by Marcia Simon, CTA, APR

A trip to the supermarket triggers anxiety, but looking at photos of Caribbean beaches and crystal clear blue waters makes me want to hop a plane and wiggle my toes under a pile of warm golden sand.
 
How safe is travel at a time when the COVID-19 pandemic continues to soar? We're all tired of COVID; this is not the time to let down your guard. The question is whether or not it is possible to travel safely.
 
A lot depends on your personal situation, when you want to travel, and how important the trip is. Do you have a compromised immune system due to a medical condition or age? Are you the primary caregiver for a family member? Would you lose needed income if you were unable to work for a month due to illness or quarantine before you could get back to your job?

On the other hand, airlines, airports and hotels appear to be taking every precaution to maintain a clean, sterile, safe environment. And not just for travelers; they are equally concerned about the health of their employees.
 
Not all destinations provide the same level of protection. Many hotels have reduced occupancy limits, so expect fewer guests. Along with that, anticipate fewer dining choices at resorts known for numerous culinary experiences. Buffets are gone. Masks are required in all public spaces; guidelines vary at pools and on beaches. And assume that nighttime entertainment will be minimized, too. Don’t expect an early check in. It takes longer to sanitize rooms and deep-clean the areas. Most hotels are not cleaning rooms on a daily basis either, so you'll need to make your own bed and clean up after yourself from check-in to check-out, depending on the length of stay. Ask the hotel before you book what their policy is about room occupancy and cleaning.
 
Destinations outside the US approach entry requirements in different ways. Some mandate proof of a negative COVID test result within 72 hours of arrival. Some require proof of health insurance that covers you while in their country. Rules may change from the time you book your trip and the time you actually travel.
 
Insuring Your Safety
Aside from protection against lost luggage, accidents and trip interruptions, "Cancel For Any Reason" insurance is a no-brainer today, whether you're booking a trip for next month or two years from now. But not all policies are the same. Some allow you to cancel up to 24 hours before your trip with 100 percent cash refund. Many resorts now include cancellation insurance at no additional cost, giving you a credit for future travel rather than a clean refund. Some policies exclude medical care due to COVID, so make sure you understand the policy to assure you are actually purchasing what you think you are. Insuring your trip is probably more important now than ever before.
 
So, is it okay to travel?
The answer lies in diligence. If you expect to get away so you can escape the coronavirus, forget that thought. It's not possible now.
 
Are you willing to mask up and revise your expectations so you can feel a warm breeze on your back, and close your eyes on a lounger submerged in an infinity pool overlooking the most amazingly blue ocean you've ever seen in your life? Run on the beach? Enjoy a fine wine or ice cold beer with the sound of island music as the sun goes down? Would you be happy eating some meals, delivered by room service, on your oceanfront balcony instead of in a dining room?
 
Hunkering down at home to minimize the risk of leisure travel during a pandemic that can literally kill you makes perfect sense, at least until you've received the two-step vaccine in its entirety. And yet, many people are determined to go and are willing to take the risk if they have already experienced and recovered from COVID-19 and have been shown through testing to carry antibodies, which may offer protection to some degree to themselves if not to others.  The waters of COVID are uncharted. Nobody knows anything with certainty.
 
For those who choose to travel by plane during the pandemic, follow these recommendations from Friendly Group Travel in Westbrook, Connecticut to maximize safety:
 
1. Choose nonstop flights to reduce exposure to people and surfaces at multiple locations.
2. Pay for an assigned seat and choose a window on the left side of the plane, away from the restroom area. Window seats generally expose you to less contact with other passengers. The left side of the plane usually disembarks more quickly than the right.
3. If at all possible, avoid a checked bag and go with carry-on only. Some airlines have tightened requirements for carry-on sizes to reduce the time passengers juggle carry-on luggage in and out of overhead bins. Confirm this beforehand so you can pack accordingly.
4. Use private ground transportation from the airport to your hotel (some hotels include this now at no additional cost) rather than a shared shuttle.
5. Get "Cancel for Any Reason" (CFAR) insurance at the time you book your trip. Your circumstances may change, or you may become less comfortable about travel as the date gets closer.
6. Check your hotel's policies on occupancy limits, how and how often they clean guest rooms, how long they wait to fill a room between guests and whether room service charges are waived if you decide to eat in your room.
7. This is not a time to look for bargain hotels. Prioritize comfort and safety. Many of the larger hotel chains have trusted safety protocols and sanitation standards you can find on their websites.

by Marcia Simon, CTA, APR
 
Everyone needs a summer break, even during COVID-19. Having seen gorgeous photos of Watkins Glen State Park, it’s been on my hiking bucket list, so we loaded up the car on a Sunday morning and headed to the Finger Lakes.
 
Traveling midweek instead of weekends means fewer crowds, better hotel prices and less traffic on the roads. Our first destination was Mount Morris, NY, where we checked into the Allegiance Bed & Breakfast, a 46-room Greek Revival mansion. Each of eight guest rooms is named for a local historian from the 1800s. The Allegiance B&B itself is named in honor of Francis Bellamy, a neighbor, who wrote the Pledge of Allegiance. Owners Steve and Glenda Luick are transplants from Los Angeles who dreamed of living their retirement years running a B&B where they could enjoy four distinct seasons and lots of country comfort. When they saw the building, they knew instantly that this was their place. What they didn’t know until after they moved in was that their home would ultimately develop a reputation as one of the most haunted houses in the world. The spirits are friendly and make themselves known only occasionally, but never to intentionally frighten anyone.
 
