All about Money and your Italy Vacation

 

If you are traveling to Italy for vacation, you need to be aware of some basics about the currency. Travelers are usually concerned with several questions. What is the currency conversion rate? Where can I change my dollars into Euros when I arrive? Can I use my travelers' checks? Are ATM machines readily available? What if I need a larger amount of cash and I need a bank? Can I use my major credit card at many places? What about tax-free shopping?

These are all great questions to ask before you go on your Italy vacation and each one has an answer that will be addressed here. First of all it is important to know that Italy uses the European Euro. There is no "Italian currency." One dollar ($1) is equivalent to approximately 0.70 euros. The currency conversion rate can fluctuate daily so it is best that you check for a more accurate figure before you leave for your vacation to Italy. You can find the most current exchange rate at The Universal Currency Converter website which is www.xe.com/ucc/

How can you get Euros once you arrive in Italy for your vacation? There will be an exchange office at the airport when you arrive. This is usually most accurate if you are arriving in a main city. Exchange offices may also be available at railway stations in the main cities. You can always also get Euros at any ATM or bank. This leads in to the next question about the availability of ATMs. There are ATMs all over Italy mainly in big cities but also in some smaller towns. But you need to know that in Italy ATMs are called "bancomats." During your Italy vacation you will find that these bancomats work just like they do in the US and you will get the chance to select your language of preference from the screen when you begin. You can use your credit or debit card to get money (euros only) out of the bancomat as long as there is a Cirrus or BankMate symbol on that machine and your card.

You could always find out from your Credit Card Company or bank if their cards can be used worldwide before you leave for your vacation to Italy. Most businesses accept major credit cards in Italy and you should always look for the credit card signage stickers on doors of shops just like there are in the US. Travelers' checks are also widely accepted in the major cities.

If you need a larger sum of cash than the bancomat will provide during your Italy vacation you will find that there are banks all over Italy especially at the main tourist attractions. Most Italian banks close for about an hour and a half for a lunch break during the week and are closed on Saturdays, Sundays and National Holidays. 

People taking an Italy vacation will be glad to find out that non-resident visitors may claim a refund for the tax they pay on many of their purchases. You can go to www.globalrefund.com to pursue a refund.

Until Next Time,

Jeané Elliott Bennett

Elliott Exquisite Vacations

Adventure Travel in India: A Once in A Lifetime Experience

 

Have you been to Asia before? If not, the very first place that you need to visit is India because this is an excellent place for tourists like you. For about 5,000 years now, India has been celebrating life and all its pleasures. If you find exotic, colorful, and mysterious places memorable, this is the best place for you. Despite the changes and diversities in India, the country is still a picturesque and a unique tourist destination. If you want an adventure travel in India, start packing your things now and catch the next flight. You can find a unique civilization and culture in India.

In fact, the country's civilization is among the oldest in the world. The imagination of tourists is always captivated of India's legends and culture. There are many legends to tell and if you listen to them, your imagination will surely run wild. You can get in touch with the locals so that you can learn more about their culture and way of life. By doing so, you can also make new friends there. An adventurous soul would also love to visit monuments and you can find a lot of them in India.

Enjoy the intricate splendor of mosques, temples, secular structures  (bridges, step-wells, and tanks), and canopies found in the different regions of the country. Don’t forget to visit the pink city (Jaipur), blue city (Jodhapur), golden city (Jaisalmer), and romantic city or the lake city (Udaipur). You can find all these cities by going with a Rajasthan tour. Ask a tourist guide about their trip schedules so that you can also join them. Aside from the intricate architectural structures in India, you can also find adventure in the tropical jungles, resorts, the Gangetic Plains, golden beaches, and the mighty Himalaya. Lovely beaches can be found in Goa, as well as independent cultures. There are many local spots that you can choose from, so make sure that you choose one that you can get the most excitement ever.

Spa and ayurveda resorts can be found in Kerala. There are also lovely resorts and beaches there. If you're on a beach vacation, the ocean, sand, and palms of Kerala can give you life's greatest adventure. Extreme adventures are also welcome if you travel to the Himalayan ranges in India. If you're a sports lover, you can join the Himachal tours. You can enjoy trekking together with other sports in the Himalayas. If wildlife fascinates you and captures your adventurous spirit, you can check out India's safari.

There are national parks that you can visit all over India where you can see different kinds of birds and the in-demand tigers. Another place that you can visit is Mumbai where you can find Haji Ali, Hyderabad's Charminar, the beautiful gardens and valleys of Kashmir, Rajasthan's rustic beauty, Ooty, Manali, Shimla, and Uttaranchal. If you've been to India before, perhaps these places are already familiar to you.

But for your next trip, why don’t you organize your tour destinations so that you can enjoy the vacation there?

