When traveling for the first time, the cultural differences can catch you off guard. If you’ve done your research, you’ve probably heard of the big ones, like differences in tipping customs, for example. But the little things that you never expected to be different can really leave you at a loss. From sinks that are operated with foot pedals to toilets with fancy controls, a trip to the bathroom can be the most unexpected “tourist trap”. Here are some tips to navigating toilets, tubs and showers, and bidets abroad.
TOILETS
Public Toilets
For clarity’s sake let’s define a public toilet as any toilet outside a private home or your hotel room. Public toilets vary greatly from country to country in Europe. I’ll try to break it down by toilet type, starting with the best and moving to the worst.
Highway Rest Stops
These are usually the cleanest facilities you’ll find anywhere. Normally highway restaurants are spaced every 100 km or so along major four-laned limited-access highways. In France and Italy, you’ll be expected to give a tip or even pay an entrance fee to use these toilets. The usual cost is fifty euro-cents to one euro per person, so be prepared to have a few euro coins available. In Germany and Austria, you’ll be expected to pay an “admission” fee of a euro or so to enter the toilet area. Upon entering you’ll receive a ticket, be sure to keep it because it can be turned in at the cash register in the store or restaurant for a credit against items purchased.
Toilet facilities can vary widely in restaurants and my general rule is to stay out of them if you can. Most restaurants, especially in towns and cities, are located in century-old buildings which were not originally built with toilets in mind. Consequently, they have been retrofitted with bathrooms that range from disgusting to adequate. The toilets can be especially lousy in restaurants found in France and Italy where they are usually located in a basement or cellar. The worst toilets date from the early 20th century and are basically a simple hole in the floor with a foot rest on either side. Simply step up, aim, go, and drip dry. Others can be a bit more user friendly initially, but flushing can become a problem. The best solution is to look up for something to pull, look down for some to push, or look around for something to lift up or push down. Of course there are clean and modern toilets too, but you’ll need no help with those. Unless it is one of those fully automatic models, in which case you’ll need to move quickly!
Step right up and go!
Amsterdam
In Amsterdam there are public urinals unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. Imagine a pristine canal-side scene: swans floating serenely, bikes cluttering bridges, little boats floating by with couples in love, pastel classical buildings lining the lovely canals, and you’ve got a front row view from the public “pissor”! These public urinals date back a hundred years to the age of art nouveau and the turn of the 20th century. I can’t imagine turn-of-the-century gentlemen needing to go so badly that these things just had to be out canal-side, but who knows? Keep in mind, this description is for real! In Amsterdam (and in Brussels too, I’ve been told) there are public urinals for men. These urinals, known as “pissors” are constructed of thin sheet metal, painted green in color, and divided from the ground up into thirds. The lower third is uncovered and exposes the subject’s (a.k.a. the pisser’s) legs up to the knee. The middle third is constructed of thin, but solid sheet metal covering the “pisser” from the knees to the waist. The final third of the “pissor” is made of sheet metal with small cut-outs in a “plus-sign” design to enable the “pisser” to look out (and the passersby to look in). What a concept! Now for you guys, let me explain what’s going on inside—other than peeing that is. Basically, you walk into this “nautilus” shaped contraption. Once to the center you encounter a flat piece of steel, on which you are to pee, and below is a simple hole in the ground. So while you are standing there doing your business, your pee is splashing all over you, but you’ve got a grand view of all of Amsterdam! There is nothing like it. Try it once just for the thrill!
Automated Toilets
These public toilets are usually found in big cities in France or Belgium and cost about a euro to use. The entire toilet complex is a kiosk which is normally clean and pretty sterile. Here’s how to use these toilets: look at the control panel beside the door; determine if the toilet is occupied or vacant; once vacant press the button and enter; do your business; exit the toilet kiosk. Once you exit, the kiosk will go into self-cleaning mode and spray water, cleaner, and disinfectant all over the interior. Then the entire interior is blown nice and dry. Once the cleaning cycle is completed, the outside door panel will display that the toilet is ready for another customer.
Tubs and Showers
Bathing is necessary and we tend to take it seriously. I mean, how many of you go more than a day without a bath or shower? Well that’s a whole different story in Europe, where daily bathing has just come into vogue in the past few decades. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve stood on crowded subways or buses and been stifled by body odor. So… it’s no wonder that not much thought goes into planning European bath and shower facilities. Today, most newly constructed two-star hotels in Europe have private baths locate en-suite. Most all three-star hotels (old and new) have private baths en-suite. This simply means that sometime in the past ten years, a hotel owner has taken an already small room with no bath or toilet facilities and added an even smaller room with a sink, toilet and tub or shower. But for American travelers, those en-suite facilities are essential. So, here is my “run down” on bathing in each country.
