Europe by Trains

                                               Our love affair with trains!

      R and I love a nice train ride. 

      Wherever we go if there is a train ride to be had, we are right on it. Our love affair with trains started a very long time ago. Of course, we have taken short train rides in the lovely city of Buenos

Aires when we are there, but there is nothing like riding the trains in Western Europe. If my memory serves me right, it was in the city of Amsterdam that this train ride excitement first began.

      The punctuality of the trains in Europe is something that we just praise and love. The trains themselves are well maintained (by the looks of them). The staff that runs the train system is always helpful and the feeling that it leaves you is that they truly appreciate your business and patronage. 

     From the moment we bought our train tickets on line before our trip even began down to the very moment we got off the train itself, the experience has always been pleasant and enjoyable. It is not difficult to really enjoy your trip if segements of your trip is served by train systems that are really there to please you. 

     The train stations are great. The conductors are great. The clarity of time and platform locations are great. The section seats on the trains are great. The comfort is exceptional. You get the idea. 

     For those who are on the fence regarding travelling by train in Europe, I say, try it. And your future trips will definitely include train rides, it is that good. The train stations work like Swiss clockwork. Dependable and of high quality. It will never leave you wanting.

    We were traveling light, so it was easy to get off and on our designated train sections. They have a food section in every train. You can travel first class or second class. We loved the fact that reservations on seat was available when securing your tickets online. 

      

     Each train station we went to was always delightful to those we passed (without disembarking) was fun to watch and admire. Well lit and seats available for those passengers waiting for their corresponding trains. I love it!

     It is so easy to decide to fly from one major city to another but if you ever have the chance to take the train, please treat yourself to the joy the train systems in Europe can give you. More than the people and the food, I enjoyed in Europe..it was the series of train rides that R and I took that hold such delightful moments for me. I don't think I will ever have enough of those trains. I am sure R feels the same way (well maybe not as passionate as I do, but he likes them I know!).

    

Both our bags were small (though it was at times heavy) so getting on and off the train was a snap.

Due to the size we were able to easily place these over head racks by our designated seats.

Netherlands, Germany and the Scandinavian countries have awesome train systems. Treat yourself to a short or a longer ride. You will love it!

KP Lotion

I used these 2 products when I had KP. I am not a doctor but these 2 lotions worked for me together with a controlled diet avoiding irritants that can cause or aggravate the flare ups of KP.

Please consult your doctor or dermatologist before using these products.

Due to numerous KP questions, I am taking a quick break from my Europe trip to address these questions. I am hoping my experience help you in conquering your KP.

The Amlactin on the left, I use multiple times a day. Whenever needed. The one on the right I use after my morning shower and nighttime shower.

I hope this helps.

Trip to Europe - Series 7 - Hotels

   Next to the airline tickets, I am pretty sure the accommodation cost and preferences get the most attention in everyone's preparation list when planning a trip to Europe. But sometimes, it can be more than just lodging.

   Hotels come in all sizes and price range. There are friends who in their well intentions suggests a place or two for you to consider. There are a good number of websites and promo prices online. There are a ton of ads in any magazine on hotels in all cities of Europe. Remember, YOU will be travelling and it is YOU that will be living in these quarters, so it is best to yes, consider the suggestions but go online and look at the traveler's photos on each hotel and take the time to read the various reviews posted. Take these resources and make up your own mind about what will best work for you. Hotel photos tend to be focused on the best feature of each hotel and fail to mention their shortcomings (rightfully so, best for business to focus on the plus side and not the negative). Sometimes you will luck out and get a great place that is so ideal for you and your travel plans but do your homework, nevertheless. 

   The best tip I can give any traveler is to think outside the city center. Costs are lower and the excellent public transportation in Western Europe can get you in the middle of any city center with just a short subway ride or bus ride. If cost is a major factor in your budget, think accessibility and distance. If you love a bus ride or a train ride in the morning. You can save a good amount that you can otherwise spend on souvenirs and a very good meal.

   There is no perfect hotel. Some have free breakfast included on the per night room price, others don't include this at all. Some have larger rooms, others have very small rooms. Some have toiletries and good towels others have no shampoo, conditioner nor lotion in a bathroom with "have seen better days" towels. Do your homework, take the time to look at reviews and traveler photos online.

   I spent a very good portion of my research on our European trip with R, looking for hotels, very good hotels that will suit R. He likes a quiet room, ample space and just a ride away from the city center. I looked at hundreds of hotels online and eventually used a very good site to make my life and search a whole lot easier. I have called hotel chains and asked my questions before I booked a room online.

   If you are a member of any hotel groups ask for a better rate. It pays to be a member of the larger group of hotels. They are worldwide and the membership is free.

   I do not endorse any products on this blog but I will mention the hotels that we used (we paid for the hotels and we are not getting any monetary compensation for this review) and worked very well for us. Service was always very, very good and we also prefer any hotel that is close proximity to the cuty center where the museums are.

   The next series of blog will focus on each hotel we stayed at and my reviews of each of them. They will be marked Series 7a and so on. They will be reviewed no particular order.

   Note that most Scandinavian hotels do not have the kind of air conditioning we are all so used to in the United States. These places are cold most of the year so AC is not a priority. Of course there are hotels with very good AC, again do your homework.

