Learn Some Italian

I spoke about this earlier in the blog but I wanted to touch on it again.  Before you go to Venice learn some basic Italian.  You will find quite a few people speak English in the large cities like Venice and Rome but not all.  Some of the people that do speak English, speak very broken English.  It is always nice to learn some of the local language and the Italian people really appreciate your effort.  The longer you are over there the easier it comes.  If you cannot memorize these just print them and take them with you.  You will be glad you have them. 
 
Here are the ones we use most commonly when we are in Italy:
hello and good bye informal = ciao pronounced chow
good day = buon giorno pronounced bwohn JOUR-noh
goodbye = arrivederci pronounced ah-ree-vah-DAIR-chee
thank you = grazie pronounced GRAT-tzee yay
you are welcome = prego pronounced PRAY-goh
yes = si pronounced see
no = no pronounced no
please = pier favore pronounced pair-fa-VOHR-ray
Do you speak English = Para Inglese pronounced PAR-la-een=GLAY-zay
I don't understand = non capisco pronounced non ka-PEESK-koh
I'm sorry = mi dispiace pronounced mee-dees-pee-YAT-chay
How much is it? = quanto costa pronounced KWAN-toh COST-ah
Excuse me to get attention = scusi pronounced SKOO-zee
Excuse me to get past someone = permesso pronounced pair-MEH-so
Where is = Dov'e pronounced doh-VAY
the bathroom = il bagno pronounced eel-bhan-yoh
information = informazione pronounced in-for-ma-tzee-OH-nay
wine = vino pronounced VEE-noh
white wine = vino bianco pronounced VEE-noh bee-YHAN-koh
red wine =  vino rosso pronounced VEE-noh ROHS-soh
beer = birra pronounced BEER-rah
Check Please = Il conto, per favore pronounced eel COAN-toh pair fah-VOAR-eh
Cheers = saluti (to your health) pronounced sah-LOO-tee (some say cin cin pronounced chin - chin)

Numbers:

English (Inglese)	Italian (Italiano)	Pro-nun-cee-YAY-shun
1	uno	OO-no
2	due	DOO-way
3	tre	tray
4	quattro	KWAH-troh
5	cinque	CHEEN-kway
6	sei	say
7	sette	SET-tay
8	otto	OH-toh
9	nove	NO-vay
10	dieci	dee-YAY-chee
11	undici	OON-dee-chee
12	dodici	DOH-dee-chee
13	tredici	TRAY-dee-chee
14	quattordici	kwa-TOR-dee-chee
15	quindici	KWEEN-dee-chee
16	sedici	SAY-dee-chee
17	diciasette	dee-chee-ya-SET-tay
18	diciotto	dee-CHO-toh
19	diciannove	dee-chee-ya-NO-vay
20	venti	VENT-tee
21*	vent'uno*	vent-OO-no
22*	venti due*	VENT-tee DOO-way
23*	venti tre*	VENT-tee TRAY
30	trenta	TRAYN-tah
40	quaranta	kwa-RAHN-tah
50	cinquanta	cheen-KWAN-tah
60	sessanta	say-SAHN-tah
70	settanta	seh-TAHN-tah
80	ottanta	oh-TAHN-tah

Venice & Transportation

Today I want to talk about Venice and transportation.  There are no motorized or non-motorized vehicles allowed in Venice.  People walk everywhere.  They have a lot of canals and stairs. 

Airports: two airports service Venice / Marco Polo & Treviso

Treviso:  Some of the smaller budget airlines use this airport.  Ryan Air is one of them.  It is a small airport and about a 40 minute bus ride from Piazzale Roma.  If you choose to use Treviso airport because you plan to fly Ryanair you will have to take an ATVO bus from the Treviso airport Piazzale Roma.  A one way ticket for 2 or more people will cost 12US dollars per person.  From Piazzele Roma you will have to buy a ticket on the public water bus (Actv) Line 1 to your destination in Venice.

NOTE:  I suggest when buying your ticket for the public water bus (Actv) you buy a three day pass to start.  The only two ways to get around in Venice are the public water taxis and your feet.