I travel in Europe over 100 days a year sleeping in a different hotel, guesthouse or B&B every other night. It is interesting to note that there is absolutely no standardization in shower and tub water controls. On a recent tour in Scotland and Wales, my travel partners and I had a laugh each morning when we discussed what type of water controls we encountered the night before. Twelve nights and twelve totally different faucets and controls!
Italy
Just last week I was checking out some hotels in Italy and ran across a bathroom that had a sink and toilet, then on the same level there was a curtain dividing the shower area. Now having the shower on the same level as the rest of the room is common for Italy. I often laugh because in an Italian bathroom, it is possible to use the toilet, brush your teeth, and take a shower all at the same time. Well this particular “shower area” had a bidet sticking precariously out from underneath the shower curtain too. Talk about multitasking!
France
Bathrooms are generally small in France. As with Italy, many of the hotels have retro-fitted bathrooms into already small bedrooms. Most often you’ll find a shower, sink, toilet and bidet. Newer hotels come equipped with modern showers and sometimes even tubs.
Spain
Think of Italy without bidets.
Germany and Austria
Bidets are not common here and you’ll also find a better selection of tubs. In many of the larger cities that were destroyed during WWII, you’ll find relatively new and modern hotels featuring bathrooms similar to those back home.
UK
Like France, many of the UK’s hotels are older properties dating from a time when en-suite baths were not common. You’ll find city center hotels similar to those in France. The UK is loaded with B&B’s. These are often private homes located in rural areas that the owners have opened to rent out a room and serve breakfast. These offer a great value and usually come with up-to-date bath facilities. Although it is still common to find “bathrooms-down-the-hall” in B&B’s, it is usually well publicized so you won’t be caught off guard.
Ireland
Here you’ll find mostly up-to-date hotels and B&B’s. Yes, there are exception, so be sure to look at the sales literature or website before booking.
Now certainly there are exceptions to every rule. Every country mentioned sports fancy four- and five-star hotels with huge rooms, marbled baths and air conditioning. You’ll pay extra for this style, but for some it is worth it.
BIDETS
Most of us Americans get a kick out of an encounter with a bidet. To many, it’s often intriguing, entertaining, funny, or even sexy in an odd sort of way. But in many parts of the world, it’s a normal fixture in the bathroom. In French, bidet comes from the word for “pony.” How appropriate, because you ride a bidet much like you would a pony. That is… straddling it.I take a lot of Americans around Europe and believe me, I’ve heard lots of “bidet” stories. Here are some ways in which my tour members have utilized the bidets in their hotel rooms:
a foot washer
a water fountain
a urinal
a place to shave one’s legs
an object for playing “Truth and Dare”
a replacement for bathing
a laundry
a dishwasher
a cooler for beer and wine
Bidets originated in France several centuries ago as a means to wash after using the toilet, after having sex, or even after a day at the office. In short, its purpose is to maintain clean personal hygiene without taking a full shower or bath. So, now you know why lots of Europeans think they are clean when their pits smell to high heaven!
How to use a Bidet
Test the water controls before getting on! Some bidets have high pressure jets that squirt up to the ceiling if turned fully on. Others have a faucet similar to a sink. Some have hot and cold water valves while others have just one water valve. The point here is to SLOWLY test out all the knobs, valves, and controls before getting on.
If you are wearing pants, you have got to take them off! Otherwise hike up your skirt or dress. Then straddle the bidet, facing the wall, so you’ll have full control of the knobs, controls, and valves. Then, by positioning yourself and the faucet, direct the water to the area you want to clean. It’s ok to use soap and your hands. Some people prefer to face away from the wall and manipulate the controls in a contorted manner. I ran across this hilarious video on YouTube that shows you how to do it from a Spaniard’s perspective. Check it out:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8cunTYbi9yM
Once finished, use toilet paper to dry off. The towels hanging by the bidet are to dry off your hands after the whole procedure. Don’t stick the towels down there to dry off, or you’ll hear it from the maids the next morning!
