One World, One People

"Make a decision that on any trip you take, you'll make a point to be open to new experiences, seek options that get you out of your comfort zone, and be a cultural chameleon - trying on new ways of looking at things and striving to become a temporary local"

Rick Steves - Travel as a Political Act

"I like to say (naively, I know) that if every American were required to travel abroad before voting, the US would fit more comfortably into this ever-smaller planet"

Rick Steves - Travel as a Political Act

Women in Africa often spend much of their
day hauling water from wells for their families
Masai Women in the Masai Mara, Kenya

I recently read the book "Travel as a Political Act" by Rick Steves.  I have always enjoyed Rick's travel books which gives me information on destinations that I can use while traveling.  This book is a little different.  He wrote it shortly after 9/11, when travel changed for most of us.  Some people were scared to travel after this, for most of us though, it just made getting through the airport more of a challenge, and it made us more aware of things going on around us.  It made us realize that we needed to pay more attention to the world and what was happening.

For those of us who were actually traveling when 9/11 happened, we became aware fairly quickly that things had changed.  My husband and I were in Spain when it happened, and getting home became an issue.  When we were allowed to fly, security was immediately different than it had been when we departed our country.  We spent 4 hours going through security at the Madrid airport, and everything was checked.  There were armed guards everywhere, and dogs sniffing everything.  We knew our lives had changed, and not for the better.

This family in Bejing is more like us than different
They love their child and want what is best for him
China trip 2010

But this book was interesting in that Rick feels that when we travel we should travel differently now.  We should all be ambassadors, so to speak.  The more we travel, and meet people from other countries, the more other people realize that down deep we are all the same.  We all have the same needs, we love our families, we may have a love/hate relationship with our governments but we love our countries, we get tired, and we get hungry.  We are all just people, trying to live our lives the best that we can and we are more alike than not.  And when we realize that, then we can all get along better.  There are extremists in every society, but we shouldn't let extremists define how we feel about other people.

But that means that when we travel, we should try to connect with people in those countries.  Instead of the big bus experience where you go from city to city seeing just the sights, we should go and actually see a place, and mingle and get to know the people on a one to one basis, and become part of the place, at least for a little while.  He says that rather then accentuate the difference between "us" and "them," travel should bring us together.  Now I know that not everyone is comfortable doing that.  But I do think that if we all got to know other people and other races, with other points of view, then the world might be a better place.

We met our Scottish friends, Myra and Malcolm in Spain the day after 9/11
We connected with them partly because of the tragedy and became friends
Here we are traveling with them in Scotland in 2012

"I fondly remember the confusion I felt when I first met someone who wouldn't trade passports with me.  I thought "I've got more wealth, more freedom, more opportunity than you'll ever

have - why wouldn't you want what I've got?"  I assumed anyone with half a brain would aspire to the American Dream.  But the vast majority of non-Americans don't.  They have the Bulgarian Dream, or the Sri Lankan Dream, or the Moroccan Dream.  Thanks to travel, this no longer surprises me.  In fact, I celebrate it." 

Rick Steves - Travel as a Political Act

 

A little girl with her mother from my trip to China in 2010

America is a great country, and I am proud to be an American.  But just as we are proud of our country, we have to realize that people of other nations are also proud of their countries and proud to be citizens of that country.  Most of them have no aspirations to be American.  And when we travel we need to be less arrogant about our country, as if it is the only place worth living, and realize that these other countries are wonderful places with proud citizens.  I still cringe to remember a fellow travel agent who said she never bothered to learn even one sentence in the foreign language of the country she was visiting, because everyone should just speak English.  As if she thought we were so much better than everyone else and they should just cater to us Americans.  I certainly hope she has given up traveling to other countries, she would be a horrible ambassador.  And so would any of her clients that she has given advice to.

