Imagine renting a horse caravan through Ireland...

I've been meaning to write about a book recently written by a fellow military wife I knew while stationed in Germany.  She used to come and see us where I worked with these amazing stories of where she went....all accomplished with three kids under the age of eight at the time!  She had the most brazen and interesting travel ideas, most initiated right after her husband got home from work for the weekend....piling all the kiddos and their gear into their faithful minivan.  I thoroughly enjoyed the book and recommend it to others who have young children especially.  Here are some adventures she gives her itineraries for.

Enjoy some of these ideas:

• a caravan through the beautiful countryside of Southern Ireland for a week, with you navigating the route, caring for your horse (you get a class first of course) and sleeping in the caravan.  Some of the author's favorite moments included reading the kids' bedtime stories by gaslight with the soft sounds of nature and the horse munching on his hay and oats!  Here is a family that blogged about their experience.  And if you are already hooked, book your next trip with Clissman's Farm or check the Wicklow County Tourist Bureau in Ireland.
• A weekend trip through France's Loire Valley with all the chateaus and castles doting the countryside.  Stay in an honest-to-goodness chateau and visit a local chocolate factory to see their production (and of course to taste), not to mention all the quaint villages along the way.
• Exploring Naples and the Amalfi Coast, staying in a military campground situated in an extinct volcano crater, visiting Pompeii and discovering some ancient temples and hidden grottoes.

She includes many more itineraries, as well as points of interest with notes and their websites/contact information.  This is not your typical travel book, and we are all thankful that Dorothy finally listened to everyone's prodding and wrote this book to share.  Be sure to check it out as it is well worth it!

Dorothy, I haven't seen you since we moved of course, but if you stop by this blog, be sure to drop me a line!  Order her book, "All Aboard...Europe" by Dorothy MacKenzie, here.

What is the deal with tipping in Europe!

Europeans LOVE Americans when it comes to tipping!  If you are planning on coming over to Europe, here's how to blend in and do the tipping thing right....it may surprise you.

I can mostly speak for Belgium and Germany, as I have lived in both places...the rest of Europe, I can only comment on as a visitor and observer:-)

Believe it or not, as a whole, Americans OVER-TIP on this side of the big pond!  FYI, if you are a European, please don't spam me....I am just being honest here....although bottom line, for extraordinary service, throw all guidelines out the window and tip away as you see fit, regardless of what country you are from!

On the flipside, why do American waiters and waitresses HATE serving Europeans?  Cause they tip poorly and in fact, sometimes leaving nothing extra on the table....so, why is there a disconnect here?

I think to answer that, you have to understand that in Europe, being a waiter or waitress is actually considered a career.  Yes, you go to school and get certificates and degrees in waitressing....even salesmanship (working in a store, or in a bakery) and you can't just hang out a shingle and be a butcher, as an example.  There are strict guidelines and rules and people take their training seriously....very seriously for the most part!  I am not kidding!

AND, their salaries....yes, I said SALARIES reflect that.  Unlike in the US, where our waitstaff works BELOW minimum wage and is expected to live off their tips....the waitstaff in Europe is paid a salary they CAN survive on.  That's why sometimes you have to seriously take off your shirt and wave it to get the waiter's attention....they are not particularly concerned with serving you.....except for the ones who know you are American and hope you don't know about this tipping thing.  I have a few Italian waiter friends down in Italy, and they will fight over who serves the American.

In Germany, as an example, it is recommended to "round up" your bill.  My German grandfather used to "round down" believe it or not...but always got the evil eye, so please don't be like him.  For example, if the bill is 33,40 euro (so 33 euro and 40 cents), when you hand over the money, say 35 euro (although some Germans will say 34....but I like to go a euro higher...that's just me).  Or you can say "das stimmt"....which means, "that is so".  You usually don't leave the money on the table.

To see what a typical tip should consist of, check Rick Steve's guide which is spot on.  Also know who you tip.  Here in Belgium, my hairdresser looked at me like I was crazy when I tried to give her a 10 euro bill as a tip....so I just rounded up the cents.  You'd be hard pressed here also to give money to your hotel shuttle driver, as they don't hold out their hand for tips, and I've never seen anyone tip them.

Does anyone have any European tipping tales to share?

Free French Lessons (and other languages)....ABSOLUTELY, yes, free!

So I've been here in the French-speaking part of Belgium for 6 MONTHS and still can't speak the French fluently...I say speak, cause I can muddle my way through something in writing and if I listen ever so closely, I can at least catch the gist of the conversation.  As soon as someone parles though....I freeze up like a deer in the headlights!  Maybe I should start drinking, because I read once that when you drink, all inhibitions go out the window and regardless of what garble comes out, at least you are trying to speak the language.  With all that in mind, I've collected some FREE French lessons from a variety of sources.  It would help if I studied every day (I do not)...and also not to compare my French to my German, which I learned as a small child and can speak fluently (Note to parents:  Start YOUNG with WHATEVER other language you speak or the grandparents speak...it is invaluable, will help their brains ....GROW and will make your children seem incredibly smart when they are adults).  Let me know if you progress faster than me, so I have someone to compare myself with.

If you or your spouse is in the Army, you know that Rosetta Stone language training online is available to you for free...in something like 30 different languages.  You can sign in only with the active duty member's AKO account information.

If you don't have access to that or want to try something else (or in addition), try these below.  Many of these sites also have opportunities to learn other languages as well.

• Life Mocha is the poor person's language program and site, because it tries to mimic what Rosetta Stone is trying to do.  Their very basic lessons are free.  You can also connect with other learners, and they really try to foster a sense of community.  I have fun with it every now and again still.
• Coffee Break French is great, because you can download each lesson to your MP3 player or Ipod.  I like that the lessons are short, hence the name "coffee break".  They are already into their third season of lessons!  No need to purchase them if you don't mind clicking on each set of lessons, then on each individual lesson to download.
• The University of Texas first year French program is online and is FREE too, regardless if you are a student or not.  You can download the individual chapters and exercises, wordlists and videos directly to your computer.  I am a third of the way through the program, and I am astounded at the quality of the materials.  I printed all the chapters, and put them in a binder.  I even make myself do some homework.  
• This site recommended by my French teacher at the Language Center on SHAPE has been a big help, especially in my listening skills.  It is very interactive and allows you to take a test as well.  Try it out!
• "My" French Language Course on Wikimedia Commons is just as good as any other French learning coursebook.  It's a PDF file, and you can download it for free.....all 222 pages of it!
• Your local library also has DVDs and may even have old cassette tapes lying around.  Ours here in SHAPE must have at least 15 different French programs to choose from.  While I am using the program, I download the lessons to my computer and MP3 player for ease of us.  A few of the programs I noticed cost hundreds of dollars online, so it's worth it to check them out.  If your local library does not have the resources, you can try inter-library loan (ILL).  Almost all libraries do this now...just get the CDs or DVDs from another library:-)

 As a sidenote, in addition to the language courses on SHAPE, which cost about 100 euro for newcomers (in the first 6 months after arrival), you can also check your local Belgian commune, where night courses cost about 50 euro for learning French.  

You know, I bet there are many more sites out there...hidden under all the outward fluff.  We just have to find them!  If anyone has come across any free language sites, please post them here for all to enjoy!

A checked bag mistake on the airplane

I just recently traveled from Belgium to the US and almost made a big boo-boo with my carry-on, which quickly became a valet-checked bag at the gate right before I boarded.  Why?  Cause I was getting ready to get on a commuter jet for my second leg and anything larger than a doughnut had to get checked gateside.  It turned out alright for me....not so good for "the other lady".  Here's what happened.

You know that when you buy a ticket on an airline, you are in effect signing your life away?  You are basically giving your consent to all their quirky baggage rules and regulations among other things as soon as you hit the purchase button.

