Feeling aprehensive

[philw1776]

Enjoy your European sojourn

Edited July 30, 2016 by philw1776

[stonepebble]

I am no longer a clueless innocent traveler of the past. I am always aware of my surroundings and try my best to not have "tourist or target" written across my forehead. I don't dress showy or wear jewelry (not even fake).

 

I am not going to stop traveling. I will be aware and not travel to places that are truly dangerous. Will I travel right now to the Middle East, no or take an Amazon Cruise this month, no. I am grateful I had the chance to spend 5 days in Istanbul and while I won't travel there this year, I can't wait to go back.

 

Taking my 13yr old granddaughter to London & Paris and will feel perfectly safe. But cautious!

 

 

 

I'm not going to let the bad guys stop me if I can help it.

 

 

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Try as I might, I know I always look like a tourist, ha ha! Every time we go to NYC I know it's obvious! And trust me, I don't look flashy! I think it's the little sneakers, back pack, camera, and cute colored top...I don't know how else to dress!

 

Funny, I used to bring my nicest jewelry when we cruised (ocean cruising). Through the years it's been less & less each trip. It's really just a burden for me!

For our river cruise I'm not bringing any! I want to focus my energy on seeing the world!

 

Chris

[Lois R]

Try as I might, I know I always look like a tourist, ha ha! Every time we go to NYC I know it's obvious! And trust me, I don't look flashy! I think it's the little sneakers, back pack, camera, and cute colored top...I don't know how else to dress!

 

Funny, I used to bring my nicest jewelry when we cruised (ocean cruising). Through the years it's been less & less each trip. It's really just a burden for me!

For our river cruise I'm not bringing any! I want to focus my energy on seeing the world!

 

Chris

 

Hi Chris:). I consider myself pretty low maintenance but still like to

wear a bit of jewelry. So when you say you are nothing taking any?

I always wear earrings and like to give myself a few choices (they

don't take up much space)......I at least like to wear some type of

necklace and earrings for the evening. Daytime? I always wear a

pair of hoops;)......whether I am on an Ocean Cruise or River Cruise

I would feel naked without an earring:)

[philw1776]

Europeans easily detect North Americanos by their footwear, penchant for sports clothing, etc. even by the way men walk. I know no matter how I dress that I am spotted as a tourist for those interested in spotting touristos.

[Hydrokitty]

Try as I might, I know I always look like a tourist, ha ha! Every time we go to NYC I know it's obvious! And trust me, I don't look flashy! I think it's the little sneakers, back pack, camera, and cute colored top...I don't know how else to dress!

 

Funny, I used to bring my nicest jewelry when we cruised (ocean cruising). Through the years it's been less & less each trip. It's really just a burden for me!

For our river cruise I'm not bringing any! I want to focus my energy on seeing the world!

 

Chris

 

Wear black and carry a big purse! Sneakers are ok but the camera is a dead giveaway!! It's more about the attitude than the clothes....you have to look and move like you know where you're going and if you don't the natives know....but there's nothing wrong with that!!! Just stay inside during morning and evening rush hours! If it's any consolation to you I live here and still look like a tourist when I go into the city!!! :D

 

As for jewelry I've never worn or taken good jewelry when we travel, especially if we're going to areas with poverty....it just doesn't seem right to me. But I do like to wear earrings so I buy them at Claire's....20 pairs for $10 one pair in every color! And I leave my real engagement and wedding rings home, choosing a Swarovski wedding ring set. That way I don't have to worry about locking it up in the room safe or giving it up if I have to. (never happened)...and the people on the cruise? Who cares, never going to see most of them again.

Edited July 31, 2016 by Hydrokitty

[4774Papa]

We lived in the Washington, DC area for several years. It was said that you could tell the tourists in the METRO (subway) because going up the escalators, they don't move to the right so people can pass.

 

I agree with Hydrokitty, the camera is a giveaway. The guidebook or the map is another.

 

I lived in Germany for four years form 87-91 and few Germans wore tennis shoes, so those were a giveaway. I think that has changed a little.

[Floridiana]

I lived in Germany for four years form 87-91 and few Germans wore tennis shoes, so those were a giveaway. I think that has changed a little.

 

Changed a lot! More variety of shoes as well. Colors!

