There is more Americanism in Paris than a dancing Gene Kelly. On our November trip we pass many connections to our history. Street names emphasize our mutual friendship dating from before the American Revolution and continuing today: Rue Benjamin Franklin, Avenue Franklin, Avenue du President Kennedy.
Famous Pyramid Louvre, designed by America I. M Pei.
George Washington is honored with monuments in Paris. One is in Place d’Iéna which runs into the famous Arch de Triple we will pass.…
That is a smart thought. Before an Olympic, cities have to pass a tight audit well in advance of their dates. The audit covers their ability to host a major event: infrastructure, transportation, hotels, security, and such.
All images Sources: Paris Tourism and VisitParis
The benefits of hosting the games are huge: employment and a gigantic boost in tourism. The city builds new arenas and cleans up older ones.Most…
Today I started packing for Europe: specifically England, Italy and Switzerland. Although packing is no big deal for me, many women asked for my ‘system’. There are no fancy gadgets, no newly acquired clothes. There is no $1,000 cashmere scarf, which travel magazine writers tout as an airplane coverup.
Here goes THE SYSTEM.
Start at the bottom of your body, literally.
Shoes: 2 pairs only, sneakers with which your feet are old friends AND one pair of light weight flats. Mine are black Allbirds.
Women choose destinations based on 2 factors: intrinsic interest and the strong effect of marketing. Movies like Eat Pray Love or a TV Series like Emily in Paris tempt us. Gorgeous Caribbean blue water ads warm our hearts. Special events, ie King Charles III coronation, gets us packing.
The Women’s Travel Group was recently asked: Can you ‘walk’ me through the airport? I have not traveled overseas in a long time. Re-entry to travel is daunting. So here is The Women’s Travel Group’s step by step airport walk through.
When you arrive at the airport, have handy your passport and booking information. The latter might be a print out of your flights? An electric pass in your phone? Or just a record locator you jotted down.
Recently I experienced a flight cancellation. The cancellation was announced after a long delay and various updates. It was due to weather. So no yelling at the airline or getting unduly upset. Weather is not the airline’s responsibility. It changes minute to minute so delays can linger before a formal cancellation.
Most of us hate our passport photos; most of us at The Women’s Travel Group do. We take them in a vending booth, Staples, Fedex office or some other commercial space where we muster up a smile in front of strangers. Now here is the news: paper identification like a passport or license is moving to image recognition. Some of you already use images to open your smart phone.
Source TSA
Image recognition might also be familiar if you use Clear.…
One of our members recently asked I have not been able to travel to Europe for many years. What is different? As a tour operator for women mainly coming solo, we hear this often. Traveling across the globe is daunting when alone. Since Covid isolation years, travel re-entry is more intense. Some of her answers are below.
The Women’s Travel Group helps with advice on avoiding long airport lines. We all know what a passport is. Do you know what a mobile passport is? For eons, passports have been paper, then booklets of paper, then booklets of paper wrapped in firmer material.
A US Passport is only issued by the Department of State. By law, a valid unexpired U.S. passport (or passport card) is conclusive proof of U.S. citizenship.
If there is a special event, restaurant or museum exhibit you wish, book it now. Europeans are raring to travel; so far a 14% increase. A Vermeer exhibit in Amsterdam was sold out months in advance. A revival of Guys and Dolls in London same situation. I am not a believer of Skip the Line tickets; seems elitist. If the ticket relates to your dreams, then go ahead.
