{"id":12085,"date":"2019-05-31T03:28:14","date_gmt":"2019-05-31T10:28:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/?p=12085"},"modified":"2020-11-07T00:28:28","modified_gmt":"2020-11-07T08:28:28","slug":"french-wine-treatment-women-traveling-solo-beatle-beat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/french-wine-treatment-women-traveling-solo-beatle-beat\/","title":{"rendered":"Women Traveling Solo, Strasbourg Wine Treatment, Obscure French Restaurants"},"content":{"rendered":"

10 Safety Mistakes Women Shouldn\u2019t Make When Traveling Alone<\/span><\/h2>\n

Courtesy \u00a0Caroline Morse Teel, SmarterTravel<\/a><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"Solo travel can be exhilarating, freeing, and helpful in learning new things about yourself. But solo travelers, especially females, can also be more vulnerable while alone on the road. We spoke to some solo women travel experts who shared their top safety mistakes to avoid when traveling alone.<\/p>\n

Arriving in a New Location During Off Hours<\/h3>\n

Taking a flight that gets in at 3:00 a.m. may be cheaper, but do you really want to arrive in an unfamiliar city for the first time when the streets are dark and empty? Janice Waugh at\u00a0Solo Traveler<\/a>\u00a0says, \u201cArriving in daylight makes it easier to find your accommodation and gives you time to change it if you find that it is unsuitable.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dressing Inappropriately<\/h3>\n

Choose your outfits wisely, and try to err on the side of conservatism. Research your destination and find out if it\u2019s taboo to have uncovered shoulders, etc., and dress appropriately. Not only will you be showing respect for other cultures, but you\u2019ll be drawing less attention to yourself by blending in.<\/p>\n

Not Having a Backup Plan<\/h3>\n

The late Evelyn Hannon, founder of\u00a0Journeywoman<\/a>, told SmarterTravel, \u201cIt\u2019s very important [for me] to have a good backup plan if I am robbed or if I lose my credit cards. Here is one of my best tricks. Save your empty vitamin pill bottles; generally you can\u2019t see through these. Roll up five $20 bills, put them into the bottle, and add some old loose pills. If you shake this bottle it still sounds like a pill bottle and nobody would consider looking into it for money. You can leave this bottle in your backpack, your hotel room or in your cosmetic case. The contents remain safe and ready for you should you need it.\u201d Also, be sure to scan a copy of your passport and other important documents and email them to yourself. This way you\u2019ll have access to your information in case it\u2019s stolen.<\/p>\n

Assuming Other Women Are Safe<\/h3>\n

Janice Waugh writes, \u201cWomen often feel safer with other women. And, when it comes to small-time danger, we probably are. But there are also dangerous women who are just as capable of luring you into bad situations as men. Be cautious.\u201d Of course, this doesn\u2019t mean that you shouldn\u2019t make new friends on the road \u2014 just be alert for potential scams and dangers, especially when you first meet someone.<\/p>\n

Telling People Where You\u2019re Staying<\/h3>\n

Whether you\u2019re filling out a form that asks for the address of where you\u2019re staying, asking for directions, or just making conversation, be sure to guard the location of your accommodation from prying eyes. Try not to let on that you\u2019re staying alone, as well. (Hey, we\u2019ve all seen\u00a0Taken, right? Never share a cab to a hotel with a stranger either!)<\/p>\n

Taking an Unlicensed Cab<\/h3>\n

Taxis have licenses for a reason \u2014 you\u2019re getting into a car alone with a stranger. Don\u2019t be tempted by illegal cabs, even if they\u2019re cheaper. Ask your hotel to hail or call you a cab when going out, and ask the concierge for the number of a reputable agency you can call to take you home. If you\u2019re using a ride-sharing company like Uber or Lyft, always check the license plate number and confirm the name of your driver before getting in the vehicle.<\/p>\n

Wearing Flashy Jewelry<\/h3>\n

Sure, you want to look cute while on vacation. But leave the shiny stuff at home \u2014 even if it\u2019s costume jewelry. You don\u2019t want to seem like a wealthy target.<\/p>\n