An illustration of a roundabout and how
you should proceed through them
Taken from the internet

If you have traveled much then you know that other countries, though different from us, have some wonderful ideas.  Look at the trains that run all over Europe, and on time.  Wouldn't it be nice if we had a system like that?  Our county is so big, that I suppose it is not likely that will ever happen, but it would be nice.  And I love their roundabouts on the highways.  Instead of a stop light or sign on every corner, you simply enter the round-about and exit where you want.  Traffic keeps moving.  However, they put a round-about in a small town in Washington state that I visit regularly, and I noticed the locals were having a hard time trying to figure out how to navigate it.  Also, Europe may have higher taxes, but they also have healthcare for everyone.  People here would call that socialism, but the people there love that they are being taken care of.  Ask them, and they will tell you they love it.  And most Europeans work far less hours than Americans.  They make slightly less money, because they don't want to work as much as us, but they enjoy their holidays.  Maybe we need to be less driven, and enjoy life a little more.

This picture was taken in Tangiers,
Morocco on 9/13/2001 by me.
This is 2 days after 9/11 happened

Recently I ran into a cousin that I had not seen for at least 30 years.  He did not even recognize me to begin with, although I thought he looked much the same, just much older.  He must be in his 70's now, as he is quite a bit older than me.  He asked what I had been doing over the years.  I told him I had been a travel agent, now retired, and that I still loved to travel.  We started talking about travel and some of the places I had been, and some places he had been.  I told him I had been in Spain on 9/11 and all of a sudden his face changed.  As soon as he heard 9/11 he became angry.  He spat out "as far as I'm concerned, the only good Muslim is a dead Muslim."  I said "excuse me, but that seems like you are lumping everyone together, I happened to know a few Muslim's and there are some very nice people, who just happen to practice that religion."  He said that he was a Christian, and that they didn't believe in God, so therefore he stood by what he said.  My thought, which I expressed to him was, that first of all that didn't seem like too Christian of an attitude, and secondly, they do believe in God, just not his God.  With that I decided that he was a person I didn't have a lot in common with, regardless that he is my cousin.  We parted ways.  I sincerely hope he does not travel and spout that hatred to others in other countries.  He would not be a good ambassador.

Muslim Women in Stone Town
Zanzibar - 2013 trip to Africa

When we were in Africa recently we spent 3 days on the island of Zanzibar.  It is a beautiful little island off the coast of Tanzania, and it happens to be mostly Muslim.  We were provided a guide to take us out to a spice farm, and also to show us around Stone Town.  He was a very nice man who happened to be Muslim.  We talked while walking around town.  I found out something I didn't know about Muslims, they do not like dogs.  I had mentioned my dogs at home and how I missed them.  He told me that dogs were considered unclean in the Muslim religion, and that no Muslim would go near a dog.  If one came near them, they would throw rocks at them.  I don't know if that is true of Muslims in this country, it may be something more in that area of the world.  He told me that was just the way they were raised to believe and that he understood that I loved my dogs.  I told him my dogs were part of my family.  He was willing to understand that we are different and he said that he knew that most people (non-Muslims) did love their pets  We had an interesting conversation and he gave me a wonderful tour of the city, telling me stories about places and people.  Because we disagreed about dogs, didn't stop us from getting to know each other.  What we need to do is recognize that we are raised with different ideas.  We don't have to agree with other peoples ideas, and we don't need to change what we believe in, but we can still get along.  And even if we have different ideas, for the most part we are still very much alike.  Our guide has a family that he loves, just like I do, it is just that my dogs are part of my family.




Masai women in Tanzania, Africa trip 2013
Jambo, means hello in Masai, and everywhere
we went we were greeted with friendly greetings of Jambo

So what should we do when we travel, so that we can connect with other people and get to know them?  I think the most basic things are:  Learn some basic sentences of the language of the country you are traveling to; never assume someone speaks English, always say hello to them in their language and then ask them if they speak English; learn the customs of the place you are going, and what is considered polite; don't assume anything, ask first; connect with people, and get to know them; stow your pre-conceptions and be open to new experiences; overcome fear, traveling is as safe today as it was before 9/11, there was always some danger because life is full of danger, but you can't dwell on it and let it rule your life; go beyond your comfort zone and challenge yourself to try new things and meet new people and really learn about the place where you are traveling.

