March 22, 2010
Pictures from Luxembourg
From January, 2010
A castle not too far from Luxembourg City. I don't remember the name but perhaps someone will recognize it and leave a comment...
I need help with this one too...
The colorful lounge in the Parc Belair Hotel. This hotel is owned by Raymond Goeres and his brother. The idea is pretty neat: to encourage people to leave their rooms and socialize they offer some free stuff in the lounge. Testing my memory (and I realize I'm not doing that well so far) I think fruit, coffee, and even drinks and dessert were free. Hard to believe but that's how I remember it.
March 19, 2010
Virgin America 'Flightmare' / Some Golfing News
There have been several memorable stories during the last couple of years about passengers being stuck in planes for hour after hour due to delays; and the latest of these is the Virgin America flight from LAX to JFK that recently turned a 6 hour flight into a 16 hour ordeal. The story has been on the news and was even being updated on Facebook as it happened. Apparently the plane had to circle the airport for two hours due to heavy winds and then sit on the ground in Stewart for several hours, before the passengers were taken by bus to New York. Virgin America ended up apologizing and refunding the ticket price and awarding a $100 voucher for a future trip - which I think is quite fair. What does anyone else think...?
New legislation by the FAA effective in April means that airlines can be fined up to $27,500 per passenger if a plane is stuck on the ground for more than three hours and passengers aren't given the opportunity to deplane. For a full plane, this could mean a fine of over $3.5 million. I am flying to England next Friday (on US Airways) so I just hope we won't have any horrendous delays.
If you are a golfing fan, you probably know by now that Tiger Woods has announced that he will be playing at the US Masters next month in Augusta, Georgia. However, the Masters isn't the only golfing tournament coming up; if you happen to be in Siberia towards the end of March, you can enjoy the Baikal Prize Open Championship, a golf tournament played on ice. I was amazed to find that there are several ice golf tournaments held around the world, in Europe, Canada and South America. And in case you are wondering, apparently the most northerly golf course in the world is the Akureyri golf club in Iceland, which every year hosts the Arctic Open. The sun never sets there during June, so you can play golf even at midnight.
I wish I could say my golf was good enough to play in any of the above events, but sadly, miniature golf / putt-putt golf is more my game. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina is considered to be the world capital of miniature golf, with an estimated 40 courses, some of which would not look out of place on the Las Vegas Strip. I haven't played any of these courses, so I think that would be a good excuse for a family vacation to Myrtle Beach this summer...
Guest entry by Mancunian
My wife in Hawaii
My wife just spent 2 days in Honolulu and is now in Kauai. I think I mentioned that my friend Doug hooked us up with a condotel room in Hanalei Bay Resort. My wife's first impression of the room and the resort was very positive. It's bigger than she expected and very nice.
We also made our rental reservation though Doug's site and after choosing the "price so low we can't tell you the company's name" ended up with Thrifty. I booked her a convertible, Sebring or similar for $50/day I think. She got the Mustang which makes me even more jealous. But what can I do? JAL was having a huge sale and my semester was starting.
If anyone has any restaurant recommendations or whatever for Kauai please make them now!
March 17, 2010
Sopranos inspired question: has anyone ever lost their ID on vacation?
I was watching Sopranos season 6 today and early in the season Tony Soprano gets shot by his uncle, Junior. While in the hospital he starts hallucinating that he's on a business trip and loses his wallet / briefcase (someone at the bar grabs his stuff and he gets the other guy's briefcase / wallet). With no ID he can't fly home, check into a hotel, or pick up money from Western Union. He is kind of forced to start using the other guys credit card for a hotel room.
This kind of thing must happen in real life. I know if you're abroad you go to your embassy - has anyone ever gone to their embassy after losing their passport and all other ID? This is why you're supposed to have a photocopy of your passport somewhere but I guess the embassy should be bale to look things up without that.