By planning ahead, you can save time and money because you'll know the right places to go to. Make the most out of your stay in India. Traveling can get very expensive but if you visit a place like India, everything is worth it. You will not regret visiting such a beautiful place and you will have the greatest adventure travel in India.

Until Next Time,

Jeané Elliott Bennett

Elliott Exquisite Vacations

Gift Giving Superstitions and Legends

 

Superstitions:  There are a lot of superstitions and legends involving the giving and receiving of gifts.   For instance it was at one time considered bad luck to give a pair of scissors or a knife as a gift because it was feared that the act would "cut" the friendship in half.  Therefore knives were never given as wedding gifts as it was believed they would lead to a broken marriage.

Also never give anyone a pair of shoes as a Christmas gift because they would make the person you give them to walk away from you.   When you give someone a gift of a wallet or purse be sure to put some money into it, even if only a coin, to ward off bad luck.  At one time bakers would throw in an extra roll when you bought a dozen as a "gift" in case any of the other rolls were too small.  This "gift" became known as the baker's dozen.

Urban legends:  Legends are told as having happened long, long ago whereas urban legends are set in contemporary times and told as having happened to people known either personally to the teller or to someone known by a person the teller knows.  The places and names change as they are updated to fit current times and all carry a warning or lesson of some sort.  There may even be some truth to the story although the people and places have been changed so many times that it becomes hard to determine what the truth actually was. 

One such tale recounts a king's offer of a gift to a famous golfer (sometimes the golfer is named other times he is just "a famous golfer") who after first declining the gift asks for a golf club only to find to his amazement that the king has bought him an entire golf course.

In several different legends, although the people and circumstances change the story and its warning are the same.  A son (nephew, daughter, niece...) is expecting a very expensive gift (car, house, inheritance...) from his father (uncle, aunt...) but receives a bible.  In a fit of anger he throws the bible at the giver and leaves not returning until the givers death when he notices the bible from so long ago, opens it and finds the (key to the car, check to the car dealer, will leaving him everything etc.). 

Then there are the one-up-manship legends.  Two or more siblings vie to get the best gift for their mother (houses, cars, jewels) with one going to great expense to get a bird (myna, parrot...) that has been specially trained (to read the bible, sing opera, speak Italian...). The mother politely thanks all (while letting them know their gift wasn't very practical) then speaks proudly of the child who had the sense to bring her the delicious chicken.

There is also a true story of two brothers who re-gifted the same pair of pants back and forth wrapped in very creative ways, from rolling them into a 3' long 1" wide pipe to stuffing them into the glove compartment of a car that they then had crushed and delivered in time for Christmas.  The pants went back and forth for 25 years before they finally fell apart.

Until Next Time,

Jeané Elliott Bennett

Elliott Exquisite Vacations

Back to Beginning for President's Day Cooking

 

Most people forget to honor President's Day, a day that has been set aside each year to honor those who have held the office of the President of the United States of America. In fact, very few do manage to celebrate this special day at all other than hitting the local malls in anticipation of a few great sales. If you have decided that you would like to make the most of this great day and celebrate the great nation that America is and those who have been responsible leaders of this nature you might be wondering what you should be cooking.

How about going back to the beginnings of this great nation and going for a Colonial theme with your President's Day menu? There are many great dishes that can be traced back over the centuries. You can find many great resources online that highlight the cooking of Colonial America. You might even find a few bonus recipes if you browse websites about Williamsburg, VA or other cities that were of import during the colonial days and those years when we were a fledgling nation.

If you search carefully you can find many resources that may give you even more ideas about cooking and serving a colonial style feast fit for a President's Day celebration. You will find many books relating to etiquette of the day and expectations along with a few that were devoted to food preparation and some books that were published much later and contained recipes that have been passed down from one generation to the next with a gold mine of recipes that were often used during colonial times.

If the idea of a colonial feast isn't your idea of a great way to celebrate American Presidents then there are other options available. One great cooking idea for Presidents day is the good old American Barbecue. There are those among us who feel that there is never a time of year in which a barbecue can't take place. It doesn't matter if there has been a foot of snow overnight there are many of us who are perfectly comfortable digging out the grill and throwing a few steaks and potatoes on for the sake of an honest excuse to celebrate and what better way than to honor those men who have led our country throughout history?

Even when using the grill and barbecuing for President's Day you are not limited to foods that are typically barbecued. If you are of the mind you should consider doing something you may not try every day on your grill. Some popular firsts for many people include food items such as a whole pork tenderloin. This goes great with grilled or broiled vegetables, rice, and bread and feels like a very American thing to eat. Of course, hamburgers are quite nice and very American too.

