A Bucks County Getaway

Bucks County is the kind of place that gives “suburbs” a good name. Nestled along the west bank of the Delaware River just north of Philadelphia, the county is home to more than 600,000 people, many of whom commute to the big city to work. But instead of serving up the usual sprawl-and-mall, Bucks County gives you historic towns, bucolic vistas and interesting museums. It is a weekend visitor’s dream.

The county is perhaps best known for its history. George Washington really did sleep here. In fact, he was headquartered in Bucks County for a frigid three weeks in December 1776, before crossing the Delaware near what is now the small town of Yardley. His subsequent defeat of the Hessian soldiers on the opposite bank, at Trenton, turned the tide of the Revolutionary War. Each year, an intrepid group of passionate re-enactors recreates the event here on Christmas Day.

But that’s not the only historical attraction in Bucks County. In fact, the region has 151 sites on the National Register of Historic Places. Besides a fine collection of houses, farmsteads, inns and covered bridges, the list includes several Quaker meeting houses, a convent, a carpet mill, a particularly bucolic stretch of rural roadway, and a cigar factory.

Quaint bed-and-breakfasts abound on the narrow, hilly, winding (and occasionally treacherous) back roads of the county. Good food is served up almost everywhere, and fine dining can be found in some of the larger towns like New Hope and Doylestown. There are celebrities to look for (Christie Brinkley, Art Garfunkel, Sally Jesse Raphael), bass to catch, local wines to sample - even ghost tours to scare you. In fact, there is so much to do and see in Bucks County that a weekend jaunt can’t do it justice. This weekend, let’s look at central Bucks County and the areas surrounding New Hope and Doylestown.

Where to go

The town of New Hope is a must-see. Lying at the intersection of U.S. Route 202 and state Route 32, right on the Delaware River, it has the charm of a long-settled village well acquainted with historical events. In fact, New Hope contains two National Historic Districts within its boundaries.

Your fist stop should be the visitors center on Mechanic Street. Get a walking map of the town, have a seat on a bench and plan your day. You will find, quite literally, something for everyone in your party, including antique and novelty stores, art galleries, restaurants, nightlife, historical tours, train rides and innumerable boat rides.

Try the mule-drawn barge ride on the Delaware Canal, or take a ride on the vintage New Hope & Ivyland Railroad, which follows the route filmed for the 1914 movie serial “The Perils of Pauline.” Both forms of yesteryear transport are within steps of the visitors center.

Several art shows and festivals are scheduled for New Hope in October, and there will be an antiques show in November. For the gadget guru in your house, be sure to check out the store Toys for Men on South Main Street, which has good inventories of tavern puzzles and model airplanes.

A drive west on Route 202 will take you through Lahaska, where you can see the fine Quaker meetinghouse on Lower York Road. Built in 1768 to accommodate a growing congregation of peace-loving Friends, it found itself serving, eight years later, as a Revolutionary War hospital. A little farther down Route 202 you’ll come upon the town of Holicong. Here, at the intersection of Holicong Road, is Longland, a lovely old farmstead that was, improbably, the childhood home of globetrotting anthropologist Margaret Mead (next stop, Samoa!).

Another five miles takes you to Doylestown, the county seat. Doylestown has many attractions from fine dining and boutiques to historical sites and a major art museum Because of its central location, Doylestown is a perfect place to explore either as your home base, or on a day trip from another base in Bucks County.

For the art lover, the must-see attraction is the James A. Michener Art Museum. The Pulitzer Prize-winning author of “Poland” and “Hawaii” was raised in Doylestown and was a major donor to the museum that bears his name. The collection features 20th-century American art and sculpture, with an emphasis on Pennsylvania Impressionists and the cultural heritage of Bucks County.

Another fascinating museum is the Mercer Museum. This seven-story museum was built by Henry Chapman Mercer with the assistance of only eight laborers and a horse. Keep that thought in mind as you tour. The museum features what can be best described as tools and knickknacks from early America, including 3,000 woodworking tools, numerous Quaker hats and britches, several speaking trumpets, and a Conestoga wagon. You could spend hours here contemplating the ingenuity and hard work that folks needed before the Industrial Revolution.

