Travel with Julie

New Year's Traditions Across Europe

Photo courtesy of France Tourism.

While I enjoy a quiet and rather uncomplicated evening at home this New Year's Eve, I know there will be people all over the world celebrating in ways beyond my traditional midnight "smooch."  

In Spain, burning straw dolls in the street or eating 12 grapes at the strike of midnight are quite normal.  However, in Italy, wearing red underwear or throwing old clothes out of the window ring in the new year.

For the romantics in France, New Year's Eve is often commemorated with a feast (including pancakes, foie gras and champagne) followed by a formal ball or a torchlight procession to pick grapes.  In the UK, a romantic cruise down the River Thames is the perfect option.

In The Netherlands and Norway, eating a donut (or anything shaped in a ring) is considered to bring good fortune.  In Germany, some believe leaving a bit of every food on the table until after midnight will ensure plenty of food in the new year.

Single girls in Ireland place mistletoe under their pillow to help them find a husband.  Friends in Denmark express their loyalty to one another by breaking dishes on each other's doorstep.  The family with the biggest pile of broken plates and glasses is considered the most lucky because they have lots of loyal friends.

Men in Scotland parade the streets swinging large balls of fire over their heads to bring about purification.  In Belgium, farmers bless their livestock to ensure 365 days of good health and well-being.  Dropping a dollop of cream on the floor for good luck, wealth and peace is preferred in Switzerland.

Children of Portugal go caroling house to house where they are given coins and treats. While in Greece, children's shoes are stuffed with gifts at midnight.

In Poland, smudging windows and doorknobs with tar drives out the old year and welcomes the new.  In Austria, molten lead is poured into cold water and then predictions for the new year are made based on the shapes formed.

Wherever you are, and however you plan to celebrate, I wish you a happy, healthy and prosperous new year!

My Nightmare With American Airlines

Although this story is 2 months old and ended on a good note, I didn't want the year to end without sharing it.  This story is about a nightmare I experienced with American Airlines.

On Monday, October 17, 2011, my husband and I were making our final arrangements for our trip to Italy scheduled for a week later.  Flights were booked, hotel arrangements made, and the rental car was awaiting our arrival. With a "ding" from hubs IPhone, we were alerted to an email in his inbox that would make the week leading up to the trip a living hell.  The email read something like this:  "Your flight from JFK to DFW has been cancelled."  The cancellation didn't effect getting to Italy.  It didn't effect our time in Italy.  It only effected our last leg coming home (first leg: FCO to JFK; second leg: JFK to DFW).

We thought: No problem, we'll just call and request to be put on another flight. The conversation went something like this:

AA:   There are no other flights that day.  We can book you on a flight the next day.

Us:    We must get back on the day we originally planned to get back.

AA:   Sorry.  We can only book you on a flight the next day.

Us:    Are you going to pay for our hotel?

AA:   No.

Us:    Even though we booked our flights months ago, and it is AA who has caused this inconvenience?

AA:   Sorry, but that is correct.

Us:    Since AA cancelled our flight, why can't you put us on another carrier?

AA:   Because you used award miles to book this flight, we aren't obligated to.

Us:    So this isn't a matter of you CAN'T, it's a matter of you WON'T do right by us?  Please put us in touch with your superior.

And the conversation repeated itself with the supervisor.

After an hour on the phone and scrambling to research other flight options, we were left with only one choice.  We would have to spend around $600 (or more) to cover the expenses of an overnight stay in New York.  This option didn't sit well with us -- it was more principal than anything.  Why should we be punished because of a change the airline inflicted upon us simply because we bought award seats?  I would have understood if we requested the change.  Plus, hubs is a Lifetime Executive Platinum. Shouldn't that give us some advantage? 

I couldn't let it go.  Yet, three days and nine phone calls later, we were no further ahead.  It wasn't until Friday that we finally had a glimmer of hope.  A supervisor admitted he could get us on an AA Rome/London flight and a BA London/DFW flight, if BA would allow us award seats.  We waited two days for the approval only to find out BA would not release us the seats.

We were now counting down the days until our departure and we still didn't know how we were getting home.  Calling AA three to four times a day, speaking to a different agent each time (and most of them expressing no sympathy or desire to help!) was proving futile.  But, we refused to give up!

On Monday (2 days before departure), we began the phone call battle again. We found ourselves in another wait-and-see situation with a flight option taking us to Madrid on Iberia, and then on to DFW on AA.  And then, it happened.  The day before our departure, Iberia granted us two award seats.  (Iberia is my new hero!)