The more you travel the more you see how different, but yet, how alike we really are.  I have traveled in areas that have extreme poverty, such as the Philippines and Africa.  I have traveled to places, like Croatia, that are just now recovering from war.  I have been in countries that are mostly Muslim, such as Turkey and Morocco and just recently the island of Zanzibar.   But the people in these places are still proud of who they are and what they believe in.  We need to have them see us as people just like them, with dreams and hopes and families.  And if they do see us that way, and we see them as being like us, that will promote peace and understanding, hopefully.

George and I in front of the Blue Mosque in Istanbul in 2010

Do You Dream Of Distant Places?

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”

H. Jackson Brown Jr.

 

Athens, Greece

Where do you want to go?  There is a great big world out there to explore.  There are so many wonderful sights and continents to explore, and people to meet.  Do you dream of distant places?  I did, for many years, but I was young then, and had to wait till I grew up and could go out there and see the world.  What is holding you back?  Is it money?  Is it family obligations?  Are those excuses, or real?  Is there a way you can make it happen for you?  Only you can decide.  But if it is something you really want to do, you will make it happen.  Maybe not right now, but in the not too distant future.

Mosque on the Bosphorus River, Istanbul, Turkey

None of us knows what the future holds.  We don’t know how long we have on this earth, so don’t put off your dream for too long.  Think about how you can make it work.  If you think you can’t travel because you have a family, with young children, then I have to say that there are places you can go with children.  If they are very young you may want to wait a few years, babies are hard to travel with.  But young children are curious little beings and they will only benefit from seeing new places and new cultures.  It will expand their minds and make them less intolerant of change and differences in people.

Budapest, Hungary

If it is money that is holding you back, then that is another matter.  If you are so far in debt that you can’t see getting further in debt in order to travel, then I agree.  I don’t believe in traveling if you can’t afford it.  So work on paying off your debt first, and then start saving for what you want to do.  If you don’t have the debt but don’t feel you make enough money to include travel in your life, then consider budget travel.  Going somewhere doesn’t have to be that expensive.  There are lots of ways to save and still enjoy seeing another part of the world.

Going off season will save you money.  Choosing a destinations that is less expensive, where the dollar will work in your favor or which is less traveled, and therefore maybe less expensive.  For instance, it is less expensive to go to Croatia than France.  I have been to both places, and I absolutely loved Croatia, it is a great place to visit. 

Me in Dubrovnik, Croatia

For that matter, you don’t have to travel to Europe to get that travel bug under control.  How about visiting places here in the states?  Or maybe going to Mexico or Canada, which are relatively inexpensive, and close by. 

Hostel in Scotland

Another way to say money is to back-pack and stay in hostels. When my sister was much younger and single, she had no money but she wanted to travel.  She sold everything she didn’t need, she put the rest in storage.  She packed what she needed with her, including a sleeping bag.  She put everything in a backpack and she took off for Europe. She was gone 6 months.  We didn’t hear much from her during that time.  She back-packed all over Europe.  She did odd jobs, sold some of her drawings (she is an artist), and lived very inexpensively.  She ate from street vendors a lot.  She stayed in hostels when she could afford it.  When she couldn’t, she threw her sleeping bag on the ground and slept, quite often in cemeteries because she said no one would bother her there.,  I’m not saying that I would suggest that today.  It is a very different world now, she went in 1972.  What I am saying is that we choose what is important to us, and if we want something bad enough, we find a way to make it happen.



Shanghai, China

As for myself, I made other decisions in my life.  Yes, I wanted to travel and see the world, but I am not quite as brave as my sister was.  I chose instead to get married and have a family, and to wait until I was older to travel.  We did do some traveling when we were young.  I did marry a military man, and we got transferred to different places to live, including two years in the Philippines.  But most of our travels have been in the past 25 years.  I don’t regret that, I was willing to wait, and I’m enjoying my travels now.  I wouldn’t change the life I chose.  That is what is important.  Only you can decide what is right for you.

If you are thinking about how to get to where you want to go and need some help I have 2 past blogs that might be of interest.  The first is – Youth hostels, traveling on a limited budget:

http://havelistwilltravel.blogspot.com/2012/09/youth-hostels-traveling-on-limited.html

and the other one is Budgeting for Vacation:

http://havelistwilltravel.blogspot.com/2012/09/budgeting-for-vacation.html

But whatever you do, don't just dream, find a way to make your dreams come true.

