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Just imagine over 50,000 performances of more than 3200 shows all crammed into a 3 week time period. It actually seems like it might be a bit longer because some performances are playing right up until August 26th.
And it’s not just street performances. There are big names and there are also unknown newbies performing in all sorts of venues. There are stage performances and then there are the street performers.
Since I’ve never been to Scotland in August I have never been to Fringe. Fringe is only one of eleven festivals held in Edinburgh each year. And it’s also the time that the Military Tattoo is performed. I’ll be going there later this week.
The cab driver told me that Edinburgh, normally a city of about 400,000 people, would triple in size and population for the Fringe Festival. But my friends who live here have told me that there will be as many as two million people traveling to and through the area specifically for the fringe and other festivals.
There really is something for everyone, and it seems like all the time. There are dancers and drummers and singers and mime. There’s opera and theater. Juggling all kinds of things including fire and swords. And magic..I love magic shows.
Now some of the performances are at 1:00 in the morning but in all fairness most of the performances in a myriad of different venues don’t actually start until around 17:30. And it’s the European way to stay up into the wee hours. Shoot, the second night I was here I didn’t get to bed until after 5:00am.
Everywhere I’ve been I’ve collected all sorts of these little fliers advertising a myriad of different sorts of performances. And maybe I’m a little unusual but I’ve had some great conversations with the folks handing out the little cards and leaflets.
I went to one performance just off the Cowgate down the street from Grassmarket in one of those 800 year old stone buildings that was alright but not particularly spectacular. But then found a street performance after that with a fire and sword swallowing Australian that was very entertaining. And of course everyone wanted to see the most dangerous acts. But he did swallow the sword.
Fire Breathing Sword Swallower
Fire Breathing Sword Swallower
After that another young man handed me yet another flier advertising a group of comedians, again in one of these ancient stone buildings deep in some dark recess…. But wait… “there’s a bar!”
Everywhere I’ve been one of the hooks is that there’s a nice bar. But then there are oodles of bars everywhere here in Scotland. Much like Ireland you can’t get to the end of any street without having passed by at least a couple of bars. Maybe the key is if you drink more then the shows get better. . .
This evening I’m off to find some other sorts of performances. Drumming and dancing and maybe some great music. I’ll be sure to bring back pictures and videos so that you too can enjoy…well at least a part of the show.
If you are like me and enjoy traveling for extended periods of time, especially in and around The European countries then it is essential that you are aware of the Shengen Boarders Agreement.
The original document was signed into existence on June 14, 1985. In it’s current form it includes travel rules/restrictions for 26 European Countries.
It essentially means that unless you are a resident of one of these 26 member states that you are permitted entry into and travel around the Shengen area for a period of up to 90 days. You must then leave the Shengen area for another 90 days before re-entering the area.
I had no idea that such a thing even existed until I planned a trip for three months to Greece. Then a notation appeared on my airline travel plans such that I needed to be out of Europe before or at that 90 day mark.
If you are wanting to be able to travel in the European Union for more than just 90 days you must apply for an extended Visa. And you should be aware that an application doesn’t mean an automatic approval.
The current member states in the European Union include:
Austria
Belgium
Czech Republic
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France
German
Greece
Hungary
Iceland
Italy
Latvia
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Malta
Netherlands (excluding Aruba, Curacao, St. Martin and the Caribbean Netherlands)
Norway
Poland
Portugal
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
These four are not currently a part of the European Union and countries where you can spend more time if you chose.
Bulgaria
Croatia
Cyprus
Romania
While included in the EU at this time The United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland maintain Opt-Outs. As the United Kingdom has chosen Brexit many things including boarder controls are set to change when that comes to fruition.
Be aware that if you exceed the 90 day restriction either purposefully and/or accidentally that there is a steep fine and deportation. And from all that I have read about it most boarder control people DO check the dates that have been stamped into your passport.
My friend Tonya virtually insisted that I come for a visit.
In past times if I was out and about traveling she would often send me a message suggesting that as long as I was in the area I should come for a visit..makes sense, right?
The flight from Boston to London was uneventful.
The next security screening, when you land in the UK, because they make you go through another screening once you arrive as well as a customs sort of screening/interrogation that takes some time and can be frustrating for travelers who have tight connections took some time.
But at Heathrow they pulled my carry-on aside and essentially unpacked the whole thing so that they could individually scan every electronic item and cord I was bringing with me. It all fit perfectly when I packed it…but not so nicely after they were done verifying that there was nothing amiss.
