Letters: A fine remembrance of the Titanic tragedy

Congratulations on the magnificent Travel section [“Sinking of the Titanic”] I had the pleasure of reading April 15. And the photo on the cover pretty much captures the poignancy of the Titanic tragedy. Good job.

Bob McLaughlin

San Simeon

Access for the disabled

I read with interest Catharine Hamm’s article “Disabled-Accessibility Is Hit or Miss” [On the Spot, April 15]. My spouse is disabled, and we share the same difficulties as Susan St. Laurent, the disabled traveler in her article, although on a different level.

We book most of our hotels online, and many major travel websites do not specify whether the hotel is wheelchair-accessible. When I write to them, they often respond that accessibility is a “feature,” not a requirement. Even the major hotels’ websites do not seem compelled to be specific.

We cannot seem to make a booking that specifies we must have a wheelchair-accessible room. The website will advertise features such as floor location and window views, but, strangely, none of the things we require.

Charles Soesanto

Los Angeles

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I am also disabled and travel often. I recommend that disabled persons contact the hotel and ask if they have an accessible room with a roll-in shower. This assures you that there are rails in the shower as well as rails around the toilet.

Also, if a hotel has not installed disabled-accessible toilets, you can request a riser for the toilet. I call the hotel a day or two before to make sure they have blocked the correct room for me. I have not been disappointed.

Mina Lerman

Tarzana

Photo missed beach’s beauty

As much as I enjoyed the April 22 Travel section, a poorer photo of Hapuna Beach could not have been chosen. I’ve been to that beach many times. It’s a beautiful white, wide expanse of sand, while the photo, if it’s Hapuna Beach at all, has got to be the far fringe where the beach ends.

David Rosner

Los Angeles

A sense of safety in Egypt

On April 1, we returned from 16 days in Egypt, where we had a fantastic and safe time. We were a little apprehensive before leaving because of all the news about the troubles in Egypt and in Cairo. We found the people to be very friendly, and we did not feel threatened or unsafe at any time. In fact, we felt safer in Egypt than in many cities in the U.S. Now is a great time to go — tourism is down, and crowds are small at the major tourist sites. We are very glad we decided to make this trip.

Larry and Phyllis Hogle

Irvine