A recent Financial Times article quotes Bruce Flynn, a UK native who has operated restaurants in New York and Florida: “This has been a problem for a long time.” Flynn is referring to a cultural difference between Europe and the US. European waiters get paid salaries — as much as US$1,750 per month in Rome — while their American counterparts live off a combination of low hourly pay and tips. European tourists, lured to the US by a favorable exchange rate — more than US$1.50 to one euro — are tipping as if they’re still in Europe — 10 percent tops, instead of 15 to 20 percent.

What to do? Some less-tony restaurants in the US are printing reminders at the bottom of the bill, with a suggested gratuity. Others are replacing the dollar symbol with a euro symbol, after the bill has been totaled up.

It’s not clear whether the stingy tips are a product of ignorance or, well, stinginess. European tourists are coming to the US in record numbers. Will awareness of US tipping practices increase, along with the number of transatlantic visits? So far, indications are “mais non.”

If you visit only one city in South America in your lifetime, chances are it’s going to be Buenos Aires (literally “good airs”). Safer, cheaper, and more family-friendly than that likely number two city Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires is heaven for tourists who want to stay busy with never-ending sights. The only problem is the city is so huge (one of the largest in the world with 13 million people) that you will only get a taste. You will know Buenos Aires like an ant knows your house, but hopefully it’s the good parts like the pantry and cookie jar. Let’s take a twenty-four hour ride through the best of what Buenos Aires has to offer.

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In the smorgasbord of Northern European nations that makes up Scandinavia, Sweden has always been known as the “big sister”. Its capital, Stockholm, has been the living-city proof of this. Held as the cultural centre of the region, where all the action is, Stockholm has been on any self-respecting European traveler’s list of must-see party cities for decades. Now I beg to add another one.

Welcome to Oslo, Norway, the cocky little brother that has all of a sudden grown up. Action wise, I’d say it is the best you can do in Scandinavia right now.

Blonde Ambitions Tour: Arriving at the Gardemoen Airport

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As you’ll notice counting the factories and powerplants during the long ride from Malpensa Airport to the center of town, Milan is the capital of the heavily industrialized northern Italian region of Lombardy. To the world, Milan is the capital of the Italian fashion industry. To me, Milan is both treat and retreat – while only a quick hop by plane or train from the other business centers Western Europe, it’s “Latin” enough to allow you to take advantage of Italy’s more relaxed attitude toward living. Continue Reading…

I love Taipei.  Not from the perspective of someone from the USA, but as a native New Yorker. There are strong parallels between our respective cities. Taipei, like New York City, sits off the coast of a very large and powerful country; we acknowledge their existence, but we pretty much try to do our own thing regardless of whether the mainland approves or not.

I have been traveling to Taiwan since 2004 and completed nearly 3-month stays in 2005 and in 2007. My girlfriend, a resident of Taipei, reciprocates by visiting me at half yearly intervals. This has given me a great view and appreciation of the city. Taipei to me represents safety, comfort and a second home. I love the infrastructure, the look and design of their buildings, their spotless MRT subway line, and the mish-mash of old and new. The Taiwanese adherence to tradition is coupled with the need to push forward and modernize. The trick, as always, is to find the proper balance between progress and heritage. This never-ending clash of ideas and interests is the engine that provides Taipei with its identity as much as it does New York City.

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I had never had a reason or urge to visit Bali, but recently fate and circumstance allowed me to do just that. A package deal from EVA Airlines (Taiwan’s safest airline) made this part of Indonesia impossible to resist. Roundtrip airfares during Bali’s dry season, which runs from May til September, can be had for about $2,800 from Los Angeles (though fares drop as the rainy season approaches). The five hour flight from Taipei to Bali’s Denpasar Airport was efficient and non-eventful. Upon arrival, we lined up to purchase our landing visas. (Note carefully your length of stay, or else you will be fined when you try to depart!). Once outside, we were greeted by mild temperatures, low humidity, and our driver, who took us to the Patra Bali.

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