Europe travel alert: Eight steps Americans can take

You have booked tickets for the Paris International Photo Fair or perhaps your son is already in Berlin studying German. Now that the US State Department has issued a “travel advisory” for Europe, what should you do? Cancel the trip? Bring junior home? Professional travel advisers say it is too soon to hit the panic button. Here are eight things you can consider doing:

1. Don't look American

Franck Prevel/AP/file
Showing your national pride can be a good thing. But it might be best for Americans to keep a low profile in Europe right now.

Try to avoid looking too much like an American. For example, Americans walk about in sneakers; Europeans wear shoes. Americans wear baseball caps emblazoned with the name of their favorite team; if you need to wear a hat, think about a European soccer team. And, it’s probably not a good idea to wear one of those T-shirts that indicate you are some kind party animal.

“American’s stick out like a sore thumb,” says Robert Diener, the founder of Getaroom.com and a travel expert. “This is a heads up to be more cautious.”

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