Packing hints that save money

I came across this article from Independent Traveler a while ago but never got around to posting it. A couple of them, i.e. making a bottle protector out of bubble wrap & using the clear zip bags from bedding, sound good to me but I don't think I want my old towels and pillowcases on public display (I guess I'm one of those "old-fashioned" people that dislikes looking like a slob, even when I'm on a long flight). Of course, you could buy some nice new ones on sale or at one of the discount stores and save them just for traveling.

When one of the big chain outdoor/sporting goods stores opened nearby, I soon realized that it was a great source for all sorts of handy little travel items (although my idea of "roughing it" is eating dinner on the porch). I have an assortment of Nalgene plastic bottles that I bought there so I can not only pack my own personal care sundries. but also have all the small sizes of my necessities in clear bags for the tote bag I carry on - a big help since I gave up putting a suitcase in the overhead compartment long ago, and of course it saves money compared to buying everything in those overpriced "travel sizes."

6 places you never thought you could afford

Of the several agent-oriented newsletters I receive, I've really been enjoying TRO because it always has interesting links, like this (hey, I finally got a hyperlink to work!). And wouldn't you know it, one of their choices for 6 exotic yet affordable destinations is on my own personal list of places to see: Krakow, Poland (above). I was especially intrigued by their breakdown of the total trip priceto the listed destinations vs. better-known locales that are comparable in terms of factors other than cost.

I spend a lot of time trying to convince people that, with some degree of planning, a trip abroad can cost the same or not much more than going to some domestic locations or even a Caribbean cruise. Granted, places like Vietnam, Panama, or India aren't for everyone but the world is a big place. Even in Europe, my specialty, there are countless places that are still affordable because they're off the beaten path. It just takes a little bit of creativity and curiosity to find them.

World's most expensive hotels

This was an amusing little item in one of my newsletters. Especially amusing since most of us can only dream about staying at these places... but they are fabulous! It's from an English source so the prices are quoted in pounds, but have some fun with a currency converter & figure out the price in dollars, which is even more shocking.

If only I could book a couple in the George V in Paris (above), I could live off the commission for about a year.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/picturegalleries/7250922/The-worlds-most-expensive-hotel-rooms.html?image=1

The McItaly burger

The first time I went to Italy, I was on a group tour & among the others was a youngish couple who seemed to have been planted there just to annoy the rest of us. There's someone like that in every crowd. The minute we stepped off the train in Florence, they spotted a McDonald's and they were off like a shot, the wife shrieking, "I gotta have a Big Mac!" At the time, it seemed almost embarassing for the rest of us: what could reinforce the "ugly American" stereotype more than two loudmouths running off for a Big Mac? Now it just seems kind of funny. Frankly, if they hadn't been so obnoxious otherwise, maybe I wouldn't have thought all that much about them going for a burger. I'll even admit to being intrigued by the McToast that I saw on all the signs in Rome & Florence... what could have been in something called McToast? A mystery that remains unsolved.

I was reminded of that instance recently when I saw the news about the McItaly burger, one of the many country-specific items that McDonald's introduces on a regular basis to appeal to the tastes of the local market. It's controversial for 2 reasons: first, the mere fact that it's from McDonald's and second, the Italian minister of agriculture, Luca Zaia, has been promoting it publicly. It seems that everything about the McItaly is 100% Italian, from the bun to the meat to the artichokes & Asiago cheese in between, and Mr. Zaia contends that this is a good thing for the Italian farmers and food producers who supply the ingredients. The Slow Food organization in Italy is appalled, just as they were years ago when McDonald's opened its first Italian location at the foot of the Spanish Steps in Rome. The gourmets abroad (or do they call themselves foodies now?) are appalled, most prominent among them the food critic of the politically liberal UK Guardian, whose editorial lament was answered in no uncertain terms by the politically conservative Italian minister. That little spat ran something like this: the Guardian writer claimed that it's the downfall of Western civilization and the Italian minister retorted by comparing food critics and other self-styled arbiters of high culture to Stalin's communist thugs. There's plenty about this silliness online, but for a clear-headed analysis (and a link to the Guardian article if you're curious) look here: http://www.chow.com/blog/2010/02/the-mcitaly-mccontroversy/ (unfortunately I can't get the hyperlink to work).

I was raised on Italian food and not the kind you necessarily find in a restaurant, either here or in Italy, and when I've been there, I've eaten in every sort of place from elegant restaurants to the kitchens of my relatives. I'll be the first one to say that Italian food is the best stuff on earth but I have no patience with snobbery in any form, especially when it comes to food. The fuss over the McItaly is ironic because Italian cuisine is overwhelmingly peasant food, the simple things that fed working people. Sort of like hamburgers (okay, maybe a good fresh one from a diner & not a Big Mac)? I also resent certain assumptions about my country and my culture but that's another story. Yes, I'm an American and yes, I like a burger once in a while - and so do my Italian friends & relatives. In fact, my cousin Steffy ate practically nothing but burgers and pancakes in the 2 weeks that she was here.

