London & Paris (New Years 2011/2012), a set on Flickr.
Hanging out in London & Paris over New Years 2011…come join us!
Tag: culture
Swiss Miss: The Olympic Museum & Lovely Lausanne (Switzerland)
While visiting Geneva, I decided to take a quick trip to Lausanne (which is 40 minutes from Geneva, 30 minutes from Chillon). Lausanne is MUCH better than Geneva so my advice is to skip Geneva and spend your time visiting Lausanne, Montreux and Chillon.
Lake Geneva is in the southwest corner of Switzerland and separates the country from France. This area is known as the Swiss Riviera and the predominant language is French. Lausanne calls itself the “Olympic Capital” (it has been the home to the International Olympic Committee since 1915). This colorful city was first founded on the lakefront by the Romans (and really, what city didn’t they discover???). Once Rome fell, the original Lausanners fled to the hills to escape the barbarians and established what is today referred to as “vieille ville” (old town). Lausanne has 2 parts: 1) the lakefront Ouchy (which has restaurants & the Olympic Museum) and 2) old town which has an Old World charm and other museums (i.e. Collection de l’Art Brut). These two areas are connected by the Metro funicular (source Rick Steves’ “Switzerland”).
Lausanne is absolutely beautiful and very serene. You can walk along Lake Geneva during the breathtaking sunset.
Or, stop to view the flower displays as you stroll the main boulevard.
We arrive in Lausanne and take a taxi to the Olympic Museum (which is AWESOME!). This museum is interesting to both Olympic enthusiasts and those of us who like to watch the games every 2 years. As you enter the museum, you will pass by the Olympic store which has shirts, posters, etc. from previous games (and the future London 2012 games). After you pay the entrance fee, you are given a ticket which you will need to insert into the turnstiles to enter each exhibit.
They have several small theaters which recount the history of the Olympics. In 1894, Pierre de Coubertin founded the International Olympic Committee and restarted the games after a 1,500 year lapse. Barron de Coubertin was a teacher who was born into a French aristocratic family. He was really into physical fitness and channelled that passion into restarting the games. During the film, you hear him ask the nations that will take part in the games to respect each other. Now, I do have to give Mr. de Coubertin the side-eye because he felt that the inclusion of women would be “impractical, uninteresting, unaesthetic, and incorrect.” Whatever, Pierre. Women eventually were allowed to compete in the 1900 Summer Olympics in Paris.
The ground floor traces the history of the Olympics from its start in Greece through about a century’s worth of ceremonial olympic torches.
Upstairs has medals and information/highlights from each Olympics.
Muhammad Ali’s shoe from his gold medal win in boxing at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome.
Wilma Rudolph’s track shoe that she wore to win three Olympic titles (the 100 m, 200 m and the 4 x 100 m relay) at the same 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome as Muhammad Ali.
The basketball signed by the U.S. “Dream Team” led by Michael Jordan at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona.
And, Shannon Miller’s leotard from her gold medal win for balance beam at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta.
Charming Château de Chillon (Switzerland)
The majestically beautiful Château de Chillon (Chillon Castle) is located on the shore of Lake Léman (Lake Geneva) in the commune of Veytaux, at the eastern end of the lake, 3 km from Montreux, Switzerland. The castle consists of 100 independent buildings that were gradually connected to become the building as it stands now (source Wikipedia). The cities along Lake Geneva make up the fabulous French Swiss Riviera! I took the train from Geneva to Montreux. Then, hopped on a bus to Chillon.
Incredibly, Château de Chillon is very well-preserved. Unlike many other castles in Europe, it has never been damaged or destroyed. Per the website, the history of the castle was influenced by three major periods:
- The Savoy period (12th century to 1536)
The oldest written document mentioning the castle dates from 1150; it says that the House of Savoy already controlled the route along the shores of Lake Geneva. - The Bernese period (1536-1798)
The Swiss, more precisely the Bernese, conquered the Pays de Vaud and occupied Chillon in 1536. The castle retained its role as a fortress, arsenal and prison for over 260 ans. - The Vaudois period (1798 to the present)
The Bernese left Chillon in 1798 at the time of the Vaudois Revolution. The castle became the property of the Canton of Vaud when it was founded in 1803. The restoration of the historical monument began at the end of the 19th Century and continues to this day.
All in all, the castle has been used in a variety of ways: as an armory, warehouse, prison, hospital and tourist attraction. As you enter the grounds, you feel like you have gone back in time. The people who work at the castle all wear period-era clothes so as you tour the castle, you feel as if you have stepped into life in the 1500’s.
Chillon Castle is surrounded by a natural moat so you cross a bridge to get to it.
Then, as your walk down the path, you come upon the castle and beautiful Lake Geneva.
As you enter the castle, you walk into the main courtyard (there are 3 courtyards in total). This is where the main action took place.
I picked up an audio guide then started the tour. First thing I see is a model of what the original castle looked like.
Then, I tour the “Underground” which is spectacular! It held the wine and prison. It’s most well-known for the imprisonment of Bonivard, made famous by Lord Byron, who made him the hero of his poem “The Prisoner of Chillon”.
Next stop was the great halls which had beautiful windows with seats to look out over the courtyards or Lake Geneva.
Chambre bernoise
A comfortable bedroom, with rather subdued decoration, a large four-poster bed, heating, private toilet and even running water!
A quick note about the potty above. First, you see that 2 people can go at the same time…with no barrier between them. Reminds me of Ephesus where there were 10 potties like this. I can’t imagine talking to Mary while doing #2. Shoot, I don’t even like doing that when there is someone in the bathroom with stalls! Second, if you look down into the lid, you will see that it empties straight into the lake. So, um…I’m not thinking a lot of people went skinny-dipping.
Views of Lake Geneva from the castle.
Torture Chamber. While I was there, I was able to view the Temporary exhibition: “Witch-hunting in the Pays de Vaud, from the 15th to the 17th centuries”.
The Pays de Vaud was the site of major witch-hunts between the 15th and the 17th centuries. During this period, there were more than 2000 death sentences!
