TOILETS

I know toilets are a weird subject but they are one of the things I notice most overseas.  I mean we all need them - right?  However they do differ from country to country.  Some countries are similar to ours but you cannot flush any products such as toilet paper.  It was this way in Costa Rica.  In Asian countries squat toilets are common.  Well not only Asia but other places in the world including Europe.  Try to use one of these when you have had a bit too much to drink (and you are a girl).  I struggled in China.

Ireland has toilets similar to ours but you will find several with a different flushing system.  They will have a round circle on the tank and depending on which half of the circle you push is the type of flush produced.  You have a full flush for number 2 and a half flush for number 1.  We found a lot of these in Australia also.  Some toilets in Ireland  (and Italy) have the tanks hidden behind walls.  The good news is most women's restrooms have toilet seats. 

I cannot say this for Italy.  I would say about 50% of the toilets I have used in public places in Italy in the women's restroom have the toilet seat removed.  Yet I will glance in the men's restroom and they have one.  Riddle me that Joker!!  I also find that it is common to have separate rooms for the toilet but the sink is on the outside and you share it with the men's restroom.  Bidets are common in Italy.  They call the bidet the paperless toilet because you clean your bum with water instead. 

Another thing common in Ireland (and other parts of the world) is the way water is heated for a shower.  It is an electric heater attached to the shower head.  I actually really like this because it is easy to get the water temperature just right. 

Make sure in Europe you take change with you because there are places that charge.  I believe the last time I was in the mall in Waterford Ireland I had to pay.  It is usually 10 or 20 cents.  I also always keep toilet paper with me.  I hate finding out when I go to reach for toilet paper that there isn't any.  No square to spare!  I also keep wet wipes with me. 
 Below you will see some examples.  The top picture is from one of our apartments in Venice.  You can see the tank is in the wall on the regular toilet and there is a bidet.  On the bottom going left to right is a squat toilet, a typical bidet/toilet setup, and the double flushing button.

EXCITED

IN 4 MONTHS WE WILL BE IN IRELAND.  WELL - MOST OF US WILL BE IN IRELAND AND THOSE WHO WON'T WILL BE ON A PLANE TO IRELAND.

DINGLE IRELAND

We will leave Cobh Ireland on Wednesday morning June 1st to head to Dingle Ireland.  Dingle is on the coast and one of our favorite areas.  Weather will decide if the Ring of Kerry is an option.  If it is overcast and cloudy you won't see much doing the Ring of Kerry.  If the weather is good then it is worth it.

Ring of Kerry:

The Ring of Kerry (Irish: Mórchuaird Chiarraí) is a 179-km-long circular tourist route in County Kerry, south-western Ireland. Clockwise from Killarney it follows the N71 to Kenmare, then the N70 around the Iveragh Peninsula to Killorglin – passing through Sneem, Waterville, Cahersiveen, and Glenbeigh – before returning to Killarney via the N72.

Popular points include Muckross House (near Killarney), Staigue stone fort and Derrynane House, home of Daniel O'Connell. Just south of Killarney, Ross Castle, Lough Leane, and Ladies View (a panoramic viewpoint), all located within Killarney National Park, are major attractions located along the Ring. A more complete list of major attractions along the Ring of Kerry includes: Gap of Dunloe, Bog Village, Rossbeigh Beach, Cahersiveen Heritage Centre, Derrynane House, Skellig Experience, Staigue Fort, Kenmare Lace, Moll's Gap, Ladies View, Torc Waterfall, Muckross House, The Blue Pool, Ross Castle, Ogham Stones, St Mary’s Cathedral, Muckross Abbey, Franciscan Friary, Kellegy Church, O’Connell Memorial Church, Sneem Church and Cemetery, Skellig Michael, Beehive Cells and the Stone Pillars marking an important grave.
There is also an established walking path named The Kerry Way, which takes its own route, and a signposted Ring of Kerry cycling path which uses older quieter roads where possible. The Kerry Way roughly follows the scenic driving route of the Ring of Kerry.
There are numerous variations to the route taking in St. Finian's Bay and Valentia Island which the official driving ring misses (the official cycling route takes in Valentia Island). As well as some fine beaches, it also offers the Gap of Dunloe, Bog Village, Derrynane House, the Skellig Experience Valentia Island, Molls Gap, Torc Waterfall, Muckross House and Ross Castle.
"The Ring" is a popular day trip and numerous bus companies offer circuits during the summer months. As the narrow roads make it difficult for tour coaches to pass, all tour buses run in an anti-clockwise (or counter-clockwise) direction, traveling via Killorglin first. Some recommend that car owners travel in the opposite direction, going first to Kenmare to avoid delays caused by tour buses. Others advise traveling counter-clockwise to avoid having to pass the buses. In 2008 satellite navigation systems were blamed for directing bus drivers in a clockwise direction around the route.

Dingle:
Dingle (Irish: An Daingean or Daingean Uí Chúis, meaning "Ó Cúis' fort") is a town in County Kerry, Ireland. The only town on the Dingle Peninsula, it sits on the Atlantic coast, about 50 kilometres (30 mi) southwest of Tralee and 71 kilometres (40 mi) northwest of Killarney.
Principal industries in the town are tourism, fishing and agriculture: Dingle Mart (livestock market) serves the surrounding countryside. In 2006 Dingle had a population of 1,920.
Dingle is situated in a Gaeltacht region. There used to be two secondary schools but they have now amalgamated to produce Pobalscoil Chorca Dhuibhne. A friendly dolphin named Fungi lives in the harbor.

One of our accommodations in Dingle is Murphy's B&B.  The pub has the red front and the B&B has the green front.



COBH IRELAND

After breakfast on Tuesday May 31st we will head to Cork to tour Blarney Castle.  While at Blarney Castle you can kiss the blarney stone (for the gift of gab), shop at the Woollen Mills Mall, and have a pint at the pub. 

http://www.blarneycastle.ie/
http://www.blarney.com/

After Blarney Castle we head to Cobh.  We will try to get there early enough to enjoy the sites. 