[Floridiana]

I went back to my photos of July 2016 and looked at the shoes: 1/3 wore tennis shoes, mainly in black, some in white, some with neon colors, 1/3 wore flip-flops or decorative sandals (on cobble stones!), 1/3 wore sturdy walking sandals or other walking shoes.

[jpalbny]

I went back to my photos of July 2016 and looked at the shoes: 1/3 wore tennis shoes, mainly in black, some in white, some with neon colors, 1/3 wore flip-flops or decorative sandals (on cobble stones!), 1/3 wore sturdy walking sandals or other walking shoes.

 

And our dear German CD from our cruise on SS Antoinette says that she can spot the Austrians, because they are the ones who wear socks with their sandals! :p She says that the Germans would never do that... :D

[4774Papa]

And our dear German CD from our cruise on SS Antoinette says that she can spot the Austrians, because they are the ones who wear socks with their sandals! :p She says that the Germans would never do that... :D

 

When I used to go skiing in Austria I could tell the Germans from the Austrians, because the Austrians were the polite ones.

[garycarla]

...As for jewelry I've never worn or taken good jewelry when we travel

 

.... And I leave my real engagement and wedding rings home, choosing a Swarovski wedding ring set. That way I don't have to worry about locking it up in the room safe ...

 

 

Wife rarely takes any jewelry... sometimes a few cheap decorative items.

 

Wedding rings? Never come off. Only risk is a nasty holdup like those poor folks on the Amazon ship. Never have anything of value to put in safe other than extra credit cards/cash/passports/ipad.

[Mark_T]

Wedding rings? Never come off. Only risk is a nasty holdup like those poor folks on the Amazon ship. Never have anything of value to put in safe other than extra credit cards/cash/passports/ipad.

 

One advantage of being a scuba diver is that you have strong motivation to figure out which rings are a problem to take off and get it sorted out.

 

Unpleasant as it may be to contemplate, we would never wear any rings that could not be easily removed if well motivated...

[caviargal]

<Wear black and carry a big purse!

 

And I leave my real engagement and wedding rings home, choosing a Swarovski wedding ring set. That way I don't have to worry about locking it up in the room safe or giving it up if I have to. >

 

I wear black and carry a small purse :). Those big purses get heavy after 8-9 miles of walking on cobblestones.

 

I always leave my engagement ring behind and wear a ring that is not valuable instead. I tend to take off my rings and lay them down. At home, they go in my jewelry box but when I am away, there is no telling where I may lay them after a few glasses of wine. Makes sense for me to leave them at home. DH also has a band he wears when we travel but does not travel with his wedding band, just in case.

[notamermaid]

Hello usueg,

 

I hope you had a great holiday. I am glad you decided to go.

 

While I was on holiday I saw the reports on the attacks in Germany. Returning from Britain I noticed all the security checks on the borders. My car was also searched with metal detectors. I do still feel a little uncomfortable with it, but it is not a big deal anymore (sadly). My first experiences were many years ago when bags were checked and speakers announced "do not leave your luggage unattended" in the wake of IRA bombings in the UK. That is when the idea of violence and threat entered my happy teenage years.

 

As regards spotting tourists, I admit I also join in the "spot the tourist-game" when I am in Koblenz. I manage to tell apart Dutch, British and US-Americans (not always but I have got better over the years). Canadians are somewhat difficult to pinpoint but are also spottable as tourists as such. Asians stick out a lot and Chinese are usually different from Japanese. I cannot explain exactly how it works, but it is a mix of clothes, hair styles, gait and attitude.

 

When I am on holiday I try to blend in, I manage reasonably well in Germany and Britain on a good day, but fail completely in other countries. :D

 

notamermaid

[ubsueg]

It was wonderful and in no way did we feel unsafe or uncomfortable while traveling. We did notice the refugee population especially in Cologne.

But had no feelings of being unsafe.

Thanks to all who encouraged us to go...

[jpalbny]

Ubsueg, welcome home and glad to hear that you had a wonderful time.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Hi Chris:). I consider myself pretty low maintenance but still like to

wear a bit of jewelry. So when you say you are nothing taking any?