What I don't know is what you'd do if it happened in your own country. Tony was dreaming he was in Florida. If he couldn't fly home what were his options with no ID? The only thing I could think of was going to the police (but could they really do anything?) or having someone mail you a backup ID of sorts (but where would they mail it to if you couldn't get a hotel room cause you had no ID?).
So does anyone have any knowledge or experience with this kind of thing?
March 15, 2010
Worldwide Employment Opportunities For Au Pairs
If you're young, between 18 and 27, enthusiastic, and have a genuine interest in learning the culture of a foreign country, you may want to consider employment as an au pair. Au pairs have a wonderful opportunity to widen their perspective on the world, as they learn to appreciate the values and traditions of the people with whom they will share a unique and mutually rewarding experience.
Some of us may not realize the difference between a nanny and an au pair, since childcare is a major responsibility of both. A nanny is often more professionally trained to perform their duties and may or may not live with the family. As such, nannies may work in an efficient, yet impersonal way and may not establish as close a relationship with their employer. On the other hand, au pairs live and work with the family, and as the name implies, are treated and respected as an equal, rather than just a paid employee, babysitter, or servant.
The main qualifications to be an au pair are a love of children, good social and communication skills, and the ability to interact daily with the family you live with. Your employer will run a thorough background check, request a medical report, ask for character references, and in some instances, require you to have a driver's license. If you will be caring for infants or children under 2 years old, in particular, your experience should include at least 200 hours in this type of childcare. Of course, knowledge of the language of the country and that spoken at home is a necessity. This too offers a great opportunity to improve your skills in a foreign language in a warm and friendly environment.
Au pairs are paid a salary, which will vary from 260 Euros a month or more depending on your experience, the hours you work, the number of children you'll care for, and the country where you will be employed. Obviously, the more education and training you have, the better your salary. Au pairs are assured of at least one or two years of permanent long-term employment. Usually, they are required to work at least 25 hours a week, with occasional evenings and additional babysitting time. Most au pairs in Europe will have two days off and from three to five evenings free, as well as certain holidays and vacation time. If you're considered an au pair plus, you will work a few more daytime and evening hours, but your salary will be increased. Keep in mind that the majority, if not all your expenses will be paid by your host family including accommodations, meals, laundry, and various other items as agreed upon. Some families may pay for your bus or train passes, cell phone, Internet access, and even allow the use of the family car.
The majority of jobs for au pairs are found in the UK; however, au pairs are needed in numerous other countries including Germany, Italy, Spain, Austria, France, Switzerland, Denmark, and the Netherlands. Employment may also be available in Asia, India, Australia, the U.S., Canada, and South America. The Internet, depending on the country you live in, will be able to provide you with resources for finding suitable and reliable employment through au pair agencies and organizations. Both the family and the au pair will be carefully screened and interviewed before recommendations or referrals are made.
As with any type of employment, a legal contract prepared before employment begins is advisable and recommended in most countries. The terms of the contract should include names, addresses, and contact information for both the host family and the au pair. Salary amount, how paid and when, as well as vacation and holiday pay, should be included. If you work additional hours, be sure to ask about overtime pay and have that included in your contract. Usually, the foreign visa, if required, is paid for in full or for a specified amount by the host family. Information on taxes and details of health insurance and how they will be paid must also be addressed. A description of the accommodation you will be provided should specify what furniture, appliances, and other amenities are included.
You will have certain rules to follow as an au pair, such as smoking, drinking, and allowing visitors to the home, and these should be spelled out in the contract. As the children's au pair, you will have a schedule to follow, a list of their medications and special needs, if any, as well as discipline, safety, and emergency procedures and authorizations as agreed upon with the family. The contract should have a timetable for performance reviews and pay increases, if any, and the length of notice required in the event of termination.
Your interests and involvement are centered around the child or children, and will include feeding or preparing some of their meals, getting them dressed and ready for their day, helping them with their studies or household chores, arts and crafts, and whatever else their daily activities may be, whether it is school, play, or outdoor excursions. Frequently, your host family will encourage your taking language lessons and may pay for these, as well. As a member of your new, extended family, you will often accompany them on vacations, visits with relatives, and shopping trips, as well as attending cultural events and taking part in many other things that families enjoy.
