Europe: Packing and Pickpocket Prevention

The buzz this spring is all about what travel clothes are ‘Europe appropriate’.  And since The Scout was pick-pocketed a few years ago in Greece, I thought I'd start by telling you about our new travel clothing for our upcoming trip there.

We'll be wearing the shirts pictured below on ferries, trains and buses.  Made by Clever Travel Companion, a company that claims they are ‘100 % pickpocket proof’’, we will be trying each of their two styles: Joel in the gray tee shirt and I'll be sporting the black tank top. (I am of the age that 'tank tops' and body don't quite correlate, but with a blouse or jacket it will be okay.)


They weren’t inexpensive – $29.90 each – but we got a 20% discount when we purchased them a couple weeks ago on Amazon and an additional 3% back from Ebates because we used it as the portal to our Amazon account.

The zippers, when closed, really are camouflaged  – and on the women’s version, it's right below the breast . . .a no touchy, no feelie place. Go there ~ you lose your hand! The pockets hold our passports, credit cards and money and are far more comfortable and easily accessed than those girdle type money belts.

The tee-shirts limited color selection – black, white and gray – fit right in with Europe's neutral colors. While they aren't mandated wear, we've found that wearing muted, neutral colors helps us blend into crowds. . .not announcing by our outfits, "Here we are - vulnerable tourists!"

And lets put to rest that old wive's tale about blue jeans. Yes, they were only a few years ago considered taboo, but these days are seen throughout Europe even in Paris and Milan, the fashion-hubs across The Pond. We leave ours at home because they are heavy, take up too much suitcase space and require too much time to air dry.

Joel’s wardrobe consist of light-weight pants from Ex-Officio (they make the pants legs with the zipper so they can be converted to shorts.) Speaking of zippers, they also have zippered security pockets inside the front pockets.

And I wear Chico’s Zenergy: pants, crops, jackets. Lightweight, don’t wrinkle,  and by keeping the wardrobe black and white I can mix and match them with ease.

We take no more than three or four shirts –  thin fabric so they can be washed one day and be dry by the next. 

To dress them up I buy a scarf or two for a ridiculously low price from street vendors or at street markets after we arrive in Europe. They take up little suitcase space, weigh nothing and are great reminders of the trip after we get home.

A suitcase staple are silk 'long johns' (from Land’s End) tops and bottoms that take up little space, provide extra warmth – when needed – under those light weight pants. They also double for sleepwear!

I am a Baggallini lady. The handbags and totes were created by a couple of flight attendants who've designed a full line of bags (and suitcases) that fit under seats, in overhead bins and hold all the a traveler might need along the way. 

The tote pictured has traveled many a mile with me and when it is soiled, I just wash it and it is good to go again.






Also tucked into the 22'-suitcases we live out of for weeks at a time, are:
four plastic hangers, a few clothes pins, a flat sink stopper and several travel-sized laundry detergent are always in the suitcases.

(A wine bottle opener and purse-sided toilet paper also are handy to have as well.)

What kind of travel clothes, bags or gear do you recommend? Please leave a comment below or send an email.

Disclaimer: We’ve not been compensated for recommending any of the brands or items in this post nor were we provided any items to review. The tee-shirt photos were made available by the company for media use. The rest belong to www.travelnwrite.com

Searching for Catania Sicily’s “Pescheria”

While dozens of our fellow cruise passengers opted to head out for Taormina and Mt. Etna, we set out on foot in Catania, Sicily with one ‘must-see' destination in mind.

No, not Catania’s Cathedral, pictured below, although it was quite wonderful. We were seeking its famed “Pescheria” (Fish Market) . . .



“It is near the Cathedral,” advised both guide books and internet sites we’d studied before our trip. The Cathedral, rebuilt after a 1669 earthquake, was an easy walk of about 20 minutes from the port where we’d disembarked our ship, the Celebrity Silhouette.

Our ‘sources’ sent us the right direction because from that plaza in front of the Cathedral, we had an overview of the sweeping market and the crush of shoppers who filled the square below us.

We’d read that this Marcat del Pesche, Fish Market, was probably as old as the city itself.  Much of the fish sold here, we learned, comes  from Italy’s  largest fishing port, Mazara del Vallo, in southwestern Sicily.

While smaller fishing Sicilian ports also contribute to the seafood selection, for example, anchovies from Sciacca and swordfish from Favignana.

Big Fish ~ Small fish ~ Everywhere fish. We’ve never seen so many varieties and types of seafood for sale in a single place. 

And this poor guy. . .(sorry, I can’t resist) . . . really lost his head over the market.

The Fish Market has grown over the decades, with its tasty tentacles spreading out from this square along streets lined with vendors selling fruits and vegetables, dairy and meat products.

It seemed more a gallery of edible art than street market as we squeezed and turned our way through the crush of shoppers. . .

Can you tell we love European street markets? Like early morning magnets they draw us to their sights, sounds and smells.  Much like Brigadoon, they appear for a few hours and then are gone each day. 

We returned to the Pescheria in the early afternoon and this is how that once busy square looked.

If You Go:

Since the 18th Century, Catania has been the second largest city in Sicily and the 10th largest in Italy. It was destroyed by a catastrophic earthquake in 1168 and then again in 1693. It’s also suffered from some of Mt. Etna’s eruptions.

The Pescheria is reportedly the second-largest market in Catania. The largest is found in the Piazza Carlo Alberto – which we didn’t make it to on this trip.

The Pescheria is off Piazza Duomo near the cathdral, between Via Garibaldi and Via Pacini. It extends along Via Gemelli Zappala and other surrounding streets.  It is closed afternoons and on Sundays.

That's it for this Travel Photo Thursday, so head over to Budget Travelers Sandbox for more photos! And if you are looking for some luxury, come back this weekend and we'll show you one place to find it.