Last Call for Lisbon and Myanmar-Hanoi Trips

Time is running out to join the National Press Club's trips to Lisbon and Myanmar-Hanoi.

From Jan. 15-20, 2014, over the Martin Luther King, Jr., holiday, Club members and their families and guests, will travel to Lisbon, the enchanting capital of Portugal. The city's medieval charm includes its exquisite Manueline architecture and the ornate ceramic tiles on the facades of picturesque houses. Travelers will visit the Belem Tower, the Monument to the Age of Discovery and Jeronimos Monastery. Other sightseeing includes a ride on an old-world tram through the narrow streets of Alfama and a visit to St. George Castle overlooking the city and ocean. In the evening, the city is full of the haunting Fado and fabulous Portuguese food and wine.

The trip price of $1,865 per person, double (single supplement $355) includes roundtrip airfare, four nights at the 5-star Hotel Tivoli Lisbon, buffet breakfast daily, welcome dinner, cocktail party, sightseeing, fees, and transfers.

Myanmar and Hanoi are the destinations for a fantastic trip on March 20-April 2, with optional post trips to Angkor Wat, Cambodia, or Laos. Departing from Washington Dulles via Seoul, the trip begins in Yangon (formerly Rangoon) one of the most fascinating cities in Southeast Asia and the former capital of Myanmar (Burma). During the three nights in Yangon, sightseeing will include visits to the 2,500-year-old Sule Pagoda, the Mahabandoola Garden, the Independence Monument, the Bogyoke Market, and the 250-foot-long reclining Buddha in Kyaukhtatgy Pagoda. Then continue on to Shwedagon Pagoda, the most revered Buddhist temple in Myanmar, the golden dome of which is encrusted with gems and rises 326 feet above Yangon.

The trip continues on to Bagan with its 2,200 temples and shrines rising from the central plain. The ancient city of Bagan (formerly known as Pagan) was the capital of several ancient Burmese Kingdoms and has many wonderful sights to visit during the three days in this magnificent city.

From Bagan, the trip continues to Heho and Inle Lake. After a motorboat tour of the Lake, overnight at an Inle Lake resort. The next stop is Hanoi, Vietnam, and a full-day of sightseeing admiring Hanoi's architecture and culture. After two nights in Hanoi, the trip proceeds via the Bay of Tonkin to Ha Long Bay where travelers will board a private "junk" for a cruise of this UNESCO World Heritage Site and an overnight on the boat. After two more days in Hanoi, the tour will leave for the U.S., arriving at Dulles on April 2.

The trip cost is $5,695 per person, double occupancy ($1675 single supplement) plus international airfare, which will be approximately $1,635 per person. Trip includes 11 nights accommodations, breakfast daily, 11 lunches, six dinners, flights within the countries, and sightseeing. Optional post-trip visits to either Angkor Wat or Laos are priced separately.

A special briefing on the Myanmar-Hanoi trip will be held at the NPC on Tuesday, Dec. 17, at 7:00 p.m. in the Zenger room. For more information, contact Richard Meyer, at 703-356-6884 or [email protected].