Venice, when it was at its zenith, loved showing off its wealth just as much as Dubai does today. We returned to the former, a city still dear to our hearts, during its much-maligned high season to find out how difficult it was to escape the crowds. Our affection for Dubai has been slower to develop, but the openings of a sophisticated hotel and an array of superb new restaurants have raised our estimation of the emirate significantly. It was also a great pleasure to set sail with the Crystal cruise line, recently resurrected under new ownership. And look for a selection of enviable experiences around the world that our Travel Office can arrange. The impressive examples it provided have us all itching to hop on a plane.