   The best hotel we stayed at was in Copenhagen, in my opinion. It was smack in the middle of the city. It was close to everything we wanted to see. It had a great breakfast buffet. Access to public transport was a breeze. I had a very cozy coffee place next to the hotel that I went to almost everyday, sometimes twice a day. Hotel service was excellent. I loved the bed, room size and the bathroom was one of the best during our trip. It was recommended by a friend who lives there. I will always be grateful for this because we loved the place and he made it one of the most memorable cities that we stay at during our trip. 

    In the end, we had to make our own reservation directly with one hotel in Germany because all the rooms in most hotels within our price range and extended price range fully booked. This hotel was a good 30 minutes from the city center. But it is what it is. We made most of what we had. We met some very nice people in that city. So you take the negative with the positive of a situation and make the most of it. Enjoy the experience.

   Let me state that I am now a great fan of booking.com as a great resource in making my hotel reservations. The website is user friendly and my options are limitless. I like that they tell you everything what you need to know and they are transparent about pricing. If it says one price, it will be the same when you check out. Their website allows you to make reservation and they remind you when your check in time is coming up. You can check in via your mobile. You can confirm your arrival time. 

   Most hotels have a set check in time. They try to accommodate your request for an early check in but please note that they also have set check out time, so how could the hotel give you your room at 11am when the one occupying the same said room has paid to check out at 12noon. And the cleaning crew will need to get your room ready for you. I have seen people at hotels with such expectations just to give nasty reviews to hotels that are just following rules and yet going out of their way to accommodate you. 

    I mean, the websites of these hotels clearly states check in time and check out time. I am perplexed by the attitude other travelers have towards front desk personnel who have to deal with customers who show up hours before the actual check in time, and expect to have a room ready for them. I have seen how front desk people have to listen to customers complain about such insane demands. I feel for the front desk people in these hotels. They are there to help us. And they deserve respect.

    Hotels from booking.com also asks you to review the hotels where you stayed a few days after you completed your stay. Please take the time to review them, they can only improve if we help them with our suggestions. 

    For major hotel chains, I also called and asked them questions which they are so kind to answer. Then based on that first contact, I make or do not make the reservations. The numbers are always 1-800 in the US. So I call. We stayed at two of these major hotel chains and I was very pleased with the outcome. Our stay was very good, on both hotels.

   If you are going to spend your money on hotels, then I suggest taking the time to do your homework and do it until you find a place where you will leave your luggage, bathe, sleep and eat that is to your satisfation. There is always one hotel out there that is for you. Just be diligent in your search.

    And if you have a local friend like I did, ask them to help you out. As a local and a friend, they will more than happy to help you and as a bonus they will get to see a friend in their city. Nothing gives your a warmer feeling than having a friend nearby, thinking that after all these years you will get to enjoy this side of Europe with them. 

   The best part about traveling is making the connections, positive connections with new people and if you are lucky enough  they will be a new friend. And for older friends, re-connections.

    

   

Trip to Europe - Series 6 - Photos

 I am very pleased to say - I went to Europe without a camera!

What?! Going to Europe WITHOUT a camera? No way, right? I did. And I am so glad I didn't.

I never regretted it that decision. I took my phone and that single piece of gadget served me so well. I was not only was able to text R (for free) when we were on our separate locations at a given time but it also was a great camera. This single piece of technology was able to serve so many purposes than just a phone/text.

My pictures are to my satisfaction. Packing light also meant a multi-purpose piece of technology. A phone that was a phone, internet access (over wifi), maps, GPS and of course, a camera. 

Everyone in every city in Europe had a phone and majority of the tourist and locals take selfies with their phone. I saw people taking food pictures with their phone. So was I. I never felt so well blended with the masses of people around me as when I whip out my phone to take a selfie. And a quick selfie with strangers and new friends. I loved the selfies I took with R. It could be in the bus, tram, train, plane and underground tube. The light weight of a phone being used as a camera makes it easy to carry in a very small purse. I stick that thing in my purse and I know I am covered in the photo taking department.

I am not going to mention my phone here because I do not believe that I should advertise a particular product, openly and publicly. If you want to know what brand I use, just send me a note and I'll tell you. But please do not ask me to say the brand name here on my blog. I made this choice not to endorse a particular product on my blog. I take no monies from any brand name. But I tell you this camera of mine is very, very good when taking selfies and panoramic and scene photos.

I have this camera with a good battery life and enough memory to store my photos. I took a power source in case I ran out of battery life, I never used it once.

When I am in a place with WIFI, I check my email in box and then at night I surf the web. But most of all my phone was a camera most of the time. 

The idea that I would have a camera around my neck as we walked the streets of Europe did not appeal to me, at all. So, I did not bring one. I saw people with expensive cameras all over Europe and I am so happy they did, but it was just not for me. I thought it said, tourist. But I am sure some of those people were also locals. But again, it was just not for me. 

My phone pictures will always be special to me because I loved their outcomes, some were blurred and that was because I shook my hand or something but majority of them were very good.

Again, my traveling light plan included assigning my cellphone as a multi purpose piece of gadget.

When I saw my dear friend after I got back in the States and showed her the photos, she thought I took them with a fancy camera. I told her - phone! Wow, she said, you wouldn't even know that by looking at these photos. I am good with that response. 