My Toilet Story
I was at a restaurant along the Autostrade in Italy where we’d made a stop for lunch. These restaurants are located conveniently every fifty kilometers or so along the major highways in Europe. They have great food, either from a buffet or from a selection of fresh-made sandwiches, and they offer clean bathrooms. When making a tour bus stop, the first thing everyone does is rush off the bus and head to the bathroom. These restaurants (branded as Autogrill) usually have the bathrooms downstairs which are maintained by a female attendant who keeps the bathrooms sort of spotlessly clean. This “cleanliness” usually comes with a compulsory fee of fifty to eighty euro cents per visit to the toilet, but it’s a small price to pay for a clean toilet!
Well, this particular day, the restrooms were booming with business and the lady attendant was having a tough time keeping up with collecting her “tip” and keeping the bathrooms clean. So when I went downstairs and deposited my change in her dish, I noticed the ladies’ line for the toilet was about twenty deep. There was no wait for the men’s room, which I guess you ladies will say is typical.
I walked in the men’s room and headed for the urinal which was just a ceramic tiled trough against the wall. It was “backed up” with guys “going” so I did have to wait here! While waiting, there was a commotion in the hallway. Women were speaking loudly in rapid-fire Italian, only some of which I could understand. But the general tone and message was, “We’re not waiting out here any more, let’s overtake the men’s room!” Moments later, the men’s room was invaded by several Italian women looking for an open stall. Well I had to go, and now it was my turn! So up I stepped, down with the zipper, and …uhmm you get it, right? OK, now I was ready to go, but all the confusion behind me had caused a momentary “blockage.” So there I stood doing nothing! Concentrating real hard and focusing on the wall right in front of me, I began to go… relief! Then to my horror, I felt something hitting my shoes. Had I missed? Looking down I saw a grey mop being swished back and forth between my feet, and behind me holding the handle was the lady attendant going about her business of keeping the toilets tidy!
Summary
I hope this article has given you the confidence to boldly face the bathrooms in Europe. Just remember, public toilets vary in quality. Your best bet is a highway rest stop or a fully automated toilet on the street. The more modern your hotel, the more likely you will encounter the bathing facilities you are used to in the US. Be sure to check the website before booking to ensure your hotel or B&B has private bathrooms. In some countries, the bathroom will also have a bidet, which is meant for cleaning your nether regions.
If you found this article informative, please share it with your friends, family, coworkers and associates. If you have something to add, just leave a comment in the box below. Do you want to learn more about painted sheep and traveling to Europe? There is a wealth of information and special discount pricing on my tours at https://davidmcguffin.com/.
David McGuffin is Founder and CEO of David McGuffin’s Exploring Europe, Inc., based in Middleburg, Florida. You can connect with him on Twitter, Facebook, Google+,LinkedIn and YouTube. David spends his time in Europe organizing and leading small group and independent tours to European destinations. In business since 2001, David has provided exceptional travel opportunities to several thousand satisfied customers. You can find out more about David and his European tours at his website, https://davidmcguffin.com.
It’s great to see the famous sights and big cities when traveling, but the real memories are made in off-the-beaten-path adventures where you get to slow down and experience the country, not just watch it fly by through a tour bus window. The best vacations include a combination of the two. Don’t get me wrong; there are a lot of benefits to traveling on a tour. Tours allow you to travel care-free, with no planning. But sometimes, you have to just wing it and see where the adventure will lead. Here is a story from one of my trips to France and the surprising places you can find when things don’t go as planned.
After a flight up from Madrid, we arrived at Paris’ Charles de Gaulle airport by mid-afternoon. I rented a small car and soon we were out of the airport and on the highway toward Paris. It being Friday afternoon, I was prepared for some traffic jams, but so far it didn’t seem too bad. The highway leaving the airport was virtually free of cars, but by the time we reached the Périphérique, Paris’ big ring-road around the city center, we were in bumper-to-bumper traffic. It wasn’t quite at a standstill, but we were inching along at less than 10 mph.
Traffic jam outside of Paris
Knowing Paris, I figured we were in store for at least an hour of stop-and-go traffic. But surely by the time we turned off the Périphérique and headed southwest it would thin out to nothing. After two hours and less than 20 kilometers, I knew it would be hours before reaching Amboise. To make matters worse we had no hotel reservation, no real plan for the next two days, and no plans for the night’s dinner. What we did know was that reaching Amboise in the afternoon was now out of the question. Luckily I had my GPS unit with me and we got it up and running. After another hour on the highway, in the miserable traffic, we finally found a two-lane road that would take us through the countryside to the Loire Valley. Well anything would be better than sitting in traffic for hours on end…so we took the little road.