Marco Polo: Marco Polo is the main airport in Venice.  After arriving Marco Polo you have a couple of options for transport to Venice.  You can take a ATVO bus to Piazzale Roma and take the public water bus (Actv) from there - or - you can take a water bus (Alilaguna) direct to Venice.

Option 1: The cost for the ATVO bus to Piazzale Roma is 6.50US one way or 12.00US round trip.  I read that this option takes about 25 minutes.  Once you arrive Piazzale Roma you will have to purchase a public water bus (Actv) ticket to take you on to your destination in Venice.  The upside to the bus is you can catch the bus right outside the airport exit.  You do not have a long walk.  Once in Piazzale Roma you don't have a really long walk either to the public water bus (Actv).  

Option 2:  The cost for the Alilaguna water bus is 16.35US one way or 29.50US round trip per person.  This will take you right to the San Marco or Rialto bus (Actv) stop.  At that stop you can purchase a public water bus (Actv) ticket to get to your destination in Venice.  I remember it took us around 35 minutes to get to the Rialto stop.  The upside to this option is you go directly to Venice without stopping at Piazzele Roma.  The downside is you have a long walk to get to the water taxi.

There is a third option but it is a little pricey.  You can take a private water taxi from the airport to Venice.  it doesn't make sense unless you can afford it or you have a larger group.  With a group of 8 to 10 people it is about 20US each one way. 

We have also found that on the public water bus they are not a big fan of luggage.  On the Alilaguna line they expect luggage.  However, people do take luggage on the public water bus - especially those going to the train station.  The people running the bus just don't love it and can be rude. 

On a side note the public water busses can get packed and luggage is hard to maneuver.  Be aware - in a lot of European countries deodorant is not at the top of their shopping list.  Be prepared for a few unpleasant odors.  Also shaving leg and armpit hair for women is more of an American thing. 

Picture below is the Marco Polo airport and the line is the walk to the water taxis.

Picture below is the stops for the public water bus (Actv) and the blue circles are our apartments.

NOTE:  For those planning to depart Venice by Train - the train station Stazione di Venezia Santa Lucia is at the Ferrovia exit below.  This is the last exit before Piazzale Roma and is 50 meters from the station.  Train travel is very inexpensive and easy in Italy.  If you have a few extra days why not travel on to Florence or Rome by train.  You do not need a Euro pass to make it inexpensive. 

Picture below is the stops made on the Alilaguna line coming from Marco Polo Airport.

AKA - Orange Line :)

Learn to Convert

First I just wanted to add something I forgot on the packing list yesterday.  That would be a luggage scale.  Don't leave home without one.  You will be much happier knowing your bags are within the appropriate weight restrictions.  Here is one on amazon right now for a really good price.

Learn to Convert:

Europe is on the metric system.  You will not hear terms such as pounds, miles, gallons, or Fahrenheit.  Instead it will be kilograms, kilometers, liters, and Celsius.  There are little tricks you can use to convert.  They may not be 100% accurate but you will be really close:

Kilograms = 1 kilogram is about 2.2 pounds.  So 10 kilograms would be 22 pounds and so on.  The actual true conversion is 1 kilogram is 2.20462 pounds.  The easiest for me is to double the kilograms and then add the first number to the total.  For 10 kilograms I double it (20) and then I would add the first number of 2 for 22 pounds.  For 15 kilograms I double it (30) and then I would add the first number of 3 for 33 pounds.  For 28 kilograms I double it (56) and then add the first number of 5 for 61 pounds.

In Europe when referring to someone's weight they also use the term stones.  1 stone is 14 pounds.  So if someone says they weigh 10 stones then they weight 140 pounds.

Kilometers = 1 kilometer is .62137 miles.  My cheat for this is to take the kilometers and divide by 2 and add back 10%.  So if the speed limit is 100 kilometers it would be 100 / 2 = 50 + 10% (10) for a total of 60.  The true answer would be 62 miles but as you can see we are extremely close and divide by 2 and add back 10% is super easy. 

Liters = 1 liter is .264172 gallons so 4 liters is 1.05669 gallons.  So this one is easy because it is safe to say there are 4 liters in a gallon.  So if you wants 10 galls of gas it will take 40 liters.  True would be 10.57 gallons for 40 liters.  As you can see close enough. 