Did you know that if the airline loses your luggage, there is a cap, or maximum amount you MAY get back that might not cover your collection of UGG boots you had packed in there?  Did you know that if there is pretty much anything but clothing in there....so a camera, jewelry, anything electronic or whatever, you can kiss it good-bye just about when it leaves your sight?

Here's what United says on their "Contract of Carriage" as it is called.  All airlines have similar statements.

United will not be liable for loss of money, jewelry, cameras, negotiable papers/securities, electronic/video/photographic equipment, heirlooms, antiques, artifacts, works of art, silverware, irreplaceable books/publications/manuscripts/business documents, precious metals and other similar valuable and commercial effects. United prohibits the foregoing items being placed in checked baggage for travel wholly between points in the U.S. as well as for international transportation.

Most if not all airlines will only reimburse you for the value or perceived value of clothing that was in your suitcase.  It looks like most carriers only give about $3,000 at most back, and you'd better be ready to prove the value of what was in there to squeeze that out of them.  Again, it probably wouldn't cover those Chanel dresses you just bought in Paris.  I know I've blogged before about taking a photo of what's in your suitcase.  Also along with that, keep receipts of higher priced clothing items too....easier to do if you just bought them.

Back to the other lady....she had to gate-check her bag too and momentarily had a brain fart at the gate.  You know how they hustle you thru there right before boarding.  She left her very expensive camera inside its case in her, what was supposed to be, carry-on bag.  The commuter jet didn't have the room for larger carry-on bags.  After she got to her location, she did not open the bag right away (in hindsight, she should have).  When she got home and unpacked everything, she opened up her camera case and saw that her camera was missing.  She surmised it only could have gone missing between that gate check and when she got it back immediately after the flight, as she had the camera out at the security checkpoint at her departure location.  She tried to fight the airline to get her money back for that pricey camera...unfortunately, no luck.  She was out thousands of dollars:-(

I, not thinking either, had a larger size carry-on bag too, but quickly stepped off to the side and took out my Flip video camera, a digital camera, an MP3 player, a netbook and a case with an external drive in it.  Since I didn't have another smaller bag, I was lucky that each item had its own small case....obviously embarrassing, walking on the plane with wriststraps and loops hanging off every appendage, but I didn't want that stuff out of my sight and rightly so after hearing her story.  My hands were so full, I could not even bring all my reading material and was just thankful it was only an hour long flight.

I know one of these bags would have come in SO handy....

I usually have one in my purse, but I cleaned it out before traveling....never again not prepared!

Do you have any tips that others could use to prep themselves before getting on that flight?

Gypsy-robbed

I know most of us have been schooled in keeping our good stuff, ie valuables, out of sight and know how to not look like an obvious tourist.....BUT, I thought I'd share two stories of two friends who were robbed last year in broad daylight in Brussels.  And to leave you with a smile, I'll tell you what a former coworker did in Rome to thwart thieves there, one of the most high-powered theft areas in Europe!

I had a friend who traveled around Brussels by car.  You feel pretty safe in a car, don't you?  I know I did til I talked to her.  She was in the passenger seat of an average-looking European vehicle, digging through her purse, looking for some gum.  Before she even knew what was happening at that red light, some thief had ripped open her door and took off with her purse.  It was so shocking and brazen, that by the time her husband pulled over and gave chase, the thief was long gone.  She lost all her ID and of course all their money, as she was carrying ALL of it (Tip #1 & 2:  Split up your money and keep cars doors locked from the moment you get into your car).

The other theft happened over the holidays.  The victim boarded a city bus with her two young daughters, only to be separated from her girls as they got on first.  Two ladies were physically blocking her way, and she was so focused about being separated from her children and trying to get to the back of the bus to them, she ignored the jostling at the door.  As the bus driver prodded them all on (they were blocking the aisle), the two ladies suddenly jumped off the bus right before it left the stop.  As the victim made it to the back of the bus, she noticed that her wallet was missing from her purse.  Her purse had snaps and not a zipper.  She chose this purse earlier in the day, because it looked cute with her boots.  It was not so cute after she lost her wallet (Tip #3:  Never use a purse that doesn't zip smartly shut;  keep your purse close to your body with the zipper facing the front).

Even though the police were called in both instances, no stolen items were recovered.  The police were very kind up there in Brussels and helped as best they could, so that was nice to hear.  The police actually told my one friend that the ladies on the bus were probably gypsies, who are experts in this type of scam....but don't get lured into thinking that only people who look like thieves are the ones doing the robbing.  I saw a stylishly dressed man in a business suit try to reach into another man's pocket once on a bus but quickly pretended he was scratching his crotch when I made eye contact with him.  Many of these thieves also work in two and three person teams, so the chips area already stacked against you to begin with!

The last story involves a co-worker who went to Rome.  Now Rome I think is known as the pickpocket capital of the world!  You could probably write a book on the methods crooks use there to separate you from your valuables!  Well, my friend thought he would be funny (I don't recommend this) and purchased 10, yes 10 wallets at the dollar store.  He loaded them all up with paper to make them look like they contained the motherload.  He placed them at various points in his jacket, pants, shirt...wherever there was a pocket or crevice, there was a wallet....he even had one in his sock!  He spent a few hours riding public transportation and moving through crowds.  At the end of the day, he ONLY HAD TWO WALLETS LEFT!  That's right.....if you can do basic math like I think I can, that means eight were stolen!  He tried to think back and remember when it could've happened, and he could only seriously think of two instances where he actually "felt something".....all he could say was, boy, were they good.  He wanted to try it again with the two remaining wallets, with his teenage son providing overwatch, so they could "catch someone in the act".  Of course his wife put a stop to that game, and that was the end of that experiment.  Of course, around the same time, acquaintances of ours were driving in Rome and left an Ipod on the backseat of their vehicle (blame it on the teenager in the family)....they woke up to a broken-in car window and no Ipod or anything else of value left in the car  (Tips #4 & 5:  Don't try to go head-to-head with professional crooks, as things can go wrong AND don't leave valuables visibly out, or better yet, secure them in a safer location).

Do you have any anti-pickpocket tips to share?

Absolute VERY last minute travel tip

Being in the military somehow baptizes you into the life of a world traveler.  You pick up some tips along the way, especially after you misstep here and there along the way.  The learning curve can be steep initially.  I've posted before about travel tips....my Travel Category is full of them....but if you are short on time or want to know the most important last minute travel tips, here goes...

How about some last minute random thoughts before you head out the door?

I can't stand to "destroy" a book...just photocopy the pages you will need and take those along.  I've turned a rubberbin at home into my travel library.  Each destination has its own labeled gallon ziploc bag filled with brochures, tourist maps, great informative articles and of course my photocopied guidebook pages....all in the bin by geographic region (please don't roll your eyes at me, I know).  Your local library is full of travel guidebooks...no need to buy!  Start building your own resources now (I also frequently loan them out).

Separate your money..have your partner carry some too...don't carry it all with you.  Hide some in your sock, bra or waistband in addition to that...not all in your wallet...I keep most of my money "under wraps" so to speak.  I have this thing I also wear around my neck that can be hidden under a layer of clothes.

Call your credit card company ahead of time and let them know you will be out of the country.  I've seen people's credit cards get denied...and then they wondered why...credit card fraud departments can be extra vigilant these days.  I recently didn't take my own advice thinking my credit card companies are used to me charging stuff all over the world....well, even I got flagged by making a large laptop purchase in the US.....guess that didn't follow my pattern and thankfully, the store let me call the company where I loudly announced that it was just a misunderstanding and a routine fraud alert!

Take a photo of what is in your suitcase...if it gets lost with the airline, they always want to know what's in there...pretty much exactly what's in there...it may help with your claim too and get you maximum dollars back.  Don't put valuables in there..but you already know that.  Even something as inconspicuous as a computer external drive you got for Christmas and already copied all your files to...should not go in there  I won't tell you who made that mistake, but it wasn't me or my kids....it was quickly corrected of course before the suitcase got out of sight!

