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Frankfurt and Mainz (Germany): Gutenberg Museum
After Vietnam, we had to return to France for family reasons. In recent years, the Vietnamese airline Bamboo has been offering very affordable tickets between Hanoi/Saigon and Frankfurt. We took the opportunity to spend a week in Germany before taking the train to Paris. I haven’t been back to Germany since the start of Covid (March 2020). Yes, if you still remember, I had to flee Germany, fearing that the borders would close for good and that I’d end up in lockdown alone in Germany (a fear that turned out to be well-founded!). On that solo trip, I didn’t get to fully enjoy Mainz, so I decided to go back.…
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Review of my (free!) lunch at Mallory Gabsi’s in Paris
With our card With American Express Platinum, we get a great perk every year: a €400 reimbursement for restaurant expenses at a selection of fine dining establishments. It’s even a perk you can enjoy twice, as this €400 is split into €200 in France and €200 abroad. While in Paris, we took advantage of this offer to have lunch at Mallory Gabsi’s, on Rue des Acacias in the 17th arrondissement. I didn’t know, but Mallory Gabsi is a Belgian chef who became known for reaching the semi-finals of the TV show Top Chef in 2020. Anh, who was supposed to join me, wasn’t feeling well that morning. It was too…
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Which Amex should you choose? The comparison!
Referrals If you would like a referral for an Amex card, click on the relevant links below depending on which one you’re interested in. American Express: What Is It? Still relatively unknown in France, American Express is a payment card, just like Visa and Mastercard cards. Contrary to what is sometimes imagined, American Express is not a bank where you entrust your savings. The principle is relatively simple: when you sign up for an Amex card, you sign a direct debit authorization from your bank account in favor of American Express. Once you receive your card, you can use it for your purchases, and Amex will debit you at the…
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Ryde Malta: review + promo code for the Uber equivalent
To get a promo code for the Ryde app in Malta, click here or use the promo code 74D5B0BC In Malta, there are 4 ride-hailing apps (Private Hire Vehicles) These 4 apps work in a very similar way and replicate the well-known mechanism of the leader, Uber. Price Comparison However, Ryde stands out with more competitive prices. Here’s a simulation of the 4 apps for a trip between the international airport and the Mercure Hotel in St Julian’s. This simulation was done on November 27, 2022, and fares can obviously vary depending on time, demand, etc. App Rate Ryde 11,55 € eCabs 12,90 € Bolt 14,30 € Uber 13,32 €…
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AVA travel insurance: Review + promo code for the Plan Sante Avanture
To get a 5% promo code on AVA’s Plan Sante Avanture, click here (the promo code will apply automatically) or use the code TDM5 Taking out health insurance is essential when traveling long-term. Indeed, bank card insurance covers you for the first 90 days of your trip, and coverage of your expenses by the French Health Insurance abroad is only hypothetical. Depending on the country, hospitalization costs can reach staggering amounts. There are too many stories of travelers in huge trouble for trying to save a few hundred euros on insurance: your life is worth more than that! AVA’s AVAnture health plan is travel insurance well-suited for round-the-world travelers. Who…
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How to use Google Maps offline / without an internet connection
In this short video, I’ll show you how to download offline maps on Google Maps. This feature isn’t very well known because it’s not heavily promoted, but it’s actually very handy. You’ll be able to find your way and get directions: And if you do have internet, it will save on data usage. A must-do for all the places you plan to travel to.
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All You Need to Know About SCPIs: Investing in Real Estate Made Easy
Three years ago, I wrote an article briefly describing what we do to prepare for retirement. That article was shared with our relatives who are interested in the topic. While stock market investing or employee savings plans don’t interest many people, we regularly get questions about SCPI. Since the topic deserves more than a 10-minute chat over dessert, I’m diving into it in this article. I’ll deliberately simplify some things to make it accessible to beginners, while trying to be as accurate as possible. This article is not investment advice. When it comes to money, more than anything else, advisors aren’t the ones who pay. I strongly encourage you to…
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My Current Favorites [September 2022]: Stardust Ring, Leather Craft Classes, Slim Cera
September is always an exciting month for me because it’s one more excuse to treat myself: my birthday. As every year, I never wait for my birthday to buy myself nice things or experiences, but it’s always cool to have them right in September. As usual, we didn’t throw a party or invite friends, but there are plenty of gifts. Thank you, thank you! P.S.: My parents bought a cream-filled cake just the way I like them, and JB treated us all to an amazing weekend in Yen Tu (see the travel diary here). Stardust at Beautiful Accident Let’s start with this custom ring I had made at Beautiful Accident.…
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Visit of the Delvaux store in Paris
After visiting the Moynat workshops, we are walking down the street when we pass by the Delvaux boutique. It’s a brand I’ve been following on Instagram for several months, so I’m pleased to see the bags in person. We are very, very well received. The store is almost empty, so we can ask as many questions as we want to our salesperson. He is extremely passionate, and very proud to have visited the Delvaux workshops in Belgium (of which he showed us photos). When he saw that I knew about leather, he was able to give me even more details about the exotic leathers in the store. In short, a…
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Special Days: Tour of the Moynat Workshops in Paris
The visit took place in October 2022, but I’m only getting around to writing a post about it now 😀 I’m not paid by anyone, no one’s sponsoring me, these opinions are my own, thanks! I first heard about and Moynat on YouTube: fashionistas frustrated by the cold, dismissive reception at Hermès and Goyard are turning to Moynat to get products they claim are “equivalent” to Hermès for less money and, above all, available. After doing some research, I found out that Moynat is part of the LVMH group, and that’s perfect! The LVMH Special Days offer a tour of Moynat’s workshops, and since most shareholders have never heard of…