Of course you could go the route of honoring the President's fitness award on President's day by electing to go the healthy route with your cooking and eating. Great ideas would be broiled fish or chicken, chicken noodle soup (soup is good for the soul after all and it is in February), steamed veggies, and a side of long grain and wild rice. Though there are some that find President's Day the perfect excuse to go after some comfort food. Beef stew, vegetable soup, chicken and dumplings, and good old Virginia ham with all the trimmings might make an excellent choice for those seeking comfort and warmth on this, sometimes, cold winter President's day.

However you choose to honor all the past Presidents with your cooking be sure to take a moment out of your cooking schedule to send positive thoughts and hopes toward the current leadership whether you approve or not. This is a position that very few of us could fill and still maintain some degree of sanity. For this reason we should be grateful for those who do.

Until Next Time,

Jeané Elliott Bennett

Elliott Exquisite Vacations

Hawaii- A Brief History of Culture

 

The beginning of a Hawaiian kingdom started in 1809 after the fall of king Kamehameha.  The new king moved to Honolulu to take control of the trade that was going on.  Honolulu was the perfect place because it was centrally located.  In the 1830's sugar plantations were established and Honolulu became a booming city, bars and brothels alike were opened.  In 1845 Honolulu officially replaced Maui as the capital of the Kingdom of Hawaii.  Because of increasing western influence, Hawaii, and most importantly Pearl Harbor, officially became a US territory in 1898.  There were several arguments, failed bills and lots of political red tape that kept Hawaii from becoming a U.S. state.   

The gateway to allowing Hawaii to become an official state was tourism.  Pan American Airlines flew the first passenger flights from the mainland to Hawaii in 1936.  This led to mass tourism.  After the Korean War and the attacks on Pearl Harbor, it became imminent to make Hawaii an official state.  Hawaii was declared the 50th state on August 21, 1959. 

In the 1970's the Hawaiian culture had a resurgence of pride and heritage awareness.  The ancient Hawaiian language had all but disappeared and a huge westernization had spread across the state.  In the seventies the original Hawaiian language was reintroduced back into preschools and became an important part of the heritage again   Thanks to the Disney movie Lilo and Stitch we all know that ohana means family. Today the language is taught at the University of Hawaii as well.

The luau is also another important part of Hawaiian culture.  Luaus have been with the culture for hundreds of years.  The word luau really just means a party or a celebration.  This is the way that friends and family honor each other on special occasions.  Today there are two types of Luaus.  The first is like the original way, just a gathering of family and friends, and is the only authentic type. They are private, and unless you have local connections, it is unlikely that tourists would be invited to such an event.  The second type of Luau is commercial.  It's the type that we tourists would frequent.  They are heavily choreographed and can be quite entertaining.  The luau usually has a buffet of some sort of roasted pig as the entrée accompanied by rice and of course pineapple.  These luaus are also complete with hula dancers for the guys and Polynesian dancers for the ladies viewing pleasure.  There is plenty of entertainment to go around, especially when you add an open bar to the mix.   

The merry monarch festival was founded in 1971.  It is a hula festival; in fact it is the largest hula festival in the world.  It features thousands of dancers and honors the long time Hawaiian tradition of hula dancing.  The festival takes place in March or April and draws huge crowds.  It is located in Hilo on the big island of Hawaii and is a weeklong cultural event. 

Until Next Time,

Jeané Elliott Bennett

Elliott Exquisite Vacations

4 Must Visit Big Island Hawaii Attractions

 

Are you in the process of planning a Big Island trip?  Hawaii’s Big Island is a popular vacation destination, partly due in fact to its size.  Why?  Because there is so much for you to do and see. 

Once your Big Island travel arrangements are made, you may want to shift for your focus to what you can do and see.  Creating an itinerary for your trip has a number of benefits.  It is important to remember that Big Island is filled with so much for you to do and see; so much that you may not have enough time to do so.  Familiarizing yourself with popular Big Island attractions before your vacation can help you make sure that you visit the mostly highly rated and recommended sites, a few of which are outlined below.

1 – Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

The Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is a must see for all Big Island tourists.  This National Park is situated on 377 square miles of a vast array of landscaping.  Whether you are interested in traveling by car, foot, or bike, there is a large part of the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park that you can examine.

When traveling by car, you can visit the summit of the Kilauea volcano.  Chain of Craters Road is also a must visit in the park, as this is where lava once flowed over the road.  With so much to do and see in the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, including guided tours and themed wilderness tours, you may want to stay onsite.  What better way to end your day than camping?  Camping is free as long as you paid admittance into the park.

2 – Waipio Valley

Waipio Valley is also known as “The Valley of the Kings.”  This Big Island attraction is a must visit if the history and culture of Hawaii is of interest to you.  Here, you will be able to explore an area that was once populated with native Hawaiians.  There are unlimited hidden treasures in the area, including beautiful waterfalls, rivers, and tara fields.

