3 Hours in ...

Zurich.
Where to go: The Lindenhof (Fortunagasse, reached from the Bahnofstrasse by taking the Kuttlegasse) is a high platform overlooking the medieval center of Zurich, known as the "little, big city" for the ease in getting around and the abundance of things to do.
What to do: On the Lindenhof, you get a feel for the town, past and present. Around remnants of a fort built by the Romans on the Lindenhof, locals play chess on oversized, outdoor boards. Here is where Charlemagne (742-814) once held court and decided to build the Grossmuenster, a double-towered cathedral that can be seen from the platform. You also look down on the fast flowing River Limmat, with Zurich's medieval town on either side. Along the river are the old guildhalls, the clubs of medieval craftsmen, now turned into restaurants. From here you can walk down to the river and cross over to amble through narrow, winding streets lined with shops.
Where to pause: For a coffee, try the atmospheric Cafe Schober, filled with chocolates, flowers and the smells of marvelous pastry (Napfgasse 4. Tel. +41-1-251-8060). But if you feel like more substantial fare, continue along the river to the Kronenhalle, a true German-Swiss brasserie where the international business and art world meet to lunch or dine under works by Pablo Picasso, Joan Miro, Georges Braque or Henri Matisse (Raemistrasse 4. Tel. +41-1-251-6669). As a bonus, from the Kronenhalle it is a stone's throw to a bridge with the river on one side and the lake on the other, where spectacular views can be enjoyed.

Despair is not Hopeless!​

Cannes.
Where to go: Ile Sainte Marguerite, one of the Iles de Lerins, a small archipelago just off the coast.
What to do: A largely uninhabited island a stone's throw into the sea, Ile Sainte Marguerite is a verdant Me***erranean outcrop dotted with pine, eucalyptus and leafy undergrowth. A stroll along the island's quiet and well-kept footpaths is a relaxing break from Cannes's crowded conference and jet-set scene. Getting there is quick and easy: Boats run regularly to and from the island from the main marina beside the Palais de Festivals et des Congres (the same venue that hosts the famous film festival). Operated by the Compagnie Esterel Chanteclar (Tel. +334-93-39-1182, e-mail: cmcrgm@aol.com ), the voyage takes 15 minutes each way (55 francs [$7.4 or 8.39 euros] round trip).
Where to pause: A few seaside cafes near the landing offer drinks and sundry food fares, but the main attraction is a chance to explore and get back to the roots of the now-glitzy south of France. The island's Musee de la Mer is a Roman cistern turned fort turned prison turned museum. Its small collection of shipwreck artifacts -- Roman amphorae, goblets and Saracen tiles, ceramics and pots -- was recovered from the seabed near the Lerins. More intriguing, though, is a small, dark room elsewhere in the building that served as a jail cell for one of Europe's more mysterious historical figures: the man in the iron mask. Behind the iron-barred window that looks across the water to Cannes, Louis XIV locked away the prisoner whose identity was never known. Rumors about the inmate's identity ran the gamut from a secret royal brother to the dramatist Moliere. Closed on Tuesdays and holidays, the museum's hours are largely scheduled around the boat service to the island.
(Info: Cannes Museum Commission, tel. +334-9338-5526).

