To kiss or not to kiss? 💋

🖌️ Created by Pauline Baudry

How people greet each other varies greatly between cultures, and can be different depending on the context, relationship, age, and gender.

In Europe, however, giving kisses is a common way to greet close relatives and friends, though men-to-men interactions typically exclude kisses.

In Belgium, one kiss is customary, while in certain French regions, people greet each other with up to four kisses.

My response:

2,3, or 4??? 💋

Thanks for posting. This reminded me of my junior year of college when I lived in France. One of the greatest challenges when meeting someone for the first time was gracefully following their lead regarding how many times to kiss hello. In some places, we kissed two times like in Paris; in other places, we kissed three times such as in the southeastern France; and in the city where I lived in Normandy, we kissed four times. Sometimes you didn’t know when to stop moving your head from right to left.🤣

The South Pacific includes 10 island groups

The South Pacific which is synonymous with "paradise" for many, includes 10 island groups as follows: New Caledonia, The Cook Islands, French Polynesia (118 total) that includes Tahiti and Bora-Bora, the Solomon Islands, Fiji, Samoa, American Samoa, Easter Island, Vanuatu, and Tonga.

 

Included on my trip will be a stop in the Cook Islands which is part of New Zealand, French Polynesia including Tahiti, Moorea, and a stop in the Marquesas islands. This part of the world is known for its beautiful white sand beaches, remote escapes, diving and snorkeling, archaeology and history, hiking/caves and volcanoes, luxurious retreats, hospitable residents, and traditional cuisine dance and music.

I am mainly an indoor girl so I will go out of my comfort zone and explore the great outdoors in these beautiful locations.

World Cruise-The First Segment: Florida to Sydney

Hello Fellow Travelers,

I will cruise on the first third of a 115-day world-cruise – – the segment that sails from Fort Lauderdale, Florida to Sydney, Australia.  Leaving in early 2016, the journey will last 36 days.

After departing from Fort Lauderdale, the ship (HAL Amsterdam) will make stops in Costa Rica and Panama; transit the Panama Canal; then make stops in several South Pacific islands including French Polynesia; then make stops in New Zealand and Australia ports; and finally I will disembark in Sydney. 

Cruising

On this sailing, I will explore 14 ports of call and I will relish 21 activity-filled sea days, including crossing-the-equator and passing the international dateline ceremonies.

I  look forward to some of my favorite activities on a cruise such as relishing sunsets at sea, savoring 24-hour gourmet dining options, enjoying a variety of entertainment venues including musicians galore and Las Vegas-style revues, appreciating a good book poolside, winning trivia and other contests, luxuriating at gala events, enriching my mind and body with lectures and dance classes, and delighting in making new friends from all over the world.

 

Traveling

Literary giants such as Herman Melville, Robert Louis Stevenson, W. Somerset Maugham, and James Michener wrote volumes about some of their experiences in these majestic locations with their blue lagoons, colorful reefs, mountain valleys, and hospitable residents.

I especially look forward to re-experiencing a guided tour as we transit the Panama Canal, learning about the traditional Maori culture in New Zealand, experiencing the rugged beauty and the endless sky in the French Polynesian and Cook Islands, enjoying the bustling, cosmopolitan cities of Sydney and Melbourne, and bonding with a new group of world explorers.

By the end of this cruise, this world traveler will have visited 90 nations on six continents. 

Our ship will set sail in one week!!

I will bring you along.

 

 

 

Manila, Philippines--my first visit!!!

Manila, Philippines

 

Philippines recent history overview:

From the time that Ferdinand Magellan claimed the country for the Spanish, in 1521, it was ruled by Spain for more than 300 years. Following Spain's defeat by the United States in 1898, the Philippines became an American colony, not gaining its independence until after World War II. Prior to that, the Philippines had been ruled by the Chinese, the sultanate of Brunei, and during World War II it endured a brutal Japanese military regime.

 

Today the Philippines is a melting pot of ethnic and religious tolerance--a meeting point of east and west. Largely a Christian nation since it was under Spanish rule, it is home to a growing number of Muslims.

 

Of note, the Philippines was named for the Spanish king Philip.