Answering Your Hotel Door<\/h3>\n

Whether it\u2019s someone claiming to be hotel maintenance, room service (that you didn\u2019t order), or even housekeeping, don\u2019t open your hotel door when you\u2019re alone in the room (especially without checking the peephole first). If there\u2019s someone telling you about an emergency or a maintenance issue and they need access to your room, call down to the hotel\u2019s front desk to verify their story.<\/p>\n

Accepting Food\/Drink from Strangers<\/h3>\n

\u201cAccepting food from strangers is not always the right thing to do,\u201d says Hannon. \u201cPicture this. You are traveling solo on an overnight train in Europe. The young couple seated beside you are very chatty and offer lots of good advice about what to do at your destination. They unpack a wonderful picnic of sausage, cheese, fresh bread, and wine. The aromas are so enticing, they offer to share their food and wine. You\u2019re thinking, \u2018This is what European travel is all about.\u2019 Again, evaluate very carefully before you partake. Understand that drugging is always a possibility. You don\u2019t want to wake up to find your friendly neighbors gone along with all your belongings.\u201d<\/p>\n

Letting Fear Hold You Back<\/h3>\n

We\u2019re not trying to scare you off solo travel. Just be careful. Laura Walker from\u00a0A Wandering Sole<\/a> says, \u201cDo your research and don\u2019t be afraid to engage locals. People were worried when I told them I was going to Jordan and Rwanda. Jordan happens to be one of the safest countries in the world and is safer than virtually all large cities in America. Rwanda also is extremely safe and I never felt in danger in either of these countries. Don\u2019t get me wrong, I take standard precautions, but I don\u2019t let fear or inaccurate information prevent me from traveling and enjoying myself. Do your research and go with an open mind. I have found that locals want you, as a visitor, to enjoy their country, and you should ask them for the most up-to-date information on any safety issues.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

France\u2019s Fascinating \u2018Wine Treatment\u2019<\/span><\/h2>\n

Courtesy Melissa Banigan<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

In Strasbourg\u2019s H\u00f4pital civil, a bottle of Ch\u00e2teauneuf-du-Pape would be prescribed for bloating, while a C\u00f4tes de Provence ros\u00e9 was used to treat obesity.<\/p>\n

The father of medicine, the Greek physician Hippocrates, experimented with a number of wine varietals to treat various ailments, believing that, \u201cWine is an appropriate article for mankind, both for the healthy body and for the ailing man.\u201d In modern times, we\u2019re generally taught to drink in moderation, but in France, which traces its viticulture back to the 5th Century BCE, \u2018\u00e0 votre sant\u00e9\u2019<\/em> \u2013 or \u2018to your health\u2019 \u2013 was a toast that still rang true until the turn of the 21st Century.<\/p>\n

To learn more about France\u2019s deliciously incestuous relationship between wine and medicine, I needed to visit a wine cellar deep in the bowels of a medieval hospital in Strasbourg, located in the Alsace region of eastern France.<\/p>\n

Strasbourg, a modern city with a 2,000-year history, is perhaps best known for its centre (the Grande-\u00cele), which was listed as a\u00a0Unesco World Heritage<\/a>\u00a0site in 1988. Travellers flock here to wander through its world-famous\u00a0Christmas market<\/a>,\u00a0Cathedral Notre Dame<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Palais Rohan<\/a>, as well as to dine in typical Alsatian\u00a0winstubs\u00a0(wine restaurants) such as\u00a0Restaurant Chez Yvonne<\/a>\u00a0or\u00a0Maison Kammerzell<\/a>, which sits in a building dating 1427.<\/p>\n

But I was heading to the H\u00f4pital civil de Strasbourg, a teaching hospital that was founded 1119. On that late, rainy evening, the streets were empty, and as I walked over the wet cobblestones with two companions, it was easy to imagine what the city might\u2019ve looked like hundreds of years ago.<\/p>\n

