This is information that was not able to find a home in
any of the other categories in this article.
Bathrooms
Just about all the public bathrooms in Europe have an access charge. Usually this
runs from several cents to several dollars depending on the country and the
location. The bathrooms in places that you had to pay to get in were usually
included in the price of admission. By charging an entrance fee to get into
restrooms, most of the bathrooms were extremely clean. If you want to use
free restrooms there are several places you can look. One is McDonalds which
have over 26,000 locations all over the Europe. Another place you might want to consider looking for a
bathroom is in large stores, and especially large stores in malls. As a last resort for
using the bathroom you can always find several bushes in a park and hide. On several
occasions I saw some of the locals doing this, although they were not hidden very well.
Drinking
Fountains
First of all there are continuously running drinking fountains in most of Europe but
especially in Greece and Italy. This is very good considering the extremely hot weather
that often times plagues parts of Europe in the middle of the summer.
I drank out of all fountains from Italy northward. I had no dire results. I even drank out
of fountains in Rome and in Venice. I found Rome to have some of the best tasting water.
It was also very cold and clear. The only country that I did not drink the water from was
Greece. I have met some North Americans that have drank the water in Greece and have not
gotten sick. It may have been just fine, but I stuck to bottled water and soft drinks. A
particular soft drink that you find all over Europe is Fanta, a product of coca cola,
that slowly is becoming more popular in the United States.
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European Travel Books |
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The tagline for this book is "a journey through every
country on the continent" and this is certainly an appropriate
description. Lonely Planet, long known for their detailed country
guide books has put together a wonderful coffee table sized book
organized by specific geographical locations within Europe. Each
country is then highlighted with individual reviews and accompanying
photos. This is part of their "Continent" book series. Find out what
each country is known for, learn about the "essential experiences",
cuisine, festivals, history, culture and much more. Also look for
the "surprises" section listed under some countries; this lists
items that perhaps most people do not associate with that particular
country. This book makes a great gift especially for those armchair
travelers as well as those embracing the "staycation" philosophy of |
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travel.
Purchase Book |
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This is the ultimate book for those adventurous
independent travelers looking to spend considerable time overseas on a
"big" trip. The economy or your "normal" job have you down? Pick up this
book, start dreaming and then make this dream a reality. This book
contains real life stories from seasoned 'on the road' travelers, top
tip lists, and big trip experiences and favorite spots are highlighted.
This is the perfect book for gap year travelers, high school or college
grads who are looking to take a year off, or anyone wanting
to get away for a while. The book is divided into four easy to read chapters. Highlights of the book also
include trip planning, types of trips to consider, where to
go, and much more!
Purchase Book |
Also consider these other guidebooks to Europe.
Lets Go Europe is almost 1000 pages of Europe information.
It provides some general Europe information as well as gives information about particular
countries and other travel information. It sells for about $30 US. It has some street
maps.
An excellent book which lists all type of information for traveling through Europe by
train is called "Europe by Eurail". This book
includes maps, updated information on fares, updated every year, tips on keeping costs
down, and pre planned itineraries. This book has been published every year since 1976.
ID Cards
For those people who are students, usually under the age of 24 years of age, or senior
citizens, those above age 60, having an ID card was needed to get a discount on
attractions and museums. For students, purchasing the International Student Identity card
is a waste of money. A school ID with your age listed worked in all the museums and
attractions that I visited. I even forgot my card several times and I was still able to
convince the cashiers that I was a student. However, this didn't work all the time and I
was forced to go back to my hotel to retrieve the card at one museum.
If you are planning on renting a vehicle or motor cycle/scooter for a short while, usually
a day to several days, plan on giving up your drivers license or passport. The rental
company will hang on to this until you return their vehicle.
Consider photocopying your passport, drivers
license, credit cards, and other important information. Take several copies and put one in
your money belt and another somewhere in your luggage or backpack. Also leave a photocopy
of at least your passport with someone in your home country.
Internet Access
Internet access is all over Europe.
Cafe's started creeping up in the early 90's and by the late 90's the physical infrastructure
had been built to support Internet access almost everywhere. We
often keep our phone one when walking down streets to find free WiFi.
Some cities have more open free networks then others - especially as
you move towards southern and south eastern Europe.
The prices for Internet access really varies from country to country. Most places charge a minimum
of 15 minutes. Some places are even free, but these are the exception rather then the
rule. Most places charge a dollar or two for an hour of access.
Most of the Internet cafes serve food and beverage. Some are more popular with tourists
than others. Some cafes off of the beaten path are a hangout for mostly the local people.
Remember the old days of sending postcards? Now you can send a real
postcard by using the net. Visit:
www.hazelmail.com
Student Travel Organizations
Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE):
205 E. 42nd Street
New York, NY 10017-5706.
Their TELEPHONE NUMBER is 888-268-6245.
They are geared towards student travelers, and they have worldwide academic
and volunteer work opportunities.
www.ciee.org |
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The Federation of International Youth Travel Organizations:
Bredgade 25H DK-1260
Copenhagen K, Denmark
Their TELEPHONE NUMBER is 45-33-33-96-00
This is an international organization promoting travel for young adults. You can visit
their web page at: www.fiyto.org
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