On a larger scale, Switzerland within the current borders if the time holds not only the record for the longest-lasting repression of witchcraft but also for the largest number of people persecuted for this crime, in relation to the population. In almost three centuries, 5,000 people were accused and 3,500 of them were put to death, mainly by fire, with 60 – 70% being women.
Chillon Castle was an important detention centre for people suspected of witchcraft, either when awaiting trail or carrying out their sentence. During the term of the Bernese bailiff, Nicolas de Watteville, from 1595 to 1601, some forty-odd people were executed at Chillon, La Tour-de-Peilz and Vevey. And 27 more in 1613! Their Excellencies of Bern noted “…with regret and sadness the extent to which the negation of God and submission to the evil spirit was growing among our subjects in the Romand (French-speaking) country.” (source Chateau de Chillon website).
Finally, some photos I took while walking around the castle.
Overall, I thought Château de Chillon was fascinating and beautiful. It’s a great tour idea for kids! If you are ever in the Swiss Riviera region, check it out. Try to go in the late afternoon so you can see the sunset at the castle. Absolutely amazing!
Walk Like an Egyptian…
“Naharak Saeed” (“Good Day”) from Egypt! I struggled with how I would blog about my visit. Egypt is complex, a bit schizophrenic & absolutely breathtaking. I’ve been waiting my entire life to visit this magnificent place. In one day, I found myself in awe of the great works that were achieved thousands of years ago…and then repulsed by current conditions. As always, I’m planning to keep it real so you are going to get Egypt straight with no chaser. I hope you are ready!
I read several books on Egypt in order to educate myself on the history & culture of the country. The history of the pharaohs can get a bit complicated so I’ll try to simplify it as best I can. I am going to give you a quick background so that you will understand my reaction to certain situations I recount later.
BACKGROUND
Religion
Islam is the official religion of Egypt (with about 90% of the people being Sunni Muslim) which means that it’s a pretty conservative country. Women must cover up (long sleeves and pants even in the HOT sun) and drinking and gambling in public are frowned upon. That already puts me out of the mix as I don’t like to be wearing a lot of clothes when it’s hot and how am I supposed to hit the jackpot without a cool alcoholic beverage to clear my mind? However, I believe in trying to live like a local so I wore long pants and a long sleeved shirt (and reserved my drinking for home).
Gender Issues
I read an article a couple of years ago which focused on Egypt having a high rate of sexual harassment. The article stated that Egyptian men think western women are “loose” (since we drink and wear tank tops). If you expose a lot of skin, the men think this is an “invitation” and may expose their genitalia as an offer for sex. Recently, I read an article on “Using social media tools to battle sexual harassment in Egypt” by Rima Abdelkader, NBC News which said “The Egyptian Center for Women’s Rights in Cairo called harassment in Egypt a ‘dangerous social cancer’ in a survey in 2008. The survey reported that 98 percent of foreign women were sexually harassed and 83 percent of Egyptian women experienced harassment throughout Egypt.” I don’t know why the men just don’t import some of those erotic calendars from Pompeii. They may not have access to the internet but they can certainly carry those calendars around to satisfy their lust. I found them in a pocket-size version. A little something for freaks on the go.
My guidebook also recommended that women not look a man directly in the eye as it is seen as an “invitation”. That was hard for me because I am used to looking people in the eye as a show of respect (plus it shows that I’m listening to you). If my eyes drift…so has my mind. I’m not saying it’s right, it’s just how it is. I think I suffer from adult ADD. Anyway, I made sure to wear sunglasses the majority of the time because I didn’t want men thinking I’m soliciting them for sex. But, um…there were some really good-looking men in Egypt 🙂
I also observed a man offer 5 camels to buy a woman from the man that she was with. Apparently, in Egypt, camels are currency & women are commodities. So, you could be walking along the Nile River and Ahkbar could just come up and be like, “I’ll give you 7 camels for Betty.” It happens. Better hope your boo doesn’t owe too much to Bank of America because you may be making papyrus on the Nile.
Environmental, Health & Safety Issues
We were told COUNTLESS times not to drink the water or eat any uncooked food. While this is what you hear whenever you go to Mexico, it’s on a whole new level in Egypt. I will cover this in more detail in the next post on Cairo (as that is when it really hit home). This was the most shocking and disappointing aspect to the trip.
Poverty
Egypt has a 50% unemployment rate. I will touch upon this issue in the next blog post since it has not only a rural impact but a major urban one as well. This is where “hustlin’” was born. I thought it was bad in the Dominican Republic. They are amateurs compared to the Egyptians. I’ve never seen anything like it. There has been a lot of governmental corruption so be prepared for me to get on my soap box.
What is Egypt like? I think the answer is different for each person. It’s all in what you make of it. If you love history (like me) then you will be able to see past the crazy, absurd and disappointing to focus on the beauty of this African country. So, let’s get started!
ALEXANDRIA
We arrived in Alexandria around 6am…just in time to see the sun rise. I could hardly sleep the night before in anticipation for what I’d get to see. The first thing I notice as we pull into port is that the water in the harbor is dirty and there are sunken ships (which were actually pretty cool).
Alexandria is the capital where Cleopatra ruled from 51-30 BC. The city was named for Alexander the Great when he conquered Egypt from the Persians. The story of Cleopatra is fascinating. One thing I did not realize is that she was a descendant of Greeks (Ptolemy, who was a general of Alexander the Great). Cleo was highly educated (she spoke 8 languages) and hard core (she killed her sister in order to have the throne). A big thing back in the day was for sisters and brothers to marry each other and procreate in order to keep the royal bloodline going. Of course, this resulted in genetic deformities and poor health for the offspring (see the latest article on the DNA testing of King Tut) as well as a touch of the crazy. Anyway, Cleo was married off to her brother (Ptolemy XIII aka “P13”) but she was like, “this is gross and I’m out.” So, she ended up falling out with him and Julius Caesar had to resolve the conflict of who should rule Egypt. P13 thought he could outsmart his sister and keep her from using her charms to get Caesar to rule in her favor. But, he underestimated her. Where there is a will, there is a way. Cleo had herself rolled up in a carpet and was taken right past her brother’s guards in the palace to Caesar. She put her charms on, was granted the right to rule Egypt and made Caesar her first baby-daddy.