Write that one last checklist.  You know, the one that says passport, tickets, did you turn off the water to the washer, lock the backdoor....that kind of thing....keep it fairly short and last minute and look at it right before you head out the door.

What are some of your last minute travel tips?

Things that struck me coming back to the US

Okay, so don't make fun of me, but I hadn't been back to the US in 2-1/2 years.  I know, that's not really long when you look at it, but apparently, as I stood there like an idiot in the aisles of Target....to the point of the salesperson actually grabbing my arm and steadying me, asking if I was okay...how embarrassing.  I think he thought I was going to faint.  Honestly, I think I might've been ready to, and I honestly think the worst part for me...was that  my mouth was hanging open in awe and my eyes must've been somewhat glazed over.  Sensory overload!  So after a week, I thought I would sit down and write a list of the things that struck me, being back "home"...and made me realize, boy, I've been gone longer than I realize!

First, let me say, my mantra over here was always, "I am going to enjoy Europe to its fullest and will go back when we're ready to move back" and "if people want to visit and grandparents want to see the grandkids, they'll just have to come over here...that's why we got a big house"...I know, cruel and selfish, but that was my thinking.  Of course, dangle a free ticket home, courtesy of the US goverment before my eyes and guaranteed seats and tickets no less....that shifted my thinking long enough to make arrangements for all of us....deployable hubby too....to go home for the holidays.

I mentioned before that we almost didn't make it due to the big snow.  Our flight day was the first day flights were flying...and later that evening, the airport was shut down to the SECOND big snow, and we would've been stuck well after Christmas Day.  Thankfully, everything worked out for us this time around.

So, after some shopping trips and a few trips just driving around, visiting a few old friends from high school no less, I sat down to make my list.  In no perfect order, these are the things that stood out in my mind, coming back to America after being gone for a bit:

• The huge portions when we went out to eat....by GOD...I had forgotten how much they put on the plates!  This goes along with my second observation below.
• The high numbers of people I saw who were truly obese.  Yes, there are overweight people here in Europe and yes, I can stand to lose some weight myself...I can't use the "just had babies" excuse anymore....but there were gobs and gobs of people just struggling to walk around, get out of their cars, and I remember stores having one or two of those electric carts in the past...not five or six!
• The all-you-can-eat buffets.  European buffets are much different, and they have no clue what a REAL buffet is....I honestly went straight to bed both days we ate buffet food.  My eyes and stomach did not know how to handle it and couldn't tell me when I was full.  I paid for that with an overstretched stomach that just plain HURT.
• The hovering in stores by salespeople...can I help you, can I help you?  I know this is a theft deterrent, but you'd be hard pressed to even chase down a customer service person in a store over here...in fact, customer service is almost unknown in Belgium and Germany.  The products are supposedly so well made, they speak for themselves!
• How many women are wearing UGGs....it's rare you see them here, except on other Americans you meet. I even saw a dry cleaner that had a sign out that said "Yes, we dry clean your UGGs"....WOW!
• The LOW, LOW prices!  I almost fell over when I saw a sign at NYC area airport that advertised a drink for $1.99.  We just paid 3,50 EURO for the same size drink at Brussels Airport!  Of course, I forgot all about the sales tax being added at the register, so I promptly gave my son only $2.  It didn't even click when he came back and asked me for 17 cents...I said, for what?  Then realized....ooops...no matter, the lady took pity on him as an international no doubt and gave him the soda anyway.  I even saw many, many things that were much cheaper than our PX overseas as well, where everything is priced in dollars too....hmmmmm.
• The drinking...and I don't mean alcohol.  I mean the Starbucks coffees and lattes and the superbig Gulps from 7-Eleven and everything in between.  Americans are always drinking, wherever they go, on-the-go, and those drinks are filled up to the top and if it's a cold one...it will have loads of ice.  You'll be lucky to get a little sippy cup size over here and forget the ice!
• The hustle and bustle, especially shopping.  I got run over a few times...of course this was the holiday season...but everything is just much....faster in the US.
• Everyone drives everywhere.  I saw very little biking and walking, unless we went to the local park, which we did once.  Here in Belgium, people ride their bikes to go shopping or wherever, in all kinds of weather.  You also see a lot of little old ladies doing their shopping, pulling their little cart behind them.  I saw no such carts in the US.
• Much is open much of the time.  It was such a thrill to go shopping at 1 am and to go grab a burger after the ball dropped on New Year's Eve....all things you can forget over here with the strict shop opening hours, as well as restaurant hours...except for places like Berlin and London....even parts of Paris shut down before midnight.
• All the TV channels!  My dad had over 1,000 channels!  I channel-surfed through them a few times...every time my dad asking me what in the world was I doing?....me answering, I just want to see what's on....him responding, then just use the channel guide function...huh?  Who knew there was a Scream Channel and a "We only show women with big titties" channel or whatever it was called...since when were there so many channels?

And, so that's what struck me, both the good and the bad.  We all of course thoroughly enjoyed ourselves...the highlight of course being with family but without shame, I will tell you that we shipped home to Belgium....a total of SEVEN boxes and had our suitcases stuffed to the maximum.  Thankfully, each of us had a suitcase up to 50 lbs we could take home with us at no charge...whew.

Have you been gone for awhile?  How do you feel about going back?  I guess there is a thing such as reverse culture shock?  I believe it now although I wouldn't have last month:-)

Why in the world would I need TWO different passports??

As military dependents (and our spouses) being stationed overseas, we are required to have two US passports, that is if you are US citizens.  One is your official passport that the military pays for.  The other, is your tourist passport that you pay for.  They look exactly the same, except your official passport has a page in the back that quotes the SOFA statement.  So why are you supposed to carry both of them?  Let me explain.

I just recently got my tourist passport renewed overseas, and BTW it was $110 (yes, prices have gone up) .  Your post should have an office that processes both official/SOFA and tourist passports.  Turn around time off season is supposed to be two weeks.  In the summer, my childrens' tourist passports took two months to get back!  But don't worry, you don't have to give up your old one if you are overseas.  That is just if you are stateside and do not have a trip planned.  For peace of mind, I always start planning 6 months out in getting a new passport....especially if you like to cruise as some cruise lines "require" that your passport is still valid for six more months!

As for the rules of having a SOFA/official vs. tourist passport, you can blame the French on that one.  Travel restrictions used to be much more relaxed between the EU borders (and you're right, there are no border controls between EU countries)...BUT, if you get stopped and don't have the "correct" passport, you could get hassled.  The French had a tiff with the Americans a few years back, and they are the ones that started this "just tourist passport" thing in retaliation to something the Americans demanded from the French (and they didn't want to do)...or at least that is how the story goes.

In my last job as a tours manager and planner, we inevitably had a few problems and started requiring tourist passports for people who traveled with us...not many problems, but when it's you having the problem...then it's no longer statistics and is serious business!  Read this article for the specifics.  Technically, the SOFA/official passport is to show that you are allowed to stay in whatever country you are stationed in beyond the three month tourist timeframe (when no visa is required).  You can only stay three months in a country with a tourist passport.  I believe this is mandated by the host country, so it's possible that different countries may have different timeframes for staying without a visa.  So, yes, you may have no problem leaving a country, but it's the coming back that could be an issue.  Oh and for Russia, you definitely need to do visa paperwork in addition to your tourist passport, and it is worth it to go thru a reputable agency to get that done rather than to do it yourself.  I've gotten asked that question a few times as well so have thrown it out there.