Steve greeted us, wearing his COVID-safe mask, making sure we were wearing ours, and showed us around before taking us up to our room on the second floor.
 
This is a great location for hikers who want to spend a day at Letchworth State Park. The B&B is located one mile from the park’s north entrance. There’s not a whole lot to do in the area, especially during COVID times when so much is closed. That’s okay, though. The B&B oozes laidback elegance, and after a short walk into town for a casual dinner, we found that sipping a glass of wine on the front porch was the perfect way to unwind before heading up for a comfy snooze.
 
Letchworth State Park received the 2015 USA Today Readers’ Choice Award for Best State Park in the United States. It runs about 17 miles from top to bottom on either side of the Genesee River. Aside from the north entrance in Mt. Morris, you can enter the park from the south (Portageville) and west (Castile – the most popular gateway). With 14,000 acres and 66 miles of hiking trails, the Upper and Middle Falls are most popular, and most crowded, so arrive early to enjoy walking while remaining socially distant.
 
The water level in the Genesee River, due to a hot, dry August, was relatively low. I imagine that in spring after the snowmelt, the park’s 30 waterfalls would be magnificent; autumn’s foliage would be simply breathtaking.
 
Letchworth State Park is called the mini Grand Canyon of the East. The Genesee River has created a deep gorge bound on either side by cliffs higher than 500 feet in spots. White water rafting through Adventure Calls Outfitters was closed, possibly due to COVID-19 or possibly the fact that the water level was pretty low. Class 1 and 2 rapids make this a perfect activity for families with children or first-time rafters.
 
You can find overnight accommodations inside the park at the Glen Iris Inn and its affiliated properties, with everything from motel-type cabins to balcony suites overlooking the Middle Falls. Make reservations early because the convenient location attracts tourists. Campsites can be reserved through the park.
 
Letchworth State Park and Watkins Glen State Park both offer free admission this summer, with a modest parking fee for a full day. Both parks prohibit swimming in the gorges, partly due to safety concerns. Hiking is on well-defined trails high above the waterline. However, both parks have big, clean, family-friendly swimming pools.
 
Aside from hiking, farming and incredibly bucolic scenery, the Finger Lakes are known for their vineyards, so off we went to explore the wine trail. Canadaigua Lake may have the most well-known wineries. There’s also a wine trail around Cayuga Lake. We headed for Seneca Lake, which has more wineries, almost 70, than any other lake in NY State. We started at the top in Geneva, with plenty of time to hit up three vineyards along the lake on our way down to the village of Watkins Glen at the bottom.
 
First Stop on the wine trail… Belhurst Castle Winery, Inn and Restaurant (They also produce craft beers) overlooking the lake in Geneva. I was wondering how COVID-safe the tasting would be, but when I walked over to the tasting bar and picked up the menu, I was quickly scolded for not checking in with the host, and reminded that they’d now need to re-sanitize those two seating areas for someone waiting their turn. Oops. OK, no worries. I was happy to see the standard of cleanliness.
 
Second Stop… Keuka Spring Vineyards in Penn Yan, proud to share their unoaked Seyval Chardonnay, Riesling and ice wines. The Finger Lakes are known for sweet whites, although the dry Riesling was quite nice. Jim at the bar was happy to tell us about the ice wine process. He collected our names and phone numbers for contact tracing, “just in case we need to notify you,” he said. That was reassuring. It was clear that extra space had been added to keep tasting parties (of two) distanced from each other.
 
Glenora Wine Cellars in Dundee was next, with a restaurant and modernish accommodations overlooking the lake. We were just about 10 meandering minutes away from our destination – Watkins Glen Harbor Hotel at the bottom of Seneca Lake. If you want to stay on the water, this seems like the only choice for Watkins Glen. Because of the state park, there’s a demand for modest motels and camping. The park has 54 electric and 241 non-electric campsites. A few B&Bs seem interesting. This is the only large hotel with a dock for transient boats and indoor/outdoor waterfront dining.
 
Arriving at Watkins Glen State Park before 8 am the next morning gave us sample time for hiking and photos before the crowds started rolling in around 9:30. For coronavirus safety, the famous Gorge Trail, with 19 waterfalls, is one-way up and then one-way down on the Indian Trail. It’s a good idea. All together it only takes about an hour and a half so we drove the two-minute ride to the other side of the river and hiked the South Rim as well… still getting back to the hotel in time for lunch. (Normally there’s a shuttle that runs between the park’s three entrances, but it’s not operating during COVID-time.) We discovered a small casual restaurant down on the waterfront, the Village Marina, that seems to be a favorite spot for locals. They have sandwiches and salads, plus a full page of local wines by the glass.
 
Two miles from the hotel is Castel Grisch Winery. Their COVID-safe tasting flight is pre-poured, and you take the five samples outside where there’s plenty of space. Filling out contact tracing forms was required.
 
All in all, we packed a lot into a four-night getaway, but it never seemed too busy. Driving around on quiet back roads was a real flashback to less complicated times, and just the break I needed to ease the anxieties of the never-ending coronavirus era.
 
