Erato

I have about 4 days in each. Any must see, do or eat recommendations from folks who have been?

I know a few of you travel to Isla Mujeres often, so perhaps you can answer this...

How bad is the stray issue on the island? I know that the stray population is large in Mexico and most less developed areas, but, as an animal lover, I have a hard time enjoying a vacation if I'm constantly seeing starving dogs. Any info is appreciated.

Thanks!

I don't dislike Marquette, but if the sole goal is to see the Northern Lights, Michigan is a poor choice. They're already so flighty--you need a combination of the lights and clear weather--so to maximize the chances of seeing them, you'd want to visit a locale that's consistently under the aurora belt. Google "aurora belt" and pick a spot that's consistently highlighted, not one that's occasionally in the periphery.

We went to Tromso, Norway this winter (trip review to come) and saw the lights twice--the first light show was ok and the second was amazing. Tromso is almost always under the belt, so you can see activity when the kp index is at 1. By contrast, to see them in Michigan, you'd need clear weather and a kp index of 5--basically a solar storm. The odds just aren't that great.

I think that with gold you get free access to Skyteam clubs when you travel internationally, but still have to pay during domestic travel.

Which platinum benefit would you choose? Debating between the miles, $200 voucher and regional upgrades. Thanks!

In her defense, I'm not a big planner either. I travel out of the country 4 or 5 times a year (yes, I owe the board some reviews!), and never book a flight more than a month or two in advance. My line of work makes it difficult to plan any further out.

If you're not driving the Big Sur stretch, take a Dramamine.

LINK

If you care about what happens to the dog, please don't advertise it on Craigslist or FB. Shelters workers here, who have seen the horrors, beg people to keep dogs off those sites, especially a pup that looks like a Pitt or boxer mix

EasyJet is actually a great airline. No frills, but I've hopped all over Europe (for pennies) without incident. I've had significantly more issues on US mainline carriers.

I didn't, and wouldn't...don't think you'd get your money's worth. Lisbon's more about enjoying the Portuguese food, wine, people and scenery, and less about museums and tourist attractions.