Romance, Romance…..Of Course Italy

One of the most romantic cities in the world, it just oozes romance. This is a place of fine food, where people honor and love eating. Where eating is an art, not just something to do. It is a city of history and character with natural beauty. Art and more art, a place where you can’t see it all in a one week vacation, and then just can’t wait to go back to experience it all over again. It is one of those places that people return again and again, just to get that feeling of Italy all over again.

Italy is a marvelous honeymoon destination; so romantic, just to say the name it brings up visions of romance. Whether you stay in a large city, go into the villages, walk the narrow streets, go to Rome, or visit the Alps; all of Italy leads to wine, food and camaraderie with the locals and/or other visitors, the general atmosphere is of visiting and getting to know one another and to just enjoy life, no hurry, no bustling around; slow and savor life.

Fifty percent of Italy is mountainous, so the farmers have been very creative in creating land that can be farmed. They have taken cliffs and terraced them into farmland; it is original, breathtaking and beautiful.

Many visit Italy for the religious sites and many abound in all of Italy, to visit them all on a one week vacation would be a tremendous stretch, so I am sure this is why people return time after time so they can eventually visit them all. Don’t forget the water canals and taking a ride in a gondola with a singing maestro to enchant you on cool summer night. Can it get any better than this.

Contact your Personal Travel Website and start planning your trip to Italy right now, and find out how to put that romance into your life.

Restaurant profiles: Rosemarys Restaurant in Las Vegas, Nevada

It wasn’t long ago that discussions about dining in Las Vegas began and ended with the buffet table. A seismic shift has since occurred in the Silver State’s food culture, but public opinion still insists that the go-to locale for fine dining is one of the slick spots on the Strip curated by celebrity chefs and populated by a Hollywood clientele.

Rosemary’s Restaurant, however, pre-dates that transformation and defies the conventional wisdom. Located far from the Strip along Sahara Avenue, it stretches credulity to suggest that an out-of-towner would stumble upon Rosemary’s. Unless, of course, they knew exactly where to look, perhaps following the growing litany of acclaim for its boundary-pushing cuisine.

Restoring that oft-abused term “fusion” to its initial potency, Rosemary’s synthesizes a diverse range of influences along every step. It is uncommonly difficult to pin down its culinary sensibility into an easy abstraction; Franco-Belgian bistro fare mingles coolly with a colorful New Orleans touch, while Midwestern American heartiness is complemented by delicate European market flourishes. Creativity carries the day, and the only keystone to expect is the unexpected intersection of flavors devised by chefs Wendy and Michael Jordan.

Freshly harvested artisan ingredients are used to embolden imaginative dishes: Maytag blue cheese and Port Wine Syrup enhance an arugula salad, while a Creole meuniere sauce highlights the sumptuous texture of Texas Striped Bass. Every dish is lovingly paired with a selection from their globe-spanning wine and craft beer list. A dessert list including goat cheese cheesecake drizzled with Scotch caramel sauce showcases a consummate culinary spark.

An afternoon or evening at Rosemary’s Restaurant is an immersive experience; the atmosphere, while relaxed with a casually elegant dress code, suggests a charming countryside European bistro with the warmest service imaginable. While thoroughly neighborhood-y, it nonetheless feels special enough for a romantic date spot or group meeting site. The ever-changing gallery of paintings by local artists adds to the creative aesthetic.

Though reservations for Rosemary’s are suggested, walk-ins can sometimes be accommodated. Dinner is served daily from 5:30 to close, with lunch Monday through Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Dinner prices when ordering a la carte range from $35 to $70, with lunches starting in the $20s; a three course prix-fixe menu is available daily.

I Love Touring Italy – the Amalfi Coast and Sorrento

If you are planning a European tour, you should consider the Amalfi Coast and the city of Sorrento in the Gulf of Salerno. These tourist attractions so popular with the jet setters and many others are part of the Campania region of southwestern Italy on the Tyrrhenian Sea. Tis area is by no means undiscovered. Don’t miss our other articles on Campania destinations in this series describing Campania’s capital city Naples, the historic ruins east of Naples, the area west of Naples, and finally the Isle of Capri.

We’ll start at the coastal city of Salerno and go west along the shore to Salerno, Amalfi, then Ravello which is just north, and continue along the coast to Positano and finally to Sorrento across the Bay of Naples from Naples.

Salerno, population approximately 150 thousand, was settled well before Roman times. Its Schola Medica Salernitana (Salerno Medical School) is said to be the oldest university in Europe. By the Eleventh Century it was considered the center of medical knowledge in Western Europe but by the Thirteenth Century it was on its way down. Napoleon’s brother-in-law Joachim Murat closed the school. The University of Salerno went public in 1968. It includes a School of Medicine and Surgery. The city was invaded by the Allies during World War II and briefly hosted an Italian government that declared war on Germany.

