I will tell you all about it.
If you happen to be along the Almafi Coast in Italy head to Salerno for a bit of menswear shopping. Walking on the Via Mercanti in the old city I saw Ferlazzo Giuseppe store with a sign posted of 50% off. My “SALE GENE” kicked in. The two floor store carries some stylish Neapolitan pieces.
More to come on the undedapprecicated Amalfi city. I had a two day then loved the coastal resort.
I have no clue what size luggage fits on a plane now. As we know the discount airlines are like vultures looking for ways to charge fees. Basically on Ryanair, anything bigger than a toothbrush case will cost an extra 30 euros. This should be interesting.
I received a press release of the product ViraShield by tech start up Pictar. If I had gotten this mail 18 months ago I would have laughed. Or thought to myself, “an EasyJet Safety Bag”. For those moments during budget traveling when you need to have a tight happy zone. Outrageous!
2020 has made me rethink about life, especially travel. Sooner or later I have to get on a train or plane again. My worry is real. Newspaper stories about travellers infected during travel then isolated on arrival became common.
At $89.00 the ViraShield could be money well spent. A way to prevent an expensive unintended 10 to 14 day quarantine.
It’s light, reusable and adjustable. Producers claim it is resistant to droplets. Because of the 360° design, the users body is protected at all times.
Is this future of travel? Would I travel with the ViraShield? This year proved not ruling out anything.
The writer has not taken a train, bus or plane in months.
Black and Paper covers travel features. We were saddened by the cancellation the ITB a few weeks ago. The tourism industry affected by the Coronavirus outbreak.The impact lasting for many seasons to come.
The airline industry will not be the same. Today IATA announced airlines will lose a combined $252 billion this year, revised from an earlier estimate of $115 billion. As carriers ground fleets indefinitely, many will go bankrupt.
I wanted to see the damage for myself. Travelling to the BER Airport I photographed Moth Balled planes on the tarmac from EasyJet, Ryanair, and Lufthansa. The jobs lost, an industry crashing to the ground. I felt despair.
However, I think this should be a time of reflection for airlines. Many treat customers as a necessary inconvenience. Customer service and the travel experience have the feel of a cattle drive. Round Them Up! Let’s have optimism out of this crisis some positive changes occur in the future.
I took a business trip to Munich on the Deutsche Bahn recently. Booking a first class ticket with a reserved seat to the Bavarian city is a must. Once,,,, I made the mistake of taking D Bahn without reserving a a seat. No Thank You! “Fool me once shame on you, Fool me twice shame on me!”
The challenge of buying a bargain ticket on Germany train is same as guessing the winning numbers of a lottery ticket. Sometimes it is cheaper to go first class than second class. YES! It all depends on destination and luck. I had a bit of luck on this travel.
My first class ticket only costs 50 euros round trip plus an additional 10 euros to reserve a seat. I got a ICE normal fast service from main station Berlin to Munich in 5 hours. The new fast express service takes 4 hours. With this, the air line travel has become needles. Especially with the Munich airport being one hour away from the city center. Trust me, this is fastest way to go between these two cities.
The Deutsche Bahn Service, First Class is above average, nothing spectacular but reliable. First class car is made up of leather seats three across. In comparison, second class is 4 seats across.
I had a table for working and spacious leg room. The Internet connection proved smooth, easy to log in with few interruptions on the travel. I saw the ticket conductor once. Then a coach stewart came to ask me if I wanted something from the cafeteria car. I got a juice for 2.80 euros. Suddenly, in the middle of traveling, the stewart came back offering complimentary small chocolate bars.
The trains makes several stops on the way to Munich. On some past travels I had to change trains in Nuremberg before completing the last part of the journey.
I arrived in the center of Munich 4 minutes late. Not bad. I had a smooth journey, felt relaxed, walked straight to my meeting only 10 minutes away from the central station.
If you plan to travel on Deutsche Bahn, book in advance and look at all the options for the best fare.
The first time I visited Prague in 1997, it was a city still waking up from years of Communist rule. I managed to cross The Charles Bridge many times both day and night. Walking up to the Prague Castle to get pictures standing overlooking the River was easy.
My first day I met locals who showed me around, took me to real basement bars. Hanging around, talking to Czechs about everything and how proud they were of the future.
2019, my first visit after 22 years. Reading as a destination, Prague joined the list of “Over-touristed Cities” with Barcelona and Venice. I could not imagine the level of visitors, 8.6 million tourists for a city with a population of 2.6 million. At times I had to wonder if I am a part of the too many tourist problem.
Walking across the same bridge, waiting in line for Space Mountain is simpler. Navigating through the Medieval passages, a tuna in a can has more space. The Old Town Square evolved into a cheap tourist trap selling overpriced souvenirs and hawkers.
If you want to be near the Prague Clock at striking time. If personal space is not an issue, get there early.
A restaurant within a 20 minute walk of the center requires a reservation after 5pm.
My advice: Be Prepared. Be Patient.
I like Prague. A place that retains a very unique charm. Not as Imperial or Grand as other European destinations, the capital city is intimate. After walking around during 3 cloudy days I can understand a bit of Kafka’s melancholy crisis. The city lacks the feeling of optimism, instead an outward feeling of the serious side of life is everywhere.
I took pleasure walking around. I looked up to see a statues on buildings or an ornate facades: Gothic, Romantic, Post Modern, Art Nouveau. Each style is represented along the the streets from District 1 to 5.
Once a part of the Austrian Empire, the coffee culture continues to influence the mid day social life. Stylized cafes in the center still buzz with locales and visitors having cake and drinks. One day we went to 3 houses, each one different.
I recommend visiting Prague. As a travel destination, it is enchanting.
Prague is a walking city. Along the shores of the Vltava River, the Czech Capital buildings go from Dark Gothic to Minimal Modernist to Ornate Art Nouveau. While I did not recognize a masterplan. Admittedly, I am a laymen when it comes to architecture, the eclectic harmony is visually pleasing. On every street, I was inspired to take a picture of a facade or a statue. There was not a dull moment when I looked up!
