TDM
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Where to exchange money in Athens?
In Athens, the day before we went to Egypt, we were worried about tipping. Having taken a first trip to Egypt a few years ago, we had the opportunity to realize how prevalent the culture of baksheesh is. Anyone who provides you with a service, no matter how small, will expect a tip. It’s part of Egyptian culture, and it’s surely amplified by the fact that you’re a foreign tourist, and therefore obviously very rich š Anyway, not only does it need to be factored into your budget, but on top of that, we remembered the difficulty of getting small bills for tips, which caused a certain amount of stress.…
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Egypt: How to get the visa on arrival at the airport
It’s very simple. Before passing through immigration, you’ll see a small arrow pointing to “visa on arrival.” It points to two counters that look like currency exchange / bank counters. The visa costs 25 dollars per person, and you need to pay in foreign currency. If you don’t have dollars, you’ll have to pay 25 euros. The exchange rate, as you can see, isn’t great. So if you have US dollars, pay in dollars. We didn’t have exact change but giving a 100-dollar bill, we got change in dollars, no worries! If you only have euros, that’s fine too, but note that paying in US dollars costs the equivalent of…
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How to get a visa for Jordan? Is the Jordan Pass worth it?
I first wanted to apply for an eVisa in anticipation of our trip to Jordan, but it seems the website doesn’t want us. Indeed, as French citizens, the visa is obtained on arrival, and costs 40 JOD. Apparently with cash payment in JOD, so you’ll need to exchange money at the airport’s exchange offices, which we want to avoid. I could have ended my article there, but I discovered that the visa is free if you’ve purchased, before your arrival, a “Jordan Pass”. The Jordan Pass costs between 70 and 80 JOD depending on the number of days you plan to spend in Petra. Be careful to buy these passes…
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How to get an e-visa for Saudi Arabia?
At theDubaĆÆ World Expo in 2022, we visited the impressive pavilion of theSaudi Arabia which gave us an irrepressible urge to visit this country. When a Saudi employee asked us at the exit, we replied, “what a shame we can’t visit your country!”. He replied: “of course you can visit Saudi Arabia”.“Really?”“Yes, you can go see my colleague over there, you’ll get your visa in 10 minutes”. Woooow. Indeed, since October 2019, the Kingdom has opened up to “non-religious tourism”. Saudi Arabia is preparing for “life after oil” and plans to develop tourism to make it a significant economic sector. Maybe it’s because of Covid that came right after, but…
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Visiting the Panathenaic Stadium in Athens (Greece)
On the day we arrived, we briefly passed by the Panathenaic Stadium (which means “stadium of all Athenians”) in a taxi. It was only two days before we left that I finally decided to visit it. It is a bit out of the way, but you can get there by public transport. This stadium has a (very, very) long history. Entrance to the site costs ā¬10. If you just want to take a photo, you can do so from the outside. The stadium certainly no longer looks anything like it did in antiquity, but you can still feel the weight of history. Its stands, all in marble and with very…
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The Island of Paros (Greece) in December
We’ve been in Greece for almost a month now (at Athens) but we haven’t been doing much sightseeing. The exact reason will be revealed soon, but let’s just enjoy this little travel journal. We did manage to find some time to visit a Greek island. The choices are endless, there are so many islands! We decide to visit the island of Paros, which is more accessible and less famous than the others, completely skipping Mykonos, Santorini… Part 1: Travel JournalPart 2: Practical Tips Part 1: Travel Journal Paros is a 4-hour ferry ride from Athens. We could have taken a plane, but a ferry of that duration seems quite reasonable…
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My Current Favorites ā [December 2024]: Online Sewing Courses
I’ve mentioned in several posts that I need to completely overhaul my winter wardrobe (read more on my other lifestyle blog). There are at least 5-6 pieces to buy (I’m the type to dress from a capsule wardrobe), but since I can’t find anything in stores, I’ve decided to get back into sewing.. Fifteen years ago, I took 3 months of sewing classes for professionals in Vietnam. The goal was to pass the equivalent of the French CAP MMVF, but I came back to France in the meantime, so I never finished the training. To get back into sewing, I want to take classes from real professionals. But online. Tailor,…
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Geoffrey B. Small, the man who makes the best clothes in the world
As you know, I’m in the middle of refreshing my winter wardrobe. I haven’t set foot in a store in years. When I finally go shopping again this year, I realize that everything is plastic (polyester, acrylic, viscose…), and it’s impossible to find a decent piece of clothing even if I’m willing to pay the price. Why has the fashion industry sunk so low? I did my research, I read books… until I stumbled upon Geoffrey B. Small, an American designer based in Italy, in Veneto, the Hollywood of luxury brands. He’s the only one who can truly claim to make the best clothes in the world. Listening to his…
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DIY Novonappa Leather Belt for JB – Hand-stitched with Saddle Stitch
Even though JB doesn’t need a Novonappa belt at all, I showed him the Novonappa straps sold by my usual leather supplier, 3Q Leather, and convinced him it was a good idea. I love making belts because it lets me sew several meters, and I love sewing. After this project, I realize that sewing straight isn’t as exciting as I thought, haha. The first thing to choose is the buckle. This buckle is called a ‘stirrup buckle’ and is a must-have accessory for horse riding enthusiasts. The reason I chose it is its simplicity. With this buckle, I’ll have less work and one big hole less. I also go for…
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Visiting the Acropolis of Athens, Parthenon & Shopping (Greece)
After about ten days in Istanbul, here we are in Greece for the first time! Part 1: Travel JournalPart 2: Practical Tips Part 1: Travel Journal Oddly enough, we took a long time to visit some European countries. Since it’s close to France, there’s the “we can go later” side. That’s why a destination as popular as Athens has remained unknown to us after almost 8 years of traveling the world. This is the first time we’ve set foot on Greek soil. We were told to come to Greece with a lot of imagination because the archaeological sites aren’t as well preserved as in Italy. And indeed, they are less…