Immediately the road was clear, and it was smooth sailing. Until we came to the first town. Friday afternoon must be the time for everyone to get out and go somewhere because there was loads of traffic. Although, it was nowhere near as bad as what we had encountered on the highway. The next hour passed with us speeding along our way in the rural areas between each little town and then slowing down in the town centers. This wasn’t bad though. We got to experience several small rural towns in France.
By now it was getting late, probably close to nine o’clock. I’d planned on finding a hotel in Amboise, but that was still an hour away. It really didn’t matter what time we arrived as long as we could get rooms for the night and a good meal. We were somewhere along the Loire River near Chambord when I saw it…and drove right on by. We had a goal and destination in mind, but that place back there looked like my kind of place. So at the next round-a-bout I did a 180 and decided to go back to check it out.
La Ferme des 3 Maillets
The place was an old two-story stone building with ivy climbing up the side. There, in huge painted-on letters, was a sign advertising “Hotel** and Grill.” Even with my limited French vocabulary I could tell we could find rooms and food. As I pulled into the gravel parking lot I knew I’d made a good choice. There were several cars and the people milling around were all speaking French. I walked into the lobby and really had to dig deep into my French vocab to ask if they had two rooms and dinner. The lady at the desk said “no problem” offered a really good price and booked our dinner for us too.
We settled in and then walked back downstairs for dinner. The restaurant was just what you’d think a farmhouse grill would look like in the US. In sort of the “Cracker Barrel” style, there were ancient tools and other decor hanging from the walls and ceiling. On one wall there was a huge stone fireplace, complete with a cozy fire. Large picture windows looked out onto a little garden and the wheat fields beyond. I think we were one of the last seatings of the evening because all the other tables were either empty or filled with people involved in dessert or conversation.
The food was wonderful! Natalie and I had escargot, an assortment of duck, steak, vegetables, and dessert. All was washed down with a local Loire Valley wine. La Ferme des 3 Maillets is one of those rare finds that only happen if you let go of your inhibitions and get off the beaten path. Even though the staff spoke very little English and Natalie and I spoke very little French, we all managed to get our points across and have a great time.
Often, I have people ask about the idea of the “French being a bit arrogant.” First of all, I don’t buy into the idea and secondly, experiences like this one are proof that this is just a stereotype. The staff at the inn were wonderfully hospitable and went out of their way to make our dinner and our stay a grand experience. I’d go out of my way to eat and stay here again.
Summary
So when you’re traveling, just remember not to panic when things don’t go as expected. It is often the unplanned adventures like this one that turns out to be the most fun. And if you are ever in the Loire River Valley near the town of Avaray, find La Ferme des 3 Maillets, stay a night, have a great dining experience, and really get a chance to explore another side of France.
If you found this article informative, please share it with your friends, family, coworkers, and associates. If you have something to add, just leave a comment in the box below. Do you want to learn more about painted sheep and traveling to Europe? There is a wealth of information and special discount pricing on my tours at https://davidmcguffin.com/.
David McGuffin is Founder and CEO of David McGuffin’s Exploring Europe, Inc., based in Middleburg, Florida. You can connect with him on Twitter, Facebook, Google+,LinkedIn and YouTube. David spends his time in Europe organizing and leading small group and independent tours to European destinations. In business since 2001, David has provided exceptional travel opportunities to several thousand satisfied customers. You can find out more about David and his European tours at his website, https://davidmcguffin.com.
When traveling outside the United States it is very likely you’ll encounter different electrical plugs, outlets, and voltages than here at home. That’s because most of the world uses an electrical system that requires twice as much voltage as we do in the United States. Years ago, the only travel concern, relating to electricity, was how to plug in a blow dryer or curling iron without causing a meltdown. But not today, just think of all the gadgets we have: mobile phones, mp3 players, laptop computers, tablet computers, video cameras, digital cameras, and more. With all these electronic gadgets, it would seem that traveling with electronics is complicated. It’s not that difficult… here are my hints and suggestions.
YOU’VE GOT TO PLUG IT IN
No matter what the gadget, you’ve got to plug it into something. In the USA, that would be a socket in the wall like the one pictured below.
Logically, anywhere there is electricity, we expect to find some sort of socket in which to plug our stuff. However, the design of the socket is not universal! Practically, every country has its own modification of the basic design.
