J'adore Paris!

People ask me all the time "Where's your favorite place to visit in Europe?" and I always answer "Paris!"  I have an ongoing love affair with this city.  Let me tell you what I advise people to do on their first day in this special city.  Take the métro to the "Cité" stop.  This puts you in the middle of the Ile de la Cité in the middle of the Seine river in the heart of Paris.  It was here that the first celtic settlement began about 3000 years ago.  There's nothing left of this civilization, however you can visit the ruins of the old Gallo-Roman town beneath the square in front of Notre Dame cathedral.  It's a very short walk to get from the metro stop to the square.  The cathedral is a must!  Built almost 1000 years ago, it is a marvel of architecture and survival.  Take time to notice the outside adornments - the statues of the kings of Judah, the statues of Adam and Eve above them looking down on the mass of humanity in tears, the beautiful Rose window and the statue of Christ blessing you as you enter.  Inside you will be amazed at the huge columns holding up the arched ceiling.  How did they build this without modern technology?  With just human determination and artistry?  Obviously with a devout belief in the power of the divine.  Look for the statue of Joan of Arc, patron saint of France.  Once you've made the circuit inside, be sure to walk around to the back of the cathedral to see the buttresses that support the narrow apse.  It is truly a marvel of architectural engineering  The revolutionaries almost destroyed this church and many others throughout France believing them to represent the power of the king as well as a "state enforced" religion. Considering all the wars and battles that Paris has seen, it is remarkable that this beautiful edifice remains.  More on the Ile de la Cité on Thursday.  I love this tiny island for its historical as well as aesthetic representation of all that's wonderful about Paris!  A bientôt, mes amis! .

Those Amazing Gadgets

For those of us who travel often, there are certain little things that make life so much more comfortable, whether in a car, on a plane or in a hotel room.  I'm sure all of you have your "favorite things".  These are mine:  an inflatable back support that fits into its own little bag.  I have a bad back and sitting on a plane for 8-10 hours at a time really hurts.  (Whoever designed airplane seats must have been 6'4" as my head doesn't come close to hitting those headrests!)  The back support and my memory foam travel pillow are musts.  I LOVE my Kindle ereader.  It has tons of books on it (most of them free), music (as it's also an MP3 player), audio books, games, and I can access the web on it.  You can download documents also (I need to figure out how to do that as it would be handy for travel info and contact lists).  I now have a cell phone that has worldwide usage.  I just need to tell Verizon when and where I'll be.  Make sure you've packed all the charger cords for your battery-run gadgets.  I love having hot tea first thing in the mornings (European hotel rooms do not come with coffee makers) so I have a little plug-in coil that boils water.  AAA sells these - I even have one that comes with the European plug!  Then I make sure I have a mug, tea and sugar.  I have a stretch clothes dryer line that I got at AAA.  It has suction cups at either end so you can string it across the shower/tub.  Handy when you don't have time to do laundry.  Tide makes a small spot remover/cleaner in a tube like chapstix.  My travel hairdryer has dual voltage so I don't have to worry about bringing a converter.  A small flashlight comes in handy in lots of situations.  Don't forget a small first-aid kit.  Hopefully I don't have to tell you to bring a DIGITAL camera with at least a 2G disc.  And bring lots of extra batteries as they are more expensive in Europe.  If you plan to buy posters, bring a mailing tube with you.  This way you don't have to fold them or take a chance on your posters being "roughed up" in your suitcase.  If you plan to lock your suitcase, buy only the TSA approved locks.  However, keep in mind that these are only good within the US.  Always ask at check-in if it's OK to lock your luggage.  If it's the wrong lock or not recognized in other countries, it will be cut off!  I always take a handful of ziplock baggies.  They come in handy for all kinds of things.  And don't forget sunscreen (I know that technically this is not a "gadget" but I haven't mentioned it yet and it's so very important)!  A Swiss army knife is also really handy.  You'll have to pack it in your check-in bag, as they won't allow it in your carry-on.   I'm sure I've left out some of your favorites, so please share these in the comments.  Next week, I'll start writing about my favorite places to visit in Europe.  A bientôt!

