This article appears in our Print Edition, November 2010 -- Page 58
Many savvy travelers tunnel their way through Europe’s big cities by subway, popping up from below like gophers on a golf course. True, subways are a cheap and efficient way to get around, but by staying at street level on public buses and trams, you get amazing views and the chance to really cozy up to a city. And they still get you where you want to go, for cheap.
One of my favorite experiences in Paris is a ride on bus number 69. Running from the Eiffel Tower to Père...
CONTINUE READING »
This article appears in our Print Edition, October 2010 -- Page 62
When people ask me about the scariest situation I’ve ever been in, I think back to a taxi ride I took to the Moscow airport in the early ’90s. A no-neck guy who looked like a classic Russian mafia thug picked me up in a beat-up old car and drove for an hour down puddle-filled alleys and past derelict apartment buildings. All I could think about were those movie scenes where the good guy is taken down to the riverbank to be shot. Instead, the no-neck pulled up to the airport, shook my hand...
CONTINUE READING »
This article appears in our Print Edition, August 2010 -- Page 59
Many travelers tramp through Europe like they’re visiting the cultural zoo. “Ooh, that guy in lederhosen yodeled! Excuse me, could you do that again so I can take a picture?”
When I’m in Europe, I become the best German or Spaniard or Italian I can be. I consume wine in France, beer in Germany and small breakfasts in Italy. While I never drink tea at home, after a long day of sightseeing in England “a spot of tea” really does feel right. So on your...
CONTINUE READING »
This article appears in our Print Edition, June 2010 -- Page 57
One reason why Italy is so much fun is that it just keeps changing. Here are a few new developments that will be handy for you to know if you’ll be visiting the land of “la dolce vita.”
• Rome may be the “Eternal City,” but that doesn’t mean it has stopped evolving. The Vatican Museum, starring the Sistine Chapel, now has an online reservation system that’s a godsend; visit http://biglietteriamusei.vatican.va.
If you’re...
CONTINUE READING »
This article appears in our Print Edition, April 2010 -- Page 63
Shopping in Europe can be fun, but not if you let it overwhelm your trip. I like to shop smart, spending my time — and money — efficiently. Based on three decades of travel, here are my top tips for shopping in Europe.
Shop in countries where your dollar goes further. Shop in Turkey, Morocco, Portugal, Spain, Greece and Eastern Europe, where the dollar is relatively strong. For the price of a doily in Britain, you can get a lace tablecloth in Spain.
Shop at flea...
CONTINUE READING »
This article appears in our Print Edition, March 2010 -- Page 68
While most first-time visitors to Europe choo-choose to travel by train, consider the convenience of driving. Behind the wheel you’re totally free, going where you want, when you want.
Driving in the British Isles is wonderful — once you remember to stay on the left and after you’ve mastered the roundabouts. But be warned: every year I get some e-mails from travelers advising me that, for them, trying to drive in Great Britain and Ireland was a nerve-wracking and...
CONTINUE READING »
This article appears in our Print Edition, January 2010 -- Page 68
Eating and drinking in Europe is sightseeing for your taste buds. Every country has local specialties that are good, memorable or both. Here are many of the fun experiences that stick in my mind after 30 years of travel. Seek out any of these on your next trip.
• In the Netherlands, try a rijsttafel (rice table), the ultimate Indonesian meal, with as many as 36 delightfully exotic courses, all eaten with rice. One meal is plenty for two, so order carefully.
An even more...
CONTINUE READING »
This article appears in our Print Edition, December 2009 -- Page 65
Wearing a green T-shirt under a blue work shirt, I was about to depart for Europe. At my farewell breakfast — one last eggs-any-style — my stylish, college-aged daughter said to me, “You look like a scrub. Okay if you’re painting a house.”
Whether I’m a scrub or not, my bag is light. As compartmentalized as a TV dinner, it includes a folding board with four shirts and an extra pair of pants; bags for small garments, such as underwear and five pairs...
CONTINUE READING »