Other places to visit in Watkins Glen:
Schooner True Love –for sailing experiences such as Sails & Ales and Wine & Winds on the Water. Unfortunately, they are not operating this summer due to COVID-19, but you can still buy a T-shirt online to show your support.
Seneca Cheese Company – for artisan cheese, charcuterie, locally crafted wines and beers
Watkins Glen International speedway – “The Glen” is closed for racing this summer due to COVID, but hoping to open to host the October 30 Finger Lakes Beer Festival featuring over 40 New York State breweries, distilleries and cideries.
Marcia Simon, CTA, APR, is a travel advisor, travel writer and publicist. She plans small group and independent journeys as owner of Friendly Group Travel. During COVID-19, she shares safety information and updates. Visit friendlygrouptravel.com or connect at facebook.com/friendlygrouptravel
Twitter @friendsgotravel  
Instagram @friendgrouptravel.

by Marcia Simon, CTA, APR
 
A European river cruise is a bucket list trip for a lot of people and, once hooked, making multiple journeys is quite common. If you’re exploring a river cruise for the first time, there’s a lot of nitty-gritty information that river cruise companies don’t tell you upfront. Working with a travel advisor can save you a lot of time, money and aggravation in the long run.
 
First of all, there is no “one size fits all” best river cruise company. Some are true luxury, which is fabulous for those who can afford it, but are beyond the budget of most people who travel as a lifestyle. Some river cruises cater to older (aka retired) travelers while others direct their activities to active adults and multigenerational families. There’s also at least one river cruise company that designs the ship, cuisine and itineraries for younger (under 40) travelers who want to hang with people in their millennial age range. So, make sure you choose a cruise directed to your personal interests and demographic.
 
7 Factors to Consider When Exploring a River Cruise Vacation:

1. The big-print price in the catalog is not the price you should expect to pay. Cruise lines quote the lowest cabin category, often the interior cabins with no windows or the lower level cabins with a small fixed window. If you want the big open balcony with sliding glass doors, that upgrade can run up to $1600 higher than the quoted price – per person.
2. Cabin location matters. Midship tends to be the area where you feel the least motion, although river cruises are normally very gentle since you are not sailing through ocean waters. Inquire about stairs and the ship layout. While some people like the convenience of being centrally located, others prefer the quietness of a cabin away from heavily trafficked areas.
3. You need to pay port fees – usually a couple of hundred dollars per person.
4. Alcoholic beverages may not be included. Some cruise lines charge for soft drinks as well. Often, the “all inclusive” package covers beer, wine and nonalcoholic beverages at lunch and dinner. What if you want a cocktail before dinner? Negotiating an onboard credit can help to offset these types of expenses.
5. Most river cruises include excursions as part of the “all inclusive” package. Indeed, there is likely to be something on the agenda every day. However, other options are available – for a fee – and these, not surprisingly, tend to be the day trips that seem like the most fun.
6. Climate change. The weather around the world is becoming less predictable. This means that winters may be mild or furious, affecting snowmelt and springtime water levels. If water is too high, ships can’t always pass under certain bridges. On the flip side, if it’s a hot, dry summer, water levels may be too low to get through parts of the passage. There is absolutely nothing any river cruise company can do about this other than assure passengers that they will accommodate to the best of their ability either transporting passengers by bus to the next location while they swap out a ship already in that area, or putting passengers in a hotel for a night to catch up with a different ship the next day. Before you book, ask the company how they address water level situations, and if they offer any type of credit for passengers who are inconvenienced due to climate change. If you want the option of cancelling a trip due to weather or climate conditions, you will need to purchase “cancel for any reason” trip insurance from a third-party company.
7. If you purchase airfare from the cruise company as part of the package, you may wind up with an unnecessary connection and an unpreferred seat assignment. Getting the flights, seats and luggage allowance you want may not happen unless you pay more to upgrade. You will get there, but not necessarily as conveniently as you would if you booked your flights separately. (Paying for the upgrade through the cruise company is sometimes easier, and usually entitles you to free transfers from the airport.)

 
The best way to get great deals on river cruises is to take advantage of early bird and last-minute deals, off-season schedules, and bargaining power of travel advisors who work with a consortium that brings high-volume special perks. Travel advisors keep their radar up for what clients want.
 
7 Great Things About River Cruising:

1. You get to explore multiple places without having to drag your luggage around. It stays in your cabin.
2. No hassle of driving or figuring out transportation.
3. You get to sleep on a ship and wake up in a new place every day.
4. The ships are small enough to get into ports that the big cruise liners can’t access. (For more authentic and intimate ports, try a barge river cruise.)
5. New itineraries are popping up – the Douro River in Portugal (which is less likely to be affected by changes in water levels), the Mekong River through Cambodia and Vietnam (with pre- and/or post-cruise land tours) and the Amazon River in Peru (which couples well with an add-on to Machu Picchu.)
6. Specialty cruises are becoming popular for families and friends who want to delve deeper into a cultural or educational experience  (e.g. wine tours, beer tours, music tours, Christmas markets and Jewish heritage.)
7. Shorter itineraries (4, 5, 6-days) are now available as the millennial influence takes hold in the travel industry. The trend is to travel more, and with limited vacation time, travel companies are taking note. Pre- and post-cruise land extensions have become very popular as a way to experience a few more days in a destination before heading home. (The standard river cruise trip is 8 or 11 days, which is great for retired travelers who have time and money to see the world, but may put working travelers into a time crunch.)

 
Marcia Simon, APR, CTA, is a PRSA-accredited public relations practitioner, and an IATA-accredited travel advisor. Connect through facebook.com/friendlygrouptravel, Instagram @friendgrouptravel or welcome@friendlygrouptravel.com.

by Marcia Simon, CTA, APR
 
Amsterdam, the capital city in the Netherlands, is known for its canals, bicycle culture and love for the arts. After all, this is home to Van Gogh, Vermeer and Rembrandt. And Heineken.
 