Our return home was suprisingly uneventful.  We fully expected to arrive at FCO and find a glitch of some kind in our reservation making our return impossible. On the contrary, we had smooth sailing all the way and even got home 6 hours earlier than our original flight!

To save you a lot of boring repetition, I abreviated the details of our daily phones calls in this 9-day struggle.  The bottom line:  AA had no remorse in canceling a service and leaving their customer in an impossible situation.  I wonder how many customers the rest us of would have if we approached business in this way?

Living in Dallas (home-base for AA), we don't always have carrier options.  So, threatening to "take my business elsewhere" doesn't hold a lot of weight. I do, however, get a little comfort in knowing hundreds (maybe even thousands) of people who do have a choice in airline carriers will read my story and possibly think twice before booking with American Airlines.

A European Christmas

 

One day, I want to spend Christmas in Europe.  Maybe Rome...maybe Paris...anywhere, really!  It won't be this year, though.  For now, I have to live vicariously through others like these great folks:

Christmas In Rome: Some Serious Lights by Revealed Rome

Photo courtesy of Revealed Rome

10 Addresses for Christmas Sweets In Rome by Food Lover's Odyssey

Photo courtesy of Food Lover's Odyssey

Finding The Best Santa In Switzerland by European Travelista

Photo courtesy of TVZ.tv

Traditional Venetian Christmas Dinner by guest blogger, Monica Cesarato, on Food Lover's Odyssey.

                           Photo courtesy of Food Lover's Odyssey.

These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things by La Belle in France.

Photo courtesy of La Belle In France

All Decked Out For Christmas by An American In Italy

Photo courtesy of An American In Italy

15 Gifts To Buy On The Spain Euro by The Spain Scoop

Photo courtesy of The Spain Scoop

Christmas Recipes With Style by Italy Magazine.

Photo courtesy of Italy Magazine.

Gifts For The Traveler Who Has Everything

It gets more and more stressful every year to find the perfect Christmas gift for the traveler in my life. He has everything!  So, as a last resort this year, I went to Etsy in my hunt for the perfect gift (tee-hee...):

Funny Blindfolds.  Imagine wearing these on the airplane! :)

Lip Balm Cozy.  Hey...why not?

Beard Beanie.  Freaky weird...just sayin'!

Kindle Cozy.  Combine it with the Lip Balm Cozy to complete the set!

Shirt Backpack.  A one-of-a-kind for sure!

Red Monster Zip Bag.  For packing those small items, of course!

Fruit Cozy.  You know, for protecting the apple you take with you on the plane...duh!

Recycled Billboard Travel Bag.  Something every man needs, right?

M&M Duct Tape Wallet.  They claim it's great for travel!  Seriously, read it for yourself!

Something tells me I need to keep searching.  What do you think?

Things To See In Alberobello

The main attraction in Alberobello, Italy, is the trulli.  There are two primary areas composed mostly of trulli:  Rione Monti, a touristic district on a slope facing the modern town center; and Aia Piccola, a quieter residential district.

Rione Monti attracts mostly tourists and is ultra picturesque -- both up-close and afar.  For the best photo of the district, cross the main street, Largo Martellotta, and walk up the steps located behind the public parking lot.  From the terrace to the right at the top of the steps is the perfect spot for viewing a sea of conical roofs.  

Among the narrow streets of Rione Monti, you will find many tchotchke shops selling colorful terracotta whistles (a favorite toy in Puglia, and very annoyingly loud!), ceramics, and everything under the sun shaped like a trullo.  While walking the area is very enjoyable, the constant pleas from local vendors coercing you into their shop can be a little distracting.  A few owners go so far to pitch signs luring you in with claims of having the 'oldest' trullo or a 'panoramic' view.  If you can't resist, the cost (if any) is usually minimal to take a peak.  A nice stop is in Enoteca Tholos (located on the main street), a wine store featuring Puglian wines and local products.  The staff is very knowledgeable about their products and eager to offer free samples -- enough to make up a small meal!  While in Rione Monti, head up Via Monte Michele to Chiesa di Sant'Antonio, a 20th-century trullo church.

Aia Piccola is very different from Rione Monti.  Most trulli are not white-washed and left in a more natural state.  A walk through the area is picturesque and a welcome retreat from the hordes of tourists in Rione Monti.

If you continue up Corso Vittorio Emanuele, you will pass through part of the modern center.  There are wonderful piazze, boutiques and restaurants.  The street ends abruptly with the majestic Basilica Santi Medici--a beautiful sight at night!  But, if you continue up the hill behind the church, you will find Trullo Sovrano, Alberobello's largest trullo.  Inside, is an example of a conventional domestic dwelling.