Then I had a couple hours to wait for my next flight to Edinburgh and essentially slept in a chair in the British Airways Lounge. I could have had a wee bit more champagne, but alas I opted for a coffee and a bit of fresh fruit.
Time for a wee festival
After a short flight with another nap..presto chango I am in Magical Edinburgh where the sun is out, as it often is when I arrive and there are simultaneously sprinkles of rain. Being prepared for rain at any given moment is the best choice here.
Tonya had sent me a notice earlier such that she had chosen to work from home (WFH) but I didn’t see the message as I was busy with screenings and then an inordinately long wait to get my bags at luggage claim. Other people seemed concerned about the length of time that their bags were not appearing as well as evidenced by the couple from Texas who were considering options, out loud, for lost luggage.
So after a a wee jaunt in a black cab…
(these guys know every nook and cranny and all I did was tell him the address and off we went..)
He couldn’t get his cab down the wicked narrow passage to the cottage but that’s okay, I’ve been here before and I can get there just fine…
I just have to make sure that my rolling bags don’t roll down the path and leap into the river Leith.
So while searching for the key that Tonya had said would be inside a brass acorn..out she pops from the kitchen doors delighted to see me once again in Magical Edinburgh. .
It really is like coming home
We chatted for hours…
and then feasted on barbecued ribs with grilled zucchini and a nice salad and wine and more chatting
and she’s made a fire-pit out of an older charcoal grill..perfect for the deck..
After still more chatting she made us a nightcap. . . an amazing Espresso Martini her signature cocktail . . .
..and then I passed out..it was after all 2:25am….and I just woke up about 30 minutes ago. When I allow for the time change I guess I could say that it’s 6:30am. . .
Time to get my bearings and get to the adventure tomorrow I start my magical adventure.
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Just this past week TSA announced new screening procedures for carry-on luggage. Evidently there has been a heightened need for security after an issue with LapTops in the middle east.
So to address this new possible threat passengers will be asked to remove all electronic items that are larger than a cell phone and place them in a screening bin, each one in it’s own bin which will help security officers to have a better vision of individual electronic items.
Such items might include a kindle, an Ipad, a camera, a camera lens, a bluetooth speaker and anything else that is larger than a cell phone and is of an electronic nature.
These increased measures are already in place at the following domestic airports:
Boise Airport (BOI)
Colorado Springs Airport (COS)
Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW)
Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL)
Logan International Airport (BOS)
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
Lubbock Preston Smith International Airport (LBB)
Luis Munoz Marin International Airport (SJU)
McCarran International Airport (LAS)
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX)
Passengers enrolled in TSA PreCheck and Global Entry are exempt from these new measures. They are not required to remove liquids, shoes, electronics, laptops, belts or lighter outerwear. TSA PreCheck identifies low risk passengers which then allows TSA to concentrate their efforts on higher risk passengers.
There are no new restrictions on what travelers can bring through the security checkpoints. But people will be encouraged to better organize their carry-on items to expedite the security process. One method that I have been using for years is to use the Ziploc baggies to organize everything from pens, change, video cards, and other small items to cords for electronic items. This makes it easier to pack and organize these items but also helps in being able to find them without them becoming tangled.
Increased security is not a bad thing. It helps us to get to our destinations unscathed and ready for the next awesome adventure.
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I’ve been fortunate to have traveled to many distant places all over the world. And maybe you might think I’m a little odd but i always try to learn a little bit of the language before I go someplace new. I’ve often been told that “everyone speaks some english.”But that’s just not always true.
On my most recent trip to Greece I was looking for a remote beach and fortunately found a woman at a Taverna. I asked her in Greek if she spoke English and she said no. That wasn’t the end of it because I have studied some Greek and so with my broken Greek I was able to figure out where it was I wanted to go, and once I got there I had a fabulous time. Below is a picture of it. It’s not so much a beach as it is a hidden cove.
Learn Some Greek
Then, I was at a monastery on the Island of Crete and was able to use my rudimentary Greek to purchase some kumquat Liqueur. The Monk that sold me this libation first thanked me for attempting to speak Greek and then shared with me that in Greece there is a spiritual connection to the language and so it is most appreciated when people at least attempt to speak the language.
Greek is not easy and at first I noticed that studying Greek was messing with my ability to spell in English which is not only my first language but one in which I have a college degree. As my Greek has improved my issues with spelling have stopped.
