Check Your ID

Have you checked your ID for the star? Beginning on October 1, 2020, every adult flying within the U.S. will need a REAL ID-compliant identification.

How do you know if you have a REAL ID-compliant identification card or driver's license? Visit www.tsa.gov/real-id to find out!

50 packing hacks shared from a flight attendant

http://news.homehacks.co/50-nifty-packing-hacks-flight-attendant/?utm_source=fb_ads&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=con-50-nifty-packing-hacks-flight-attendant-45399553-635676893&utm_identifier=23fb2406-4c33-4c95-9264-1042152aacac

Where did you go on your first vacation?

A big win for Lebanon

Lebanon has now come into the tourist arena. Lebanon has now gotten their first tour bus. This is a big win for Lebanon. The city is up and coming as a tourist city.

https://www.beirut.com/l/57734

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Let's Take a Trip to Amsterdam!

Day 3 

Morning

Since you're eyeing a two-museum morning, have a monstrous breakfast at Vinnies(two locations: near Centraal Station or south of De Pijp). Maybe opt for their Omega 3 Breakfast, which includes a pair of poached eggs on organic toast, along with smoked wild salmon, smoked mackerel mousse and roasted tomatoes and avocados.

From either location, hop a tram to the Verzetsmuseum, the Dutch Resistance Museum in eastern Amsterdam. The Verzetsmuseum maintains a permanent collection of documents, artifacts and artworks that serve to memorialize the mostly non-violent resistance movement during Nazi occupation.

It's a 15-minute walk to the Rembrandt House. Where the famous painter once resided, a museum now recreates his workshop, studio and living space. Artists, period furniture lovers, history nerds and anyone with an appreciation for "how it used to be done" will love it here. 
 

Afternoon

From the old center's eastern side, walk or ride a tram to the hip, happening De Pijpneighborhod. Most tourists arrive in De Pijp, which is actually an island surrounded by canals, for the dreadfully overpriced Heineken Experience, which you can skip. But if it's on your list, do it now. I won't judge.

Otherwise, continue to Europe's largest outdoor market, the always-bustling Albert Cuyp Market. Eat lunch here, choosing from a plethora of food vendors. I suggest French fries followed by salted herring, washed down with a beer. Yum! Make a "coffee" stop at Katsu Coffeeshop. Or enjoy a cannabis-free drink at any of the pleasant cafes surrounding Sarpahtipark, where you'll go to relax afterwards (assuming the weather cooperates).
 

Evening

For your last night in Amsterdam, feast on fusion with a rijsttafel, known in English as an Indonesian rice table. Dine at Tempo Doeloe, on the way back toward the city center. From here, you're about halfway between De Pijp and the Red Light District, both of which beckon with bars, clubs and all the nightlife you can squeeze into this, your final evening in Amsterdam. Return to that bar or coffee shop that stands out in your mind or wander around and find a new joint.

One place worth hoisting a goodbye drink at is the VOC Cafe-Schreierstoren. This quintessentially Dutch pub is situated in the Weeping Tower, where, once upon a time, wives of seafaring Dutch merchants bid their men goodbye and kept an ever-watchful eye for their return.

But there's no need for weeping nowadays. Though this may be your final night in Amsterdam, don't worry, you'll be back. 

Where Did You Go?

Let's Plan a Trip to Amsterdam!

Day 2

Morning

First, we feast with breakfast at The Pancake Bakery. Yes, finally, pancakes. You'll no doubt be left feeling bloated, so it's time to walk it off in the seriously picturesque Jordaan neighborhood (just over the canal from The Pankcake Bakery). Walk and shop the lovely Jordaan, especially the upmarket "9 Streets." Keep your camera/phone at the ready — you will encounter many iconic photo spots. Depending on the day, you'll find all sorts of bric-a-brac, antiques and food at the Noordermarkt.

Now, get those tissues ready and make for the Anne Frank House — remember to book an entrance ticket online in advance. This place is a tearjerker and, while it's no wonky history museum, you'll surely feel the weight of the past as you tour the Frank family's hideout.

