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Located within casting distance of the South Fork of the Snake River, the Lodge at Palisades Creek, in Irwin, Idaho, adds an irresistible bit of luxury to an incomparable flyfishing experience.

Opened in 1989, the lodge offers first-class accommodations and European-style service in a beautiful, secluded setting. The 22-acre property includes nine luxuriously rustic log cabins that accommodate up to two guests each. The tenth cabin is a two-story, two-bedroom A-frame, with wraparound deck, perched right at the river’s edge. In addition, there’s an Orris tackle shop on the premises that serves as the headquarters for a staff of 16 Orvis-approved guides. You simply amble over there after breakfast to meet your guide for the day and are driven to a chosen put-in spot, drift boat and gourmet lunch in tow.

Species include brown, rainbow and Yellowstone cutthroat trout and Rocky Mountain whitefish. A good day on the river can bring 50-plus fish to the boat; the average catch rate is 15 to 30. The typical size ranges from 12 to 20 inches, though fish over 20 inches are caught throughout the year.

In the evening, guests gather around the fireplace in the main lodge for single-malts and martinis, then move to the small, comfortable dining room for gourmet dinners prepared by internationally trained chef Peter Berglund. After dinner, you can retire to the Liar’s Den, an inviting lounge with a well-stocked bar and library, a pool table and the only television on the premises.

AVAILABLE SPECIES: Brown, rainbow and Yellowstone cutthroat trout and Rocky Mountain whites.

BEST MONTHS: June through October.

ACCESS: One-hour drive from Idaho Falls airport; one and a half hours from Jackson, Wyo., airport.

COST: Cabins, $380 single/$550 double per night; A-frame, $550-$1,000 per night, depending on occupancy (rates include all meals and open bar).

OTHER AMENITIES: Whitewater rafting, hiking, horseback riding.

CONTACT: 208-483-2222; http://www.tlapc.com/

In the wake of the foiled London terrorism plot, air-travel regulations have become even more restrictive. The rules are in flux, so before leaving, check for updates from the U.S. Transportation Security Administration (tsa.gov) and any country where you are making connecting flights. Meanwhile, some tips to make traveling a bit less daunting.

Fly Baggage Free

Passengers who want to avoid long waits at the luggage carousel can ship their suitcases ahead. Companies such as Virtual Bellhop, Sports Express and the Luggage Co. will pick up your bags from your home and have them waiting at your hotel. Expect to spend $50 to $150 for the convenience. Willing to wait? For a bit less, you can ship your bags via FedEx or UPS ground.

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In the footsteps of the last Roman emperor

Ravenna grew out of the Adriatic marshes, as Venice one day would, built on pilings and tufts of land. It eventually became a major port, and a base for the Roman Empire’s fleet. Julius Caesar gathered his forces at Ravenna as he prepared to cross the Rubicon. Because the city — surrounded by swamps — was so easy to defend, the capital of the Western Empire was moved there from Rome by the emperor Honorius early in the fifth century.

Ravenna was thus the scene of the Roman Empire’s final act, or at least its final act in the West. The man regarded as the last in the long imperial line, Romulus Augustus, spent the few months of his reign, in A.D. 475-476, in Ravenna. He was, in fact, not a man but a boy of thirteen or fourteen. Because he was so young, people gave the name Augustus a diminutive twist — Augustutus, the emperor was called: “little Augustus.” And because he was a usurper, installed by his father, a general named Orestes, people gave the name Romulus a pejorative cast — Momyllus, they said: “little disgrace.” There was time enough in his reign to mint money — barely — but his name was so long it was hard to fit it onto coins. (Zeno, the emperor of the East at the time, did not have this problem.) But then Orestes fell afoul of barbarian mercenaries in his army and was killed. Romulus lost his throne, and a barbarian named Odoacer made himself king of Italy.

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