Amsterdam’s tourist season begins in April when tulips generally reach their peak in Holland, which covers two provinces in the Netherlands. Summers are very busy, and August 2020 will be no exception with Sail Amsterdam, a once-every-five-year event that features tall ships from around the world accompanied by street food and entertainment, and also August’s annual 10-day Grachtenfestival for classical music, jazz, and music from other cultures.

Off-season, on November 2, 2020 to be exact, the annual Amsterdam Museum Night gives you access to museums city-wide that stay open until 2 am. One wristband gets you in to all 50 participating museums. November also brings the Super-Sonic Jazz Festival to the city.

For canal tours, the "best" time is April through October. Summers, of course, are warmest and also the most crowded.
No matter what time of year you go, here are 10 Ways to Feel the Groove of Amsterdam, Holland:

1. Take a canal tour. The guide steers you through the canal ring while explaining parts of the canal’s history dating back to the 17th century when wealthy merchants built mansions along the newly excavated canals. Patrons of the arts commissioned pieces to hang on the walls from local artists of the time, such as Rembrandt van Rijn who later became known simply as Rembrandt. Tours that leave around dusk allow you to see the changing sky and silhouettes of the 17th century canal houses as evening lights appear in the windows and on bridges.
2. Stop in to at least one cheese shop. Amsterdam is known for its Gouda among others. From pesto to truffle, olive to specialty aged Goudas, it’s fun to browse the stores and try the free samples.
3. Coffee cafes are a way of life, so take a break and enjoy some good people-watching while sipping a cup. Most cafes don’t open until 9 am, so if you’re looking for an early morning caffeine jolt, you may be most lucky getting it at your hotel.
4. Anne Frank House – This stark reminder of Nazi history during World War 2 is one of Amsterdam’s most visited museums. See the living quarters where a young girl lived in hiding and wrote her famous diary before her family was arrested and taken to a concentration camp. On my recent trip to the Anne Frank House, visitors were riveted, slowly moving respectfully through the house, seeming to read every word on every placard, trying to comprehend how this atrocious chapter of history could have ever occurred. Photos are not allowed. Tickets are sold only online, beginning two months in advance. If you want to visit the Anne Frank House, you must purchase tickets in advance to assure entry. A limited number of same-day online sales become available at exactly 9 am, but if you are trying to purchase same-day tickets, get on the website before 8:30 am to get into the queue. (As an example, I went online at 8:50 and was #649. It moves fairly quickly once the clock hits 9.) To learn more about Anne Frank and the events that led to persecution of people during Amsterdam’s dark past, guided walking tours of the Jewish Quarter are offered through various tour operators.
5. The Rijksmuseum, considered one of the top museums in the world, houses more than 8,000 masterpieces including Rembrandt’s The Night Watch and Van Gogh’s self-portrait as well as several pieces by Vermeer.
6. The Van Gogh Museum has the world’s largest collection of works by post-impressionist painter Vincent Van Gogh.
7. Visit the Red Light District to understand the history behind Amsterdam’s view of  prostitution. Tours are offered through Red Light Secrets at the affiliated Museum of Prostitution.
8. If you stop into bakeries in and around the Red Light District you may very well find a cannabis section of delectable edibles. The Betty Boop Coffee Shop, located behind Amsterdam’s flower market, is a two-level coffee shop and Internet café with a very interesting display of canna-infused doughnuts, pastries and other snacks to keep you buzzing.
9. Go for a bike ride. Bicycling is a major mode of travel in Amsterdam with world-class bike paths throughout Holland. Riding in the busy city center, although well marked with bike lanes, may be intimidating for some out-of-towners. Easy fix – Get out of town. Many group and self-guided tours take you beyond the city limits. I chose to hop a bus from Centraal Station to Volendam, about 30 minutes north of the city. It’s a 10-minute walk from Volendam’s bus station to the coastal village lined with boats, ice cream shops and tourist attractions as well as Volendam Rent & Event where you can rent a bike for either a couple of hours or a full day to explore the countryside. They gave us a self-guided map with a couple of suggested routes. We followed the loop to the island of Marken, riding the causeway to get there and taking the ferry back after a leisurely lunch. The landscape along the bike path is very flat , follows the water and is away from vehicular traffic so riding is easy at all levels for all ages.

 
Getting to Amsterdam is easy with flights arriving at the city’s Schipol Airport from around the world. A taxi from downtown Amsterdam will cost about 60 euros, while the train from the airport to Centraal Station runs every 10 minutes for 6 euros a ticket. The kiosks to purchase train tickets are located just after you pass the baggage carousels  both inside the baggage claim area and outside once you clear customs. Trains and buses from Amsterdam take you throughout Europe.
 
Marcia Simon, APR, CTA, is a PRSA-accredited public relations practitioner, and an IATA-accredited travel advisor. Connect through facebook.com/friendlygrouptravel, Instagram @friendgrouptravel or welcome@friendlygrouptravel.com.

by Marcia Simon, APR, CTA

Copenhagen is a fabulous walking city.
​Tip #1:
Do NOT walk in the bike lanes.