Afternoon

Enjoy a positively charming walk alongside the Prinsengracht Canal, one of the city's five original canals, from the Jordaan toward Leidseplein in the southeast. Make a "coffee" stop (should you be so inclined) at the touristy and boisterous The Bulldog, doing business in a one-time police station. Cross the Singelgracht Canal and settle into a picnic lunch on Museumplein. No picnic supplies? No worries. There's an AH Van Baerlestraat grocery store right underneath the park. Look for the covered escalator entrance in the park's western-most corner, across from the Stedelijk Museum.

Pick two of the three art museums and book your tickets in advance:

• Von Gogh (the man, the myth, the delusional genius)
• Rijksmuseum (Dutch and European masters of yore)
• Stedelijk (modern art)

Allow for a couple hours in each museum. Remember to grab some fresh air in-between. Afterwards, head to (perhaps after fetching some beer or wine)Vondelpark for a long walk and some much-needed post-museum decompression. Huge mansions surround the park. This neighborhood, Amsterdam Oud-Zuid, is one of Amsterdam's wealthiest.

Evening

Walk a few minutes north of Vondelpark for dinner and drinks at Foodhallen, Amsterdam's bustling food hall. Choose from all manner of international cuisine served in a casual, convivial atmosphere. Make a "coffee" stop (should you be so inclined) at nearby Coffeeshop La Tertulia, on the way back to the Jordaan.

Where in the World ... ?

Let's Plan a Trip to Amsterdam

Day 1

Morning

Arrive in Amsterdam! Welcome! Welkom!

From Schiphol Airport, hop a train to Centraal Station, Amsterdam's nerve center. From here, you can catch buses, trams, ferries, trains and taxis to anywhere in Amsterdam and almost anywhere in Western Europe. Tempting, but we'll stay in Amsterdam today and focus on the old center, exploring on foot.  

Eat breakfast at Omelegg-Centrum, where hearty meat, cheese and veggie omelettes are a filling and scrumptious way to kick off your trip. Begin exploring via Amsterdam's canals — the city's aquatic arteries — on a one-hour canal boat tour. 

After canal cruising, tour the Oude Kerk, Amsterdam’s oldest building. Originally intended as a Catholic place of worship, it converted, along with the rest of the country, to Dutch Protestantism. Nearby, another church reveals an entirely different story: Instead of converting to Protestantism, the clandestine Catholic church at Lord in the Attic survived by quietly hiding in a nondescript canal home.
 

Afternoon

That was a big first morning. You've earned another filling meal and celebratory beers with lunch at Brouwerij de Prael, just a few minutes' walk from Lord in the Attic. After lunch, make a "coffee" stop (should you be so inclined) at the Green House-Centrum.

It's now time for a stroll. Walk south to Dam Square and visit the Royal Palace of Amsterdam. Take a self-guided tour using the provided audioguide. Finally, dive deep into the city's history at the thoroughly illuminating Amsterdam Museum, a few blocks south of Dam Square.
 

Evening

After all that walking and sightseeing and to celebrate your first night in Amsterdam, go for a fancy dinner and drinks at The Lobby, a trendy upscale restaurant that focuses on locally sourced ingredients. If you haven't dozed off yet, make a "coffee" stop (should you be so inclined) at The Original Dampkring. Want to party? You're a few minutes' walk from all the nightlife you can handle in the notorious Red Light District.

That was a big day. Get some rest.

You don't need a passport to travel to these destinations.

https://blog.thediscoverer.com/tropical-destinations-dont-need-passport-for/

Good Vibes

If you are of Jewish or Israeli heritage, a multi gen vacation can be an incredible experience

If you are of Jewish or Israeli heritage, a trip to Israel can make for the perfect family vacation. This historical destination is brimming with sacred sights and significant monuments that make for an incredible experience to share with your family. Spend time connecting with each other and reconnecting with your heritage during a multigen vacation to Israel.

Have you ever been to Israel with your family, or is it on your bucket list? D.M. or email me today to plan your trip.

You may think a Travel Agent is not necessary.

Explore Europe with Princess Cruises in 2020