Faremax: Travel Forums

IN THIS ISSUE

• Amsterdam: A Unique European Experience
• Managing the Sun, Part 2
• Wing Tips: Packing Light--Really Light

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Amsterdam: A Unique European Experience Long before Amsterdam was a prominent party place for young people in the 1960s and 70s, it was the command post of an international trading empire. While the “hippie haze” through which the city was perceived three decades ago has faded, the hustle and bustle that has characterized it for centuries remains. Amsterdam and its people defy categorization within the larger European cultural context. Though the city government has succeeded in transforming Amsterdam from a hippie haven to a cosmopolitan business center the city still has a liberal air. Free thinking and an "anything goes" mantra are part of the Amsterdam culture, and exist alongside a thriving economy. This juxtaposition adds a dimension to the tourist experience that can’t be found in any other European city. The city is compact; the residents generally walk or bike from place to place. It is charming to the eye, with 160 canals, over 1200 bridges, and beautiful architecture. Amsterdam’s delights include the Jewish Historical Museum, the Rembrandt House and Van Gogh Museums, the floating flower market, the Waterlooplein flea market, cafes and gin-sampling houses, and stylish nightclubs. Here is a short list of things to do while in Amsterdam. But one thing: Don’t fill up your schedule ahead of time. Amsterdammers are friendly to visitors and most speak English fluently. Wherever you go, you are likely to end up having an enjoyable conversation with a resident, and the inside tips you will get will need to be accommodated in your list of places to go and things to do during your visit! Cruise the canals, by boat and on foot. Find out why Venetians, famed for its own waterways, are proud to call their home town “Amsterdam of the South.” Ride a glass-topped canal boat through Amsterdam's beautiful canals to get the best possible view of the gabled Golden Age merchants' mansions. And walk across as many of the 1,200 can bridges as you can. The views are great. Rent a bike and ride with care. To get a feel for what it’s like to be an authentic Amsterdammer, rent a bike and join the mass of trams, cars, buses, and other bikes. On the other hand, if you’re not feeling courageous enough to brave the vehicle throng, watch it go by from a sidewalk café! Walk De Wallen. Stroll this neighborhood to check out the gabled architecture along the narrow canals, peruse the many secondhand bookstores, and just watch the people go about they everyday lives. And since this is the Red Light District, you are certain to spot scantily clad “business women” looking out their red-fringed windows. Shop a street market. Though you are unlikely to get a bargain from a savvy Dutch street vendor, you will soak up a lot of local color at the Waterlooplein flea market or the Albert Cuyp street market. Visit Vincent and the Old Masters. The Van Gogh Museum is the home of the world's largest collection of Vincent's work. And though most of the Rijksmuseum is closed for renovation through 2008, the Philips Wing is opened and houses The Masterpieces, highlights from its collection of 17th-century Dutch Golden Age art, including Rembrandt's classic The Night Watch. Eat a herring, drink a jenever, try out a rijsttafel. Eat a piece of Amsterdam’s history from a neighborhood fish stall. Raw herring, chopped with onion, is definitely an acquired taste, but you should at least try it.  Be sure to spend at least one evening in a “brown cafe,” the Amsterdam version of a neighborhood bar—many of them are hundreds of years old. Drink a toast to the city with a jenever, Dutch gin. And Holland's former possession, Indonesia, is behind the rijsttafel, which offers a number of small-serving Indonesian dishes, some of them pretty hot to handle. Visit a "coffeeshop." If having a “legal toke” is a required part of your visit, you'll be able to buy and smoke marijuana in Amsterdam's very special "smoking coffeeshops" without having to look over your shoulder for the police. These places aren't for everyone, but they're an established part of Amsterdam's culture.