Mercer also built Doylestown’s Fonthill Museum; in fact, it was his home until his death in 1930. A famous tile maker and a leader of the American Arts and Crafts movement, Mercer lavished attention on the building, which has 44 rooms, 18 fireplaces, 32 stairwells, and more than 200 windows. (Mercer called it his “concrete castle for the New World.”) Almost every interior surface is decorated with handcrafted tile from Mercer’s factory, the Moravian Pottery and Tile Works. The museum also displays more than 900 prints and objects from Mercer’s own very interesting collection.

When you are all cultured out, stroll along Doylestown’s Main Street and visit some of its unusual shops, including Cyborg One, which sells comic books and anime, and the Dragon’s Den of Antiques, a co-op that spreads its wares over 4,000 square feet of space. After shopping, I suggest you just get lost. Take a drive around town without a map or agenda and admire the Victorian homes and the tree-lined streets. Don’t worry about finding your way back — Doylestown is one of the friendliest towns in America and everyone will be willing to point you in the right direction.

What to eat

With so many smaller pubs and restaurants to enjoy, choosing a few is difficult. Having lived in Bucks County for many years, I can recommend these fabulous old-timers. These are places you will remember for a long time.

Named after stage and screen semi-legend Odette Mytril Logan, Odette’s has been a New Hope landmark since it first opened as a tavern in 1794. It is a first-class French restaurant with a wonderful piano bar perched right on the Delaware River. The atmosphere is decidedly romantic. Reservations and proper attire are in order. (South River Road, New Hope; 215-862-2432)

For a taste of some more local flavor, don those jeans and t-shirts and head to the Eagle Diner. Diners don’t usually make a “must-eat” list, but this one is different (you won’t find the Eagle in a tourist brochure, either, so you’ll just have to trust me on this one.) The bread is always freshly baked, the salad bar is very good, and there is a full bar for drinks. Children are welcome, and the prices average $6 and $10 for lunch and dinner, respectively. In true diner tradition, the Eagle is open 24 hours a day. (Route 202, New Hope; 215-862-5575)

In Doylestown, you can get fabulous food — breakfast, lunch or dinner — at B. Maxwell’s Restaurant and Victorian Pub. (37 North Main Street, Doylestown; 215-348-1027)

If you are looking for some Oriental flavor, Chong’s Garden in Doylestown will answer the craving. The restaurant features both Cantonese and Hunan dishes, and all the food is MSG-free. The lunches, which are particularly good, attract many locals and a big legal crowd from the nearby courthouse. (22 North Main Street, Doylestown; 215-345-9444)

For other dining spots, don’t hesitate to ask a local. Good eating is appreciated in Bucks County, and folks keep good tabs on the new and the trendy.

Where to stay

For the bed-and-breakfast crowd, I recommend Porches on the Towpath. As the name suggests, this quaint B&B is situated right on the towpath for the Delaware Canal, just opposite the New Hope & Ivyland train station (don’t worry, that steam locomotive runs only during the day!). The inn was formerly the home of “Pop” and Ethel Reading, who ran a sandwich shop out of the house in the 1930s with the “help” of their five children. Some of the children’s “artwork” still “enhances” several walls. The porches are wide and inviting. No wi-fi connection here, but then again, who would want one? (20 Fisher’s Alley, New Hope; 215-862-3277)

If you absolutely must have that Internet access, head to The Golden Plough Inn. This full-featured luxury inn is located between New Hope and Doylestown in Peddler’s Village, a shopping mecca in the town of Lahaska. Graciously appointed rooms welcome weary shoppers and children alike. Private baths, refrigerators, cable TV and complimentary champagne are standard. For a winter’s night, request a room with a fireplace — it doesn’t get any cozier than that. (Intersection of Route 202 and state Route 263, Lahaska; 215-794-4004)

But my advice is to leave the laptop in the trunk and the Palm Pilot in the glove box. Let Bucks County lead you around. Drive without a plan. Smell the countryside. Take yourself back to a slower, more peaceful time. Fall is particularly beautiful in Bucks County as the trees change over the banks of the Delaware, but make your plans now. The secret of Bucks County is out!