Celsius =  C to F: Multiply the temperature by 2 and then add 30 (actual formula is multiply by 1.8, add 32)   ex: 22 C is roughly equal to 74 degrees using my method, actual conversion is 71.6
F to C: Now just work it backwards, subtract 30 from the temp. and then divide by 2
Currency conversion changes with the exchange rate.  The exchange rate today is 1 US dollar is equal to .92 cent Euro.  So first you need to figure out what 1 Euro is equal to in US dollars.  So on a calculator take 100 and divide by 92.  The result is 1.09.  (I rounded to make it easier - actual is 1.086)  So if something costs 10 Euro then it would cost 10.90 US.  (Actual would be 10.86)  If you want to make it even easier then add 10%.  So something that cost 35 Euro would be 38.50 US.  (Actual would be 38.02)

I hope this helps :) 

What to Wear??

I have been asked this question a lot.  What should I pack since Ireland and Italy vary in climate.  I have been to Ireland many times.  The weather in Ireland can be very unpredictable.  It can get chilly and it can rain a lot.  The end of May and beginning of June is a great time to go to Ireland.  The average daytime temperature is 63 but can go as high as 68.  The average nighttime temperature is 45.  May, June, and July are the lowest precipitation months.  However when going to Ireland ALWAYS anticipate rain.  Most times the rain in Ireland is more of a mist than an actual rain.  If you are planning on spending the day outside then you might think about a waterproof coat.  I think you will be just as happy with a small compact umbrella.  If you have a scarf and fall or spring jacket, hoodie, or nice sweater you will be fine.  I usually take something like this below.  Then I will wear it on the plane so that I don't have to pack it.  The plane can get chilly on an 7 hour flight:

I will take a couple long sleeve under shirts that pack easy just in case the jacket is not enough.  I can wear the long sleeve undershirts under my clothes for added warmth. 

The weather in Italy will be extremely mild.  At the beginning of June the average temperature is 70 to 74 and at night around 60 degrees.  Here again is where the jacket might come in handy again.  When it is evening and I start to get tired I tend to get a little chilly. 

Here is my list of what I plan to wear on the plane and pack:

Plane: leggings, boots, oversized dressier shirt with a tank underneath, and a jacket.  I don't wear jewelry until I get through security.  I will pack it in my carryon along with my scarf.

Pack:  2 pairs of jeans, 2 capri pants, 2 leggings, 8 to 10 tops that pack easy, 2 skirts, 4 dresses, 1 pair of flip flops, 1 light weight pair of walking shoes, 1 pair of dress sandals, 8  pairs of undies, 2 regular bras, 1 strapless bra if needed, 6 tanks, 2 long sleeve undershirts, a belt if needed, 1 pair light weight jammies, 6 pairs of socks, and a swimsuit.  (sometimes a workout outfit)
 
Extras I pack: sunglasses, phone & phone charger, kindle & kindle charger, documents for trip, passport, credit and ATM cards, camera & charger, selfie stick, mini tripod, jewelry, wristlet purse, voltage converters, compact umbrella, reading glasses, ear plugs, and ear buds.  (GPS if renting a car and GPS charger - and remember to turn the GPS on when you land to give it time to find a signal)

Toiletries: brush & comb, travel size hair spray, shampoo, conditioner, hair oil, perfume, hair clip and ties, razor & travel shaving cream, tooth paste & toothbrush, deodorant, moisturizer and compact flat iron & curling iron & hair dryer.  Remember the flat iron, curling iron, and hair dryer must be able to handle 240 volts.  If it can it will normally say dual voltage.  Also remember if you are carrying the liquid items on the plane they must be 3 ounces or less and they must fit in a quart size baggie.  If you are not TSA pre-check you will have to take these out when you go through security.  Only 1 quart baggie allowed per person flying. (oh and of course my makeup :))

Drugs: sleeping aids, Advil or Tylenol, Tums, sinus pills, anti diarrhea, any prescription meds, and anti-nausea motion sickenss medicine if needed.

