What souvenirs to buy?

Which woman, single or not, doesn't like jewelery? The single woman traveler doesn't want to be loaded down with souvenirs which, once at home, just end up on a shelf or gather dust in a dark corner. What fits the bill of being souvenir and a piece a woman likes to wear is affordable jewelery and the Caribbean islands offer a treasure trove. My favorite are the pieces which I found in Charlotte Amalie, the capital of St. Thomas in the USVI and, to be precise, in the World Amber Museum. What I didn't know until visiting the museum is that a) amber is also found in the Caribbean and b) that it comes in many colors from light green to the darkest brown. Amber pieces are very light even when set in silver or gold and flattering to every age. Unlike diamonds, emeralds etc. amber jewelery can be worn all day long. Just look at this gorgeous pendant, but there are bracelets, rings, earrings etc. for every taste and occasion available in the museum's small retail store.

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Webalbum from my cruise

Look at the fantastic pictures from my cruise in the Caribbean in my webalbum.

The single woman is cruising...

On a cruise ship that is! 8 days lie just behind me which I spent on board the Carnival Freedom, cruising Puerto Rico, St. Thomas, Tortola, Antigua and Nassau/Bahamas. Cruises don't come cheap and, therefore I let myself be persuaded by the travel agent to share a cabin with a "very nice lady your won age". I of course didn't know the lady in question, but I thought: I'm not a difficult person, I don't snore and don't have smelly feet and it's only for a few nights and..anyway we won't spend much time in the cabin. Let me tell you: don't do it! If you can't afford the rather stiff price for a single cabin, don't go on the cruise, but never, ever share with some one you don't know. I had to move into a single cabin after two nights, because there was no way I would allow myself to be patronized in the manner this woman tried. Among other things: she asked me not to use perfume or Eau de Cologne in the bathroom in the morning as she can't stand the scent so early in the day. I kid you not!!!

Contacts or glasses?

Of course, being women, we want to look nice even if we embark on long haul flights. Looking good and being comfortable are top priority. And as this is a blog oriented towards women of a "certain age" many of us will need glasses. Reading glasses are no problem, but what about short sigthedness? For those who usually use contact lenses here is a piece of advice: get yourself a pair of chic glasses when you plan a long distance flight and dispense with the contacts. Dehydration is a major problem when flying and eyes dry out, with the result, that the lenses get very sticky and itchy. Cases have been known, where they stuck so terribly to the eyeball that they needed to be removed surgically. Get yourself not too dark sun glasses with prescription lenses. They have the added advantage of hiding tired eyes and you may even be mistaken for a celebrity.

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I'm on authorsden now!

Where authors and readers come together!

Magazines woman travelers would want to write for.

As you can see, travel is my passion. But, enjoying it all on my own is only half the fun. Therefore, I love to share my adventures (and mis-adventures, as the case may be), experiences, pictures and anything else which occurs whilst I'm roaming the world with others who are equally familiar with the "itchy feet" syndrome. Question is, where to find a forum to put one's articles and pictures. The choice is big, so I will today talk about two online magazines, which I love to read and to write for. An added bonus is, that the editors of both are approachable and actually correspond with you. That's not always the case. Number one is Gonomad. The articles published there showcase beautiful destinations as well as giving useful information to find one's way around. Editor Max Hartshorne replies quickly and is for me "The man with the hat". It was his birthday recently, so send him a Happy Birthday on facebook. Number two, where I have just been assigned to write an article, is travelwithachallenge. The mag is orientated towards older travelers, which suits me just fine, given that I'm no spring chicken anymore. Editor Alison Gardner is very nice too, responds quickly and tells you exactly what she wants. Both magazines need top notch pictures, preferably your own. So, if you like, follow my footsteps and happy writing.

Two peculiar fashion icons

On my recent trip to Santiago de Compostela in Galicia/Spain, I happened upon the story of the Two Marias. The ladies were living in poverty and suffered greatly in the times of Franco. To get ahead, they became seamstresses and created their own, outrageous clothes. Then, in post war Santiago, at exactly 2pm on the dot, every day come rain come shine, they went out, dressed in their latest creations and walked for an hour along the Rambla, teasing and flirting with the students, giving fashion advice to the girls and becoming much in demand as designers and embroiderers. The Two Marias became a local legend and the darlings of an entire city. Upon their death, they were even honoured with a statue and many a poem was dedicated to them.