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If you've ever wanted to visit Paris, why not go this spring? Yes, the whole "Paris in the springtime" thing is a bit of a cliche, but it really is one of the nicest seasons to visit. The weather is mild, not hot like it gets in the summer, and it's also less crowded. Even better, you're more likely to be able to find a good price on a hotel room if you go now than you would in the…
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When I was kid, I loved animals, so much that I managed to bug my parents into getting me that "Illustrated Wildlife Treasury" set that they used to advertise on TV. The set basically had a bunch of different cards with pictures of animals and facts about them. One of my favorite groups of animals in the set were the lemurs. Lemurs are a type of primate that lives only on the African island of Madagascar. They are more primitive…
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Thinking of Tuscany, it's easy to get lost in a daydream of bright sunshine, fields of sunflowers, excellent wine and adorable quaint villages. However, if you visit Italy during the summer "high season," the reality is often quite different. Those adorable quaint village squares? Packed with tourists. Museums and monuments? Packed with tourists. Local vineyards? Packed with tourists. In today's New York Times, Danielle Pergament writes that a guest at her wedding, which took place in Tuscany in the summer,…
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The Department of State just announced that it will celebrating "Passport Day in the USA" later on this month, providing citizens with an opportunity to submit their passport applications during special Saturday hours at regional passport agency offices and passport acceptance facilities around the country. This is the second year in a row that the Department of State has celebrated Passport Day. In addition to being open on a Saturday, for this one day you won't have to make an…
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*The passport fees have recently changed. As of April 2nd, 2018, the passport acceptance fee has gone up from $25 to $35. The debate over the State Department's proposed fee hike for passport services continues, with lawmakers and State Department officials arguing back and forth about whether the new fees are justified, especially given the current state of the economy. The LA Times notes that if the increases happen, the passport application fee will be more than double what…
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Starting December 27th, 2021, the Department of State will increase fees for a passport book by $20 for all customers. Price updates reflected here. If you think it's expensive to get a passport now, just wait...earlier this month, the Department of State filed a proposal in the Federal Register to significantly increase passport fees to help pay for the services it provides. If you don't want to pay the increased costs, you'd better apply for a passport, quick! Here…
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The Mexican government just announced that they will hold off enforcing new regulations requiring US citizens to show their passports to get into the country, at least in some areas. According to the San Diego Union Tribune, the new rules will go into effect on March 1st for other parts of Mexico, but not for Baja California, because "Mexico lacks the infrastructure to enforce the regulations at busy ports such as San Ysidro and Otay Mesa." That means that US…
