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As a Europe Specialist and Certified France Agent with Totem Travel I often receive wonderful reviews of specific places from tour operators or representatives and I thought I’d share this from a recent review.

Toulouse is ideally situated in the heart of Southern France, between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic Ocean. Both modern and historic, bustling with fresh markets, winding streets surrounding the main square with charming shops, boulangeries, and more. The Golden Age in Toulouse was between 1500 and 1700. Merchants thrived on the pastel trade, from the WOAD plant providing a blue pigment and became Consuls, or Capitouls, finding power and prestige.

During the same period (between 1544 and 1662), the oldest bridge of Toulouse, the Pont Neuf, was built. You could spend days in Toulouse just exploring the shops, markets and museums.
A couple other sight not to be missed are the Saint-Sernin Basilica, which was built during the Romanesque Period between AD 1080 and 1120.

The Bemburg Foundation where you can tour Georges Bemberg’s art collection in the Hotel d’Assezat, a  XVII century mansion built for Pierre d’Assezat who made his fortune from WOAD, Mr. Bemberg is an avid art collector who divides his time between Paris, New York and Buenos Aires. Without a direct heir, Mr Bemberg became anxious in the late 1980’s about the fate his collection and developed the idea of a Foundation as a mean of preserving the integrity of his collection, while opening it to the public. The collection contains Matisse, Degas, Gauguin, Bonnard, Toulouse-Lautrec, and Picasso and opened in 1993.
And lastly don’t miss the House of Pastel to find to about the aforementioned WOAD. These dyes were the original source of wealth for the area of Toulouse. From 1463 to 1560 Toulouse enjoyed a real Golden Age thanks to the Pastel trade. The pastel leaves crushed and rolled-up in balls called “coques” gave the region of Toulouse its nickname of “pays de cocagne” or “land of riches” and has been used as far back as the Egyptians, who used it to dye the cloth wrappings used for the mummies.

l’Ariege boasts the Caves of Niaux. The Grotte de Niaux is one of the few cave systems where wall paintings are still open to the public. You enter from the hillside into a natural site of incredible history and beauty. About 350 m from the cave entrance is a large rock with a vertical surface. This surface is covered with dots and short lines in red and black. That is the first glimpse of prehistoric art a visitor to the cave sees. Its meaning is still unknown. Some see dots as female symbols and lines as male symbols. Much more impressive and interesting is the art in the Black chamber. There are extraordinary drawings of horses and bison. The visits to the Grotte de Niaux are extremely restricted to save the prehistoric cave paintings; only 11 visits per day so make sure you plan ahead for your tour.

Tarn is still in the Montagne Noire region and brings the stone building of the Soreze Abbey, home to the most prestigious school in France. Promoted to the rank of Ecole Royale (Royal School) it had 400 students living there from all over the world for 12 centuries; studying humanities, music, drawing and fine arts. Its sheer size and architecture give it both an air of majesty and a sense of military order. It closed in  1991 and has been renovated into a center for the arts including a beautiful hotel with a restaurant, after 1200 years the historic abbey has a new life.

Thanks to Laurelee Graham for this fun information about France. If you’d like help traveling to Southern France call Jennefer the Europe Expert at Totem Travel at (425) 765-4379 or shoot me an email at jennefer@totemtravel.com. I am here to assist in planning your dream holiday in France!

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We are always looking for new and different all inclusive resorts for families and we have found them!!  Azul Beach and Azul Sensatori are beautiful, beachfront resorts perfect for adults, little ones and those in between!

Azul Beach Hotel is a small, 98 room resort with amenities found mainly at larger resorts.  One focus is on gourmet food and they mean it!  Even the baby food at Azul Beach is Gourmet Gerber!  There are 4 a la carte restaurants, no buffets, an all lobster menu at the Blue Restaurant and sushi served on a swinging bed! 

Since this is a family resort, the little ones will love the specialized kids’ menus which are intended to please even the pickiest of eaters.  For the health concious there is a snack bar with gourmet healthy snacks and made to order fruit smoothies and every week there’s a special “fish fry” with freshly caught fish delivered, prepared and served by the chef right on the beach!  And don’t forget room service, it’s available 24 hours a day!

Your kids will love the Kids Club whether they are participating in the many water sports, playing with a selction of Fisher Price toys, exercising with “My Gym” playground equipment or just having fun with their new friends.

Since the kids are occupied with fun activities, Mom and Dad can enjoy some “grown-up” activities such as beach volleyball, water aerobics, snorkeling (right off the beach), dance classes and weekly beach parties.  And when it’s time to relax you’ll find beach butlers with soft towel service, refreshment deliveries, tanning products and mineral water facial spritzers. 

Cabanas on the beach offer magnificent views of the sea.  The cabanas are outfitted with king size, four poster beds that have retractable drapes which make them the perfect for private sunbathing and stargazing at night!

For a perfect family dinner, how about a picnic on the beach?  Beach picnics are included in your Gourmet Inclusive package and good times continue into the evening with live family shows such as the acrobatic Cirque de Soleil-inspired show.  Nightly entertainment also includes fire dancers, karaoke performances, and local bands and singers.

