My Advice for Other First Time Europe Visitors
Jun 24th, 2002, 05:33 PM
#44
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Carin - No kidding. We walked so much I broke my shoes. But every step was worth it.<BR><BR>In response to another poster - I only wore my jacket in Italy on travel days and I took it off once we got settled on the train etc. I think I might have worn it one night to dinner when the temp was quite comfortable. I did wear it more often in London and Paris.<BR><BR>Thanks for kind words. Keep it up and I really will post a trip report. I found so much helpful information on this message board before our trip I just wanted to give a little back.
Jun 24th, 2002, 06:15 PM
#45
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Hey, Belinda, we call it "scrapbooking"! I've used old music sheets from the flea market or city maps for background, taken photos of the horizon (several in a row) then hooked them together for a grand city view, glued coins onto the page, and used a lace bookmark from Burano to add more flavor to my photo albums. My husband is trained to empty his pockets every night for me to scoop up tickets, programs, brochures etc that he knows to save.
Jun 25th, 2002, 05:56 AM
#46
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GUIDEBOOKS: Before we left I read a number of guidebooks, Fodors, Rick Steves, Michelin, etc. I now have quite a library. I decided to take the Rick Steves books with me as I like how they are organized and, because of the type of paper used in publishing them, they are light weight.<BR><BR>I used yellow plastic post-it flags to mark the key pages in each city. On the flags I wrote the key word, like, Louvre, British Museum, Restaurants, etc. That way I could easily turn to the page that I needed.<BR><BR>As we left each city, I left my guidebook behind. Sometimes donating it to the hotel library, sometimes to an arriving guest as we were departing.<BR><BR>In addition to the guide books I had purchased maps for each city. For Paris I had a really handy map book where I used the same procedure of flagging pages, Hotel, Eiffel Tower, etc. I can't recall the name of the map book, but it was extremely helpful. I'll try to find it and post it later.<BR><BR>I also compiled a small spiral notebook with key information. The front couple of pages were flight information. Next few pages contained train info - times, train numbers, station name, etc. Then each city had its own section beginning with hotel name, address and phone number.<BR><BR>Because we were doing so much in so little time, I thought it was important to make access to information as efficient and pain-free as possible. For the most part it worked.<BR><BR>I like the idea of including coins in the scrapbook. Thanks.
Jun 28th, 2002, 06:04 PM
#48
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<BR>Your reports are very interesting and charming. Thanks for bringing back some memories of discovery. <BR><BR>One Q:<BR>I've spent a lot of time in Europe and have a number of phone cards from France, Italy, and other countries. I do not understand your comments on the phone card in France. You wrote: <BR><BR>" In Paris you have to<BR> use a phone card that you insert in the pay phone. So we went in search of a<BR> phone card which we bought at a wine shop as the tobacco shop nearby was<BR> already closed. We went back to the pay phone on the street, but couldn't use<BR> the phone card without some other card you have to insert into the pay phone<BR> first. A very nice guy waiting to use the phone offered us his card to use while<BR> we made our call. Someone who understands Paris pay phones can no doubt<BR> explain this better. My guess is we screwed something up."<BR><BR>I've never experienced a need for a "second card" as you report. Does anyone have any experience with this?
Jul 7th, 2002, 06:02 AM
#50
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Hi all, about the calling card. I used an AT&T calling card as well, and I know that if you're using a payphone in Switzerland, you have to click in one of the little 5sfr cards you buy at the newsstand just to get a dial tone; but as soon as you do, you continue w/your at&t instructions re the access number.<BR><BR>Here's my question, Belinda. Is it possible for you to estimate how much international longdistance time you were able to get from a 600-minute card? Obviously, 600 minutes for intra-US calls will not mean 600 for international. I want to send a couple of cards to an elderly friend in spain, so she can call her US friends, and I'd like to be able to give her a realistic idea of how much time each will give her. I know, I know "call AT&T". This is more fun. So shoot me. J.
Jul 7th, 2002, 06:25 PM
#53
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Really enjoyed all your posts. I'll be leaving the end of month for Paris and London for the first time. Thinking a blazer could be a good idea--I'm really a jeans and t-shirt gal normally. But when in Europe...<BR><BR>Hope you'll ASAP post a complete report. Thanks for all the good tips.
Jul 7th, 2002, 06:37 PM
#55
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JW - The insert that came with the card listed countries and the associated minutes. Seems to me the 600 minute domestic card translated to about 60 minutes of international calls. However, I found that I got more than 60 minutes out of my card. I bought the card at Sam's Club and it cost around $20. Hope that is helpful.
Jul 7th, 2002, 10:49 PM
#56
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Belinda,<BR><BR>Loved your report. As a first timer who traveled to Italy, Germany, Austria and Switzerland just a few weeks ago, may I add a few remarks to yours?<BR><BR>-To Blimey, You are allowed to bring nail clippers as a carry-on now. <BR><BR>-Regarding trains in Italy: The Italian trains were much more disorganized than we found the German trains. When we arrived in Munich we booked seat reservations (we had a Railpass already) for the train segments that we needed them for our whole trip. The German trains listed the Platform # right on the seat reservations - very organized!<BR><BR>Like Belinda I found with the Italian trains you could arrive 30-45 minutes before your departure and your platform would not be listed on the departure board. Also on the seat reservation it lists your car #. We had a lot of trouble finding the car #s on the outside of the Italian trains. Just not posted!!<BR><BR>In contrast, the German train stations would have a display alongside the platform showing the car #s, the class of car, and Smk/Non-smk cars. We had a Cisalpino train come into Stuttgart from Milan on Platform 1. We had 10 minutes to connect with another train on Platform 15. We were told to stand by the train doors to be the first ones off to manage that connection. No problem! Train arrived right on time, we were first ones off, down the stairs, all the way to the other end of the station, up the stairs, check the platform display, discover our car is the first one (at the far end, that is), hike all the way to the letter 'A', and walk right into our car. This could never happen in Italy. The German stations have the letters A, B, C, etc. posted overhead alongside the platform so you can stand at the correct position for your car.<BR><BR>Our Stuttgart to Munich train even had individual video screens in the seatbacks. We watched movies on the way to Munich in German, of course.<BR><BR>Hope this info helps other newbees.<BR><BR>Dee
Jul 9th, 2002, 01:27 PM
#60
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Shannon - I'm working on it. Don't rush me. 
I'm still trying to get the photos in albums. If it wasn't for my darn job I'd be done by now. Course if it wasn't for my darn job I'd never be able to travel. Ah, life's little ironies. If only I had time to contemplate them. And so it goes.....
I'm still trying to get the photos in albums. If it wasn't for my darn job I'd be done by now. Course if it wasn't for my darn job I'd never be able to travel. Ah, life's little ironies. If only I had time to contemplate them. And so it goes.....