Tourism is a large employer in Cobh. Large cruise liners visit Cobh each year, mainly during the summer months, although many of the tourists are transported out of Cobh by bus to other tourist destinations. In all, almost 100,000 cruise liner passengers and crew arrive in the town each year when their ships berth right in the centre of the town at Ireland's only dedicated cruise terminal. Tourist attractions are focused on the maritime and emigration legacy of the town and include the Queenstown Story Heritage Centre, Titanic Experience, Titanic Trail walking tour, Cobh Museum, Cobh Road Train, Spike Island tours and St Colman's Cathedral. The town has remained largely unchanged since RMS Titanic departed from Cork Harbour in 1912, with the streetscape and piers still much the same. Facing the town are Spike Island and Haulbowline Island. The latter is the headquarters of the Irish Naval Service, formerly a British naval base.

Some Recommended sites:

Titanic Experience
http://www.titanicexperiencecobh.ie/

Cobh Cathedral
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Colman%27s_Cathedral,_Cobh

Cobh Heritage Center
http://www.cobhheritage.com/

Annie Moore Statue
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annie_Moore_(immigrant)

In the evening after you have exhausted your site seeing there are plenty of pubs where you can grab a nice pint. 

Let's Talk about the Plane Flight

I think something that is concerning quite a few people about this trip is the long plane flight.  If you are flying direct from Chicago you will be on the plane close to 8 hours.  Yes it does seem like a long time to be on a plane but if you mentally prepare yourself it really isn't that bad.  I know - you think that is easy for me to say because I don't mind flying and I can usually sleep on a plane with no problems but even I have to mentally prepare myself for flights over 4 hours.

I know when I get on a long flight I better make myself comfortable and I do as much as I can to stay occupied.  Here are a few things that help me:

1) Make sure you have something to keep you warm in case the flight gets chilly.  They give you a small blanket but that's not always enough.  I always bring a scarf and a jacket on every flight with me and I wear long pants - usually leggings that are comfortable. 

2) Pack snacks and buy water right before you board.  You can always ask a flight attendant for water but it is nice to have with you.  I always make sure to bring plenty to munch on for when I get hungry!!  I don't always like the airline food and more airlines are starting to charge for food.  Norwegian Air charges for food even on their international flights.  DO NOT buy the water ahead of time because you cannot take it through security.  BUT DO stay hydrated.  The plane is extremely dry. 

3) Pack something to help you sleep on the flight - there are a lot of great over the counter options.  I use sleep aids on the flight over to Europe and then I try to stay awake on the flight back home.  I want to be exhausted when I arrive home so that I fall into bed that first night and get back on track to our time.  Dublin is 5 hours ahead of us and Venice is 6.  If light bothers you pack a sleeping mask.

4) Make sure you have any pain medicine or prescription meds with you in your bag.  You want those Advil or Tums close. 

5) Bring your favorite ear buds.  The plane will provide you ear buds or ear phones but sometimes they don't work or fit you correctly.  I NEVER board a flight without my ear buds.  Most international flights offer movies and in flight entertainment.  The movies are usually movies that have recently left the box office.  If you get bored with movies be sure to bring something to read.  I have a Kindle and download books ahead of time.  You will have to pay for Wi-Fi on most flights.

6) Download the whitenoise app to your cell phone.  I use this app all the time.  If there are crying kids on the plane you will be so thankful to have the app to sleep.  If you don't like something like whitenoise then remember to bring ear plugs. 

7) They will offer you small pillows on the plane but I like to bring my own inflatable pillow.  I know where the pillow has been and sometimes I even use it throughout the trip.  I pack an inflatable one because I can let the air out and pack it easily.

8) I always bring the following so I can freshen up an hour before we land: toothbrush and toothpaste,   wet wipes or personal wet clothes, makeup remover wipes, makeup, small hair spray, small brush, and a small vile of perfume.  NOTE:  Do not use the hair spray in the airplane lavatory or on the plane.  Wait until you land and then run to the bathroom.  Trust me - I have set off the fire alarm in the lavatory before. 

9) When you are not sleeping get up and walk around every so often to keep your circulation going. 

10) Pick an aisle seat if you can.  Then you can get up and go to the bathroom when you want.  However the down side is - you will have to move from time to time for the person at the window or middle seat. 

11) Pick the right seat if you can.  I know this is not always an option.  However we always try to get a seat free between us so we have extra room.  We will book towards the very back - about 4 rows from the last row - and book two aisle seats so the seat is empty in between us.  Those are usually the last seats to get filled.  If it is a full flight you can give up the aisle seat for the middle seat to sit next to your partner.  I have never found ANYONE who didn't want to give up the middle seat.   Download seatguru when choosing a seat.  It is a great application and will let you know if a seat will not recline or is partial recline - etc.  Getting the exit row may give you extra legroom but not all of those seats recline. 

12)  And last but not least - sit back and relax and enjoy the ride!!  When you finally get off the flight you will be in Dublin Ireland!!!!!

18 WEEKS AWAY

IN CASE ANYONE IS WONDERING WE ARE ONLY 18 WEEKS AWAY!!!!

THAT IS 126 DAYS

OR

3,024 HOURS

OR

181,440 MINUTES

Using Your Cell Phone Overseas

If you have a smart phone that has an actual SIM card such as a IPhone or Galaxy S you should be able to use your phone overseas.  If you are not sure if your phone has a SIM card or will work overseas ask your carrier.  They will be able to tell you. 

(NOTE:  You can buy SIM cards overseas for some phones but not all.  It is better to go over prepared.  When we arrived in Brazil we found you had to be a resident to buy a SIM card.)

Some time ago T-Mobile came out with a plan that allowed data usage overseas without large fees.  To compete against this Verizon and AT&T recently launched month to month plans for International travel.  You can add the plan on right before you go and then remove it once you get back. 

We plan to add the International Travel Talk, Text, & Data for $40.  That will give us 100 minutes of talk time, 100 text messages, and 100 MB of data.  Be care when it comes to the DATA because extra DATA is expensive.  100MB is only 10% of a GIG.  Use it for emergencies and not to check Facebook.  Many places will offer WIFI for that. 