For a taste of local life, visit Piazza del Popolo at night.  Families enjoy their passaggiata while neighbors and friends sit under the well-groomed trees catching up on daily events.  The area is full of life and fun!

Do you have a favorite trullo, monument or museum in Alberobello?  I'd love to hear about it! 

Trulli in Southern Italy

Heading southwest from Naples toward the small town of Alberobello located in the region of Puglia, you begin to notice a strange oddity sprinkled throughout the landscape: cone-shaped houses made of stacked stone.  At first, you might think they are ancient storage sheds for grain or hay.  Then, you begin to realize, by the size and ammenities that surround them, that people actually live in them.  These peculiar cone-shaped houses are called trulli (plural for trullo).

Alberobello, once a town of solely trulli, is a great stop for seeing trulli up-close. Made from local limestone, the buildings have very thick walls and are constructed without mortar.  The thickness not only provides stability and strength to the structure, it helps regulate the internal temperature.  The roof is a dome that is built up on top into a cone and topped with a spire--the more ornate the spires indicated the builders' skill and, therefore, the wealth of the owner.  Residential trulli are whitewashed and their roofs often display a painted symbol with religious or superstitious significance.  It is not uncommon for a trullo to have more than one roof-cone.

While wandering the trulli-filled streets of Alberobello, you find yourself questioning who originally built these houses and why?  Well, the story is typically Italian and, I have to add, not officially validated:

The trullo design was to fool tax authorities.  In 1481, the feudal lord Count Acquaviva secretly moved woods people into the village to cultivate the forests into fields for growing cereals. This movement was unbeknownst to the Royal Government in Naples, therefore, allowing the Count to avoid paying taxes on the village's buildings and their inhabitants.

This phenomenon provoked conflicts with the neighboring communities until it reached its peak in 1626 when the Royal Tribunal ordered an inspection.  But, before the inspectors could get there, the current govenor, Giangirolamo II, learned of the impending investigation and ordered the peasants to demolish their homes, eliminating the focus of the investigation.  So until 1797, when Alberobello was given "town" status, the people had to live in dry-stoned trulli in order to quickly dismantle their homes when the tax collectors came to collect.

Have you had an opportunity to experience a trullo firsthand?  I'd love to hear about it!

My Favorite Thing In Umbria Is Wine

As I mentioned in My Favorite Things In Italy, there are just so many things to like about Italy.  My friend Monica in Venice has a favorite Osteria.  Letizia has a favorite seasonal harvest.  Steve loves the quirky things about Italy. (Deep down, I think we all do, Steve!) Well, for Alessandra Mallozzi in Todi, Umbria, her favorite thing is wine!  Understandably.  Alessandra and her brother, Leonardo are co-owners of Discovering Umbria, a travel company specializing in food and wine tours.  She is a Certified Sommelier FISAR (Italian Federation of Sommeliers) and writes a beautiful blog where she shares her love of food and wine.  I think you will pick up on her passion in this post:

My Favorite Thing In Umbria Is Wine

Umbria is a land particularly suited to viniculture. It's moderate climate and gentle rolling hills all contribute in making excellent wines produced by wine growers of the region since ancient times.

Umbria is divided into 2 DOCG and 13 DOC areas -- denotations that guarantee the origin and the quality of a wine.  Among the 13 DOCs, there is DOC Todi that includes some of the wines produced in our town and in the villages of Massa Martana, Montecastello di Vibio and Collazzone.

The DOC Todi includes some red wines like Sangiovese, one of the most common grapes cultivated in central Italy (e.g., the famous Chianti wine is made with Sangiovese grapes) and the international Merlot, even though our town is renowned for its white wine called Grechetto.  Grechetto is not only the name of the wine, but is also the name of the special kind of grape--it's DNA has recently been analyzed showing a deep difference among the other Grechetto cultivated in the region.

This grape, in fact, has been cultivated in Todi for centuries. The Roman historian, Pliny the Elder, who visited our town in the 1st century B.C.--two thousand years ago--wrote in his work, "Historia Naturalis," this sentence: peculiaris est tudernis (typical of Todi), referencing the particular vine that produces this dry white wine with its slightly bitter aftertaste.

For these reasons, in 2009, our wine received the important DOC Todi recognition underlining the special characteristics of Todi's wine over other Umbrian Grechetto.

While visiting Umbria and our town, Todi, try a chilly glass of this great wine, especially on a warm summer day.  Together with a nice plate of pasta, fish or even white meat, it is delizioso!  Cheers!

 

Thank you Alessandra for reminding us just how special Italian wines are!  Do you have a favorite Italian wine?  I'd love to hear about!

