Dinner in White

Think of the Kentucky Derby, but without the horses.

Something wet to get things started...

A glass of the Champagne would do just fine.

Add a strawberry for that little something extra.

Dress in white linen.

Then take this entire scene and transport it to the Place de la Concorde in Paris on a star-lit summer evening and you have Dîner en Blanc. A tradition in Paris since 1986, it is one of those events that has taken on a life of its own and grows every year.

In the beginning it was just a group of friends planning a dinner party, picnic if you will, the location of which would be revealed to those “in the loop” at the very last second. Guests showed up dressed in white, to make it easier to identify the other members of this tiny dinner party.

Eventually, the whole world wanted in. Twitter and text messaging made it possible to join in whether one was invited or not as the similarly outfitted group got bigger and bigger–somewhat hard to keep a growing group of people all dressed in white under the radar.

This year 6,000 Parisians in the know made their way to the “secret site”, a spectacle that French magic was able to pull off at one of the largest intersections in the city.

http://www.hackamore.com/

Special Request Box (Bottom Right)

I've mentioned arriving in Paris and buying a FRENCH hobby or specialty magazine on a favorite subject in order to find shop that handles that... and since I like to shoot in the US I like to visit French gun shops like Europsurplus ... but it's nice to have something to read and practice your French before the trip so I added Cibles, a French language gun magazine to the Special Request Box.

If there are any French or other European magazines you'd like to see offered here just drop me a line and I'll see what I can do.

http://www.hackamore.com/

London Tube On Strike

If you're heading into London this week be aware that The Tube (subway) is out on strike and will be through Friday.

Buses and Cabs are operating normally but expect the buses to be totally loaded during commuting hours.

http://www.hackamore.com/

Horse Meat In France

Hi,

just in case you read French (or you can use an online translator like altavista.com's babelfish) here's an interesting link to the French Horse Butcher's association.

http://www.viande-chevaline.fr/

When submitting the Commercial Appeal article the editor questioned if a "hamburger du cheval" was in fact a horse-meat hamburger or if it was just called that because it's served with a fried egg on it in the style of a horse-meat burger.

The travel editor had apparently never been exposed to it.

What I have seen is it listed as horse-meat hamburgers on the FRENCH carte but just as a "hamburger" on the English menu... it's horse... VERY lean... tasty... give it a shot.

If you see "faux fillet" it's undoubtedly horse too, more or less a flank steak.

A very interesting "consumer" oriented page it's got lots of good information, including recipes!

It's even got a boucherie chevaline locator!

http://www.hackamore.com/

It's D-Day - Visit Normandy and Pay Your Respects

If you're wondering WHY you should visit the Normandy Beaches ask yourself this:

"are you reading this in German"?






http://www.hackamore.com/

More New Passport Rules

I've been recommending people just break down and get a regular full featured passport for a while now.

New rules requiring passports or other new documents to cross the Canadian and Mexican borders take effect Monday, June 1st.

The rules are part of the 9/11 Commission recommendations. They were delayed by complaints from state officials who worried the restrictions would hinder the flow of people and commerce and affect border towns dependent on international crossings.

In 2001 a driver's license and an oral declaration of citizenship were enough to cross the Canadian and Mexican borders.

Now thousands of Americans are preparing by applying for passports or obtaining special driver's licenses that can also be used to cross the border.

In one Texas border community, long lines were reported at a local courthouse as people rushed to apply for the proper documents.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials say they're confident the transition will be smooth.

"Our research indicates approximately 80 percent of the individuals coming in now, U.S. and Canadians, are compliant," and are crossing with proof of citizenship, said Thomas Winkowski, assistant commissioner for field operations at Customs and Border Protection.

The higher noncompliance areas, he said, are primarily U.S. citizens in the southern border region.

Travelers who do not comply with the new requirements will get a warning and be allowed to enter the U.S. after a background check, said Michele James, director of field operations for the northern border that covers Washington state.

"We're going to be very practical and flexible on June 1 and thereafter," James said.

The new rule, which also affects sea crossings, is the final implementation of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, a security measure crafted from recommendations from the 9/11 Commission.

Before the new rule, travelers only needed to show identification, such as a driver's license, and orally declare their citizenship. In 2008, the federal government changed that rule to require proof of citizenship, such as a birth's certificate or a passport.

Under the new rule, travelers also can use a passport card issued by the U.S. State Department to cross land borders, But since the card does not work for air travel this author doesn't recommend it for general travel since for air travel a Passport is still required.

Identification documents available under the "Trusted Traveler" programs are also accepted. Those require fees ranging from $50 to more than $100. These programs, developed by the U.S, Canadian and Mexican governments, allow vetted travelers faster access to the border. In some cases, members in these programs have their own lanes at border crossings.