VERIZON

ATT

I wish they would have offered something like this in the past.  In the past we paid a monthly access fee ($5.99) and then would still have to pay $1.79 to $2.99  a minute for most calls and .50 cents a text message.  I won't even tell you how much data cost.  When we land outside the US I immediately turn my data off. 

If you are not with VERIZON or AT&T check personally with your carrier to see what they offer. 

Here is a sneak peak from our week in Italy and Ireland last October.  SO TRUST ME - get the plan.  :)  We paid $143.20 for 80 minutes of talk time alone.  AND let people know you will be traveling international and not to text you.  If you noticed we only used a total of 50 Mega bytes of data - the 100 would have covered us.  So the bottom line is the $40 would have saved us $226.00.  They didn't launch the new plans until November of last year - darn it!

How the Irish Say It!

Something fun I found on Pinterest:

http://www.whereistara.com/irish-phrases-that-dont-translate/

-Yer man : That man over there….. or pretty much any man that we are referring to for the purpose of a story. For example, “Yer man behind the counter said to me….”. We do not mean that the man BELONGS to you. He is not YOUR man. He’s simply yer man over there.
-Yer one : The female equivalent of yer man. (often pronounced yer wan)
-Yoke: Thingy. For example, “Where’s that yoke gone?” simply means “Where has that random thing gone that I was looking for?”. Yoke can also refer to a person that you are horrified by. eg. “some f*in yoke sat beside me on the bus”.
-Scarlet for ya : How embarrassing for you. The long version is “scarlet for your ma for having ya”. That basically means that you did something EXTREMELY embarrassing and should probably be disowned.
-Grand: This is our most used response to any question. Contrary to popular belief this does not mean “great” or anything nearly as enthusiastic. Grand generally means “OK” or “fine”. Example, “Tara, I’m going to the shop”, and I would reply “grand”.
– I gave out to him: This is not sexual! This simply means “I told him off”, or “I scolded him”. Many a time I have used this phrase only to be met with confused faces asking me what exactly I gave the person.
-Fierce: Mainly used by country folk. Basically means VERY. Example, “It’s fierce windy out.”
-Bleedin: Used descriptively but not literally. Can basically be shoved into a sentence anywhere. Example. “where’s me bleedin phone?” or “That film was bleedin deadly”. Kind of used in place of an expletive.
-All over the shop: A state or a mess. Used descriptively. For example, “Me hair is all over the shop.”.
-He’s gone for his tea: Often used when watching a film and a character dies. Someone will usually exclaim, “Well, he’s gone for his tea”.
– He scared the bejaysus/bejesus out of me: Bejaysus basically means shit/hell/f*ck here. He scared the shit out of me.
– Sickner for ya: This pretty much means, “That sucks” or “How unfortunate for you”. For example, a friend might say “I was smoking down the lanes and then me ma caught me” and one could respond “Awww sickner”.
– Culchie: A person from the country……. or basically anyone that comes from anywhere other than Dublin.
-Jackeen: What culchies call people from Dublin

Food

-Rasher: Bacon
-Spicebag: A mystical bag of chips and crispy chicken/chicken balls with a mysterious blend of spices all wrapped up in a paper or foil bag. Very popular after a night out.
-Sliced Pan: Loaf of bread that has been sliced.
-Chipper: The fish & chip shop….. where they also sell spicebags.
-The messages: Groceries or food shopping. For example, “I’m going to Tesco for the messages.”
-The press: The cupboard, usually where you store the messages.
-Naggin: 200ml of some kind of spirit, often stashed in bras or bags on the way into nightclubs/festivals.
-Minerals: Soft/fizzy drinks. They don’t actually contain any literal minerals. They are in no way healthy.
-Dilutable: What other countries call “squash”. Basically stuff like Ribena that you put into water to make it taste like something else.
 

Insults

-Geebag: Translated literally it means a bag of vaginas, but we usually mean is as an insult, though I can’t see why?! For example, She’s a f*in Geebag. Try it, it sounds hilarious.
-Gobshite: Gob means mouth… and well, you know what shite means. This is often used affectionately when referring to simple yet harmless friends and family. It can also be used in an unaffectionate way…..
-Poxy: Something or someone that is bad or terrible. Used as an adjective….kind of. Example “You’re a poxy bleedin liar”, or “That poxy yoke over there”.
-The f*kin head on him: Look at him, he looks wrecked. Can also be said as “The bleedin state of him” or “The hack of him”.
-Eejit: Often used affectionately, much like gobshite. If you drop something your mother may say something along the lines of “You’re an awful eejit”.
-Shitehawk: One I heard in my childhood a lot. If my sister and I were acting up we were “little shitehawks”. I feel like a lot of insults can be used affectionately in Ireland.
– She’s a f*in weapon/wagon: She’s a mad bitch, pretty much.
– She’s pure haunty: This is a Limerick phrase meaning she’s an unfortunate looking girl wearing a lot of make-up to try and cover it up. Harsh, but effective.

Night Out

-Did you get the shift?: Did you kiss anyone?
-Did you get the ride?: Did you have sexual intercourse with anyone?
– I was absolutely locked/hammered/smashed/legless/paralytic: I was extremely drunk.
– I’m going on the lash: I’m going out to get f*in hammered/locked etc.
– Gee-Eyed: Literally it should mean vagina-eyed…… but, in fact, it means DRUNK. One might say “I was absolutely gee-eyed last night”.
– I’m knackered: I’m extremely tired.
– Are ya goin for a fag?: This isn’t quite as politically incorrect as it sounds. A fag is a cigarette. So this means, are you going outside for a smoke/cigarette?
– Me Mot/Motzer: My girlfriend. You can also refer to a group of females as “mots”. For example, “This places is full of mots”.
– F*kin TUNE!: Great song! Love this song! Usually exclaimed before legging it to the dance floor.
-You’re the image of massive: You look great! Can also be said as “You’re massive”, which, counter-intuitively enough, is actually a compliment.
-Gaff party: Gaff means HOUSE. So this means a house party.
-Giving it socks: Really going for it. Putting a lot of energy into something. For example, “Yer man was giving it socks on the dancefloor last night”.
-The Jacks: The toilet. For example, “I’m going to the Jacks”. Can also be referred to as “The bog”.
-The Drinklink: ATM or hole in the wall to withdraw cash from which shall be used to purchase alcohol.

