Monthly Archives: July 2011

July 11, 2011

Souvenirs

By simply three cents

What to buy? My criteria are that it is small, simple and easy to get in any place and really easy to bring home. Sometimes I fail with some of my purchases but my absolute must are magnets!

I try to make sure the magnet has some kind of reference to the trip if possible. And I will make sure to get one from each place. So an eleven-day trip to Argentina resulted in a total of nine magnets and a ten-day trip to Croatia raised me seven magnets.

I hate getting magnets as gifts because according to my ‘rules’ I must have been there! The magnets I get as gifts are for the fridge. The magnets I acquire on my travels are on these big magnetic boards reserved solely for magnets collected on my travels. Weird maybe, but it’s my ‘thing!’

For example:

  • Atlanta, Georgia, it was hot, so my magnet has a thermometer on it
  • Cancun, I was there for spring break, so it was a bottle opener (serving two purposes – souvenir and opening those bottles!
  • Scotland, magnet with bagpipes that play when you push the button
  • Breckenridge, a snowboard (though this is ironic because my friend and I did anything but participate in snow sports on that trip!)
  • Boston, a leaf, it was a fall trip
  • Dewey Beach, Delaware, a crab that was a bottle opener
  • Niagara Falls, Canada, the boat that goes under the falls
  • San Juan Islands, Washington state, whales
  • Carlsbad Caverns, New Mexico, bats
  • San Gimignano, Italy, a magnet in the shape of the skyline. they call it the Medieval Manhattan because of its medieval architecture, which look like tall buildings, but I must clarify, they are tall for Tuscany 😉
  • Brussels, a magnet in the shape of the Mannekin Pis
  • Ushuaia, Argentina, a penguin since we walked with them!
  • Hvar, Croatia, a ship, not exactly the boats we took to and from and around the island, but we did spend a lot of time on the water
  • Texas, a magnet in the shape of the state. Now, I have covered a lot of ground in the great state of Texas, with two road trips and various business trips, but for my first trip through and within Texas, I thought a map would be best suited for road trip number one.
  • Austin, Texas, a magnet shaped like a guitar, since on that first road trip we spent a lot of time listening to live music, as one does in Austin, Texas.
  • El Calafate, Argentina (where we hiked a glacier), the magnet is shaped like hiking boots with crampons
  • Vegas, a casino chip magnet
  • Keuka Lake, Finger Lakes, New York state and Nantucket, QKA, FLX and ACK, respectively (those stickers on the backs of cars – these are magnets like that)
  • Seville, Spain, a magnet in the shape of a typical Andalusian home
  • Grand Canyon, Arizona, a magnet with typical native sketching

Some places get more than one magnet.

  • Argentina, we visited three towns, and did lots of activities in those towns, so where there’s a gift shop there I am (see above for some of the magnets collected on the trip!). I also got a magnet showing off a main street – Av. Corrientes – in Buenos Aires, which is where my great-grandma was born. Since we traveled within the country, I couldn’t leave without a magnet of the physical shape of the country. Argentina’s flag is blue and white, and the flag was proudly displayed everywhere we went, I found a magnet with the country in blue and white, how apropos!
  • Costa Rica, several, including a photo magnet of the boyfriend and I ziplining in the rainforest, but also one of this flower native to the region that I fell in love with
  • Paris, France, two: one of the Eiffel Tower and one of the Notre Dame – which was our view in our second round of accommodation
  • Annapolis, Maryland, a sailboat AND the goat with the Navy flag
  • Croatia and Bosnia, again visited several places within the two countries – Dubrovnik, Split (where this big statue was a main draw – so of course that’s my chosen magnet) and Plitvicka Jereza, the national park, so I collected accordingly!

And sometimes an event gets its own magnet, with another for the state it happened in…

  • Kentucky, a magnet from the 133rd running of the Derby I went to and another of a horse, after all, a friend and I did spend time driving through Kentucky and the lush green fields to get there…
  • Which is why my magnet of Ohio, is also a shape of the state

One magnet I regretfully did not get was in Korcula, Croatia. They say it’s the birthplace of Marco Polo and I could not find the ‘perfect’ magnet. And now I don’t have one. The island was so small that other islands did not carry any magnets from that island. In my heart I will know I was there.