Enhanced driver's licenses, which use a microchip to store a person's information, also can be used to cross the northern and southern borders, but Washington state, Vermont, New York, and Michigan are the only states that offer them so far. An application process and interview are required for these licenses.

There will be some exceptions:

- Children under 16 traveling with family,

- People under 19 traveling in youth groups,

- "Native Americans"

and

- members of the military will be able to use different forms of identification.

Travelers on cruises that depart from a U.S. port, sail only within the Western Hemisphere and return the same port do not have to comply yet.

The U.S. State Department said there has been no spike in passport applications because of the June 1 deadline. The increase came in 2007 when it became required to show a passport for air travel to Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean. That year a backlog of applications accumulated, affecting travelers nationwide.

http://www.hackamore.com/

The Commercial Appeal Article

By L.F. Matthews, Special to The Commercial Appeal
Friday, May 22, 2009

During Spring Break 2008, my bride and I were married in a wonderfully romantic ceremony at Couples Negril in Jamaica.

We invited no one, yet had dozens of happy people applauding us as we kissed for the first time as husband and wife.

But what do you do for an encore?

Since the traditional first anniversary gift is paper, I gave my wife, Martha, paper for her gift: Tickets to Paris.

Our flight was uneventful and we arrived at Paris' Charles de Gaulle International Airport and took a cab to our hotel in the 6th arrondissement, or district, near Saint Germain des Pres and Montparnasse.

After check-in, we spent the afternoon people-watching from the terrace of a local café, enjoying a drink and watching the locals scurrying about getting their Saturday afternoon shopping done.

We had an early dinner at another local café, where I introduced my wife to something one doesn't see in the U.S., Hamburger du Cheval, horse meat hamburgers with a fried egg on top.

They were good, and we turned in early to help fight off jet lag and be ready for a full Sunday at the Marche au Puce (flea market) at Clignancourt.

The Clignancourt Flea Market is amazing. A weekend thing, it extends for blocks encompassing everything from knickknacks, T-shirts, records, surplus goods, African curiosities, vintage clothing, to collectibles of all sorts and high-end antiques -- all in a 19th century maze of alleys that defy description.

If you see something you want, buy it then. You'll never find that particular street again.

I was wandering through the market one morning in the early '90s and found a whole street of glass and crystal dealers.

I've been back to Paris at least a half-dozen times, but I've never found that street again.

After a day at the market, we headed back to the hotel for a short break, then to dinner.

Scouting our options, we decided on walking to Montparnasse and its assortment of cafes, brasseries, etc., and chose the Brasserie 1900. We had our one grand meal of the trip with a full seven-course menu, plus a bottle of wine. It took three hours to complete.

Monday and Tuesday, we spent touring the sites using one of the hop-on/hop-off bus services. If you've got a short time, this is the way to see Paris, giving you the advantages of a tour with the convenience of staying at the sites you like and catching a later bus to continue with your tour.

We ended at Notre Dame Cathedral, which totally moved my wife.

We spent some time around Place Denfert-Rochereau (the old neighborhood), and we took in the Rue Daguerre, which is a full market street where we picked up snacks for later at the fromagerie (cheese shop), boulangerie (bakery) and the charcuterie (a deli, kind of), and had crepes for dinner at a little Breton café.

I can't spend a week in Paris without doing some shopping, and my favorite way to find the local shops is to buy a French magazine and find the ads for the Parisian shops.

Thursday was a strike day, so many things were closed, but that Paris landmark Fauchon was open, so we did some shopping, lunch and spent time at the Madeline, a Revolutionary-era church that's just magnificent.

Friday we spent at La Louvre, which I'll note has free wheelchairs available and allows those in them special access routes from room to room.

Saturday was our departure day and our cabbie took us to Charles de Gaulle Airport talking about American football the whole way. When we told him we were from Tennessee, he knew all about the Titans, how they'd moved from Houston to Memphis, etc.

He, and all the other people we met, were wonderful.

http://www.hackamore.com/

Memphis Commercial Appeal

Hi There,

Well my Commercial Appeal article got published, but a big chunk of the middle of it got lost between the first page and the fifth (where it is continued)... I'd have been happier with 1 fewer picture (they printed 3) and the whole article.

Luckily the ONLINE version had the whole thing.... well after I chopped ~250 words out of it to reach their word count!

Read the WHOLE thing HERE.

http://www.hackamore.com/

London Audio Guide

Hello All,

Now I'm old fashioned in a lot of ways. I still listen to SW Radio for example.

Those that are solidly locked into the 21st century and are never without their ipods should look into downloading the London audio guide from www.comeawaywithme.co.uk (of course -I- would still have my Micheline Guide and map).

