Prêt-à-Porter

I just returned from a trip to Switzerland and Northern Italy with my daughter Jane. She tells me that I should blog about what is like to travel with seniors. I wanted to write about European fashion, comparing the gorgeous couture window displays with the Prêt-à-Porter attire preferred by tourists. But, since I’m a Baby Boomer and I fear what Jane would say, I thought I’d write it myself.

We should start with the flight arrangements. If you can’t afford first class or at least economy plus, make sure to get an aisle seat close to the bathroom. Never mind that you’ll hear the toilet slamming down the entire flight and everyone—not just old folks—will walk by hitting your elbow and shoulder or stepping on your toes. Since flights are mobbed nowadays, chances are that a line will form outside the facilities and people will chat loudly as if it were daytime. Honestly, I still prefer a window seat where I can hide and sleep the entire flight, watching some movie I never heard about.

Hotel elevators are a must, even if you are only using carryon as you promised your daughter. Don’t be afraid to send your suitcases up by themselves if you are in one of those “boutique” models with a cozy elevator, popular today. The most important safety issue for us seniors is the bathroom. Hardly any tub has handlebars to hold on to and they can be very slippery. If all fails, don’t worry and use the bathmat inside the shower as I did in Venice where the floor was slate. Also, make sure that you had a dry run with the shower before using it. I have no idea how many PhDs are necessary to figure out the modern Swiss equipment. Get a single room no matter how much you like traveling with your daughter. This way you don’t have to hear anyone’s phone ringing or texts pinging at US time.

Use a reputable travel agent, forget Expedia, so she can surprise you with some unbelievable accommodations. According to the notice behind the door, our room in Como cost 1,250 Euros in 2023. We didn’t need all that luxury, but it sure was nice to have that huge terrace in front of the lake and other perks. Make sure to have breakfast included anywhere in Italy. I always look for la torta de la nonna (grandmother’s cake), usually a lemon concoction or an olive oil delicacy that I don’t have to make.

Did I mentioned what to do if you have arthritic knees? Make sure to schedule an appointment for a cortisone shot a few days before departure. Medicare covers them every three months and your doctor is used to see her patients before their trips. But don’t get a new phone close to your trip; you won’t know how to use it and you will need it for everything from Google Maps to find out where exactly is George Clooney’s house to asking Siri questions at your heart’s content.

Sidewalks are tricky everywhere, not just in Philadelphia. I noticed that seniors—particularly in Switzerland—use sporty hiking poles instead of canes. Not only they have double the support, but you could pretend that you have been hiking on the Alps or the Dolomites. When you use your credit card, always do the transaction with the local currency and you will have fewer fees. Better yet, get lots of cash at the next ATM machine and that way your husband (this trick is a Jane special) doesn’t know exactly how you spent your money.

Brush up your language skills with Duolingo, but be warned that if you miss a day or two Mr. Duo will ring you up at any time, sulk, cry, cajole you into returning to your lessons. Yesterday he asked me if I was ghosting him. We have broken up now. I gave up on German, but I kept up my Italian, only to find out that the minute they heard my accent they’d switch to Spanish or even worse, to English. There I was again not knowing who I am. Am I an American or a Spaniard? I heard one of our guides ask Jane and she said I was somewhere in between.

One way in which Americans have won is that sneakers rule! Gone are the days of fine Italian leather shoes, trendy boots, or chunky travel shoes; everyone, women and men are wearing sneakers. It seems that even haute couture can mix with our Prêt-à-Porter Nikes or Adidas sneakers and, if they have a few sparkles here and there, like mine, so much the better!

This entry was posted on Saturday, September 27th, 2025 at 4:22 pm by conchaalborg and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.