I do know some Americans that carry both around when they travel.  I typically just take our tourist passports, as they seem to be the ones that most countries are looking for, when you get stopped.  When you arrive in a country, they don't know that you spent more than three months in the country you just left...at least this is how I see it.  The only time I personally ever had a problem was at the Frankfurt airport, coming back to Germany, after having left Germany back and forth a few times through the same airport in the weeks before.  I only had my tourist passport, and the customs agent was very curious and wanted to know everything about me, finally asking for my military ID card as "proof" of what I told him I was doing.  I think this would be the only time I would've needed my SOFA/official passport other than if the US ever had to do mass evacuations from Germany back to the US (such as in the case of world war), and they would obviously prioritize people with official passports over those just holding regular US tourist passports.

Do you carry both passports with you?

Unbelievable suitcase stuffing

Now that many of us are getting ready to head out for the holidays, we have to think like never before about how to pack our stuff.....in particular when flying....all those new restrictions!  I think my mom did a pretty good job of showing me how to stuff things in my shoes and to use every available space....she even taught me to roll stuff before it became mainstream.  But this guy....is world's ahead of the rest of us....watch and learn Kemosabe...

Cologne Christmas Markets do not disappoint (and other tips to visit)

As I walked out the door of the main train station and looked up, the view of the Cathedral...just absolutely stops you in your tracks.  It has the distinction of having the largest facade of ANY cathedral in the world!  It is absolutely breathtaking!  It takes up your whole view!  Just beyond the steps, you can already see and smell the beginnings of the most famous and colorful Christmas market on the steps of the Dom (cathedral).  After I took in a huge whiff of roasted nuts, flammkuchen, glazed ham and even Brussels waffles, we made our way through the crowd, looking at all the booths of vendors, all neatly labeled with their wares lovingly displayed.  Only in Germany are things this organized!  We decided to do a one overnight trip to keep costs down and drove from Mons, Belgium, which is only 2-1/2 hours away in good weather.  Here's how we fared.

I always use booking.com and hostelworld.com in looking for lodging if I already don't have my own recommendations.  Even though I started looking two weeks out, the lodging close to downtown was overpriced (for my pocketbook), and I was also looking for a place where there would be cheap or free parking nearby...that narrowed the field considerably.  I decided to test out the four star Holiday Inn by Bonn/Koeln Airport.  I chose it because parking was included in the room rate, and the S-bahn (metro) station was only a 10 minute walk or 2 minute free shuttle ride from the hotel.  The hotel is right on the airport grounds and even offers special hotel rates where you can leave your car up to 15 days, so a great jumping-off point for your vacations that involve a flight.  Plus, there are lots of last minute and lowcost vacation packages leaving out of Cologne...and don't forget the lowcost carriers like German Wings.  Find these deals on lastminute.de or travelzoo.com.

So, we arrived Saturday morning, just before lunch.  Since our room wouldn't be ready for another hour, I had already mapped out my favorite German superstore nearby, the REAL....allowing us to load up on German Christmas goodies and just great German shopping....can you tell I've been missing Germany?

Once we settled into our room and changed into something warmer, we headed downtown.  One great thing about staying overnight, is that you get to really relax and enjoy the evening ambiance.  We made sure to do that, and I think we ate our way through at least every other stall at the Christmas markets, along with a visit to one of the more famous beer pubs in Cologne.  I say markets, because Cologne has SEVEN  Christmas markets.  We only made it to half of them in the two days....honestly, you do see a lot of repeats and the farther away you get from the Cathedral, the cheaper the items become.  But of course you knew that!  Same goes for souvenir shops and other such shopping.

Also be sure to visit the tourist bureau, which you will see to your right, after exiting the train station on the cathedral side.  It is the modern building with the big red "i" on it.  All city and town tourist bureaus are marked the same way.  The advantage of going to the tourist bureau, is that you can find out about special events.  We picked up free brochures on special exhibits and museums, as well as one detailing the locations, hours and prices (a few were not free) of the Christmas markets.  City maps cost 20 Euro cents, but that was fine by me...it was pretty detailed and also had the transit map included.  Tourist bureaus are also great for hotel reservations, IF you know ahead of time what price range you are willing to pay.  Some even track the local B&Bs.

More on the hotel....the hotel restaurant was very fancy and expensive, so we didn't indulge, but the room service was very reasonable with the biggest burger I've EVER seen in my life and fries costing only 10 euro.

All in all, a wonderful trip.  Since we were a few weeks early for the Cologne shopping Sundays, we window shopped on Sunday instead, enjoyed our morning in a local coffeehouse and then shopped at yet another Christmas market, which opened at noon.  I definitely recommend you take the time to head out to Cologne and enjoy.  FYI, if you are interested in crazy Karnival Season (like Mardi Gras in New Orleans and just as wild), make your lodging bookings NOW, before things fill up.  Of course, some of the lesser known Karneval events have already begun, but the BIG parade on Rose Monday is on 7 March 2011 this year.  Be sure to check out the latest Germany travel guide from your library and note the local must-see sights too before you go..the Chocolate Museum and Germanic-Roman Museum do come to mind.  Do you have any recommendations on Cologne?

Supercheap Trainfares are BACK (Germany, Austria & Switzerland)!

It looks like Lidl Germany is back at it again....supercheap train fares starting or ending in a German city for two adults (kids 14 and under go free, per adult)!  Now is your chance to take that train trip to Vienna or how about skiing in St. Moritz?  Or to see the beautiful Dresdener Frauenkirche (in Dresden of course) that was lovingly and painstakingly rebuilt just recently after its downfall from the fire bombing of Dresden....so many possibilities!  Even if you are not in Germany, you can still take advantage of this deal!  Read below for the scoop.

Go to Lidl Germany's website for the details.  Be sure to use Google Translate to read the fine print, but in summary:

• For two adults, one way, it costs a 79 euro flat rate (so if you are going back and forth, just double that)
• Travel must be between 3 Jan and 31 Mar 2011
• Children up to 14 can travel free, and not just parents but grandparents are covered too; just make sure you annotate them on your ticket
• You can book these tickets on line through Lidl's website SHORTLY (the link is not up yet) or you can call the phone # on their website
• You'll also get two seat reservation certificates

Even if you are NOT in Germany, you can still take advantage.  For example, my Benelux readers, how about driving to Cologne (about 2-1/2 hours from SHAPE) and staying a night at the Holiday Inn at the Bonn/Cologne Airport with instant train connections?  They have these special 100 euro Park & Go rooms that allow you free use of their shuttle and the ability to leave your car there while you travel.  Be creative!  Look under my travel links for hotel deals or check this link which I use all the time for my travels.  Be sure to come back soon, as I am working on more European travel deals and advice, as well as a "behind the scenes" interview with a European tourguide.  I might as well pass on what I have learned, considering this may be our last overseas tour for awhile:-(

Flying Ryanair for the first time?

At some point, I just had to blog about one of the low-cost airlines out there....when I googled Ryanair, I was surprised to not find any firsthand accounts?  Maybe I didn't google it correctly...but I still thought there would be loads of stories out there on passengers sharing their experiences.  Anyway, so here's my story, the good and the bad...  Follow me as I get on a Ryanair flight to Venice from Charleroi (Brussels South as they like to call it which isn't anywhere near Brussels).  Know how to plan ahead and how to avoid these mistakes that can put a real crimp into your nicely planned vacation.

While you are reading these tips, keep in mind that we are talking about a BUDGET airline....'nuf said.

