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Weiner calls Franklin the "Least Dead" of the Founding Fathers of America. "Least Dead" for whom? Of pop cultures, TikTok, Facebook, social media and the rest? Benjamin Franklin is one of the founding fathers who was most revered, and who with his diplomatic activity secured French support for George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and the American cause in 1776. It was the French cannon, and the French Navy that made it possible for Washington to move his armies north and surround the British at Yorktown, Virginia ending the War of Independence. Weiner writes that Franklin is the most approachable one of the founding fathers, one you can talk with, one you would most likely want to have a beer with. Franklin is also the most interesting. Franklin's experiments with electricity are the earliest pioneering efforts of the scientific revolution of the 19th century that set Europe apart from Asia, and the scientific revolution of the 20th century that set America apart from the rest of the world. Franklin is not just a founding father, he is the founder of the US Post Office which was the radio and internet of its period making communication possible over long distances. Franklin was the first Postmaster General in 1775 and set up the US postal system. Franklin set up the first circulating library in 1731 and the University of Pennsylvania- the first fire department in Philadelphia. He was president of the state of Pennsylvania after Independence. There is a great deal of ignorance about the founding fathers no less in places like the entrance to the Smithsonian institution in Washington DC of all places, where no mention is made of Franklin as an Abolitionist, quite the reverse- Franklin's scientific mind and his modern thinking had no place for the European institution of slavery in the 1500-1800 period. Franklin was the president of the Pennsylvania Society for the Abolition of Slavery. Eric Weiner, is author of  "Ben and Me- In Search of a Founder's Formula for a Long and Useful Life." This is the second article in a series by NYT on America's 250th Anniversary for the Declaration of Independence. Weiner travels from Boston to London, and from Philadelphia to Paris along the sea route taken by Franklin to the Brittany coast in December 1776 with his 2 grandchildren, one of 7 voyages crossing the Atlantic. By 1781 Franklin had his first meeting with French King Louis XVI at Versailles. The US Mission and Franklin's home was located in the hillside village of Passy a few hours from Paris, where the clean country air and water helped revive him. He crosses the Atlantic again in 1783 when the Peace Treaty is signed by Franklin. Weiner is 70 in 2026 and writes that Franklin grew more serene with age even with some ailments, was loved in France, and returned to America for his final voyage home with his 2 grand children in 1785. A life well lived something for all Americans to aspire and emulate, and loved by his country. ...

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India is now the largest market for Rail Europe after the US, and India surpasses both China and Japan in 2024. Indian travelers are shown here in this report by DW.com as very keen on traveling to Europe and using rail to see different countries. Rail Europe CEO Bjorn Bender expects 40 million travelers coming to Europe from India in coming years. This flow of travelers from India has increased Rail Europe's global revenue by 60% by 2023.

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The Indian Express looks at the migration to European Union countries from Asian countries. Entry points include Serbia in Eastern Europe with tourist history built for entry. Routes that are long and hazardous. The lack of rapid industrialization and development in Asian countries leads to a flow of migrants to the EU and the US. Better management of this flow requires stable and good governance in Asian states and willingness of the EU and the US to share technology and invest in South Asian and South east Asian nations. Reports of Vietnamese or Indian immigrants in cramped spaces hidden in trucks or lorries, shows how the welfarism or handing out of government benefits is not the answer to the need for rapid industrial development and investment in infrastructure needed in South Asia and South East Asia. With accelerated development made possible with business in the EU and the US investing in manufacturing  in this part of the world. This is also part of what is seen as diversification of American and EU investment so that manufacturing is not simply concentrated in one Asian country. ...

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Travelers landing at Schipol airport in Amsterdam book their flights at the airport to fly right back to the U.S. after president Trump announces a ban on flights from 26 European countries. President Trump did not wait to coordinate with other European countries. Only Britain and Ireland flights are allowed at this time. The ban restricts European travelers from 26 countries for 30 days beginning March 13 at 11.59 pm. U.S. citizens coming from these 26 countries will be required to quarantine for 14 days upon arrival in the U.S.