 

The Philippines official languages are Tagalog, (the Filipino language) and English.

 

My visit:

Today, I visited Manila, the capital of the Philippines.

 

More photos to come…………………………

 

 

 

Easy Paris On Your Own!!

Karla's Tips for 1st Paris Visit

If this is your first trip to Paris, I can help you navigate and sink into the rhythm of the city.

Paris is my favorite city in the world and I have been visiting Paris as a student, business person, and tourist for more than 25 years. Here are my recommendations (prices are based upon my last visit in fall of 2013).

 

Before you go!

1. STUDY city map and metro (maps) BEFORE going in order to familiarize yourself with the city.  (I do this for every city I visit).

2. Buy a good, pocket-sized guidebook such as Rick Steves’ Paris and/or Marco Polo guide to Paris.  Read BEFORE you go to Paris!!!!

Paris Overview: The city is divided into 20 arrondisments—Everything is coded (even zip codes) by arrondisement.  My favorites are the the, 1^st,  4^th, 5^th, 6^th, 8^th and 9^th.  http://www.parisnet.com/parismap.html  Of note, The Eiffel Tower is in the 16th (16ieme).

From Paris.net------In Paris arrondissements are named according to their number. For example, you might live in the 5th arrondissement, which would be written as 5ème (or 5e) in French. Looking at the Paris Map you can see that the districts spiral out from the center in numerical order. If you know the postal code of any address in Paris, you can easily identify which arrondissement it is located in because Parisian postal codes take the form of - 75XXX - with the last two digits being equal to the arrondissement (e.g. 75008 is the postal code for the 8th arrondissement). The suburbs are called the banlieues. The areas to the west of the city (Neuilly, Boulogne, Saint Cloud, Levallois, Versailles) are the most desirable and they are generally more peaceful than the city. Each of the Paris neighborhoods and arrondissements has its own special character.

-Latin Quarter/Boul-Miche (St Michel Metro in 5th) near Notre Dame is my favorite spot.  There are great cafes, Greek Gyros, and Moroccoan  restaurants there.  It is vibrant, youthful, and diverse.

-Le Marais/ Place Des Voges/Bastille (3^rd/4^th arrondisement) is my second favorite area.

--Other favorite spots and must sees: Jardin Du Luxembourg, Champs Elysees(PM), Trocadero metro(AM and PM for best Eiffel tower photos) , MontMartre, "Beaubourg" and the Centre Pompidou and  Canal Saint-Martin

My Paris recommendations/tips:

---Paris is a great walking city and the Metro and buses are convenient for moving around.  Buy Metro booklets of 10 tickets and you can use these tickets on both the metro and the buses.   I used my Metro App to guide me on how to connect.  A book of 10 metro tickets cost 13euros30.  The single ticket price is 1,70€.   (September 2013)  See excellent article on how to use the Paris Metro here: http://parisbytrain.com/tag/paris-metro/

 

---Take the metro to St. Michel and walk all around Notre Dame area , up and down the Blvd. St Michel and St Germain des Pres, then back across and along to the Seine river.

 

 

---Take long bus rides from one end of the city to the other where you will pass some of the most famous sites such as the Opera house and famous plazas such as the Place de la Republique, while you are completely above ground. This is obviously a great alternative to taking the Metro because you are able to see all the sights along the way.  Also, whenever I took the bus, it was never crowded. I could easily get two or four seats to myself and I had ample room to take out my camera and snap sights along the way.  Buses #69  gives a scenic east-west city tour.  Bus line # 20 stopped right near my hotel, at my metro stop: Chemin Vert.  Of note, metro tickets are valid on city buses.

---Take nightly strolls through vibrant areas.  Tops were lively quartiers of St Michel area, Champs-Elysées, Bastille area, Montmatre (Nice sunset panoramic views over the city) and Le Marais. 

--- Take self-guided tour: Historic Paris Walk from Rick Steves book---5ieme
---Prisunic and Monoprix are good stores for basic needs.  The larger ones are like Target—with everything from food  and wine to toiletries and clothing.  There are 24-hour ones on Champs Elysees.