Think about it, light and carefree. I enjoyed the travel better and had more time to really enjoy the moment and not taking the perfect picture. Living in the moment and not just trying to catch that moment. 

See you tomorrow....

Trip to Europe - Series 5 - Coloring Hair DIY in Europe

Oh wow! Really?! Coloring hair while on a trip to Europe?!

Yes, yes! I know. 

But it was one of those things that was I considered before leaving and thought, "Why not"!

The idea that I can do it just like any woman in Europe can DIY, appealed to me, greatly.

I have no set date to color my hair or where. But when I go to Norway, I thought, that place was a good place as any to try coloring my hair. R, was skeptical but was willing to give it a go, for me.

I had already befriended a lady at the front desk, we had shared a few moments a couple of days prior talking about our common hair experiences and I had pictures to show for it. I liked her. She spoke excellent english and was able to translate the directions on a box of the hair color I chose.

All the instructions on each hair color box you might think will be the same all around the world, right? I thought the same thing. But this little voice in the back of my brain said, ask for help. I thought, Norway is not really the place to loose one's hair nor to burn one's scalp. So, I did ask from the front desk. And you know what, the young lady came upstairs to my room, looked at the box and read the instructions for me. Now, how great is that! I think I have made a friend for life, right there.

I thanked her. She re-stated the instructions. What to do, how long to wait. Rinse only with lukewarm water..etc. 

I mean, I get to say, I colored my hair in Norway. The whole experience was great.  I shopped at a store in a mall. Store that sold me the hair color was called CUBUS and the girls at that store were great. I was pointed to an item that was even 40% off the regular price. And they had my color. BAM! Sold.

The name of the store was given to me by the hotel front desk as well. Amongst, three other store names that I checked out but settled on CUBUS because it was the best of all the other ones. And 40% off, can't beat that.

The coloring time was short, I have very short hair. And then the water pressure at the hotel was do good that it rinsed the color right off. The towel was not stained at all after I was done. 

Just like it is here, the box of hair dye came with its own conditioner as an after color rinse. Gloves and instructions. I liked the fact that the hair color was in the form of a cream, and not liquid. No drips! 

See photos below of the color I used. If I had to do it again, I will color my hair the same way again. I love trying new things..with great local help of course. Of course!

This is the L'Oreal brand I used to color my hair. Instructions came in all languages (almost) except English.

 Everything one can expect in a boxed hair color was in there. Cream based hair tint. No Drips!

As I was waiting for the hair color to set, I was having my cup of coffee. I loved the experimentation. Worked out great for me. 

So yes, you can color your hair while you are in Europe. Ask, if in doubt. And when traveling in Europe you can buy the L'Oreal brands there too. Very comforting to know their line of products are made in Germany. Wow!!

Trip to Europe - Series 4 - Restaurants

Food, glorious food!

When we travel, be it near or far, R is always worried about me and if the place we pick to eat will have anything for a vegetarian (moi!). My thinking is this, I will find and make something that is as vegetarian as it can get. There is always the option, to politely ask the server or establishment owner to make me something vegetarian. And 100% of the time, they can and they do. 

Let us start by going over what makes a restaurant worth visiting. If you see lots of people there, chances are the food is good. Be weary of restaurants that are empty. It is empty, for a very good reason. 

We hit places that have menus visibly posted outside each restaurant. No second guessing pricing or what the lunch menu is or what is included in each entree. Anywhere in most of Western Europe they have an english translation of their menu. Not all, but a good number of them have english menu. Or if you are sincerely lost in the translation, ask your server. They might not seem it, but they speak english. And make the effort to thank them in their respective language. 

There are great restaurants all over each city. The trick is to find one that works best for you. We love just trying a place just because we loved the way it looked, the menu is reasonably priced, it was packed or we were just too hungry to be choosy. 

In Germany, I found a place this sold great sandwiches. The tables and chairs were all taken but they are considerate to leave (some of them) and vacate their tables as soon as they are done. So we sit. And at the hotel where we stayed, the cook spoke no english, so we got creative. I asked the reception to translate my vegetarian request for me. She even came and checked on us later if everything was as I had wanted it. Now how great is that? Right?

In Stockholm, we found a nice gelato place just because we went to a pharmacy and passed by this very nice ice cream place. Best ice cream ever! 

In Sweden, we found another ice cream place, not only organic but vegan as well. Delicious and worth every lick. How did we find it, you might ask? We ask a store clerk to point us to the best ice cream in that small town. His recommendation was spot-on! Loved it! I know we will be back just for that. It was that good!!

Sometimes, you get a miss. So what. Lesson learned. Just Yelp the place and review it. Sometimes, the food is good but bad service or the other way around. But that is what is great about trying new restaurants when you are traveling. 

There is this particular restaurant in Stockholm that we loved so much, we wanted to eat there again before we left town. The day we came back they were closed. But it's okay, we walked a few doors down and we had a blast of a lunch in this bistro that served the best tortellini with goat cheese and porcini mushroom as stuffing. The sauce was so good, I had to use my spoon to scoop every bit of it off the plate. We ordered a nice appetizer -boy, the sliced cheese and the toast was fabulous. Just the right balance of flavors and textures that my tongue was singing the Halleluyah even before my entree was served. And remember everything tastes great when you share it. R, almost always love the food I order for myself. But he had to agree that his plate was a very good dish as well. We wiped off that bounty off our plates - clean! 