Since 1395, the H\u00f4pital civil de Strasbourg has had a symbiotic relationship with the Cave Historique des Hospices de Strasbourg (Historic Wine Cellar of Strasbourg Hospices), which lies directly beneath the hospital: one literally wouldn’t exist without the other. For around 600 years, many of the hospital\u2019s patients paid their medical bills with tracts of vineyard \u2013 and the grapes grown on these newly acquired lands were then made into wine in the cellar. This was a common practice in France, as the vineyards provided income for the hospitals; and the cellars \u2013 which functioned as large refrigerators \u2013 were the perfect places for keeping wine cool.<\/p>\n

People from all over France came to the hospital to receive \u2018wine treatments\u2019, which were exactly what they sound like: up to two bottles a day of wine to treat various ailments.<\/p>\n

\"wine
The Cave Historique des Hospices de Strasbourg made and stored wines used for treating ailments in the H\u00f4pital civil.<\/span> Photo courtesy: Melissa Banigan<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Although wine treatments were ubiquitous in ancient times, Thibaut Baldinger, the manager of the cellar who had graciously agreed to stay late to give my companions and me a tour, said that he had seen proof that wine had been used as medicine since the 1960 \u2013 and that the treatments weren\u2019t stopped until 1990.<\/p>\n

A bottle of Ch\u00e2teauneuf-du-Pape, for example, would be prescribed for bloating, while a bottle of everyone\u2019s summer favourite, C\u00f4tes de Provence ros\u00e9, was used to treat obesity. High cholesterol? Just two measly glasses of Bergerac. For herpes, patients were told to bathe in a lovely Muscat de Frontignan. Trouble with your libido? Six dreamy glasses of Saint-Amour purportedly lubricated ailing lovers into Casanovas in no time at all \u2013 interestingly, two fillettes<\/em>, or carafes, of this wine were also said to work for maladie de la femme<\/em> (women troubles).<\/p>\n

“What about the liver?” I quipped? Baldinger laughed: “Some treatments perhaps worked better than others.”<\/p>\n

I did later note, however, that the list of wine treatments included three entire bottles of Beaune Eau Gazeuse (Beaune wine mixed with sparkling water) for \u2018cirrhose<\/em>\u2019, leading me to believe that at least one person from modern history believed inebriation to be an antidote to liver failure.<\/p>\n

Although the hospital’s wine treatments ended several decades ago, the cellar continues to play an important role in France’s winemaking history by continuing to showcase some of France\u2019s finest wines while financially supporting the hospital. In 1995, however, the 600-year-old cellar was nearly relegated to history books for what Baldinger called a \u201clack of profitability\u201d.<\/p>\n

Over the 20th Century, the hospital sold off tracts of vineyards to finance certain hospital projects that required immediate attention, effectively stemming the supply of grapes to the cellar. The cellar was then forced to abandon its giant oak wine barrels after new French law \u2013 the\u00a0Loi \u00c9vin<\/a>\u00a0\u2013 was passed in 1991. The law had strict provisions meant to prevent alcoholism, which meant the government no longer looked kindly upon booze in the basement of an\u00a0\u00e9tablissement de sant\u00e9<\/em>, or health facility.<\/p>\n

Baldinger\u2019s predecessor, Philippe Junger, became the de facto defender of the cellar by rallying the support of Alsatian wine growers and creating the Society of Agricultural Collective Interest (SICA). The collective found ways to convince lawmakers to keep the cellar open by arguing its importance as part of the region\u2019s heritage.<\/p>\n

Successfully saving the historical site, dozens of Alsatian vineyards began working to improve their wines under the watchful eye (and nose) of Junger and the cellar\u2019s oenologists. Since 1996, a competitive blind tasting has been conducted every January: any wine that doesn’t make the cut is booted from the cellar.<\/p>\n