After Caesar was killed (“et tu, Brutus?” is one of my favorite lines), Cleo put her charms on Marc Antony and had 3 kids by him. Marc ended up living in Alexandria and boozing it up. When he was defeated by Octavian (Caesar’s heir to the Roman throne and his rival), he was told that Cleo was dead. So, he killed himself. Cleo actually wasn’t dead and when she found out Marc had committed suicide and she had lost the throne to Egypt, she killed herself by having a deadly snake, an asp, bite her. It’s so tragic. Her kids ended up being taken to Rome where the boys were killed so they wouldn’t pose a threat to Octavian but her daughter, Cleopatra Selene, was allowed to live and ended up becoming the Queen of Mauretania.
Rome in a Day…the Remix
It’s my second trip to Rome and I am eager to share the experience with my friend, William (aka “Sweet Willy” because he’s just so darn cute). We arrive at the Roma Termini station and walk about 15 minutes to our hotel. As we are walking:
William: Did you just see that car?
Me: What?
William: The General Lee Smart Car…did you just see that?
Me: I have no idea what you are talking about. I’m looking at hotel signs.
William: We have to go back so I can take a picture because nobody will believe this.
*we walk back to take the picture*
William: That’s nice. An eco-friendly racist.
Me: Really Rome? That’s what’s hot in the streets? Did we just time travel to the mid-80s? Bo & Luke can’t jump into a little ass Smart Car. Cooter doesn’t know how to fix this! He’s got 3 wrenches and an oil can. Did Daisy give up the Jeep and start taking public transportation? Uncle Jesse and I can’t take all this. It’s too much.
We finally leave the Italian General Lee and find our hotel. Upon check-in, I ask if we can store our bags the next day while we are sightseeing.
Me: Can we store our bags after we check-out in the morning?
Buddy: For how long?
Me: Just a few hours.
Desk Clerk: How many bags do you have?
Me: [thinking *Man, what is the problem? You can either store the bags or not. Isn’t that standard service at a hotel?* but New Nikki responded] 4
Desk Clerk: *long sigh & acting put upon* I guess
Me & William: *side-eye*
After we get settled in the room, we decide not to go out since we needed to be up early to do a lot of sightseeing. So, William does some work and I turn on the tv and see this program called “Il Canto”. Y’all ain’t ready for Il Canto. It’s like American Idol + America’s Got Talent + So You Think You Can Dance + Top Chef + Project Runway + The Bachelor. The program is like 6 hours long with people of all ages, group sings, dancing, judging, and guest appearances. I still don’t know what it was. There was this kid who looked to be maybe 12 and I think he won his part of the singing competition (but who knows because it was like he was there in concert or something). You could not tell him that he wasn’t a star. He had hand gestures, facial expressions and teeth spaced about an inch apart.
Me: Wow, I can’t take it. He is doing runs like he’s Mariah.
William: You know he just got beat up backstage.
Me: Why?
William: Too nerdy. He can sing…but once he leaves the stage, Giuseppe is waiting there with the beat down to take his lunch money. If he was in NY, they would just roll up on you like, “yo son, that’s a nice coat. What size is that? A small? Really? That’s just my size. You can give it to me or I’ma take it. It’s on you, B.”
A little later:
Me: Did that little girl just sing an R. Kelly song?
William: You can’t keep Kells down. I wonder what the legal age of consent is here?
Then, we decided to make-up translations to the interviews since we couldn’t understand what they were saying. When the host was interviewing a sound guy after some little kid did a horrible rendition of Aretha’s “RESPECT”, we translated it as follows:
Me (as the host, Bruno): Silvio, what did you think of little Pashmina singing “RESPECT”. Did you find out what it meant to her? And, did she take out the ECT?
William (as the sound guy, Silvio): Bruno, she sucked. And, this show has run into my overtime so you know you are paying me time and a half, right? This ain’t a telethon.
Me: Silv, don’t worry about the OT. Clearly you need the money because those skinny pink jeans ain’t doing you no favors. Now get back on the soundboard and make sure my mic sounds nice.
After two hours of Il Canto, the Sleep Monster got us and it was a wrap.
…
We get up, have breakfast and check-out to start our self-guided “Rome in a Day” power sightseeing tour. We start off by going to The Forum and see a guy dressed up as a Trojan.
William: Where are Trojans from?
Me: Trojania?
The Trojan asks if we want to take a picture so we oblige…
…then, as William is pulling out some coins to tip, Mr. Trojan was like, “That’s gonna be €10.” After looking startled, we realized we just got hustled. By a man in a costume. Chuck E Cheese doesn’t charge you for pictures! Of course, Chuck just walks around leering at you so I guess you have to pick your poison. Yes, I have issues with Chuck. Don’t judge me 🙂
It’s the start of the day and we are trying to be positive. We pay for the Roma Pass (which is a smart buy for sightseeing in Rome) then pick up an audio guide and a map. The Roman Forum really is spectacular with all the ancient remnants. However, it only has fragments of buildings & statues so it’s hard to know what is what. The map was even more confusing. The numbers didn’t correspond to the information boards outside some of the sites. Then, we attempted to use the audio guide.
William: I think we are at site 7.
Me: Okay, push play and let’s see.
[The audio guide has a British man giving a 20 minute soliloquy about columns and statues and if you look into the sun you can see Caesar or something we cannot find for the life of us. It almost felt like we had a learning disability because the sites are numbered so any 2-year-old should be able to do this.]
William: What is he talking about?
Me: I don’t know. I thought you knew.
William: No! And, he is still talking. It’s been what? 45 minutes? Why can’t he just give an executive summary and say, “to your left is an arch, now turn your ass around and walk?”
Me: Really? That’s how they do in New York? You have ADD.
In the end, we used Rick Steve’s Italy guidebook and just took pictures. The Roman Forum was ancient Rome’s birthplace and civic center. This was the place where anything important happened in ancient Rome.
After walking thru The Forum, we head over to Palantine Hill. This is where the emperors chose to live and it was once filled with palaces. It includes the “huts of Romulus and Remus”, the Imperial Palace, the House of Livia and Augustus and a view of Circus Maximus.