There is an interesting alternative to being a full-time au pair, known as a "demi au pair." In this type of employment, you will work only in the afternoons for a maximum of 15 to 20 hours a week, with a few of the same duties, but you will have more time to study and focus on learning the language of the country where you are employed. You will be required to attend language classes in the mornings and still live with and maintain close interaction with the family to enhance your language skills and childcare training. The small salary or allowance, at least 50 Euros a week, you will earn as a demi au pair will provide you with spending money or go toward a longer stay and more travel abroad.
Besides the excitement and adventure of living and working in a foreign country and learning to be a responsible individual, the rewards of being an au pair cannot be measured in dollars and cents. In many instances, the close bond you establish with the family will last far beyond the term of your employment.
Guest article by Sharon Slayton
March 14, 2010
Pets and pre-vacation stress
I'm just curious how many of you have pets and if those pets cause you stress before vacation. My wife is leaving for Hawaii tomorrow but she's not sure she'll be able to relax and enjoy it.
Yesterday we took our dogs to the vet for checkups because one was eating slower than usual. That's the stray I mentioned a while back by the way. The vet found what looked like a gall bladder stone in the other dog, a 13 year-old Yorkshire Terrier who seems fine.
So today we cancel plans for lunch with some friends and head to the vet to get this thing thoroughly checked out. We end spending all afternoon out and at 5:00 or so learn that there's a relatively large stone in Minky's gall bladder.
My wife starts crying and we decide not to do surgery. The poor little guy has been having surgeries pretty regularly the past few years and we have a bad feeling this time. The risk of not having surgery is that there is a 20% chance the stone dislodges and causes a serious problem like seizures and vomiting. If that were to happen when no one's home it would most likely be fatal.
So that's a pretty stressful thing to learn the day before you go on vacation. And 2 years ago, before we went on the Alaskan cruise, the same dog fell on his head (my wife says I dropped him but really he tried to jump into my hands as I was bending down to pick him up - he fell over backwards, never making it into my hands) and started convulsing. He wasn't breathing.
Our plan had been to get both dogs in the car. Our other dog, the little girl who used to be a stray, was going to the vet and getting some screws in her back legs. She would spend our entire vacation there. After dropping her off we were going straight to the in-laws' house to drop of our little boy.
We got him to the vet in 2-3 minutes and the vet saved Minky but he was obviously messed up and my wife wanted to cancel the cruise. Instead we left him with the vet as long as possible, drove to the in-laws to drop him off (midnight to 4:00 AM) then flew back to Seoul at 7:00 AM for our flight to America that morning. That flight was especially bad because we were worried about the little guy. Plus we knew the little girl was getting worked on too.
The winter after that we were on vacation in America when Minky got sick at the in-laws' house. That stressed us out while we were on vacation. Then last summer we got a checkup before going on vacation and he ended up needing surgery on a bladder stone. Both dogs stayed with the vet that entire vacation (they have a kennel too). We actually prefer leaving them with the vet now because if something did go wrong the vet would be right there.
This time, of course, I'll be home to watch the little guy when I'm not teaching but I know it will affect my wife's vacation...
March 13, 2010
Paris (the 5th day) and Luxembourg (the 1st night)
If you're looking for continuity, you won't find it here but I do have a link to my 4th day in Paris which may help you put this blog entry into context. That one links to days 1-3. Here are some pictures of Paris.
Anyway, onto our final morning in Paris. In the morning we checked out of the hotel (which was a problem because of some extra charges and no manager willing to speak with us). We left our luggage and went to Hotel Deville on the metro and then walked to a shop we had noticed on Tuesday (it was closed when we walked by). BMV la Niche was pricey but for 100 euros total each of my dogs gets a nice winter coat (European fashion!) and a new toy. We later learned that the dog coats are made in the USA which I thought was kind of funny. And of course the dogs totally ignore their expensive new toys...
