In Dartmouth, England, the Harbor Bookshop has long been an important destination for fans of Winnie the Pooh. The bookstore was once owned by the real-life Christopher Robin. Now, unfortunately, it is set to close in September, a victim of rising rental rates and a change in how people buy books these days. Want to see it? Better get a passport, quick! Passport quick
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Seattle residents who need an emergency passport should be sure they head to the right address. Earlier this month, the office moved from its previous location in the Jackson Federal building to a new location in the Fifth and Yesler Building. The move reflects the increased demand for emergency passports in the Seattle area since they became required for most travel to Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean. According to the Seattle Times, the new office is roomier and has more service…
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In California, deep-sea fishing boats crossing into Mexican waters have found themselves on the hook instead, as the Mexican navy boarded them and checked their passengers' passports. According to SignOnSanDiego.com, the sport-fishing boats believed that they were complying with existing regulations that allow anglers to take short fishing trips of a day or less into Mexican waters, as long as they have a Mexican fishing license. However, one of the boats reported being turned back when an angler on board…
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More than four months after an earthquake and a tsunami delivered a devastating one-two punch to Japan, the tourism industry is still reeling from the blow. Perceptions about the safety of the country (or lack thereof) are keeping many Americans away. Japan's travel industry tends to rely on well-heeled travelers, but according to the New York Times, tourist visits are down 50 percent. Meanwhile, Daniel Simon, the general manager of the Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Marunouchi, told the newspaper…
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*The passport fees have recently changed. As of April 2nd, 2018, the passport acceptance fee has gone up from $25 to $35. Losing a passport overseas is a frightening, frustrating experience. Being famous has its perks, however, as singer John Grant, formerly of the Czars, found out last week. According to News.com.au, Mr. Grant was all set fly from the UK to Ver0na, Italy for an upcoming show, when he realized he'd lost both his passport and his photo…
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For many Americans, submitting your passport application during the week can range from a minor annoyance to well-nigh impossible. Unfortunately, many places that accept passport applications are closed during the weekend. To make it easier for families to apply for a passport, three years ago the federal government began holding "Passport Day in the USA." The event, which allowed people to submit passport applications at federally operated regional passport agencies as well as some local passport acceptance facilities, was an…
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As long as you're an American citizen, you qualify for a US passport, which allows you to travel to almost any country in the world. But how many Americans have actually taken the government up on this offer? According to social travel start-up Tripl, 115 million Americans currently have passports. That may sound like a lot, but it's only about 37 percent of the population. To put that number into perspective, 155 million Americans, or 50 percent of the population,…
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When your passport is stolen, the last thing you'd expect the thief to do is to take the time to mail it back to you. But that's what happened to one US tourist vacationing in England in May, according to the BBC. The tourist, a 73-year-old woman, was waiting with her husband for a train to the airport when a young man stole her handbag, which contained a little over $8,000 worth of jewels. The woman replaced her stolen passport…
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Here's a gentle reminder for all classical music and drama buffs: the annual Salzburg Festival is coming up next week! The Salzburg Festival is held every summer in Salzburg, Germany, the birthplace of Mozart. The festival has been held annually since 1920, with a break during World War II due to the Nazi occupation. It was founded by poet and playwright Hugo von Hofmannsthal, composer Richard Strauss, scenic designer Alfred Roller, conductor Franz Schalk and director Max Reinhardt. It's still…