When I traveled to Thailand I actually purchased a course and studied the language before ever leaving the USA. I had a fabulous time traveling in Thailand. I was delighted with a country full of Elephants, Orchids and a whole host of people putting their hands together and bowing. Because i had taken the time to learn some of their language and their customs I was very well received by the Thai people.
I had traveled with a group and even other people in the group commented on how much better I seemed to connect there than they did. A little effort goes a long way.
On another occasion I traveled to Belfast Northern Ireland with a group of friends. On many occasions it seemed as though I was the designated interpreter for the thicker English/Irish accents that others couldn’t hear and decipher. Even I found that a little weird.
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I have friends all over the world. Some of them move from time to time a lot like Americans might move from Maine to Florida for the winter months. And a lot of them now either have families and/or collections of stuff that they’d rather not part with. So moving from one place to another or in my case traveling for long periods of time can mean hassling with luggage and airports and/or busses and lots of luggage.
So my friend Antony discovered this place called Send My Bag that will essentially send any bag to your destination. Of course they charge a fee. But for me I have to weigh the fee against the fee that the airlines would charge and the reduction in hassle that I would have.
I wish i had known about it when I was traveling to Greece with three suitcases and a backpack. I had been on a mission of sorts to take a bunch of Maine tee shirts and some other things to some kids in the mountains of Greece. Austerity and “the crisis,” has been difficult for families and especially kids. So I was traveling essentially with too much stuff which when I think about it now also made me a target for thieves.
But, so Send My Bag will pick your bag, gold clubs, surf board or any other item up at your door and deliver it to your destination in a couple of days. You have to fill out some customs forms just to make sure that you aren’t sending salable items that could be charged a duty but that’s pretty much it. Pack it up and send it off and it will either be there when you get there or a day or two after.
I love to travel and I think this will make the actual traveling from one place to another less of a hassle and more enjoyable. Less is better in this case.
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Yesterday I happened to be out at Fort Williams Park where there is The Portland Head Light. I had intended to do a live video while I was standing there in front of one of the most visited and photographed lighthouses but alas Facebook sent me a message that I couldn’t do that because I had no internet connection. But I had my video camera with me so I did that instead.
The Portland Head Light is actually in the town of Cape Elizabeth, Maine and is now ensconced in Fort Williams Park which encompasses 90 acres with several Historical sites and lots of activities.
The Lighthouse itself was originally just 72 feet tall and was first lit on 10 January 1791 with sixteen whale oil lamps. Over many years updates were installed at the lighthouse site including a keepers quarters, a metal stairway and a “4th order Fresnel lens.”
On 7 August 1989 the now 92 foot tall lighthouse was decommissioned and fully automated. The United States Coast Guard is responsible for the lighthouse and fog horn functions but the remainder of the site and the park is managed by the town of Cape Elizabeth, Maine.
The park is expansive and the views of Cushing Island, Ram Island and the Ram Island Ledge Light Station as well as the boats and ships traveling the channel to and from Portland are just amazing. It’s a great place to visit.
If you’re really into lighthouses Maine Open Lighthouse Daytakes place this year on Saturday 9 September 2017 from 9:00am to 3:00pm. During this event the public gets the rare opportunity to climb and learn about over twenty-four Maine Lighthouses. The event is sponsored by the United States Coast Guard and the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary.
Heathrow Airport is the largest airport in the United Kingdom in London and is a major hub for all sorts of international and domestic English travelers. It’s not abad airport really although when you first get off of an international flight and are herded off to a security screening it can be a little overwhelming and even difficult to figure out where it is that you are supposed to go.
I always found it a little strange that we go through security in the US and then when we land at Heathrow they take us all to another security screening Heathrow style. I remember on one particular morning hearing a fellow disgruntled passenger taking to a co-traveler about how odd it was that we were having to travel through security once we landed in London. Having no stops on any cloud between the US and England there was no chance that any dangerous items could be obtained along the way.
I think it’s better now but there was a time when if you got pulled aside for some perceived infraction they would move painfully slow getting to you. It occurred to me at some point that the people working there might have been enacting some sort of a silent protest for not having enough security people to move the process along at a decent pace.
Subsequent trips through the Heathrow airport while very busy are less of a problem. Nevertheless keep in mind that if you don’t absolutely need it while you are traveling and you think there could be some issue with it in security then don’t include it in your carry on items.