I Agreed To WHAT?

I just bought one of those new 42-inch plasma TVs. I first saw one five years ago at Harrod’s in London, going for a mere 25,000 pounds. But now they can be had for under $4,000, so I scooped one up. I even bought the extended warranty.

Which made me wonder: What kind of warranty do you get when you purchase travel online?

The answer is: None whatsoever.

In fact, when you purchase travel online, you’re not guaranteed that you will get what you pay for, or that the price you paid will be the price you pay in the long run. Your hotel room, plane ticket, or rental car may be subject to any number of surcharges, rate changes or unannounced restrictions, and you can’t do much about it — because you’ve agreed to them all in advance. What? (Or, as the chat-room crowd says, WTF?)

It’s all in the Terms of Service (TOS), End-User License Agreement (EULA), and Terms and Conditions — those fine-print disclaimers that appear in pop-up windows or at the bottom of a booking screen. All are basically the online provider’s rules for using its software and websites.

Typically, there is an obscure link that makes the terms and conditions available for review; your use of the website constitutes acceptance of those terms. We have one for Tripso, and another for the Tripso Forums (this one dictates acceptable behavior). It should be no surprise that online travel sellers have a similar document.

What may come as a surprise is that when you agree to purchase travel online, you essentially give up all rights should something go wrong. Let’s look at the Terms and Conditions of Orbitz — one of the largest online travel sellers. The link to their Terms and Conditions is at the bottom of the home page. Really small letters. I’m talking tiny. By using their site, you agree to the following (this is only several small sections of the agreement, and the emphasis is mine):

Any aspect of the Site may be changed, supplemented, deleted, updated, discontinued, suspended, or modified at any time, and without prior notice to you. However, we make no commitment to update the information contained on this Site. You agree that Orbitz shall not be liable to you for any delay or other damages that might result from such modification, suspension, or discontinuance. … The Content is intended for information purposes only. Although we exercise reasonable efforts to ensure their quality and accuracy, there might be errors, or the information provided may not be complete, current, or applicable to your particular situation. Further, information provided regarding the service, amenities, products, etc. have been provided to us by the vendor. We assume no liability or responsibility for any errors or omissions. You are responsible for evaluating the accuracy, completeness, and usefulness of any opinion, advice, or other content available through the Site or obtained from a linked site. …

Here’s the part about the warranty - or rather, the lack of one.

Orbitz and its Providers make no warranty of any kind regarding the Site, Content, Products or Services, all of which are provided on an “as is” basis. Orbitz and its Providers expressly disclaim any representation or warranty that the Site will be free from errors, viruses or other harmful components, that communications to or from the Site will be secure and not intercepted, that the Services and other capabilities offered from the Site will be uninterrupted, or that its Content will be accurate, complete or timely. The fact that Orbitz is including or offering any Product or Service on the Site is not an endorsement or a recommendation of the Product or Service. … Orbitz and the Providers’ liability will in no event exceed, in total, the sum of US $250.00.

In other words, you could purchase a ticket on Orbitz and find that the times, dates, airline and even the destination are all wrong. Sure, you will get your money back, but if this misinformation causes you to have to rent a car to drive from point A to point B, you have just agreed to a $250 cap.

The other travel sites have very similar disclaimers, and I would bet most consumers don’t ever read them.

Do you? Take our poll, and see if you are among the 50 percent of respondents who rarely or never read these things. Sometimes to their regret. Take a look at some of Tripso’ ombudsman columns to see what I mean.

I’m as guilty as anyone — I click the “Accept” button without reading a word. I’m sure that with all the software I’ve purchased, I have somewhere agreed to a stint as Bill Gates’s personal cabana boy.