Typical continental Europe wall socket
If traveling to continental Europe, notice how this socket is recessed/inset about one inch. It is important to purchase an adapter like the one pictured below so it will fit inside the recessed hole.
Continental Europe ADAPTOR PLUG
If traveling to the UK or Ireland, notice how their outlets have toggle switches. The outlet will not have power until the toggle switch is turned on. This is usually indicated by a red signal on the top of the switch. However, if you find your appliance is not working, and there is no red indicator, consider toggling the switch and try again.
UK and IRELAND wall socket
VOLTAGE MATTERS
Originally, electricity was used for lighting, and depending on the country, the best-suited material for the wiring differed according to what was readily available. The United States agreed on a standard of about 110 volts AC. Meanwhile, in Europe, they agreed on a standard of around 220 volts AC.
Originally, appliances designed in Europe would work only in Europe. Those designed in the USA only worked in the USA. You could not “mix” voltage. That’s why the sockets and plugs differ. You’ve heard the saying, “you can’t put a square plug into a round hole?” So, this was an easy way to keep “dummies” from plugging in mismatched devices and melting down appliances when visiting countries other than their own.
Plug designed for use in the USA.
Plug designed for use in the UK and IRELAND
Plug designed for use in Continental Europe
When traveling from one country to another became common, not having “common” standards of electricity became a problem. Thus, the invention of the wall socket/plug ADAPTER and the VOLTAGE CONVERTER. With these two gadgets, theoretically, anyone could travel from one country to the other and never have to worry about electrical problems with their gadgets.
However, the best intended plans never seem to work all the time. I recall traveling on several occasions when suddenly the lights would dim and go out in our hotel or B&B. All too often, it was someone in my group trying to use their own USA hairdryer or flat iron, it overheating, and blowing a fuse or circuit.If you bring a curling iron, flat iron, straightener, or hair dryer from home (USA), you will need to purchase an electrical power converter and wall socket adapters. In theory, these electrical power converters step down the 240 volt power used in Europe to the 120 volts we use in the USA. These devices work most of the time, however, using them in older buildings with antique wiring will sometimes cause a meltdown of your appliance or even “blow” a circuit or fuse in the building.
MODERN ELECTRONIC GADGETS
Practically every electronic gadget manufactured since 1990 is designed to operate on multiple voltages. Mobile phones, computers, iPads, tablets, digital cameras, and camcorders will recognize and adapt to the voltage in which it is plugged… without damaging the gadget. However, just to be sure, always look at the device’s power cord, power supply, or documentation for a statement similar to that shown below.
Notice – INPUT 100V-240V 50/60Hz
If your device falls into the category above (and it will if it is some sort of mobile electronic gadget or camera) all you need is an adapter to plug into the wall socket. Here are examples for the UK and Continental Europe.
UK and IRELANDContinental Europe
TWO RELATED ITEMS
Some blow dryers, curling irons, and straighteners are made to accept dual voltage. These generally have a small dial on the handle which can be rotated to select the appropriate electrical voltage. Often you can pick up this type of appliance at Walmart, Walgreens, Target or other retail outlets for $20 or less. When traveling in the UK or Ireland it is common to find the blow dryer in a drawer in your hotel room, NOT in the bathroom. Apparently, there is a building code that does not allow electronics or outlets in the bath area.
SUMMARY
The world does not operate on a standardized electrical system, each country has their own standards. Consequently, our appliances and gadgets will not work outside the USA without some electrical modification. For modern-day gadgets, you will need and electrical adapter that fits the wall socket for the country in which you will be traveling. Occasionally you may need an electrical converter and adapter if you use a blow dryer, flat iron or curling iron from the USA.
********************************************************** If you found this article informative, please share it with your friends, family, coworkers and associates. If you have something to add, just leave a comment in the box below.
Do you want to learn more about traveling to Europe? There is a wealth of information and special discount pricing on my tours at my website. Visit now at https://davidmcguffin.com/. David McGuffin is Founder and CEO of David McGuffin’s Exploring Europe, Inc., based in Middleburg, Florida. You can connect with him on Twitter, Facebook, Google+,LinkedIn and YouTube. David spends his time in Europe organizing and leading small group and independent tours to European destinations. In business since 2001, David has provided exceptional travel opportunities to several thousand satisfied customers. You can find out more about David and his European tours at his website, https://davidmcguffin.com.