Questions and Responses

-Story horse/bud?: Basically….. how are you my friend. A shortened version of “What’s the story?”. Horse refers to a friend….. not an actual horse.-What’s the craic?: same as above. How are you? Any news?
– Ah sure ya know yourself: Basically this just means….. fine. Same old same old. Considered a valid answer to a question.
-I will in me hole/hoop/arse: I will not. If you are asked to do something you do not want to do, or which seems unreasonable, this is an appropriate response.
-I will yeah: This also means “no”. We like to keep people on their toes.
-I’ll do it now in a minute: Not quite now….. not quite in a minute….. It really means I’ll do it whenever I’m bothered.
– Me arse!: Similar to “as if” or “yeah right”. Often used as an exclamation when you believe something to be untrue. For example if Johno said he got the ride off 4 girls in one night his friends may exclaim “me arse you did!” or just simply “me arse”. Because Johno is a bleedin liar.
-Thanks a million: Basically just “Thanks” in a nicer way. People in England find this hilarious.
-Stall it to the chipper with me: Let’s go to the chip shop.

PARTY

I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A PARTY AT THE END OF APRIL AS A MEET AND GREET.  HOPEFULLY WITH WEATHER PERMITTING WE CAN ENJOY A LITTLE BIT OF THE BACK PORCH AND THE RIVER.  PLEASE EMAIL ME IF YOU WILL BE AVAILABLE AND IF A PARTICULAR WEEKEND WORKS BETTER. 

d.nicodemus@comcast.net

TRIP INSURANCE

Something I want to touch on briefly is trip insurance.  I have had a few people ask me about trip insurance.  We never purchase trip insurance - however we use credit cards for travel that cover trip insurance. 

Chase Sapphire Preferred:

Benefit Information for Trip Cancellation

Who is covered?

You, the Primary Insured Person, and your Immediate Family Members are automatically covered. Immediate Family Member means your Spouse or Domestic Partner and their children, including adopted children or step-children; legal guardians or wards; siblings

or siblings-in-law; parents or parents-in-law; grandparents or grandchildren; aunts or uncles; nieces or nephews.

What is Trip Cancellation insurance?

Trip Cancellation insurance reimburses you or your Immediate Family Members for up to ten thousand ($10,000.00) dollars for each Covered Trip if a Covered Loss prevents you or your Immediate Family Members from traveling on or before the departure date and results in cancellation of the travel arrangements.

 What is not covered by Trip Cancellation insurance?

It does not apply to a Covered Loss caused directly or indirectly from:

• travel arrangements canceled or changed by a Common Carrier, Tour Operator, or any Travel Agency unless the cancellation is the result of severe weather or an organized strike affecting public transportation

• change in plans, financial circumstances, and any business or contractual obligations applying to you, your Traveling Companion, your Immediate Family Member, an Immediate Family Member of your Traveling Companion

• a Pre-existing Condition

United Explorer Card:

Trip Cancellation/Trip Interruption Insurance

If your trip is canceled or cut short by sickness, severe weather and other covered situations, you can be reimbursed up to $10,000 for your pre-paid, non-refundable travel expenses made with your MileagePlus Explorer Card, including passenger fares, tours, and hotels.

Travel Accident Insurance

When you pay for your air, bus, train, or cruise transportation with your MileagePlus Explorer Card, you're covered for accidental death or dismemberment during your trip, from the moment you leave home until you return.

Citibank Advantage Signature:

Who is covered?

The cardholder, traveling companions, spouse, domestic partner (some credit card issuers exclude these), and immediate family members, which means unmarried children under 19 or under 23 if a full-time student.  (In contrast, the Chase Sapphire Card includes a much more extensive definition of family).

What is covered?

A qualifying trip (round-trip only) charged entirely to the card.

Trip cancellation

What is covered?

Sickness, injury or death which results in medically imposed restrictions before your trip begins or a loss or theft of checked baggage. The injury must be verified by a physician. Weather events, mechanical delays and anything else is not covered.

What is not covered? 

Pre-existing conditions and anything not specified above.

My suggestion is to check out the fine print for your preferred credit card and find out what they offer.  Another thing I love about Chase (both the United Explorer Card & the Sapphire Preferred) is the coverage they offer on car rental collision damage.  They cover worldwide including countries like Ireland that other cards do not. 


 

Venice Day Trips

Two day trips to consider while in Venice are Murano and Burano. 

MURANO 

Murano is the glass island of Venice.  Murano is 7 islands linked together by bridges.  You can catch the vaporetto line 42 from Saint Mark's Square over to Murano. 
 
Travel tip: Beware of the scams offering to take you on a free boat ride to see the glassworks at Murano or the lace in Burano. You’ll pay for your “free” ride with the grossly overpriced shops you’re escorted to, and may find yourself obligated to pay more than you thought you’d agreed to.

7 things to see on Murano island

1. Glass factories

2. Glass museum

3. Basilica of Saint Mary and Saint Donatus

4. The Church of Saint Peter the Martyr
Chiesa di San Pietro Martire was built in 1506. It houses the chapel of the Ballarin family and art works by Bellini.
 
5. Campo Santo Stefano
One of the most visited spots on the island, Campo Santo Stefano is well-known for the abstract blue glass starburst sculpture in the middle of the square. Next to it are the Church of St. Stephen and its 19th Century clock tower.

6. Palazzo Da Mula
This was a luxurious summer residence of the Venetian patricians. The ornate facade features large Gothic windows and it’s absolutely gorgeous. Veneto-Byzantine patere and panels from the 12th and 13th centuries.
 
7. Murano glass shops
Murano is known for its exquisite, hand-crafted glass worldwide. Besides that, there is not much else worth buying – unless you’re in the market for postcards and other standard tourist souvenirs.
 