The Duomo (Cathedral) was built in the late Eleventh Century and restored on several occasions. Don’t miss its bell tower, pulpits, and carved marble sarcophagi. In fact, be sure to see the entire edifice with its Byzantine and Arab influences. The Cathedral Museum includes silver statues and historic medical school documents. Other Salerno churches include St. Benedict, originally part of a Seventh to Ninth Century Monastery destroyed by the Saracens and the Baroque St. George Church.

If you like palaces visit the Seventeenth Century Palazzo D’Avossa (D’Avossa Palace), the recently restored Genovese Palace, the Giannattasio Palace, and the Copeta Palace built on the site of an ancient cemetery. What about castles? The Castello di Arechi (Arechi Castle) commanding the city is built on previous Roman-Byzantine construction and is now used for congresses and exhibitions. The Eleventh Century Terracena Castle was virtually destroyed by an earthquake early in the Thirteenth Century and very little remains.

Amalfi, population about fifty thousand, was once a major trading center with schools of mathematics and law. The Amalfi maritime code was widely used in the Mediterranean area for centuries. It is said that an Amalfi native first brought the mariner’s compass to Europe.

The Duomo or Cattedrale di Sant’Andrea (Cathedral of Saint Andrea), considered the most stunning cathedral in southern Italy, was initially constructed during the Ninth Century and has been rebuilt and expanded since then. Be sure to see the beautiful Chiostro del Paradiso (Paradise Cloister) the burial ground for local big shots. The chapels date from the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Centuries and are bedecked with magnificent frescoes. Stop by the Basilica Museum to view many other historic treasures. The Cripta di Sant’Andrea (Crypt of St. Andrew), built in the Thirteenth Century, contains many the relics of St. Andrew, St. Peter’s younger brother.

A few miles northeast of Amalfi lies the village of Ravello, population about twenty-five hundred. Ravello is home to a major annual Italian music festival honoring a famous visitor, the German Opera composer Richard Wagner, hosted in the Villa Rufolo, described next.

The heavily Arab influenced Villa Rufolo boasts a 90 foot (30 meter) watch tower and gardens, a favorite of German opera composer Richard Wagner. This villa was mentioned by the famous Italian author, Giovanni Boccaccio, in The Decameron.

The nearby Villa Cimbrone looks old but was actually built in 1905. It is now an upscale hotel. Whether or not you stay in the hotel you really should stroll through the rose gardens and see the Belvedere dell’Infinita (Belvedere of Infinity) overlooking the Gulf of Salerno.

Positano, population under four thousand, has gone from a major port in the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries to a sleepy fishing village about fifty or sixty years ago to the Amalfi Coast’s number one tourist attraction. Beautiful Positano was featured in the films Only You (1994) and Under the Tuscan Sun (2003) even though it is definitely not in Tuscany.

Joachim Murat resided in Palazzo Murat during part of his reign as King of Naples and Sicily. As you can well imagine, the Palazzo was hardly a little country getaway from that hectic, hectic office. The gardens are beautiful and the Palazzo is right near the beach. You too can stay there; it’s now a hotel. The Thirteenth Century Romanesque Chiesa Santa Maria Assunta (Church of Saint Mary of Assunta) is most famous for its Byzantine wood painting of Madonna with Child known as the Black Virgin. According to legend this painting was stolen by Saracen pirates who fled right into a violent storm. A voice cried out “Posa, posa” (set it down, set it down). They did and fled into the calm. The painting was retrieved and that’s how the city got its name.

Before you leave Positano visit its main beach, the Spaggia Grande, and stroll on its walkway, Via Positanesi d’America, named for the thousands of locals who immigrated to the United States, especially to New York City, to seek a better life. I’ll let you decide where it is better to live today – Positano or New York City. As you stroll along you’ll see many sights including the Torre Trasita, a historic defense tower transformed into a residence.

Sorrento, population about sixteen thousand, is located about 30 miles (50 kilometers) south of Naples, across the Bay of Naples. It has been a resort town for perhaps two thousand years. Its notable visitors included the British authors Lord Byron and Keats, the German author Goethe, the Russian author Maxim Gorky, and the Italian opera singers Enrico Caruso and Luciano Pavarotti.

Sorrento has excellent museums. The Museo Correale di Terranova proudly displays its collection of Sixteenth, Seventeen, and Eighteenth Century paintings, furniture, and decorative objects. Its grounds are beautiful as is the view. The Museo Bottege della Tarsialignea (Inlaid Woodwork Museum) is devoted to the tradition of inlaid woodwork so active in the Sorrento region. It includes a lovely collection of these pieces surrounded by appropriately selected paintings, prints, and photographs. Il Museo Mineralogico Campano (Mineralogical Museum) is relatively new. Its international collection includes minerals from Mount Vesuvius and Mount Somma. There is also a dinosaur collection including baby dinosaurs and dinosaur eggs as well as a display of Permian reptiles that predate the dinosaurs by almost countless millions of years.