Just because this is a family resort doesn’t mean it doesn’t have the taste of Mexico:  a frozen bar, yes the bar is frozen at Agavero Tequila Lounge.  They serve 30 varieties of tequila:  straight, frozen, or mixed into many, many different choices of margaritas…including chocolate!  (Very different)

Accommodations include rooms with king or 2 double beds.  Also included, advance notice requested, are all the baby amenities you may need:  strollers, cribs, baby bottle warmers, bottle sterilizers, baby bathtub, beach games, refrigerators for milk and medicines! No need to lug all of those things from home!    There’s also a shallow pool near the rooms, so the little ones can enjoy swimming with mom and dad.

Totem Travel has several all inclusive specialists on staff to help you choose the family vacation in Mexico.  Please give me a call or send an email to sandi@totemtravel.com when you are planning your all-inclusive family vacation!

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As a BRITagent and SCOTSmaster at Totem Travel I am blessed to travel often and a favorite stop is always London. It’s one of my favorite cities and I am always looking for new and different ways to explore the city.

In an earlier Blog I talked about the 5 unusual things to see in London and here I will tell you about the next 5 on my list.

6. The ceremony of the keys is one of the best-kept secrets of the Tower of London. It has to be the best (and shortest) ceremony in London and has been a nightly event for the last 700 years. Led by the Chief Yeoman Warder, dressed in a scarlet Tudor coat, carrying a lantern and with foot guard escort, he makes his way to the gates at exactly 21:53. There are a limited number of tickets available and you must write in advance to the governor of the Tower. I can get the address for you. Just do it, but don’t be late!

7. There has been a church on the site of the present Southwark cathedral, next to London Bridge for over 1000 years. Many of Southwark Cathedral’s treasures include a Jacobean communion table, a tiny Saxon coffin and one of the earliest wooden effigies in England, a figure of a knight dating from the last quarter of the 13th century.

8. City Hall is one of London’s most spectacular new buildings and home to the Greater London Authority and Mayor of London. This landmark is at the heart of the more new London development next to Tower Bridge. It has several public areas that have been landscaped with seating, water features and trees and includes a viewing platform in the building to provide superb panoramas of the Pool of London. City Hall is open on set weekends throughout the year.

9. If blood and guts is more your thing, then the Old Operating Theatre and Herb Garrett is definitely worth a visit.  Hidden in the roof of a church, a 300-year old herb garret houses Britain’s only surviving 19th century operating theatre which was used between 1821 and 1862 in the days before anesthetic and antiseptic surgery were the norm. On display is a variety of very sharp instruments used to ‘help’ the desperate patients!

10. . It is not every day that you can see glassblowing in London. Situated in the Leather market, a distinctive 19th century building erected by the Leather Warehouse Company the London Glassblowing workshop’s are as hot as hell, since there are several ovens burning to melt the glass. Here, mostly art pieces are made in limited editions and are exhibited in the adjoining art gallery.

So, the next time you’re in London, definitely see  Buckingham Palace, Tower Bridge, Westminster Abbey and Hyde Park, but take a day off the beaten path and check out some unusual sight in London.

If you’d like more information about travel to Europe and the UK please call Jennefer at (425) 821-4100 or shoot me an email atjennefer@totemtravel.com, I am a Europe Expert and would be delighted to assist you in planning your holiday in the UK and Europe.

Totem Travel is seeking a travel agent trainee as well as an experienced vacation travel agent for its Kirkland location.  The right candidate will be sales and service oriented, have an exceptional work ethic and travel experience. 

The travel agent trainee position starts at minimum wage with paid vacation, holidays, medical, 401K and extensive travel benefits.  He or she would intern under the agency owner and assist with email and phone inquiries, research, price analysis, reservations, invoicing and ongoing customer service.  Additional duties would include preparation for consumer trade shows, CRM and general office support.

We are also seeking an experienced leisure travel agent with one or more destination specialties.  No GDS experience is required, but computer literacy is essential.  Inside agents are paid salary plus incentive based on individual sales, paid vacation, holidays, medical, 401K and extensive travel benefits.

Job applicants may send a resume to linda@totemtravel.com or mail a resume to

Totem Travel - attention Linda
12305 120th Ave NE Suite D
Kirkland WA 98034. 

All applicants will receive a reponse within 72 hours however no walk in or phone applications will be considered.  Your courtesy is appreciated!

In a recent interview I was asked my advice on planning a honeymoon.  You can read the article at http://www.philly.com/philly/living/celebrations/weddings/Bon_voyage.html but for those wanting a few highlights, here you go -

• The weak economy has not changed the kind of honeymoon most couples are planning.  Weddings are once in a lifetime events and a honeymoon is a once in a lifetime experience.
• Forget the 1st class flight!  Nobody takes pictures of their airline seat and you won’t be talking about your flight 10 years from now.  So unless your budget is generous, spend it on more time together and create lasting memories by doing something memorable whether that’s swimming with the dolphins, being pampered with an oceanfront couples massage or learning to scuba dive.
• A local getaway is not always less expensive than somewhere more exotic.  There are quality all inclusive resorts in Mexico and the Caribbean with rates starting around $200 night and that’s hard to beat in the U.S..  The strengthening dollar has also provided values for otherwise expensive destinations. If you’ve wanted to plan a Fiji vacation, now is the time.
• Honeymoon registries are a great way to finance a dream honeymoon.

As always, if you’d like help planning the perfect honeymoon please call or email The Honeymoon Experts at Totem Travel!