Tipping While Traveling

They have cradled you in custom, they have primed you with their preaching,

They have soaked you in convention through and through;

They have put you in a showcase; you're a credit to their teaching -

But can't you hear the Wild? - it's calling you.

Let us probe the silent places, let us seek what luck betide us;

Let us journey to a lonely land I know.

There's a whisper on the night-wind, there's a star agleam to guide us,

And the Wild is calling, calling...let us go.

~ The Call of the Wild (Last Verse) - Robert Service ~

Wild Goose Pagoda, Xian, China

For me, knowing how much to tip in various countries of the world, is one of the most confusing parts of travel.  In the United States you are expected to tip for almost everything anymore.  But in some countries it is not a common practice.  However, the more Americans go to those countries and tip, the more they expect it of us, even though they don’t expect their own people to tip.  When we were in China we were told that no one tipped at restaurants, but that may change as they become more accustomed to Americans who have become so used to tipping.  We did tip our tour guides, which was expected.  What we need to do when we travel is find out what the custom of that country is before we go, and try to tip as they do.  But even tour books vary on what they put in for rules on tipping.

Tipping in Europe isn’t as automatic and generous as in the U.S. and it varies from country to country.  But in general, I have found that these rules work for most of Europe:

Restaurants:  Tipping is an issue only at restaurants that have waiters.  If you order at a counter you do not tip.  Some restaurants in Europe include the tip on your bill, and it will usually be 10 to 15 percent.  Do not tip more if it is added to the bill, unless you received special service and want to reward that.  If it is not on the bill, then you should tip 10 -15 percent.  You should tip in cash and even hand it to the server if possible, otherwise they may not get it.

George having a beer at an outdoor restaurant in Hvar, Croatia

Taxis:  To tip a cab driver, you should figure 10% and then round up to the next Euro.  If they haul your luggage out or rush you somewhere then give them more.

Special Services:  Tour guides at public sights will expect a tip.  You are never obligated, but if you feel they have done a good job, it is appreciated, so give them a couple of Euros.  At hotels, give the porter a Euro per bag for hauling your bags, and you should leave some change for the maid if the room was kept clean.  Some places will have a bathroom attendant who keeps the place clean and she will expect a small tip, usually some change is acceptable. 

Always pay tips in the local currency, as exchanging U.S. money is not practical, and most people would not have a way to exchange our coin.


 Euros

In general, if someone performs a service for you and does a super job, a tip of a couple of euros is appreciated – but not required.  When in doubt you can always ask the concierge at your hotel what the tipping policy is for that area.


Tipping in Australia is very uncommon, although as more Americans travel to Australia it is becoming more common.  Tipping is not really expected anywhere, and historically has not been the norm because basic wage rates and overtime payments in the hospitality industry have generally been protected so that workers are making a decent wage.  In more expensive restaurants tipping of 10% is always appreciated and is shared with the entire staff.  In bars, tipping is also not expected, although many people simply leave some of their coin change on the bar after picking up their drink.  As for taxis, people will often tell the cabbie to keep the change.  



If you are traveling anywhere in Africa, then tipping is important. For most porters, safari guides and drivers, tips make up a significant percentage of their salary. Over tipping is less of a problem than under tipping, especially given the economic stresses many working Africans are under to make ends meet, buy school uniforms, get decent medical care etc. The rate for tipping in Africa is similiar to what I outlined for Europe.

Waiter on a cruise

If going on a cruise, most cruises will tell you ahead of time what you should give as a tip, and it will automatically be added to your shipboard account which you pay at the end of the cruise. That tip is split between all of the people who served you on the cruise. Usually the rate is somewhere between $10 and $12 per person per day.  So for a week cruise for 2 people, you should figure a minimum of $140 for tips. There are some cruise lines who do not allow tipping, but the majority do, and even encourage it.   And since most cruise ships hire their waiters and stewards from countries such as the Philippines or other third world countries, they are paying them less than minimum wage, and those people rely on tips to get by.

Again, if you are in doubt as to what you should tip, ask the concierge at your hotel what the normal tipping practice is for the country you are in, they will usually have the answer.  Happy travels.