There’s lots more to see in Sorrento including its historic city center with what remains of the protective walls of the Middle Ages, the Fourteen Century Il Chiostro di San Francesco (Saint Francis Cloister) with its neighboring monastery that predates it by perhaps seven hundred years, and the Eleventh Century Basilica of Saint Antonio dedicated to Sorrento’s patron saint. Here you can see his crypt and two whalebones. According to legend they belonged to a whale that swallowed a child who was rescued by Saint Antonio in his most famous miracle.

What about food? As mentioned in the other articles in this series, there is a lot to eat in Campania. Lemons are a local specialty, especially when the rinds are made into a sweet liqueur known as limoncello. Anchovies are another local specialty. I do not recommend them together.

Let’s suggest a sample menu, one of many. Start with Spaghetti alle Vongole (Spaghetti with Clam Sauce). Then try Spigola (Sea Bass). For dessert indulge yourself with Crostata all’Arancio (Orange Tart). Be sure to increase your dining pleasure by including local wines with your meal.

We conclude with a quick look at Campania wine. Campania ranks 9th among the 20 Italian regions for both acreage devoted to wine grapes and for total annual wine production. The region produces about 64% red and and close to 36% white wine, as there is little ros?Campania produces 17 DOC wines. DOC is short for Denominazione di Origine Controllata, which may be translated as Denomination of Controlled Origin, presumably a high-quality wine. The G in DOCG stands for Garantita, but there is in fact no guarantee that such wines are truly superior. Only 2.8% of Campania wine carries the DOC or DOCG designation. There are three DOCG wines: the red Taurasi, the white Greco di Tufo, and the white Fiano di Avellino. I have tasted the Fiano and found it to be top of the line.

There are two DOC wines produced in this area: Costa d’Amalfi and Penisola Sorrentina. Both are made in a variety of styles with a variety of local grapes. Try them. But you can surely buy better Campania wine.

Having An Appetite For France

If you’re thinking of moving to France then you must be at least half keen on food and drink. It helps though if you can literally stomach anything.

Let’s start with an aperitif. Well you may end with that too, since if you are invited to a French house in the evening, this is likely to be all you will get. My first experience was an invitation to our elderly neighbour’s house shortly after we moved in. Monsieur M replaced the mountain of junk mail, straw and chicken eggs on his old wooden table with hastily wiped tiny glasses, even tinier cups and saucers and a huge dish of enormous white sugar lumps. Then the ritual began. A quick look through the shuttered window to check that that the coast was clear, a conspiratorial wink, and the opening and pouring of a crystal clear liquid from an old soda bottle. This was our first encounter with home brewed eau de vie. To accompany this traditional aperitif we were served thick black coffee in the tiny cups. “Pas du sucre” I say as I brush aside the sugar dish. Our host is undeterred; it is not an option. The sweet black liquid is foul but the eau de vie is worse. I glance across the table to my husband. It’s difficult to tell whether he’s savouring every mouthful or just can’t bring himself to swallow it. I guess that it’s unlikely he will be able to come to my rescue. Denied the option of sliding my glass over to him to drink, I look around the room for another escape. The light is dim since the shutters are still half closed. I notice that our genial host wears thick glasses and wonder how bad his eyesight really is. He reaches for the bottle, he sees that his glass is empty. As he pours the innocent looking liquid slowly into his glass I seize the opportunity to empty the remainder of my drink onto the sad looking potted geranium which is on the window sill beside me. I manage, with slight of hand, to return my empty glass, as if from my lips, just as he recaps the bottle. However, he now sees that my glass is empty and quickly refills it. This comedy continues for about an hour, becoming more farcical as my husband passes his own glass to me to dispose of the contents too.

As we leave Monsieur M fast asleep with his head on the table I notice that the geranium has perked up.

Our next invitation is quite different. Our new neighbours are from Paris; spending the summer in their country home in the village.

Aperitifs are served at 7pm. Would we like pink or white champagne? Have we ever tasted foie gras? Here is a plateful. Do we like caviar? Yes, the salty little black things on that toast. “No, I haven’t tasted either before” – (and look forward to never tasting them again). Thankfully, on this occasion, my husband, with a more sophisticated palate than my own, joins our Parisian friends to finish the goose liver and fish eggs whilst I happily eat my way through the other delicious canapés, nuts and cherry tomatoes. At about 10 pm it’s time for dinner and we leave our hosts to prepare their meal while we return to our house, full of food and fizz, and go straight to bed!