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Managing the Sun: The SPF Defense, Part 2 In the last issue, we introduce the SPF Defense, an approach for managing sun exposure during your travel. We covered “S” for shade and “P” for protective clothing. Now we will talk about “F” for fluids of the sun-blocking kind.  Sun blockers come in various kinds of goop, including creams, lotions, gels, sticks, and sprays.  Sun screening agents are rated for their potency by the familiar "SPF" rating.  The SPF number represents a multiplier by which the time to sunburn is delayed:  So, if you would burn after 20 minutes of bright direct sun, then an SPF#15 product would extend that point by a factor of 15 (20X15=300, or 5 hours), and an SPF#30 blocker would give you twice as long (20X30=600, or 10 hours).  But there's a rub. SPF numbers are derived in the lab, not in the field, and assume perfect use:  Adequate, even application and re-application every two hours.  Confounding factors that aren't included in the lab are sweating, swimming, missed spots, inadequate amount used, and failure to re-apply.  So slather well and slather often.  It's recommended to re-apply after swimming or heavy sweating.  The active ingredient of sunscreens used to be PABA (para-amino benzoic acid).  Now most sunscreens are "PABA-free" and proudly state so on the label.  The problem with PABA was skin irritation in susceptible people and outright allergy in a few.  There are various non-PABA formulations, all with long unpronounceable chemical names, and all effective.  Most are effective against both UVA and UVB radiation.  So just pick your poison and slather up.  Some people favor gels or sprays as they're non-greasy.  The trade-off is that you have to re-apply more often after swimming or sweating.  The agents labeled "waterproof" are most often creams or lotions.  Keep in mind that certain medications can greatly increase susceptibility to sunburn.  The most common offenders are tetracycline and sulfa antibiotics.  Certain blood pressure medications, antihistamines, anti-inflammatory agents, and a few of the antidepressants can also have this effect.  If in doubt, or if you're prescribed a new medication, ask your doctor (or other health care professional or pharmacist) if a particular medication may have this effect.  Some topical agents also promote sunburn, some quite dramatically.  This is called "photosensitivity" and the worst offender is retin-A (used for acne and anti-wrinkling).  Again, ask your health care provider if in doubt. So, what if you have tried your best and still got burned? In the next issue, we will cover what to do if you end up lobster red at the end of the day.

WING TIPS: Packing Light--Really Light When you are traveling, less is definitely more—at least in terms of luggage. If you can limit yourself to just carry on bags, you will save loads of time and energy. You won’t have to worry about weight at check in, you wont have wait with the crowd at the luggage carousel, and—possibly the best thing—you won’t have to worry about your bags ending up in a different location than yours. You might think that taking only carry on bags for an overseas flight is impossible, but it is done all the time, usually by experienced travelers who have figured out some tricks. Here are some of those tricks for you to put into practice the next time you pack for a flight. Maximize the size of your carry on luggage. Stay within prescribed limits, but go as roomy as possible. In most cases, the maximum is one bag that will fit in the overhead bin, a “personal” bag like a purse or a brief case, and a coat. Make the most of these items. Use a soft-sided briefcase with lots of pockets and compartments as your personal bag, take a coat with oversized and/or numerous pockets, and use the largest rolling bag that will still fit in the overhead bin (luggage retailers know the regulations and can help you here). Minimize toiletries. Soap, shampoo, toothpaste, and other toiletries are available pretty much everywhere in the world. Instead of taking these with you, use the items provided by your hotel. Or, if you are staying in a no-frills place, buy them once you arrive at your destination and leave them behind when you go. You’ll be amazed at how much luggage space you save! Pack your clothes in specialized packing systems. Several travel gear manufacturers make space-saving packing systems for folding and packing your clothes. These systems let you pack the most pieces in the least amount of space. Take wrinkle free pieces that mix and match. Go with a single color scheme so that you can mix and match your clothes. And pick or buy clothing that is wrinkle free—knits are great because they pack small and come out of the suitcase lacking creases. Keep the number of shoes down. Shoes take up valuable space. Wear your bulkiest pair on the plane, and only take along another pair—two at most. Walking shoes, sandals, and a pair of closed shoes for nicer outings should be plenty for a summer trip. Plan on doing laundry. Using your hotel’s laundry, washing your clothes by hand, or having a laundromat adventure lets you pack fewer outfits.