Travels and Vacations

Switzerland is a small, landlocked country in the heart of Europe. It has a strategic location at the crossroads of Central Europe with many easily traversable passes for outdoor enthusiasts. Switzerland is divided into three major geographical areas known as the Alps, the middle land and the Jura regions, attracting a wide range of tourists each year.

Switzerland may be a neutral country but it is certainly not flavorless. The diversity of German, French, Romanish, and Italian languages has formed a robust national culture, with vast alpine landscapes presenting enough zing to reinvigorate the most jaded traveler.

Switzerland certainly has its fair share of cliches with irresistible chocolates, yodeling countrymen, humorless bankers, international bureaucracies, and a national persona of a cold and close-minded culture. Looking beyond those well known stereotypes, the Germans invented the cuckoo clock; secondly, the Swiss have won more Nobel prizes and registered more patents per capita than any other nation on earth.

Happily, you can be sure that your Swiss trains and postal letters will be on time, unlike many of their European counterparts. Among tidy, just so-precision of Swiss towns and villages, you are surrounded by the vast splendor of the picturesque which seem to be never ending.

If you enjoy the scenery or want to take an active vacation, there are several scenic routes which meander through Switzerland’s Bernese Oberland and Lucerne’s Lake regions. There are also hiking, white water rafting, kayaking, paragliding, and biking routes and tours for adrenaline junkies.

February is known for Fasnacht or Carnival in Switzerland. The fascination exists because of the incredible participation and party atmosphere, the vivid colors of the carnival costumes, the stirring tunes of the drummers and the piccolo players, and the weird and wonderful <> Music played by the brass bands. Basel really funks up Fasnacht with its well known elaborate parades beginning at a bleary 4am throughout the week.

Spring is welcomed with incredible flower garden spectacles in most villages and quay side waterfronts. Open markets come into full swing in spring, with a spectacle of freshly grown fruits, flowers and vegetables displayed weekly for sale.

Enjoy the world renowned Montreux Jazz Festival which takes place in July along the picturesque waterfront of Lac Leman. National day, marked on August 1, is celebrated with fireworks throughout the country, and Swiss wrestling in the Emmental area east of Bern.

City life provides a diverse following wonderful outdoor seated pubs in summer, small boutiques and the jewelry shops located in historic buildings throughout Swiss cities. On the fourth monday in November, Bern hosts its famous Onion Market (Zibelmarit), where traders take over the entire town center and many a tear are shed.

Of course you cannot forget the wonderful winter Christmas Fairs in Montreux, Zurich and Basel. The Christmas Market boasts hot wine and warm food, while you browse the unique, original and high quality Christmas gift ideas from over 120 richly-decorated wooden chalet-style stalls.

Whatever your pleasure, you’ll find something to love in Switzerland. Come visit the hidden gem of the landlocked country many have come to adore.

Can you imagine such a rise in population growth that there was no place to bury the dead? Just think about what would happen? Think about what actually did happen. Back in the 1800s London’s population increased by over a million people in just fifty short years. There truly was a lack of burial space. As a result, there were instances of body snatching, bodies left out to rot or not buried deep enough and bodies cleared from graves too soon. As churchyard cemeteries became overcrowded massive sanitary problems ensued. Not a pretty sight, is it?

Because there was no room at the inns, churchyard cemeteries had to prohibit additional burials. There was simply no more space available to bury the deceased. The solution? Starting in the 1820s, the “garden cemetery” movement began. Forward thinking entrepreneurs solved the problem by creating suburban cemeteries, autonomous of the parish church. These new garden cemeteries were spacious with beautifully landscaped acreage.

When these large garden cemeteries were first established, there were no existing outstretched urban parks, therefore these new cemeteries became popular places for talking walks or carriage rides. Then in 1832 Parliament passed a bill encouraging the formation of seven private cemeteries in a ring around outer London. The seven cemeteries, now well known as the “Magnificent Seven”, were built to accommodate the growth of London and also to ease the indignity of overcrowded graveyards in the city.

At that time, a newly emerging middle class was coming into age. The Magnificent Seven appealed this group who were eager to distance themselves from the working class and to present to the public its social status.

You see, burial sites were seen as a public extension to the family’s assets. Cemeteries provided a place for families to establish permanent monuments to themselves. However, many of the Magnificent Seven, previously considered elite, are now just overgrown stone junkyards. It’s no surprise that creating balance between conservation, preservation and restoration is an issue that taxes most of the nation’s cemetery groups.

