Host Bonjour

Hey Crystal, Wondering if it would be helpful to unpin the topic? Like, could you use a breather? Might help slow/ease the pressure for responses etc. Sounds like a lot going on now, plus, everyone knows how/where to find you by now 😉 It's been yet another amazing odyssey on this journey, like everyone else, so grateful for all the detail, time, and thought you put into sharing your journey with the community on CC. Look after yourself and let us know how the planning for what's next goes! 🙂

It's not a common scam. But, police would generally be able to ask for your papers in English if they wanted to see them, especially in the touristy areas. Pickpockets operate quick. This sort of thing would mean they are standing around waiting for something, which isn't the routine of the wallet snatcher. They aim to distract the target so you DON'T see or likely feel what's happening. Stopping someone in a fake uniform is counter to the exit strategy for thieving, but then not all thieves are clever. Don't worry about it is the thing. I only ever had one encounter with someone with a uniform while traveling and it was just a surly train conductor going from Milan to Monaco via Ventimiglia in 1994. Several countries/continents/states etc later, no other uniformed encounter has been in my home city, which is exactly the only place I've ever been robbed, and that was partly my fault too. I also learned from that, which I think helped A LOT for traveling. No one was/is getting near my stuff and I carried my passports (dual citizenship) all the time. 😂

Ciao tutti! Hope everyone is doing well, and if not in Italy, planning to be sometime soon (or reflecting on memories of a recent visit 😉 ) Thanks to everyone for making this topic so wonderful, can't believe it's up to 38 pages!! So I was wondering what the community wanted: close this, link it into a new edition, or leave it to grow a bit longer? (Too much to scroll through??) Totally up to the group, so if a majority of you think let's leave it as is, we will. If not, we can do a 2.0 and link this topic at the opening of the start of the new edition so there's easy access to the original. I'll check back in a few days, à presto. Grazie!

Hi! So while there are no guarantees, keeping your equipment in a protective bag (which you probably already have planned to do) like some of these you'd be able to carry the bag on your back, then when ready to begin shooting, take it off, set up the camera + lens and/or tripod, put the back pack back on and get to it. When the time came to change lenses, rinse and repeat. What I would sometimes do is loop my leg through a bag if I had to put something down for whatever reason, but that would depend on what type of shooting you're doing. You could also loop a leg of the tripod through a strap of the backpack or bag, as you'd be standing near it, which would make it sort of challenging for someone to get way low and grab the equipment. Or, you could get a crossbody type bag and keep everything on you, the backup lens, when not in use is safe alongside you with your backup batteries, memory cards etc. Alternatively you could use a photographer's cargo-type vest for when you are in port and pack everything in the vest, even some telescopic tripods get very small these days. Here are images of what they look like. Maintain an awareness of your surroundings, familiarize yourself with an area in advance of your arrival so you'll have an idea of where things are when you arrive and feel comfortable. Thieves target folks who look distracted and uncomfortable or who are easily distracted. Don't be by planning ahead your visit and plans to photograph. But don't let it interfere with enjoying the visit or the experiencing making visual impressions. Use common sense, the right equipment, and everything will be fine. Another good thing is to check what your home insurance covers (lost or stolen equipment when traveling) and whether or not it makes sense to buy any additional insurance to cover your equipment; there may be limits, especially if it's very expensive. Also, backup your images frequently to the cloud. If you're shooting RAW, have an unlimited cloud storage account or remember to compress before transferring or just change the settings before you start shooting each day or location. Let us know how it goes!