• Get on Ryanair's email list.  You'll be forewarned of their "special" 5 euro fares all throughout Europe.  I sometimes hear people asking how they can fly so cheaply....well, it's not exactly 5 euros in the end, but it is cheap compared to the other mainstream airlines.  They can get you a better price because this is bare bones flying (hey, they even want to start charging to use the toilet and are working on "squatting type" seats to pack more into each plane).  You'll pay for any extra tangible items AND priorities.  For example, that 5 euro fare is going to go up if you don't take the very first flight out of the day (usually around 7 am) and the last flight back (such as 10 pm) or vice versa.  Ryanair can get away with cheaper pricing because they fly into "lesser" airports that are anywhere from 40 minutes to an hour from your actual destination AND they fly at off peak times.  You'll of course get charged for taxes, web check-in (which everyone has to do), priority boarding (if you don't want to be herded on like cattle and at least have some semblance of seats together) and an administration fee.  Also, because one of our flights was not the really early or late flight, the base price went up on one of our legs times three (there were three of us traveling).  So instead of what you think is going to be a straight 30 euro flight back and forth for three people, ends up being 260 Euros!  But, for me...that's still awfully cheap!
• Be sure to follow Ryanair's RIGID baggage carry on restrictions.  Know that a checked bag for each leg of your journey costs 30 euro per person....not worth it in my opinion for a short trip!  So, measure your carry-on bag wisely.  You can only take this ONE bag.  Your purse, laptop, backpack and whatever other bag you want to bring must fit inside of it.  It can also not weigh more than 10 kg.  More on this later.
• Within 10 days of your flight, you'll go online and print out your boarding pass for each passenger.  You'll need birthdate and passport information for each.  Keep this with you....lose it, and you'll pay 30 euro for each lost paper...I mean e-ticket!  See how this 30 euro keeps repeating itself?
• Non-EU (European Union) passengers are recommended to arrive 40 minutes before the flight leaves.  I arrived one hour before...no 1-1/2 hours before, as I had never flown out of Charleroi.  Try to trade drop-off and pick-up services with another military family flying out of there (obviously not at the same time).  If you can't, there is long-term parking....look for the sign "long term" which is right next to the parking garage.  It'll run you 55 euro for 5 days.  See rates here.  Don't park in the wrong lot or overpay!
• After arrival, at the larger airports, non-EU passengers and passengers checking in luggage must check in at the ticketing desks (in the front).  They may give you a more traditional boarding pass, or you'll keep your computer printed boarding pass which they will stamp (because they will check your passports).
• Then, it's into the security line.  You'll keep hearing announcements saying that boarding for flights leaving will close 30 minutes before departure, which is the signal for you to get through security and to not hang around in the check-in area.  They really do mean this, and I did see people turned away.  Make sure you read their policy if you miss your flight or better yet, get there EARLY and allow time for things that can go awry.
• A Ryanair agent will have you put your bag into a metal cage-like display to show it meets their baggage requirements.  I saw people manhandling that thing...the agent didn't care...as long as you can squeeze it in there, it's good.  We had one rolling backpack and two larg gymbags.  Gymbags and backpacks are great cause you can mold them into that stupid cage! There are also these displays scattered throughout the terminal, so be sure to test it out before the pressure of the people behind you watching you manhandle your bag causes you to sweat and stress unnecessarily.  Brought your lunch?  It better be in that bag?  Any purchases?  You will not go through until you put it in the bag.  Some of these displays also have a scale and will beep incessantly if you are overweight.  Try to balance out your weight among everyone's bags if you are traveling in a group.  Check it all out ahead of time.  Yes, I saw people having to do the walk of shame back through the line to the main check-in desk to check their bags...for 30 euros a pop....ouch.
• Once through that test, you'll go through routine security with the x-ray scanners.  Some personnel will make you take off belts....others, your shoes...some, nothing. Take your laptop and portable DVD players out to have them scanned separately.  Also take off coats, watches and large metal jewelry items if asked.  I almost always get beeped, as I refuse to take off one of my bracelets (in fact, I forgot how to take it off is the honest truth...and I won't admit it), so I get the personal search.  Gee, she went inside the band of my underwear this time...that was new.  Anyway, if you come early enough, you'll breeze through security.
• While waiting at your gate, you'll see two signs marking the two lines for boarding.  One is Priority.  This is the line you'll stand in if you paid extra for priority seating.  Even though your ticket will have a seat # on it, you won't get that particular seat.  This just means that your priority line is let on the plane before the rest of the folks who didn't pay for this privilege.  They stand in the other line.  As you get on the plane, the flight attendants will tell you which rows you can sit in and will try to guide you to the middle of the plane.  Sometimes you'll see folks all laid out at the beginning of the non-priority line waiting to board well before boarding time.  If you don't want to pay extra, let this be you so you'll be the first person getting on after priority boarding.  You can sit then wherever there's a free seat.
• Once on board, seats are pretty standard, although bare bones and probably less legroom (I'm tall and noticed this).  After all the traditional safety briefings are done, here comes the parade.  These flight attendants will go through the plane selling everything from drinks (no free sodas, drinks or peanuts) costing about 1,50 euro to phone calling cards to hot and cold sandwiches and other snacks costing anywhere from 3 to 7 euro, watches, perfumes...you name it.  I told my kids before they got on the plane they weren't getting anything and made sure to buy them a screwtop drink at the airport (which already was expensive enough, but what are you going to do when you can't take that stuff through security, and you're gonna get thirsty?).  We also carry plenty of snacks.
• Other than our plane leaving an hour late, which is UNHEARD of on your regular airline, I didn't notice it phasing any of the Ryanair personnel.  Our flight coming back from Venice left on-time though.  I have also heard that Ryanair flights can be canceled more often than your standard flights but have not experienced this myself.  Look what these passengers recently did who were three hours late.
• Immediately after landing you'll get a small treat by hearing the little ditty they play at the racetrack when the horses are called to race....yes, they really play that...everyone claps and you disembark.  Since this is the EU, you won't routinely deal with customs unless someone decides to pull your suspicious self aside....or maybe the dog smelled something on you...I don't know.

 Once you get the hang of this Ryanair thing, investigate blind bookings (google it).  Get sent real cheap to anywhere Ryanair flies...you just won't know where you are going until AFTER you've paid....be adventurous...it's like a gameshow...you can even narrow down the choices...of course, at a cost.  Try some of the other lowcost carriers in Europe.  Try being creative.  Have you heard of Wizz Air?  Try flying them through Budapest or Prague and then on to your final destination.  That may even be cheaper.  I'll leave you with a safety notice...even though these airlines are cheap, they are relatively safe..they are safter than your car, and all of them have a good safety record, so don't get worked up over that.  There are no reports of any of them skimping on safety that I have found.  I do wonder what will happen with airline travel once the "across the Atlantic" barrier has been breached by these lowcost airlines....something to think about?  Comments or your own recommendations?

VMW's Tips for Venice (read before your trip!)

I'm back!  I don't always blog about our travels, but for a one-of-a-kind city like Venice, I just gotta.  You know, you read about the Venice of the North (there's one in Belgium, another in Russia) and Venice of the South and a few in between....but truly, there is no place in the world that is VENICE...the "real one", in Italy.  I've blogged before about packing and traveling, just click my Travel category, but I don't think I've ever written a definitive guide that will make it easy to plan your trip and to know what to expect, so here it is!  Follow these tips before you even plan your next (or first) Venice trip!

Since I am always up for a challenge, I thought I would try to plan this trip, so that I wouldn't really have to use my brain once I arrived.  That's why I begged off all internet, cell phone traffic....everything but a few good books!  I even put my 13 year old to work, as I adamantly REFUSED to navigate the map.....and behold, my son is a genius with the map.  I tried stumping him many times a day, but he never got us lost and always got us right to the doorstep of where we were going.  We also had a Rough Guide waterproof map, and at least the Venice edition is spot on (our tourist bureau one had a few streets with different names and some of the little alleyways with no names).  Do keep your map in a large ziploc-type bag along with any other "important papers" you may need throughout the day.


