I'm back from Europe!!

[linz06]

I'm glad you had a wonderful trip! I am going to keep reading and learning from this thread You're making me excited for my trip next year!

I know what you mean about how things are so different in different countries with news coverage and alerts. I even find a huge difference watching news in the USA compared to here in Canada!

[Reese1]

Originally Posted by AllDogBoots

That's where I stayed in London! The buffet breakfast was not the best though LOL. I also rode the London Eye and it was awesome. I'm native from NYC so London was amazing to me. I just didn't "get" Paris, but I can appreciate the architecture.

Actually, I thought they had one of the best breakfast, lol!
Paris was horrible! They ran out of food by 7:30am and were turning people away from the dining room!

I think Paris architecture is beautiful and I love all the historic landmarks, but there is a different feel from other cities we visited.

[Reese1]

Originally Posted by linz06

I'm glad you had a wonderful trip! I am going to keep reading and learning from this thread You're making me excited for my trip next year!

I know what you mean about how things are so different in different countries with news coverage and alerts. I even find a huge difference watching news in the USA compared to here in Canada!

I would go back to all the countries we visited, but I know Germany, Switzerland & Austria I want to spend more time. The mountains, the castles, churches. It was breathtaking! It was like looking at a picture book!
My Mom didn't even want to go to Germany and she just fell in love. She thought she would love Paris and it was her least favorite. She enjoyed London, but she liked the feel of smaller cities better.
Some of the surprises. Hotels don't provide sheets or wash cloths, lol!
The tubs/showers & toilets were different.
I love history and all the architecture and it's just everywhere and at times overwhelming!
Keep in mind everything is more expensive then you think it will be!

[FlDebra]

Sounds like a dream trip for sure! I would love to travel and see some of the places I have read about. I am probably the only Navy retiree that never left the US! (I was a career recruiter most of my time). My brother took his honeymoon to Germany and they have been back a few more times. He loves visiting there. I keep saying as soon as I see Alaska, I am going overseas.

Look forward to some pictures!

[Reese1]

Originally Posted by FlDebra

Sounds like a dream trip for sure! I would love to travel and see some of the places I have read about. I am probably the only Navy retiree that never left the US! (I was a career recruiter most of my time). My brother took his honeymoon to Germany and they have been back a few more times. He loves visiting there. I keep saying as soon as I see Alaska, I am going overseas.

Look forward to some pictures!

I'm thinking Alaska or Ireland will be my next trip!
I've yet to meet someone who went to Alaska & didn't love it!

[Rachael x]

Also whats the deal with the strikes and stuff in Paris at the moment?
My brother flew out today, just wondering if he will get back as hes only going for 4 days.

[Lisa and Pic]

Welcome back and glad you arrived safely. Your trip sounds incredible.

[Reese1]

Originally Posted by Rachael x

Also whats the deal with the strikes and stuff in Paris at the moment?
My brother flew out today, just wondering if he will get back as hes only going for 4 days.

The refinery workers were cutting the fuel supplies to the airports. When we were there, they thought if it continued they would be out in about 2-3 weeks.

They want to raise the retirement age in France from 60-62yrs. That's what the strike is about!

[Rachael x]

Originally Posted by Reese1

The refinery workers were cutting the fuel supplies to the airports. When we were there, they thought if it continued they would be out in about 2-3 weeks.

They want to raise the retirement age in France from 60-62yrs. That's what the strike is about!

Ah I see.
They are talking about raising the retirement age for women to 66 here.

[Wylie's Mom]

WELCOME back ! Your trip sounds like it was so much fun. I just love traveling to EU and wish I could do it more and more, it's so exhilarating. It sounds like maybe you went w/ a tour group...? I have always wondered about doing that, bc it seems nice that all the arrangements are taken care of; at the same time, I always wondered if a group would make me feel too limited and/or overly social when I didn't feel like it. What do you think of it? How did you like Amsterdam, btw?

[Reese1]

Originally Posted by Rachael x

Ah I see.
They are talking about raising the retirement age for women to 66 here.

From what I've read even raising the age to 62 would still make that the most or one of the most generous ages for retirement in all of Europe and probably a lot of other countries!

What is the retirement age for men in England?

[Rachael x]

Originally Posted by Reese1

From what I've read even raising the age to 62 would still make that the most or one of the most generous ages for retirement in all of Europe and probably a lot of other countries!

What is the retirement age for men in England?

I agree!
At the moment the age for men is 65 but they are making a lot of changes, ive pasted them below.

The State Pension age is 65 for men born before 6 April 1959.
For women born on or before 5 April 1950, State Pension age is 60.
The State Pension age for women born on or after 6 April 1950 is increasing to 65 between 2010 and 2020.
From 6 April 2020 the State Pension age will be 65 for both men and women.