Despair is not Hopeless!​

Turin.
Where to go: The National Cinema Museum (Via Montebello 20, tel. +39-011-812-5658), which opened last summer inside the 167-meter-high Mole Antonelliana, originally built in 1863 to house the city's synagogue
What to do: The first thing to do is take advantage of the panoramic lift that takes you to the top of the building, to see a magnificent view of the city with the Alps as a backdrop. Once inside, explore the vast museum's five floors, including the Giant Hall with continuous projections of historic movie scenes. Turin was the center of Italy's movie industry before Mussolini transferred it to Rome in the 1930s, and the museum is dedicated to the history of the film industry, both in Italy and internationally. The exhibit takes the visitor from cinema's beginnings, Auguste and Louis Lumiere's cinematograph and later silent movies, up to demonstrations of the phases of modern-day production. Movie artifacts range from an original screenplay for "Citizen Kane" and Charlie Chaplin's hat to storyboards for "Ben Hur," as well as a rotating exhibition of some 200,000 film posters.
Where to pause: Turin is noted for its cafe culture. The two best spots for an ice cream or a cappuccino are the central Piazza San Carlo and the fin-de-siecle Galleria Subalpina arcade. A more substantial pause deserves some regional cooking washed down with Piedmont's renowned wines such as Nebbiolo and Barolo. Among the finer settings is the Ristorante Trait d'Union (via Stampatori 4, tel. +39-011-561-2506), in a palazzo from the Renaissance era, serving excellent truffle and seasonal wild-game dishes. The historic Del Cambio (Piazza Carignano 2, tel. +39-011-54-6690), dating back to 1757, features local cuisine.
-- Tomaso Eridani

Despair is not Hopeless!​

This Week: Making the most of your spare time in Seoul.
Your Guide: Andrew Salmon, South Korean-based author of the recently published restaurant guide, "Seoul Food Finder" (Cookand Publishing).
Where He'd Go: To Kuksadang, a village that clings to the slopes of central Seoul's Mount Inwang. It is only a 10-minute walk above central Seoul's Tongnimun subway station. Take exit one or two and walk up the hillside through the run-down blocks of apartments. The village lies behind a tra***ional gate at the top.
What He'd Do There: Most of the villagers are mudangs-shamans who claim to mediate between this world and the next. The shamans, most of them women, make their living telling fortunes and performing exorcisms, even rescuing spirits lost in hell. If you have a Korean guide to translate for you, have your fortune told; prices start at a few dollars but range greatly, so make sure you agree on a price at the beginning. Then, wander by the tra***ional houses and little temples on the way to the nearby spring where local women come to pray and light candles. Above the village, another shrine stands at the feet of the Son Bawui, or zen rocks. These strangely formed rocks resemble cowled monks at prayer. In the early evening, there is a good chance you will see a kut, or shamanistic ritual-singing, dancing and trance-like chanting-taking place on the rock ledges close to the Son Bawui. The views are also stunning: From here, you can see across the city. A quick taxi ride will take you back to the future: the nearby Hongik University district offers one of Asia's most intense club scenes.
Why You Should Go: It is easy to visit this 21st-century metropolis and conclude that Seoul's ancient character is submerged in a sea of modernity. It isn't, but it is hidden.
Updated June 28, 2002

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New:
This Week: Making the most of your spare time in Tokyo.
Your Guide: Marc Lessen, Hong Kong-based Asian-Pacific technical director of Interface Corp., an international telecommunications company.
Where He'd Go: To the Tsukiji wholesale fish market on Tokyo Bay, behind the Ginza shopping district, at the break of dawn.
What He'd Do There: The catches of a huge range of edible things from the sea, including fish, octopus, sea cucumbers, poisonous blowfish and yellowfin tuna, are brought to the market and displayed on large crates. This is where fish merchants, traders and wholesalers haggle and the catch changes hands. You won't be able to do any shopping yourself, but it is fascinating to see them go about their business. Huge tuna carcasses are sliced up with chainsaws, while you will have to constantly dodge the motorized carts spinning around carrying men with clipboards, negotiating fish prices and others with boxes of produce. If you speak any Japanese, these are the best people to get tips from about Tokyo's best seafood restaurants.
When you have had enough of wandering around, wrap up your morning with a visit to one of the free-standing sushi stalls around the market, where you can sit down to eat the most reasonably priced and freshest sushi in the city.
Why You Should Go: It is amazing that in a country as economically sophisticated as Japan, some things are still done in the tra***ional way. The Japanese love their seafood, and they hold on to the tra***ion of the fish market as something near and dear to them.

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