Now we have learned that the French way is to invite friends just for aperitifs. We are surprised then when the local farmer, having recently married, invites us to dinner. By this time I have mysteriously developed (honestly), an allergy to some seafood, namely oysters and mussels. The young wife is pleased to hear this; she doesn’t want to poison me so will prepare something different “Frogs legs?” “ No”. That’s a pity because I’ve had them before; they taste like chicken. What then? Voila, she appears at the table with a dish piled high with snails. The farmer shows us how to eat them, his face lights up with pleasure as he picks out and chews the contents of the shell. Even smothered in garlic, butter and parsley I can’t generate any enthusiasm at all. Worse still, I know that my face is contorting with pain as I attempt to slide the rubbery creature down my gullet without having to chew it. I see that my husband is suffering too. No potted geranium in sight this time.

I don’t remember praying but maybe I did. Our young host suddenly leapt up from the table to answer a furious knocking at the door. “Les vaches – libre” was all we could hear as he ran out onto the road, followed by a flustered wife shouting to us, in schoolgirl English, that they were sorry but the cows have escaped and they would have to go and catch them.

When they return we are sitting smugly behind plates of empty shells. The snails are safely secreted in our pockets. The young wife is overjoyed. It is the first time she’s prepared snails and is so glad we’ve enjoyed them. What luck that she’s made so many. She returns from the kitchen with another great plateful.

I must remember to add snails to the list of things I’m allergic to.

When we return their hospitality and invite the young couple to join us for dinner, I struggle to decide what to cook for them. It’s impossible to think of a truly traditional English dish so I choose a popular dish, my favourite, instead. The evening goes well, with our limited French, their limited English and a lot of wine. Another bottle of wine is called for. This necessitates a visit to the cave (wine cellar) under the kitchen floor and as I hold up the heavy wooden hatch my husband searches below for some good claret. Several minutes later we return to the dining room. I am amazed to see the youngsters mopping up curry sauce with the last of the bread. “C’était délicieux ” says the wife.

There’s more curry in the pot. I hesitate before offering it, wondering if their pockets are already full of chicken tikka masala!

Copyright 2005 B A Boyle. May be freely reproduced “as-is” for private and commercial use.

Vacationing In Spain In A Benidorm Apartment

There are over 200,000 apartments available in Benidorm, Spain, many of which serve as vacation rentals. Be sure to start your search at least six months in advance if you will be vacationing during the summer months. Benidorm apartments get booked quickly for that popular time of the year. This is a popular hotspot and only a one hour drive from the nearby vacation hotspot of Alicante city. You can search for apartments online and compare prices, location and amenities offered to best meet your family’s vacation needs.

One benefit of renting a vacation apartment is its extra space. An apartment is often a better choice for those traveling with children or a larger group. The small kitchen allows you to prepare and eat some meals in your apartment. For example, you can eat breakfast in the apartment before heading out for the day. This saves money and provides a more relaxed morning..

In addition, staying in an apartment provides more privacy than a hotel and feels more like home. You have your own space to spread out and relax. Surprisingly, you may find that renting an apartment may actually be cheaper than a hotel. This is especially true for those longer stays. An apartment is a better deal when compared to the more luxurious hotels. Be sure to compare prices when researching a place to stay.

One way to find an apartment is to call a travel agent. An agent will have information on apartments available in the area. A real estate agent is another way to find an apartment for your vacation or, if anything they are a good source of information. The internet can also provide a wealth of information to help you find somewhere to stay in Benidorm. Apartments for rent can often be viewed on travel and real estate sites. Keep in mind that some owners rent directly in order to avoid the extra expense of commission, and some of that commission cost is passed on to the renter. Most of these owners advertise on the internet or in travel magazines.

During your search, there are certain things you should consider throughout the decision making process. You should consider the features and amenities you want in an apartment. For instance, some have a community pool which is a great amenity in the summer. The size of the kitchen is another feature to consider. What sizes is best for you depends on whether or not you plan to cook meals or just snacks or small meals. If you are traveling in the summer, you will probably want air conditioning in the apartment.

You should also consider the size of the apartment you need, which depends on the number of travelers. You want to ensure there is enough room for everyone to sleep and be comfortable during the day. Location should also be considered. An apartment near the beach will be best if you plan to spend a lot of time at the beach or enjoy water sports such as boating, fishing or diving.

Salamanca, Spain – modern city with small village values.

The Spanish town of Salamanca can be found in the province of Castilla y Leon. In the mid west of the country, and just one hours drive from the border with Portugal, it is a town that has 165,000 residents with a climate varying from cold and susceptible to rain showers in the winter months to one which is dry and more comfortable (in terms of temperature) during the rest of the year.

The town is famous throughout Spain as being the most popular of the university towns where more than 40,000 students migrate to each year to study. Dating back to 1218, the “University of Salamanca” is noted as being the university which is the third oldest in Europe. Salamanca is not just known for its university however, as there are many other monuments and architectural sights to see.