Changes from 2024
Between 2024 and 2046 the State Pension age will increase for both men and women. This increase will be gradual, happening over two years every decade. The changes will mean that:
State Pension age for men and women will increase from 65 to 66 between April 2024 and April 2026
State Pension age for men and women will increase from 66 to 67 between April 2034 and April 2036
State Pension age for men and women will increase from 67 to 68 between April 2044 and April 2046
The age you can get your State Pension will be determined by when you were born.

[Reese1]

Originally Posted by Wylie's Mom

WELCOME back ! Your trip sounds like it was so much fun. I just love traveling to EU and wish I could do it more and more, it's so exhilarating. It sounds like maybe you went w/ a tour group...? I have always wondered about doing that, bc it seems nice that all the arrangements are taken care of; at the same time, I always wondered if a group would make me feel too limited and/or overly social when I didn't feel like it. What do you think of it? How did you like Amsterdam, btw?

Yes, we did go with a tour group and honestly, I loved it!! We had the best group and quite a few we will keep in touch with and several I would love to travel with again.
We actually had two other groups from Ohio, which was funny. All but three were from the USA. Two were from New Zealand & one from Australia.
The convenience of having someone else handle our luggage and not having to wait in line to get in to places like the Vatican, Versailles, Colosseum, etc.. was so worth it!
Plus since we had never been, it was nice having other people to go around with!

We actually loved Amsterdam! We didn't go to the red light district or visit a coffee shop, lol. Though quite a few did from the group, but I found it charming!
Loved our canal cruise! The bicycle parking garages blew our mind! We were lucky that no one from our group was taken out by a bicycle though!
We had an excursion there to a fishing village called Volendam. We went to an old windmill, cheese farm & then ate at a restaurant for dinner on the water. It was sooo nice and a real hi-light of the trip!

I can't remember were you the one who told me I had to eat macaroons?
Yummy!! We tried so many flavors in Switzerland & France and they are so delicious!!

[Wylie's Mom]

Originally Posted by Reese1

Yes, we did go with a tour group and honestly, I loved it!! We had the best group and quite a few we will keep in touch with and several I would love to travel with again.
We actually had two other groups from Ohio, which was funny. All but three were from the USA. Two were from New Zealand & one from Australia.
The convenience of having someone else handle our luggage and not having to wait in line to get in to places like the Vatican, Versailles, Colosseum, etc.. was so worth it!
Plus since we had never been, it was nice having other people to go around with!

We actually loved Amsterdam! We didn't go to the red light district or visit a coffee shop, lol. Though quite a few did from the group, but I found it charming!
Loved our canal cruise! The bicycle parking garages blew our mind! We were lucky that no one from our group was taken out by a bicycle though!
We had an excursion there to a fishing village called Volendam. We went to an old windmill, cheese farm & then ate at a restaurant for dinner on the water. It was sooo nice and a real hi-light of the trip!

I can't remember were you the one who told me I had to eat macaroons?
Yummy!! We tried so many flavors in Switzerland & France and they are so delicious!!

The group thing really does sound so convenient! You went to VERSAILLES?????????????? Omg, dream of mine! I love reading about Marie Antoinette (did you see her bedroom? oh my!), and Versailles in general. Did the Versailles tour include Le petit Trianon?

Yes, lol, I am the one who salivates over macarons! Aren't they just out of this world? You can find them here in the U.S. at some specialty bakeries now, and they're such a treat. There is a bakery here that has a caramel flavor...and I swear...it's so good you almost want to scream out loud in ecstasy .

I've tried making them too, and they take a lot of practice! Not easy.

[Reese1]

Originally Posted by Wylie's Mom

The group thing really does sound so convenient! You went to VERSAILLES?????????????? Omg, dream of mine! I love reading about Marie Antoinette (did you see her bedroom? oh my!), and Versailles in general. Did the Versailles tour include Le petit Trianon?

Yes, lol, I am the one who salivates over macarons! Aren't they just out of this world? You can find them here in the U.S. at some specialty bakeries now, and they're such a treat. There is a bakery here that has a caramel flavor...and I swear...it's so good you almost want to scream out loud in ecstasy .

I've tried making them too, and they take a lot of practice! Not easy.

We did see Marie Antoinette's bedroom & the king's bedroom, hall of mirrors and several other rooms. It did not include Le Petit Trianon. Versailles is so over the top! The ceilings and everything is so ornate and everything is to excess.
You know what stunk though! They stuck all this weird modern, pop art right in the middle of these old historic rooms. It was so strange!
It was so strange to allow an exhibit like that in there!
The macaroons were incredible! They cost about 4 Euros each! We had salted caramel, pistachio, chocolate, coffee. I can't remember all the different ones, but they were fantastic! As soon as I saw them, I said someone on YT said I have to try these and then I was hooked!
It's funny because this week I got my Cincinnati magazine and it features top bakeries in the area and there is a bakery here that makes them! I have to try them out!!