Q & A
Walking in Wales
Q. I am planning a hiking trip to Wales this spring, and would like some general information on trails. -- Mindy Dillon, Buffalo
A. There are thousands of miles of walking paths throughout Wales, ranging from those that traverse the  heather moorlands and mountainous terrain of the 845-square-mile Snowdonia National Park in the north, to less demanding trails that crisscross the gentle countryside of central Wales. Other popular destinations are in the western coastal regions of Pembrokeshire National Park and southern Wales' mountainous Brecon Beacons National Park. Wherever  you roam, especially in the parks, you're likely to encounter abundant wildlife, including seals and numerous bird species.
The Wales Tourist Board publishes a free 53-page guide called 'Walking Wales' that includes a selection of walks long and short, tough and easy. Nearby accommodations and a small map with Ordnance Survey  references accompany each entry. Among the short walks is the four-mile St. Brides Major Walk that incorporates both inland countryside and segments of the 14-mile Glamorgan Heritage Coast in southern Wales. Sites on the route include a ruined castle, the remains of an old walled garden, the sandy beach at Dunraven Bay, traces of a Celtic settlement and an ancient church. Among the longer walks are the 182-mile Offa's Dyke Path, which crosses the England-Wales border 13 times; and the 186-mile Pembrokeshire Coast Path with its rugged cliff trails and sandy beaches.
The guide also includes a 10-page list of publications on hiking in Wales, a list of tourist office addresses and phone numbers, advice on  transportation; and other useful information. It is available from the Wales Tourist Board, Department PP12, Post Office Box 1, Cardiff, Wales; telephone (44-1222) 457766, fax (44-1222) 482436.
Among the companies specializing in hiking in Wales are Acorn Activities, in Hereford, (44-1432) 830083; fax (44-1432) 830110, and Heart of Wales Farm and Country Holidays, telephone and fax (44-1686) 688444.
You may also be interested in a spring walking festival. From May 28 to 31, the Llanelli Festival of Walks will include 10 hikes along  coastal paths, and through the hills of southern Wales; the walks range from 6 gentle miles to 10-mile strenuous walks. The fee is $24.50. A festival dinner costs $16. The Festival Office in Llanelli, telephone (44-1554) 770077, can provide information on lodgings in the area.
Brazilian Rhythm Festival
Q. I would like to go to the Panorama Percussivo Mundial festival in Salvador, Brazil. Please provide information. -- Mabel MacDonald, Aspen, Colo.
A. The six-year-old Panorama Percussivo Mundial (World Percussive Panorama, or Percpan, as it is called in Brazil) is a jubilant festival that showcases international percussion-based music -- both traditional and modern -- from Brazil, Africa, the Caribbean and other areas. Even though the festival is only two months away, promoters for the event, which will be held March 22 to 27 in Salvador, the capital of the northeastern state of Bahia, are not releasing details about international performers, with whom they're still in negotiation. It has been announced that the Brazilian songwriter Gilberto Gil and Nana Vasconcellos, a percussionist, will act as masters of ceremony.
You're likely to see some colorful performances by musicians and dancers decked out in headdresses,  feathers and flowing robes. Calabash and gourd rattles, cowbells, an exotic variety of drums, even a pair of wooden shoes, provided the rhythms for last year's festival, which included Doudou N'Diaye Rose, a Senegalese drum and dance ensemble, the Japanese group Wadaiko Yamato and the Brazilian composer Hermeto Pascoal.
In addition to the evening performances (there are about five a night), you can attend daily two-hour workshops, led by participating musicians.
Percpan will take place in downtown Salvador's Castro Alves theater (Praca 2 de Julho, Campo Grande). Nightly ticket prices are likely to be the same as last year: $8, $4 for students. For more information call (55-71) 243 6364, or by E-mail to percpan@e-net.com.br.
Rare Book Shops in Paris
Q. Do you know the names of bookstores in Paris that specialize in rare books? Simon Lagroste, Providence, R.I.
A. Most of Paris's antique book stores (called librairies) are concentrated in two distinctly different  neighborhoods: on the Left Bank, in the fifth arrondissement near the Sorbonne and in the sixth arrondissement between St.-Germain-des-Pres and Odeon; and on the Right Bank in the area around the Rue du Faubourg St.-Honore, as well as in the eighth and ninth arrondissements. The Left Bank shops are in a neighborhood for printers and book shops, which were established in the 15th century. At that time, the first printing press arrived in the city, and was housed in the Sorbonne.
Shops you might come across include: Alain Brieux, at 48 Rue Jacob in the sixth arrondissement. It was established at the end of the 19th century, and began specializing in rare medical and scientific books and instruments in 1958. It is open Monday to Saturday from 10 to 1 and 2 to 6:30; telephone (33-1) 42.60.21.98.
Librairie Gourmande, 4 Rue Dante in the fifth, stocks many rare books on the art of dining from the 16th century to the present. It is open every day from 10 to 7; (33-1) 43.54.37.27.
Librairie Beres, 14 Avenue Friedland in the eighth, is reputed to have the best collection of rare books from the 9th to the 20th centuries, on subjects ranging from politics and economics to literary first editions.  Hours are 9 to 6 daily; (33-1) 45.63.85.53.
Laurent Coulet, 166 Boulevard Haussmann in the eighth, specializes in handsomely bound works of French literature from the 16th to the 18th centuries. It is open Tuesday to Saturday from 10 to 12:30 and 2 to 6:30; (33-1) 42.89.51.59.
For rare maps, atlases and engravings from the 15th to the mid-19th centuries, you might want to go to the Librairie La Bail-Weissert, 5 Rue Lagrange in the fifth. The shop includes original topographical maps of the world, as well as maps of European cities, regions and a collection of architectural engravings. Hours are Monday to Saturday, from 10 to 12:30 and 2 to 7; (33-1) 43.29.72.59.
SUZANNE MacNEILLE