Is there something specific that you collect on your travels?

Leave a comment | posted in in and around the world, things that make me smile, travel

July 10, 2011

It just knows…

By simply three cents

Have you ever taken a look at some of the ads that appear on your Facebook account? It’s all highly targeted using your profile information, likes and interests.

So really, I shouldn’t be surprised that some ads are spot on for my gender (female), my demographic (early-mid 30s), my geographic location (in the NYC area) and interests (travel deals and wine clubs). Others are well, um, not so much.

Advertisers would be happy to know that I click some of the former….and the latter, well they are usually good for a laugh.

If you have any memorable ads targeted your way, please share in the comments below.

Leave a comment | posted in just silly, observations

July 9, 2011

If I knew then what I know now

By simply three cents

A friend and I were new to the travel scene. We had only arrived in London a few weeks prior. She would live there for three months, and me for six. A few weekends in, we had decided that we wanted to go to Paris! Cue Bonjour Paris from Funny Face.

Oh Paris. We couldn’t wait to get there. Everything romantic about Paris that one would think of, we had in our heads. Romance! Fashion! Shopping! Sophistication! Food!

Yes, that Paris probably exists. But since we were recent college grads and not really rolling in the dough, that Paris would have to wait. Our fine French cuisine was perfectly fine. Fine dining it was not. We had perfectly fine crepes from street carts, and assorted cheeses and omelets and wine. Oh the wine. We drank it like water that weekend. Hey, it was cheaper than a soda, and we were trying to stay on some semblance of a budget for our weekend getaway!

We had arrived by train late at night and we had booked a small hotel. We didn’t want to stay at <gasp> hostels (soon after this trip I realized hotels would be my new best friend during my travels). This was a small, cheap place.

If TripAdvisor was around back then, we didn’t know. And if it was, from my memory of the place, it would not be highly rated.

I remember was that the blankets were like potato sacks, the lock to our door was broken and the climb to our room was at least 6 flights of rounded staircase.

Did I mention we packed high heel boots? We had no business doing that because fancy dinners and fashion nights out were not in our future. We also packed skirts and cute tank tops. Did I mention this was the middle of November and Paris weather is not warm that time of year.  We didn’t realize this of course, thinking, it was Paris! Ooh la la!

The plus I remember about the place we stayed, was that we had one of those romantic balconies you think of when thinking of Parisian architecture. Granted it was not very deep so we basically stood with our back to the building clutching the wrought iron balcony directly in front of us.

What my friend did not tell me was that our terrace, connected to every other terrace, oh, and that terrace door, did not lock.

This place was so far out of the center of Paris, we couldn’t even see the Eiffel Tower. This would not be a big deal since we didn’t know if you could see the Eiffel Tower from everywhere in the city, except we found out later that night that we were nearly thirty minutes outside of Paris. Maybe even further.

So what are you to do when arriving late into a strange city displeased with your chosen accommodation? Get drunk at the local bistro of course!

And get drunk we did. I believe we ate cheese omelets (only thing we could read on the menu) and drank more than enough red wine. Somehow the two of us started speaking French via my Spanish skills and met a few locals. I remember that we decided to get drunk in order to tolerate the accommodations. I do not recommend this.

Needless to say we got back to our place, laid down our heads and woke up very hungover. This is why I don’t recommend this. We were hungover in gross digs, that we were already repulsed by. It was slow-moving but we were ready and willing to find new digs for our remaining two nights in Paris!

The place we found overlooked the Notre Dame, in a great neighborhood, and to this day I have no idea how much we spent. I can tell you that when I started backpacking like a proper backpacker, never again did I stay in a place that had an elevator AND en suite televisions! Not only did this place have an elevator, it was one of those old school cargo elevators where you could see out as you went up. And the televisions, had English-speaking stations with French subtitles.*

While this place wasn’t the Four Seasons, for two clueless backpackers…we were sitting pretty for two nights. I laugh now because we had so much to learn.