If you take a laptop or tablet remember the charger.  Just remember the more you pack the more you carry.  Once we get to Venice we will have a bit of a walk to the apartments with stairs over the canals.  We will have laundry facilities at the apartments in Dublin on June 2nd and all of the apartments in Venice.

Credit Cards / Cash Overseas

When we first began international travel foreign transaction fees were a rarity.  Unfortunately today that is NOT the case.  In fact most banks and credit cards charge a foreign transaction fee of 2 to 3 percent.  They will charge this fee even if you are in the US purchasing from a foreign website like Ryan Air.  If the website is quoting in currency other than the US dollar, chances are you will be paying a foreign transaction fee. 

So the question is - what can I do about this?  When choosing a credit card to take overseas look at all your options.  Here are some of the best rated:

NOTE:  A lot of stores will offer to convert the charge to US instead of Euro.  If you have a credit card that doesn't charge transactions fees it is better to charge the card in Euro.  They offer this for a reason - they want to make a little money in the exchange.

Capital One Venture & VentureOne

For years, the Capital One VentureOne credit card has been our go-to recommendation for young travelers looking for a credit card to take abroad.
Capital One was among the first card issuers to eliminate foreign currency transaction fees on certain cards. In addition to no foreign currency transaction fee, the VentureOne card has a straightforward rewards program in which you earn 1.25 miles for every eligible dollar spent on purchases. There are no caps to how many miles you can earn and you can redeem them for travel at any time, on any airline, as well as on hotels and other travel expenses

Chase Sapphire Preferred

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card is a must-have card for any serious traveler. It has an annual fee of $95 (waived the first year) that’s well worth it if you’ll do a bit of spending on the card. It has no foreign currency transaction fee and a points-based travel rewards program that can quickly add up. You’ll earn two points on travel and dining at restaurants plus one point per dollar spent on all other purchases. When redeemed for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards, these points can be traded on a 1:1 basis for most major airline and hotel frequent flier programs. This card also has an award winning 24/7 dedicated customer service line that can come in handy while you’re traveling.
There’s also a generous bonus for new cardmembers:  Earn 50,000 bonus points when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s $625 in travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards.

Barclaycard Arrival & Arrival Plus

The Arrival and Arrival Plus credit cards are also excellent picks. Both offer no foreign currency transaction fee and generous miles rewards programs. The Arrival card has no annual fee and pays 2x miles on travel and dining purchases and 1x miles on everything else. The Arrival Plus card has an annual fee but pays 2x miles on all purchases.

Check out this website for comparison and annual fees:
Compare Credit Cards

ATM Cards and fees:

Types of foreign transaction fees

There are two types of debit card fees you may face overseas:

• International ATM fee: Typically this is a flat $2 to $5 applied every time you withdraw money in a foreign currency at an ATM abroad. Some financial institutions treat such uses like transactions through out-of-network ATMs within the U.S.
• Foreign transaction fee: This conversion charge often ranges from 1% to 3% of the amount involved in a debit card transaction conducted in a foreign currency.

NOTE:  We are a member of Navy Federal Credit Union and we prefer this Debit card overseas.  If you are prior military you might look into it.