To learn the history of the Waipio Valley, not just see it, a guided tour is recommended.  Guided tours of “The Valley of Kings,” are available by way of car, horseback, and foot.

3 – Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden

The Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden is often referred to as “A Garden in the Valley of the Ocean.”  Due to close proximately, a visit to the gardens is advised either before or after a visit to “The Valley of the Kings.”

Guided garden tours are available for multiple trails, including the Onomea Falls and Palm Jungle Trail.

4  – Puuhonua O Honaunau National Historic Park

If you are unable to visits the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, the Puuhonua O Honaunau National Historic Park is a must visit for you. Situated on 180 acres of land, this National Historic Park is considered sacred ground.  It was once refuge and home to those who broke the law.

When visit the Puuhonua O Honaunau National Historic Park, you can see the black lava rock, a sacred temple, wooden statutes of Hawaiian gods, and so much more!  The area is filled with beautiful fish ponds; therefore, you can enjoy a fishing adventure in addition to hiking and examining the historical background of Hawaii’s Big Island.

In addition to the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, the Puuhonua O Honaunau National Historic Park, and Waipio Valley, there are other popular and well-known attractions that you should place on your vacation itinerary.   Those visiting the North Side of Big Island will want to examine Parker Ranch.  Those visiting the South Side of the island should checkout the views at the Ka Lea South Point.

As you can see, there are a number of must visit attractions for your next Big Island vacation.  The above mentioned attractions are just a sample of what you will find on the island.  For that reason, you are encouraged to use the internet to your advantage or request free Big Island travel guides, which are relatively easy to find online.

Until Next Time,

Jeané Elliott Bennett

Elliott Exquisite Vacations

Advantages and Disadvantages of All-Inclusive Cruise Ships

 

Vacationing is a pastime that is enjoyed by many.  While vacations are nice, needed, and important, they can become costly. This cost is often associated with additional expenses such as food, beverages, and entertainment.  If you are interested in vacationing aboard a cruise ship, but you are worried about the cost, you don’t necessarily have to be.  

All-inclusive cruise ships are cruise ships where just about everything is included.  The cost of your drinks, food, and entertainment are often taken care of.  If you are wondering whether or not you should book reservations aboard a traditional cruise ship or an all-inclusive cruise ship, you are not alone.  A large number of travels wonder the same thing.

When it comes in all-inclusive cruise ships, there are a number of advantages and disadvantages. To determine whether you could benefit from an all-inclusive cruise ship, you are encouraged to weight the advantages and disadvantages each.  After you have considered each, you are encouraged to make a decision.  If the advantages outweigh the disadvantages then an all-inclusive cruise ship may be just what you need and visa versa. 

The biggest advantage of all-inclusive cruise ships is that most of your needs are taken care of.  As previously mentioned, most all-inclusive cruises cover food, drinks, and entertainment.  If you are interested in drinking a large amount of alcohol or feasting on the amazing onboard food, you may be able to do so free of charge. You may also be granted exclusive admittance into movie theatres and video arcades. 

To many, having foods, drinks, and entertainment provided free of charge sounds too good to be true.  In some cases, it may be.  While many of your food and drinks are included in an all-inclusive package, not all are.  It is possible that you may be required to pay for your alcoholic beverages. There are some cruise ships where alcohol beverages are included in the package, but on others it is not.

When it comes to food, your food at a sit-down restaurant may be provided free of charge, but your snacks are typically not covered. This often includes snacks or small meals purchased at onboard specialty shops and vending machines.  If your snacks and small meals are not covered, you can prevent the extra expenses by eating a large meal.  You may also be able to save money by brining your own snacks onboard, if the cruise ship allows it.

As mentioned above, entertainment is often included in an all-inclusive cruise ship package.  As with food and drinks, the entertainment is often limited.  It is likely that you will gain free admission into a dance or ball, but you will not be able to gamble free of charge.  If you are interested in gambling aboard the ship’s casino, you will have to come up with your own funds.

When it comes to the cost of an all-inclusive cruise, there are many travelers who get confused.  The cost of an all-inclusive cruise may seem high, but it is often that way to cover the cruise line’s expenses.  For many individuals, the cost of an all-inclusive cruise is a great value.  To determine whether or not you will save money aboard an all-inclusive cruise, you need to estimate your cost of food, drinks, and entertainment aboard a traditional cruise.  Simply by comparing the two, you can easily determine which cruise package offers the better deal.

The advantages and disadvantages of all-inclusive cruise ship vacations are important.  By examining each and comparing them to what you want and need out of your cruise, you can easily determine which cruise ship vacation package is right for you.

Until Next time,

Jeané Elliott Bennett

Elliott Exquisite Vacations