The buildings in the centre of town are all built from the golden “Villamayor” sandstone creating the feeling that they are of some other era – a time which has long since passed.

The town has forged itself a new identity in these more modern times and a mix of modern city, small village and university town all sit together in harmony. This gives the towns numerous visitors the advantage of a good, modern infrastructure coupled with a warm and friendly atmosphere.

Named as European Capital of Culture in 2002, the town also has the accolade of being a UNESCO World Heritage City and is an extremely popular destination for tourists from all over the world offering them a wide variety of fascinating things to see or do.

It is said that the Spanish spoken in Salamanca is the purest form of the language in the whole of Spain, making the town a popular destination for language students from foreign countries.

The fact that Salamanca is a university town means that there are no shortages for somewhere to go out at night. Students meet to chat, drink or eat tapas in the many squares or café bars and the relaxed daytime atmosphere of the city centre is continued into the night where it is combined with music emanating from the bars.

The Castilla y Leon region of Spain is renowned for its agriculture and the quality of the locally grown products. Many different types of sausage and the variety of Spanish ham, ‘Jamon Serrano’, are some of the more favoured of the regions delicacies. Other products include the cheeses of the region and the ‘specialities’ such as the Alberca beans and almonds grown in and around Alba de Tormes.

Due mainly to the variation of climate, the dishes served in Salamanca are largely dependant upon the seasons. Winter months see the serving of stews made with chicken, pork and meatballs, or other filling dishes such as “Morucha” beefsteak. The warmer temperatures in summer make the lighter tapas style dishes more popular especially the sausage or ham varieties.

A typical Salamancan meal is the ‘Hornazo’. This is a salty pastry made with ham, bacon, sausage and egg or you could try ‘Chanfaina’, rice which is mixed with sausage.

Eating Out In Paris On A Budget

This is Paris and it is raining, which is as it should be. Paris rain is not as the rain of other cities. It is softer, benevolent. It caresses, rather than soaks.

Perhaps the main reason I come to Paris is because of the food. Not that I am a true gourmet. More a gourmand. It is perfectly possible to spend an arm and a leg on food in Paris. I am still in a state of shock after paying $17.50 for a single glass of beer. Granted, I was sitting on the pavement on the Champs Elysees and granted, I could have sat there all day. But I am still in shock. Normally I steer well away from such high-priced nonsense.

When you go to Paris – and you should go at least once in a lifetime – make your own discoveries. I am assured it is possible to get a bad meal in Paris. It simply has never happened to me. At the following restaurants you will only get great meals.

First and foremost, La Crémerie Polidor. If it was good enough for Ernest Hemingway, James Joyce, Andre Gide, Jack Kerouac, Paul Verlaine and Paul Valery, it is good enough for me. For lunch yesterday I had the plat du jour, which was cassoulet in the classic style. It cost $10.

This restaurant has never heard of nouvelle cuisine. Its style of cooking is still firmly embedded in the twenties. (In fact, it opened 20 years earlier.) As are its decor and standard of service. And the fact that it does not accept credit cards.

With my meal I had a pichet, a small jug, which is about a third of a bottle of Chateau Magondeau, a Merlot, which has won a Medaille Concours Agricole and is generally well spoken of. A full bottle would have been silly, but a pichet at $10 was just right. This system of serving excellent wines in less than bottle quantities is splendidi. In most restaurants you can have a carafe of house wine, which normally will be singularly nasty and probably will have come from Algeria or Morocco and be chemically treated. Sometimes you can detect that someone are the grapes first. You can drink it at a pinch. But you have to be desperate.

A step up from that is réserve maison, or réserve du patron. This is much better and very drinkable. At the top in quality and price are the wines which qualify for the title vin delimité de qualité supérieur (VDQS), or appellation d’origine controlée (AOC). These can be truly splendid wines, but can be pricey and a bottle much too much to drink for one person.

Some restaurants serve great wines by the glass or small jug and the good ones get the Coupe de Meilleur Pot, which is a much-coveted award. This means that you can sample the grand wines of France – and grand wines, indeed, they are – without doing dire damage to either your wallet or your liver.

The best places to experience this superior plonk by the glass are in bars run by the Ecluse chain which keeps expanding. Originally there was one Now, I think, there are five bars. On offer are Bordeaux wines by the glass, some of them grand cru. These bars also have, beyond argument, the best chocolate.

Back to Polidor for the moment. The ideal time to go there is around 1.30, when the first mad rush is over, but the atmosphere is still there. They don’t accept telephone bookings.

To get to it, take the Métro to Odeon on Boulevard St Germain de Près and walk through Carrefour Odeon and then up Rue Monsieur le Prince to number 41. It is not a flashy frontage and easy to miss. The unisex toilets are very probably a historic monument.

