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Monaco Exists because a Grimaldi Rules
If Monaco’s ruling house of Grimaldi should ever be without an heir (male or female), the country will cease to be a sovereign state. It’s a quirky world. England has had several houses take the throne at different times, but not little Monaco.
The fortress Monaco was established under Grimaldi rule in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. In the fifteenth century the rules of succession were formally established by John Grimaldi, lord of Monaco, in his will (1454). It has had a colourful history ever since.
The Grimaldi rules were bent to get a Grimaldi on the throne in 1949.
- Louis II Matignon-Grimaldi of Monaco adopts Charlotte Louvet, his illegitimate daughter, in 1919, b. 1870 d. 1949
- Pierre de Polignac Investiture of Polignac Dynasty under the name Grimaldi. married (1920) Charlotte Louvet b. 1898 d. 1977
- Prince Rainier III Polignac-Grimaldi of Monaco, grandson of Louis, assumed power on Louis II death in 1949 b. 1923 d. 2005.
- [Antoinette de Massy b. 1920 has issue]
- Prince Albert II Polignac-Grimaldi of Monaco, b. 1958, succeeded his father Prince Ranier III, 2005.
- [Caroline b. 1957 has issue]
- [Stéphanie b. 1965 She has issue]
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 Haggle, Bargain, Have Fun
Haggling or bargaining is the negotiation process of buying something using less cash than the original asking price. Bargaining is an alternative pricing strategy to fixed prices. Bargaining presents risks.
You may:
- lose out on an item.
- over pay on a item.
- get a great deal
- not like the whole first hand shopping participation
- enjoy the unique buying experience
Some points to ponder:
- If your destination market place is known for price negotiations enjoy the experience. Jump in and learn if is new to you.
- If prices are posted at all they will be inflated and can fluctuate wildly.
- When bargaining, a good starting point is half the requested price.
- Be sure you really want the bargain.
- Be firm and ready to walk
- If vendor can bend at all, he/she will call you back.
- If you want the object no matter what (that must have, cute, embroidered dress for your grand daughter for example) your strategy changes.
- If you are not really into bargaining, give it a try – what do you have to lose
- It is best if you have knowledge of the item. I would not know a bargain in jewelry if you hit me over the head with it.
- Sometimes vendors are more like traders and they will be insulted if you don’t try to deal.
- In India, a sign posted with the phrase fixed price indicates that bargaining is not allowed, although quite often this is not the case.
- Do some homework before arrival.
- Check online, ask your agent, ask your friends or attend ship seminars about the ports if you are cruising. Take it all with a gain of sea salt, there are often ulterior motives involved in recommendations.
- There are known scams in some pockets so be forewarned and avoid entrapment.
- Find out what is hot and what to avoid
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Listen To Other Opinions, But…
 As a school teacher, I had to pull information from students with leading questions and prompts. As a traveller wishing to take advantage of your friends’ first hand experiences, you have to pull the true meaning from their statements. You’ll love, you’ll hate or any opinions in between are those of your friends and won’t necessarily be parallel with your own wants in a vacation.
Travellers today have information overload. Too many choices and opinions can be confusing especially when contradictions cloud the process. Some of the worst problems can come from listening to your friends advice. It may be genuinely well intentioned but…
My in laws had close friends (veteran visitors to Florida) who insisted they could have a wonderful shared vacations. A hellish two week bus tour ensued. The experienced couple just pulled out a deck of card and insisted on 4 handed whatever every time the bus stopped. They wanted to go nowhere because they had already been and it’s “not that great anyway”. A friendship was lost as well as the vacation.
Quotes that can be very opinionated and biased:
- I hated the room
- There’s nothing to do there
- It’s too expensive
- What a cheap trip
- My wife like it but I hated it
- Don’t worry about pre-booking
- Booze when ever you want it
- Lots of things for the kids to do
- Everything is old and tired looking
- A place for an active vacation or a nightlife
Each person has definite ideas about what they like about destinations or travel.
A Thought
Most people brag about bargains and exaggerate, just like in advertising. You may wonder how their $99 bargain flight is costing you $624! Exaggerating the deal, to make themselves feel better may be misleading. Is it per person, for two, return including taxes? It makes a difference in your perception not necessarily your friend’s deception
Just as a counter point for some of the vague statement above:
- wide variety of rooms, rooms change over time, amenities and exclusions come and go, any accommodation has some advantage to it
- friends mean well, but nothing at all in a city of a million – dig deeper
- What is your definition of expensive?
- Your friends are not going to brag about over spending.
- Is the cheapest what you really want?
- What is a reasonable price?
- Compromise – what is a great vacation combination?
- What is your adventure level
- Hardly ever use public transportation at home – don’t try and adapt to it in a strange land
- If you are a careful, safety first type with routines galore then pre-book and know what you are getting
- Adventuresome, hiker, biker, then go for it
- Are you travelling with kids or elderly?
- Liquid refreshments are a matter of taste and tolerance – be wise, be careful
- Vacationing with different aged children will always be a challenge
- Maybe you like old and tired – relics and antiquities can be an important vacation consideration
- I wanted a place for sitting on the beach and drinking at the beach bar.
Be sure to compare apples to apples and oranges to oranges. Take what your friends say with a grain of salt and ask for details as to why, how, when, what, who to support their feelings.
Don’t dismiss all of your fiends advice and rely completely a trusted travel agent. Don’t get overwhelmed in the process of enjoying a vacation. The best choice is simple, what feels right to you. You won’t be inclined to feel buyer’s remorse about your vacation if you stay true to your principles and desires.
