UNDAY, MiACRC 31, 1985 THE MICHIGAN DAILY From Country To Country, Exchange tes Will Furnish A Ticklish 1 PAGE ELEVEN Piroblem I i I 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- I 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. I 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= ='EI I V I