Crazy Horse Monument Is Filling a Tall Order

Detail is beginning to emerge on the face of what will be a 563-foot-high carving of Crazy Horse in the Black Hills of South Dakota, near Mt. Rushmore. When completed, the monument depicting the Sioux chief astride a stallion--blasted and chisled from a mountain 17 miles northeast of Mt. Rushmore--will be nine times taller than the famous Mt. Rushmore heads. The project was begun by Polish-American Korczak Ziolkowski, who assisted in the Rushmore project during the summer of 1939. Answering a request from Indian leaders, Ziolkowski spent the last 34 years of his life on the project. Following his death in 1982, the monument was embraced by his children, who began working with their father when they were small and are continuing as funds are donated and collected from proceeds of a gift shop and restaurant adjoining the site. As of yet, no completion date has been set for the memorial to the Sioux chief who led the charge against Gen. George A. Custer at Little Big Horn.

Travel Quiz: Which Middle Eastern city is a holy place for three major religions?

Smoke-free Through Scandinavia: Through January, Icelandair has made all flights on two- to three-hour routes between Iceland and Scandinavia smoke-free, and the airline is monitoring passenger reactions through opinion polls. While final results are not yet in, the airline says it has already found through passenger research that 85% of the flying public on those routes supports the ban, even though more than a third of the passengers are smokers.

The Eagles Have Landed: The bald eagles are back in Southern California for their winter respite, and can be easily spotted at Lake Cachuma, 18 miles northwest of Santa Barbara on County 154 (exit from California 101). Other birds wintering in Southern California from their summer homes in Northern California, Oregon and Western Canada include golden eagles, flocks of Canadian geese, white pelicans and loons. Lake Cachuma is home to more than 275 species of birds, and boat trips offering easy access to the waterfowl are available through the Santa Barbara County Park Dept.

Quick Fact: Top domestic destinations for U.S. honeymooners: Hawaii (46%) and Florida (41%). Top international destinations: Caribbean (55%) and Mexico (24%). (Source: American Express Survey of Travel Agents.)

Safety in Spain: Anticipating the thousands of U.S. citizens who are expected to visit Spain in 1992 for 500th-anniversary celebrations of Columbus’ voyages to America, the World’s Fair Expo ’92 in Seville and the Summer Olympics in Barcelona, the U.S. State Department has issued some advice on health and safety issues:

Medical facilities in Spain are generally comparable to those in the United States, although English-speaking doctors are often unavailable. Hospitals normally expect cash payment prior to discharge, and neither credit cards nor foreign medical insurance are normally accepted. Thus all tourists, especially those with existing medical concerns, should consider purchasing insurance sufficient to cover any unexpected medical expenses for travel outside the United States prior to departure.

The department notes that consular agencies are available to assist American citizens in several Spanish cities, including the U.S. Embassy in Madrid, consulates in Barcelona and Bilbao, and consular agencies in La Coruna, Seville, Valencia, Las Palmas, Malaga and Palma de Mallorca.

Visas Take a Drop: Protests from the tourist industry apparently caused the price of tourist visas to India--which were raised 600% last month from $7 to $50--to take a sudden dip last week to below pre-raise prices. The cost of a one-month visa was lowered to $5, a six-month visa to $25. In an effort to raise hard currency for the country, the Indian government also had created $25 transit visas for stopovers of up to three days. These were trimmed, too--to $5. Visas are available through the Indian Embassy in Washington, and at Indian consulates in New York, Chicago and San Francisco.

Safari or Summer Camp? A Santa Barbara company is offering what a spokesman claims are the first African safaris designed specifically for teen-agers. Ranging in cost from $5,990 to $6,450 per person for 25 days, including air fare from New York, the trips have price tags beyond even the trendiest of summer camps. The summer-of-1992 safaris will go to Kenya, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Malawi and Zambia. The Student Safaris International tours, for up to eight high school students each, are being marketed mostly through private schools, according to David Anderson, founder of Student Safaris International.

Comparatively Speaking: Cruise ship sanitation scores for ships inspected in November (a score of 87 or higher indicates acceptable sanitation): Carla C, 90. Daphne, 80. Ecstasy, 95. Emerald Seas, 94. Empress, 49. Jubilee, 89. Nordic Empress, 93. Nordic Prince, 92. Queen Elizabeth 2, 82. Skyward, 89. Starship Majestic, 94. Westerdam, 91. (Source: Department of Health and Human Services.)

Fair Warning: The Cayucos Polar Bear Swim, for which participants take a quick dip in the chilly Pacific of Central California, will take place at noon Jan. 1. No wet suits are allowed and swimmers--many of whom are in costume--must get wet to the top of their heads. Diving is done from the beach near the Cayucos Pier, about five miles north of Morro Bay on California 1. For more information, call the Cayucos Chamber of Commerce at (805) 995-1200.

Quiz Answer: Jerusalem, the capital of Israel, is a holy city for Christians, Jews and Muslims.