The Packing Dilema

There's what to pack and then there's how to pack.  And both are an art.  I'll start with the "what to pack" question.  It's all about the art of mixing and matching.  Whether male or female you want to plan your travel wardrobe around which pieces can go with which other pieces.  It's also important to have clothing that is lightweight and wrinkle resistant.  I always watch for "Travel Smith's" sales online.  Their clothing is too expensive to buy it full price, but they have great sales throughout the year and if you travel often, it's worth the extra expense to have clothes that will look good after spending weeks stuffed in a suitcase.  They also sell items that are reversible - one side is a solid color and the other is a print - that makes mixing and matching so much easier.  Look for items that have double uses.  Here's what I pack for a 2 week trip:  A week's supply of underwear (these can be washed out in your room - be sure to take a small container of laundry detergent and maybe a portable clothes drying line - AAA sells these),  2 pairs of slacks (not jeans as they are too heavy and bulky), 2 pairs of capris (if it's colder weather I'll take 4 pairs of slacks instead of the 2 and 2), 2 skirts, 1 dress (that can be dressed up or worn casual), 4 short sleeved tops, 1-2 3/4 or long sleeved tops, (all of  these should be able to be worn with any of your slacks, capris, or skirts), don't bother with shorts unless you'll be on the beach  (European women NEVER wear shorts! also you won't be allowed in any churches in Italy in shorts or sleeveless shirts - true for both men and women),  one pair of comfortable and already broken-in walking shoes (Clarks makes the best in my opinion - look for them on sale at Penney's or QVC),  a pair of dressier shoes/sandals, swimsuit if you'll be near a pool or beach,  my swimsuit cover-up is also what I sleep in (make sure it's light-weight and "breathable"), a cardigan sweater, a light-weight windbreaker/water-resistant jacket that fits in your purse or a pouch (I have one with a hood so I don't have to mess with bringing an umbrella), all your extra toiletries that didn't fit in your carry-on  (NEVER take full-sized products, always put them in smaller containers and in plastic bags in case they leak!), the purse that I plan to carry in Europe (should be able to be worn cross-body,  I like them with outside zippered sections along with a well organized interior and large enough to hold a few souvenirs/postcards, etc so I'm not juggling numerous bags, make sure the top zips shut for security reasons), don't forget accessories! - scarves, jewelry, etc. (stick a scarf in your purse to cover shoulders at churches).   All the colors should be complimentary so everything will go with everything else.   And don't forget any cords you might need for charging phone, ipod, ereader, etc.  Also good to keep copies of your itinerary and passport in your luggage.  OK, now for the "how" to pack.  Invest in packing cubes!  I have 4 medium sized cubes made by "Eagle Creek".  I use each cube for a different type of clothing - slacks/capris, skirts/dress, tops, swimsuit/cover-up/accessories.  The reason clothes get wrinkled in your suitcase is because they shift and slide around.  Packing cubes prevent this from happening and you always know where your clothes are.  So pack the cubes, place in your suitcase, then stuff underwear, shoes, jacket, cords in the cubbyholes.  You'll be able to fit more in your suitcase this way.  In my opinion, don't bother with the so-called "space-saver" bags.  They don't work.  The cubes are amazing.  My son, and others, are firm believers in rolling everything.  This works well if your suitcase is jam-packed to keep things from shifting, otherwise you still end up with lots of wrinkles.  But you can fit more items in rolled than folded.  Must be a physics thing!  Happy packing.  Next time - handy gadgets. A bientôt!