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Pricing of hotels in Rome Italy where $100 is a hostel, $200 a budget hotel, luxury $700 a night an up. Dynamic pricing means a hotel can cost $400 in the summer and $60 or $100 in September. This is true of mjor toruist destinations and  major cities in Europe. Staying away from the city in a leafy suburb can get you a normally priced room on Booking.com as shown here in the range of $100-$200 and it is a good idea to stay away from the bustle and crowds. Rome's average nightly rate April 19 is $300 a night up about 15% over 2025.  This tells you the first rule in travel in European Union is to choose destinations which are not the big cities, and away from the seasonal rush and crowds. The advice here is to look for residential neighborhoods (less costly and more peaceful), plan 6 months  for peak season  to get a decent price and a better shot at getting a decent hotel in Europe.

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The weather around Thanksgiving in Amsterdam is wet and cold. The plane is full - for $522 from Phoenix to Amsterdam on Delta Airlines. The lounges are not full and the airport is manageable. 

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European Travel Information and Authorization System  ETIAS fee $24. ETIAS for travel to Europe starts late 2026. Visa free countries will still need visitors to get ETIAS a form of travel clearance. This means US, Japanese, Canadian and UK visitors to Europe will need to apply online before entering European countries. The authorization will be valid for 3 years or until the passport expires whatever comes first. Travelers may not stay more than 90 days in a 180 day period. Children under 18 and adults over 70 years will be exempt from the fee. Once one enters personal details the authorization is digital and received in minutes.

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A big surge in travel to mainland China from Asian countries and business travel from the US and Europe. Chinese travel outside of China to Hong Kong and Europe is also surging. Travel from China to Japan will face quarantines as Japan says there is no clarity on covid situation in China. A surge in cases and overcrowded hospitals is also causing much anxiety along with relief from the fatigue of lockdowns.

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Americans will need approval online for travel to Europe once the European Travel Information and Authorization System is fully in place by 2025.

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The average round trip airfare to Europe has dropped to about $650. With the end of revenge travel prices are returning to lower levels. Airlines are adding capacity and additional flights to Europe from the US which should further ease prices that stayed high in the summer.

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The WSJ shows options to travel to Europe from the US for under $200 one way on new budget airlines set up by Iceland (Play airline), Norway (Norse Atlantic Airways), Britain (Condor Airlines), France (French Bee), Italy (Neos). Add in bags and meals and it could run to about $400 one way as you pay for everything else extra. One would travel to that country to locations such as Reykjavik, Oslo, London, Paris, Milan, and connect to other parts of Europe. Flights are from New York, Los Angles, San Francisco, Miami. With fares for Delta, United, and other carriers up significantly this offers another option.

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Young people in Europe are one of the hardest hit groups in this pandemic. They are overrepresented in sectors such as travel, retail and tourism. where loss of jobs is the highest, particularly now that a second wave of coronavirus is hitting Europe. The lockdowns in Europe shut down many of these same sectors again.

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Indian Railways is going through a huge modernization program making travel at high speeds possible between major cities and making remote locations accessible. This BBC report looks at the travel that was done in the older version of Indian Railways in crowded rail compartments and different conditions. Rail travel to Baramulla in Kashmir and Rameswaram in Tamilnadu state are shown at different ends of India. This is changing rapidly as more modern trains which cover long distances in a few hours are taking the place of older trains. Modern rail stations are replacing old ones with levels of convenience and technology matching that in Europe.

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Airline flight prices increased in 2022 and 2023. The pricing appears to be unsustainable as business travel has declined. Leisure travel remained strong in 2022 and through summer 2023, but this demand is unsustainable. Prices for travel in the US and to Europe are expected to fall in September and bottom out by early October, says this report in WSJ. Overall prices are expected to come down to 2019 levels as travel comes down to normal levels after pent up demand from the pandemic is released.

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How global travel and ultra cheap flights in Europe have seeded this pandemic is the subject of this report in NYT. The Austrian resort here is one of many such ski resorts. An earlier report showed how 21 million tourists visiting beach resorts in Croatia on the Adriatic are spreading the coronavirus in a second wave in Europe in September. From Europe it is a short step to the U.S. and other countries. See in Links.