If your choice is not what your friend recommended from their point of view, that’s fine. Tell them maybe they should make a different choice next time.
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Travel Dress Code Tips
When travelling in foreign lands you must respect the customs and traditions of your host country. Just as you would expect strangers to be respectful of your own community practices. Most Canadian travellers choose exotic or historically interesting places to broaden their understanding of our planet. The more differences you encounter, the more important it is to check ahead on the expected clothing restrictions you may need to abide by.
Getting naked at a nude beach is easy if you are so inclined. But other beaches require certain decorum in beach attire. These rules are certainly variable in the major vacation hot spots. There are many places where your skimpy sun loving clothing may be a no-no in public.
Bare Shoulders
When visiting religious attractions often shoulders must be covered. Take a long a light scarf to drape over bare shoulders. It can easily be removed in favour of T-shirt or sleeveless attire.
Bare Legs
Bare legs are disrespectful in many situations. Even in Canada there are “No Shirt, No Shorts, No Service” dining facilities. Often cottagers attend Canadian Churches in shorts and T-shirts. Traditionalists frown on it. My aunt would never think of attending church functions without dressing up and wearing a stylish hat. In Europe and other vacation spots, the church regularly deny entry if you have bare legs. Take along a pair of zip off legs for these occasions so you can easily return to cool and comfortable shorts. If you intend to tour a lot of religious attractions, it might be worthwhile wearing a comfortable, lightweight pair of slacks for the whole day.
Don’t be surprised if you get away from beach and fun attractions areas more traditional clothing will be required. Things are lightening up but bare skin is often a no-no to many traditionalists. It is their country and their rules. Be respectful.
A Few Specific Random Examples
- Antigua and Barbuda: scanty clothing or beachwear is a no-no in towns or villages. Dressing in camouflage clothing is an offence for anyone, even children.
- British Virgin Islands: Informal attire for most occasions. Formal requirement at some hotels. Beachwear is for the beach or pool side.
- Cuba: The men of Cuba rarely wear shorts other than on the beach. Visitors in shorts may receive the odd disapproving glance. Women should cover their legs and shoulders if visiting churches.
- Portugal: Casual wear is commonly accepted. Beachwear should not be worn in towns.
- Egypt: Clothing should be conservative. Women should not wear revealing Attire, especially when in religious buildings and in smaller towns
More information can be found at this location.
Select a country from the drop down menu at the top or click on a region on the map to see lists of countries to choose from. Look for Social Conventions for tips on dress codes and social expectations.
Click here to choose attractions and restaurant information from many vacation spots around the world.
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Notes from Jennifer:Any information provided is for guideline purposes only and is subject to availability and change which will be confirmed with you before making a reservation. - We subscribe to a "No Surprises Please" advertising credo, but sometimes even we are surprised.
- All attempts have been made to insure a complete, honest price in our advertisements.
- Some situations are very fluid and beyond our control.
- As itinerary package details or pricing structures change, our advertisements will be updated.
- Canadian dollar (CAD) pricing for some international itineraries is based on prevailing exchange rates at time of publication. An updated CAD pricing will be verified with you at time of booking.
- I have watched prices change right on my computer screen. Only by confirming a booking with a deposit can prices be finalized.
- If airfare has been included in a quote, then it should be noted that airfare pricing and availability is like the stock market - and subject to change at anytime prior to booking.
- Many times international airfare can be placed on a no cost/no obligation hold for up to 72 hours on providing only your full name as it appears in your passport.
- If hotel accommodation has been part of a quote, it may be based on limited or time sensitive, consolidator-contracted rates. These rates can change without notice and may be subject to capacity controls.
- Travel insurance is highly recommended.
- Quotes routinely provide the deluxe insurance package rate.
- Conditions are subject to health and age qualifications.
- You must be presented with the insurance options and must acknowledge your decision on coverage as per TICO regulations.
- There is no obligation to buy travel inurance.
- By booking with us, a TICO registered travel agency, you are afforded certain limited protections and guarantees; please visit http://www.tico.ca for more information.
Please read all the fine print and understand that "double speak" can occur in the travel industry. Email or Phone (705)534-7520 for clarification or amplification of details which may confuse you.
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Jennifer Offen
Travelonly Associate
Brampton, ON
416-737-9954 cellEmail Jennifer
Travelonly TICO #4316071
Webmaster Doug Offen
Port McNicoll ON
705-534-7520
Email Doug
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The Importance of Walking Walking can add minutes to your life. This enables you at 85 years old to spend an additional 5 months in a nursing home at $7000 per month.
My grandpa started walking five miles a day when he was 60. Now he's 97 years old and we don't know where he is.
I like long walks, especially when they are taken by people who annoy me.
I have to walk early in the morning, before my brain figures out what I'm doing.
I joined a health club last year, spent about 400 bucks. Haven't lost a pound. Apparently you have to go there.
Every time I hear the dirty word 'exercise', I wash my mouth out with chocolate.
The advantage of exercising every day is so when you die, they'll say, 'Well, she looks good doesn't she.'
If you are going to try cross-country skiing, start with a small country.
I know I got a lot of exercise the last few years,...... just getting over the hill.
We all get heavier as we get older, because there's a lot more information in our heads. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
AND
Every time I start thinking too much about how I look, I just find a Happy Hour and by the time I leave, I look just fine.
Now that I am older, I thought it was great to have more patience... turns out I really don't give a darn!
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![[Monte Carlo Casino, Monaco (Riviera)] (LOC)](http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2700/4210443085_fa83a1b262_m.jpg "[Monte Carlo Casino, Monaco (Riviera)] (LOC)")