\"wine
Hospital patients received up to two bottles a day of wine to treat various ailments.<\/span> Photo courtesy: Melissa Banigan<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Today, the cellar produces 140,000 bottles of Gew\u00fcrztraminer, Klevener de Heiligenstein, Sylvaner and Riesling per year, using grapes grown by 26 different wine partners. The wines are aged for six to 10 months in mammoth oak barrels before being bottled and sold to the public. Amazingly, the cellar does no advertising of any kind and has only\u00a0a website<\/a>. \u201cEvery wine-making partner gives a small percentage of his production to the historical cellar shop, as rent,\u201d said Baldinger. The proceeds from the cellar\u2019s portion of the production are invested into the purchase of medical equipment for the hospital, while the partners benefit from the lion\u2019s share of the wine.<\/p>\n

There are some wines in the cellar that are never sold. Baldinger pointed to a small cabinet adhered to the cellar\u2019s stone wall. Inside the dimly lit case was a skull and a clear bottle of wine \u2013 the liquid inside discoloured by age to rust-red, like dried blood \u2013 on which was written a date: 1472. \u201cThere\u2019s some speculation that the skull belonged to Mister Arthur, the first cellar master. He might\u2019ve had too much of the wine,\u201d Baldinger said.<\/p>\n

And the story of this rust-red wine \u2013 the first produced by the cellar? \u201cI\u2019ll show you,\u201d replied Baldinger, leading us away from the case and between two rows of giant oak barrels. There, an old, imposing iron gate separated the cellar from a storage area, in which sat about half a dozen smaller, older oak barrels. Baldinger pulled a large skeleton key from his pocket and opened the gate to where the cellar’s Vin Blanc d’Alsace<\/em> (White Wine of Alsace), what is believed to be the world\u2019s oldest barrel-stored white wine, is kept.<\/p>\n

Baldinger explained that this wine has only been tasted three times: The first was in 1576, when the inhabitants of nearby Z\u00fcrich (more than 200km to the south-east) shipped a giant kettle of porridge to Strasbourg to show that the city would provide assistance if there were ever a need. In less than 24 hours, the porridge arrived, still warm. Baldinger says that Strasbourg responded in kind by uncorking the city\u2019s fabled wine and giving some thirsty Z\u00fcrichers a sip.<\/p>\n

The second tasting was in 1718, during the reconstruction of the hospital following a devastating fire, when the pharmacy (which 200 years ago was a bakery), the Protestant chapel and the wine cellar were the only buildings not affected by the disaster. \u201cA phial containing the wine from 1472 was symbolically set down into the first stone of the new building and, on this occasion, the wine was tasted for the second time,\u201d Baldinger explained.<\/p>\n

The final time the wine was drunk was in 1944. During World War Two, the cellar had operated under Nazi control (who, according to Thibaut, filled most barrels with their favourite wine: Bordeaux). After the end of the war, just after the liberation of Strasbourg, General Leclerc (who would later become Marshal of France) took a celebratory sip of the vintage.<\/p>\n

\"cellar
The cellar houses what is believed to be the world\u2019s oldest barrel-stored white wine, which dates to 1472.<\/span> Photo courtesy: Melissa Banigan<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Most visitors to the cellar aren\u2019t even allowed past the gate, but perhaps sensing our enthusiasm, Baldinger asked if we wanted to smell the cellar\u2019s crown jewel of wine. Bien s\u00fbr<\/em>, we replied.<\/p>\n

Baldinger reached up to the top of the oak barrel and gently jostled the cork until it came loose. Slowly, he waved the cork beneath our nostrils, allowing the wine\u2019s bouquet to hit our olfactory organs.<\/p>\n

Cognac<\/em>. I\u2019m no trained sommelier, but similar to French brandy, the wine smelled jammy, a little pruney, with hints of vanilla as well as what reminded me of my grandfather\u2019s old cigar box.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt smells lovely,\u201d I said hopefully. \u201cPerhaps just a little sip?\u201d<\/p>\n

Baldinger shook his head. The pH level of the wine, he said, is now 2.28 \u2013 far too acidic to drink without causing a sour stomach (most white wines have pH levels higher than 3.0).<\/p>\n

Not all the wine contained in the barrel was produced in 1472, however. \u201cWe add wine each time the cork is dry,\u201d Baldinger said. \u201cFour times a year, about four to six litres are added to the original 400 litres. We select a Riesling or a Sylvander that has aged in our cellar.\u201d<\/p>\n