Unlike the United States, where cyclists are often forced to share roads with motor vehicles and pedestrians, bicycling in Denmark is a serious mode of transportation with designated lanes and traffic lights in urban areas. In Copenhagen, where more than half of all employees bike to work, wandering tourists walking into bike lanes can lead to injury, so pay attention to the bike lanes and stay clear. The train and bus systems make it very easy to get around Copenhagen without a car.
​
​Whatever your mode of transportation, here are 7 things to do in Copenhagen:

1. Across the street from the Central Train Station you’ll find Tivoli Gardens, one of Copenhagen’s most popular tourist attractions. Tivoli is a classic example of an amusement park done well with family activities, rides for all ages, lots of food choices, live entertainment, bright lights at night, and fireworks every Saturday throughout the summer.
2. The big “must do” for first-time visitors to Copenhagen is Nyhavn, the iconic canal strip lined with colorful buildings dating back to 1681, outdoor cafes, houseboats and boat tours. Sit outside and sip coffee or cocktails while watching the everchanging canal scene. Take in the aromas from and indulge in a waffle cone. Early mornings are the best time to take photos free of tourist-filled backgrounds.
3. For those who like to shop, Strøget is one of Europe’s longest pedestrian streets lined with designer shops and local brands.
4. Most visitors who take a canal tour start from Nyhavn (there are plenty of boats and it’s a wonderful way to see the popular sights from the water). If you want to experience more off-the-beaten-path parts of the city, try the 2-hour Hidden Gems tour operated by Hey Captain, located just around the corner from Nyhavn in Ofelia Plads at a blue van selling tickets. The tour begins with a complimentary help-yourself beverage from the cooler, in my case a cold Danish Carlsberg pilsner. Our guide/driver Freddie pointed out that Denmark is surrounded by more than 700 little islands. Many of the old retired island ferries have been turned into houseboats and line the canals and coasts of Denmark. Some are dilapidated or have been abandoned by the free spirits and squatters of the ‘60s around Christiania, and others that have been turned into beautiful contemporary Scandinavian-designed homes.
5. Reffen – This street food market is located in a former shipyard. Upon approach, it seems like you’re walking into an industrial area, but when you arrive you’ll be in the center of a millennial hot spot featuring an overabundance of foods from around the world. Choose your food, grab a beverage (alcoholic or non) and then grab a seat by the beach and watch the sun set over the city. To get to Reffen: Walk or take the 9A bus from Central Station, or the 991 or 992 harbor bus. Speaking of buses, you can buy a bus ticket at kiosks around the city or pay with Danish krone. Credit cards are not accepted on buses. (It’s kind of funny that when you walk to or from Reffen you pass by Noma, rated as one of the best restaurants in the world. Reservations at Noma must be made months in advance – online only – and will set you back nearly USD $400 per person, not including alcohol, for a 20-course vegetarian meal in summer; fall brings the game menu; winter is seafood. What they serve is what you get. Period.)
6. Christiania – Visit Copenhagen’s “hippy section,” claimed by squatters in 1971. This free-spirited community has found a way to capitalize on tourism with foods, t-shirts, crafts and hash (yes). If you walk down Pusher Street, do not take photos – and it may be best to visit Pusher Street during daylight hours.
7. Almost across the street from a marked entrance to Christiania is the Church of our Savior, built in 1696. Climb the wooden staircase to the top for a 360° view of Copenhagen and the Øresund Bridge. The last 150 steps are outside the gilded spire for those unafraid of heights. Check for hours because tourist hours stop when church is in service.

 
Leading the Way for Sustainability
Denmark is a world leader in bringing sustainability to life, affirming the importance of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.
 
Currently, 30 percent of all Denmark’s energy comes from renewable sources, including bioenergy, followed by wind, solar and geothermal energy, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Denmark. The country’s public and private sectors are both committed to achieving an energy system without fossil fuels by 2050. The enthusiastic Danish Society of Engineers, IDA, and is ahead of schedule on the project, and has a roadmap to implement the goal of a 100 percent renewable energy system by 2035.
 
Playing On a Heap of Trash
One of the steps towards Copenhagen’s goal of becoming the world’s first carbon neutral capital includes the opening of Amager Bakke, or CopenHill, planned as the new  epicenter for urban mountain sport, offering year-round skiing and snowboarding on artificial snow. It includes the world’s tallest artificial climbing wall, running and hiking trails, and a café – all surrounded by a sprawling recreation area with water sports, soccer fields, and even a go-kart track.
 
The clincher? CopenHill is built on top of the city’s new waste management and energy plant. Amager Bakke is considered the most efficient waste-burning and energy-generating plant in the world, and is expected to power and heat 160,000 households across Copenhagen.
 
Getting Away From the City
As beautiful as Copenhagen is with its waterways and happy vibe, seeing the outlying countryside is part of the Danish experience. Whether you travel by bicycle, car, train or bus, here are 5 day-trips that take you outside Copenhagen’s city center:

1. Head north toward Helsingør (Elsinore). Visit the 15th century Kronborg Castle, the setting for Shakespeare’s Hamlet. The Shakespeare Festival takes place under the stars here every August. Then stroll the charming streets, enjoy lunch and poke your head into some of the local shops. If you have your passport with you, hop the ferry for the short ride over to Helsingborg, Sweden. The ferry runs every 20 minutes in both directions.
2. Find the Six Forgotten Giants. Made of wood and placed in thoughtfully selected locations outside of metro Copenhagen, these troll-like figures were created by Danish artist Thomas Danbo to get people to explore the land outside of the city.
3. Camp Adventure and Forest Tower, about one hour outside the city, has the largest rope course and longest zip lines in Denmark. An aerial boardwalk gently spirals into an observation tower that offers spectacular views beyond the forest to the city of Copenhagen and beyond to Sweden.
4. The Viking Ship Museum is the only place in the world where you can sail on an actual Viking boat (Sailing season runs May through September.) It's located in the historic city of Roskilde, just 30 minutes west of the city by train. (Also in Roskilde – the Roskilde Festival, one of Europe’s biggest music festivals every July.)
5. Visit the island of Funen (Fyn), about two-hours from Copenhagen (and in the middle of Denmark.) The hub city Odense is home to Hans Christian Andersen who wrote The Ugly Duckling, The Princess and the Pea and other well-known fairy tales. Funen, called a magical island, is filled with old homes and adorable villages. Funen is underway with plans to be the friendliest bicycling island in the world.