Interesting audio guides for all the popular destinations in London.

http://www.hackamore.com/

Short Wave Radio

You may have noticed that in the "Travel Gadgets" bar along with passport pouches, money belts, and travel clocks I list Short Wave (or WorldBand) Radios.

Now you can listen to a lot of the big international (usually government sponsored) stations on-line but I've listened to Short Wave for years now.

My first accidental listen was to Radio Netherlands on a regular AM clock radio that had a LONG extension cord, and the cord on these radios is the antenna, and I found that I could hear a Radio Netherlands show on Sunday nights if I -carefully- tuned the radio around the superheterodyne squeals LATE at night.

So I bought a cheap portable SW Radio and I was hooked. I added a long wire antenna and could hear all over the world.

Then I found out about QSL Cards and Reception Reports. If you send in a valid reception report many stations will send you a colorful QSL card as a "thank you" and started sending off reception reports and collecting cards.

You have to understand though that SW is a form of AM radio and it gets it's range by bouncing off the ionosphere, so what you can here changes with time of day, time of year, and where you are... so I started carrying a small radio and a coiled long wire antenna on trips... logging a few shows and sending in reception reports when I got home and getting QSLs from stations I would never hear in the States.

Having a WorldBand radio can be generally handy when traveling. You can't normally use your regular North American portable radio since the station steps are different. In North America on FM we use the "odd" increments... 91.1, 92.7, 1.2.7... in Europe they use the even steps... WorldBand radios can tune them all.

Some stations like Radio France International have shows in English (I know David Paige of the team of Olsen and Paige from Memphis's FM100 was doing it). You can get the BBC in most of western Europe along with Voice of America. Local music is fun to listen to too, they play an amazing amount of Doors music on Paris radio and I've heard a French language version of Sweet Home Alabama on Radio Latin.

If like me you like to listen to the radio as you fall off to sleep they're invaluable.

My favorite travel rig is a small battery powered Grundig. I carry a AA battery charger and a long wire antenna to hang out the hotel window.

http://www.hackamore.com/

Our New Domain!

We're making a step forward here and from now on you can access the blog via it's own URL

We're now http://www.hackamoretravel.com/

The old url will still work for a while but update your bookmarks "just in case"

http://www.hackamore.com/

Jamaica - The Mexican Flu Alternative?

As dozens of couples reconsider vacations to Mexico due to the H1N1 Mexican Flue pandemic, Couples Resorts is offering a 50 percent off promotion to convince travelers to keep vacation plans, but change their destination to Jamaica where there have been no cases.

From now until May 31, Couples Resorts is offering the special 50 percent discount to all couples rebooking their vacation through a travel agent or travel partner (email me!), for travel lasting through August 17.

The three of four Couples Resorts properties included in this offer are Couples Tower Isle, Couples Swept Away and Couples Sans Souci.

These aren't threadbare budget vacations. Everything from sailing (hobbie cats, and YOU sailing not just riding with a staffer), through horseback riding, premium drinks from multiple bars, great food, snorkling, glass bottom boats, catamaran excursions, and The Island :) are all included.

I've been to Couples 3 times and liked it so much I got married there.

Deal Dates: May 12, 2009 - May 31, 2009

http://www.hackamore.com/

BREAD

Here in The States I eat very little bread, I'm a rice guy.

Which surprises some people because when I'm in France I eat bread.

Give me a plate of steak tartare and I'm liable to ask for MORE since I'll eat it with every bite.

There is no "expiration date" on French bread.

It's good bread, fresh bread... as in fresh this morning or this afternoon.

The French take it so far as regulating what can be called a bakery or "boulangerie". Per French law the word “boulangerie” can only be used to advertise your bakery if -all- the baking is done at the bakery itself...

and...

by LAW French bread can contain only water, flour, yeast, and salt.

Bread is taken seriously.

On the Rue Daguerre in the 14eme (the old neighborhood) coming from Boulevard General LeClerc the -first- boulangerie does their own dough and makes the best bread... though there IS another bakery further down the street... they use factory made dough though and is strictly a fall back choice for the day the first is closed (everybody, even the baker, gets a day off).

Regular "French Bread" is a "baguette", skinier/crustier is the "ficelle" (my favorite), but many people like the football shaped "bâtard" or the round "boule".

If the only "French Bread" you've had is the American Style (which is fatter, generally over-proofed, and scored incorrectly) baked in convection ovens resulting in a large loaf that is softer, less chewy, and without the texture and crispy crust of proper French Bread real French Bread is a simple treat for everyone to eat.

Enjoy it when you're in France.