We then walked back t the hotel where we had some sandwiches for lunch. We were hoping to speak with the manager of the hotel but maybe you remember that story - Best Western Malte Opera sucks!
Then we headed to Gare d'EST train station. The trip to Luxembourg was comfortable (we were in second class). When we arrived we bought tickets to Amsterdam for the 10th (5.5 hours with 30 minutes and a change in Brussels - no direct trains) and then walked to the hotel. After getting settled we walked around Luxembourg City in the snow. It was really really nice - peaceful because there were only a few people out and beautiful as the snow gave the old streets and buildings a romantic feel.
The food was very good and quite reasonable compared to Paris. We asked some of the few locals we saw and they recommended a "traditional" restaurant. Bosso had some very interesting entrees and desserts. It probably deserves its own blog entry one of these days but for now let me just say it was a great experience and we ended up going back a day a couple days later.
People were very friendly, in a small town kind of way that I just don't see happening in Paris even if Parisians surprised me with their friendliness. A reader named Pieternel had left me a comment offering to show me around Luxembourg and I was able to call her husband first from the restaurant phone and then from the waiter's cell (when the restaurant phone disconnected me). Maybe he was angling for a tip but I think it was just being friendly.
I spoke to George Georges; unfortunately Pieternel wasn't feeling well but George and I arranged to meet the following day. I've already posted something about that.
March 12, 2010
Spain experience: what went well and what could have been skipped
This traveler had an overall positive experience in Spain but still took the time to write down some of the things he didn't like so much. If anyone here is planning a trip to Spain I would say this vacation experience is a must read:
First some overall impressions/comments on Spain:
Spain has been conquered so many times that it is a little bit confused as to what it's actual heritage is - there is evidence that each of the conquering cultures has influenced the core of Spanish Culture - and this gets glossed over in the telling of Spanish history as the Spanish see it.
Spain is not extremely user friendly - and especially so if you do not speak Spanish.
- The printed and online roadmaps of Spain bear very little resemblance to each other and none of them accurately portray the roads of Spain
- Spain is closed from Sunday at 2pm to Tuesday at 9am
- The Spanish don't eat a real breakfast - they eat tostatos (toast and tomato) and café con leche
- Nothing is really open in Spain before 9am
- Very few people work in Spain from 3pm to 6pm - the whole country is on Siesta - in some areas Siesta starts a 2pm or earlier
- There are very few stop signs in Spain - mostly you come to turnarounds, which means you have to get on a traffic circle and chose an exit. If you are blind like I am, you may have to come back to the
same turnaround more than once, or twice, or three times - the signage all round Spain is confusing and you never get the full story about anything
- the airports in Spain are also very confusing - try not to take a connector flight in Spain if you can help it
The Good News:
- there is great café in Spain! Everywhere you go, café con leche, brewed in fancy machines is available even in the most lowly of places
- tapas is everywhere, and if you find the right places, tapas is free. You generally are in a tourist trap when you have to pay for tapas. The origin of tapas is that it was an order of the King that pubs served their patrons food with their drink to try to limit drunkenness. Pub owners [after the king made this edict] served small upside down tops on the beer mug filled with food tidbits [the filled top was the tapas]. Tapas can be simple like wedges of cheese, or slices of cured ham, or a cooked dish of many different varieties: fish, beef, pork, shrimps, mushrooms, eggs. There are almost an unlimited variety. They are eaten at the pub, at the main comida (meal) during mid day and at night (late at night), and even at home. Btw, It is not uncommon that the last meal of the day is after 9pm
- the Spanish don't like tipping. Don't ask me why, but they generally complain when you give an American size tip (15% or more). A lot of time they will round off your change to the next full Euro. The only exception to this appears to be taxi cabs where a tip is more acceptable
- Iberian Pork - oh my! - there are many grades of Iberian Pork, but the best pork is the "Bellota" which is a black pig historically raised in Spain and fed on acorns. It's pricey but you must try it, both cured and not cured it is truly divine.