And the original grapes used in the wine? \u201cUnfortunately, we don\u2019t know,\u201d Baldiner said. \u201cThere\u2019s been a lot of mutation over the years, and a lot of mixing of grapes in the vineyards.\u201d<\/p>\n

I sighed while watching Baldinger recork the barrel \u2013 I would have been willing to suffer a temporary upset stomach just to be able to say I had tried that special wine. Besides, shouldn\u2019t there be a wine treatment for such an ailment?<\/p>\n

\"wine
Wine is aged in the Cave Historique des Hospices de Strasbourg for six to 10 months before being made available for purchase.<\/span> Photo courtesy: Melissa Banigan<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Fortunately, there were plenty of other vintages to taste. Baldinger uncorked a bottle of Gew\u00fcrztraminer and gave each of us a healthy pour. We sat for a few minutes around a table with a red-and-white checked tablecloth and took a sip: sweet, with a bouquet of lychees, it was both delicious and fortifying on such a damp, rainy night \u2013 in fact, up until 1990, two glasses of the stuff were used to treat infection.<\/p>\n

So, as we left the cellar, I bought a bottle of the Alsatian \u2018medicine\u2019 to gift to my family for their medicine cabinet \u2013 or dinner table \u2013 back home.<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

Puerto Rico Tops the List Of Most Popular Flight Destinations From the USA<\/span><\/h2>\n

New data obtained by a flight-comparison site has revealed the most popular flight destinations searched for from the USA, with the San Juan Luis Mu\u00f1oz Marin Airport in Puerto Rico emerging as the most popular destination for 2019.<\/p>\n

The most searched for destination for visitors from outside of the USA was found to be New York City, followed by Miami and Orlando, whilst the most popular domestic flight routes around America were found to be between New York and Miami, and New York and Orlando.<\/p>\n

The data was compiled by the team at flight-comparison site www.us.jetcost.com<\/a> who analysed the number of searches onsite from American airports to destinations abroad between the 1st<\/sup> January and 19th<\/sup> May 2019.<\/p>\n

The most searched for foreign*<\/span> destinations from United States airports were found to be:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. San Juan Luis Mu\u00f1oz Airport, Puerto Rico \u2013 248,220 (searches for flights to this airport from inside the USA)<\/em><\/li>\n
  2. Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic \u2013 222,136<\/li>\n
  3. Havana, Cuba \u2013 194,887<\/li>\n
  4. Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic \u2013 149,887<\/li>\n
  5. Guadalajara, Mexico \u2013 125,350<\/li>\n
  6. Mexico City, Mexico \u2013 119,764<\/li>\n
  7. San Salvador, El Salvador \u2013 65,400<\/li>\n
  8. Holgu\u00edn, Cuba \u2013 63,453<\/li>\n
  9. Cancun, Mexico \u2013 52,202<\/li>\n
  10. Santa Clara, Cuba \u2013 50,434<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Also found as part of the study were the most popular US cities to fly to from outside of the States, with the top 10 found to be:<\/p>\n

      \n
    1. New York City \u2013 421,472 (searches for flights to this airport from outside of the USA)<\/em><\/li>\n
    2. Miami \u2013 381,517<\/li>\n
    3. Orlando \u2013 142,135<\/li>\n
    4. Los Angeles \u2013 100,526<\/li>\n
    5. Chicago \u2013 62,632<\/li>\n
    6. Boston \u2013 54,888<\/li>\n
    7. Washington \u2013 53,151<\/li>\n
    8. Houston \u2013 50,727<\/li>\n
    9. San Francisco \u2013 43,312<\/li>\n
    10. Atlanta \u2013 40,956<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      What\u2019s more, the most popular domestic routes were found to be between New York and Miami, and New York and Orlando, with the complete top 10 most searched for routes below:<\/p>\n