In no particular order, here are my recommendations (again, these are only my opinions, but they worked great for us....or didn't....so learn from them when making your own plans):

• First things first, gotta take care of transportation!  We knew what dates were off from school, so I ventured over to Ryanair about two months before our trip.  Bingo....5 euro fares per person each way to Venice (or rather Treviso, a 40 minute bus ride away).  I'll be blogging later about Ryanair, but for now, know that 5 euro per person ended up being considerable higher because of airport taxes, fees, priority seating and not taking the late night flight on the way back (the cheapest fares will be the first flight out and last flight in....always).
• After having that locked in, I started looking at lodging.  Typically, I look at friends' recommendations and LOVE Booking.com (both for ease of use, especially their map views and when narrowing things down....great reviews too and low price guarantees), but this time, I decided to try Hostelworld.com.  I hit a goldmine!  We paid only 30 euro per person per night with breakfast included and were only a 10 minute walk from San Marcos Square.  Our very friendly and helpful "landlady" who did not speak a lick of English, ended up giving us a two bedroom newly renovated apartment by her place.  Why?  Because the bathroom had flooded right before our arrival in our guestroom and since the other two rooms were already booked, that was the plan she had for us.  It worked out perfectly....we loved it, and her place was only a few doors down, so breakfast was easy.  She had a beautifully decorated dining room with a just wonderful spiral staircase leading down to it, and we enjoyed our mornings there as she busied herself in her wineshop downstairs.  Hostelworld puts a small charge on your credit card, and then you pay cash to your host when you leave for the remainder of the bill.  There were no surprises and no additional fees...in fact, she charged us less than what the website stated.
• Know what things you want to see.  I knew my boys would not sit (or walk) through dozens of museum visits, which Venice has many of with beautiful and important works.  We narrowed our list down to the major tourist sites and then the inside of the Peggy Guggenheim Museum (my son loves Picasso) and the Secret Itineraries Tour of the Doges Palace (highly recommended and can be booked online at Tickitaly or Vivaticket ahead of time...bypass the lines!), the Naval Museum, vaporetto/traghetto rides and some of the interesting architectural gems scattered throughout the city...Murano Island too.  Of course we had a list of movie locations we wanted to visit and brought the movies with us for bedtime viewing.  We even noted some restaurants, cafes, shops and of course the best gelato in Venice at Il Doge.  My favorite sites to research Venice were Venice Rentals and Durant & Cheryl's Venice for Visitors.  I of course read all the guide books and found Rick Steves & the Rough Guide to be the best.
• We also made sure to visit the Venice Tourism Bureau website to double check any special exhibits (two churchs had da Vinci and Galileo exhibits ongoing), and I breathed a sigh of relief to see that the Venice Marathon was the week before....try to stay away from places that are hosting a major event unless you are going to be in it!  Who wants to pay more for hotels, food....everything and then get lost in the crowd while there?  Don't laugh...I had friends in Paris during their annual gay event weekend....I'll spare you the stories they had to share!
• Make sure to visualize how you will get to your hotel/B&B and how you will get back to the airport.  We went ahead and bought roundtrip ATVO bus tickets for 9 euro per person.  The ticket booth is right outside baggage claim at Treviso Airport and takes you right to Piazza Roma, last stop for land traffic in Venice.  Since I didn't want to buy the expensive 3 day pass for vaporetto transportation within Venice, we walked to our B&B, which was 2.2 km.  I knew we were going to take a lunch break at a small cafe, so this broke up the walk a bit, and the kids didn't complain....the paninis were that good!  If you don't want to do a lot of walking, there are places near the train station to stay, but in my opinion, that area is just not as nice as San Marcos or Castello or some of the other districts.  Since we had an 8 AM Ryanair flight out of Treviso for our return, and I didn't want to try to walk to Piazza Roma at oh-dark-thirty and stress about making it on time, I chose to stay in a small (but very nice) hotel in Treviso that I found on booking.com that had FREE airport shuttle service.  This worked out great when they came to get us at the airport after coming back from Venice at the end of our trip (and it took exactly two hours which included our vaporetto ride from the Castello District next to San Marco district plus the ATVO bus ride to the airport).  The hotel even had a restaurant, so it was great on our last day being able to take our time to get back....BUT, since our flight left so early, the hotel did not offer shuttle service that early nor did we get our included buffet breakfast.  The owner was so nice though that he made us sack breakfasts and had a friend drive us to the airport...how's that for customer service?!  Bottom line....keep this in mind when booking your lodging in Venice.  This is why many stay overnight near the train station, to catch the first buses back to the airport.  I would never recommend Mestre, which is the ugly industrial area just on the mainland.  We drove by tourists pushing and shoving to get on city buses in the AM, trying to get to Venice...imagine doing that EVERY day of your visit...uh uh.  Also one other alternative to get back to either Marco Polo or Treviso airports is to use the city bus systems or the train.  Stay away from those expensive fly-by-night bus services or the super expensive water taxis....you'll pay through the nose!
• Look at the weather before you leave.  We knew it was going to be rainy season from mid-October on and brought our galoshes.  San Marcos Square was flooded with high tide every single morning and the tide receded by 11 AM.  Yes there are raised sidewalks, but they can get crowded and don't always lead where you want them to go!  
• Use the FREE Rick Steves MP3 guides for Venice.  There are a few of them and my favorite one actually has a numbered map guide that goes along with the audio of St. Mark's Basilica.  There are also other websites out there with free and low-cost city guides.  Just google MP3 + name of city.
• Bring sturdy walking shoes that are comfortable.  I can't tell you how many tourists I saw with high heels or even high heeled boots.  Venice is COBBLESTONED or bricked to an extent and not every surface is as smooth as San Marcos Square.  Walking surfaces can get slippery when wet and make walking uneven.  If you bring a wheeled suitcase, make sure it has bigger wheels or you will ruin your suitcase wheels and announce to everyone on the block that you are echo-sounding your way down the alley.
• We did bring our GPS, as it has the walking feature, but it kept getting confused in the tight alleyways.
• The big souvenir items people buy are carnival face masks and Murano glass items.  Be aware that the many sidewalk stalls selling the masks have the cheap 10 euro masks (which are great for kids).  If you want a real hand-made Venice mask, visit one of the many wonderful mask shops in the brick and mortar stores in the area.  The price will reflect the work put into it.  We LOVED the Terminator-style masks at Ca' Macana.  As for Murano glass, if it is not stamped on the back as original Murano glass, it could be manufactured in China or elsewhere!  I know, what a tragedy!  Buy the genuine article directly on Murano Island at one of the wonderful shops there and always check the back.
• Don't buy a vaporetto pass for your entire stay (two and three day passes are super-expensive).  One way trips are 6,50 euro, so also pricey.  Plan your trip where you only need to use the vaporetto (water buses) for 24 hours.  Adults and kids pay the same price unless your child is a student 14 or older and you can buy a student fare.  More info on Durant & Cheryl's site on this.  We maximized our 24 hours.  Go out to Murano (glass manufacturers), Burano (lace makers), the Lido (the fun beach area; kids love the go-cart rentals too) and every route they take!  Thanks to Napoleon, the beautifully appointed cemetery has its own island, and it can be a nice peaceful respite and photographer's dream.  Of course you'll also find yourself going up and down the Grand Canal multiple times and what fun to match up the palaces going by with your guidebook.  It can also be dicey watching the vaporetto almost swipe some of the gondolas that creep in and out of the many backwater smaller canals.
• Speaking of gondolas, the going rate during the day is 80 euro (more at night).  Of course if you want singing or music it's more.  Share the burden of the cost by taking six people max in the gondola (it can still be romantic and fun).  We like the Venice Walks and Tours Company (also see their other tours), as you know you are getting someone who speaks English very well and can give you a good tour.  Not all gondoliers are equal, although they all do go through some serious training....in Italian though and there are only about 500 gondolas in Venice.  You can only get that job if a gondolier dies or gives up his license.  Beware of gondoliers trying to jack up prices.
• Don't buy the counterfeit handbags being sold by shady characters in the back alleys.  Yes, they will approach you and wave that junk in your face.  It is a HUGE fine if you get caught buying one as there is a big crackdown on this.
• Yeah, everyone goes to Harry's Bar to taste an overpriced Bellini....the cocktail was invented here...at the bar...but big whup...we took a photo of one of our boys standing in front of the sign and were done with it.  You only see celebrities in the upper off-limits area and only tourists go to the bar and pay for their overpriced drinks and food.  There are plenty of other wonderful restaurants, cafes and sandwich places in Venice.  The Rough Guide map has many good ones marked and the farther you get from San Marcos Square, the cheaper things are across the board.  Don't go in Hard Rock unless you collect the shirts or other junk.
• If you are coming from elsewhere in Europe you won't need plug adapters for your small appliances and electronics.  If coming from the US, know that your 110 volt appliances won't work here...most computers and many electronics are dual voltage though. Check the back of your item or on its adapter/charger and bring a European adapter plug.
• We spent a half day in Murano and chose to go in the afternoon when the tourist crowds are heading back the other way.  It was wonderfully peaceful!  The glass blowing furnaces are a huge hit with children, and my little one was absolutely fascinated.  I chose to visit a furnace where I had to pay 5 euro, and the kids were free.  The ones that are free have high pressure sales tactics and in my opinion, don't do a very good or long "show".  We saw not only vases being made but also lamps and figurines and no one pressured us to buy anything.  Ask at any of the shops along the main drag how to get to the furnaces.
• Definitely take the 50 cent traghetto ride.  These are stripped down gondolas manned by two gondoliers that take you across the Grand Canal.  A good map will show you the traghetto crossing points.  You typically stand up but since it was raining and we had a gondola full of tourists, they had us sit on the very edge ledge.
• In cooler weather, bring layers to wear and have some kind of waterproof jacket.  We saw people with umbrellas, but they were constantly hitting people in the head and having to tilt their umbrellas this way and that in the narrow alleyways....don't even bother.  We stayed warm and dry with our jackets with hoods.  If you are in Europe, visit Decathlon, an awesome sports warehouse with stuff for every kind of sport.  You can get a nice waterproof jacket for Fall and Spring with TONS of pockets for 30 euro.
• Speaking of pockets, we maximized pocket use in our jackets for cameras, and I wore a pouch close to my body with our passports and money in it.  Pickpockets are everywhere here.  You also can't bring your backpack into St. Mark's Basilica, so be sure to leave it in the hotel the day you visit there or at their baggage drop off area around the corner.  Either visit St. Mark's early when it first opens or an hour before closing.  The crowds can be tremendous during the day, even in winter!
• Save lots of money by buying bread, cheeses and fixins' for lunch.  The grocery stores are well hidden here and our Rough Guidebook had them all listed.  Within an hour of checking into our apartment, we had snacks and water and drinks to last us through the week.  We always carried a backpack with us with our drinks and then bought some wonderful sandwiches, paninis and pastries for lunch.  Be careful where you eat your picnic, as technically, it is "illegal" to sit down and eat anywhere....try to stick to out-of-the-way areas and parks and don't eat on someone's stoop!  I actually saw a sign on someone's stoop begging tourists not to picnic there:-)
• Oh the European thing is the scarf wrapped around your neck a half dozen times it seems!  You'll see them at all the sidewalk vendors in all kinds of colors and patters.  Since Ryanair has a strict one carry-on bag policy (yes, your backpack and purse needs to fit in there too), I brought mostly dark and neutral colored fabrics that I could dress up with colorful scarves.  Of course, I bought a few...or more....don't pay more than 5-10 euro for one.  Many have silver bells and trinkets sewn onto the ends too.  Okay, I am digressing and getting off on a tangent!  Again, Decathlon and some of the catalogs like LL Bean have some great sweat-wicking fabrics that don't wrinkle and dry quickly....stick with those when traveling and dress them up with a scarf!
• One word about special exhibits.  I mentioned two earlier that were hosted in local Venice churches.  I bet this is another way for these churches to try to earn some money.  We unfortunately did not visit the da Vinci exhibit as it was 8 euro for adults and 5 euro for kids....to see reproductions of some of his inventions....now if they had had something original, I might've jumped at that but reproductions?  You can see those anywhere....so, we browsed their little gift shop and had a lively debate where we tried to figure out if they brought in all those bookcases for the Indiana Jones movie or was this church a library before the exhibit...hmmmmm....
• You can't get lost here...it's an island basically...and if you get off the beaten path without a map, you'll eventually see a sign on the street corner pointing to "Rialto" (the famous bridge), "San Marcos" (the square) or a few other famous landmarks.  So don't be afraid to wander a bit.
• I just asked the kids what their favorites were besides what I mentioned above, and they both loved the daily specials at Ristorante Marco Polo at S. Lio 5571.  It was very popular for locals and tourists.  They also thought the best paninis were from Al Timon, S. Polo 3057 between the train station and Rialto.  I think we hit every gelato place in Venice or at least half of them...I already mentioned Il Doge (google it, it is by San Margherita Square, which is also the place to have great pizza and watch the students and their antics from the nearby university) and Gelateria Sommariva in Castello 4515.  My favorites included Gam Gam kosher restaurant in the Jewish Ghetto and the one and only department store on the island, Coin which is between the Rialto Bridge and San Giovanni Church.  I also liked the gelato place (one of the only ones that had coconut) by the Ponte dei Pugni Bridge (the fighting bridge with its footprints embedded in the stone).  Do see the Accademia Wooden Bridge, billed as the only wooden bridge in Venice (it is beautiful), but there is also a smaller wooden bridge we found by the Naval Museum and the impressive entrance to the Arsenale...this is when you realize how powerful Venice's navy once was.  And lastly, if you really like architecture, wander the small streets until you find the spiral staircase in the courtyard Corte dei Risi near Campo Manin (look for signs).
• Yes, at some point you'll have to use the toilet.  Try to use the free ones at restaurants, cafes and museums while eating or visiting them.  Rest assured there are also tourist toilets at all the major tourist sites, but be prepared to pay.  I know one of the city visitor passes covers free toilet use, but I'd be looking at what else the benefit was of buying one!  City toilets cost 80 cents (train station) to 1.50 euro at San Marcos Square.  Stick with the free toilets...they were all clean for the most part.