Carry-on Craziness

Long gone are the days when you could throw anything in your carry-on and not have to worry about TSA standards.  (But don't get me started on that!)  So over the past few years I've come up with a list of things that I recommend should go in your carry-on.  Remember that I'm talking here about international travel so my assumption is that you have a bag that you're checking in and then one that you'll take on the plane with you and have at lay-overs, etc.  That's the one I'm talking about.  Think of it as your "everything I might need for a couple of days in case my checked-in bag gets lost" bag.  What is essential for you to have in order to be the most comfortable and to insure that your needs are taken care of?  Let's start with documents.  I keep my Travelon wallet around my neck at the airports.  This contains my tickets, passport, drivers license (not really necessary but I like having a second photo ID with me and I sometimes rent a car in Europe), some American money, at least $25 of currency for the country I'll be landing in, (it's nice to be prepared to grab a drink or snack once you land without having to exchange currency.),  my ATM card (the easiest and cheapest way to get money anywhere in Europe), and a credit card.  By the way, make sure you let your bank and credit card co. know you'll be out of the country otherwise they'll think purchases are fraudulent and will freeze your accounts!  not fun!  OK, here's the rest of the list for the carry on:  a quart size plastic baggie with 3 oz bottles of any liquids that you'll need for overnight, camera, snacks, medicine/vitamins, glasses/contact lenses, sunglasses, extra baggies, travel information/itinerary, address/contact list, small notepad and pen, journal, alarm clock, travel pillow, reading material (I now have a Kindle-so much lighter!)/puzzles/games/ipod, earplugs (I never travel without them!), slippers with rubber soles (I hate wearing shoes on the plane but refuse to walk barefoot or in socks), change of clothes (just in case!).  If you have any favorite things you put in your carry on, please let me know in the comments section.  It's always good to share ideas.   (Thank you, Kristin for the reminder about the earplugs and the slippers!)  Next time I'll talk about actual packing.   A bientôt!

I got new luggage!

I'm so excited!  I have new luggage.  (I feel like Steve Martin in "The Jerk" when he yells, "the new phone books are here!  The new phone books are here!")   It wasn't an easy task - finding what I wanted.  You see, I'm really picky about what I travel with (also who I travel with, but that will be a later blog! ha!)  I am a firm believer in practicality and simplicity when I pack.  So what do I look for?  OK, here's my list:  nothing bigger than a 22" carry on (even though I always check it),  needs to have in-line wheels, not the ones that stick out because they will get broken (even though they can make your luggage do wheelies in the airport), pockets on the outside (these are a great place to stick your coat, scarf, etc before you check it in - you won't need those on the plane),  a few inside pockets (I don't need many as I'm a firm believer in packing cubes - more about those at a later time), a color that's not black (have you seen how many of those are on the baggage carrier?), lightweight before I put anything in it, and expandable!  I always come home with more than I went with and it helps if you can give yourself a few extra inches of depth.  So, what did I get?  Penney's had all their luggage on half-price (never, I say never, buy luggage at full price - check out Ross, or Marshall's or TJMaxx or wait til dept. stores have their sales.)  It's a Samsonite (always buy from a company you've heard of) in electric blue.  But what really was the selling point for me is that this luggage, while it was the same height as others I looked at, was over an inch deeper before expanding it.  For me, that's a lot of extra room.  When I go to Europe, I'm gone for at least 2 weeks, I don't ever plan to do laundry (what a waste of time when there's so much to see and do), so I like being able to take just what I need to get by (I will, of course, wash out some items that will easily dry overnight).
So, here's what I'm planning on taking to Greece in October.  My new 21" Samsonite to check in, my narrower than anyone elses-so it will go down the plane aisles-and fit under my seat Travelon on wheels (I'm also really picky about my carry-ons!), my little Travelon travel wallet on a strap that I wear around my neck (for all my documents - passport, driver's license, tickets - also money for the airport and a small amount of currency for landing in the new country).
In my next entry I'll talk about what I pack in my carry-on.  I don't want to bore you at this early stage of my blog as I'd love for you to come back :)
  "A bientôt" - as the French would say (See you later)