Why Do We Travel, And How Do We Decide Where We Want To Go?

"To get away from one's working environment is, in a sense, to get away from one's self; and this is often the chief advantage of travel and change."
Charles Horton Cooley

I travel because I am curious. I have a desire to see new things, experience new tastes, and meet new people. But I also travel for the chance to broaden my mind. We learn more about ourselves, when we learn more about the world and its people.

A mother and daughter in Bejing, China



I also think that the more of the world you see, the more you understand the differences in people, and you become more accepting. There is so much bigotry in the world, but traveling helps to open your mind to people who are different, and to ideas that are different. You realize that really we are still very much alike.

But of course, there are many reasons to travel.  Business takes people to other places all the time.  Some people have to travel, even if they don't enjoy it.  And I do know people who would never go anywhere, they are happy staying at home.  That is fine for them.  I love my home, but would be bored to death if I just stayed here all the time.  Even when we are home, we are on the go, quite often to the beach.

Halong Bay, Viet Nam

For me, deciding where to go next is not a problem, it is anywhere I haven't been yet.  My husband pretty much leaves it up to me, he'll go anywhere, but he wants me to make the plans, which is fine.  It is what I did for a living for many years, and I enjoy it.  He occassionally will say something about wanting to go somewhere.  For instance, he spent a year in Viet Nam during the war.  Now a lot of people would not want to go back to Viet Nam, it has bad memories for some.  But like George says, "everyone's war was different".  He was on land, with a medical team, providing medical care to the local people in the city of Hue.  He would love to go back and show me the beautiful countryside that he saw while there.  And now, Viet Nam is a tourist destination.  I got excited about it when I watched a special on TV that showed Halong Bay.  So now that is on our list, and it is something that we will definitly do in the next couple of years.

I'm forever watching the Travel Channel, and shows such as Samantha Brown and Rick Steves.  I get ideas for places I want to go from seeing things on the shows.  And I get travel magazines and buy travel books whenever I can. 

Venice, Italy

I seldom plan a trip back to an area that I have already been, although some areas do overlap, so I may end up back in a city I have been to before, just because it is there in the same area and it makes sense to use it as a base to fly into or out of.  The exception to my not returning to the same place will come in 5 years.  For our 25th wedding anniversary George surprised me with a trip to Italy, a place I had always wanted to go.  We have decided that for our 50th anniversary we will return to Italy.  We may cover some new territory in Italy, but we most definitly will return to both Rome and Venice.  We have some wonderful memories of that first trip, and we plan to create some new ones on the new trip. 

Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, Africa

I would also like to be able to say that I have visited every continenet, but I haven't.  We have of course visited Europe and Asia, and North America.  We have covered those 3 pretty extensively.  I can say I have been on the continent of Africa, because I have been to Morocco, but that hardly counts.  Next year we will be able to really claim that continent, as we plan to visit Kenya, Tanzania, Zanzibar, South Africa and Zimbabwe, all in one trip.  I have not yet visited South America, although I have things on my list that would take me there, I just haven't made it yet.  I have been to Belize in Central America, but very briefly.   I also have not been to Australia and New Zealand, both places my husband has been.  He went to those places when he was in the Navy, and again, he says he'd really like to return and show me those places.  They are on the list.  I may never make it to the continent of Antartica, but my husband has also been there.  He did a year in the navy, stationed at McMurdo Sound on Antartica.  It was a long year of separation for us, when our daughter was quite young.  There are cruises that do make a stop in Antartica, so who knows, maybe someday we will do that.

In the meantime, I do have enough things on my list to keep me occupied for a few years, and I already have some new things to add to the list as I cross things off.

So, why do you travel and where do you want to go?

 

Pictures are Memories of your Travels

“Once you have traveled, the voyage never ends, but is played out over and over again in the quietest chambers. The mind can never break off from the journey.” Pat Conroy

Banff National Park, Canada

Doorway, Durnstein, Germany

I admit that I am one of those travelers that takes lots of pictures.  I have a camera on a strap around my neck, and I snap away.  Thank goodness for digital.  I remember when I used to be careful how many pictures I was taking, because I didn't want to run out of film, and besides, it cost so much to print all those photos when you got home.  And with film, you didn't know if you actually got the shot until you got home and saw the print, and when it didn't turn out, you couldn't just go back and take the picture again.  Now I don't even make photo albums anymore, I just store all my photos on discs.  After all, albums take up so much space and who is ever going to want those when I'm gone.  With discs I can pull them out and watch them whenever I want, and they take up very little space.

