Category: Opinion
Greek Isles versus Elgin Marbles? No contest.
We had a lovely time in the British Isles. We saw some amazing art, went to some great pubs, met some friendly people, and brought home some beautiful examples of the British arts and crafts movement.All in all, it was a nice trip.
Which is the trouble. Because our last five or six trips have been spectacular. And this one merely nice -- and expensive.
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Carry-on Bags that aren't.
When we went to Great Britain recently, we decided that we didn't want to check our bags. So we limited ourselves to our American carry-on sized bags -- one Calvin Klein and one Swiss Army. Both bags are 22" x 9" x 14". They expand, but like good little soldiers, we kept them all zipped up.Before heading out, we checked the British Airways website, which says that you can carry on bags that are 22" x 17.5" x 9.85" -- not exactly the same size, but technically bigger than the American allowance.
To save time, we checked in online, and then headed to British Airways check-in to have our documents verified before going through security. We queued up and were promptly directed to the line for people wishing to check baggage. "No, no," we said. "We're carrying on our bags." "Not those bags," was the reply.
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Cruising tips for non-cruisers -- Part 2.
A couple of weeks ago, we posted the first in a series of tips designed to help independent travelers enjoy cruising. European 
cruises are such a good deal this year, even hardened non-cruisers might want to reconsider.
Our first tip was to get away from the hoards by renting a car. You can read that post at http://www.tripaddiction.com/blog/post.cfm/cruise-tips-for-people-who-dont-like-cruising.
Tip number two is to book a cruise that goes to less frequently visited ports. These off-the-beaten-path destinations are usually more intimate and easier for independent travelers to explore on their own.
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Exotic potato chips from around the world.
Ten years ago, we traveled around Spain, back before anyone had turned the culinary lights on. It seemed like every restaurant in Spain had the same menu. And it was pretty much the Monty Python Spam sketch -- with ham instead of Spam.
On the way to Portugal, we stopped at a big, modern truck stop to fill up. Since it was lunch time, we thought we'd check out the restaurant. But when the special was ham, eggs, ham, ham, bacon, and ham, we decided to just buy some snacks at the attached mini-mart.
Imagine my reaction when the bag of Lays potato chips I'd picked up turned out to be "Jamon Jamon" flavored.
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How France is different from America.
Sometimes relations between the two countries are warm, sometimes frosty. But whichever way the wind blows, there's a 3,650-mile gulf between them. To wit:France = Disgruntled transportation workers
America = Disgruntled writers
France = Obsessed with preserving the French language
America = Obsessed with Britney Spears
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