Before you even set foot on Danish soil at Kastrup International Airport, especially if you’re flying in from the US and sitting on the left side of the plane, you may get a great view of the world-famous Øresund Bridge, which connects Denmark’s capital city to Sweden’s city of Malmö. This seven-mile crossing is half bridge (on the Sweden side) that seems to vanish into the sea as it approaches a man-made island and then burrows below the surface into a 2.5-mile tunnel to Copenhagen. It’s pretty awesome.

​Marcia Simon, APR, CTA, is a PRSA-accredited public relations practitioner, and an IATA-accredited travel advisor at FriendlyGroupTravel.com. Connect through facebook.com/friendlygrouptravel, Instagram @friendlygrouptravel or welcome@friendlygrouptravel.com

by Marcia Simon, CTA, APR
You’ve got to love New York. Where else do they decide to build a new neighborhood and in couple of years come up with Hudson Yards, aptly named because it’s on the Hudson River overlooking the West Side Yard where Long Island Rail Road trains are stored between shuttles back and forth between “The Island” and Penn Station.

The new neighborhood is billed as “a triumph of culture, commerce and cuisine – a place to live, work, and play.” Skyscrapers housing apartments, high-end retail shops, restaurants and a new luxury hotel are all in the works. Oh, they added a subway stop at Hudson Yards to accommodate the traffic. And if people aren’t flooding in yet to shop, visitors are surely interested in The Vessel.

Contemporary urban designer Thomas Heatherwick created the bronzed steel and concrete Vessel just so people can climb the 2,500 steps of this 16-story recreational sculpture. It’s free to explore with a ticket you can get online or at one of the kiosks at Hudson Yards, although you may have to wait an hour or two for an available time since the number of people at one time is limited. There’s an elevator that makes the Vessel accessible for everyone.

The Vessel is located at the north end of New York’s popular High Line, a public park built on a historic rail line above the city’s west side streets. It runs from 34th Street near the Javits Center to Gansevoort Street, three blocks south of 14th Street. Along the way you can have a seat on one of several benches, or stop for coffee, a smoothie, ice cream or other snacks. Kids seem to like The High Line as much as adults.

For anyone who hasn’t walked the High Line recently, new “spurs” are being added as viewing areas and urban woodlands with a mix of grasses, perennial flowers and shrubs, all of which are native flora.

​Marcia Simon, APR, CTA, is a travel advisor, public relations practitioner and principal/owner of friendlygrouptravel.com. Connect through facebook.com/friendlygrouptravel or welcome@friendlygrouptravel.com.

by Marcia Simon, APR, CTA
 
We all feel, at times, the need to get away and shake up a monotonous routine.
 
Planning that perfect escape can be daunting as the potential price tag adds up in your head, but recharging your inner batteries doesn’t have to take you geographically far away. It doesn’t need to take more than a day or two, and doesn’t need to cost a lot of money. Just one night away at a B&B gives you enough of a break to clear the garbles from your brain. Historic old homes lovingly turned into guest houses are scattered throughout New England, as an example, and getaways are surely within an easy three- or four-hour drive from your home, wherever you live.
 
I recently visited The Fan House in Barnard, Vermont. It’s a little off the beaten path, far enough from the Interstate, and close enough for lots of day trip destinations, like Quechee, Vermont, known for its annual hot air balloon festival and Simon Pearce glass blowers, and Hanover, New Hampshire with a great college vibe and plenty of neat restaurants because of Dartmouth. Suicide Six ski area is only six miles away, while larger Killington and Okemo ski areas are about 45 minutes away and offer trail biking, hiking, golf and summer activities as well as some of the best winter skiing in the Northeast.
 
On the way to the Fan House, I stopped at the Barnard General Store and indulged on a maple-cream-filled whoopie pie. After this I knew I was on a micro-vacation in Vermont. When I pulled into the Fan House driveway, Sara, the innkeeper, came out to greet me with her big friendly, shaggy dog Chappy, who neither jumped nor slobbered on me, but nuzzled up to my leg, wagged his tail and let me know I was welcome in his home. We walked around the yard and Sara showed me her country garden, filled with huge colorful poppies, foxglove, lupines, forget-me-nots and numerous other perennials that had not yet blossomed. The unmistakable fragrance of lilacs filled the air. I looked up to see a banner season for lilacs blooming along the property line by the main road.
 
It was still a little shy of cocktail hour, but Sara joined me for a glass of wine in the living room area anyway. It was comfortable, relaxing and a pleasure talking candidly with someone who obviously had the gift for gab, was well traveled and has met her fair share of interesting characters along life’s enchanting journey.
 
Just a couple of miles down the road, at the Barnard Inn restaurant, Max’s Tavern, a casual bistro, served up a cold crisp glass of pinot grigio to accompany a simple green salad tossed with maple Dijon vinaigrette and lightly topped with gorgonzola and candied walnuts. I must have needed my blue cheese fix, because my chosen entrée was house-made gnocchi with gorgonzola sauce, which was delicious with mild roasted cloves of garlic, caramelized onions and baby spinach.
 
The first thought when I got ready for bed at the Fan House and realized there was no TV in my room was disappointment, but after about 10 seconds, I changed my mind. Being a news junkie and creature of habit who turns on the news before bedtime and upon wake-up, taking a break from the craziness was a blessing. In fact, it was a much-needed disconnect.
 