The proprietor of the bistro was happy to chat to us after our meal. Somehow, the veggies, cheese and butter in Sweden are all great tasting and fresh. Very fresh. I guess it is probably because they change their menu according to the season and what produce are in season. To guarantee freshness, they use what was picked this morning and not something that was sitting in the shelves for days. 

Oh, yeah! I will be back. Or should I say, we will be back.

 Lunch in Stockholm. Appetizer with grilled goat cheese, beets and toasted bread. Do you see the pieces of almonds? Texture and flavor of all these ingredients together was HALLELUYAH!

 These was my main dish. Large tortellini stuffed with porcini and cheese. The sauce was heaven on a plate.

R got this for his main dish. Lox (salmon) served with potatoes, I think. Creamy sauce with dill was drizzled over the potatoes.

Trip to Europe - Series 3 - Cities to Visit

   Choosing a favorite city of all the glorious cities one can visit in Europe is like choosing one chocolate in a box of luscious chocoloates. I love them all!

  I will share some photos of the places we visited (not in the sequence or any particular order). If you have any questions, feel free to ask.

  In Germany we visited 2 cities. No, actually three. Netherlands is an all time favorite of ours. Stockholm was also full of life, a very vibrant city. Copenhagen is a new favorite. It is now on the top of a new list of favorites. Oslo is also a must-see city. Visiting in the summer, guarantees warm mornings until early afternoons. Early mornings and early evenings can be quite chilly.

 

 This is me (my Birkies and sunnies), empty bag of chips and my bottle of water in our room over looking the Rhine River.

 Oh, yeah! During our train ride, it rained. And this is at one of the stations we passed by.

 The view from inside the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. We come here each time we are in town. Love!

 The cathedral in Germany. It was a little gloomy that afternoon but we had a great time taking pictures in the town center.

Pastry and sweets shop in Germany. Calling this a bakery does not do it justice. Everything here was delicious. I loved the slivered almond coated pretzel with honey gooey inside. The kids can't seem to make up their mind on what they want, that's because everything here smells and tastes very good. Would love to come back here again. The shop was so sweet smelling, there were bees buzzing around the bread on display. No stinging, involved!

Trip to Europe Series 2 - Packing Tips - traveling light

     We decided to try to travel light.

     Looking for a suitcase that met standard handcarry requirements by each airline we were to be taking took some serious hunting on our part. But, we did it. 

       Be advised that just because a suitcase is tagged as handcarry size does not mean that the airline will actually allow you to take that particular suitcase as a handcarry. Allow me to explain, please.

       Not all handcarry suitcases are created equal. Bring a measuring tape when shopping for one. Fator the wheels and handle in when measuring the suitcase. If you are in doubt, measure again. The said handcarry suitcase has to fit the airline's dimension measurement. Go by the airline's instructions, requirements and regulations. You do not want to be repacking at the airport just because the check in counter says, "nope, this is not handcarry size". Err on the safe size. If the allowed weight is 18 pounds, pack for 17 pounds (lbs). You'll be amazed how much 17 lbs is.

        Check and re-check suitcase size and measurement for each airline.

      Make sure your liquids are in your carry on bag. It's easier for you that way. No hassle at the screening line. 

        Packing light means eliminating bulk. I used Ziploc bags (the largest ones they make) to segregate my clothes by purpose. Blouses with blouses, undies with undies, scarves with scarves, you get the idea. I used this method rather than rolling my clothes because I found that Ziplocs can also serve as a laundry bag for used clothes in between washing. No cross contamination in the suitcase, right! I also carried little pieces of soaps that will serve as odor absorbent on clothes that needed to be washed. I took two pieces of clothespins to anchor any clothes I washed in the hotel bathrooms. R, was wise to take a clothesline for his socks and other clothes when he decided to do laundry in the hotel. I only wash items after I use them, meaning one at a time.  I used hotel body gel to wash my laundry. If in a bind use the hotel handsoap or the little pieces of soaps you brought with you. The odor absorbent ones you have. I never got to use mine.

      I used not only regular brassiere but sports bra as well. With a scarf around my neck the straps don't show at all. 

      Washing jeans were assigned to hotels where we stay longer than 2 days, giving it enough time to dry properly.

       When stacking clothes in suitcase make sure you stack the heavy items in the bottom of the suitcase, closer to the wheel. This will center the weight and when wheeling the suitcase around it won't tip over. Gravity has a funny way of knocking a suitcase either to one side of forward when you least expect it.

         I started a rehearsal packing several times. Everytime, I revisited my "packed" suitcase I would take an item or two that I thought, I can do without these. And then repack and repack as needed. Make sure you coordinate clothes and maximize their use. If you do not plan on using it more than twice during the trip, leave it.

         Bring disposable makeup wipes rather than your liquid makeup remover. Bring your travel size lotions. The ones you have brought back from hotels from previous trips. You get to dispose of them faster making your load lighter along the way. Again magic number for traveling is 3 (three). 

         I will pack the same for a trip for two weeks and three weeks, from hereon out. I will never go back to packing large suitcases for myself for a European trip ever again. This traveling light has opened my eyes to being a responsible passenger. I mean, it is so easy to just stick that small suitcase on the overhead racks in trains, not cumbersome at all in the trams and you blend in easier with the locals when your suitcase does not shout "tourist coming through" amongst the crowd.