We're glad you're here! And yes, there are so many wonderful topics to search/scan for information that will be helpful with planning your upcoming voyage. When you want to narrow in on details that are specific to your visit, definitely come back to share your questions with the community. Everyone here is helpful and may be able to provide additional information to help you with planning the journey. Welcome to Cruise Critic! 🙂

Fair enough, but you may be missing out on some great food. Also, we're all bloggers, really. Each post here is a blog post, the forum is one giant blog. What distinguishes your hypotheticals is that they've created their own blogs, but whether initiating a post of their own, or here in response to a query, everyone is offering a recommendation that takes the form of a review. Would you want it any other way? How else may anyone be expected to buy into the recommendation if not for an account, aka review, of the experience/food. What was good/great/fair or not. How much it cost, how to make a reservation, where it is, atmosphere etc. It needn't be long or grand, but a certain amount of info is expected to go into a recommendation/review no matter who is crafting the response. This might be different than the type of information that is presented by a media outlet, such as a travel magazine, news source (paper), official tourism bureau, or some other enterprise. In this instance, a sometimes unknown (sometimes very well known) person is sent to have a meal or taste whatever it is the establisment produces (could be pretzels!) and then produce a professional story related to the food, service, perhaps even the décor, prices, etc. Something like the Michelin guide is said to be neutral of advertising and influence, and is done in the service of food. (Stars are awarded based ONLY on cuisine, based on reviews by annual, independent inspectors) So every recommendation IS a review: it's someone's impression of whether or not the food met expectations, re: taste/flavors, value, portions, and any other factors that are relevant to each person, which of course may vary from person to person. What's ultimately important in deciding to heed reviews/recommendations is knowing what's most important to you and matching expectations with the experiences of others, but perhaps widening the circle a bit to be sure the results aren't skewed. Besides, why follow the results of Nebraska, Tennessee and Texas? You're going to have Italian food. Find out where the best food is, period. You'll be glad you did. Buon Appetito. (Otherwise, there's always the Royale con Formaggio) 😉

You can transfer the photos to the cloud (various options through Apple, or Google, or maybe some other service you already subscribe to has an option) or transfer to a backup drive to save space on the camera, don't forget. Having the ability to take such complex images on the smartphone can be incredible, as you see what's possible–the brilliant quality, especially when you can turn the settings on/off. It can be handy for when you see something you want to capture and don't happen to have (or just forgot) the DSLR but want the better quality image. It might not yet match, depending on the conditions (great available lighting, model of phone/sensor etc) but it's a lot closer than it ever was and in many cases, print a stunning exhibition image. Creators have been using the phones to make images and films for a while now, with various accoutrements etc. (not only the phone) so the quality is there. (And lots of storage devices/plans!) 🤩

Thanks for sharing your dive photos from GC. Pretty cool to see the wreck and who doesn't love a turtle underwater photo? Not something you see everyday. Hope you had an amazing time on the trip.

Hi everyone! For the first time ever, PONANT’s icebreaker, Le Commandant Charcot, will be staying in the Arctic for the winter 24-25 season. New itineraries provide opportunities for guests to immerse themselves in the enchanting atmosphere of winter in Norway; make the most of a magical Christmas season by exploring the Baltics; enjoy the magical wonder of Scandinavia in the Gulf of Bothnia; or sail through the ice of the St. Lawrence River. You can post questions now and join us on August 28th to learn more about these exciting and adventurous itineraries by clicking here: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/2673-qa-with-navin-sawhney-ceo-americas-ponant/ You'll need warmer socks for this one 🥶 (the cruise, not the Q&A) Hope everyone is enjoying summer/winter, depending on your hemisphere 🙂 Colleen

Hi everyone! For the first time ever, PONANT’s icebreaker, Le Commandant Charcot, will be staying in the Arctic for the winter 24-25 season. New itineraries provide opportunities for guests to immerse themselves in the enchanting atmosphere of winter in Norway; make the most of a magical Christmas season by exploring the Baltics; enjoy the magical wonder of Scandinavia in the Gulf of Bothnia; or sail through the ice of the St. Lawrence River. You can post questions now and join us on August 28th to learn more about these exciting and adventurous itineraries by clicking here: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/2673-qa-with-navin-sawhney-ceo-americas-ponant/ You'll need warmer socks for this one 🥶 (the cruise, not the Q&A) Hope everyone is enjoying summer/winter, depending on your hemisphere 🙂 Colleen