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Marco Rubio speaks for the US with profound convictions and long experience in the Florida legislature and the US Senate, and as akey member of the DJT administration. In his speech in Munich at the MSC he recalls his grandparents being from Piedmeont Sardinia in Italy and from Sevilla in Spain. He talks proudly of his Spanish and Italian heritage, of America founded by European settlers. For Europe this is a speech that shows America is profoundly part of Western Civilization that started in Europe. Here are some parts of the speech and Rubio's call for America and Europe to respond strongly to the mistakes in migration and deindustrialization that have hurt the people of Europe and America, with deeply felt negative consequences. "That infamous wall that had cleaved this nation into two came down, and with it an evil empire, and the East and West became one again.  But the euphoria of this triumph led us to a dangerous delusion:  that we had entered, quote, “the end of history;” that every nation would now be a liberal democracy; that the ties formed by trade and by commerce alone would now replace nationhood; that the rules-based global order – an overused term – would now replace the national interest; and that we would now live in a world without borders where everyone became a citizen of the world.  This was a foolish idea that ignored both human nature and it ignored the lessons of over 5,000 years of recorded human history.  And it has cost us dearly.  In this delusion, we embraced a dogmatic vision of free and unfettered trade, even as some nations protected their economies and subsidized their companies to systematically undercut ours – shuttering our plants, resulting in large parts of our societies being deindustrialized, shipping millions of working and middle-class jobs overseas, and handing control of our critical supply chains to both adversaries and rivals.  We increasingly outsourced our sovereignty to international institutions while many nations invested in massive welfare states at the cost of maintaining the ability to defend themselves.  This, even as other countries have invested in the most rapid military buildup in all of human history and have not hesitated to use hard power to pursue their own interests.  To appease a climate cult, we have imposed energy policies on ourselves that are impoverishing our people, even as our competitors exploit oil and coal and natural gas and anything else – not just to power their economies, but to use as leverage against our own.  And in a pursuit of a world without borders, we opened our doors to an unprecedented wave of mass migration that threatens the cohesion of our societies, the continuity of our culture, and the future of our people.  We made these mistakes together, and now, together, we owe it to our people to face those facts and to move forward, to rebuild.  Under President Trump, the United States of America will once again take on the task of renewal and restoration, driven by a vision of a future as proud, as sovereign, and as vital as our civilization’s past.  And while we are prepared, if necessary, to do this alone, it is our preference and it is our hope to do this together with you, our friends here in Europe.  For the United States and Europe, we belong together.  America was founded 250 years ago, but the roots began here on this continent long before.  The man who settled and built the nation of my birth arrived on our shores carrying the memories and the traditions and the Christian faith of their ancestors as a sacred inheritance, an unbreakable link between the old world and the new.  We are part of one civilization – Western civilization.  We are bound to one another by the deepest bonds that nations could share, forged by centuries of shared history, Christian faith, culture, heritage, language, ancestry, and the sacrifices our forefathers made together for the common civilization to which we have fallen heir. And so this is why we Americans may sometimes come off as a little direct and urgent in our counsel.  This is why President Trump demands seriousness and reciprocity from our friends here in Europe.  The reason why, my friends, is because we care deeply.  We care deeply about your future and ours.  And if at times we disagree, our disagreements come from our profound sense of concern about a Europe with which we are connected – not just economically, not just militarily.  We are connected spiritually and we are connected culturally.  We want Europe to be strong.  We believe that Europe must survive, because the two great wars of the last century serve for us as history’s constant reminder that ultimately, our destiny is and will always be intertwined with yours, because we know – (applause) – because we know that the fate of Europe will never be irrelevant to our own.  National security, which this conference is largely about, is not merely series of technical questions – how much we spend on defense or where, how we deploy it, these are important questions.  They are.  But they are not the fundamental one.  The fundamental question we must answer at the outset is what exactly are we defending, because armies do not fight for abstractions.  Armies fight for a people; armies fight for a nation.  Armies fight for a way of life.  And that is what we are defending: a great civilization that has every reason to be proud of its history, confident of its future, and aims to always be the master of its own economic and political destiny. It was here in Europe where the ideas that planted the seeds of liberty that changed the world were born.  It was here in Europe where the world – which gave the world the rule of law, the universities, and the scientific revolution.  It was this continent that produced the genius of Mozart and Beethoven, of Dante and Shakespeare, of Michelangelo and Da Vinci, of the Beatles and the Rolling Stones.  And this is the place where the vaulted ceilings of the Sistine Chapel and the towering spires of the great cathedral in Cologne, they testify not just to the greatness of our past or to a faith in God that inspired these marvels.  They foreshadow the wonders that await us in our future.  But only if we are unapologetic in our heritage and proud of this common inheritance can we together begin the work of envisioning and shaping our economic and our political future. Deindustrialization was not inevitable.  It was a conscious policy choice, a decades-long economic undertaking that stripped our nations of their wealth, of their productive capacity, and of their independence.  And the loss of our supply chain sovereignty was not a function of a prosperous and healthy system of global trade.  It was foolish.  It was a foolish but voluntary transformation of our economy that left us dependent on others for our needs and dangerously vulnerable to crisis. Mass migration is not, was not, isn’t some fringe concern of little consequence.  It was and continues to be a crisis which is transforming and destabilizing societies all across the West.  Together we can reindustrialize our economies and rebuild our capacity to defend our people.  But the work of this new alliance should not be focused just on military cooperation and reclaiming the industries of the past.  It should also be focused on, together, advancing our mutual interests and new frontiers, unshackling our ingenuity, our creativity, and the dynamic spirit to build a new Western century.  Commercial space travel and cutting-edge artificial intelligence; industrial automation and flex manufacturing; creating a Western supply chain for critical minerals not vulnerable to extortion from other powers; and a unified effort to compete for market share in the economies of the Global South.  Together we can not only take back control of our own industries and supply chains – we can prosper in the areas that will define the 21st century." ...