I usually carry a very small pair of scissors with me with which I open some medication but I have decided that I don’t really need it with me on the plane and in the event that I really have to take that particular sort of medication I think it could be accessed in another viable way.
On another trip I was singled out because of a bottle opener/corkscrew that had an ity bity little knife for cutting the foil off the wine bottle. While I gave it up easily I was questioning that as a viable call as I was flying business class on that trip and at some point I had a full sized metal dinner knife with my meal. So it just didn’t make any sense to me. But again it wasn’t anything that I was going to absolutely need on the flight.
Anymore I carry only the bare essentials with me. And even then I seem to have this thing about taking too many books that I never seem to get to and that are heavy to carry around.
Less is way better and less of a hassle,
There is the possibility of a new trend in travel that could upset many travelers. That is a recent ban on laptops being allowed as carry on luggage. But I will have to research that a bit more before I write too too much about that one.
In my short tenure as a world traveler i have traveled to all kinds of really cool places and seen all kinds of wonderful things as well as been able to taste the foods and enjoy the cultures. One of the things I never do when I am traveling is to eat anything that might remotely be American fast food. When i am out and about somewhere in the world I want to taste what the locals eat and drink.
Ouzo
In fact we were talking just last night about drinks and drinking traditions and there’s this drink that they have in Crete called Tsipouro which is often offered at the end of a meal in a Taverna or a household…and I think you can buy it just about anywhere. It comes from the pomace or residue of the wine press and is about 45% alcohol. I didn’t know that at first. My Greek friends just said that I had to try it since I was traveling to Crete. So I did.
I have to say…I don’t particularly care for it. Even the little bit that you get at the end of a meal is enough to knock you off your feet. In my opinion there are much better things to drink at the end of a meal in Crete. My favorite is Masthica, a specialty liquor that is only produced in Greece since the plant that it is made from only grows on one Greek Island.
I’ve heard that they have tried to replicate the growing conditions so that the plant could be cultivated in other places but that efforts to do that have failed 100%. So Masthica continues to be unique to Greece.
The other liquor that i personally like is Ouzo. If you don’t like the taste of licorice (anise) then don’t bother. But i like the taste. In Hollywood type movies you might see people drinking shots of Ouzo and then dancing a lot before they all pass out. But during my travels to Greece I was introduced to a more civilized way to drink it.
Pour your ouzo into a glass and then drop ice cubes into the liquor and instantly the liquor turns from a clear liquid to a milky white. In Greece, in the summer, because it’s hot the ice melts at about the same rate as you might sip the liquor so while you might get a little buzz you probably won’t pass out from a little ouzo that’s been watered down with melting ice.
So the next time you travel to Greece try one, or all three and let me know what you think.
Hey there – i know it’s been a bit since I posted anything here but I have been inspired lately to get back to the blog and enlighten my readers to the wonderful world of travel.
Palamidi Fortress – Nafplio Greece
Traveling about the world i have learned a lot about the ins and outs of travel as well as some of the perks that are available to everyone. For some time now friends have encouraged me to share some of these tips because they think that other would be travelers could benefit from what I know.
I was reminded just this morning that there are so many things about travel that I just take for granted that other people just don’t know. Friends will often stop me in mid sentence and get me to repeat something that they don’t necessarily know anything about but that I just do on auto-pilot.
So two of the things I know about domestic and International travel are TSA Pre-Check and Global Entry.
TSA Pre-check is a travel benefit that allows low-risk travelers to expedite the TSA screening process. With Pre-Check you don’t have to remove your shoes, belts or light jackets. You also don’t need to take out your laptops or your liquids. Generally it makes the screening process much faster and less of a hassle. All you have to do to get this is to apply online which includes a background check, finger-printing and a ten minute interview. You can start the process here: https://www.tsa.gov/precheck.
Global Entry is a program offered through Customs and Boarder Protection which again allows low-risk frequent International Travelers which expedites re-entry into the United States. The process for application is a little more stringent than that for TSA Pre-Check but also includes an application, a background check, finger printing and then a personal interview with officers from Homeland security. For more information and to apply you can go here: https://www.cbp.gov/travel/trusted-traveler-programs/global-entry.
One of the things that I like best about it is that I get to skip the insanely long lines when i am returning. And when I am leaving I get all the benefits of TSA Pre-Check as long as my Global Entry Card number is entered in my Airline reservation.
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