Doorway in Hvar, Croatia

Child at the zoo in
Chongquing, China

I will say though, that when traveling, I make a point of taking some pictures, then putting the camera aside and really enjoying the place without the camera.  You don't want to see a place only through the lens of the camera.  And I like to take pictures of odd things.  While in Croatia last year, I became fascinated with taking pictures of doorways.  And in China, it was children, which my friends and family found amusing, as I have never been a "kid person".  But I thought the children in China were so cute and well-behaved.  I kept snapping their pictures.  I've always loved the water, so quite often I take pictures of harbors or the sea.  And I love animals so tend to snap them whenever I see them.

Sequoia

I sometimes like to try to be artistic, and shoot through openings, like arches or doorways, so that the  scenery is framed.  While in Sequoia National Park last year we walked through a tree that was laying on the ground and was hollow.  Halfway through there was a large opening and I got a really neat shot of the trees through the opening.  But most the time I am just documenting the trip and what we see, and trying to get the best shot I can.  I will never be a professional, but I enjoy taking pictures, and I also enjoying going back and looking at them years later, and remembering the fun we had on the trip.

Plitvice Lakes NP, Croatia

Last year we took a trip to Croatia.  There was a young woman in our group who was traveling on her own.  She was a camera fanatic.  She must have taken several thousand pictures in the 3 weeks we were on this trip.  She wanted pictures of herself with the background, so she was forever holding the camera at arms length pointed at her face and whatever was in the background.  She also would ask anyone in the group to take her picture whenever possible, which was fine, but she didn't want just one picture, she'd then get you to take 7 or 8, which was sometimes a little annoying.  We particularly noticed it when we were in Plitvice Lakes National Park.  The scenery there was spectacular, and we were all in awe of it.  But Marivic spent the entire time standing with her back to the scenery pointing her camera at it and herself.  I doubt if she really saw much of the park.  So the one thing I will say to everyone, take some pictures, they are nice to have later, but make sure you also see the area you are going to, first hand - and not only through the lens of the camera.

Budapest

Hvar Harbor

 "Everyone has a photographic memory, some just don’t have film."

Unknown

"When setting out on a photographic holiday, always provide yourself with two cameras, one to leave in the train going and the other to leave in the cab coming back."  W.C.Sellar & R.J.Yeatman.

 

Christmas Markets

A Christmas market, also known as Christkindlmarkt, Christkindlesmarkt, Christkindlmarket, and Weihnachtsmarkt, is a street market associated with the celebration of Christmas during the four weeks of Advent. These markets originated in Germany, Austria and Alsace but are now being held in many other countries.

 

As a travel agent you sometimes see advertisements of things you had never really thought about doing, and the reaction is “I want to do that.”  In 2000, a flyer came across my desk for a trip to “The Christmas Markets of Germany and Austria.” It was a tour being sponsored by AAA, the company I worked for. I just had to do it. I had some vacation time coming, and I was so excited about it.

I went home and told my husband, and he really didn't get at all excited. It sounded like a shopping trip to him. He said, why don't you find a friend to go with. I immediately called Bonnie. She had been my roommate back in my college years and we were still best friends. She thought it sounded like fun and said yes. So we went.



Nuremberg Christmas Market

We flew to Frankfurt where the tour started and we traveled by bus down what the Germans call “the romantic road”, with stops at quite a few Christmas Markets. The biggest of the markets is in Nuremberg, and it was pretty fantastic, but even the smaller towns that we stopped at were great.  One of the best stops was in Rothenburg which is home to Kathe Wohlfahrt's Christmas store.



What are Christmas Markets?  Every town in Germany and Austria has a town square. In the town square at Christmastime, they set up a huge tree, and stalls.  And there are people singing carols. But the smells of the food is what hit me first. There are stalls that are serving the German sausages on rolls, and stalls making spiced nuts.  