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Age old barns in the Alpine regions of Europe that were used to store rye and other grains for the winter are part of the heritage life and architecture of the region. BBC Travel takes one to the Zermatt region of the Swiss Alps. After the 60's and the emergence of skiing in the Alps these barns have fallen into disuse.

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This Guardian report looks at the Post Office Travel Money City Cost Barometer, a travel survey of cost for 35 European cities. Nazia Parveen does a good job of comparing many cities across Europe showing what the cost comparisons are for a city break this year. While other European cities cost of hotels and restaurants are up steeply Athens and Lisbon, Porto, Lille, Bordeaux, Budapest, Zagreb, Warsaw,  remain good destinations for the cost conscious. Amsterdam, London, Geneva, Berlin, Venice Florence, Paris, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Edinburgh and Dublin are costly destinations. In general smaller cities as in Germany cities such as Dresden, Leipzig, Bremen and Cologne, Hamburg, Heidelberg, Weimar, Erfurt, offer culturally very rich and yet less costly destinations. 

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Did you know that 2.3 billion cycling tourism trips are taken in Europe each year according to the European Parliament? French cycling enthusiast and sports writer Claude Droussent, 65, puts together Cycling Atlas Europe, a book showing 350 one day cycling trips one can do in Europe. This follows Cycling Atlas North America also published by Rizzoli that he did with Greg Le Mond. It is intended to give people a chance to discover new places in a short few hours bike ride from where they are in a nature setting along mountainous terrain or along the coast. It is both adventure travel and discovery that is becoming popular after Covid. An app Strava provides an opportunity to talk to people who know about each ride.

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Overseas travel from Russia is cut down significantly as US and European Union restrict Russian planes from flying over their airspace. Many Russian planes in Europe were grounded after the invasion of Ukraine. The UAE and Central Asia, Turkey are frequent destinations for Russian planes following the invasion and the response of the US and the EU. Dubai is the single most frequent destination say the NYT.

During the pandemic China reduced overseas travel significantly. Fewer Americans and Europeans are traveling to China with the lockdowns and zero covid policies. The result is that people living in China and Russia have significantly less contact in 2022 with the outside world compared to 2019 the year before the pandemic. The flow of information is also affected with the state controlling more of the information that people see in Russia and China.