Dylan exhibitionIf you’re a big fan of Bob Dylan’s art work as well as his music, you may want to travel to Chemnitz, Germany, near the Czech border, for an exhibition of more than 170 of his aquarelles and gouaches. The Kunstsammlungen Chemnitz is hosting the show through Feb. 3.
“The Drawn Blank Series” exhibits works Dylan did while traveling in the United States, Europe, Mexico and Asia from 1989 to 1994. The exhibitors describe his art as “dynamic” and “expressive.”
The museum is open noon to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekends. A film shows daily at 2 p.m.
Entrance is 7 euros. Details at www.chemnitz.de/de/flash.htm (in German). The city Web site is www.chemnitz.de (in English and German).
Web sites for women• A Web site dedicated to female travelers, www.journeywoman.com, has some suggestions for women traveling in Europe and elsewhere.
It includes information on travel guides, places to eat, places to stay, what to wear and how to meet other travelers. For instance:
• When in Rome, consider the Foresteria Orsa Maggiore, located in the center of the city in a 17th-century convent in the International Women’s House. There are 13 rooms — doubles, singles and multiple occupancy (four to eight people). Prices, which include breakfast, range from 26 euros for a bed in the multiple-occupancy room, to 110 euros for a double.
The convent is in the artsy Trastevere neighborhood and near other historical sites. More information at www.casainternazionaledelledonne.org/foresteria_uk.htm.
• Layering clothes is sometimes necessary when traveling in colder weather. Check out www.kimallansilk.com to find some 100-percent knit silk underwear for skin-thin warmth that takes away excess moisture.
The Web site also has loungewear and lacy shapewear.
Looking for glassesNeed some new glasses? If you happen to take one of those exotic trips to Beijing, China, be sure to check out Ming Jin Yuan, the Eyeglasses Market.
The four-story mall has up to 100 stores selling 1,000 to 5,000 styles of glasses and sunglasses. Prices range from $8 to $10 for inexpensive frames to $80 for designer frames (prices are negotiable). Wireless, bifocals, various shapes and tints also are available. Eye testing is also available on-site.
Best BetsENGLAND: London’s lord mayor makes the traditional journey to the Royal Courts of Justice on Saturday to pledge his allegiance to the crown. The procession, dating to 1215, is a grand affair that includes a Royal Air Force flyby, floats, marching soldiers and bands, and the giant figures of Gog and Magog, the city’s guardians. The highlight is the ornate state coach carrying the lord mayor. The procession begins the three- mile round trip from the Mansion House at Victoria Embankment at 11 a.m. and makes its way to the Royal Courts, where the lord mayor disembarks before rejoining the parade for the finish at 4 p.m. At 5, fireworks shot from a barge on the Thames River finish the event. Find more details at www.lordmayorsshow.org.
England kicks off the holiday season with London’s “Spirit of Christmas Fair,” running through the weekend in the Grand Hall at the Olympia. In addition to stalls with lots of gift possibilities, you’ll find the House and Garden Theatre, World Cheese Awards, French Fair and Festival of Chocolate. The show is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily (to 5 p.m. on Sunday). Tickets are 17 pounds for adults, 8.50 pounds for children 12 to 15 and free for those under 12. See www.spiritofchristmasfair.co.uk.
If you’re in Yorkshire through the weekend, stop in at the “Crafts for Christmas” show at the Great Yorkshire Showground in Harrogate. It’s open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Two-day tickets cost 7 pounds for adults and are free for children.
ITALY: Those in the mood for some Asian and Mediterranean culture will want to check out Romaeuropa’s cultural program at www.romaeuropa.net. One of the top arts festivals in Europe, it runs through Dec. 15 and this year focuses on dance, music and the visual arts with artists from India, China, Japan, Israel, Lebanon, Palestine and Turkey.
The San Miniato hills near Pisa are home to the white truffle, the most expensive of the edible fungi and considered the “food of the kings.” To celebrate this regional delicacy, San Miniato holds the White Truffle Festival, which starts this weekend and continues on the next two weekends. Each day there will be an Italian smorgasbord of wine, cheese, salami, olive oil, grappa and truffles. Find details at www.sanminiatotartufo.it.
NETHERLANDS: Eindhoven will shine brightly beginning on Saturday and continuing through Nov. 18 during its annual Glow Festival, the Dutch Festival of Light. “Glow 2007: Sealed Spaces — Forum of Light in Art and Architecture” will use light as an artistic material for 20 objects throughout the city. The exhibitions are lit 6-11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and 6 p.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday. Guided evening tours are available. Find details on the festival at www.gloweindhoven.nl. The city’s Web site is www.vvveindhoven.nl.