Institution	ATM Withdrawal Fee	Purchase Fee
Alliant Credit Union	1% of withdrawal amount	1% of purchase value
	Note: Alliant debit card holders can be reimbursed up to $20 per month for out-of-network ATM fees, including abroad.
Ally Bank	1% of amount	1%
Bank of America	$5 + 3% of amount	3%
Bank5 Connect	1% of amount	1%
Branch Banking & Trust Company (BB&T)	$5 + 3% of amount	3%
	Note: No flat fee for account holders in Texas
BMO Harris Bank	$2.50 + 3% of amount	3%
	Note: No flat fee for those with Portfolio Checking after the fifth relevant transaction
Chase Bank	$5 + 3% of amount	3%
	Note: No flat fee for those with Premier Platinum Checking
Citibank	$2.50 + 3% of amount	3%
	Note: No fees for those using a Citigold debit card in participating countries
Citizens Bank	$3 + up to 1.8% of amount	Up to 1.8%
	Note: No ATM fee for the first relevant transaction for those with Value Checking No ATM fee for the first four relevant transactions on a Circle Gold Checking with Interest account
BBVA Compass Bank	$3 + 1% of amount	3%
Connexus Credit Union	$2 (some withdrawals may be free) + 1% of amount	1%
Consumers Credit Union	$1.50 + 2% of amount	2%
Fifth Third Bank	$5 + 3% of amount	3%
HSBC Bank	3% of amount	3%
	Note: No ATM fee with Premier Checking in most countries
M&T Bank	Greater of 50 cents or 3% of amount	Higher value: $5 or 3%
Nationwide Bank	$1.50 + 1% of amount	1%
Navy Federal Credit Union	$1 + 0.8% of amount	0.80%
Pentagon Federal Credit Union	$3 + up to 2% of amount	Up to 2%
PNC Bank	$3 or $5 + 3% of amount	3%
	Note: $3 for non-PNC ATM use in Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands and Canada; $5 for ATMs in any other country No flat fee with Performance Checking
Regions Bank	$5 + 3% of amount	3%
SunTrust Bank	$5 + 3% of amount	3%
TD Bank	$3	None
Union Bank	$5	2%
	Note: No ATM fee with Priority Banking or Private Advantage checking	Note: No fee with Private Advantage
U.S. Bank	$2.50 + 3% of amount	3%
	Note: No ATM fee for Premium and Platinum checking First four non-U.S. Bank ATM uses free with Student Checking.	Note: If processing foreign currency to U.S. dollars instead, then the fee is 2%.
Wells Fargo Bank	$5	3% of value
	Note: Additional 3% of cash withdrawals made through a teller

Plane Tickets

If you are traveling home from Venice I am finding Aer Lingus to be your best choice for airfare.  With Aer Lingus you can include the Dublin to Venice flight.  I would still call Aer Lingus direct to inquire on price.  Here is what momonda.com is showing.  Kayak had a flight a few dollars cheaper ($1,180.00)but it was departing on May 27th at 3:15pm and getting into Dublin at 5:45am.  That is really early to get into Dublin and you would have to be at O'Hare on Friday at 2:15pm.  With this flight you do not have to be to the airport until 7:20pm and you still get into Dublin at a decent time.  However - it is whatever you prefer.  There is a free shuttle to the airport and I am sure they would hold luggage until your room is ready.  NOTE:  I have to schedule pickup from the airport to the Hotel.  So when you do book your tickets please email me your flight and arrival time into Dublin.

I have been watching the Aer Lingus flight Dublin to Venice and it is not going down.  In fact it went up as high as $157 and then back down to $135.  Keep in mind when you are on their site the price is Euro and not US.  I am giving you US prices. 

Aer Lingus reservation phone number is 1-800-474-7424

One last note - when booking your tickets (especially on a travel site) pay close attention to travel time.  This ticket above is the best travel time you can get.  You have a direct flight to Dublin at 7 hours and 25 minutes, a direct flight to Venice at 2 hours and 40 minutes, and then only one stop on the way home.  I have seen cheaper tickets for this route but some have a return flight time of 34 hours or a flight time for Dublin to Venice of 7 hours or more.

Now is the time to start looking.  I agree with several travel sites, clear your browsing history often (Internet Explorer - Internet Options - under Browsing history delete), look daily because mid week can be cheaper and look often because certain times of the day can be cheaper.   In fact I just pulled up the ticket from above again just a little later and look:

(Notice how the Cheapest is an average flight time of 23 hours and 49 minutes)

I am still finding the best prices with momondo.com and bookairfare.com.

Happy New Year!!!!

I hope everyone has a wonderful New Year!  Can' wait to see what 2016 has in store.  One thing I know in 2016 - a great trip to Ireland and Italy with great friends and family.  I feel so blessed!!

Start looking for airfare!!  The best time to buy is from now until early February.  The latest you want to purchase tickets is mid February.  If you wait until the last minute you might get a good price and you might not.  The end of May and beginning of June is considered the start of the high season for Europe. 

I would like to end the year and bring in the New Year with a toast: