Travel Tidbits: Visiting a Rock in a Box and a Smoke-free Italyby Michele Cheplic | More from this Blogger 21 Nov 2007 10:25 PM Bad news for all of you history buffs planning to travel to the spot where it's believed the Pilgrims first stepped foot on American soil in 1620. Plymouth, Massachusetts tourist guides recently issued this warning to future visitors: If you are hoping to snap a picture of your family standing near legendary Plymouth Rock next spring you'll be sorely disappointed. All you'll see is a reinforced plywood box. State park officials say the famous symbol of America's founding is going to be covered from March to May as workers begin a $680,000 overhaul of a granite and steel portico built over the rock's remains. The new addition was approved to protect the rock from falling steel, stone or mortar. Officials say they want to safeguard the famous rock because it's beginning to show its age and has taken a beating over the years. Besides suffering a huge crack in 1774 when townspeople tried to move it to the village center with a team of oxen, the rock also suffered major damage during the years when early tourists chipped away at it with their own tools so they could take pieces of it with them as souvenirs. SMOKE-FREE ITALY Score one for people who suffer from asthma... Naples, Italy has taken its indoor smoking ban outdoors. From now on smokers are forbidden to light up in public parks and during demonstrations and cultural events if children or pregnant women are nearby. The move to expand the smoking ban comes on the heels of a new report that revealed the death rate of victims from respiratory illness and lung cancer was "significantly" higher in Naples than the rest of the country. And city leaders are not blowing smoke when it comes to punishing violators. If you are caught breaking the new law you risk being slapped with a fine that ranges from $50 to $400. If you have never visited the city you should know that Naples - like the rest of Italy - is a smoke-free environemnt. It has banned all smoking in restaurants, offices and other closed public places such as airports. Related Articles: The Nicest Jail You'll Ever Spend the Night In A Candle Lover's Dream Destination Cranberry Madness In Massachusetts Travel Tidbits: Visiting "Sox" and a Hotel That'll Knock Your Socks Off Travel Tidbits-Healthy Amusement Parks and Happy Hybrid Owners Learn more about Michele Cheplic  Michele Cheplic was born and raised in Hilo, Hawaii, but now lives in Wisconsin. Michele graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Journalism. Relevanttravel tags User Comments No comments on this article yet. Be the first to comment! Community Tags italy, massachusetts, Naples, Plymouth Rock, smoke-free Discuss this article
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