* Having televisions with English channels in a country whose native language is not English actually annoys me now. I love not really knowing what’s on the news but trying to figure it out. You are totally taken out of your comfort zone and it turns into very basic language learning. I find it fun.

2 Comments   |  tags: | posted in packing, things that make me smile, train travel, travel, travelogues

July 8, 2011

Airport Insecurity

By simply three cents

Ah so.

Setting: International Departures. Near gate for JFK flight at San Jose airport in Costa Rica. June 2008. [For one to be at this point, one had to go through airport security already.]

Main Character: A man (we’ll call him shopper man) shops at duty-free before boarding his flight (incidentally, it’s also my flight). He buys a huge bottle of Jack Daniels.

Act 1; Scene 1: Boarding starts. But before passengers get to the actual gate to get on the plane, travelers must go through a second round of security. Tables, wands, security is at the ready to search bags again. 

I didn’t see shopper man purchase the bottle of JD, but I am nosy, and right behind him, and he told security that he bought it at duty-free…he even showed his receipt noting the purchase just a few minutes prior! But security takes away his HUGE bottle of JD. The duty-free shop was probably less than fifty feet (I’m bad at math but the boyfriend said that’s a good guess) from the gate. In fact our gate was next to duty-free. It was RIGHT.OVER.THERE.

Both of our mouths, as observers, drop in shock. Shopper man’s mouth did a little more than drop with some key phrases and emotions. He was given the option to check the bottle in his luggage. We moved through and left the poor guy at one of the tables not knowing what he would do.

Act 1; Scene 2: Shopper man boarded sans bottle.

He was seated near us and the boyfriend asked what happened after we went through. Shopper guy told us he was given the option to check it (which we knew) but what we didn’t know was that the process to ‘check it’ required him to go back to the main terminal so they could try to retrieve his bag. Then he could put the bottle in and check it. 

Because of the time and uncertainty involved, the likelihood that he and his bag would both make the flight was not worth it to him. With the departure time closing in, shopper guy declined and basically donated the bottle to the security team at that gate at the SJO airport for their after work party I am sure. Cheers.

***

 There was no way to know. And there was no way to argue. If he had chosen to check it at that point, who knows if it would have made it on the flight since we were already well into the boarding process. I’m pretty sure he dropped a nice sum on that bottle thinking it would be okay to bring home. Alas, it wasn’t. It was an expensive lesson for him, and a good one for us.

We also experienced the unexpected during a layover in Frankfurt. After flying from Newark to Frankfurt, we had to go through security before we could make our way to the gate for the Frankfurt to Dubrovnik leg. At Frankfurt’s security we were scrutinized for having carry-on approved (via US standards) liquids in our carry-ons. Mind you, this passed muster on the flight from Newark. So major screening ensued.

More recently, we had some extra pesos to spend before boarding a flight baack to the States from Buenos Aires (EZE). Like shopper guy in Costa Rica, we were drawn to the Malbecs at duty-free. We had quite a bit of money to spend (failing miserably at my mission to spend all funny money before arriving at any foreign airport) so we loaded up on boxes of famous Argentine cookies, and one bottle of wine. We both had the Costa Rica incident on the brain and we were only willing to gamble with our funds to potentially lose one bottle. Lucky for us, we didn’t lose it. At EZE they package the bottle in a sealed bag that once broken, you’re safe. That seal must not be tampered with and remain as is until you pass through US Customs to avoid confiscation.

Security screening is not consistent within the US. Don’t expect it to be elsewhere around the world. I’ve seen it first hand and I know that you’ve got to take it in stride. Because the rules are inconsistent across the board, and the world, there’s nothing you can do about it.

Traveling is all about expecting the unexpected and sometimes you are simply at the mercy of what that particular airports rules are that day, at that time. It’s all for our safety anyway, isn’t it?

What have YOU seen in airports that makes you go hmmm?

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , | posted in travel

July 7, 2011

Caffeine Nation

By simply three cents

So I don’t usually frequent [well-known coffee chain in the US]. I don’t drink coffee. I don’t like the flavor and I don’t crave the caffeine and I have all the tea and hot chocolate at my disposal in my workplace.