And that about wraps up our trip.  We stayed for five days, and even with a full 4-1/2 days of sightseeing, there were still a few places we missed.  Know that you won't be able to see everything, but if you come with a plan, you can just really enjoy the execution of that plan and not stress about what to see next or waste money spending more than you should!  We only spent about 250 euro in food and a little more than than in lodging for the duration, so Venice can be done on a budget...and throw in our cheap tickets from Ryanair, and this trip became a blockbuster bargain for the three of us (sorry, hubby couldn't come with us this time).

Would you like to share your tips for Venice?  Be sure to check back soon when I will blog about traveling light and also flying Ryanair which is not your run-of-the-mill experience!

Brain Fodder for Newcomers & Visitors (Germany & Belgium)

So, I've never really been a newcomer in Europe, being born in Germany and all....BUT, I am still an American and feel like I have an inkling of what my friends are going through.  You know when you move to a foreign country, you wish someone had just told you some of these nuggets of information?  Life would be WWAAAY easier I would think.  Here are some quick tricks and tips that are always being mentioned...or what I think of when I try to rack my brain as to what surprises most Americans who come over.  Please be sure to add your own surprises as well!

In no particular order:

Always have grocery bags in your vehicle when you travel; European stores do not hand out free bags.  You must pay for them if you want one of theirs.  We like to carry a variety of cheap plastic throwaway bags and some nicer cloth or synthetic bags with us in our car.  Reisenthel (my favorite) makes some cute little packaged bags (I have two of these in my purse).