      I pack also a lot of patience. Trains will be late. Planes will be delayed. United Airlines stewardess Amy will be nasty. Bathrooms might cost you a Euro. Pack lots of patience and extra to spare. Pack your best smile and hello. The world is a better place when you travel because you spread the cheer from the heart and the world needs more of that. Be courteous to older people and pregnant women. Help them if you can. Smile back when they say thank you. Simple things like that are memories that make any trip memorable. You didn't sign up for that but trust me you will always remember that moment when you helped a mother of three scale a flight of stairs and struggling with a baby stroller to boot. Pick up that piece of paper on the ground. It's doing the right thing when traveling that make us redeem ourselves as humans with all that is bad that is happening around the world.

        We travel to make the world better, one city at a time. Like it or not, every time we comeback from a trip, we have left a little piece of us there as we take a lot of ourselves back home. Make that little piece you left behind be a positive and for the betterment of all. 

        I smile at everyone. I mean everyone. In Europe, not a lot of people smile to tourists, but I make the effort to speak with them and I have great stories to tell about my encounters with them. I got better seats in airplanes just because I smiled. I got to hear heartfelt sentiments from ladies in Oslo about life. I got myself a new friend in Facebook because I took the time to smile at the food vendor. And best of all, I have memories that will last me a lifetime and not just photographs of the museums and paintings or sculptures I saw. 

       The stories I can share are plenty and I love telling them. I even met and read 2 storybooks to a 3 year old English boy on the plane. His mommy was busy with his 6 month old baby sister, and extending a helping hand to make their flight pleasant was the best airplane ride I ever had, to date. People watched me as I played with the little girl as her mother took a much needed bathroom break. Precious memories are things that you pack on your way back home. More important than anything you can pack on your way to your destination.

The little things are the big things when traveling..everytime I think of 3 year old James, it brings a big smile on my face. Now that, is travel memory to will last me a lifetime. Travel light but heavy on memories. Love the idea!

        

         

      

      

      

Trip to Europe - Series 1 - Do your homework!

Often, when you plan a trip you think of the places you want to go to, how long and when. But we all know the rules changes when we are no travelling alone or our travel partners have a must-see list themselves. And to think that complications begin even you start the trip.

Take a deep breath, and exhale. Think of making your approach, simple. Why are you taking this trip together. And stick with that mantra everytime things start to get complicated again. Planning time is not the time to get into the points of contentions. Give a little, take a little. 

Ok, back to the planning.

R and I decided this trip was about us. Two-gether! We will remind ourselves that as many times as needed along the way, planning and packing stage. And when you get to your destination, the real test of generosity is tested to the limited. Remember, this trip is about the two of you. Now is not the time to be selfish. Even if you have to drag yourself out of bed to get ready in the morning. Just do it and by the end of the day, it will get better. Even if your travel partner is at times demanding and a tad selfish, just be the better person and do it. Just to keep the peace and you will learn that actually it only seems bad because you did not have coffee yet.

With the mindset, all in order. You start the actual planning. When do you want to go? What places, cities and countries do you want to visit? What at the sights you want to hit? Hotels?

Do your homework! Read about these places. Get a map, if you plan to take the train. Get some reading materials. Mr. Google is your friend. Check out the actual street location of the hotels you are considering in the cities you have picked. 

Time of the year to travel can affect not only your budget but also the packing and wardrobe you have to take. And for us ladies, the makeup we have to take and the accessories to go with it. Shoes, sneakers, boots, sandals..the choices can entail a bigger suitcase than what you have in your closet.

But have no fear, I will walk you through that.

Summer time in Europe is great. Weather is splendid and the crowd is buzzing. But note that the hotels are packed and museums are swarming with people. Peak season, they call it. But if you love the cold weather, go in low season, autumn or winter. Prices are low and not a lot of people around but the museums might have lesser hours or worst, closed.

We chose to travel at summer time because if was the only time that we can make it. Simple as that. In every scenario, there is always a positive side and a downside to it. Just decide and make it those dates work for you. Anytime is ideal, really. As long as you make it ideal, it will be.

Summer time in Europe in 2016 was unusually warm. It was sandal weather. Jeans and tshirt weather. Light on the makeup. Sunglasses, must have.

Ok so dates are set. Reading materials and maps handy. Now, you look for hotels. Let me warn you, you have to diligently check hotels and their fluctuating prices. One minute the price per night is this and then you go back to it later and the prices have changed, to a higher one. Be prepared for this. In cities where there are conferences or conventions, concerts and shows, be ready for high hotel prices. Consider lodging outside of the main city. A train ride or tram ride away from the city center can save you loads of cash. That map comes in handy at this point.

I have used several online hotel sites. They worked very well for me. R did not have to do anything except for one hotel where he had to book it himself because there were no available hotels in the 10 mile radius of a particular city we had chosen.

Remember, you are doing this to have fun and enjoy yourselves. Do not make it difficult on yourself.

If you have a list of countries and cities you are visiting, hotels all booked. Now think about the museums and their locations and hours. Be prepared always. Check the distance of these museums and their hours and have a flexible plan on the order you want to see them. It is always fun to just not have a rigid schedule on these kinds of things. Spontaneous, is the order of the day.