Today, I was asked to join some colleagues for a coffee run. I went. But what’s a girl to do? The options! The calories! The names! The sizes! The caffeine!

Instead of getting a drink, I had originally planned to stop off and grab some chocolate, (I had my salty fix earlier in the day) so let’s not get too hung up on the calorie count of these drinks. But I don’t want to drink the calories. I’m all about snacking, but that’s snacking. Sipping calories…unless it’s a chocolate malted milkshake, I say, what’s the point?

Plus, it was late in the day, so I wasn’t looking for a caffeine rush. If I really a boost, I will drink a Mountain Dew. I like to think that I am naturally caffeinated 😉

I let my cohorts know I don’t like coffee so they direct me to the various iced tea offerings. I, too, can make tea, throw a few ice cubes in and voila…iced tea.

I’m also a bit of a tea snob, so I also have my own tea selection at my desk, so I’ve got instant access to enjoyable flavors.

So I’m not sure why the lines are terrifically long. Maybe the coffee is THAT good. I won’t know the difference. But tea? It’s weak. So weak in fact that I poured some of my own tea into it for some more flavor.

Sorry [well-known coffee chain in the US].

For all of you loyal coffee chain fans, what’s your drink of choice?

And, I’m all about second chances. Convince me to try again! Even if it is a quasi-coffee drink.

Leave a comment | posted in food

July 6, 2011

Brrrrr

By simply three cents

WHY?

I work in a building that is green, and environmentally friendly. In fact, when the temperature outside goes above a certain temp, the lights in the lobby are turned off to conserve energy.

Why then, is it that I freeze at work because the air conditioning is at Arctic temperatures?

I have had to go shopping for a sweater (in the middle of summer), I have had to wrap myself in company branded sweatshirts to warm up. I love walking outside on hot and humid days because the goosebumps go away. You know it’s bad that when washing your hands in the bathroom, you don’t want to leave because the hot water feels so good.

And it’s over 85 degrees outside.

Go figure.

WHY Wednesday.

Leave a comment | posted in WHY Wednesday

July 5, 2011

Flying in this morning

By simply three cents

Again, stay tuned. I am sure there will be some observation worth noting.

Leave a comment | posted in Uncategorized

July 4, 2011

Fabulous, Fantastic and Fun Fourths!

By simply three cents

The Fourth of July is my favorite holiday. Hands down, the Fourth is the best holiday all year.

The Fourth falls smack in the middle of summertime. There are fireworks, it’s a long weekend, there are picnics with burgers, hot dogs, beers and music, lots of patriotism and quality time with friends and family…I mean, what’s not to love?

It’s the best. I’ve had so many fun Fourths! It has always been my favorite holiday and as a kid, it always happened to fall during our own family summer vacation, and oh so close to my birthday. I have to give my parents so much credit for always making our family Fourths fabulously fun – sorry, I am loving the alliteration.

Fun Family Fourths include:

  • Seeing the first Fourth of July parade in the nation, in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Literally, the first since the parade starts at midnight!
  • Spending the holiday weekend exploring and enjoying our nation’s capital
  • Picnicking on various beaches along the Eastern Seaboard watching the sunset followed by watching fireworks overhead
  • Spending it with the Mouse and his friends in Disney World (which as an adult I could only say would be pure hell)
  • No list is complete without a nod to my dad and his grill skills and my mom’s macaroni salad. Our backyard barbeques were always, and are still, tons of fun – on the Fourth or not.

What were your memorable Fourths? If you are here in the States, have a safe and fabulous holiday weekend.

Leave a comment | posted in holidays, in and around the USA

July 3, 2011

Stay tuned

By simply three cents

I was scheduled to fly the other day. Am sure there is a story coming out of this…

Leave a comment | posted in Uncategorized

July 2, 2011

She Works Hard for Her…

By simply three cents

Sunflower seeds?

For a lot of work, there’s not that much to enjoy.

I could say the same about crab legs, or lobster…that there’s a lot of work. But, there’s more of a reward than with sunflower seeds.

Don’t you agree? What other foods are a lot of work and are either worth the reward, or aren’t?

Leave a comment | posted in food