After eating a literary lunch, go back down to St Germain de Près and turn left. You will shortly come to three great Paris institutions: Aux Deux Magots, the Café Floré and Brasserie Lipp. It was at Aux Deux Magots in 1964 and 1965 Jean Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir held literary court.

You can have a glass of wine or a tea, typically with lemon, or a coffee and huddle over it for hours without disturbing the waiters of Aux Deux Magots, who have seen it all.

Always and ever you will see some tables occupied by Parisian lovers. They lean forward over the table with their spines concave, their buttocks jutting and their legs intertwined under the tables. Looks damned uncomfortable, but they do it by the hour. In Aux Deux Magots there was a dark-haired couple – both handsome – who were seemingly frozen eternally in this posture of adoration.

If you are on a tight budget, there are many restaurants which serve better than acceptable food at ludicrously low prices.

One example is Chartier, in Montmartre, which is at 7 Rue du Faubourg Montmartre. Take the Métro to Montmartre, come out into Rue Montmartre and take the first turning on your left.

This is an immense restaurant, which looks like a set designer’s idea of a waiting room for the Orient Express – always crowded, always noisy. In the old French tradition, the waiter writes your order on the paper table-cloth. At dinner for two, one had fish soup (great), the other fresh shrimps (likewise), followed by veal (better than good) and shashlik (dreadful). To go with this, a bottle of Côtes de Provence rosé and some cheese to follow.

Total price 28 euros, under $40.

If you are on a very tight budget the answer is to picnic. Start off with a loaf of bread. These are called baguettes, cost three francs each, and were the glory of France. Sadly, they have in recent years deteriorated because the bakers do not like working through the night to make fresh batches. So they make them the day before and deep freeze them. Another black mark to progress. Baguettes, nevertheless, are still better than any other bread.

To buy it, head for a boulangerie. Easy to find – they are everywhere and emit a glorious smell of warm bread. If you want the best baguettes, head for the shop with the biggest queues, Parisians know their bread.

Nearby will be a charcuterie – food shops in Paris come in clumps – where you can buy pâte, quiche, ham, saucissons (sausages) in all varieties, especially the dried, smaller kind. They will slice up the sausages for you. Many charcuteries also sell hot take-away dishes in plastic containers although I tend to avoid these as being too messy.

An example: for lunch in a charcuterie in the Rue du Faubourg du Temple I bought a portion of feuillette de jambon; a portion of museau de porc vinaigrette; some potato salad and a portion of salade Chinoise. There was enough there to feed me until I was full to groaning and yet it only cost a few euros.

Now, if you are a greater glutton than I, nip into the fromagerie, which will be somewhere on the same block, and experiment with cheeses you have never tried before. If you are quite open with the shopkeeper and confess ignorance you will sometimes find a selection of small portions being made up for you as a sampling kit.

Lastly, the wine. Treat yourself to a bottle with a cork in it. Again, tell the wine merchant the type of wine you want and that you are learning about French wines and you are poor. You will be pleasantly surprised at the friendly advice and assistance you will be given.

Where to eat your picnic? On a recent trip I ate my picnic meals in the little park at the Pont Neuf end of the Île de la Cité. Behind me, the Gothic wonders of Notre Dame. In front of me, the Seine.

I ate like a king in solitary splendor. I was alone, but I was not lonely, I had all of Paris around me.

What to Expect on an Escorted European Tour

You are in a comfortable, climate controlled coach bus meandering down the hills of Tuscany. Surrounded by vineyards and while comfortably in your seat, you bask in the calm atmosphere. A half an hour later you stop outside a small village marketplace. Your tour guide gives you some handy tips on where to go, you grab a snack, maybe some wine and take a little bit of the country’s glow in for yourself. Then it’s back to the comfortable coach bus, and on to another stop.

This pattern repeats itself for a few more stops, and next thing you know, you are in Rome. Your bus stops outside the Coliseum and your tour guide informs you that you will be seeing this one as a group. However, instead of just wandering around, and maybe getting a tour that runs periodically, your guide has set up a special tour just for your group. You spend the afternoon enjoying ancient buildings, and retiring back to the bus just before dusk. Then it is on to a stunning hotel with a room that you could never afford without the group rate that was arranged in advance, and perhaps a visit to a gourmet restaurant or whatever other eating establishment meets your approval. Imagine this stress free bliss for your entire vacation. Imagine having all of Europe just outside the door of your bus, and an experienced guide who knows all of the destinations just waiting to reveal the secrets of the cities you will visit.