Print maps, hotel confirmations and have them handy as you coordinate with Mr. Google. 

The best part about trip planning was the fact that we visited them online. And be amazed about how fabulously different it looked in person. Think positive all the time and the anticipation of actually seeing it makes the whole experience even more than you expected. You will be surprised how the photos online, never gives the actual place or painting justice. That is why we travel, we want to see these places and experience them in person.

With regards to hotels, most hotel chains (hostels were never a consideration for us) have 1-800 numbers call them up and ask if you have any questions prior to booking. 

Everything has wifi and internet in Europe. They have toothpaste, deodorant, pads and lotions in there as well. Surprise, surprise! I loved the fact that I was able to color my hair over there, on my own, in the hotel. 

We also decided to travel light. One hand carry luggage, not to be checked in going to Europe but only check in on our return from there back to the US. That excercise was liberating! We saw how people lugged around their gigantic suitcases and struggled with them on stairs. This is never a good look on anyone! 

When packing...the magic number is three (3)! That worked wonders for me. Three pants, tshirt, socks, underwears and blouses. Train yourself to think that this will work for you and start packing early. Each time you review your luggage, take an item out. Before you know it, you have coordinated your wardrobe and have eased the load and weight of your luggage. Makeup is another matter. There is really no need to bring 4 shades of foundation or 6 lipsticks! Bring the basics and one of each will be just fine. I took a palette for eyeshadows, one shade of foundation, blush and bronzer duo, concealer, color corrector, 2 shadow brushes, beauty blender, eyebrow pencil with brush cap, setting spray and 2 lipsticks. 2 large brushes for setting powder and blush/bronzer. Just remember to wash them often.

Going light is better for your back and it leaves more room for souvenirs! Now, that's what I'm talking about.

Load up on scarves. Nothing jazzes up an outfit like a sharp looking scarf. I'll leave that comment as it is. Lifesaver!!

Shoes. Well, this is a matter of personal choice really. I like my espadrilles when travelling. Light and goes with everything. I wore the boots, since they are heavy and bulky. 

Remember, black is still the dominant color in Europe. Black clothes, shoes, jeans - everywhere. And it goes with everything. For a pop of color, use an accent accessory, necklace or earring, wristband, scarf. 

I carried a small crossbody leather black bag all the time. It worked out very well for me. I just rolled up a small fabric tote inside it. When we bought things during our day walks in museums and shops or streets, I will put them in there and carry them back to the hotel in the evening. 

I also brought in my luggage a large tote bag. When we took the train from one city to another, I pack our lunches in there. Handy, and any trash we had I stick them in there to be disposed as soon as I see a recycle bin or trash can when we get to our train destination. 

Remember, failure to plan is planning to fail. Plan with lots of flexibility in mind. 

If you have specific questions, just drop me a line here and I'll try to answer them. I want to be able to help those that are still on the fence about travelling to Europe. Go and see what the world has to offer. I made loads of new friends and I saw an old friend, and I loved every second of it.

Tomorrow, I will start a post about a city in Europe that is so close to my heart, Amsterdam.

See you tomorrow then....

Trip to Europe - airlines - UA20 (thumbs down) and SAS (thumbs up!!)

   Well, here we go. I will attempt to do my best in being honest in all my reviews on this post. I believe it serves me nor you any good to sugar coat things when reviewing anything pertaining to my trip in Europe this summer of 2016.

    After finalizing our dates for the trip and the duration of such trip, we called our ever so reliable travel agent and gave her the dates we want and preferred time of travel (departure and arrival time).

So, with those dates, she worked on it for several dates and came up with a proposal on what is best in terms of airlines and pricing. Ok. Set then. We were fully aware of the nuances of each airline we were going to use. We knew that a portion of our trip will require using a local airline in Scandinavia, we were excited about that. We just had to remember to check in online a day prior to the actual departure date. We could manage that. So, OK. Set.

     We were using United Airlines and all its Star Alliance airline groups. We had used them before and was fully aware of the bad food they serve on board. Service can sometimes be so-so but ok, it will get us there on the time we wanted so, no problem. I mean, you have to give a little to take a little, as they say. 

      We had our tickets emailed to us and on the night prior to the trip, we were able to check in online except R. He has to check in personally as the website stated. OK, since we already had assigned seats, we were not worried, Just needed to get to the airport early to get this matter out of the way and for him to get his boarding pass printed at the counter. So there we were, at the airport and everything was good and well.

      Our local flight headed to Houston was late in departing, we got the Houston with barely enough time to get to our connecting flight to Amsterdam. But we made it, so no worries. We were positive all the way. 

      Until we got to the flight to Amsterdam all was to be expected. Then we got on our United UA20 flight...then it got nasty!

      I am mentioning the name of the flight attendant who was so rude and disrespectful to just about anyone on the section of the plane she was delegated or assigned to for that flight. First, she neither greeted or smiled at any of the 25 or so passengers on her assigned area. No "hello" or "welcome". Must be having a bad day or so. Then she started bossing passengers on where to and how to put their hand carried luggage on the overhead compartments. " Put this there, move that there, turn it around, they should never make luggages with wheels like that, I hate that...etc". I mean the plane has not even left yet and already the negative attitude?! Her name is Amy. A middle-aged, shorter than 5 feet 6 inches in height, medium weight and heavy on bad attitude!!