Buying glass? Keep these tips in mind
Travel tip: Never sign a contract that’s not in English, and use a healthy dose of skepticism if anyone offers to “translate” it for you.
Travel tip: Because so many souvenir shops try to pass off cheap Chinese counterfeits as Murano glass, true Murano glass is now protected with a trademark. Look for the “Vetro Murano Artistico” trademark decal in the windows of shops and showrooms that sell authentic Murano glass.

BURANO 

Burano is a extremely colorful fishing village.  Families used to paint their homes in bright colors to designate where their family’s quarters ended and a neighbor’s began, as well as to make their homes more visible from the sea. The tradition has stuck.  Today, Burano is a rainbow of fun, bright colors—and the perfect place for that great Venice photo-up.  While there are touristy parts of Burano, much it still has the working-island feel that can be hard to find on Venice. Fishing boats come in at the end of the day with their catch; local women peer over their flower boxes at the tourists wandering below.
 
Back in the 16th century, the women of Burano started stitching lace. The work was extremely exacting—in fact, each woman specialized in a single stitch, and since there are seven stitches in total, each piece would have to be passed from woman to woman to finish. That’s why one handmade lace centerpiece for a tablecloth takes about a month to do!
 
Because of that amount of work and how expensive it necessarily makes handmade lace, much of the lace you see being sold in Burano’s stores today is made by machine. But if you want a glimpse of what lace was like in the time when it was all done by hand, you’ve still got some options.
 
Try La Perla, a lace shop on the main street, where handmade products range from tablecloths and doilies to Venetian masks and babies’ booties. Women often are stationed inside, stitching away, so you can even see how it’s done. (La Perla is located on Via Galuppi 376, the main road in town). If you’re especially fascinated by lace and textiles, stop at the Scuola del Merletto, a museum with some excellent examples of 16th and 17th-century lace, along with the beautiful, lace-trimmed gown worn by Queen Margherita, the Jackie Kennedy of late 19th-century Italy. (The Scuola del Merletto is located on Burano’s main piazza of Baldassare Galuppi).
 
Getting there:
One vaporetto line runs from Venice to Burano: the 12. The large, express ferry runs from Venice’s San Zaccaria stop (near St. Mark’s), to Burano and Murano, with another stop at Venice’s Fondamente Nove stop. It takes about 45 minutes, and costs €6.50 per person. 

 

TRANSPORTATION

I wanted to update everyone on transportation for the entire trip. 

Those arriving in Dublin on Saturday 5/28 will be picked up from the airport by a hotel bus and taken to the Hotel.  CityNorth is north of Dublin but they offer a round trip bus from the Hotel to the city center (about 30 minutes each way) every 20 minutes for $13.70 US round trip per person.  That evening we are planning a trip to our favorite pub that is in Skerries called the Man-O-War.  We will take taxis. 

For those arriving on Sunday 5/29:  If you arrive prior to 8am we will see if the hotel will collect you from the airport and bring you to the hotel.  If you arrive after 8am we will arrange a bus ride to Waterford where the group will collect you. 

We have hired a coach that can accommodate 49 passengers for our time in Ireland.  The coach starts Sunday morning 5/29 with a pick up from the CityNorth hotel at 9am and we will head to Waterford.  The girls can go shopping and the guys can sit back with a nice pint of Guinness.  If we have time we will make a side trip to Tramore.  We hope to be to our Hotel in Waterford by 4pm so that we can freshen up and head to Glen Bar for the evening.  We will have dinner served at the Glenn Bar.

We will have the coach the entire time in Ireland.  The coach will drop us off at our accommodations in Dublin on Thursday June 2nd and then pick us up for transportation to the airport Friday morning June 3rd.  So far 22 people have booked the Aer Lingus flight from Dublin to Venice departing at 7:20am.  We will have the bus driver collect us from the Hotel/Apartments at 4:30am. 

Once we get to Venice we will have private water taxis take us to our apartments.  The cost will be approximately 17US per person. 

On Monday June 6th I would suggest those people leaving Venice to fly home -pool together and purchase a private water taxi back to Marco Polo airport.  You can usually fit up to 10 people with luggage in a water taxi.  We can definitely figure out who is up for this and have our apartment people book the taxi.  They are using a taxi service that is 100 Euro ($110.00 US) for 4 people and then 6 Euro ($6.60 US) for each additional person.  This makes things so much easier.  This is also cheaper than other prices I have seen online.    

For those departing Venice by train you can take the public water bus directly to the train station.  So if you buy the 2 or 3 day pass make sure it covers Monday morning.  

For those departing Venice the following day and flying Ryan back to Dublin you will need to take the public water bus to Piazzale Roma and then buy a ticket for a bus to Treviso airport.  

Several people have asked about accommodations.    Accommodations have been booked in Ireland.  I have paid deposits where deposits are required.  You will pay any balances at time of check-in at each Hotel.  All apartments have been paid for in Venice.  There will be no cost to you.

What Handbag to Take (Sorry guys this is for women)

I never take a large purse.  First I do not really want to lug around a large purse.  I don't need to carry the kitchen sink with me when I am out and about site seeing.  Second I want to be able to slide it in my small travel bag so that it isn't considered an additional personal item. 

Along with the small cross body purse I take a wristlet and a travel pouch.  I use the cross body purse during the day and then later at night for dinner and drinks I use the wristlet.  If I am planning to go to a large market or shopping area where people will be close to me then I usually only take the travel pouch.  I like having all three options.  I purchased a cross body purse that on top of the long strap it has a metal chain handle.  That way if I get in an area where I don't feel safe - I use the metal chain strap instead.  With a metal chain strap someone isn't going to be able to brush by you and cut the metal chain easily like they could a leather strap. 

I hope this isn't scaring you.  I always feel totally safe in Ireland and Italy.  I feel it is just better to use precaution when in bigger cities like Dublin or Venice.  Crime happens everywhere - even here in the states we have pick pockets and people who cut the straps of purses and steal them. 