And then there is the gingerbread. Lots of gingerbread stalls. And best of all, the hot Gluhwein. That is a spicy hot wine drink. Since it is cold out, just holding onto the mug is great. And talking about the mug, when you purchase the drink you get to keep the mug – they are great souvenirs. The mugs are a dark blue ceramic and each city has a different design logo on their mug. I have a whole set of them, and at Christmastime I serve hot Gluhwein or Tom & Jerry's in them.

The stalls also sell anything and everything you could possibly want to give someone for a Christmas present, as well as the best ornaments of all time. My weakness is the ornaments. For years I have made it a point to buy at least one Christmas ornament wherever I travel. That is not always easy if you are traveling to a country in the summertime, but I find something. I don't want something commercial that says where it is from, but something that will remind me of the trip when I hang it on the tree. As an example, while in the Canary Islands in September, I kept looking for an ornament. There were none to be had. But finally I found the cutest little frog, and he had a string of lights wrapped around him. He's just little, and doesn't have a string to hang from, so I wire him onto a branch each year, and when I do, I think of that trip.

While at the Christmas markets, I have to admit that I went a little crazy and bought lots of ornaments. Some I gave as gifts, but a lot of them go on my tree.

The trip included stops in Munich, as well as Salzburg and Innsbruck. We spent one afternoon taking a gondola to the top of one of the mountains in the Alps. Every city included a city tour, so we really did lots more then just go to Christmas Markets. It was a great trip. And we got a little snow, something that I rarely see anymore, since I live in Southern California. Bonnie lives in Washington state, so for her it was not a big deal.

When we got home from that trip and told about our adventures, our husbands both said that it sounded like fun and they wished they had gone. So in 2005 we returned to the markets as a foursome. The guys agreed they'd have a beer while we shopped. Although Bonnie's husband made the comment that there probably wasn't enough beer in Germany to cover the time while we shopped.
 



Regensburg Medieval Christmas Market

On that trip we actually started in Prague, then went over to Nuremberg and took a river cruise down the Danube all the way to Budapest. That was the way to travel, no packing and unpacking. The Christmas Markets in Prague and Budapest were quite nice, and of course we had been to the Nuremberg market before, but it is the most famous and a must stop if you are doing the markets. In the small town or Regensburg we had our most memorable market experience. The main market in the town square was very ordinary, and that is where most people from our cruise went. But I had read about a market that the locals went to, on the grounds of the palace. They said that the royalty actually mingled with the people at this market, and that the theme was medieval. There was an entrance fee to get into it, but it was different from the other markets, and if you should decide to do a markets tour or cruise and find yourself in Regensburg I would suggest giving it a try, it was quite different and fun.


Booth at Regensburg Market



Both times we went to the Christmas markets we came home loaded down with mugs from the Gluhwein, gingerbread, spiced nuts, and lots of fun ornaments and gifts. A great way to get yourself in the holiday mood, and you can do it and still come home and have Christmas with the family. The Christmas Markets start in early December and go through the holidays.

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One of the ornaments that I bought on my trip to Germany was a glass pickle.  For those of you who may not know about a pickle as an ornament, it is a traditional ornament for the Germans.  Here is the Christmas pickle tradition:

The glass pickle ornament is an old German tradition. It has become a welcomed addition to the present unwrapping dilemma of who is first. The pickle ornament is supposed to be the last ornament you hang on the tree. It should be hidden among the branches in an out of the way location. On Christmas when you are ready to open the presents everyone should search for the pickle. The first person to find the pickle receives a special prize, a piece of candy or some other token. They are also the first to start opening the gifts. The pickle has become a keepsake, which is handed down to future generations

To Read more about Christmas Markets you can go to the link - Trip Reports from trips we have taken - in the column to the right and click on Chrisktmas Market trip December 2006.  The trip report is from the emails my husband sent home to family and friends while we were traveling.