      The passengers not too pleased with her but what can we all do, right? That was not the worst of it. She and her shoes got on R's seat and started moving luggages around on the overhead compartment. The nerve!! She neither said, "please" nor "excuse me". She just got on the seat with her shoes on and pretended like no one was going to sit there. Dirty! Nasty!

       When she was done bossing people around standing from R's seat, she just got down and went about like nothing happened? REALLY?! This is the new United Airlines service? Wow! And to think foreigners saw this blatant display of nasty behavior. Really make us Americans look really good! NOT!!

         Then when it was time to serve meals and the brute of a man seated in front of me, decided to recline his seat..I asked her if she can please kindly advise the man to straighten his seat up..during meals, she said " YOU TELL HIM!" Wow. Nice very nice. 

           I wonder if United still check customer satisfaction nowadays. Because by golly, this customer was not satisfied with this nasty Amy woman. I do not care if she had not had her prune juice that morning or if she had mental problems but evidently there was something up her arse that day that was making her so uncomfortable and she was taking it out on United Airlines customers. Nasty piece of work.

         Sometimes, it is not what you say but how you say it that makes the said thing polite or downright RUDE. Oh, you bet I will let United know about my displeasure of this woman. She gives all the good stewart and stewardesses a bad name. 

            The food was nasty, the service was nauseating! I do not like to be negative on the early part of a vacation but I thought I should pray for this woman. What a miserable life she must have to be like this to people she does not know but puts food on her table and allows her to buy that very offensive odor she had on, she calls perfume. Yikes! United, please check on your staff once in awhile.. it behooves you to look out for us. Even just once in awhile. Man!

           Airlines can ruin your trip even before it starts. But lucky for me, I thought all that meditation help fend the negative vibes that are placed before me. And above all, I have a blog that I can rant and rave about how cruel some people can be, no matter how kind and polite we can be to them. I reckon, it is their problem, not mine. It is a demerit to a company who I patronize to treat me so badly. Disrespect is the highest form of bad behavior.

          And to this poor excuse for a stewardess called Amy of UA flight 20, I pity you because you obviously have a job you do not love, or you would do better and care what image you leave people of the company you work for. I hope that through time, you will love it and do a good of a job that makes you worthy of the kindness we showed you even if you showed us none.

           Being so falsely generous to a passenger because that passenger gave your crew something as we left Houston, shows that you are only good when a reward is offered. That speaks about how low your self esteeem is. We all paid to be on this flight but we did not pay to be treated as badly as you treated us. Bossing people around, yelling, standing with your shoes on someone's seat, and not being polite in your words and actions...only spells, unhappiness in your life and job. United be aware of the people like this in your company. They do not lift your name up, they bring you down. United Airlines always leaves a whole lot to be desired everytime I fly with that company. Bad taste in the mouth, is something you are left with, as well.

        SAS, was another story all together. The flight from Stockholm to Heathrow was a delight! Some companies have it so right, that when you see an airline having it so wrong, you know something is indeed out of whack. SAS, was not only on time, everyone was extremely pleasant and orderly. No yelling, no bossing around, so warm in their welcome. So soft spoken but the sincerity and true joy they bring to the passenger is everything one can hope for when making a long journey. So nice to see how some companies really care about us passengers. Kudos to SAS! Yeas, I will fly with that company again. 

         Coming back I was fortunate enough to have a male stewart to tend to our section of the plane. Better, much better. But again the staff were English, majority of them. But better attitude and positive vibes all around.

       So if I were you, besides convenience and price, if you have other options to get to Europe, do not take United UA20. Bad way to start a trip with Amy on board. Happy travels! 

        

Travel tips for Europe

    As I sit in front of my computer, the clouds are gray and heavy outside and it has been raining for 2 days now. But I am determined to start a new post today..after less than 48 hours of my returning from a 2 week or so trip in Europe. I have done some serious catching up with sleep the first 24 hours, we got back but I am still on the deficit. 

    I loved the idea of going to Europe with R. The preparations were a little daunting at first but doable. The countless hours of finalizing the itinerary. So many countries, so little time. There was the regular interruptions to the choices of hotels and what to see. 

    For the next few posts, I will delve into the packing tips, countries we loved and not so loved, etc.

If you are planning a Europe on a budget travel tips, please feel free to drop me a message here and I would love to help you out on tips here and there that can really help you lessen the stress of making that dream European trip happen. 

    This trip was a gift from R to me - to us, really. So I was well taken cared of, so to speak. But I was the one who did most of the research and bookings of hotels (except one - R made the one we stayed at in Hamburg, Germany). But everything else in between, let me help out with questions on tickets, transport and best places to see. 

   I am going over photos right now so posts for the future will have some photos. 

   When R and I decided to go for this trip, it was to be declared our Scandinavian trip. Our goal was to see the three countries we always wanted to see, Norway, Denmark and Sweden. But, since we love Amsterdam so much, we started off from there. We saw some parts of Germany along the way. 

   We decided on the dates we can do it. We got a travel agent to worry about getting us the best rates with the dates we had in mind. The fee is so nominal that it was worth it, in the long run. The time spent lurking on the internet looking at all the sites for best airline tickets and airline deals was not worth the hassle, if you have a good relationship with a reliable and trusted travel agent, now is the time to use her or his resources to make your dream vacation happen for an agreeable price.

