UNDAY, MiACRC 31, 1985 THE MICHIGAN DAILY
From Country To Country, Exchange tes Will Furnish A Ticklish 1
PAGE ELEVEN
Piroblem
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Exchange Rates
Are A Problem
To AllTravelers
Modern Marco Polos Are
Hounded By Fluctuating
Foreign Currencies
By ARTHUR M. TAUB
Marco Polo may not have had ocean
greyhounds, luxury hotels, or consular
offices to ease him on his voyages,
but that paragon of travel at least
was never plagued by that bogey of
the contemporary wanderer - the bill
of exchange.
However, in spite of all the mental
strain that falling currencies, special
tourist discounts, "block marks," or
"cheap" liras may cause, American
travelers this summer will find that
their trip abroad will cost them little
more in dollars than it did in the
halycon days of '29. Outside of the
wear and tear on one's grey matter
in trying to figure out how many
Belgas, Levs, Korunas, Francs, or
shillings one may buy for a dollar,
there will be little other strain on the
yankee innocents abroad.
Two factors have to be considered
if one has any desire to figure out
what countries will be least expensive
to visit-the quoted exchange rate
and the index of prices. On this
basis let us examine, the relative ex-
pense involved in a visit to some
of the more important European na-
tions.
The Gold Bloc Countries
In 1929 the franc was quoted at 3.9
cents with the cost of living index at
113. Today the franc is worth about
6.6 cents and the index is. 103. To
be specific a loaf of bread that cost
10 cents in American money in 1929
would cost about 17 or 18 cents today.
The same would hold true in the
other gold bloc country, Switzerland.
It should be said, however, in case
too many readers are influenced to
omit these countries from their itin-
erary because of the high cost, that
the American tourist does not usually
buy bread, or shoes or other neces-
sities when he is in Paris, and that the
prices of the things he does buy, like
hotel accommodations and railroad
tickets have been drastically cut in
the last few years. In France, for in-
stance, train tickets from point of
entry and to point of exit have been
reduced 60 per cent for summer tour-
ists. Hotel prices have also been cut
in about the same proportion.
Henri, it seems, is making sure that
he won't .lose any tourist gravy just
because his country prefers to remain
on the gold standard. Thus, with the
cooperation of the thrifty son of
France, tourists will not suffer to any
great extent, and will, no doubt flock
to Paris in undiminished numbers.
The English Problem
England, having gone off the gold
standard before we did and with her
prices remaining at about the same
ratio with prices here as in 1929 will
now exact a toll from the traveler
from the states, not higher, but per-
haps lower in dollars and cents .than
in 1929. The Scandinavian countries,
Denmark, Norway, and Sweden can
be rated in the same category as Eng-
land, having followed that country's
monetary policy consistently.
When we come to the two fascist
countries in Europe -Italy and Ger-
many - we find a rather anomolous
situation; for both countries, while
technically on the gold standard, haveI
offered some drastic exchange con-
cessions to tourists. Both are of-
fering their currency at a discount
that compensates fully for the de-
valuation of the dollar. The mark
and the lira may be purchased for
about the same number of American
pennies now as in 1929 if they are
STUDENT
TREASURE TOUR ,
British Isles, Norwegian fjords, Paris
tour July 5-Aug,. 26-53 days - $435.
All expenses including tips.-Other
European tours $310-$735. Indepen-
dent tours arranged, Circular upon
request.
" Clara S. Buchanan, M.A.
1160 Seward Ave., Detroit, Mich.
Track Shoes Would Be An Aid Is, o O O Sain
For Tourist Trip Through Italy
Going to Italy? Then you had bet-
ter secure a guide book if you wish
to explore with any thoroughness the
many treasures of this ancient land.
The hired guides do not adhere very
well to Il Duce's tipping code.
But on to Naples with the usual
speed.-of the tourist who tries to crowd
a life-time of study into a week of
sight-seeing. It is wise, however, to
pause for a moment to enjoy the view
of this beautiful harbor with tall,
be-plumed Vesuvius in the back-
ground.
Next to a visitto the national mu-
seum - then to the Castella -del Ovo
is in order. If you like, you may ride
the funicular railway to the Citadel
St. Elmo where there is a cathedral,
a museum, and a fortress.
For a side trip you should go to
Pompeii, preferably by automobile,
where the new excavations reveal'the
old life exactly as it was centuries
ago. For a gruesome thrill, go on to
the Capuchini Monastery and visit
its crypts.
Take a deep breath, as you go on
to Rome to plunge into its sightsee-
ing activity. The Vatican, with paint-
ings, furniture, statuary, library and
other art works; the Colosseum, biz-
arre beside a modern residencerdis-
trict; the church of St. Peter in
Chains; the Pantheon; St. Peter's
Cathedral-all fall to your swift
attack, but you have made no im-
pression on Rome.
You will listen to the splendid gov-
ernment-provided musical program
at night, and the next day, perhaps,
you will go out to Tivoli in the midst
of the olive district. Here Cardinal
D'Este once "blew himself" trying to
get votes for the papacy.
But you must hurry back and onj
to Florence, famous tourist city of
Italy. Here you must see the Sante
Croce Cathedral colored tile, the
'Gates of Paradise," the Loggia de
Lance, and the Municipal Galleries.
But wait - it is time for the train'
to Naples where you will be dumped
from train to gondola and then car-
ried to an ornate, musty hotel. Here
you hurry through St. Marks Cathe-
dral, the LogeshPalace, and manyj
other fine old churches.