Here are pictures of all three:  I have that exact travel pouch and love it.  I can fit so much in it.  I use it when I walk the dogs too since I have to carry my phone with me when I am on call.  I can fit lots of Kleenex, my IPhone 6s, doggie bags, ID, tube of lipstick, etc. 

NOTE:  I always bring a reusable shopping bag.  I can use it for dirty close and I can use it when I am out shopping so that I don't have to use a large purse.

 

DUBLIN

I am getting really excited now.  We just had 5 more plane tickets purchased.  I will make arrangements with the hotel on Saturday for pickup from the Dublin airport.  I will let everyone know prior to departure what to expect when you arrive in Dublin and where to look for the bus to the hotel. 

So far most people are arriving by 10am.  I think that is great because you will have a day to see Dublin.  I would suggest taking the bus from the Hotel - it will be cheaper than a private taxi.  It is about a 30 minute ride.  In the evening we are hoping to get everyone together and take taxi's to our favorite pub in Skerries called Man-O-War pub.  You will find Nick's license hanging from the wall. 

Check it out here:

Man-O-War Pub

Here are a couple of tourist maps for Dublin. 

Totally Unrelated to the Trip

This is totally unrelated to the trip but Nick (Stacy) wanted me to share it with everyone.  We have been very fortunate to travel the world since 1999.  In August of 2007 we were invited to a wedding in Nigeria.  The young lady who was to be the bride had worked for Nick at Shamrock Park in Berrien Springs.  For us this was a chance of a lifetime.  We would have never gone to Nigeria without having a family like the Ola's to watch over us.  We cannot thank the Ola's enough for a wonderful experience we will never forget.  I hope you enjoy. 

Leaving Lagos

I guess before I can start my story I should give you the reason why this story came to be.   A young lady who worked for my husband several years ago planned to wed in Nigeria and we were fortunate enough to get invited.  As soon as I found out the location of the wedding I booked round trip tickets from South Bend Indiana to Lagos Nigeria.  Our plan was to go to Nigeria for the wedding and then after the wedding travel on to Kenya or South Africa.  I wanted to experience two things during my visit to Africa; A cultural Nigerian wedding and a nice safari.  After checking for several months online it appeared that South Africa offered the flight that best fit our schedule.  The only problem was the flight was through Virgin Nigeria and you could not purchase tickets online.  So we decided we would wait and purchase tickets once we arrived in Lagos.

Once we arrived in Lagos we soon found that we could not use any credit or debit cards to access money.  We had only brought around 900 USD since every other international trip we had taken allowed us to access cash through ATMs or banks once we were at the location.   The very kind people of Babcock University tried to help us book a flight to Kenya, but Kenya denied us a Visa.  They insisted on four blank passport pages and our passports were full except for the very last page.  We found this out very late in the week so that is what brings me to our story of ‘Leaving Lagos’.

Once we found out that we could not go to Kenya because our Visa was denied, and if we went to South Africa it would cost us 1,900 USD and we would only be able to spend 3 days in South Africa we decided we would try to switch our original ticket so that we could take the Lagos to Amsterdam leg a week early.  Once in Amsterdam we could take Ryan Air or Easyjet to Rome and spend a week in Rome.  I called KLM to set this up a few days before the day we wanted to leave.  We wanted to fly back to Amsterdam Sunday August 19^th after the wedding.  The operator from KLM informed me that the flight was full for both Sunday and Monday and told me if we flew standby we had a fifty percent chance we would be able to fly.  She told me to be at the airport by 6pm.

The day of the wedding everything was perfect.  The bride was beautiful, the ceremony lovely, and the reception was so much fun.  We left from the reception around 5pm after thanking everyone for a wonderful time.  Jide (Busayo’s cousin) took us to the airport so we could continue on our African journey.  We arrived at the airport and immediately went to check into the flight.  We were told that we needed to wait until around 6:30pm.  Stacy changed from his tux into street clothes and we grabbed a coke and fries at the airport diner.  We started to make our way back down to check in around 6:15pm.  To make a long story short, after waiting for quite some time around 8pm they told us there were 7 seats available and to go get our tickets.  I followed one of their agents up to the ticket office on the second floor.  I had to wait another 20 minutes before I could speak with anyone.  Finally I was told that I had an electronic ticket and could not fly standby with an electronic ticket.  I told them that we were told there were 7 seats available and we could make the flight.  Once again the gentleman told me I could not use an electronic ticket.  I insisted then that he switch the ticket to paper so we could board the flight.  He then explained that they acquire all of their paper ticket stock from Air France and Air France had just depleted their stock and there would be no more paper tickets available until the following day.

I went downstairs to inform Stacy that we would not be taking the flight.  He begged the counter agent (Please Uncle) to get us on the flight.  Busayo had taught us that by addressing someone as Uncle or Auntie you were showing them a sign of respect.  The agent was very nice and did all he could but it still came down to Nigerian rules and we needed a paper ticket that did not exist.

Stacy and I started to discuss an alternative plan.  We checked on several other flights that were departing for Europe but found them all to be full.  All the flights to South Africa required a cash payment which we had none!!

Finally I asked Stacy to go up to the British Airways office to see if by chance they might have a flight to Europe yet that evening.  He inquired and of course they only took Naira so we had no more options.  While in the British Airways office my husband ran into a gentleman who was a pastor and had also been at Busayo’s wedding earlier.  Stacy explained our problem and the pastor told us he would help.  He called Pastor Ola and Pastor Ola sent Jide back to pick us up.  Jide arrived and took us back to the Seventh Day Adventist compound where we had been staying.  We decided we would see what was available for later in the week and how we would acquire money to pay.

On Monday we slept in a little and then went to a local internet café.  At the café we looked into several airlines that flew to South Africa.  We narrowed it down to three airlines.  The three choices were South African Air (they would not get us back in time for our flight on Sunday night), Bellview Air (you could not reserve tickets online), and Virgin Nigeria (they did not depart until Wednesday evening).  We decided to take a taxi to the airport to make sure everything was booked properly.  One of the gentlemen from the Seventh Day Adventist compound hailed us a taxi and we paid 800 Naira for a trip to the airport.  After a couple hours at the airport we decided our best option was Virgin Nigeria and we would take the Wednesday flight at 11:20 pm.  This would give us time to access cash for payment of the tickets.