Nonetheless, there still exist some relatively undisturbed pockets of many cemeteries which have allowed the development of unique natural habitats. Cemeteries are now recognized as havens for gorgeous plants and flowers. Further many cemetery groups operate conservation schemes.

If you’d like to pay a visit to any of the Magnificent Seven, get out your tour guide and visit: Kensal Green, West Norwood, Highgate Cemetery, Nunhead, Brompton, Abney Park, and Tower Hamlets.

How would you like to visit Paris in the spring? Sample local wines in Tuscany in September? Enjoy the English countryside in the summer? Sound like a dream? It doesn’t have to be.

You can travel to some of the world’s most exotic and beautiful locations, and stay in an Italian villa, a Parisian pied-a-terre, or an English manor and you’ll only pay for airfare, dining out and tourist attractions!

How? By using a housing exchange service. Some of these companies have been around for 50 years, and are widely used in Europe, Asia and Australia.

It works like this. You pick what country you want to visit, when you want to go, and how long you want to stay. Arrangements are made, and you exchange homes with someone else.

This is a wonderful way to drastically cut costs, and yet see exciting, wonderful places. By staying in a home, you’re not paying the high cost of hotels (which can run upwards of $125 a night) or dining in restaurants, saving you hundreds, if not thousands of dollars!

Plus, you get the added benefit of living like the locals do. You enjoy total immersion into the culture, and rather than being treated like a tourist, you have the opportunity to make new friends and participate in your surroundings as a member of the community. With a “homebase” you have the choice of how you want to explore the region.

You also have the peace of mind that comes from knowing that your home is being carefully looked after, your plants are being watered, and your pets are taken care of.

So, how do you get started? Do an Internet search for “housing exchange.” Find a company that you’re comfortable with. Sign up and join the housing exchange list. (Some companies have over 10,000 members!) Decide where you want to travel, when and how long you want to stay. Then, with a click of your mouse, you can find information of other, like-minded travelers, who want to visit your area.

You can look at pictures and read short bios about the homes, to help you make your decision, and then contact the owners to reach an agreement.

Here are some of the things you’ll want to agree on:
Total number of adults and children staying in the home
Use of the vehicle and it’s maintenance
What linen will be provided in house, and how will it be cleaned?
Care of pets
Long distance phone calls

Don’t worry though. Your housing exchange company can help you put together a list, and give you ideas for preparing for your guests.

Instead of going to a cold, impersonal hotel room, you go “home” and are welcomed by your next door neighbor, who gives you the house keys and invites you to dinner the next evening, telling you to call them if you have any questions.

When you enter the front door, there’s a bottle of wine and fresh flowers on the table to welcome you. You find a note on the fridge, telling you how to heat the light meal that’s been prepared for you. On the kitchen counter is a pile of brochures and maps, giving you insider information about where to go and what to see.

Over the next week, you visit the places you’ve only dreamed about during the day, making new friends and building memories that will last a lifetime. And every night when you come “home” you get to relax and unwind, without stress or worrying about anything.

You can have the vacation you’ve always dreamed about, and save thousands of dollars at the same time! Bon voyage!

Nova Scotia is an ethereal peninsula that juts off of Canada’s eastern coast into the Atlantic Ocean. It’s array of geography from dense, rich forests to windswept, rocky shores and fertile inland orchards make it the perfect vacation spot for those who enjoy scenic travelling.

Nova Scotia’s European settlement was established in 1605 by the French - one of the first settlements in North America but is now home to a vibrant mix of ethnic backgrounds. Only in Nova Scotia can you enjoy such a unique combination of European history as well as a celebration of cultural diversity.

You can visit historical landmarks such as Fort Louisbourg and Halifax Citadel. Step back in time and view the Capital city, Halifax, from the Citadel, a fortress completed in 1856 and in use by British and Canadian Forces until the Second World War. Experience the Victorian age recreations of soldiers training in the courtyard - kilts and all! The Citadel also portrays soldier’s wives and civilians in it’s authentic recreations.

Nova Scotia’s history also plays a role in of one of the largest sea tragedies, the sinking of the Titanic, and is home to the graves of the largest concentration of the victims.