On an escorted tour through Europe you can expect to see cities such as Dublin, Edinburgh, Glasgow, London, Paris, Marseille, Madrid, Rome and countless others. You may spend a day or two at each destination, and time will be given for you to enjoy the thrills as either a group or on your own. During that day you will have access to your tour guide. He or she will be able to tell you more than just the basics. It’s pretty well understood that if you are going to London, then you will want to see Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, and Buckingham Palace. But your guide can reveal for you all of the lesser known attractions that the city offers. The location truly does get unlocked by your travel operator, and you are given access to so many things that you otherwise would either not know about, or not be able to afford.

Speaking of that aspect, affordability is the best part about the escorted tour of Europe. Traveling in a group is one benefit that makes an escorted tour of Europe affordable. While in Europe, your tour will visit many different locations. Your operator is able to negotiate group rates for almost anyplace you may eat, sleep or visit.

Another feature to expect on a European tour is the number of transportation options. The ample supply of railroad tracks and water routes allows tour guides to be more creative in their methods of transportation. River cruises and train trips are common. Indeed, they can be some of the most popular escorted tours offered. Imagine floating through Europe’s major rivers, and in the process enjoying all of the cities that you pass by along the way. River cruises can truly be vacation bliss. When visiting Italy, your tour guide will provide you with a ride on a gondola. The gondola is an important aspect of Italian culture which was widely used in the 18th century. A gondola ride is very relaxing and allows you to experience the rivers of Venice, Italy.

All in all there is one thing you can expect to see of more than anything else on an escorted tour of Europe. That sight is the continent itself. You will not spend your days wasting away over maps. You won’t be constantly staring at the road in front as you try and navigate through areas that you don’t know. Instead, you will be free to experience Europe to its fullest under the watch and care of an experienced, well informed guide. On an escorted tour of Europe you will actually get to relax and enjoy your destinations. That, in and of itself, makes the prospect of an escorted European tour an attractive one.

Enjoying Your Travels To Spain

Thinking about traveling to Spain? Spain – located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula – continues to be one of the most popular tourist attractions and vacation spots just as much today as it has always been in the past. Maybe you’re wondering about where to visit in Spain… Maybe you want to learn more about its history and experience its tremendous influence in European art… Whatever your reasons for wanting to visit are, you’re certainly bound to enjoy the rich culture, customs, and history of this country once you’ve arrived there.

As you can imagine, the architecture of Barcelona, the Holy Monstreat, and the Toledo cathedral make this a popular coordinate. And because this is such a hot travel spot, you’re advised to make your airline reservations, hotel reservations, and car rental preparations early – three to four months in advance as a matter of fact – especially when tourism is likely to be high (summer months, holidays, etc.). If you prefer to travel “off-season,” – that is, during a time when tourism is low, you may not need to make such early reservations. In the latter case, one month-advanced preparation may suffice.

After you’ve made your reservations, you can fulfill the rest of your time preparing for everything that Spain has to offer. One of the ways that you can do that is by taking a local trip to your favorite library and perusing the immense number of books about Spain. By doing this, you can prepare yourself with the language – perhaps even check out a few books or audio tapes of the language (if available) and additionally learn about Spain’s monetary system.

You should always learn about entry requirements, inoculations and other safety information you might need before you go not only to Spain – but also just about anywhere out of the country. But you can also familiarize yourself with the dress of the land and maybe try a few local restaurants that serve Spanish cuisine and play a little of its native music. Of course you can always visit your museum and inquire about the art of the land so that you’ll know what to look for once you get there – in particular, the works of El Greco. The idea here is to educate yourself amid all the excitement of visiting a place so rich in culture!

Now some people like spontaneity – a little adventure – the unknown – whatever you want to call it, but some of us like to create an itinerary of things to do and places to go. If you’re the “planning type,” then you might appreciate taking the time to map out your excursion. And there’s certainly nothing wrong with that – seeing that you’re visiting a new area, your chances of being bored or going against spontaneity are very slim because Spain has so much to offer to each one of your physical senses!

When and if you create such an itinerary, some of the things that you will want to include of course are things like times to eat, take tours, attend shows, and (our favorite) shop! You might think that this information is hard to find but thanks to the Internet, it really isn’t’ hard to find at all. If you’re working with a travel agent, then your efforts to fill an itinerary should be pretty minimal. But if you’re working alone, you can certainly visit the tourist websites of Spain and create your own chart of things to discover and enjoy.

If you’re handy with the native language of Spain (which you might have correctly guessed is Spanish), you can certainly read a few online Spanish newspapers to find events and locals that might be of interest to you. Chances are that you’ll find a lot more entertainment information by reading a Spanish newspaper than you would if you solely relied on an English interpretation.

Once you’ve arrived and have found transportation to your hotel, you can inquire further to find even more interests. By this time, you should be speaking a little Spanish so that you can effectively communicate and exchange money with your hotel manager:

Hola! (Hello)
Gracias! (Thank You)
Como te llamas? (What’s your name?)
Como estas? (How are you?)
Me llamo… (My name is…)
Soy de United States of America (I’m from the United States of America)
No comprendo (I don’t understand)
Por favor (please)
Me numero de telefono es el… (My phone number is [and then the numbers in Spanish [uno, dos, tres, quatro, cinco, etc.)