We walked out of the airport to catch a taxi.  We had a taxi driver approach us and tell us he could take us back to the compound for 3,500 Naira.  Stacy laughed and told the guy ‘No Thank You’ and that he would catch a yellow taxi.  The guy laughed at Stacy and told him good luck because the yellow taxis were not allowed at the airport.  Stacy told the guy that we would walk then until we could find a yellow taxi.  We got a ways before another gentleman approached us and asked us if we would pay 1,500.  We agreed and after following the man for a ways in the rain we got into a vehicle which was quite a bit nicer than the taxi that brought us, the only problem was a dribble of rain here and there from the leaks in the roof.

We arrived back at the compound and tried to call Virgin Nigeria to see exactly how much money we needed.  They would not answer the phone.  Finally we just decided we would get 2,300 USD.  The first call me made was to Navy Federal Credit Union.  They refused to wire money to Nigeria and told us they could Federal Express us a check and it would take about two weeks.  Then I called my mom and asked her to please send the money.  I gave her a bank name and address.

It was getting late so we decided to go to bed early so we could get up the next day and get the money and get the tickets.  Stacy got up before me and went down to the Sheraton to make sure we could get the tickets there and make sure of the cost. When I got up we walked down to the bank to get the funds.  The bank explained that we needed a control number and a secret question.  At this point Stacy was upset and started to grab the paperwork from the young man and tell him to forget the whole transaction.  I asked Stacy to calm down a little because I know that Western Union does place rules and restrictions on sending and receiving money and they do it because of fraud.   The young gentleman at the bank is extremely nice and offers to let us use his mobile if we buy credits to phone my mom to give her the information she needs.

It is very early in the morning at home – around 4:30am and I phone my mom.  She was not able to send the funds because Western Union does not allow money to be sent to a bank in Nigeria and I had given mom the name of a bank.  The gentleman at the bank explains that we need the money sent to my name as it appears on the passport and we could use the bank address.  Mom does not really understand so I tell her I will go to the internet café and email her all the information she needs.

We head over to the internet café.  The internet in Nigeria is extremely slow.  My first problem is when I sign into email.  Yahoo has deactivated my account and I need to call to activate it.  This of course cannot be done since I have no phone.  Then I go to create a new account through hot mail and this takes what seems like an hour.  Finally I get an email off to mom with all the information.  We wait for quite some time and there is no answer.  Finally I walk back to the compound to see if Busayo’s dad is awake so that I can use his phone to call mom.  Luckily he is standing right inside the compound with his phone.  I call mom and she has just received the email.  I tell her to go to Martin’s now and even though the office does not open until 6am they will let her send the money.  We agree to meet back on email in about an hour.

It actually seems like almost two hours before we actually meet again on email and mom has provided the control number in a phone number format, good job Mom.  We head off to the bank to collect our funds. 

It takes us about an hour to go through the process.  In the mean time we notice that they are selling shares in the bank.  We decide whatever money we have left from the transfer after buying the plane tickets will be invested in the bank.  We were treated so nicely by the staff it seems the right thing to do.  They ask us how we would like the funds distributed and since the plane tickets were quoted in USD we ask for US dollars.

We take public transportation from the bank to the Sheraton to pay for the tickets.  Public transportation consists of yellow VW busses that you can hop on and off at any time for about 20 Naira a ride.  This equates to about 16 cents USD.   We arrive at the Sheraton and have to wait about forty five minutes before it is our turn in line.  At first the gentleman at the Virgin Nigeria counter tells us the flight is sold out but then he finds available seats and tells us the cost will be 240,000 Naira.  We tell him that we have USD and he explains that they only take Naira.  He tells us he will hold the reservation while we exchange the funds. 

Stacy leaves me at the Sheraton while he goes out to change over 1,900 USD into 240,000 Naira.  It seems like he is gone forever which is probably only about 45 minutes.  He arrives back with both cargo pockets on his shorts full of Naira.  He explains that while he was at the bank changing the currency a young lady that worked at the bank was explaining to a friend that there was an American changing 1,900 in US currency.  Then suddenly Stacy does not see the friend anymore.  Now his is extremely nervous because he has to leave the bank and return to the Sheraton and someone is aware how much cash he is carrying.  The bank hands Stacy a black plastic bag to carry the money in but he realizes that people will know what it in the bag and instead decides to use his cargo pockets.  Luckily all goes well and he is able to make it back to the Sheraton with the needed cash. 

We wait in line again for about another hour and finally we are able to purchase the tickets.  With tickets in tow we head back down to the original bank to buy some shares.  They have just closed for the day.   It is now already after 4pm and we had started at 9am.  Instead we pick up some groceries at the local super market since we know we still have a couple of days left.

Our biggest desire to leave Lagos is because we do not want to be a burden to the family.  They have taken such good care of us the entire time we have been there and we know that the wedding is over and they must return to work. 

The next morning is Tuesday and we wake up and head to the bank to buy the shares.  We use our last 400 USD and purchase 50,000 shares in Access bank.  Then we head back to the super market to pick up a couple more items.  Finally we head back to the compound to eat.  Once we are done eating we head to the local internet café to plan our trip for South Africa.  We reserve a car and decide exactly what our plan will be.  We are starting to get really excited and put together a three day itinerary.  We head back to the compound before dark so that we can get a good night sleep.

Wednesday morning we wake up and I pack everything.  We take a walk through the market and stop at the internet café again to make last minute plans for South Africa.  We have Grace the young woman who takes care of the guest quarters; call a driver around 4:30pm even though our flight does not take off until 11:20pm.  We planned to grab dinner and relax before the flight departs.  Busayo is also flying out today so we also hope we can see her before her flight leaves.  The driver arrives with a pickup truck so we load our luggage in back and hop in the front.  Kwami Grace’s son rides in back to keep a close eye on the luggage. 