If you really would like to try the fanciest of French Breads you can get it at Boulangerie Poilane. They'll even ship to the US!

http://www.hackamore.com/

VAT Being Cut In French Cafe's

For those of you with summer travel plans to Paris, there is some good news.

As of July 1, the VAT or value added tax included on all restaurant bills (like the tax on my steak tartare on the right) is going from 19.6% to 5.5%.

Lowering the tax does a number of things that everyone can benefit from. For starts tourists, and everyone else, will see a significant drop in their food bill (but wine drinkers will still pay the higher tax on alcohol).

You see the French aren't frequenting their local bistro or brasserie as much. Add the smoking ban put in place awhile back and you can see how restaurant owners are struggling.

This tax cut will stimulate the hospitality industry with both locals and tourists spending more.

France has about 180,000 restaurants, employing over 700,000 people.

This is a BIG industry and it should have a BIG effect since your restaurant tab is something you see several times a day as a traveler and with lower restaurant tabs the perception of Paris (and France) as an "expensive place to visit" will moderate and there should be more French tourism.

Lady Liberty's Crown To Re-Open

Lady Liberty is seen as a symbol of freedom and democracy

After years of going without a view from the top deck, visitors to New York will soon be able to visit the crown of the Statue of Liberty, officials say.

US Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said the crown would re-open on 4 July, Independence Day.

The entire statue was put off limits to the public following the attacks of 11 September 2001 with access to the lower deck and the pedestal re-opened in 2004.

A Lottery system

Mr Salazar, speaking from the inside of the statue during a live television appearance, said access to the crown would initially be limited.

Only 30 visitors, chosen by lottery, would be allowed in each hour. The number would eventually increase, he said.

The National Park Service said it closed the crown of Lady Liberty - over safety concerns.

The number of visitors to the Statue of Liberty is rising again after falling sharply in the aftermath of 9/11 since after all you couldn't visit the Great Lady.

About 3.2 million people visited in 2007, up from 2.5 million in 2006 and I'm sure with the crown re-opening more will come. I know I want to go into the torch!.

Visitors have to undergo strict security screening before being allowed in.

Lady Liberty, a gift from France in 1886 , was one of the first sights seen by millions of immigrants who arrived in New York harbor over the past centuries, hoping to gain entry into America and to freedom.

My mother, who came to the US on the 1st ship leaving France in 1945 to work for the French Embassy in DC, saw her as her ship came into port.

Visit... you don't have to go abroad to have a great vacation.

http://www.hackamore.com/

Visit Versailles This Summer

Now at the Chateau de Versailles through October 25th there are music/water/light shows in an annual outdoor installations dubbed "The Fountains Play to Music" during the day and "The Fountains Play by Night" as you might guess... at night.

You can stroll through the chateau's stunning formal gardens, bask in the soothing play of sound, shadow and light. The night shows are particularly dramatic with a play of fire on water and the incredible statuary.

Versailles is a bit outside of Paris but an easy day trip. Trains reach Versailles in 30-40 minutes with 3 rail lines to get you there from Paris, or you can take the number 171 bus from Pont de Sèvres.

For detailed information on taking the train from Paris, see Paris to Chateau Versailles by Train

See a map of Versailles showing the RER station and the size of the gardens of Versailles.

Versailles is a good full day trip from Paris.

Pétanque

I confess... I like to watch the old men (it's always old men) play Pétanque in the parks.

Pétanque is the French version of Bocce' or Lawn Bowling and is similar in concept to horseshoes. In Paris I've regularly seen games going on in the park to the North West of Les Invalides.

The Les Invalides complex is worthwhile in itself... it houses the Emperor Napoleon's tomb, the Musee de l'Armee, and the Musee de l'Ordre de la Liberation. The grounds are magnificent with cannons of every discription everywhere.

A definite "guy stop" in a city of Art Museums and such. Visit The Emperor's Tomb in the morning, the Musee de l'Ordre de la Liberation after (if it's open), take lunch at the brasserie nearest the Pétanque games so you can watch, then back in for the rest of the afternoon at the Musee de l'Armee.

http://www.hackamore.com/

Orientation Tours

One thing that you might want to take advantage of in a lot of European cities are the HopOn/HopOff buses operated by the "straight" tour companies like Grey Line.

I've seen the buses in London and Paris and HopOn/HopOff Canalboats in Amsteram.

The basic premis is the same though, buses (usually double decker buses with an open top, but in Amsterdam canalboats) travel fixed loops and you can hop on or hop off at fixed stops and catch another bus (or boat) later. There will be a multi-language commentary available via headphones to tell you what you're driving by or stoping at and you'll get to hit the high points quickly giving you a good general orientation far quicker than the metro and unlike the traditional fixed tour you'll still have oportunities to spend more time where YOU want.

