It seems like COVID and the travel bans will never end. It's incredibly frustrating for those of us who suffer from wanderlust. We've been armchair travelers for too long. There are just so many websites you can look at and places you can dream about. It's time! We're ready to get out there!

​We want to see new sights! Sunsets over the Alps. Ancient Druid ruins and modern-day German architecture. Rivers that rush on seemingly endlessly. Foreign faces and children at play. Street art and the fancy-schmancy stuff in The Louvre,. History that's been made and history in the making.

We want to eat new foods! "Uh... what's that? I'm supposed to put that in my mouth? Hmm? Oh well. Here goes!..... YUM!" And, we want to drink new drinks! Coffees and teas and wines and beers and spirits. Bubbly waters and flat. We want to experience them in new surroundings - tradition-filled pubs, unique cafes, trendy nightclubs, and renowned restaurants.

We want to smell new smells! The fresh morning air in a faraway Austrian village. The rain in the Irish countryside. The sweet smells of baguettes and pastries gently drifting out from French patisseries.

We want to hear the sweet sounds of babbling brooks and the energizing sounds of roaring ocean waves. We want to immerse ourselves in concert halls and sporting events and be carried away by the moment's vivacity and power.

But, Europe won't yet let us Americans enjoy all of that. So, what are we to do then? Continue our armchair dreams or adjust and adapt?

Perhaps we could look at our own country for what's great about it. What does America offer us that is similar in ways to those which we yearn for in the Old World?

I'm not sure how many breaking news blog posts I'll do, but this one just goes to show that we are, indeed, recovering and travel is about to be back BIG! Romance is in the air!

6/09/20 12:30 p.m. ET — The Eiffel Tower will once again welcome visitors beginning on June 25, the tower’s management announced.

The Eiffel Tower has been closed for three months because of the coronavirus pandemic, the longest closure since World War II, according to a news release announcing the date.

Visitors over the age of 11 will be required to wear masks, and the number of visitors on certain floors will be limited, tower management said.

(Source: CNBC)

This week's "Travel Tip" is buy a SCOTTeVEST!

Pickpockets are EVERYWHERE in Europe. You must protect yourself. Rick Steves recommends the money belt, but I think that's one of the rare cases when he's wrong. Of course, he's still right in theory, but a SCOTTeVEST is a far superior product, it's more comfortable to wear, and it's more stylish.

SCOTTeVEST is the expert, so instead of me rambling on, just go learn about it here: https://www.scottevest.com/SFNT.html.

(Lest you think I don't practice what I preach, scroll down to see a photo of me in London wearing my very own SCOTTeVEST!)

"Trier is a southwestern German city in the Moselle wine region, near the Luxembourg border. Founded by the Romans, it contains several well-preserved Roman structures like the Porta Nigra gate, the ruins of Roman baths, an amphitheater just outside the center and a stone bridge over the Moselle River. The Archaeological Museum displays Roman artifacts."

"The Porta Nigra is a large Roman city gate in Trier, Germany. It is today the largest Roman city gate north of the Alps."

"Trier and its amphitheater resembled many Roman cities of its time in that many infamous gladiatorial contests occurred there. The theater which was dug into the side of a hill was erected around the 2nd century A.D during Antoninus Pius' rule. It could accommodate approximately 20,000 spectators and was built into what was the cities wall. When Constantius Chlorus moved to Trier, Germany around 293 he renovated the amphitheater."

This week's "Travel Tip" is don't bring your money to Europe! lol :-D Okay, that's clearly a joke. Obviously, you'll need to have money with you when you travel to Europe. What you don't need to do is carry much paper money or coins in your pockets on the way over.

Don't go to the bank to exchange your Dollars for Euros. Here's why...

• You don't want to be carrying around loads of cash. Pickpocketing is a very real issue in Europe. (We have tips to help with that, too!)
• You don't know how much you'll actually need.
• Exchanging money carries fees.
• Exchange rates are always in flux. Sure, that could play against you as well, so you really should be watching the rates in the weeks leading up to your trip. If the rates are moving in your favor, wait! If not, consider bending this rule accordingly.

There are more reasons, for sure, but that's some of the better ones.

So, what should you do? Find a debit card that is designed for travelers.

• Each morning, you can take out just what you need for that day, so you'll be carrying around less pickpocketable money!
  • On the final morning, be careful how much you withdraw. As far as I'm aware, they're not yet taking Euros in The States. ;-)
• You'll want to find a card issuer who...
  • ...doesn't charge ATM fees.
  • ...doesn't charge transactions fees.
  • ...has high enough withdrawal limits
  • ...has high enough spending limits.
  • ...doesn't charge steep membership fees.

Personally, when Laura and I went overseas, we used our Capital One 360 card. That is certainly not the only card which is traveler-friendly. I've heard many great things about the Chase Sapphire credit card. Just be sure to check their fees and limitations because that's a credit card, not a debit card.

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