We arrive at the airport and check in our luggage.  (PS – yes we do pass some Naira to the airport official to get all of our bags through quickly)  We then grab a bite to eat like planned.  We check to see what time Busayo’s flight departs and we are a little disappointed when we see it does not leave until 1:20am which means we will miss her.  We head to our gate around 8pm to find the flight has been delayed until 1:20am.  We are actually a little happy about this because we will be able to say good bye to Busayo.

While waiting at the gate we meet Rex from South Africa.  We immediately like him and he tells us everything we need to know for our three day adventure.  He tells us where to shop for the good steaks and great box wine ( a little of red and of course a little of white).  He tells us to buy a Coleman at the Woolworth to throw everything in and then we can grill out on the Webber (or is it Weber) and take our time getting to Kruger Park.  He explains how at first we will just look into the bush and then as we get familiar we will start to spot things in the bush.  Now Stacy and I are getting really excited.

However 1:20am arrived and we are still not boarding.  Finally around 2am an announcement is made that the pilot has food poisoning and they thought he would be released by the doctor but the doctor has decided not to release him.  They said that when the pilot was finally released the crew has exceeded the number of hours they were allowed to fly.  They are delaying our flight until the next day at 12:30pm.  They explain they will put us in a hotel for the evening and we are to be back at the airport at 10am.

There is a lot of chaos and we sit in the van that is to take us to the Hotel for what seems like forever.  When we finally arrive at the Hotel there is even more chaos.  They want people to share rooms and we have to fight for a key.  It seems logical to give us a key right away since there are two of us and no deciding but they don’t.  Now we have made friends with another nice gentleman called Wilhelm. 

The Hotel is a roach hotel ‘literally’.  When I walk into the bathroom there is a dead roach in the middle of the floor.  I am not talking Palmetto Bug – I am talking dirty roach.  There are no towels or toilet paper in the bathroom and the blanket on the bed looks as if it should have been retired twenty years ago.  It is 3am and the church next door is playing extremely loud music.  This music will continue through the entire evening.  I have to laugh now looking back because the next morning people were explaining how they used their sheets and pillow cases as towels.  I am afraid to ask what they used for toilet paper. 

Finally sometime around 7-8am Rex knocks at the door.  Wilhelm works in Lagos and has called his driver to take us to the airport.  We are extremely thankful that they have watched out for us and offered us a ride.  We hop into their van and head off for the airport.  Wilhelm’s driver is not quite sure what way to take for the airport so he stops to ask the assistance of an Okada (motorcycle for hire).  The Okada takes him to a place he can take a u-turn.  The driver takes the u-turn and is ready to pay the Okada for his assistance when the police show up on another Okada and approach the van trying to open the passenger door.  The driver yells lock your doors and speeds off.  We are involved in a chase by both the police and the Okada driver who helped us all the way to the airport.  We go down below where arrivals are and then circle and go above for departures.  It appears we have been able to lose them.  We hurry out of the van and into the airport.  They kept our bags the previous night so we have no luggage to check.

We head towards the gate and stop for coffee and breakfast on the way.  We all plan to leave within a couple of hours for South Africa where our credit cards will work so we spend the remainder of our Naira on our breakfast.

After breakfast we head to the gate.  Once again we are supposed to start boarding and we don’t.  An announcement is made and the flight will be delayed further due to mechanical issues.  They announce it could be up to two hours.  We finally depart around 2:30pm and sit on the runway for quite some time.  Finally – yes finally – we take off.  We are in the air for about half an hour when the captain makes an announcement that there are still mechanical issues with the aircraft and we will be returning to Lagos.  They said they will land and tell us more when their mechanic has addressed the issue.

We return to the runway and sit on the plane for a while.  Finally they announce that the issue cannot be resolved and the flight is canceled.  They plan to bring a plane in from London for Friday morning at 9am.

I cannot believe what just happened.  We are back in Lagos with no Naira.  We wait our turn to talk to one of the agents.  They tell us that they will put us up in a Hotel for the next three nights.  We explain that we saw what type of Hotel they used and that we are not interested.  We ask for a refund at which time they explain they do not do immediate refunds.  We must fill out paper work and wait for a minimum of two weeks.  We explain that we have no Naira, we have no way of getting Naira, and we refuse to stay in Lagos without any money.  We also explain that we do not want to take the flight out on Friday since we have to fly back Sunday.  We don’t want to spend 240,000 Naira for 36 hours in South Africa.  We offer to let them put us up at the Sheraton or another hotel on Victoria Island.  They decline telling us they do not have a relationship with those Hotels.

I am quite frustrated at this time and want to sit down and cry.  We tell them we will catch the flight to South Africa on Friday if they help us get a flight on Tuesday from Johannesburg to Amsterdam and we will delay the second leg of our trip home on KLM.  They take us to the KLM ticket office to help us but in order to change our flight it will cost us 1,600 USD each.  That is just too much so we decline.  At this point we say good bye to Rex who has a driver waiting to take him to the Hotel on Victoria Island.  He will wait for the Friday flight.  Wilhelm has decided it is fate that he does not get on the Virgin Nigeria flight and rebooks on South African Air.

Finally we offer that if they can help us fly standby on that evening’s flight to Amsterdam, we will take the Lagos to Amsterdam leg of our trip early and spend three days in Amsterdam.  Quite a while later we finally find out that they have seats available and Stacy goes with the Virgin Nigeria agent to convert our electronic tickets to paper and get us on the flight.  We almost believe we won’t make it because it takes us forever to get through immigration.  Finally we are on the flight and headed to Amsterdam.

 

It is 10pm on Thursday night four nights after our original attempt to fly to Amsteredam.  We did not have time to fill out the paperwork for a refund for the South Africa tickets so we will have to do that once we arrive home and hope we receive the funds.  I guess my biggest question is – will the refund be in Naira??

The End

 In conclusion we did in fact receive our refund.  We owe many thanks to Busayo’s Father Dr. Joseph Ola for our refund.  And we also made it to South Africa in 2009.  It was one of our favorite trips.