I gained fifteen pounds at least in Spain - we ate a lot a lot.
Here is a list of the highlights/places we visited and my brief impressions:
Port of Mazarron - seaport town on the Southeast coast - cute seaside area with great views of the Mediterranean - we found a great bistro there inside one of the new boat dock developments they have - but for the most part there are a lot of Chinese and Pizza restaurants there and not a lot of Spanish eateries - the beaches are not very pretty with dark sand and a lot of rocks.
Port of Cartagena - another seaport town just east of Mazarron - considered a very strategic port - conquered and rebuilt at least five times - with impressive views on the waterfront combined with historic forts and buildings - includes the ruins of a Roman theater, a medieval palace at the highest point with opportunities to view the entire layout of the city - several museums (pass up the tour bus that goes around the city - it's terrible with prerecorded tour that is not very informative - and also pass up the archeology museum inside the city and away from the port) - there is are great plazas for strolling and eating all around - a salvage/diving museum - definitely a good place to bring kids - do not go there on Sunday or Monday - especially Monday - everything closes.
Condita D'Alhambra and Campa del Sol - the best feature of these two places is the Jack Nicholas Golf Course they have just completed - its proximity to Murcia, Cartagena and Mazarron - we played there and it's a great course - the rest of it - yuck! - it's basically a series of condo developments largely catering to a British population - filled with British style pubs and Chinese and Indian restaurants - there is a good Italian style Spanish restaurant and grocery in the Condita D'Alhambra - and the condos are inexpensive to stay in and while ugly - they are clean - but it overall seems to be a non sequitor to the country.
Grenada - go to Grenada to see the Alhambra - it is awesome - plan on spending a whole day there - you must book in advance though and I recommend getting there early - it is just an enormous museum and there are many places to stroll and eat - if you arrive there after five pm the gates close on most of it.
Archena - site of the Roman baths and Termal Spa - another great place to spend the day. There are newly built public baths there on top of and integrated into the old roman ruins - get there early - bring your bathing suit (they don't have a great selection there if you want to buy one) bring a robe, and bring flip flops. They rent towels for a nominal charge and lockers too. They have giant thermal baths, whirlpools, saunas, steam room, heated stones, lemon baths, spray baths, igloos, cold baths, massage baths and treatment rooms. It is linked to several hotels where you can stay and I recommend staying there - if you want to arrange a private massage - facial or treatments you have to book those two days in advance - but they are well worth it - and those are conducted inside the Roman bath ruins - really amazing stuff. The only place to eat there is in one of the hotels - but the hotel restaurant is really quite good.
Cuidad Real (pronounced Thu-da or Su-da Ree-al) - the birth place of Cervantes - charming town with a bunch of monuments and a clock that plays on the hour and gives a Cervantes show - many tributes to Don Quixote and his side kick - surrounded by many quaint farm villages you can drive to and eat for a very authentic Spanish Experience - we were lucky enough to be invited to the farm home of a Spanish family there and treated to an amazing home cooked meal in a charming home. We also toured and ate in an old monastery village outside of Cuidad Real - the monastery has been converted into a hotel called Paradores with a fabulous restaurant in it - pricey but well worth it - the food there is heavenly - the hotel is very comfortable - we didn't stay there - but it is a place I would stay in if I go back - apparently it is a favorite spot of the royals. There is also a charming 16th Century open air theater there in the village square along with shops that sell local cheeses (fabulous local cheeses for tapas) and local specialties.
