After a whirlwind 2025 for me (selling house in one state; moving to another state to live with a longtime travel friend who is also widowed; traveling on back-to-back 4-week cruises; speaking on cruises in the Mediterranean followed by a week in Portugal; taking a 7-week South Pacific cruise, plus a Yuletide Markets cruise in…
Tag: Customs
French Custom — Hands Above Dinner Table
We are currently in a month-long stay in an Airbnb property in the French countryside just a bit north of Bordeaux. When this stay ends, it will conclude a two-month visit to Europe that has already included a twelve-day cruise (Venice to Istanbul) a seven-day river cruise out of Bordeaux, and a few days in…
To Tip or Not or How Much or Why . . . ?
As I travel to various parts of this wonderful world — whether it’s speaking on cruise ships or just enjoying the beauty of the area — there are activities and customs that can be downright confusing to some. One of those customs has to do with leaving a tip for someone who’s provided a service…