To be fair, these online travel sites will waive these rules more often than not. After all, like any retailer, they want your business. So more likely than not, they will bend the rules for you to retain your loyalty.

But why chance it? When your trip is important, you should think about calling a real, live travel agent. When you work with a travel agent, he works on your behalf, so there is some implied liability. That’s what “agency” means. When you work with an online travel seller, you act as your own agent, and the liability is placed right back on you.

Real travel agents are knowledgeable and experienced; they know how to prevent the kinds of problems that typically come up, or they can at least work around them. For that reason, they stand by their services. I have owned a travel agency and have been in many others, and I have never seen a disclaimer like the ones you get online.

We live in a world of CYA — and it is unfortunate. But I’ve come to the realization that I probably can’t change it, so I’m going to kick back on my couch and watch the Red Sox kick some butt on my new 42-inch plasma TV. And I think I’ll sip a cold Heineken. Oh, but wait …

By opening this beer you agree that we make no representation that the liquid contained herein is indeed beer, that it is from Holland, or that it contains any alcohol at all. Consumption may or may not get you drunk but, in either case, we are not responsible. If you purchased this beverage at a McDonald’s drive-through, be advised that it may be cold, and you may suffer a wet cooling feeling should you spill it, either by accident or by design.

Nah, we haven’t gone there yet.

Batter up!

9 Tips For Cruise Safety

Most of the bases for cruising have already been covered: We know how to keep your floating vacation afloat, how to find the best ships for singles, how to survive a cruise with Norwalk virus and how to cruise with the kids. But, as recent news stories have warned us, there may be a dark side to cruising for those who are not prepared.

Terry Riley, Ph.D., author of the book Travel Can Be Murder, says, “Your personal safety while traveling is — and always will be — your responsibility.” But just what steps should you take to keep safe on a cruise ship? Follow these nine tips and you will be on your way.

1. Check out the report card. Whenever you get 1,500 or 2,000 or even 5,000 people together in one place, you are bound to share a lot more than a good time (remember the Norwalk-like virus?). Luckily, ships get report cards — just like you did in elementary school.

The best reports come from the Vessel Sanitation Program of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which routinely inspects ships for cleanliness, repair, food preparation and storage, water quality, hygiene, pest management and many other things. Check out your ship’s report card on the CDC website before you book your passage. It will let you know the results of the last inspection and exactly what grade the ship received. It will take you back to fifth grade, believe me.

2. Keep your guard up. It is natural to let your guard down on vacation, especially on a cruise ship. Life is good, the water is warm, the booze is flowing, the food is scrumptious — the ship seems like Paradise Island. You are living large, and that’s precisely when you’re most apt to get into trouble.

You need to be aware of your surroundings on a ship just as you would in a big city. Don’t walk down darkened hallways; keep your distance when tempers flare; don’t accept drinks from strangers. If your gut tells you something is wrong, it probably is. And don’t keep it a secret, either; notify the Purser’s Office the minute you suspect trouble.

3. Use the ship’s safe. Leave the Rolex watch and the Gucci handbag at home — no one is looking and you’re on vacation, so you don’t need to worry about the time. Keep most of your cash and valuables (especially your jewelry, return tickets and passports) in the ship’s safe.

The lightweight safe in your cabin is fine for storing small everyday items like your address book and tip money, but never put anything in it that you can’t afford to lose. Do you know how many of those cabin safes are left locked when passengers disembark at the end of a cruise? Now guess how many crewmembers know the bypass code for opening them.

4. Watch what you eat. If you are lactose intolerant in the United States, you will be lactose intolerant on a ship. If stateside seafood makes you puff up and itch, so will the onboard seafood. With the myriad options for dining on a cruise ship, you can certainly be adventurous. Just don’t be reckless.

Shipboard water is usually pretty good, but you should always insist on bottled water on shore. And make sure it is a sealed bottle (yes, I have seen “bottled” water refilled from the tap on a ship and on a plane).