Regretfully, as you are borne up
through the Dolemite Alps toward
Austria, you will look back on your
too-brief stay in Italy.
By DAVID G. MACDONALD 1saders, then to the lovely island of
Perhaps the major problem of the Crete, modern bad boy of Greece.
prospective traveler is the selection Perhaps, too, he will stop at Rhodes,
of an itinerary. For old hands this f Mar
--Courtesy The Detroit News.
This buildig is a eo f ampie of
Spanish Renn ise arcti reture.
racLicality As Well As Style
Needed For Travel ardrobe
may probably become a matter of
elimination, but for the neophyte,
especially if he is limited by time
or funds, a nice discrimination must
be exercised.
A Mediterranean cruise appeals to
many travelers. This trip takes him
to lands still rich in the traditions
and treasures of the Saracens, Nor-
mans, and Moors -earlier, of the
Romans, Carthaginians, and Greeks.
The rugged Iberian coastline, which
first greets one, inspires anew the
Homeric muse which draws the mod-
ern Odysseus. In Spain also are the
remains of that wonderful fusion of
civilizations, the Moorish palaces in
Seville and Granada contrasting
strangely with the modern Spanish
architecture.
Leaving Spain behind him, the
traveler next drops down to Tangier
and Tunis. Here he finds the modern
Moore in the native bazaar, sitting
cross-legged in the entrance to his
booth. He smokes his strange hubble-
bubble as imperturbably as if his
ancestors were never the scourge of
this "inland sea."
Still progressing eastward, the
steamship now carried our traveller
first to Malta, famous, among other
things as a stopping point for cru-
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CLOTHES FOR WOMEN
The ABC of selecting clothes for
travel is to buy with an eye not only
to style, but also to practicality. Even.
the most neatly packed trunk can
look like the morning after when a
brusque customs official has gone
through your most intimate belong-
ings. And don't forget, too, that
clothes are bound to wrinkle anyway
after they have been carted over the
seven seas,
The first essential of a well-planned
travel wardrobe is a tailored suit.
Suit yourself in a three-piece outfit,
in heavy montone tweed, consisting
of a tailored skirt, a mannish jacket,
and a swagger coat . This should be
warm enough even in countries with
a climate even more uncertain than
Ann Arbor's.
Of course, it goes almost without
saying that you can add variety to
this outfit by taking along numerous
blouses. A frilled Regency silk one
for tea, a colorful sweater for sight-
seeing, and a few tailored cotton ones
for every day - and you're all set.
If you prefer a separate coat, take
along a tweed coat trimmed with a
luxurious collar of fox. Boucle sports
dresses, from which you just shake
the wrinkles, would be smart to wear
underneath this coat.
For more dressy occasions you'd
be the top in one of the new costume
suits or in a printed crepe dress with
a redingote coat.
CLOTHES FOR MEN
The usual tweeds, of course, must
to along. You can stuff them in
zrunks, throw them on the floor for
that matter but they will always
straighten out. Anotnier serviceable
sloth, which can be worn for more
formal occasions, such as an after-
noon stroll down the Champs Elysees,
is the gabardine.
Instead of the usual solid colors in
the gabardine suits, hc: rigbones and
even checks are being son
The midnight blue dinnr jacket as
well as the shantungs with long rolled
lapels will be seen in the dning salon
of most every trans-Atlantic steam-
ship, and if you are ready to buy a
new pair of formal shoes for your
voyage, take a good look at the new
patent leather pumps with the long
vamps.
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1 nternational Phone,
Exchange Enlarged
The linkifng up by telephone of
England and Japan makes the world
system, which is centered on the
Carter Lane Exchange, London, al-
most complete. The first talk with
Japan took place last summer, when
the Japanese women athletes com-
peting in the World Games spoke to
friends in Tokio.
The International Exchange keeps
200 girl linguists at work. All of
them can converse fluently in French
and German, and many speak Italian
and Dutch as well.
RESTORE HENRY VI's CHAPEL
The work of restoration on the
Henry VII Chapel of Westminister
Abbey is nearing completion. Many
Kings and Queens of England are
buried there.
spent in German and Italy respec-
tively.
All factors considered, a European
itinerary including England, Scandi-
navia, Germany, Austria, Italy,
France and Belgium will cost very
little more now than in the more pros-
perous days. We have onuthe author-
ity of the travel bureau lodged at
Alumni Hall that the trip mentioned
above would cost only about $50 more.
Economically speaking, the trip
abroad this summer, if such is one's
intention, should cause little fear,
even in the minds of the most thrifty.
EU ROPE - $285
All Expenses Included - 4 Countries
FREE BOOKLETS
KIRBY'S TRAVEL BUREAU
120 W. Fort or General Motors Bldg.
.
-.-,. .,, . .a
PAUL HENRY
Escortedi DeLux~e
Frequent departires during Summer.
111 Expense
See your Travel Agent or
Travel Service
23 stat stre t, Detroit
Spec al .ofM. Saih
with the
Oil The
HAMBURG-AMERICAN flagship "NEW~ YORK"
June 20, 1935, from New York
W WEEKS ALL-EXPENSE
STUDENT TOUR ....... .
for Students over 19 years .., $281.00
. ..I
For Information
JULES HALTENBERGER,
Union Travel Desk from 1 - 2 P.M.
'36E
-- 01,
It Pays To Buy Leather Goods
at a Leather Goods Store.
F. W. WiLKINSON
Phone 4013 325 South Main
EUGENE G. KUEBLER
601 East Huron Street - Phone 6412
-111=
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