        \n
      1. New York to Miami \u2013 55,596<\/li>\n
      2. Miami to New York \u2013 40,688<\/li>\n
      3. New York to Orlando \u2013 30,536<\/li>\n
      4. Orlando to New York \u2013 15,704<\/li>\n
      5. Washington to Miami \u2013 14,119<\/li>\n
      6. New York to Los Angeles \u2013 13,123<\/li>\n
      7. Chicago to Miami \u2013 12,867<\/li>\n
      8. Houston to Miami \u2013 12,845<\/li>\n
      9. Atlanta to Miami \u2013 12,730<\/li>\n
      10. Philadelphia to Orlando \u2013 11,557<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        Commenting on the findings of the study, a spokesperson for www.us.jetcost.com<\/a>, said:<\/p>\n

        “It was interesting to see that the top 10 searches for flights from the USA were exclusively to destinations in Central and South America, showing that Americans generally prefer to vacation close by. Unsurprisingly, New York was the most popular destination for tourists into the States, although it was interesting that Miami was the second most searched for, despite being far less busy.”<\/p>\n

        *Foreign in this case refers to destinations not recognized by the site as a USA IATA, and are airports that are not on the mainland of the United States<\/a><\/p>\n

        <\/div>\n

        Chinese Tourism to US Declines For First Time in 15 Years<\/span><\/h2>\n

        Data from the National Travel and Tourism Office found travel from China to the U.S. fell 5.7 percent in 2018 to 2.9 million visitors. It marked the first time since 2003 that Chinese travel to the U.S. slipped from the year prior, The Associated Press reported.<\/p>\n

        The trade war between the U.S. and China could be one of the contributing factors of the tourism drop. The U.S. now has a 25 percent tariff on $200 billion worth of Chinese imports, while China has retaliated with tariffs on $60 billion of U.S. imports.<\/p>\n

        Another reason for the decline could be in wake of China issuing a travel warning for the U.S. last summer, telling its citizens to beware of shootings, robberies and high costs of medical care. The U.S. later struck back by issuing a warning to Americans about travel to China.<\/p>\n

        Another possible reason behind the tourism decline is economic uncertainty in China, which is leading many citizens to either travel closer to home — like to Hong Kong, Macau or Taiwan, for example. Those who do travel may be seeking out more exotic destinations like Croatia and Nepal, according to Wolfgang Georg Arlt, the director of the Chinese Outbound Tourism Research Institute said.<\/p>\n

        Chinese travel to the U.S. has been leveling out after it boomed earlier in the decade. In 2000, 249,000 Chinese visited the U.S. That number tripled to 802,000 by 2010, then tripled again by 2015, in part because of higher incomes, better long-haul flight connections and an easing of visa restrictions, according to consulting firm McKinsey.<\/p>\n

        In 2016 and 2017, more than 3 million Chinese visitors came to the U.S., but year-over-year growth edged up just 4 percent in 2017 — the slowest pace in more than a decade.<\/p>\n

        Most industry-watchers agree that any downturn is temporary, since China’s middle class will only continue to expand. The U.S. government forecasts Chinese tourism will grow 2 percent this year to 3.3 million visitors, and will reach 4.1 million visitors in 2023.<\/p>\n

        Overall, international travel to the U.S. has decreased.<\/p>\n

        Data for 2018 hasn\u2019t been released yet, but international travel to the U.S. fell 2 percent in 2016 and was flat in 2017. However, Chinese travelers contribute to the highest tourism traffic to the U.S. and any decline will be felt by destinations that have relied on the Chinese spending power.<\/p>\n

        Spending by Chinese visitors \u2013 which doesn\u2019t include students \u2013 has increased more than 600 percent between 2008 and 2016 to nearly $18.9 billion. To hold on to that money, experts said the U.S. tourism industry must do more to keep up with Chinese travelers and their changing needs.<\/a><\/p>\n

        <\/div>\n

        Customer Satisfaction in Airline Travel<\/span><\/h2>\n

        \"airline<\/p>\n

        A combination of newer planes, better ticket value, and improved customer touchpoints have driven overall satisfaction with airlines to its highest point in history.<\/p>\n

        Following are some of the key findings of the 2019 study:<\/p>\n