, said one of them. Weve come to see the old, funny, historical things. THE WORLD is full of old, funny, historical things. By all means go and look at them. But along the way, take a look out the bus window now and then. There are some things you are liable to discover about other people and other places. Here are some of them: 1. SINGAPORE gained its old fame as one of the great sin cities of the Orient, full of dark, mysterious opium dens and beckoning prostitutes of unbearable allure. That was the Singapore of Joseph Conrad and Somerset Maugham. The Singapore of today is the most perhaps straightlaced city in the world. Police have the power to check any room in any hotel at any time when they suspect hanky-pank- y going on. Playboy magazine may not be sold in Singapore because, say local au- 9 I f Generally, women there are taller than the men, and they run the worlds most obvious matriarchal society. Women handle the biggest part of the business affairs, even to running the banks. Women set the tone of social life, and also tell the jokes in public. 9. THE OLD England Victorian dressing rooms, stiff upper lips, and old school ties is as dead as Tennyson. Britain today shakes with music, gambling clubs, and a bold new style in morals. But one thing hasnt changed. Har-rod- s, perhaps the greatest department store, continues to show the rest of the world what English thoughtfulness is all about. You wont find any harsh No Smoking signs in Harrods. There the signs says, Please try not to smoke. 10. FEW nations have as good a reputation for cleanliness as Holland. Everything sparkles in Amsterdam. But before you take off on a sightseeing stroll in that compact, architectural wonderland, a cautionary word: The streets of Amsterdam are paved, but not with gold. Amsterdammers do not curb their dogs. off-col- famous Raffles Hotel, home of the Singapore Sling, still stands, but Singapore itself today is a far cry from the sin city of old. The 2. AUSTRALIANS generperplexed by the number of times ally are amazed and an American says, Thank you. The phrase is known but not cherished by most Australians, particularly those outside of Melbourne and Sydney. Dont be surprised to hear an Aussie ask, Dont you bloody Yanks ever say any bloody thing but bloody thank you? 3. FOOD, along with fast cars and football, ranks right up at the top for many Italians. In fact, only the French and Chinese can rival the Italians in the appreciation and preparation of good food. thorities, it is indecent. It was the Italians who first taught the rest of the world to eat with a fork. They produced the first cookbook, and actually introduced the elements of haute cuisine to France. A meal in but Italy is a work of art there is an immense difference in the cooking from region to region. If you want to be sure of a good meal anywhere in the country, say the Italians, follow a priest. 4. IT IS tradition in the Fiji islands to announce lunch and dinner at the hotels by beating on drums. If you go there and hear drums, it means only that its time to get dressed for dinner not that the natives are getting restless. 5. NORWEGIANS sit down to dinner (and a big, big one for the most part) earlier than nearly anyone in the world about five oclock in the afternoon. Restuarants start serving at about 4 p.m. 6. AMONG the Masai of the proud, fierce warriors who herd cattle and resist most of Kenyas governmental efforts to bring them into the 20th Century the tribal supply of honey wine is brewed by a man and a woman who have had no sexual intercourse with anyone for two days previously. After the brewing, the man and woman remain together East Africa for six days and six nights with the wine, until the wine is ready for use. It is believed that if the couple succumbs to love during that time the wine will be undrinkable, and the bees that produced the honey will fly away. No such reasoning as this has ever taken a toehold in America. 7. A WORLD Bank study determined that the five dirtiest cities in the world are Karachi, Calcutta, Manila, Lagos, and Djakarte. 8. FEMINISTS might consider the very southernmost part of Mexico for their next vacation. Way down there where Mexico slims to a very narrow area, is the OMHT TOUR OCTOBER 8 DEPARTURE PERSONALLY SALT LAKE GREAT CITIES OF RUSSIA ESCORTED Hawaii INCLUDES: TOKYO June 27, July 25, Aug. 8, Sept. 19. Oct. 17, Nov. 14 Four Islands $678 10 or 1 1 Days DEPARTURES SEPT. 15, 1977 MAY 12. 1978 TO THE Check Out These "Red Carpet Tours! BEPPU mexico 13 Meals 5 10 Days Air, Transfers Taxes Sept. 17 de la Reforma Hotel, 2 Days Taxco Days Mexico City Ritz Marriot 3 Days Acapulco Border Hotel Bullfight Folkilorico Ballet Acapulco FISH PLUS GREAT BEAR LAKE, CANADA JULY 1977 1-- HELSINKI TOUR INCLUDES Western Airines to Edmonton round Inp transpor- taton from Edmonton to Arctic Orcle Lodge round trip 2 nights hotel accommodation at Edmonton July 1 & 9 8 days7 rights accommodations at Arctic Circle Lodge, aH meals white at Great Bear Lake, boats, motors, gas, expert guide and care of your fish Transfers, taxes and insurance J DAY DELUXE TOUR VISITING Helsinki Moscow, Kiev, Leningrad, Tallinn Plus cArrLYSCHEDULED 15 via CHRISTORHERSOU TRAVEL Bountiful ? at 4s4 4 W tf 00 rr . . 292-727- ' . Toll YreeT - - Prpvt 373-531- Q BEFORE YOU BOOK ANY CRUISE CHECK WITH THE CRUISE EXPERTS AT MURDOCKS HONG KONG BANGKOK SINGAPORE |