   We also decided to get travel insurance through our local Triple A. Best decision you can make when you have invested on the cost of tickets and other expenses. You have the peace of mind that airline tickets and accommodations together with medical and dental expenses will be covered. Get the comprehensive coverage and have that peace of mind and you can enjoy your trip a whole lot more.

   The hotels bookings can be a hassle at times. Especially if you choose a date for a city you want to visit that has a convention going on, it can get pretty pricey. And they sell out fast. So when you get  the dates all finalized with your tickets on hand, go ahead and make reservations for hotels. Do your homework and search the actual location of the hotel. If commuting is not a problem with you, a hotel outside of the main city can offer a better deal in price and like we did, we loved the short commute everyday that we made it a chance to watch all the regular commuters go about their daily lives as we head to the museums and all that. People watching can be an art.

   When I post my per city review, I will make recommendations on what websites were most helpful during my research for this trip.

    Smart phone Apps are your best friends when travelling abroad. They are indispensible to modern day travellers. How did we ever travel before them, it seems hard to imagine now!

    Ask a friend or friends who live abroad for help. A friend helped us get a hotel smack in the middle of Copenhagen when the whole city was fully booked - solid - for the 2 weeks we were in Europe. It helps to know someone, who knows someone who can make things happen. What a gem he is, truly! Take him out to dinner when you get there and let him choose the place. !

   Packing. Packing has always been my weakest point. I pack fast, no doubt about that. But Europe required more thought, and on top of that  I am planning to travel light. No checked in baggage to get there, only checked in baggage to get back to the States! Imagine the limitations on the wardrobe choices and to stay within the limits of weight for each airline. I was able to do it with some drastic changes in my thinking and the way I packed the contents of my luggage. I will never have to lug around a heavy suitcase ever again!!

   Camera. I have some very varied selections that I can take with me. R is a photography enthusiast, so I have very good advisor on that department, but let me tell you, since I was going light, my phone fit the bill on this department. The photos I will post were taken with my phone. 

   I will end this long introduction to series of Travel Tips for Europe with this, if you have that travel in you wanting to see more of the world, do it. Just go ahead and do it. Europe is changing and changing fast. If you want to see a country there, any country, just do it. Next year I am sure it will look different that what I saw last week. The constructions are going on, people are aplenty, the traffic in the public transport is always packed and it is getting busier by the day. I loved the fact that going there in September this year, it was still warm. But maybe next time, R and I will go on a different season. There is always something to see in Europe. See it now. 

See you tomorrow. Let me work on the photos and tomorrow I will post a few of them for you.

   

  

   

   

    

Where do I even begin? Let's start from the beginning, I suppose...

Blogging was and it still is, a way for me to let kind hearted people out there know that they are never alone.

What I have gone through, going through and what lies ahead is a journey. I am, with a tad of trepidation at times because of the unkonwn, willing to forge ahead and see what LIFE is all about.

I am all about living. No matter how dark some days are, it is always best to think positive. No aspect of one's life is truly sad and no one incident is truly very happy. It is a balance that we must accept and for our own good, embrace. We set our mind with that and nothing out there can scare or stop us. Again, doing the good thing bring more good things. 

First my apologies, to the anonymous reader I had that sent a very nice note regarding my Keratosis Pilaris. I still have them. Now, they appear less often and less severe than before. I watch what I eat very closely. I have given up on eggs (even if it is organic), raw tomatoes, soy sauce and of course all forms of meat ( being vegetarian, and all). I have noticed that salty foods (some cheese included) can trigger rashes that I immediately apply AMLACTIN lotion after a nice cold shower. I keep reapply throughout the day. I apply them as thick as I can and I know it itches, just think of something else or do something else, but don't scratch! Please. It is possible to live a very normal life with Keratosis Pilaris, some sacrifices have to be made though. I will let you in on a little secret, I have noticed that my Keratosis comes back during summer time and most especially when I am stressed. Oh, drink lots of water and avoid anything with yeast. By the way, did you know that the only spot on my body that get no rashes nor itch are on my tattoo? I think something in the ink of tattooing have some role to play in this. I don't know but, I thought I should mention it. Let me say this, after my Keratosis goes away and with all the lotions I put on my body during or after I have them, it feels so smooth and shiny. Now, anyone loves smooth, soft skin, right (wink!)? I wish you good luck. Write back if you have any more questions. Again, my apolgies for not answering your question right away.

Second, I have changed my password in here several times because this simple blog of mine have been attempted to be hacked. I mean, for what? I have nothing written in here that is even worth hacking. Some people have just way too much time in their hands! And all the change in passwords, you guessed it, I cannot remember them. Argh! So I sat down these last few days and just tried every single password related to this blog... et viola! 

Third, so many trips have been taken and I plan to play catch up very soon. Photos are awaiting to be shared here. I have some food reviews, hotel reviews, restaurant recommendations and loads of stories to tell...

Fourth, most importantly Life Lessons that are very exciting will probably take up most of my next series of blog topics.

Thank you everyone for all your visits to this site. I truly appreciate it. 

If you have any questions, please send me a message and I will try to answer them. 

For all those that wondering about "R", he is now my hubby. Life is what we make it.

Mistakes don't define us, it never will. It is what we do after a mistake is done to us that should define us. 

See you next time, tomorrow will be another day.