---Have a meal from a pastry shop.  My favorite is to go window-shopping in a pastry shop and settle on a quiche Lorraine or quiche with 3 cheeses, freshly baked, hot from the oven.  These rich snacks cost under 3 euros.

---Have picnics in Jardin du Luxembourg or in park in front of Eiffel Tower.

---Visit my favorite history museum of the city of Paris, Carnavalet.  This museum showcases art and artifacts of Paris with an emphasis on the Revolution and new republic periods.  What I like most is the variety of artifacts from the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries including metal shop signs, guillotine miniatures, personal items (hair combs, cutlery, pistols, hair of famous Parisians), and portraiture. 

---Stay in hotel near a Metro stop.

---Consider taking walking tours from Paris – walks.com. Expert guides provide about 10 or 15 different 2- hour-long walking tours daily, for only €12. There are tours at 10:30 AM and it 2:30 PM, daily.   http://www.paris-walks.com/
I took 4 excellent walking tours conducted by smart, passionate, witty guides from a company that offers 3-6 daily tours, rain or shine.  They feature more than 20-themed tours.  My small group tours cost 12 euros each.  Here are the brief tour descriptions, of tours I took, written by Paris-Walks.com:

THURSDAY 2:30pm The Marais Circuit 2 Stories of royalty, mistresses and intrigue in this beautiful historic neighborhood. On circuit 2 we explore the Northern side of the Marais. Elegant classical mansions with graceful courtyards and gardens, the old Jewish quarter with the picturesque rue des Rosiers, and the peaceful place des Vosges, the city’s oldest square. Meet at metro St Paul There is always an extra tour on Sunday.

 

FRIDAY 10.30am Hemingway's Paris Explore this charming district in the Latin Quarter with the old houses of the Mouffetard market street, an impressive fragment of the medieval city wall, and the lovely historic church of St Etienne-du-Mont. It is associated with many writers: Joyce, Orwell, Balzac, Hugo, and Verlaine and immortalized by Hemingway in A Moveable Feast. Meet at metro Cardinal Lemoine.

I took this tour IN THE RAIN!

SUNDAY 10.30am The Village of Montmartre On this picturesque walk you will discover old winding streets, the vineyard, artists' studios (Renoir, Lautrec, Van Gogh) quiet gardens, historic cabarets, the place-du-Tertre with its artists and the Sacré Coeur Basilica. Meet at metro Abbesses (use the station elevator, it is quite deep!) (All year)

MONDAY 10.30am Ile de la Cité and Notre Dame Read the stories in the medieval sculptures, and hear how the cathedral was built. We explore the history and architecture of the Island, the old streets, the flower market, quiet gardens, secret courtyards and the poignant memorial to the deported. Meet at metro Cité    BTW, Notre Dame turned 850 in 2013.

---Go to Trocadero (metro stop) (Eiffel Tower observation point)—This is a great photo spot! (for the best shots of you in front of the Eiffel Tower.)
---The Marais is a charming area just north of the Seine in the third and fourth arrondisements 

---Have café and croissant in the AM.

---Prisunic and Monoprix are good stores for basic needs.  The larger ones are  like Target—with everything from food  and wine to toiletries and clothing.  There are 24-hour ones on Champs Elysees.

---Neighborhood shops—every neighborhood has its own boulangerie/patisserie bakery/pastry shop (buy your morning croissant and quiche snack from here.  (They will heat up/warm treats for you) and alimentation grocer. 

---Visit market streets i.e., Mouffetard market street and Sunday Bastille Market

---For a memorable evening, sit on the steps of the Sacré Coeur with a Perrier or a bottle of wine and watch the Eiffel Tower come to life and sparkle every hour on the hour until midnight.

---Visit some of Paris’ 200 museums. Choose them based upon your time and interests.

---Visit the breathtaking and serene Jardin de Luxembourg.  It was as much of a feast for the eyes as I had remembered.

---Remember---on the menu, “entrée” is the appetizer. 

---Sit in a café (near a window or outside) to people watch.

---Say, “bonjour” when entering shops and “au revoir” when exiting!!

------------------------I have lots more to add but I want to send now!!!