Construction on the Colosseum began in 70 A.D. and it took only ten years to completely finish the building project. It has held up pretty well over the last 2,000 years! With the fall of Rome, the Colosseum fell into disrepair and stood there derelict through the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. Only a third of the original Colosseum still stands today. Some of it was destroyed in earthquakes but most was deconstructed after the fall of Rome and used as stonework for newer buildings.
It was not until 1749, when Pope Benedict XIV declared it a religious site, that it again gained recognition and received some much-needed repairs. The 20th century brought motorized traffic, air pollution, and an onslaught of tourism which again attacked the structural integrity and appearance of the Colosseum. At the beginning of the new millennium, it was evident that the Colosseum needed a serious sprucing up.
Jumping through lots of hoops and cutting miles of red tape, the Italian government’s archaeological service finally began the Colosseum’s first-ever cleaning project in November 2013. Scaffolding began to enshroud segments of the ancient amphitheater and a thorough cleaning of the exterior was underway. Cleaning was a tedious task done solely by hand and without harsh chemicals or high pressure sprayers.
During the cleaning in 2014
The process involved spraying a fine mist of water onto the porous stones to soften the 2,000 years of filth that had collected on the exterior. After a few hours, the cleaning technicians would go to work with toothbrushes to scrub away the grime in the nooks and crannies. Larger brushes were used on the face of the huge stones. It was a tedious task but there was no other way to attack the problem and be sure the structural integrity would not be affected.
Travertine, a type of limestone, was used to build the Colosseum. It is a porous stone that, when newly quarried, is creamy white in color. With age, the travertine takes on a light pink patina that protects the stone. Over the last 2,000 years, the travertine had collected a thick black crust of soot, pollution, and algae. With this cleaning, the Colosseum once again glows with the characteristic pink patina.
Although this cleaning project was carried out by the Italian government, it was funded totally by private donations. Diego Della Valle, the founder and CEO of Tod’s, contributed 25 million euros to this project. Tod’s is a well-known Italian leather and fashion store. There is more in store for the Colosseum’s clean up. Next up is work on the foundation and basement area where the gladiators and animals were originally staged. Once that’s finished, the plan is to install a floor in the amphitheater just as it was in Roman Imperial times. Finally, a new visitor center and ticket area will be installed to accommodate the four-million tourists who visit each year.
Newly Cleaned in 2016
The Colosseum was constructed by Emperor Vespasian (the first of several “Flavian” emperors) and was inaugurated in 80 A.D. as the Flavian Amphitheatre. The Romans were always seeking ways to take a Greek idea and put a new Roman twist on it. The Flavian Amphitheatre is no exception. In essence the Romans took the plans for a Classical Greek theatre and built two of them end to end, coming up with the design for a huge freestanding “amphi” theatre.
Nero, Emperor Vespasian’s predecessor, had constructed a lavish palace just over the hill, behind the modern-day metro station. The site where the Colosseum sits today was once a large man-made lake surrounded by porticos, balconies and grand walkways. This palace complex, known as the Domus Aurea (Golden House), contained a colossal 33-meter-tall (100 feet) bronze statue of Emperor Nero. After the Flavian Amphitheatre was constructed, Vespasian had Nero’s colossal statue placed out in front of his new colossal amphitheatre. The combination of the colossal statue of Nero and the colossal amphitheatre seemed to stick and the amphitheatre took on the nickname of the Colossal-seum, or Colosseum. Nero’s statue has perished, but you can see the site where it once stood on the grassy area between the Colosseum and the wrought iron fence flanking the forum area.
The Romans were known as great builders and pioneered many construction techniques still in use today. One such idea was that of the “rounded arch” and concrete. Essentially, the Romans would construct a shell of bricks and mortar and then pour concrete in the void making for a super strong and sturdy structure. This concrete-filled shell was then covered with gleaming white travertine marble for a finishing touch of grandeur. The exterior of the Colosseum is loaded with potholes
in the walls. The huge stones flanking the exterior were originally held together with iron pegs, buried into the stone. When the Colosseum became a relic after the fall of Rome, its ready-cut stones were cannibalized for easy building material. When iron was at a shortage, the Colosseum’s iron pegs were chiseled out to make weapons for war, as well as hinges, railing, and the like.
The next phase of the restoration involves the interior foundation and flooring.