William: Are those olive trees?
Me: Looks like it but I don’t know.
William goes to pull an “olive” off the tree. Meanwhile, I see Woodrow (Petey the Pigeon’s cousin) picking at food on the ground and he passes right over the “olive”. Of course, he is getting the side-eye because I haven’t forgotten what Petey did yesterday in Florence.
Me: Uh, did you just see that pigeon take a bite of one of those “olives” and leave it right there on the ground? Don’t eat that.
William: Why not? I’ll wash it off. You gotta build up your immune system.
Me: Really? You need to follow Woodrow’s lead and keep it moving.
Then, he notices citrus trees that seem to have some sort of fruit like oranges hanging from it. But, as none of it is hanging low enough for him to get, William has to content himself with the “olive”.
William: This could keep me from getting scavies.
Me: What the hell is scavies? A new hybrid flu of rabies and scurvy?
William takes a bite of the “olive” and discovers that it may not actually be an olive but it’s too nasty to figure out.
Me: See? Did I not just tell you that Woodrow was even like, “I’ll pass”.
We leave Palantine Hill and make our way to the Colosseum.
The Colosseum is a 2,000 year old building where ancient Romans used to watch gladiators, criminals and wild animals fight to the death. And, it is one of the most beautiful structures in the world. I could just sit and stare at it all day. The first time I saw it, I was overwhelmed…imagine being in a place where people walked thousands of years ago!
Outside the Colosseum, there are “tour guides” prowling around trying to sell you on purchasing some of their time to walk you around and tell you the true little known “facts” about the site. Since we had already been hustled once that day, we decided to pass and read what Rick had to say.
As we are walking around, we can overhear other tour guides and it occurs to us that we could do this as a side business too.
William: You know, we could set up our own tour company and give them the “real” experience.
Me: Yeah, we just need to market it right.
William: We’ll just be like, “yo son…you wanna know the real deal of why Caesar got shanked?” And, “This right here is where Jesus told everybody to get their souls right.”
Me: Really? We still doing the NY state of mind right now? And, what are you going to do when you get Mr. I Know My History fact checking you?
William: Throw him off the tour. I’ll just say “Were you there? You don’t know me. I’m a descendant of Caesar. He was my great, great, great to the 20th power granddaddy so shut up.”
Me: *crickets*
William: *ignoring the crickets* We can get on the computer and create some tour guide certifications. Tell them that we majored in “tourification” and we aren’t just some random tour guides off the streets.
Me: So now we are “tourologists”? How many of those olives did you eat? Is this the scavies talking? Does it cause dementia?
William: We could even take them into the basement of the Colosseum.
Me: The basement? You mean the ground floor where they kept the folks that were about to killed by animals? That’s closed off.
William: Exactly. That’s gonna make our tour hot. It’s rogue…going where nobody can go.
Me: Uh huh. That tour will last 30 seconds.
As we are walking around, we come up with a scheme to offer to take people’s pictures for them so they will take pictures of us.
Me: Maybe after we take their picture, we tell them it’s €10. Get our hustle on like the Trojan guy.
William: I wonder what he does for “Take Your Daughter to Work Day”.
Me: Probably has her out there hustling too.
As we leave the Colosseum, I am focused on getting back to the entrance to The Forum so I can get my passport back since I left it to secure the audio guide device. Now, William is all laissez-faire about this as it wasn’t his passport. He offered up job ideas should I not be able to get back to the U.S. (William: That tour guide idea is hot.). We get turned around and I’m looking at the map trying to find the entrance. As we start walking to the entrance, we come across these “mimes” that paint themselves up and stay as still as a statue. Some are better than others. This guy was great!
A couple of meters away from him, we see a duo performing.
William: Are those Native Americans?
Me: Uh, I see the feathers on the headdress and I hear the music but I don’t think the Romans stole this from them too.
William: I’m confused. Why are they here?
Me: Outsourcing?
William: Are they selling cds?
Me: Everybody got a hustle. Maybe they are signed to Black Widow Records in Genoa???
We finally get to the entrance of The Forum and as they give me back the passport, I realize that it wasn’t even mine. It was William’s. HAHAHAHAHA. Apparently, we inadvertently switched passports when they were returned to us at the hotel.
Me: So who is being a mime on the street when they can’t get back to the states now?
William: You could’ve done tours.
Me: Well, you know Atlanta is the #1 tourist city in the U.S.
William: Get out. Where did you get that statistic from?
Me: GET OFF MY TOUR! YOU DON’T KNOW ME! YOU AIN’T A TOUROLOGIST! WHERE ARE YOUR PAPERS? YOU GOT THAT TOURIFICATION CERTIFICATE? NO? THEN YOU LEAVE THE STATS TO THE PROFESSIONALS.
William: You need serious help.
By this time, we are headed towards the Pantheon.
Once we arrive, we see non-Italian ethnic groups selling purses and scarves.
William: You think that is real Prada?
Me: Is the Prada on Canal Street real?
We go inside the Pantheon, look around and take pictures. Now it’s time for a gelato break. Which must occur every few hours or you can get low blood sugar 🙂 After getting my gelato, we walk toward the Trevi Fountain. People throw coins into the fountain to guarantee a return visit. The coins are collected to feed Rome’s poor.
Then, it was on to the Spanish Steps.
After leaving the Spanish Steps, we walk around the posh shopping district and window shop. Then we come upon a guy selling nuts…13 for €5.
William: €5 for 13 nuts with some salt sprinkled on them? Are they serious? I can get that at home for $1.50.
Me: These are special Roman nuts. You don’t know ‘bout them, son. They may be like Red Bull and give you wings.
At this point, we are completely exhausted and have to climb 1400 steps to walk back to the hotel. We end up stopping by St. Peter in Chains Basilica since we didn’t make it to Vatican City. That was another 1000 steps to climb. St Peter’s in Chains is where they keep the chains that were used on Peter during his incarceration.
It also hosts Michelangelo’s sculpture of Moses.
On the way back, there was a guy playing typical Italian songs the accordion. William wanted to get a picture with him.