Hi everyone! For the first time ever, PONANT’s icebreaker, Le Commandant Charcot, will be staying in the Arctic for the winter 24-25 season. New itineraries provide opportunities for guests to immerse themselves in the enchanting atmosphere of winter in Norway; make the most of a magical Christmas season by exploring the Baltics; enjoy the magical wonder of Scandinavia in the Gulf of Bothnia; or sail through the ice of the St. Lawrence River. You can post questions now and join us on August 28th to learn more about these exciting and adventurous itineraries by clicking here: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/2673-qa-with-navin-sawhney-ceo-americas-ponant/ You'll need warmer socks for this one 🥶 (the cruise, not the Q&A) Hope everyone is enjoying summer/winter, depending on your hemisphere 🙂 Colleen

Hi everyone! For the first time ever, PONANT’s icebreaker, Le Commandant Charcot, will be staying in the Arctic for the winter 24-25 season. New itineraries provide opportunities for guests to immerse themselves in the enchanting atmosphere of winter in Norway; make the most of a magical Christmas season by exploring the Baltics; enjoy the magical wonder of Scandinavia in the Gulf of Bothnia; or sail through the ice of the St. Lawrence River. You can post questions now and join us on August 28th to learn more about these exciting and adventurous itineraries by clicking here: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/2673-qa-with-navin-sawhney-ceo-americas-ponant/ You'll need warmer socks for this one 🥶 (the cruise, not the Q&A) Hope everyone is enjoying summer/winter, depending on your hemisphere 🙂 Colleen Quote

Hi everyone! For the first time ever, PONANT’s icebreaker, Le Commandant Charcot, will be staying in the Arctic for the winter 24-25 season. New itineraries provide opportunities for guests to immerse themselves in the enchanting atmosphere of winter in Norway; make the most of a magical Christmas season by exploring the Baltics; enjoy the magical wonder of Scandinavia in the Gulf of Bothnia; or sail through the ice of the St. Lawrence River. You can post questions now and join us on August 28th to learn more about these exciting and adventurous itineraries by clicking here: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/2673-qa-with-navin-sawhney-ceo-americas-ponant/ You'll need warmer socks for this one 🥶 (the cruise, not the Q&A) Hope everyone is enjoying summer/winter, depending on your hemisphere 🙂 Colleen

Hi everyone! For the first time ever, PONANT’s icebreaker, Le Commandant Charcot, will be staying in the Arctic for the winter 24-25 season. New itineraries provide opportunities for guests to immerse themselves in the enchanting atmosphere of winter in Norway; make the most of a magical Christmas season by exploring the Baltics; enjoy the magical wonder of Scandinavia in the Gulf of Bothnia; or sail through the ice of the St. Lawrence River. You can post questions now and join us on August 28th to learn more about these exciting and adventurous itineraries by clicking here: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/2673-qa-with-navin-sawhney-ceo-americas-ponant/ You'll need warmer socks for this one 🥶 (the cruise, not the Q&A) Hope everyone is enjoying summer/winter, depending on your hemisphere 🙂 Colleen

Hi everyone! For the first time ever, PONANT’s icebreaker, Le Commandant Charcot, will be staying in the Arctic for the winter 24-25 season. New itineraries provide opportunities for guests to immerse themselves in the enchanting atmosphere of winter in Norway; make the most of a magical Christmas season by exploring the Baltics; enjoy the magical wonder of Scandinavia in the Gulf of Bothnia; or sail through the ice of the St. Lawrence River. You can post questions now and join us on August 28th to learn more about these exciting and adventurous itineraries by clicking here: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/2673-qa-with-navin-sawhney-ceo-americas-ponant/ You'll need warmer socks for this one 🥶 (the cruise, not the Q&A) Hope everyone is enjoying summer/winter, depending on your hemisphere 🙂 Colleen

Thanks Terry!! The 36 Hour articles have been a long time NYT fave. The post looks great with the cover art linked (and the photographer credited 😉 )

Sharing this thread from the Italy board (one of several) which includes replies from some of our most trusted, reliable seasoned travelers and also resident Brits and Europeans. It's a frequent topic! Hope it helps, have a wonderful journey. Colleen