If you enjoy the scenery or want to take an active vacation there are several scenic trails that meander through Nova Scotia’s inlands and coastal areas. There are also hiking, canoe, kayaking and biking routes and tours.

Spring is welcomed with the traditional festivities of the Annapolis Valley Apple Blossom Festival in May where you can enjoy parades, celebrations and the breathtaking beauty of some of the loveliest apple orchards in full bloom. The fall is equally admired with the landscape becoming a fire of brightly colored trees painting the hills and valleys with orange, yellow and red.

Enjoy the barren, rocky landscape of Peggy’s Cove and visit the most photographed lighthouse in the world. You’ll also be impressed with the awesome power and beauty of the ocean crashing and spraying over the rocks. Nova Scotia’s Bay of Fundy is home to the world’s highest tides - so watch out when enjoying the many beaches that cover 100’s of kilometers of coast.

If you enjoy city life, than you’ll love the quaint pubs, shops and the art shops of the historic properties in Halifax. There is also high style shopping on Spring Garden Road or you can take a glimpse of works by up and coming artists at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design - a leading visual arts university in North America for more than a century.

Whatever your pleasure - you’ll find something to love in Nova Scotia!

Even with higher gas prices, families are still taking road trips. Or maybe because of the higher air fares caused by higher gas prices, people are opting to take more trips by car. Kids get bored riding in the car. If the children are bored, they start to pick on each other or insist on asking the dreaded, “Are We There Yet?” question that all drivers love to hear every 10 minutes. Below are some suggestions to keep your ride fun and most importantly, peaceful!

Play the alphabet game. Assuming your children are old enough to read or at least recognize letters, this is a great game to keep young travelers occupied. There are a few variations. They must find the alphabet, starting with A – on signs, billboards or license plates. You can make up the rules if you’ll use a combination of sources or just stick to one (it’s harder and takes a lot longer if you limit it to just license plates.) The next big decision you need to make is whether or not the word must start with the letter you’re searching for or if it just has to contain the letter. For example, if you’re looking for B, and drive past a Burger King restaurant, then you have your B, and can begin looking for C. If you decided it’s ok to find the letter anywhere within the word, then you could also claim the E, in Burger King. The key is that you must find these letters in sequence. You can’t claim an E if you haven’t found a D yet. Nor can you say “There’s a D on the street sign Doors R Us… and there WAS an E on Burger King.” There are no retro rules allowed.

Another variation of the alphabet game is that you have to find objects that begin with each letter. If you drive past a red barn, you could probably claim either an R (red) or a B (barn), depending on which letter you need next.

There’s always the trusty I SPY game. I spy something green and it’s outside (as opposed to inside the car). Riders take turns looking outside for something green. If you’re driving, chances are the object will pass by quickly – so participants have to be alert. Or perhaps you spy something black and inside. Possible guesses would be the steering wheel or Mom’s purse.

Equally important to the entertainment is the intermission. Take frequent stretch breaks. Even if you’re on a tight time frame to get to your destination, if you let others have a chance to get out of the car, to tap a kidney, have a snack and get some fresh air, your road trips will be much more enjoyable for all involved! Have fun!

Seems travelers love to hate the screeners at the airport. Keep in mind, the front line personnel that you see as you make your way toward the gate are just the worker bees. They’re not Congress and they’re not the big wig decision makers. If at times they seem like robots, deviating very little from their spcheel, it’s because they have procedures that they must follow and deviating from the standard operation procedure is not an option.

There are a number of things you can do yourself to speed things along. Listed below are the top ten tips to help your visit to the airport security checkpoint hassle-free.

1. Have your boarding pass and government issued photo ID readily available. Some airports have someone checking your boarding pass and ID as you first approach your concourse, then shortly thereafter there is another employee asking for the same thing. Actually they may be asking for the same thing, but these employees, often one a federal employee and one a private company employee, while looking at the same thing, aren’t looking for the same thing. Each person has a different role to fill. If you have to dig in your purse or wallet for these items, that will increase the wait time. Ensure your boarding pass is pulled out of the airline envelope.

2. Wear tennis shoes or known airport friendly footwear so you’ll avoid setting off the alarm on the walk through metal detector. Often the screeners will encourage you to take your shoes off before passing through the metal detector. What many passengers fail to recognize is that many, many shoe manufacturers place steel shanks (supports) in the souls of the shoes. Just because you don’t see metal, doesn’t mean they are metal-free.