For example in Paris there is L'OpenTour operated by Cityrama with 4 different routes at 29 euro for 1 day and 32 euro for 2 days on all routes that covers all the major (and not so major) must see tourist stops, you don't have to climb up and down into the subways, you get let off where you want to go (not where the closest metro stop is), and you see often overlooked little gems that you just happen to pass en route to the next "biggie".

They're great first day orientation tours for the first time visitor to any major city that offers them.

http://www.hackamore.com/

Armurerie de la Bourse

Another interesting gun shop is the Armurerie de la Bourse near... you guessed it the Bourse or Stock Exchange...

This is the French Wall Street and the local cafe's reflect this in a suit and tie kinda way... generally not a neighborhood I'd hang out in.

But this is also where you'll find the truly nice Armurerie de la Bourse... from a good selection of knives through all sorts of live and dewat firearms and accessories this is the place to visit...

http://www.hackamore.com/

Place de la Republique (link fixed)

Hi,

Many Americans would be surprised that the French have a lively gun/hunting/shooting culture and there are gun shops and indoor ranges even in the heart of Paris.

One of my old favorites (but no longer technically a gun shop since they no longer have a gunsmith) is EuropSurplus on Boulevard Voltaire at the end of the Place de la Republique.

Even though they no longer carry "guns" they still carry a full line of Airsoft stuff, accessories, knives, knucks, and defense items of various sorts.

My last visit I bought 2 very nice balisong style knives and some interesting old style knucks as souvenirs.

I've never encountered English speaking staff though... so if you're a shooter and want to hit the gun shops get a copy of the French magazine Cibles at the first newstand... sure it's in french, but you know the subject, and it's got a vocabulary section in the middle with pictures...

You can always do the old "Je voudrais un de ca" (I'd like 1 of those) and pointing.

Still even with my bad French I had no problems at all and he refered me to another shop across town (and gave me metro directions) for other things they didn't have in stock at the moment.

All in All a Very Friendly Place.

The "Belgian" cafe' on the corner is pretty decent too... a chain but reliable food with a good local clientele (always a good sign).

When standing in front of the cafe, gunshop to your left rear, and facing down the Place... the Canal St. Martin is a few blocks over to the left... a little working canal right through the center of Paris... if you're in the area in the afternoon grab a gyro from a shop and watch the boats slowly ease their way down the canal.

http://www.hackamore.com/

Where (and What) To Eat in France?

One of the big things when traveling abroad is Where (and What) To Eat?

My first general recommendation is go where and eat what the locals do.

In Paris that means busy non-tourist area cafe's and brasseries, if it's empty don't go in.

As for what avoid hamburgers (though in France if you see a hamburger with any mention of Cheval, or Chevalier in the description get it... it's horse and will be served open faced... likewise the "faux filet", horse steak... tastes good but very lean).

One interesting little thing I noticed at a brasserie near our hotel last time... the French menu posted outside stated it was a horsemeat hamburger... but we got handed english cartes (my wife is very obviously NOT French... she's a natural blonde :-} ) and that version of the menu omitted the fact that it was horsemeat... just a "hamburger".

When I'd normally get a burger in the States I'll get Steak Tartare and a salad in France. It's the rough equivalent and carnivores inevitably come to love it.

If I'm ordering from a "menu" (not to be confused with the carte or piece of paper with the food items listed on it... a "menu" is like a "fixed price menu" in the States... you generally get 1 from each category) I'll always get the pate' and the cheese courses... pate' is just so hard to get in the US and you're in France, eat the cheese :)

If you're in the Denfert Rochereau area (probably to visit the catacombs) I can whole heartedly recommend La Belle Ronde (19 rue Daguerre) on the Rue Daguerre (opposite Macdonald's) on the left opposite the horse butcher (look for the horse head statues). It's a friendly, casual crepe/breton restaurant. Kinda modern, good food, english spoken... and they've got a sweet cat.

If you're just looking for a drink and some people watching the Chez Daguerre has been there for decades on the corner of the Rue Daguerre and Boulevard General Leclerc... Good service, good selection, and reasonable prices... I've been going there for decades now.

I tried to buy one of their uniform shirt T-shirts... they say no one has ever asked and the manager refused... but my waiter (who says he has an American wife) took my address and says he'll send me one... if he does I'll send him a Sun Studios T-shirt signed by the Original Artist (my "cousin" Jay Parker)

I Love Paris.

http://www.hackamore.com/

Fauchon - Traditional Paris Modernized

We just got back from a quick week in Paris and noted some interesting changes.

For example long established neighborhood brasseries are being taken over by chains like the "Indiana" for example... and not just in "touristy" areas like Place de la Republique where there has been one for years, but way way off the tourist track at Place Denfert Rochereau the brasserie long known for it's mustachioed Patron is now an "Indiana".