William: Uh, he smelled heavily of liquor.
Me: That’s how rock stars do. They have to get lit up to rock the stage…or in this instance, the steps.
Afterwards, we go to the hotel to get our bags…which were sitting in the hallway. What kind of security system is that? No id, just sitting out for anybody to take. We were lucky they were there. The desk clerk is still getting the side-eye as I type this.
Sweet Willy and I are so tired by this point, we suck it up and decide to pay for a taxi to the train station for our 4 hour ride back to Genoa.
Overall, it was a jam-packed weekend but we had a great time and got to see a lot. Special thanks to Sweet Willy for flying all the way out to Italy for the weekend to keep me company and hang out in the IT. I had a blast!
What to Wear When Travelling Abroad
One of the most popular questions asked when getting ready for a trip overseas is “What should I wear?” I always suggest researching what the locals are wearing (with a few exceptions notated below). Not solely for aesthetic reasons, but also for safety. Most pickpockets target tourists. Looking like you belong goes a long way. Here are a few suggestions to help you look like a local on your travels abroad.
1. Dress for the Country/Culture. Each country has its own style. Some countries are more lax (the U.S., England, Ireland, Scotland) while others take their fashion seriously (France & Italy). With the exceptions that I have noted below, you can usually get away with a nice pair of jeans/black pants/skirt and plain shirts/sweaters. Don’t wear anything outrageous or loud (leave the catsuit at home).
- Middle East/Egypt/Morocco (& other Islamic countries) = First and foremost, you want to respect the culture of the country you are visiting. Which means no Daisy Dukes while visiting the Pyramids of Giza in Cairo (and, yes, I have seen it). Make sure you dress conservatively (covering most of your skin). Yeah, it may be hot, but you can find breathable and dry-wick fabrics pretty easily. Trust me; you do not want to stand out in a conservative country. Women from western countries are viewed as being “loose”, which can invite sexual harassment from the local male population. By keeping your goodies covered up, you take the attention off of you (and your valuables). In Morocco, most women (and quite a few men) wear djellabas (a hooded robe). These can be either heavy or light weight in fabric (according to season). I didn’t wear one when I was there, but it is definitely an option which will reduce the amount of stares you get. I tend to buy breathable tunics from Old Navy (most are 3/4 length sleeves), long flowing skirts, loose capris and convertible cargo pants.
- France/Italy = These 2 fabulous countries are homes to the most famous fashion houses around. This means they take their fashion seriously. While the Italians are a bit more accepting, the French will turn their nose up if you walk past them wearing any of the items listed below in #3.
- You can never go wrong with basic black. It’s easy to coordinate and you can interchange with stylish accessories (like a scarf or costume jewelry).
- The French love black, navy and brown. I suggest using those as your base colors. You will notice that most of the French will pair up their dark wardrobe with a colorful scarf. Don’t have one? Buy one when you get there…it’s a souvenir & fashion accessory all in one.
- The Italians love color and you can get away with a lot more. Most of all, it is attitude.
- Quick everyday tip = Get your clothes tailored. I noticed that many people look better in clothes that are altered to fit their shape. I picked this tip up while visiting Paris. Everybody there looks like a million bucks (or euros) and it really is because their clothes fit impeccably.
- Spain = The Spanish love color & flowing maxi dresses/skirts. I also noticed some ladies wearing cowboy boots with shorts but we will pretend like I didn’t see that because I don’t think that’s a good look personally (I like to call that seasonal dyslexia).
- England/Ireland/Scotland/Holland/Czech Republic/Switzerland/Scandinavia = Pretty much anything goes. I can’t say that I have seen a huge difference in what they wear vs. the U.S. (with the exception of the “don’ts” listed below). A popular look during the summer of 2011 was shorts with tights & Chuck Taylors (*shudders*). Don’t emulate that. Hopefully that was a 1 season only look.
2. Dress for the Season. Be sure to check the weather before you go. Weather Underground is a good resource. I have typically found that you will need to dress in layers no matter when you travel abroad. A light jacket, colorful scarves, stylish cardigans/sweater coats are a must for spring, summer & fall. Going in the winter? Bring along a warm coat, some snazzy boots & a cute hat/scarf/glove combo. I had left my puffer coat at home during a winter trip to Milan…only to realize that everybody (and I do mean everybody) was wearing one. First and foremost, you want to be warm. Don’t take an unlined peacoat when visiting Finland in the dead of winter. Your health trumps fashion. Plus, you will stand out as not knowing how to dress properly for cold weather 🙂 ExOfficio is now offering a snazzy sweater jacket that doubles as a travel pillow when folded. This jacket is so cozy & warm! I recently wore it during a winter trip and fell in love with it. The jacket packs very easily, is super soft AND rain-resistant as well as keeping you warm & toasty. This is now my go-to jacket both here and abroad!
3. DO NOT WEAR…
- Baseball caps! If you want to protect your head & face from the harsh sun, opt for a stylish wide-brimmed hat (during the summer) or cloche/fedora (during the winter). Baseball caps scream tourist. Don’t bring your favorite sporting team to France unless you are actually on the team, k?
- Baseball/Football Jerseys, High School/College T-shirts, etc. Do I really even to explain why wearing a baseball or football jersey is a no-no? Again, you don’t want to stand out as a tourist for pickpockets. T-shirts are fine if they are plain or have a cool graphic. Bottom line, you want to look nice…not like you are getting ready to workout. If you just don’t think you can survive without wearing sporting apparel, buy a soccer/rugby jersey. You can fit in and it will be a conversation starter.
- Fanny-packs! Seriously…just no. It’s not cute. Tell your mother to leave it at home with the rest of the 80’s attire. I don’t even know how this item became popular. Never carry your money and valuables in a waist contraption that is easily seen. You are begging a pickpocket to take a knife, cut the strap and steal it from you. Use a money belt instead. It’s similar to your beloved fanny-pack; it just goes under your shirt/waist of your pants instead so it will not be seen. This protects your valuables from curious onlookers.
- Expensive jewelry/bags! A pickpocket will tackle you to steal your Rolex or Louis Vuitton. Leave your valuables at home.