BOOK REVIEW: Spirit Stones by Dianne Ebertt Beeaff

While working with clients, I've identify two types of travelers:

1.  Those who run a race to get from one site or monument to the next, striking them off their checklist one by one.  I call them 'Postcard People.' They seem most interested in collecting postcards or photographs as souveniers, or medals, as a way to say, "Been there, done that!"

2. Those who visit a site, monument or place and enjoy digging a little deeper, to connect to its history, purpose and meaning.  I call these people 'Profound Travelers.'

Neither traveler is right or wrong.  Yet, it's important to know the type of traveler you are to know whether or not the book, Spirit Stones, will be an enjoyable read for you.

Spirit Stones is a history lesson of the relics of the Neolithic Era and Bronze Age civilizations.  Now, if you are a Postcard People, you may already be closing this blog post as well as the idea of purchasing the book.  But, if you are a Profound Traveler, you will concur with the author's statement, "If we want to appreciate the world's megalithic monuments, we have to start with an attempt to understand and connect with the prehistoric mentality that created them."

I am a Profound Traveler.  Simply photographing a megalith would not be enough.  I would want to know more.  Why was it built?  What was its purpose?  What did it mean to the people who put it there?  I imagine myself back in that time.   What did it feel like? Dianne Ebertt Beeaff tells us, "The megalithic builders of our ancestry were...intelligent and inquisitive...Their lives were short, insecure and filled with suffering.  But they laughed and cried just as we do, and they must have found their world as full of wonder, cruelty, beauty and violence as we do ours."

I have not been fortunate enough to visit all the megaliths Beeaff writes about.  Nor did I have much knowledge of them or those who built them prior to reading Spirit Stones. Like the burial tombs of Dowth, Knowth and Newgrange, massive Neolithic chambered tombs in Ireland dating back to 3200 BC.  "The great tomb was the focus of a community...they were the cathedrals or parish churches of their day..."  Beeaff goes on to tell more about the burial practices, giving great insight into our ancestries' lifestyles and belief systems.

One of the sayings in my house is: If we would remember our history lessons, we wouldn't repeat the same mistakes over and over again.  Generally, we are refering to politics.  According to Beeaff, we can also learn valuable lessons from megalighic monuments.  "Their builders paired stones of different shapes, lengths and colors. They placed a squat gray granite boulder beside a lofty red sandstone monolith.  They used the square and the circle to define sacred space, and they directed the light of the sun or the moon... They have a fascinating relevance to our everyday living."

Ask any good interior decorator and he/she will tell you a good design will give you balance in a room, evoke a desired feeling, and bring a sense of warmth and peace.  A designer will encourage the use of hard materials mixed with softer ones, square items offset by round ones, and the use of multiple colors. The proper use of these design tactics create the perfect fusion of form and function.  Beeaff draws a similar conclusion from her study of megaliths.  She has examined the materials, design, colors and motif of megaliths to draw modern day lessons to apply understanding, appreciation, peace and harmony in our lives.

Spirit Stones is not a book to scan and leave on a bookshelf to collect dust.  It is meant to be a part of your journey in travel.  I will carry it on future travels to England, Ireland and Scotland to help me "unravel the megalithic mysteries of Western Europe's prehistoric monuments."

To learn more and receive your copy: Spirit Stones

Find the author on Twitter and Facebook.

Dianne Ebertt Beeaff has worked extensively as a freelance writer and artist.  She is an avid traveler and historian, drawn to the architecture of Europe's megalithic monuments, stone circles and burial chambers, as well as their spiritual allure and contemporary significance.  A history major at the University of Arizona, she graduated with high honors and has skillfully applied her expertise with historical research and analysis to her personal and professional writing.

5 Quirky Things I Love About Italy

If you enjoyed reading about Letizia's Favorite Event In Umbria or Monica's Favorite Osteria In Venice, you are going love reading the next post in my series My Favorite Things In Italy.  This one comes from Steve Brenner.  Steve and his wife, Linda, are the owners of The Beehive Hotel in Rome and Cross-Pollinate, a website featuring B&Bs and apartments for rent in Rome, Florence, Venice, Paris, Barcelona and London. They moved to Rome in 1999 and currently live in Orvieto, a medieval Umbrian hill town one hour north of Rome, with their three daughters, Giulia, Paloma and Viola.

5 Quirky Things I Love About Italy

I lived in Italy almost 13 years (with the exception of 2 years in South East Asia) when the things I loved about Italy became very clear.  Many were specific--a pizzeria, a certain bottle of wine--while others were more conceptual--things that captured the specialness of Italy and defined what is unique about it.  Here, in no particular order, are 5 quirky things I love about my beloved Italy:

1.  L'ora di pranzo e sacra (the lunch hour is sacred)! Here's a typical scene:

I'm sitting in a meeting in my lawyer's office discussing a contract that was to be signed.  My phone rings and when I answer, the person on the other end politely asks if I'm busy.  "Yes," I answer. "I'm in the middle of an important meeting with my lawyer.  Can you call me back?"