I didn't go in :) and instead we went to the Chez Daguerre across the street where it's been for decades.

Some things I guess are inevitable... Paris has Starbucks now... I have no idea who goes there with good coffee available dozens of ways at every cafe' in town.

But... some things though you think would NEVER change.

Institutions that have maintained their purity and traditions for decades.

But that Paris landmark Fauchon has gone modern!

The departments have been moved to start with... and how they operate is decidedly non-traditional. Produce is not to be found, meats/charcuterie with it's window displays are gone, the boulangerie/patisserie with their cases a thing of the past.

In their place you'll find self-serve racks of lunch sized cheeses, pates, salads, and beverages catering to a different audience with modern (think upscale McDonald's) tables on the ground and 1eme floors.

Wines and Spirits are in an adjoining location and while offering an excellent 18euro lunch "menu" at the wine bar downstairs it just lacks the style one expects at Fauchon.

Still with much of the city on strike that day we had a light lunch there... and where else can you have pate' de foie gras for lunch :)

Thankfully SOME places respect tradition.

The Madeline, a revolutionary era (and at "only" ~200 years old fairly new for Paris) church, was open and I lit a candle for Joan the Maid at her 1909 (pre-canonization) statue there.

Not a bad way to spend a strike day in Paris, and we did get a couple of bottles of Fauchon Armagnac to bring home, but I still prefer the Fauchon of old, some things just shouldn't change.

http://www.hackamore.com/

Luggage Shopping

These days I'm getting ready for a spring trip and because the Northwest Airlines baggage handlers took a forklift to my luggage and it's contents on my last international trip I'm luggage shopping.

I know more or less what I want: a largish (I still have my small/medium bags), tough, stable, rollerbag in something other than BLACK.

Black bags do have a few things going for them. Mainly they don't show the scuffs and scrapes that lighter colors do.

BUT... it seems that EVERYBODY has a black bag that looks more or less like every other black bag on the luggage carousel, and if it's a common brand sold by one of the major retailers it IS the same as some of the other bags... so I'm going for COLOR.

So I hit some of the major retailers web sites just to see who carries what and found quite a few acceptable bags... BUT here's the snag with luggage shopping, most bags aren't available in the stores, they are -web only-. I'm guessing they just take up to much shelf space in the stores.

This isn't a problem if you're planning now for a trip this coming summer but I didn't realize I didn't have a suitable bag until NOW... just a few days before our departure date... so it's off to hit the stores and see what they actually have in stock and find something suitable...

(see my tales of woe dealing with NWA and my mistake in obeying the NWA handicapped aid/assistant when dealing with my duty free purchases in an earlier posting)

The moral to this story?

Plan ahead.

Don't wait until the last minute to shop for anything or take what you can get and deal with it.

Kaiten Sushi (conveyor belt sushi)

Hi Folks,

now usually I do stuff about travel to Europe, Mexico, or Jamaica... but I have done stuff on San Francisco and regularly go to a Kaiten Sushi place called Isobune in Japantown, which is not to be confused with Chinatown.

In Kaiten sushi the sushi goes round and round in little boats or on a conveyor belt and you just pick up the sushi you like as it goes by with the color of the plate determining the price.

But what does it look like from the Sushi's standpoint?



http://www.hackamore.com/

Let's Do The Time Warp Again

Just in case you're going to be in Paris on a Friday Night you owe it to yourself to Do The Time Warp Again.



http://www.hackamore.com/

Memphis <> Paris DIRECT?

Rumor has it that an Air France representative will be in Memphis this summer to discuss a possible direct flight between Memphis and Paris.

It's long been talked about... but this blogger KNOWS the Air France representative who'll be here personally... the question is: is it FINALLY going to happen?

http://www.hackamore.com/

Special Request Books and Such

By popular demand I've added a "Special Requests Books" strip on the right side at the bottom.

It will be things that users/readers have requested for their book club, travel group, hobby group, et cetera ... and while some will disappear after the requester orders it others ,like the Louis Diat cookbooks) will stay forever... he was quite a Chef.

He's also the guy that "invented" Vichyssoise, cold leek and potato soup and named after his (and my mother's) home town of Vichy, in Allier.

The Special Request Box will always be on the bottom right.

http://www.hackamore.com/

Which Hotel and Why

Spring break is coming on us fast and the best deals on airfare are disappearing even faster folks. Most airlines RAISE their lowest rates 30 days before departure so keep an eye on the calender.

But back to the topic... which is Which Hotel and Why.

I've done the cheap and colorful all over Europe...