The bed had eight pillows – two as bolsters, four for indulgent sleep and two more for decoration, which made a perfect spot to prop my laptop as I checked email before going to bed. The Wi-Fi worked well. I drifted into a deep sleep, woke up without an alarm, and went for a short walk to Barnard’s Silver Lake, sat on a bench and felt the early morning sun on my face, then continued walking – past lots of kayaks on racks and watched people come and go from the general store carrying cups of coffee to jumpstart their rural morning commutes. I read the bulletin board and learned about upcoming concerts, theater productions and youth summer programs at Barnard’s BarnArts.org.
 
Having worked up an appetite for breakfast, which was included at my stay at the Fan House, I poured myself a cup of coffee and chatted it up with two guests visiting from Tennessee while Sara whipped up some blueberry pancakes and served them with warm maple syrup, along with fresh strawberries, granola and juice. At that moment, the pressures of the previous day’s workload were far from my mind. On the mid-morning car ride home I mentally prepared my “to do” list and the priorities seemed clear. I reminded myself to stay focused on those priorities and to let the other “urgencies” slide by if they weren’t aligned with my primary goals. I felt eager to tackle the workload, and not overwhelmed.
 
One night away. To get unstuck. It’s well worth it.
 
Marcia Simon, APR, CTA, is accredited as a travel advisor and public relations professional, and is principal/owner of friendlygrouptravel.com and MSE Public Relations. Visit www.friendlygrouptravel.com, www.facebook.com/friendlygrouptravel, friendgrouptravel on Instagram and FriendsGoTravel on Twitter, or email welcome@friendlygrouptravel.com.
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​by Marcia Simon, APR, CTA
 
Heading overseas for your next vacation or business trip?

If you plan to use your phone – at all – for any reason – these tips and helpful apps will assure that your phone remains a valued and reliable companion when traveling internationally:

1. Clean out the trash and load up on useful apps (listed below.) Check your phone’s memory; de-clutter. There’s nothing more annoying than a popup message alerting you you’re out of memory as you’re about to take that next great video. Delete bad photos as well as images you’ve already downloaded or transferred. Clear videos and old voicemails you no longer want, and delete the cache (accumulated garbage) from your apps. Your carrier’s tech support can walk you through this. To make room, transfer files from your phone to an external memory card (if your phone supports this.)Ask your wireless carrier about international plans that meet your travel needs. A temporary monthly fee can save you hundreds of dollars if you need to use your phone for data (navigation) or voice calls. Review, and change if necessary, your network and roaming settings because it’s not always possible to make these changes from outside your “home network area.” Your carrier’s tech support can guide you through this.
2. Save battery and data during your trip by using your phone in a Wi-Fi area as much as possible. Choose hotels that offer free Wi-Fi access. Download directions for daily navigation before you leave your hotel. Turn Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and Location settings off when not using them. (Phones use battery power by automatically searching for Wi-Fi networks.)
3. Bring a charger that has a USB connector as well as an international adapter. Airports, planes and hotels increasing use USB connectivity, which is more universal.
4. Don’t forget your headset. With low-cost airlines charging for just about everything, including headsets, it’s a lot easier to bring your own. Depending on how much you’re willing to invest, the quality will likely be better, too.
5. Load useful apps.

  Try these Travel Apps to save time and sanity:

1. WhatsApp, Facetime, Skype or Zoom – for phone calls and video chats over Wi-Fi. Make sure your family, or whomever you’ll be communicating with back home, has also downloaded the app and established an account. Then your calls will be free from any Wi-Fi zone.
2. Your airline’s app – Whether it be Delta, United, Norwegian, EasyJet or any other airline, you’ll get real-time updates, including gate information, delays and other changes. You’ll have easy access to your boarding pass and rewards program. Some airlines offer entertainment and Wi-Fi on your device accessible only through the airline’s app.
3. Your bank’s app – so you can check your balance, or transfer money to get cash from the ATM. (Rule of thumb – use debit card at ATM to get local currency; use credit card for purchases. Why? Cash withdrawal using a credit card is usually considered a cash advance with high interest rates; and while most merchants overseas accept American credit cards, many will not accept a debit card.)
4. Currency converter – to quickly check the price equivalent before you buy something
5. Google Translate or other language app – to help you find the words, or to scan something in a local language (e.g. a menu, brochure or sign) for translation into English. It’s also a good idea to download the dictionary of the language spoken at your destination before your trip, so you can still access translation when you’re offline.
6. Duolingo – to help you learn the language, or at least understand pronunciation. It’s a nice gesture.
7. Your hotel’s app – This is helpful if you stay at the same hotel or chain for more than a couple of nights. You can request early check-in, late check-out, and expedite the process.
8. Uber – usually lower priced than a taxi; many airports do not allow Uber drivers to pick up at arrival terminals near the Taxi Line, but some do, so you’ll need to check. Once out of the airport, Uber is a good choice if you need a ride from your hotel or downtown area. Lyft is talking about building out their international service, but for now, Uber is the established option.
9. Mobile Passport – makes getting through Customs upon your return a faster process. Remember to load your flight and passport information before you reach Customs. This app works at 26 airports in the U.S. for US citizens and Canadian visitors only.