I always wear earrings and like to give myself a few choices (they

don't take up much space)......I at least like to wear some type of

necklace and earrings for the evening. Daytime? I always wear a

pair of hoops;)......whether I am on an Ocean Cruise or River Cruise

I would feel naked without an earring:)

 

Yes of course bring jewellery. A nice assortment of earrings or whatever else you like to wear (I wear pendants for instance.) Just don't bring good items, anything that you'd be upset about losing. When I'm on an ocean cruise, and not going anywhere that's third world, I do take my Tahitian pearl studs and sometimes my Greek gold choker necklace, but that's as far as it goes. When we go to South American next winter I'll leave those at home as well (too bad, but we are doing a land trip after the cruise, in Peru and Ecuador, so just not worth the risk, and I would hate to lose these items.)

 

But I always wear my wedding ring--it's of little value, no big diamond engagement ring, just a two tiny diamonds and three garnets (an antique). I'd hate to lose it, but darned if I'm going to not wear it. I'd definitely leave a big diamond at home.

[pacmom]

Wendy and Lois,

Love your replies about jewelry:). God didn't put holes in my ears ( just my head according to our children), so no earrings. Have learned to bring just a few pendants and chain to go with all. They are always in my carry-on. Still wear a watch, but wear an inexpensive one on trips. we have been blessed with safety and good traveling weather on all of our trips. Looking forward to the Loire in Oct. Get to spend my birthday in Paris. Will also use it as a celebration of 50 years of marriage. Many blessings indeed. Pat

[Got2Cruise]

Ubsueg, welcome home and glad to hear that you had a wonderful time.

 

 

Yes! And I hope you have encouraged others to go for it!

 

I always wear my diamond engagement ring. What's the point of having it? I would be more heartbroken because of sentimental value than monetary value if it got stolen. I think the odds are much greater I'd be mugged in a parking lot than pirates invading my ship. But to each their own. Plus if my ring was very valuable I'd purchase an insurance rider.

 

 

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[stonepebble]

Hi All,

 

Thanks for sharing your thoughts...

 

Busy, busy, busy packing around here! Doing all the final things. I'm so excited I can hardly stand it!! These boards (shout out to JP & Robin in particular!!) have been so helpful...hope all my planning works out!

 

I'm afraid I'm like caviar girl and I remove my rings a lot. I take my jewelry off the sec I walk in the door, never wear any in the house, and can't stop myself from removing them when I wash my hands. I'm only a tiny bit worried about theft. It's much more that it's a burden to me to have to worry about if I might lose them.

Wish I had thought about all this ahead of time..I would have gotten a few inexpensive things to bring. I live in the middle of nowhere so I'm just not going to have much in the way of jewelry on! Truthfully, I'm so excited about our 1st river cruise and seeing Budapest & Prague...other than being clean, presentable, & comfortable, I don't care what I look like!

 

Chris

[SCHappilyRetired]

I purchased CZ ring for touring. Does me just fine on my trips. Leave the diamonds in the safe at home. I too take rings and earring off as I'm walking in the house.

[Marigold252]

Hello usueg,

 

I hope you had a great holiday. I am glad you decided to go.

 

While I was on holiday I saw the reports on the attacks in Germany. Returning from Britain I noticed all the security checks on the borders. My car was also searched with metal detectors. I do still feel a little uncomfortable with it, but it is not a big deal anymore (sadly). My first experiences were many years ago when bags were checked and speakers announced "do not leave your luggage unattended" in the wake of IRA bombings in the UK. That is when the idea of violence and threat entered my happy teenage years.

 

As regards spotting tourists, I admit I also join in the "spot the tourist-game" when I am in Koblenz. I manage to tell apart Dutch, British and US-Americans (not always but I have got better over the years). Canadians are somewhat difficult to pinpoint but are also spottable as tourists as such. Asians stick out a lot and Chinese are usually different from Japanese. I cannot explain exactly how it works, but it is a mix of clothes, hair styles, gait and attitude.

 

When I am on holiday I try to blend in, I manage reasonably well in Germany and Britain on a good day, but fail completely in other countries. :D

 

notamermaid

 

We play "spot a tourist" a lot since we live near one if the biggest tourist attractions in the US...Yosemite National Park...especially in the grocery store. Sometimes you can tell by the clothes, but certainly by the accent. And the big tour bus outside is a sure giveaway!

About jewelry, I would not leave home without my wedding band, but when in doubt about locale, I turn it around so the diamonds don't show. Otherwise, I wear a simple chain and earrings, usually silver. No need to tempt fate.