- White sneakers??? I have actually seen quite a few locals wearing sneakers (though not usually white) around London & Paris. My preference is to bring a pair of running shoes (as I like to workout during my trips abroad…even running races like the Paris-Versailles 10K) as well as a comfortable & stylish walking shoe (i.e. Hush Puppies, Mephisto, Clarks) that can transition into an evening shoe. I highly recommend walking shoes that have a rubber sole to minimize the impact of walking on cobblestones. I love the Hush Puppies Sonnet flat which you can buy at Macy’s for almost half of what it retails for at other locations as well as the Makena Ballerina shoe. Bottom line is to wear a shoe that you will be comfortable walking in for hours at a time.
4. Must Haves.
- Light jacket/cardigan/wrap = If you plan to wear tanks or sleeveless tops during the summer, be sure to bring something to cover your shoulders when visiting a place of worship. You will not be allowed to enter with shoulders (and sometimes legs) exposed. I bought Magellan’s Sun Protection Wrap for my recent trip to Morocco and fell in love. So soft and it provides the necessary protection (both arms and head) when you enter places of worship. I even wear it around at home.
- Secure purse/money belt = I have been using a PacSafe purse (stylish & secure) to carry around my valuables, guidebook, umbrella & bottled water for a couple of years now and it is awesome. Highly recommend! The shoulder straps are reinforced with steel so it cannot be cut and the zippers lock into place. It will take a pickpocket a few minutes to figure out how to gain access to your valuables.
- Comfortable walking shoes = As I stated above, cobblestones can be harsh on your feet. A stylish rubber-soled shoe will save your tootsies!
- Dark colored pants & skirt = Use these as your base pieces. Dark colors camouflage stains & are great to pair with funky accessories.
5. Handy resources. Here are a few websites that focus on travel-related items: While ExOfficio & Magellans offer stylish options, you can certainly find great travel clothing from cheaper stores (i.e. Old Navy, Target, etc.).
While these tips may not prevent you from being identified as a tourist, it will keep your bag lighter and you safer. Hope it helps! Safe travels. Do you have any travel fashion tips? If so, please comment as I’m always looking for a fresh perspective!
Also check out my posts on Nikki’s Favorite Things: Fashion Accessories and Essentials for Stress-Free Travel.
The Secret World of Pompeii
Okay, y’all ain’t ready for this. I wasn’t ready. As you know, I like to give you a little flavor along with the history of the sites I visit. Well, when our tour guide gave us the background on what life was really like in Pompeii before it was destroyed, it was like I was listening to “E True Hollywood Story: Pompeii”. There is just so much.
First, the excavation site was visually more stunning than I expected. Second, I was amazed that so many ancient homes were still somewhat intact. I can’t even imagine my house being around thousands of years from now.
As we are walking, the guide tells us about the people of Pompeii. I’m listening kind of lazily while taking pictures. I mean, I’d just hiked up a volcano so my attention span was on a downward spiral. Anyway, the guide says a series of things that capture and hold my interest for the rest of the day.
1. Pompeii had an open sewer. That’s right; Pompeii’s theme song was “Funkytown”. I know…I couldn’t really believe it either. I had to ask for clarification because it just seemed too nasty to be real. Feces and urine would run down the streets and they would wait for the rain to wash it away. Sorry for you if it happened to be a dry month. You can see in this picture that there are huge stones that the people would use to cross the street (I like to call it “Doo Doo Crossing”) so they wouldn’t have to step in that crap (you know they only wore sandals which meant if they stepped in it, then they got the full effect). I am sure that folks inevitably fell off the stones. Maybe that is where the saying “Oh, sh*t!” came from?
2. The rich folks in Pompeii were pompous. Apparently, the good citizens of Funkytown liked to show off their wealth. When you went over to Titus’s house, he had his treasure chest open on the front table so you could see how rich he was. Also, they had a tiled mosaic of a big dog with “beware of dog” (in Latin) in the foyer. So, basically, they invited you over and said, “Hey, look at all my money…but don’t try to take it because Fido will kill you. More wine?” This was well before the time of Occupy Pompeii Street.
3. Pompeii was full of freaks. Apparently, Pompeii was where the party was at. They had 80 bars and 25 brothels. With the open sewer. I am not able to get past the open sewer so let’s just address that now. It’s gonna come up…often. Anyway, the freaks did come out at night and they were doing things that Rick James couldn’t even dream of. Modern Pompeii is full of people selling erotic calendars, statues, playing cards, etc (see below). Now, I originally thought these sexual position scenes may have been their version of “art” back then. But, the guide pointed out that they posted these scenes in the bedrooms of the whorehouses as a “menu of services” (just like McDonald’s). You know I was looking to see what the “goings on” were (purely for research purposes only). You ain’t ready for that. A menu of sexual services. Seriously. After getting your drank on at one of the 80 bars then crossing and falling into the open sewer, you go over to Octavia’s and ask for a #3. Love it.
4. Funk is a theme. Now, the good people of Pompeii didn’t have bath tissue back then so they had to make do. The lower caste folks would just wipe their booty with the left hand and eat with the right (they didn’t have forks or spoons back then which means they really needed both hands). The rich folks would use a communal sea sponge for the family. I’m gonna let that marinate for a minute. Imagine you and your family all using the same sponge to wipe after doing #2. I guess if they can deal with the open sewers, they can deal with a communal sponge. They also used urine to bleach their clothes. Really? My dog would love that.
5. They had cafes! We found these bars with counters. People would come in during the day and have bread and wine. They paid their money and would sit at tables to socialize. I never imagined an ancient civilization with marble counters!
It broke my heart to see the castes of the human & canine remains that were preserved from the lava and ash. You can see the remains below of a man, dog and slave.
Overall, Pompeii was fascinating! I highly recommend a visit if you ever plan to be in the Naples or Sorrento area.
Hiking Mt. Vesuvius
If you have never been to Mt. Vesuvius or Pompeii, I highly suggest you go! These 2 places are AMAZING! Mt. Vesuvius is about 5 1/2 miles east of Naples, Italy. My brother and I decided to take a hiking tour up Mount Vesuvius. That sucker is brutal! It’s a steep incline but the views are absolutely amazing.