 
Marcia Simon, APR, CTA is a travel advisor and principal at friendlygrouptravel.com and MSE Public Relations. She writes about health, wellness and travel.
​Connect: welcome@friendlygrouptravel.com,  facebook.com/friendlygrouptravel, 
@friendsgotravel on Twitter and friendgrouptravel on Instagram.

by Marcia Simon, CTA, APR
 
Think about the ‘60s era of peace and love in America, and images of San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury neighborhood come to mind with tie-died shirts and girls wearing colorful flowers in their hair. On the other side of the San Francisco Bay Bridge, in Berkeley, another cultural phenomenon was stirring at that same time.
 
The Free Speech Movement of the 60s rapidly grew across college campuses nationwide. At first, outspoken college students focused on the struggle for civil rights; then when opposition to the Vietnam War developed, students at UC Berkeley ignited the spark that led to large scale protests and the nationwide Anti-War Movement.

UC Berkeley was a university campus that challenged the status quo back then, as it does now. The school serves as the flagship institution of 10 public research universities affiliated with the University of California system. It’s the anchor that allows the City of Berkeley to remain the free-spirited sanctuary where inclusion is second nature to a generation of open minded hipster intellectuals, and leftist baby boomers find contentment being surrounded by people who share their nonjudgmental approach to life.
 
The constant energy that seeps from academia is evident; serious discussions between professors and students can be overheard at local coffee shops; public events are scheduled frequently on a regular basis.
 
With more than 30,000 undergraduate students, about 70 percent of whom are from California, and more than 11,000 graduate students from around the world, UC Berkeley is a hub for thinking outside the lines in search of new and better ways to solve world problems. Its graduate engineering school is ranked #3 in the country (behind MIT and Stanford) by US News & World Report for 2020, luring some of the world’s brightest minds hoping to score a Silicon Valley dream job in artificial intelligence, virtual reality, robotics and autonomous vehicles.
 
Both technology and hippieism bubble beneath the surface of Berkeley’s social climate. The old and new seem to exist very well together. It’s a gentle yet edgy vibe amid the undertow of a bustling college community. The Greek Theater, an amphitheater located on the outskirts of campus, brings top name acts.
 
Telegraph Avenue, beginning at the south entrance to campus is lined with cafes, shops and music stores, and extends through the city and into Oakland. Shattuck Avenue is another of Berkeley’s main streets filled with shops and restaurants. For movies, you can enjoy current popular flicks on one of the big screens at the Regal Cinemas, or walk one more block to the Shattuck Cinemas for a thought-provoking indie film.
 
Fun for Foodies
Keep walking down Shattuck Avenue and you’ll smell your way right into the affectionately named Gourmet Ghetto with plenty of choices for any type of appetite. This is home to the legendary Chez Panisse, opened in 1971 by Alice Waters, whose organic, locally grown, seasonal ingredients sparked the term “California cuisine” way before the nation’s farm-to-table consciousness. Chez Panisse has maintained its status as one of the best restaurants in America, if not the world. Reservations are necessary – both for the main dining room and the lighter café. Reservations may be made up to one month before your preferred date.
 
Right across the street is The Cheese Board Collective, which is a bakery, a cheese shop, and a creative pizza restaurant where you can sit inside or out and get a dose of Berkeley’s local live music.
 
If you want to be seated and served at a restaurant, stick with Shattuck Avenue and places away from campus or one of the nearby hotel restaurants. Close to the school you’ll find an amazing variety of very affordable food choices, where you order at the counter and hope to find a place to sit before your meal arrives. From Chinese, Japanese and Thai to Korean barbecue, noodle bowls, pizza by the slice, hot dogs, burgers, salads, smoothies, two aromas permeate the air – Asian food and marijuana.
 
But Berkeley has its problems, too. The homeless rate is high. Maybe it’s because the weather’s decent, or there are plenty of places to eat for a low price, or that people are generally kind enough to occasionally spare some change. There seems to be a community among the down and out, and a feeling of compassion for people who have landed in this situation – war veterans, spaced out aging hippies, those who are estranged from families because of lifestyle or gender or those who have slipped between the cracks of the nation’s mental health system.
 
Getting to Berkeley
Crossing the Bay Bridge that leads from San Francisco to Oakland and neighboring Berkeley can take up to an hour by car if you’re stuck in daily rush hour traffic, or you can zip from San Fran to Berkeley in under 30 minutes when traffic is light. Locals don’t drive it at all. Bay Area Rapid Transit, known as the BART, is the San Francisco area’s underground metro system that takes you under the Bay into Oakland and Berkeley. It’s easy, clean, fast and the most affordable way to travel to Berkeley from both San Francisco and Oakland International airports.
 
If you happen to visit the Oakland and Berkeley area, consider a visit to the 34-acre UC Berkeley Botanical Gardens. It’s recommended to allow at least two hours to take it all in.
 
The landmark at UC Berkeley, which can be seen from across the bridge, is Sather Tower. Standing 300’ above sea level, the tower, or Campanile as it’s known, is one of the world’s tallest free-standing bell and clock towers. For four dollars you get an adult ticket that takes you via elevator almost to the top, where you then 38 steps to the outdoor patio for a bird’s-eye view of the campus and San Francisco Bay. If you time it right or get lucky, you can hear a carillon performance at scheduled times each day. The carillon has 61 bells, weighing from 19 to 10,500 pounds each.
 
And one more note… The Bay Bridge stretches across San Francisco Bay connecting San Francisco to Oakland and Berkeley. The Golden Gate Bridge goes from San Francisco to Sausalito in Marin county. Both bridges lead to wine country.
 
Marcia Simon, APR, CTA, is accredited as a travel advisor and public relations professional. She is principal/owner of friendlygrouptravel.com and MSE Public Relations. Connect through facebook.com/friendlygrouptravel or welcome@friendlygrouptravel.com.