Author: Jonathan Katz

One of our lifelong desires was to visit Baden Baden, Germany’s famous natural spring bath spas, and we were not disappointed. Baden Baden is a quick two hours from the Frankfurt airport via Intercity Express Trains and costs approximately $40 each way. Trains leave virtually every hour from the FRA airport station.Baden Baden is a beautiful, wonderfully walkable, and very natural city between the mountains in the Black Forest Region of Germany. There are two major mineral water spas in Baden Baden. The Friedrichsbad Therme and Caracalla Therme. We went to the Friedrichsbad Spa, and the process was wonderful. You…

We’ve been fortunate to have visited Switzerland many times, and most of these trips brought us to one of our favorite cities, Zurich. It has only been since Delta Air Lines introduced the “French side” of Switzerland, Geneva, to its summer schedule that we’ve begun to enjoy this city and its surrounding areas. We have visited Geneva three times in the past year, and we’re starting to fall in love with this side of Switzerland. On the “Geneva side” of Switzerland, you get to enjoy three cities for the price of one: Geneva, Lausanne, and Montreux. They are all beautiful…

Most aviation history buffs will remember Shannon, Ireland, and Shannon Airport (SNN) as historical places in the aviation industry. Shannon Airport is where, during the beginning of air transportation to Europe, virtually every plane stopped at Shannon Airport for refueling – and while the aircraft was being refueled, passengers were treated with incredible, duty-free shopping values, making the airport famous and extremely popular. Delta Air Lines is again flying to Shannon, Ireland, for the Summer Season after eliminating this city from its summer schedule over the past four years.  We have been so fortunate during our time at Delta to…

Portugal is a beautiful country, and we have visited Lisbon many times in the past. This time, after hearing so many terrific comments about the northern city of Porto and how different it is from Lisbon, we decided a visit was in order. Beginning at our wonderful and very modern, 5-Star Sheraton Porto Hotel ($127.00 per night), we took the Metro Do Porto to the Sao Bento Station. It was here that we began our one-day trip to Porto. Our first stop was Rua Das Flores, a pedestrian walking and shopping street that brought us down to the Rio Douro…

My wife Maureen and I have wanted to experience the magic of the French Christmas markets located in Strasbourg and Colmar for a long time; we have heard many great things about both cities’  markets and were not disappointed. Strasbourg is a medium-sized French city in the Laurentian Mountains, and Colmar is considered a much smaller “dream city,” especially during the Christmas season. Both cities are similar in that although they are considered metropolitan areas, these “city” people seem to be more “small town, country-like” people, with a more leisurely, slower, and safer lifestyle that only reflects their positive attitude.…

After all the times we have been in Bruges, Belgium, I can’t believe we have never written an article about Bruges. Over the years, I am sure we’ve been to Bruges at least 20 times. This major tourist city is spectacular. We have always called Bruges “Amsterdam without the city,” it may be the best walking city in Europe with all of its beauty and endless canals. You can travel to Bruges from either Brussels or Amsterdam by car, bus, or train. We have always gone to Bruges from Brussels, as there is a train every half hour from the…

It has been quite a while since we’ve been to Berlin, and now that Delta Airlines has added Berlin to its summer schedule, we decided to revisit this city. Berlin is a beautiful city, but it should be marketed as a Peace City, similar to Hiroshima, in that many memorials and cemeteries represent many countries that lost their citizens in the World Wars. Berlin is a historic city in that informational placards are everywhere, explaining the history of what happened on the spot in front of you. You find yourself immersed in the history of where you are standing, and…

There is something about the Balearic Islands we love. After traveling to the Island of Ibiza for 11 straight years, my wife Maureen and I decided to go to the much larger but equally vibrant island next door to Ibiza, Palma De Mallorca. This island is as famous as Ibiza and is naturally beautiful in its beaches and mountains; it is very low-key, has excellent weather most of the year, and is much less costly than hotels and restaurants. Our trip typically begins with flying on Delta to virtually any major European city and then transferring directly to Palma De…

Our love for Washington D.C. began when my wife, Maureen Katz, worked for the U.S. Air Shuttle. It was a perfect weekend with a very short hop via jet to Washington’s National Airport and a very short train ride to the hotel, and just like that, we had a weekend in a city we loved, with lots of museums and monuments to visit, excellent hotels to stay in, and as many restaurants as we could enjoy. Washington D.C. is dynamic, and we continue to travel to this city endlessly. Our weekend or day trip begins with a 48-minute flight from…

Due to the pandemic, airlines have given thousands of airline employees retirement packages. They are now reloading with all new personnel ready to work and enjoy the benefits of this fantastic industry. Airlines are seeking anyone – young, old, college-aged, and retired- to join a very stimulating and selective environment. I had worked in my own business for 30 years. During this time, I was so envious of my wife, Maureen, who entered the airline industry in the late 70s with small airlines, Evergreen International (before they went cargo) and Cosmopolitan Air, a small New York State airline. Her first…