Toledo (pronounced To-Lay-Doe) - another great place to spend the day - Toledo is a landmark of the EU and is the largest intact Medieval city in all of Europe. You can walk its streets and savor churches, historic sites, views of the countryside, many, many restaurant and shops and it is just charming. We were lucky enough to have a couple that reside in the city guide us around. One of them has lived there all her life the other works for a friend of the King of Spain (Sr Ventura) who has been restoring and converting old buildings in Toledo into restaurants serving traditional fare - we ate in one in the cellars several levels below the street - it was charming and we had royal venison among other treats
Madrid - we were only there for a day - but visited the Prada Museum with an outstanding collection of Goyas - ate at the Westin Palace (oh my!) - and ended our day at the Corral De La Moreria - which is the foremost classical Flamenco parlor in all of Spain. We saw the farewell performance of Blanca del Rey - the reining Ballerina of Spain at the foot of the stage - after her performance she gave an impassioned talk about her love of Flamenco and she acknowledged her husband and a few others in the audience to see her last dance - and then she danced a final loving and passionate duet with Juan Andres Maya who is the male lead dancer there. We had taken the fast train from Cuidad to Madrid and back again - and it was definitely worth the convenience and experience of the train - Madrid has subways that take you all over. We also walked through the Gran Plaza which is like Madrid's Fifth Avenue and that was okay - but of no appeal to this New Yorker.
We were lucky enough to have great weather throughout - and we truly enjoyed it. Ole!
March 10, 2010
Travel destinations with dangerous wild animals
Here's a pretty bizarre slideshow from travelandlesure.com. It talks about travel destinations where travelers are in the most danger from wild animals. What makes it bizarre are the survival tips like when you get attacked by a Bengal tiger:
Don't run away. It will spark the tiger's instinct to chase you. If pounced on, cover your neck with your hand; it's the first place the tiger will attack.I don't know what advice to offer, but that seems pretty weak to me. I'm guessing a tiger could destroy my hand and neck at the same time without too much trouble.
March 8, 2010
Anyone take an extended train trip?
Reader submitted question: My wife and I were talking Vacation last night and thought maybe a train trip to Colorado might be pretty cool. Our son is really into trains. Has anyone ever taken an Amtrak across a few states? My only experience has been the Surf-liner from the OC to Del Mar, for the horse races.
Any tips on how to book such a trip would be appreciated. It seems no matter what I try, I can't avoid having to take a bus somewhere along the line. That is a deal breaker.
I talked to a few people. One guy said he took an Amtrak from Wuphat, Mississippi to New York and back in 1997. His advice was to get a sleeping car.
Another guy remembers taking a train from Minneapolis to East Glacier, Montana in 1971. He loved the vista-dome cars and said you spend a long time going across the badlands of North Dakota and then these huge mountains just loom up. Of course he has no idea what it would be like today.
Another guy said that if your son is into trains there is nothing like the Durango Colorado to Silverton Colorado run and you should do it at all costs. Supposedly you'll recognize scenes from many Westerns and have a chance to visit Mesa Verde. "Neither you nor he will ever forget it."
Another guy has travelled across Canada and back twice on VIA Rail. He loved it (though it was not recent) and says there is nothing better than traveling by rail: falling asleep to the rhythm of the rails, waking up to scenery rolling by, meals in the dining car. "It's something everyone should experience at least once."
Another guy took Amtrak's Autotrain from VA to FL (overnight trip). They had a cabin for a family of four. He and the kids loved it but his wife wasn't as enthusiastic. They hit Disney and then Tampa before driving back to Sanford for the train back. His kids (3.5 years and 1.5 years) especially loved dinner in the dining car.
Of course there were negative responses too. Some people complained about the price. One guy said all his Amtrak experiences have been negative. He says the Lake Shore Limited and Maple Leaf never arrived anywhere relatively close to "on time" and on every trip, they ran out of food and drinks and the toilets overflowed and the seating areas were too crowded to relax. Most trips experienced multiple delays in relatively clear weather. Most went unexplained.
And to end on a positive note, one guy said that 10 years ago he went to see a friend in Toledo Ohio. He got the train in Newark down to DC then from there took the train to Chicago (he got off in Toledo) at 2:30 am. Apparently they open the station just for that and close it 15 minutes later. "Thank God the phone booth outside had a yellow pages attached (try finding that in NY) and I was able to call a taxi." His biggest issue was that rail travel is not smooth but he loved the great views from the dome car of West Virginia mountain towns.
Anyone else able to share a long-haul train experience?