You’ll of course want to learn how to ask for other important things like help and/or directions. These are some of the things that will make your trip to Spain more enjoyable – especially as you converse with the natives and experiment with new foods or amusements that you hadn’t even planned for! Just remember to pack your camera or your small video cam so that you can record your experience and enjoy them with loved ones back home.

Travel in Spain by Taxi

Traveling by taxi in Spain provides an extremely convenient way to move about and “sight-see.” Like traveling by taxi in the United States, minimum charges accompany metered mileage plus a small additional fee for baggage and evening – night – or holiday drives.

Spain Driving Tips

European Union citizens (18 years or older) must own a national driving license to drive in Spain, however non-European Union citizens (18 years or older) also need an International Driving Permit as well. Both types of citizens must have car insurance and identification (license, passport, etc.) by law, is required at all times. Seat belts must be worn by all passengers, and travelers under the age of 14 must be seated in the back seat of the vehicle. When driving, remember that driving positions are reversed to American drivers. You must yield to on-coming traffic from junctures and traffic circles.

Special care should be taken to restrict your driving to the main routes outlined on the most recent maps of this area as other routes may not be appropriate for driving (dirt roads, mountain passes, etc.). In urban areas, you can conveniently refuel your vehicle from unleaded or diesel gas stations. But if you’ll drive for long periods of time, it’s wise to completely fill your tank, as fuel stations are sparse in rural sections of the country.

Driving speeds are generally restricted to 30 mph to 56 mph, however driving speeds can increase from 62 mph to 75 mph on highways with more than two lanes. Be prepared to pay both variable and fixed toll charges associated with city entry ways.

Traveling in Spain by Car / Car Rental

Because Spain’s city centers are so popular, you are cautioned to avoid driving in these areas – especially since the narrow roads in these places can accommodate traffic traveling in one direction only. In addition, parked automobiles make driving extremely difficult. Traveling by car rental is best accomplished by following a current map of its roads – which offer views that are nothing short of amazing.

Eating With The Family, The Italian Way

Food is everything in Italy, it’s what brings the family together to sit a round a table after a long day working or at the beach. Meal times are where extended families will sit for hours discussing life, family matters, Italian politics (always popular) and the world as a whole.

Whenever I go to Italy I love sitting down with my immediate family to eat, the whole process is different to what we do at home in England. There may still be five of us sat around a table but it’s not the same. Meal times are a relaxed affair in Italy, you don’t feel the urge to eat your meal down as quickly as possible so you can rush off to do something else.

The food is brought to the table at a more leisurely pace, eaten slower and after the meal we all hang around and talk.

Similarly in an restaurant in Italy it’s not uncommon to see people sat at there table for hours after they’ve finished eating and holding court with the family or as most restaurants in Italy will have a television on it’s not un common to see finished diners still sat their table watching and discussing the latest Italian quiz show. When we have a big family gathering we start the preparation hours in advance of the first guest arriving and when the first person does arrive they’re usually armed with more food that needs preparing.

It’s not until everyone arrives that the event gets underway, it’s an un-written rule that until all the guests have arrived and all food prepared that anyone can get in the mood to enjoy themselves. This is of course except for the children who run around getting under everyone’s feet and pinching salami and cheese from the table when the adults aren’t looking. When you finally sit down for the meal it’s usually a very long, relaxed and drawn out process. Italians think nothing of sitting down to a meal of in excess of 10 courses eaten over 3 hours, the bigger the family gathering the more courses there will be as everyone usually brings something with them to add to the table.

This will always be good traditional home-made Italian food. Granted the courses are generally rather small and are usually served on large platters in the centre of the table for everyone to dig into. If you’ve never experienced this before the trick is not too get too over confident on the fist few courses as there will always be another course further down the line that you’ll regret not having space for.

The courses usually consist of cheese and salami, pickles, vegetables, one or two fish dishes, a couple of meat courses, cheese again and dessert. All of these are washed down with lots of wine or beer over the course of an afternoon or evening. There is always something going on at an Italian dinner table and I’ve never known a quiet Italian dinner table. The females of the family are usually rushing back and to from the kitchen with more trays of food, the older men are sat at the head of the table discussing the old days, the younger generation, competing to be heard sit around the centre of the table discussing the state of the world and the children do what children do.

As the meal reaches it’s finale a few people may saunter off to relax but generally everyone stays around the table with conversations going on for hours or maybe a game or two of scopa, a traditional Italian card game. At the end of the meal you are generally exhausted and unable to eat a single thing, but at night you’ll sleep well and be as relaxed as you’ve ever been before.

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