It was surreal hiking to the top of a live volcano and seeing something up close that caused such mass destruction thousands of years ago. As a refresher, Mt. Vesuvius is the volcano that destroyed the ancient city of Pompeii in 79AD. According to the tour guide, the volcano (which has been dormant since 1944) is due to erupt again soon and will probably be as devastating as it was in 79AD. They have tons of monitoring devices which they say can alert them 3-4 days before an eruption and they can enact the evacuation plan. CNN was there filming a documentary about the volcano. The further up the volcano we hiked, the darker it got as we were well into the clouds.
You can see smoke rising up from inside the crater in this picture.
Overall, it was a great experience and really helped to put some context around our subsequent visit to Pompeii.
E True Versailles Story: Royals Gone Wild
I decided to tour Versailles. Since I had such a great time on the Night Bike Tour in Paris, I booked the Versailles tour through Fat Tire Bike Tours as well. The tour lasts approximately 8.5 hours so it’s a full day of riding & sightseeing.
While in Paris, we ride our bikes from the bike shop to the train station (which is about 10 minutes away), then put the bikes on the train for a 20 minute ride to Versailles. Once we arrive, we pedal over to the farmer’s market to buy food for our picnic that afternoon.
The market is fantastic! You can really go broke (because a tray of raspberries and other fruit cost me 17 euros) but the freshness of the food is unbelievable. I ended up buying some fruit, tomatoes, green beans, rotisserie chicken and water. I passed on buying a bottle of wine as I remembered the drunk pedaling from before. So, after we load up the bikes with our purchases, we bike over to the grounds of the Palace of Versailles (or as it is called in French, Château de Versailles).
Apparently, they try to keep the château & grounds true to history so the horses and sheep are there for decoration which has to be a pretty plush job for them. Our fabulous tour guides are Sadie and Matt.
Okay…I hope I remember all the history correctly. If there are inaccuracies, then let me know. Versailles used to be the hunting grounds of King Louis XIII and was made the capital of France by King Louis XIV (“KL14”) from 1682 until the French Revolution which started in 1789. Three kings lived in Versailles (KL14 who built the Palace of Versailles, KL15 who enjoyed it, and KL16 who paid for it…with his head).
The Palace is lavish…in fact, it’s downright gaudy. You know how some folks just don’t know that less is more? Well, that was the Louis’. In the end, all that flash came back to bite them in the butt.
This place has a lot of gold…like Mr. T had been their architect and interior designer. They just covered everything with flowers and paintings. It was like they had to have it all. Even if it didn’t quite blend in with the décor. They’d just see something, buy it, put it in a room and name it a certain “salon”.
Apparently, the Dauphin & Dauphine (king and queen) had their own set of suites on opposite sides of the palace. And, considering all the mistresses that KL14 & 15 had, it’s no surprise.
The dining room was called the “Hall of Mirrors” and is 250 feet long, with 17 arched windows and 17 matching arched mirrors that look at the garden. The literature states that it “reflects an age when beautiful people loved to look at themselves.” I saw the portraits of a lot of folks back then and um…let’s just say that beauty is truly in the eye of the beholder. Maybe it’s just me but I think I’ve only seen 1 portrait of someone who I thought was attractive. Otherwise, they just all looked plain. And, a couple of the women look like men dressed in drag. I mean, it was a painting so they could’ve done some photoshopping and prettied them up with a few strokes of the paintbrush. One woman was painted with a light mustache. If that was me, the painter would’ve have been shown the door. Make me thinner & prettier…not fatter and more masculine.
Sorry, I digressed. Guess I got caught up in all the beauty. Back to the dining room. It was huge. But KL14 (or as he named himself, the “Sun King”) felt like he needed more space to entertain. So, he made all the people move out of the village of Trianon so he could build a SECOND DINING ROOM! Apparently, pretty people need a lot of space to eat. KL14 went all out. Nothing was too good…he even had the marble brought in from Italy. KL14 was spending the money from France’s treasury on furnishing his home like he was at the strip club making it rain. One figure I heard was that he spent HALF of what was in the treasury. So, he kicked the folks out the area and named the dining hall after the village in honor of them. I’m sure they appreciated that sentiment as they were living under a bridge.
If anything, KL14 needed to be building a shower and bathtub because it is rumored that he only bathed two or three times in his life. I was reading The Raucous Royals (because I love gossip & scandal even if it’s hundreds of years old), and it stated that “In King Louis XIV’s day, people thought a good, thick, grimy layer of filth would keep you healthy and strong. They believed water spread diseases by penetrating the pores of the skin and then infecting the bloodstream. Most people didn’t bathe more than once a year. The wealthy did change their linen throughout the day because they believed that the linen wicked away sweat and dirt, but they still stunk.” And that made no logical sense. Come on, France. To combat the smells, the men and ladies in KL14’s court would douse themselves with perfumes and powders. So, imagine being back in that day and having to smell Jean-Claude’s funk mixed with Cody Wild Musk for Men. Ewwww.
To be fair, the book stated that KL14 was so clean that he was almost fussy about it. “He often bathed in a big Turkish bath. When not in his bath, he rubbed spirits or alcohol on his skin (perfume gave him headaches), which acted as a disinfectant. And, as if that were not enough, he changed his undies three times a day!” The book also said that KL14 towered over his subjects at an amazing 6’10”. Unfortunately, he was only 5’4” when naked. “To compensate for his short stature, he wore a twelve-inch-high wig and six-inch red heels. But this was one look that no one could copy. King Louis XIV decreed that only the king could wear red heels.” Only the king wears Prada, y’all.
Now, this book also said that Queen Elizabeth 1 would bleach her teeth with dog urine so keep that in mind when judging the veracity of their information. Regardless of bathing or not, whatever he did it must have paid off because KL14 lived to the ripe old age of seventy-seven and was king for seventy-two years, longer than any other French monarch in history.