Have List, Will Travel: 10 Places I Want To See Before I Die



The Great Wall of China
Was on my List - Visited it in 2010

 

When I graduated from high school back in 1965, I was asked where I wanted to be in 10 years. Everyone in the class was asked, and they published our answers. My answer was to “be as far from my hometown of White Salmon as possible.” That may have seemed a little harsh, especially since I really had a very good childhood, a great family and White Salmon wasn't that bad a place to live. However, from the time I was very little I remember wanting to see new places. I felt “stuck” in a small town, with not much going on. The old song “Faraway Places” was the first song I learned to play on the piano on my own. The song says, “those faraway places are calling, calling, me.” And it is true. I have a desire to see the world. There are few places in the world I wouldn't go, given the chance. Of course, some places are higher on my list then others.

 

My working career started off in banking, but I never had a passion for it. So, when at the age of 50 I was laid off, I thought I should do something I did have a passion for. I switched careers, a little late in life. I went to school to learn to be a travel agent. And I worked for AAA as a travel agent for 14 years. Last year I decided to retire. Not that I didn't like my job, I actually loved it – most days. Even  the best job has off days, but on the whole I did like it. Especially helping my clients plan their trips. But at the age of 64 I felt it was my time to maybe travel more, without worrying about how much vacation time I had.
 

As a travel agent I did get to do some traveling, on the company. But it's not like it was years ago when travel agents got lots of FAM trips.  FAM's are trips provided by travel companies to travel agents to get them familiar with the company and the destinations. They are becoming scarce, and certainly the travel agent discounts are disappearing.

  

So now I'm retired. We have been taking trips, but of course, we can't travel all the time, we don't have unlimited funds. So what to do with my spare time. I keep busy, taking the dogs to the dog park or on walks, having lunch with friends, reading, swimming, etc. But there are lots of open times. I find myself watching television too much. So my daughter suggested that I write a travel blog. My thought is, who would read it? Probably no one. But what the heck, it might be fun, and it might give me an outlet.

  

I have traveled to the far corners of the world. For one thing, my husband was in the military, so we moved around a bit, and even spent 2 years in the Philippines. From there we got to see a bit of Asia. So that was the start of my foreign travel.

So if I write about my experiences, and if no one but my family reads them, well, it might keep me busy for awhile. So I am going to post my thoughts probably once or twice a week, until I run out of thoughts.
 

I would go pretty much anywhere, given the chance, but some places are higher on my list then others. I do have a list of places I want to see and things I want to do. I think that anyone who wants to travel should make a list. One of the things that used to just blow my mind, is when a client would come to me and say “I want to get away and go somewhere, so where should I go”. I couldn't understand how someone would not know where they wanted to go, and that they would want me to tell them. Where I would want to go, might not be a place they'd be at all interested in. So I would
end up asking them what kind of things they enjoyed doing, what their budget was, etc., until I had some ideas about what kind of places they would enjoy. Myself, I know exactly where I want to go.

For the last 20 years or so I have kept a list which I have titled "My list of 10 places to see or things to do before I die." Some would call it a “bucket list”. Same thing really. Only on my list I keep only 10, but as soon as I do something on the list I take it off, and add something new. That way I will always have 10 places to see. As an example, the number one item on my list until recently was a trip to Croatia. It came off, since we did that in 2011. That was my retirement present to myself. This is my current list:

My List of 10 Places to See or Things to do Before I Die

1.   Tanzania/Zanzibar - balloon trip over the Serengeti
2.   Victoria Falls in Africa
3.   Night skiing on a ski bicycle in the Alps
4.   Australia/New Zealand - snorkeling the great barrier reef
5.   Halong Bay, Viet Nam
6.   Take the Moonlight walk at Iguassu Falls, Argentina
7.   Quebec City
8.   Take the Maid of the Mist boat trip at Niagara Falls
9.   Canal barge trip in France with a visit to Monet's home
10.  Stay at Sanctuary Lodge at Machu Picchu 

Recent things that have come off the list are: Walking on the Great Wall in China, seeing the Greek Islands and a trip to Istanbul. My list has always had a variety of things on it. Future additions will probably include a cruise to the Antarctic and zip-lining in Costa Rica. Two of the things on the list I plan to do and take off in 2012. I don't necessarily follow the list in order.

So, if anyone is reading this, what is on your list?