The exterior resembles our modern-day soccer and football stadiums. In Roman times, the citizens attending an event at the amphitheatre had a ticket noting their seating assignment and which doorway to enter to get to their seats. Even today, you can find “Roman numerals” etched above the rounded arched “doorways” on the ground level noting the doorway’s number. Just like our stadiums today, the wide walkways and stairs were designed to get people into and out of the amphitheatre very quickly. Inside, along the walkways, were a multitude of kiosks in which vendors would sell official team merchandise, bowls of spaghetti, pizza, hot dogs, and beer.
To summarize, the Flavian Amphitheatre was constructed for the enjoyment and entertainment of the citizens of Rome. Admission was always free and events were often sponsored by politicians. The Colosseum opened in 80 A.D. with a 100-day festival of events in which 2,000 men and 9,000 animals were killed in one sort of competition or another. These events continued for almost 500 years. Then the Colosseum fell into disrepair and was neglected until the 1800s when the pope declared it a religious site. The last three centuries have seen some attempts as repairs but the rise of tourism and the evolution of air pollution has adversely impacted the structure. Now, a colossal cleaning has spruced up the Colosseum and it glows with a proud pink patina for all to enjoy.
If you found this article informative, please share it with your friends, family, coworkers, and associates. If you have something to add, just leave a comment in the box below.
Do you want to learn more about traveling in Europe? There is a wealth of information and special discount pricing on my tours at my website. Visit now at https://davidmcguffin.com/.
David McGuffin is Founder and CEO of David McGuffin’s Exploring Europe, Inc., based in Middleburg, Florida. You can connect with him on Twitter, Facebook, Google+,LinkedIn and YouTube. David spends his time in Europe organizing and leading small group and independent tours to European destinations. In business since 2001, David has provided exceptional travel opportunities to several thousand satisfied customers. You can find out more about David and his European tours at his website, https://davidmcguffin.com.
Everybody goes on vacation from time to time. For some it is the payoff for a year of toil. For others, it is an adventure that was years in the making. Whether you are looking to let off a little steam or you are an adrenaline junkie looking for your next fix, the difference between a good vacation and a nightmare all comes down to choosing the right travel agent and tour operator. For this article, I’ll use the terms travel agent and tour operator in much the same context. In fact, let’s just call them travel providers, however, there is a difference. Typically, a travel agent provides a varied selection of travel services to the public such as: airline tickets, hotel accommodations, automobile rentals, river and ocean cruises, packaged tours and much more. Think of them as your one-stop shop for all your travel needs. Tour operators, on the other hand, specialize in one particular tour product or destination. These can include destination specific tours, cruises, adventure travel, group tours, themed tours, and much more. For example, our company, David McGuffin’s Exploring Europe, is a tour operator specializing in European small group and independent travel. The first thing you have to understand is the travel business is so large that there is no single agent, operator or travel provider that can plan the perfect vacation to all parts of the globe. Today, travel providers are a lot like doctors… they specialize in one area. Some travel providers are experts in booking cruises, while others specialize in group tours and independent travel. However, even within these areas of specialization, no two travel providers have precisely the same experience. What this means is that unless you want to roll the dice and take your chances on picking an agent or tour operator that can either make or break your vacation, you need to understand how to weed them out. Good Travel Providers Begin your search for travel expert by realizing that the lowest price doesn’t always represent the best value. So using online portals such as Travelocity. Orbitz and Priceline isn’t where you should start your search, unless price is your only consideration. Think of a good travel provider as a consultant. He or she has spent years learning about the industry and what it represents to clients. A good travel provider has had experience working with hundreds or even thousands of travelers and many destinations as well. They have been in the game long enough to know what hotels and tour activities are up to snuff and which are not. They have had to make a call in the dead of night to straighten out a client’s lost reservation or missed connection. They form a bond with clients that transcends a mere pay-for-hire relationship. Make no mistake about it, the bond between a travel provider and a client should not be taken lightly. Just as with any other business, good and bad reviews can make or break a travel provider’s reputation. This is also a reason why you should always perform a web search of any travel provider with which you are considering doing business. Any travel provider worth their salt will have reviews online. Start off by going to the search engine of your choice and typing in the name of the travel provider followed by the word “reviews.” You’d be surprised what you can find out with a web search. Next, go to the travel provider’s website in order to look for blogs, videos and testimonials. This will also provide you with insight regarding the travel provider’s experience and areas of specialization. Do the tours posted look like something