Italy and the rest of the world are in no danger from McDonald's. The lowest number of McDonald's per capita are in Italy. I really doubt that most Italians really care one way or the other because they don't go there - it's considered a place for kids and tourists. While this tourist has never eaten in an Italian McDonald's, the McItaly would tempt me. Actually, it looks pretty good... and maybe I'll even find out about McToast.

Single travelers: has our day finally come?

One of the chief problems facing single travelers is the cost, particularly from the dreaded single supplement charge for cruises and tours but according to this story, things are changing. Certain cruise lines are leading the way in attracting single travelers by eliminating the supplement and hopefully it will become the industry's standard practice. In my humble opinion, the tour operators would benefit even more than the cruise lines because in many respects, tours are an ideal way for singles to travel; however, most single people (myself included) are put off by the idea of having to share a room with a stranger in order to save money. For a traveler on a budget, the cost of the single supplement can be the deciding factor in taking the trip at all. Also, it goes without saying that singles are tired of being treated like second-class citizens by an industry which has gone out of its way to attract other special-interest groups. I'm speaking of people who are truly focused on traveling, particularly to foreign destinations, as opposed to those interested in socializing or meeting potential mates on the many singles cruises that have been offered for years - and even they can get hit with the extra cost.


Whether this is driven by pressure from single travelers or the economic reality of a seemingly endless slump in travel is a matter of debate, but I think it's a good move. And long overdue.

Language matters here too

The "interesting" uses of English abroad are a never-ending source of amusement for me. For example, the first time I went to Rome, I spotted a shop near the Spanish Steps proudly labeled "Expensive!", including the exclamation point. I was even more puzzled when closer inspection revealed that it wasn't an expensive shop at all. In fact, the stuff was downright affordable. Much later, when I was back home, I was telling my Italian friend about it and her explanation was, "We think English words are very chic."

Naturally English speakers think the opposite, especially here in the United States, and Italian seems to have overtaken French as the ultimate in chic. I guess that curious uses of Italian words were bound to happen some time and just to prove it, the shop in the photo opened nearby. When I first saw the sign, I didn't think of the expensive (truly!) bathroom fixtures that they were selling, but I did think of the restrooms in Fiumicino airport. Yes indeed, the Italian word for restrooms (plural) is servizi. And aside from the fact that I don't have money to burn on bathroom renovations, I just don't have the guts to ask if they chose that name on purpose.

Since turnabout it fair play, I also found one of my photos of a place I spotted in Florence - and pardon the pun, but I didn't have the guts to go in there either.

Vegas in Pittsburgh: Rivers Casino

Since many people are foregoing trips for "staycations", today I thought I'd switch from travel agent to unofficial visitors' bureau for my hometown of Pittsburgh and write about my own recent excursion to the Rivers Casino. Well, it is winter in western Pennsylvania and since we're longing for anything that will remind us of sunshine and good times, now we can at least pretend we're in Las Vegas or Atlantic City once we get inside...

Now I'm one of those people that never, ever wanted to bother with Las Vegas. I'm not opposed to gambling but I just don't enjoy it, and I always thought that was all there was to pass the time there. That and going to see stale comedians and washed-up singers. Obviously it had changed a lot by the time I went, somewhat reluctantly led by my gambler friends, because I had quite a good time and have ever since. The extent of my gambling is losing a few dollars in the penny slots, but naturally I find plenty of stores and restaurants to burn the rest of my cash. I came to appreciate the city's unique, over-the-top appeal so my friends didn't have nearly as hard of a time getting me to Atlantic City, which lacked the scale of Vegas but had a beach and the boardwalk to recommend it. I guess it was only logical that I also came to associate the flashing and clanging of the casinos with having fun on vacation.

In any event, I can say with confidence that the Rivers is on a par with practically anything in those cities if you take the differences in the markets and hence size into account. It is just a casino so there's no giant hotel, shopping mall, or theater, but it has everything else. Okay, there's no free alcohol - it is Pennsylvania, after all, but there's all the free pop (that's soda for you outsiders) and coffee you can drink at the many stations throughout the gaming area as well as bars right among the slots. The upscale restaurant and casual eateries are also on the main floor as is the recently opened sports bar, and the buffet is upstairs. I ate at the buffet and was impressed by both the variety and quality of the food. There is no theme in the decor (something that I frankly don't miss) but it is as stylish and contemporary as anything I've seen, even in Las Vegas. Perhaps the best touch for the City of Champions are the video screens built right into the slot machines, so diehard sports fans don't even have to miss out on gambling to watch the game.

Find out all about the Rivers Casino here , and if you're in need of a little vacation, head on over!