Here is there website in English, which is accessed by clicking in the upper left hand section of their website. Since Canada is a bi-lingual country, in most cases everything would in essence, have to be bi-lingual, but that doesn't consider the cultural feeling/sentiment aspects that are understandable. French will come first in Quebec, it's for sure. So you may definitely reach out to them in English and see about whether or not there are bi-lingual tours or at a minimum, audio translations available by app that you can plug into for listening along. This is certainly what happens on Ho-Ho buses and even on the Circle Line here in NYC, I can't even remember how many languages they have available but when friends visited from Germany, they did their thing while I listed and also walked around picking up on all the various languages people were using, which was (is) truly so cool. There are also now instant auto translate apps in existence which are getting better HOWEVER, and I mean no disrespect, Canadian French does sound different than French french, but even French french speaker will vary according to regional accent, however, not as much as Canadian french speakers, unless they are doing for example, broadcasting speak. Again, not a diss, and I don't know why, it just is what it is. Might be from the celtic accent (from speaking english blending in? Who knows. Just a guess. In any event, you should be fine. Good luck/Bon chance.

Cruise Critic has a guest, Cindy D'Aoust, President of American Queen Voyages. If anyone has questions about the line, routes, anything, stop by and share you questions. The rivers here carry so much history but get overshadowed by the more modern and commercial points of interest: rivers bring people to the natural wonders and often overlooked (or isolated) historical narratives from the past. This would be a great way to delve into these stories. Even jaded me is keen and I admit I didn't know about them (and it's something different), hence the share and post here. 🫢 For folks far away thinking of something different in America, and for Americans traveling far thinking of what next after the grand adventures in other hemispheres. You know you're thinking ahead. 😂 Hope everyone is otherwise well 🙂 Colleen https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/2661-special-event-qa-with-cindy-d’aoust-president-american-queen-voyages/

Cruise Critic has a guest, Cindy D'Aoust, President of American Queen Voyages. If anyone has questions about the line, routes, anything, stop by and share you questions. The rivers here carry so much history but get overshadowed by the more modern and commercial points of interest: rivers bring people to the natural wonders and often overlooked (or isolated) historical narratives from the past. This would be a great way to delve into these stories. Even jaded me is keen and I admit I didn't know about them (and it's something different), hence the share and post here. 🫢 For folks far away thinking of something different in America, and for Americans traveling far thinking of what next after the grand adventures in other hemispheres. You know you're thinking ahead. 😂 Hope everyone is otherwise well 🙂 Colleen https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/2661-special-event-qa-with-cindy-d’aoust-president-american-queen-voyages/

Thank you Terry! 🙂

WaPo piece by Natalie B. Compton

October 13, 2022 piece by Condé Nast Traveler by Anne Hanley. (duplicate post removed)

There's a great video on YouTube of these parrots visiting someone's balcony every day, I think it's Sydney (just forgetting at the moment). At first one bird visited, then he brought his lady friend, and then they brought all their friends. It's a fun video 🙂

I'm close to someone who is an Athens native, heading off for another family visit next week, and who is always surprised that his parents (or other family) are unaware of certain major events happening in/around Greece. They are not unsophisticated people. Some of the news subjects we get aren't making it out locally, It's not censorship/banning, they're just not talking about certain things. The editors are probably under some pressure to hold back. The country is also still recovering from economic turmoil, there are extreme policies still in place (and why some people also still think burying their money in the backyard is better than putting it in the bank). You'd understand if I told you the stories from his days doing service in the military... can't make this stuff up. 😂 Visitors have to stay connected to outside info sources, whether it's via VPN and international news or calling home, to be aware of current info on health alerts/advisories. Openings and closings will be off the cuff and unpredictable. In an article today, it sounds like there are emergency teams across southern Europe, including Greece, working to assist folks who might be in danger (seniors, kids, infirm) due to the heat because most people do not have a/c so finding places to cool off won't be easy, but for some, cool is relative and know how to cope with high heat. (It's always pretty hot in southern Italy this time of year). Some of these temp reports are alarming, but everyone, each place is different so everyone should look after themselves and each other as they go. Extremes are always something to consider when making plans, just consider options and alternatives, and being safe.