that you and your family would enjoy? Are the prices a good fit for your budget, or are they out of your league. Last but not least, pick up the phone and give them a call. Personality as well as experience plays a big part in choosing the right travel provider. In fact, that is the primary reason to work with a particular travel provider. No matter how good of a deal the website promotes, if you feel that the agency is either too inexperienced, or too busy to deal with your wants and needs, look elsewhere. That’s also a reason to avoid making your decision based entirely on price. Speaking of price, don’t believe that working with a travel provider is going to cost you more than booking a trip on your own. Far from it. Since good agencies have many contacts in the industry, they can many times save you money since they receive information that is not posted to the general public. (That being said, when dealing with a travel agent, you’ll want to make sure to understand any commissions or booking fees related to your trip.) Bad Travel Providers Bad travel providers either don’t know or they don’t care. This means that they either have had little experience and connections in the industry, or they are simply a gun for hire that is more interested in selling tours and travel products than building a lasting relationship with clients. While a number of travel providers are overworked and underpaid, what’s even worse is when a travel provider is a crook. In a quote from an article on frommers.com entitled, “9 Ways to Tell if Your Travel Agent is Crooked, “As a rule, most travel agents are well-trained, competent professionals who work hard for you. But there are exceptions to every rule. Take Kathleen Rossano of East Brunswick, N.J., who was recently sentenced to a 10-year prison term for stealing more than $75,000 from her travel agency. Prosecutors had charged her with offering luxury vacations to her friends, taking cash payments, billing the expenses to her agency’s credit card and then pocketing the money. It was the fourth time she’d been convicted of taking money from former employers.A month later, her former agency, Cruise Value Center, collapsed without paying the cruise lines what they were owed and leaving customers in the lurch. One of the clients recently contacted me in a panic after her cruise line demanded an additional payment of $2,544 for her vacation because the cruise line had been stiffed by the agency.” http://www.frommers.com/tips/money-and-currency/9-ways-to-tell-if-your-travel-agent-is-crookedHow many of her clients do you think were lured in by low prices posted on her website? When it comes to crooked agents and thieving tour operators, how hard do you think it is to set up a website that makes offers that are too good to be true, only to take the money and run? That’s one of the reasons you need to check out any agency before you lay down your hard earned money. The Frommers article goes onto provide readers with the following 9 warning signs pointing to a terrible tour provider: 1. Demands you pay in cash,2. Acts funny when you bring up commissions,3. Adds a booking fee to your bill after you’ve decided to buy a vacation,4. Has no certification,5. Doesn’t know a thing about the place you are going to visit,6. Has a Better Business Bureau rap sheet,7. Is impossible to reach,8. Doesn’t listen,9. I bought my agency certification online for a few hundred bucks!
“Studly” Travel Providers The best travel providers stand out from the crowd. They are not merely knowledgeable about a destination, they are experts. They have been to the places to which you are looking to travel and know the lay of the land. They can not only describe the places you are going to see, but they can tell you about some of the people you will meet. Some travel providers will not only book a cruise or tour, but lead it as well. They will be there to make sure that nothing goes wrong. When it comes to getting the most out of a trip, having an experienced travel provider and tour guide can make all the difference in the world. Working with a superstar agency may cost a bit more, but when you consider that a vacation comes but once a year, travel satisfaction is priceless. To summarize, there are good, bad and “studly” tour providers. Commonly, these consist of both travel agents and tour operators. A good tour provider knows its clients, is an expert in its destinations, offers stellar customer service, has good online reviews, is well respected in the community and offers a good value for the tour experience. Bad tour providers are interested solely in selling a product, often have little or no experience in their tour destinations, may have poor online reviews and an extensive Better Business Bureau “rap sheet” and typically, are not certified or licensed. The “studly” tour provider is a trusted friend who provides stellar customer service, fantastic travel opportunities and is an expert in their specialized destinations. If you found this article informative, please share it with your friends, family, coworkers and associates. If you have something to add, just leave a comment in the box below.
Do you want to learn more about traveling in Europe? There is a wealth of information and special discount pricing at my website. Visit now at https://davidmcguffin.com/. David McGuffin is Founder and CEO of David McGuffin’s Exploring Europe, Inc., based in Middleburg, Florida. You can connect with him on Twitter, Facebook, Google+,LinkedIn and YouTube. David spends his time in Europe organizing and leading small group and independent tours to European destinations. In business since 2001, David has provided exceptional travel opportunities to several thousand satisfied customers. You can find out more about David and his European tours at his website, https://davidmcguffin.com.
Edited: September 2022