So, KL14 builds up a lavish palace and dies then KL15 assumes the throne (after a regency period since he was only 5 when his great-granddaddy went to the gilded gates). KL15 was known as the playboy extraordinaire. He claims to have had 5000 mistresses. Okay, Wilt Chamberlain. One mistress, Marie Anne de Maillynesle, put together a business plan for her future when her looks started to fade. She figured out that KL15 liked his women more than ruling so when she felt like she was getting too old, instead of having him kick her to the curb…she became a pimp and procured women for him. However, she wanted more power…and since he didn’t really want to govern anything outside the bedroom, he let A Pimp Named Marie Anne run the country. She would just start wars (like the Seven Years War) so she could resolve them and have even more power. The most famous of his mistresses are Madame du Pompadour and Madame du Barry. Of course, with all the sleeping around he was doing, you know they all had cooties. How are you going to be scared of water but not STDs? Come on, France.
We then pedal over to the Hamlet of The Domaine de Marie Antoinette (aka The Hamlet). In order to understand the significance of The Hamlet, I’ll give you a bit of background about the events leading up to the French Revolution. As I stated above, KL14 & 15 were living the high life by spending money on buildings, wars, clothes and women.
Then, KL16 comes along. He was set to marry Marie-Antoinette after the Seven Years War as a way to solidify peace between France & Austria. The story goes that KL16 was a nerdy kid who, at 15 (the age he married Marie-Antoinette), preferred to collect bugs & locks than look at women. Then, there was the supposedly beautiful Marie-Antoinette (“MA”). Sigh. I saw the painting. We’ll give her a pass. So, “beautiful” MA marries KL16 at the age of 14. Her primary goal was to get knocked up with some heirs. But, KL16 wanted to go out and collect fireflies and pick locks. And, MA, having read the precursor to the book, “He’s Just Not That Into You” was upset. Which many women can sympathize with. It’s one thing to be rejected by a fine man. Quite another to be rejected by the French Urkel. MA tries to seduce KL16 to no avail. People start looking at her all suspiciously because she hasn’t gotten knocked up yet. So, she did what most women do when they are depressed. No, not eat chocolate and binge drink (or maybe that’s just me). She went shopping. And spent MASSIVE amounts of money on all the latest fashions. Where did that money come from? The treasury into which folks paid their taxes.
Finally, 7 years later, MA gets pregnant. Maybe she put on some kinky ladybug lingerie and rubbed her legs together like a spider to entice KL16. Who knows? She ended up having 4 kids. After having her kids, she decided that she wanted to know what it was like to live like a peasant…so she had The Hamlet built.
This “peasant village” was basically a big dollhouse & playground. She had sheep that she would have dyed a different color each day depending on her mood. She then would pretend to milk a cow into a porcelain bowl. Her peasant dresses were tailored. You can only imagine from the pictures how much this little playground cost the taxpayers. And, apparently, when the villagers saw her making a mockery of their lives…well, let’s just say that karma is a ______.
MA had her own place with a moat around it and required KL16 to send a written request before coming to visit. Legend is that she had a Swedish lover that she would meet at the Temple of Love she had built for their rendezvous (which was not at all discreet…Temple of Love, Marie? Seriously?). With 80 acres of land, they could slip off and not be seen by anybody.
After the French monarchy were on MTV’s “Cribs”, the bourgeoisie class (which were the middle class and merchants) were like, “WTF?” They were tired of seeing their hard-earned money go to waste. People were starving because taxes had risen dramatically to pay for such a lavish lifestyle in Versailles. So, they ended up signing the “Tennis Court Treaty” where they wrote a constitution and basically decided to revolt. Which, I don’t know why KL16 didn’t see this coming. The French had just helped out the US for the American Revolutionary War…put down the bugs, buddy. You know the Americans were like, “Listen, Pierre, you gots to get out now. You think I’m gonna let George tell me what to do? I’m not calling him “king”. Plus, I think he’s got a mental illness and I don’t have time for the drama. Britain can kick rocks!!! U-S-A-U-S-A-U-S-A. What? Is he your master now? Can he beat you up? You need to take notes and tell Louis that France don’t have time for bug collectin’ and prancing around in stockings and high heels while folks can’t buy bread! Revolt, man!” While KL16 was collecting butterflies, the French were collecting guns.
So, the French Revolution starts in 1789 when KL16 finally gets a clue that something is going on and sends his army into Paris to put the smack down. The citizens think the soldiers are about to attack and get all Matrix on them and storm the battalion to set free the political prisoners…of which there were only 5; and get the gun powder which was stored there. Then, the fishmonger women (you know, the women who work at the docks) started marching on Versailles and surrounded the Palace. Finally, KL16 & MA surrendered under the condition that they would live under house arrest at the Louvre.
They lived at the Louvre for a few years but when they saw the guillotine had been built and folks were getting beheaded…well, they came up with an escape plan. I think it’s now pretty obvious that KL16 is no mastermind. MA passed out her tailored haute couture peasant clothes and they snuck out of the Louvre in the dead of night and probably would’ve made it to freedom had KL16 not refused to take a nondescript peasant carriage. He said he’d only ride in the royal carriage. Sigh. That kinda defeats the purpose of discretion. Once they convince him to take a Kia carriage, they end up being stopped by a patrolman outside the city. KL16’s face is on all currency so it didn’t take long for the patrolman to figure out KL16 (aka “The French MacGyver”) was trying to escape. Somehow, he just wasn’t getting the concept of subterfuge. So, of course they get caught. Then, they both end up getting beheaded. KL16 first…and MA almost a year later after she had been humiliated. Folks hated MA by this point and would just take any opportunity to ridicule her.
In the end, the whole family (except for 1 daughter) ended up dying. It’s pretty sad.
But, the grounds are beautiful! After riding around and looking at the gardens, we had a picnic on the grounds behind the palace.
Finally, I walked through this hall where a guy in period costume was playing chess against at least 12 people…and he beat everybody sitting there. Most people stare at the board for a while before making a move. This guy didn’t spend more than 30 seconds thinking of each move…would take whatever piece that was yours and move on to the next player.
Overall, Versailles is gorgeous. The Palace itself is okay (if you are into that type of thing). I thought the grounds, gardens and the Domaine de Marie-Antoinette were the most interesting.
International Travel Chick 