Always have change for parking meters.  Parking meters here are not next to your space....but are nearby.  Look for a big automated metal box.  Put in your money, watch the time change on the little monitor, typically 50 Euro cents = 30 minutes.  Then press the green button.  The ticket that comes out needs to be put in your windshield or it's useless.  Keep track of when it expires!

Many restaurants have their rest day on Mondays, so aren't open then.  Some stores, especially out in the country, close at 6 or 7 pm and are closed on Sundays and holidays and early on Saturday...not a problem in the big cities but could be everywhere else.  Restaurants in Belgium (not in big cities) don't serve dinner until 6 or 6:30 pm and many do not serve lunch.  Know before you sit down and order your drinks!  "Durchgehende Kueche" on a German restaurant's sign means they are open thru lunch and dinner and serve at those in-between times.  I haven't seen the equivalent in Belgium except for in the big cities and near NATO/US military bases.

Learn at least a few basic phrases, thank-you and please in whatever country you'll be in.  Americans have a horrible reputation for thinking the world centers around them and English...don't add to the misnomer.

Shopping carts are chained together here...have a 50 cent Euro piece or 1 euro to stick in the slot on the cart, and then return the cart to get your money back.

Bring change for public restrooms...no money, no tinkle...this is actually a good thing, because most restrooms are very clean (unfortunately, you won't see this in any of the Southern European countries or even France...you'll see dirty restrooms for the most part...and they are free).  You'll get charged 30 to 50 Euro cents and some automated entrances don't give change for 1 or 2 Euro coins, so always have the little change with you.

Always have some kind of raingear with you...with the Gulfstream...or is it Jet Stream?...European weather can be variable...and all in the same day.  Belgium can have five weather changes in a day.  Germany, not so much except perhaps up in the Northern areas or in the mountains.  Just be prepared.

Europeans are NOT rude for the most part...they just do things differently over here and Americans many times view that as being rude.  They are just honest and forthright and will not beat around the bush and will truly tell you what they think....to your face.  Also, the German language can be very heavy on the consonants, and I've had Americans tell me that just scares them and makes the language sound harsher than it really is.  A German saying "I love you" sounds like they are about to give the other person a whipping I've been told by other Americans!

When you are paying for something in Belgium, do not put money in the cashier's hand...it is considered rude.  Put the money on the space provided in front of you....or the conveyor belt.  They'll hand you back the change the same way.  And instead of saying thank-you (merci), you say please when you fork over your money....so "si'l vous plait"....French do it the opposite!  Those darn French...or Belgiums..however you want to look at it.

When eating out in Germany, it is customary to start eating as soon as your own plate of food arrives (that is considered good manners, as the others don't want YOUR food to get cold).  In Belgium, you should wait for everyone's food to arrive and waitstaff will typically try to time everyone's food arrival at the same time.  Isn't it funny how they can be so opposite?

You'll probably find more pickpockets here than in the US (except maybe for New York City?)....treat your valuables accordingly and keep them close to your body and not in your pockets or purse.  Try not to look like a tourist.  You can peg an American by their tennis shoes and jeans.

A GPS is invaluable here, especially in Belgium.  I have lost count of the number of times I have come to an intersection with NO street markings, especially out in the country.  At least in Germany, streets are labeled fairly regularly.  

Instead of getting on highways and seeing signs that tell you, you are going North or South like in the US, you'll see signs listing the next major city...in whichever direction....all over Europe (and sometimes not in the country you are in, if you are near a border).  So, you need to know which cities are in the direction you want to go in, or else you will go the wrong way!  As soon as I get on the highway near our house, I see the sign that says "Paris"....only 2-1/2 hours away!  It always gets me dreaming...until I have to get off before I actually reach Paris.

You won't see a lot of McDonalds and other fast food places (except maybe near military bases and in the big cities), but you will see many friteries in Belgium!  This fast food kind of place is cheap and EVERYTHING is fried....everything...even dessert if they offer it.  Everything is laid out like at a butcher and since much of it is battered, you won't know what's in that thing unless you can read the sign (so learn the favorites and have a small dictionary with you in your purse, and especially memorize the word for horse in French, "cheval").  The nicest fritterie I ever went to was on the Belgian coast in a wonderful seaside town.  In addition to the fried fish and anything else you wanted fried, they had colorful salads with some of the best tomatoes I've ever tasted....sad to say I haven't found anything like that around here!  McDonalds are a dime a dozen in Germany, and you will see them all over.  There they also have "Imbisses" and what I miss the most as we don't see it everywhere, Donar Kebaps.

Please be sure to share your favorites below!

No standing in line at Eiffel Tower, Anne Frank House and others

Come on now....I talked to someone just yesterday who had a wonderful trip to Paris...and then wasted hours standing in line to get into the Eiffel Tower....don't do that....do this.....

Get your tickets for the Eiffel Tower ONLINE,and put the ticket on your cell phone or handy.  FYI, before you travel....ALWAYS check online, as many museums and other attractions do offer tickets online.....sometimes even discounted.  Doing a little research before your trip will pay off in the long run.




Oops, almost forgot one  more Eiffel Tower tip....going up to the second level is just as fascinating as going to the top!  Save money, time and don't feel cheated on the view if you choose only the second level up (rather than to the top).  It gets pretty windy up there (hold on to your stuff!), and if you do want to go up high, check the weather first before all you see is clouds.

And before I close this blog post, here are the online ticket sales for the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Do you have any similar tips to share?

Chateau for Sale.....Cheap!

Chateau at Attre

There it is again....every time I go to the commissary, I pass it by...and every time, I try to get a good peek through the big wrought iron gate....my little dream chateau....that happens to be for sale.  Why is it that every village and every so often in the middle of nowhere, a big imposing wall hides yet another chateau, straight out of some fairy tale?

Coming from Germany, I know castles...you've got the Rhine and Mosel River castles perched on cliffs, many now tourist attractions...the palaces in some of the older German cities and of course everyone's favorite castle, Neuschwanstein, which Walt Disney used as a model for his castle....but nothing prepares you for driving through a country that looks like it was left in the last century (at least Wallonia, the French speaking part of Belgium looks like this).....bumpy pot-hole filled roads and ditches as deep as your car is high...and then turning a corner and almost driving off the road at the absolute stunning beauty and outright richness of the chateau that just appeared out of nowhere!  I love it!

I can just take a day, driving in the countryside....our SHAPE map of the area BTW, also has each chateau marked, so even if you don't know where they are, you can quickly find them.  Most are still in private hands.  I can think of one near Chievres Air Base, Beloeil, that has been in the same family....many, many centuries ago, since it was first built!  Wow!  Many of these former nobles are also into preservation and sharing history and will open parts of their chateaus to tourists and locals on Sundays and public holidays, such as Chateau Attre, also by Chievres.  This one even has the original furnishings from the 1700s, and I believe it's the only one in Belgium that can say that.

Why are there so many chateaus?  Germany doesn't have all these chateaus or castles....France...yes, to an extent, but not so much as Belgium with the highest concentration of castles per square kilometer....why?  Mostly during the time of Charles V of France, there were tons of nobles and rich counts and dukes of the court and since the massive stone was readily available, imposing castles were built to impress all the neighbors.  Many of these chateaus were built during the 17th and 18th centuries and remember...there was no Belgium or the Netherlands...this area was known as the Low Country with tons of dukes and other nobles who ran their own city states and villages.  In our area of Belgium, I believe you can count almost two chateaus PER VILLAGE...that's some statistic!  Isn't it wonderful that most are still standing?  AND that you can visit at least 400 of the 3,000 chateaus in Belgium, as they are open to the public.  Hey, our church is even having the youth group do a lock-in at a local chateau, and it's not unusual for organizations and units to rent rooms for events...I just went to a wives coffee at a chateau (where else can you say that?)....or you can even stay at them overnight, B&B style.

Even with all this access....I can still dream of my own chateau, so take a look at this one that's nearby....if you can afford 1.2 million Euro....why not?