Letters: Road trip in Europe

Road trip on the Continent

I enjoyed “Continent, on Cruise Control,” June 15, by Susan Spano. I thought you left out one major piece of advice, however -- using a GPS system. We used our Garmin Nüvi 670 on a two-week driving trip to Germany in March and it worked great. The GPS systems do not replace maps, but they are indispensable travel aids now. They provide not only route directions but also traffic warnings and directions to restaurants, hotels and gas stations.

--Robert V. LaBerge, San Diego

Spano’s article was excellent, with one exception. She says, after you park your car, make sure you don’t leave any valuables in sight. My suggestion: Before you park and lock your car, put everything in the trunk. My trunk lid was jimmied open by a watching thief, and a coat and camera were stolen.

--Jean Desmond, Rancho Palos Verdes

As a Belgian, I was interested to read how an American perceives a road trip I’ve done so many times but in the opposite way.

Next time in Switzerland, try the mountain roads. You need to experience the Stelvio crossing between Switzerland and Italy. The joy of driving doesn’t come closer anywhere than on this road, which takes you up to the snow border even in summer.

--Johan Leys , Mortsel, Belgium

I enjoyed the way you shared your driving experience. Several observations from my own experiences:

On a trip to Genoa, Italy, I rented a van at the airport. I learned later that I could have gotten it for about half the price had I rented it in the U.S.

My wife and I once chatted up a South African couple at a cafe on the Champs-Élysées in Paris, and they told us how difficult it was to follow the road signs to the city center. The husband said, “I don’t know how the Allies ever found this place so they could liberate it.” You were one up on him.

--Warren Cereghino, Pacific Palisades

Fewer puppies

Regarding “To the Rescue,” June 15, about the puppy airlift from the Turks and Caicos: Let’s look at the math. Save one puppy? Or spay and neuter their parents, so they can’t produce another litter, which then multiplies exponentially, because they aren’t spayed or neutered? Which is cheaper? Which saves more puppies from being killed? If the Turks and Caicos really want to be a no-kill community, the people need to focus on spay and neuter programs.

--Julie Dole, Santa Monica

Ancient wells

“To Fetch a Jug of Water,” Your Scene, June 15: The ancient step wells of India provided a resting place for weary travelers, bathing rituals and women to gather. A fascinating and well-researched book on step well architecture is “Steps to Water: The Ancient Stepwells of India” by Morna Livingston.

--Prem Kishore, Reseda