"Oh, OK," they respond and then continue on with, "It's just that I needed to ask you about a reservation you made the other day.  I don't think I got the email, and I can't remember the arrival time..."

However, when I answer the phone and simply say, "I'm eating," the caller will always say, "OK, scusa, I'll call you later."

2.  You can never be overdressed in Italy (apparantly, even if you are riding a scooter).

3.  It is common knowledge in the U.S. that pregnant women should not drink wine. In Italy, a pregnant woman finds it OK to have a glass, or two.

4.  When you cook, you don't have to say that you made something from 'scratch.'  There's only one way to cook!

5.  The eye candy.  Where else can you have a good-looking trash man or ditch digger?

I think if we were all honest, we'd agree with Steve's list, especially with #1 and #5, right?  Is there a quirk about Italy that makes you love it even more?  I'd love to hear about it!

Les Treize Deserts de Noel -- Provence-Style Christmas

 Photo credit: Flickr

I love holiday traditions, and I especially love learning about traditions followed in other countries.  Thanks to my new friend, Pam Siddiqui, for sharing a special tradition in the south of France, Les Treize Desserts de Noel.  Side note: I call Pam my "new" friend because she and I have only recently started corresponding.  In fact, I'm an "old" friend of Pam's online boutique, Olive and Branch, where I shop for beautiful French home accessories.  That said, I hope you enjoy reading about Provence's delicious holiday tradition, browse Pam's store, and by all means, DON'T MISS Pam's generous offer at the bottom of this post!

Les Treize Deserts de Noel -- Provence-Style Christmas

Christmas is almost here and everywhere you go in Provence you will hear the words 'Joyeuse Fetes' and 'Joyeux Noel' ring out -- from city and town hall buildings to holiday cards and carols. Other traditions that will unfold in large cities like Avignon, and small villages throughout Provence, are traditional Marches de Noel, Christmas nativity scenes, santon displays and midnight masses. There's one more ... and, of course, it has to do with food!  This typical Provencal fete is the Christmas Eve tradition of the thirteen desserts, or les treize desert de Noel.  I love this tradition because, although, there are thirteen desserts -- yes, count them -- most are healthy versions of desserts like fresh and dried fruit or nuts.

Almost every family in Provence that celebrates Christmas celebrates with the Thirteen Desserts served after the 'Gros Souper' (the big meal served after mass on Christmas Eve).  The thirteen desserts symbolize Christ and his twelve apostles sitting at the last supper. Although the items can vary from village to village, they are always eaten on Christmas Eve and they most commonly include:

Four Mendiants (the Monks who have taken a vow of poverty) Raisins for the Dominican Order, Almonds for the Carmelite Order, Dried Figs for the Franciscan Order and Hazelnuts for St. Augustine.

Four Beggars, usually Apples, Pears, Oranges and Dates.  Oranges are a traditional Christmas gift representing wealth in the coming year and a real treat to everyone during the depression. Today, in our family stockings, one can always find an orange tucked away at the bottom.  It was a tradition I grew up with and one I have passed down to my children.

Four Riches (any combination of these):

• Confit Fruit - Representing good and evil are Nougat Blanc and Nougat Noir
• Coing or Quince paste
• Panade or an Apple Tart
• Calissons d'Aix, a frosted marzipan treat--one of the most awaited desserts of the Thirteen Desserts and a specialty of Aix en Provence.

And finally, Fougasse, or Pompe a Noel (olive oil bread).  This is the traditional brioche made with olive oil and flavored with lemon peel or orange and served with sweet wine.  Most importantly, if you want to ward off bankruptcy in the coming year, break the bread, don't cut it!

However you celebrate Christmas this year, incorporating some of Provences thirteen desserts is certainly a sweet way to round off the holiday season.

Pam Siddiqui is the owner of Olive and Branch for the home, part-time Provence resident and author of Postcards From Provence.  Olive and Branch brings French and French-inspired home decor and personal care items to you and your home.

SPECIAL OFFER TO READERS OF TRAVEL WITH JULIE:  Receive FREE Fedex Home shipping (continental USA only, please) on all your purchases through the end of the year, December 31, 2011.  Just enter Julie in the coupon code section at checkout.

Thank you Pam for sharing a Provencal Christmas with us all!  Do you have a French holiday tradition? I'd love to hear about it!