Know how your food is prepared, too. Is it heavy on the mayo in the hot Caribbean sun? Is the steak served tartare? And if you are served something you don’t like, for heaven’s sake, send it back. On a port call in Ocho Rios, Jamaica, I was served some “almost-still-clucking” chicken — not what I was expecting at a purportedly five-star restaurant! So be aware, and don’t be afraid to ask that your food be prepared the way you like it.

5. Watch the booze. Booze will always compromise your judgment, perception, and behavior. While everyone likes to have a few umbrella drinks aboard ship, don’t let them get out of hand. Why not? Because booze on a boat is the same as booze on land — only you are moving forward at 20 knots and perhaps pitching back and forth in 20-foot seas.

And trust me, it is never a good idea to see if you can lean out over the railing like Kate Winslet in “Titanic.” Nor should you try to walk what you perceive to be a gangplank. Most of today’s ships are equivalent to 10-story buildings … moving forward … with 12-foot propellers underneath. Can you say “Cuisinart”?

6. Watch the gambling. Crooks cruise too, so cash-in your winnings periodically and take them to the ship’s safe; if you win big, ask for an escort. Don’t ever make a scene; it will only draw attention to you and make you a target for crime. For the same reason, be careful about flashing your money outside the casino, too. If you win, congratulations! Just keep the celebration low-key.

7. Watch out for the crew. No, they are not out to get you, but you need to understand that these are folks whose standard of living is most likely lower than yours by a considerable margin. You will likely be perceived as the wealthiest of the wealthy. Most crewmembers are honest and hard working, but don’t give them any opportunity to take advantage of you. Jewelry on the night table — even your loose change or iPod — is but a quick grab for a cabin steward, a maintenance worker, or the kitchen worker who refreshes your fruit plate.

Most ships don’t allow crewmembers to interact with guests outside of their regular duties. The exceptions tend to be the cruise director and the captain’s staff. While you may be tempted by that cute little honey from Serbia named Irena (or that hunk from Hungary), never agree to go to a “crew-only” section of the ship — the invitation may be a set-up to ensure that your cabin is vacant.

8. Land ho! Be careful on your shore excursions. The cruise lines organize the shore trips because they are moneymakers for them; in return, you get some assurance of quality and security. You can save a buck (or many) by going it alone, of course, but beware. Make sure you negotiate any fares and fees upfront. Most cabbies are honest when the cards are on the table, but if you do not agree in advance, the sky will be the limit and you may find yourself in a police station for failure to pay the fare.

If you are not happy — speak up early. Once in St. Lucia, a cabbie took my kids and me into an “ambush” of local vendors — all friends of his. We did not buy anything, and we told the cabbie that if it happened again, we were out of the car and he was out of a fare. The rest of our tour was fabulous.

9. Report anything suspicious. While the crew-to-guest ratio looks pretty low in the brochure, much of the crew actually works behind the scenes and is not permitted any guest interaction; moreover, many may not speak your language. Most of the senior crew will be looking out for guest safety, but they cannot be everywhere at once. As Dr. Riley says: Ultimately, your safety is your own responsibility.

Keep your eyes and ears open. If something looks odd to you, it probably is. Is there a creepy guy hanging outside the teen club? A man who is asking dozens of single ladies to dance? A couple that is fighting in public left and right? Take a walk to the Purser’s Office and let the staff know. They will appreciate it, and you might just head off tomorrow’s top story.

Now that you are rethinking that cruise you just booked, sit back and take a deep breath. This information should not be a vacation-breaker. It’s just common-sense advice taken from Main Street and put on the Lido Deck. According to the U.S. Maritime Administration, which keeps tracks of passengers sailing on cruise ships, 9.4 million people cruised in 2004, so it can’t be all that bad. In fact, cruising is a fabulous experience, and it’s probably a lot safer than crossing your own street.

Just think safe, and it will be smooth sailing all the way.