3. Laptop computers and video cameras that use cassette tapes, not digital cameras, need to come out of their carrying case prior to passing through the x-ray machine. Have these items out of the case before you reach the table to divest your items.

4. Only undeveloped film with a speed of 800 or higher should be hand checked. All other disposable cameras, film of 100, 200 or 400 speed and digital cameras are safe to pass through the x-ray. Know your film speed before reaching the x-ray machine.

5. If you have an inkling that your belt buckle or larger metal watch may set off the metal detector, remove them while you’re waiting in line and have them ready to place into a bin.

6. Don’t wear pants or suspenders that contain a lot of metal. If you can’t remove the metal prior to passing through the metal detector, you’ll be sent for additional screening, thus increasing your wait time.

7. Most smell jewelry such as rings, necklaces and earrings will not set off the alarm. Don’t bother wasting time removing them.

8. Yes your fanny pack, hidden money belt and wallet on a string around your neck must pass through the x-ray, have it ready to place into a bin.

9. Leave all tools, Swiss army knives, pointed end scissors, and bladed corkscrews in your checked bag. You may not bring them onboard the aircraft in your carry-on bags. If your bag must be searched to find these items, it’s definitely going to increase your wait time.

10. Strollers and pet carriers need to pass through the x-ray machine. Remove your children and pets from this equipment prior to reaching the x-ray.

If you’re standing in line merely waiting for your turn to walk through, use this time to your advantage. If everyone were already ready to walk though the metal detector BEFORE it was actually their turn, the wait times would be greatly decreased.

Next time you fly, instead of grumbling about the procedures that neither you nor the front line screeners can change, try having some fun, being prepared and perhaps even thanking the screeners for doing their part of keeping the aircrafts safe.

“Good afternoon sir. How are you today? I need to see your boarding pass and ID please. Please remove your outermost garment. You’ll need to take your laptop out of the case and place it separately in the bin. Sir, I would recommend removal of your shoes. They look like they will set off the metal detector. Yes, I would also recommend removing your belt, as well. Do you have any other metal or foil in your pockets, sir? Keys, cell phone, money clip, coins, gum wrappers, cold medicine, batteries, lottery tickets, cigarettes? Sir, I’ll need you to place your newspaper and bagel in the bin please. No, I’m sorry cigarette lighters and Swiss army knives are prohibited items. You will not be allowed to bring those on the aircraft. You may voluntarily relinquish these items; you may return them to your vehicle; give them to a non-traveling companion or mail them home to yourself. Thank you, have a great flight, please step through the metal detector now.”

If you’ve flown the friendly skies since 9/11, you’ll notice some major changes at the airport checkpoints. At times you’d think you were stepping into a third world country with the dozen or more federal security screeners herding you through the process of merely getting to the gate prior to boarding the aircraft. Due to heightened security, new safety measures were implemented November 19, 2001. These measures should not be looked upon as invasive or time consuming, but rather offer peace of mind knowing all others on the aircraft are screened in the thorough manner.

Following these tips will help you reduce your wait time at the security checkpoint. Do not pack or bring Prohibited Items to the airport. Place valuables such as jewelry, cash and laptop computers in carry-on baggage only. Tape your business card to the bottom of your laptop. Avoid wearing clothing, jewelry and accessories that contain metal. Metal items may set off the alarm on the metal detector. Avoid wearing shoes that contain metal or have thick soles or heels. Many types of footwear will require additional screening even if the metal detector does not alarm. Put all undeveloped film and cameras with film in your carry-on baggage. Checked baggage screening equipment will damage undeveloped film. Checkpoint x-ray will not damage any undeveloped film under 800 speeds. Declare firearms & ammunition to your airline and place them in your checked baggage. If you wish to lock your baggage, use a TSA-recognized lock. Do not bring lighters or prohibited matches to the airport. Do not pack wrapped gifts and do not bring wrapped gifts to the checkpoint. Wrap on arrival or ship your gifts prior to your departure. TSA may have to unwrap packages for security reasons.

Most importantly arrive at least 60-90 minutes prior to the departure of your flight to allow adequate time to check in and to be screened. The screening process cannot be expedited. The employees will do a thorough, consistent job regardless if your flight leaves in an hour or in 3 minutes.

Following these simple tips will ensure a safe, peaceful flight. Further information can be found at the tsa.gov website.