I was younger then :)

The first hotel I ever booked myself in Europe was the Hotel Ronnie. A 1 star hotel on Raadhuistraat in Amsterdam. Listed in Let's Go Europe and so close to Dam Square that you can hear the clock bells that Radio Netherlands uses for their "interval signal" on short wave. The rooms were -TINY- but clean and the breakfast decent but not spectacular.... not a bad buy for a college senior on a tight budget... the absolute LOWEST price was a big deal then.

BUT... the building had no elevator... the "front desk" was on what we in the US would call the 3rd Floor and my room was on the 6th! Even after an "upgrade" my 2nd day to a room "only" on the 4th floor it was quite a climb to make several times a day!

So when booking an upcoming trip to Paris I checked the price for the Formule 1 in the suburb of St. Denis. The most budget priced of any Accor hotel they make a Motel 6 (another Accor hotel) seem plush (mo: St. Denis Basillique in Zone 1) and found that a room there was $50us or 350$ for the 7 nights in a moderately funky suburb of Paris (though the Cathedral -is- worth a visit). But... it's got parking and being in Zone 1 of the Paris Metro it's still pretty easy to get around the city.

Just for comparison I checked some of the better rated Hostels and found rates for a double or twin room with shared bath in the 50s so it's very competitive price wise.

But this is per room for up to 3 people in a double/single bunk bed arrangement. Toilette and shower are down the hall... and it includes parking and a simple "continental" breakfast... so for a couple with a kid and a car it's not a bad deal, mainly because parking in Paris is so expensive and you're still in zone 1 for the Metro.

But... I still don't want or need a car IN Paris this trip so I'm not going to rent one and have both the expense and madness of trying to drive around Paris plus the expense of parking it.

I'll have my Brompton for the neighborhood and the buses and metro everyplace else. I'll just fold the Brompton and take it with me wherever I go.

So... did I book the Formule 1?

No. While it's got advantages for somebody both on a budget with a car to park I got a better value for money by booking air and hotel together on Travelocity and staying at the Holiday Inn St. Germain de Pres. Sure it -does- cost a bit more but I get a LOT more than a bare bones 1 star room and a parking spot. I get a Holiday Inn.

In fact I've found some especially good deals on European Holiday Inns lately through Travelocity. General tourism is down and Holiday Inn chooses to fill rooms at bargain prices through Travelocity and get -something- for them instead of letting them sit empty at a higher rate.

Kemmons Wilson used to say "There are no bad surprises at a Holiday Inn" and this trip isn't just me flying solo (I've stayed in some interesting places), or even me leading some neophyte traveler buddies around Europe (random chance from the tourist office booking desk in the train station) .

This is me and my Wife on our Anniversary.

So No Bad Surprises.

St. Germain de Pres is still a typically "French" neighborhood and home to Les Deux Magots. It's just a couple of metro stops from the old neighborhood.

It will be nice to be back in Paris.

Paris in the Spring :-}

AN UPDATE:

Kemmons Wilson is dead and now you can have "surprises" at a Holiday Inn so I can't recommend the Holiday Inn St. Germain des Pres to anyone. We found the room dirty (complete with a hole in the wall below the window), the shower moldy and leaking flooding the carpets. Restaurant/Room-Service was just totally incompetent. It was a room in a good neighborhood... I'll go back to my "old standard" off Denfert-Rochereau next trip.

http://www.hackamore.com/

Streetwise Maps and Michelin Guides and Maps

Streetwise Paris is THE best pocket map I've ever seen for the city. Small, laminated (durable), it covers the city center of Paris, France - and includes a metro map with lines & stations

In fact for casual tourism the Streetwise Maps are the simplest and best maps I've ever seen.

You don't NEED to find the little streets if you're still trying to find the Eiffel Tower :)

But... if you're driving, or like me you've picked up a local specialty magazine for your favorite hobby and are looking for some little shop and all you've got is an address then you NEED a Michelin Map and a Michelin Green Guide is always handy too (and they've got pretty good little maps in them too for the areas they cover).

http://www.hackamore.com/

Schiphol Airport

The Dutch are the masters of social engineering!
(click on the picture to enlarge and read it)

http://www.hackamore.com/

The Canals Are Freezing!

The Dutch strapped on their skates and flocked to the icy canals this weekend as freezing temperatures gave a rare chance to skate the canals.

"The number of opportunities you have to skate in the Dutch winter is decreasing," said Jochem van de Laarschot, who usually speaks on behalf of Dutch food retailer Ahold but took time off last week to skate.

"Once the opportunity comes up you have to get your skates out and jump on the ice," Jochem stated.

Warmer global temperatures have led to less natural ice forming in the low-lying Netherlands, where the topography of interconnected waterways makes it an ideal winter skating playground and speed skating is the national sport.

Anticipation is growing for the "Elfstedentocht" or "11 Cities Tour," a national event where speed skaters race along a 200-km (120-mile) course beginning and ending in the northern city of Leeuwarden.

Dutch newspapers track the thickness of ice daily and feature detailed maps pointing people to long stretches where ice skating is allowed and the TV stations all report on ice conditions in the canals.

This year marks the 100th year since the race began and if held, the tour would be the first in over a decade.

A hysteria I witnessed firsthand during on of my early last minute winter trips to The Netherlands.

Skates are sold out in stores after many who thought that ice would never return to the Netherlands threw their rusty blades away or simply lost them.

Several canals in the capital Amsterdam have frozen over but the ice is not yet thick enough to deliver the rare treat of skating across the city's frozen waterways.

Hospitals have reinforced staff to deal with an influx of skaters with wrist and hip injuries and at least one man died after falling through thin ice.

http://www.hackamore.com/

French Find German's Role Hard To Swallow

The gastronomic world is in shock following the surprise announcement by the board of Guide Michelin France that a 38-year-old German woman has been chosen to run the male-dominated culinary bible for the first time in its 108-year history.

Julianne Caspar is the first German to run Michelin's legendary "Guide Rouge". She was previously responsible for Michelin guides on Germany, Switzerland and Austria but will take over the French Guide from January next year.

Michelin France yesterday described the deliberately publicity shy Ms. Caspar, who hails from the German industrial city of Bochum, as a "polyglot who speaks four languages fluently." The publication added: "She is the first foreigner to run Guide Michelin France".

French attitudes to German cuisine do not exactly abound with admiration. There are few German dishes that are famous in France. One of them is "sauerkraut" or pickled cabbage, which most French claim is Alsatian anyway and called "choucroute". "In France, Germany is dismissed as the land of roast pork in brown sauce," remarked one German commentator.

Germany's conservative Die Welt newspaper said of Mrs Caspar's appointment: "In view of the fact that German cuisine is regarded as a lethal weapon in most parts of France, this decision is a sensation...

It is like Mercedes calmly announcing that its new director of product development is a Martian."

Ms Caspar, who is unmarried, was not available for comment. She merely let it be known through Michelin that she viewed her new job as a "fantastic challenge". She has so far given only rare interviews to the press and to date she has only allowed herself to be photographed from behind because of her role as one of Michelin's covert restaurant inspectors. Apparently even top chefs do not recognize her.

Michelin's Guide Rouge was launched in 1900 by the French entrepreneur and tire manufacturer, Andre Michelin. His original aim had been to produce an advertising gimmick that would help him to sell more tires.

The Guide Rouge's present editor, Jean-François Mesplède will become the new editor of the Michelin-owned French food magazine "Etoile", when Ms Caspar takes over his job next year.

In German culinary circles, Ms Caspar has been criticized by some for being too rooted in the traditions classical French cuisine. For others, she is the Michelin editor who has gone out of her way to award stars to young chefs who are not afraid to experiment.

Her near-meteoric progress has not gone unnoticed. She completed a training in hotel management and catering at the highly-regarded hotel Colombi in the south-western German town of Freiburg and went on to work as a manager in various top-class restaurants in her homeland but also in Britain, Italy and South Africa.

Before joining Guide Michelin, she was manager of Germany's acclaimed Vendome restaurant at the Schloss Bensberg grand hotel near Cologne. Vendome's head chef, Joachim Wissler is one of the nine chefs in Germany to have achieved a Michelin three-star rating.

Ms Caspar left the restaurant in 2002 and began a new career as an inspector for Guide Michelin Germany. Three years later she was appointed editor of the German and Austrian editions, two years after that the Swiss Guide was added to her portfolio.

Several German food writers waxed triumphant at the news of Ms Caspar's appointment yesterday. Marten Roff, in the country's Südeutsche Zeitung newspaper described her as the "most powerful gourmet critic in Europe". Another food columnist proclaimed: "We are German".

http://www.hackamore.com/

Spring Break 2009

If you're thinking about a Spring Break trip NOW is the time to book it.

Most airlines raise their lowest rates 30 days before departure so keep an eye on the calender.

Cruise Lines and Airlines have both dropped their fuel surcharges and that's effectively reduced your fairs for both... and the US Dollar has improved pretty dramatically against the Euro and the Pound... so for the first time in several years Europe is pretty affordable.

The Mexican Riviera (Cancun, Cozumel, etc.) has some spectacular deals and Jamaica and the Dominican Republic are offering super deals on true Luxury Resorts.

So... book now while we've got a good price window on both flights and accommodations!

http://www.hackamore.com/