Here it is mid-August, and I’ve not left the USA in eight months! For many, that is not uncommon, but Europe is my office, my job, and my livelihood. This Pandemic has affected everyone in the world in one way or another, but the hospitality, travel, and tourism industry has taken quite a blow. What was to be a record-breaking year for Exploring Europe came to a screeching halt on March 10, 2020. That’s when I contacted COVID-19, and shortly afterward, all travel shut down in and out of the USA.
Since mid-March, we have postponed, pushed back, rescheduled, or canceled almost every Exploring Europe tour scheduled for 2020. That’s terrible news for us and those who were looking forward to exploring Europe with us. The good news is that we are still in business and ready to show our friends around Europe when travel becomes possible again. I’ve given up trying to guess when that might be, but whether it is in one month or many, we will be ready!
Looking to the future
However, just because it is possible to travel to Europe without going into quarantine upon arrival, does not necessarily mean we will rush into it. A David McGuffin tour is a unique, interactive, and personal travel experience. One of the aspects that sets our tours apart is the opportunity to meet, interact, and become friends with locals living and working in our destinations. Our trips will not be the same if we have to adhere to rigid social distancing rules, wear masks 24/7, and worry about being infected by the Coronavirus.
On our tours, we love to spend time with our traveling guests experiencing the sights, museums, and attractions in a sensible fashion, and having some downtime to relax and enjoy the locale. Attempting these things from behind a mask or at six-feet intervals would invariably take some spontaneity and adventure away from the total travel experience. I’ve spent the last twenty years honing our travel and tour style to come up with the perfect combination of cultural immersion, history and art lessons, engaging experiences, and unstructured free time. I’ll not schedule any tour until these experiences are again possible, reasonable, and safe.
Check out our tours to Europe.
However, we are actively planning for that day when it is possible to hop on a plane, fly to Europe, and travel freely.
You can sign-up for any of our tours online, by mail, or by email, by completing an application and paying a fully refundable $25 deposit. No other investment is required until the final payment due date, which is about 45 days before departure.
Want to travel on your home turf?
Many of you have contacted me during this Pandemic, suggesting I begin offering tours in the USA. I appreciate your ideas and concern, but I’m getting too old to learn a new continent! However, if you have a hankering to travel on your home turf, I want to introduce you to MOLLY’S OLD SOUTH TOURS. Molly Verlin is a wonderful young lady who leads tours for me in Italy. Since there is no work in Italy this year, she’s taken her love for the South, and designed some wonderful travel experiences. On Molly’s tours, you’ll discover the hidden history, culture, hospitality, and down-home cooking of the American Southeast. Molly will guide you through the ancient Spanish city of St. Augustine, the pristine beaches of Georgia’s Golden Isles, the elegant squares and parks of Savannah’s historic district, and the unique history, and charm of Colonial Charleston. I hope you’ll have a look at her website and consider a tour closer to home!
October 4 – A walk around Trastevere – Earlier today, I took the Frecciarossa, the fast train, down from Milano to Rome. From Termini Station, I took a taxi to my B&B in the neighborhood of Trastevere. Le Clarisse e Trastevereis located just off the main drag (Viale Trastevere) in an old convent surrounded by a quiet courtyard filled with olive and lemon trees. Although the building is ancient, the rooms and public spaces are updated for the 21st Century traveler.
That evening, I struck out for a walk around Trastevere, the historic old neighborhood. The cobbled streets are narrow, and many are for pedestrians only, which makes wandering around easy and stress-free. Tonight, there was a festival celebration. October 4 is the feast day of Saint Francis of Assisi. It marks the day in 1226, when the saint from Assisi, Umbria, died. Just by chance, I came upon the procession and joined in for a few blocks toward the church.
Later, I drifted towards the Piazza Santa Maria in Trastevere, a vast outdoor square, with a fountain, bell tower, and church. The Basilica is old! The floor plan and walls date from the mid-4th Century, and practically everything else was renovated in the mid-12th Century, making it one of the oldest churches in Rome. Medieval mosaics dominated both the interior and exterior, with scenes from Christ’s and Mary’s life. But tonight, there was a festival happening in another part of the neighborhood. October 4 is the feast day of Saint Francis of Assisi. It marks the day in 1226, when the saint from Assis, Umbria, died. Just by chance, I came upon the procession and joined in for a few blocks toward the church.
I don’t even remember the name of the pizza place I chose. I was working on instinct, and notice this place was packed with mostly Romans, not tourists. Families and groups of young people filled all the tables, and they all seemed to be enjoying their pizza and having a good time. I joined the queue at the door, and after about ten minutes, I got a table. A fast-talking/fast-moving waiter came by and dropped a menu on my table. I quickly ordered my drink before he ran away to help someone else. Sitting back and looking around, I noticed the patrons were enjoying watching the swift and gruff waiters hustling from one table to the other. A lot of action, but not too much service. A young guy at the next table leaned over saying, “We come here to drink and watch the waiters run around, if we get pizza, it is a bonus!”
Checking back in my journal, I found this entry, It is fun to note that even the local Romans are “entertained” by the fast-moving waiters and their super-slow service. If I were here with a group, this would be bad. But, for me tonight, it is entertainment.
Ultimately, I did get a pizza, and it was good. The pizza, mixed with the wine, ambiance, locale, and festive atmosphere, made for an enjoyable evening! You never know what you are going to come across when you wander.
Even though I did not get the name of the restaurant, I did make a sketch. Maybe next time I am in Rome, I’ll try to find this place again!
Scoula Italiano Pizzaoli – Molto Importante
It is important to note that the pizza makers here must have an education at the school for Italian pizza makers.
You have not heard from me for a while, but I wanted to write and let you know all is well with me, my family, and Exploring Europe. The last five months have been challenging for me personally and for Exploring Europe. All was going well until March 10, 2020. That was the day COVID-19 became a reality, in more ways than one. My wife and I, and several other family members, came down with the COVID-19 virus in early March (I blogged about it here). Fortunately, none of us had a severe case, although it did take a few weeks to get back to feeling normal.
As for Exploring Europe, we have canceled all our tours at least through November 2020. Early on, we had hoped this pandemic would be short-lived, and travel would get back to normal by the summer. After hundreds of cancellations, I now realize that “normal” is not going to be possible for some time. So, we hope and prepare for a new normal in 2021.
A David McGuffin tour is a unique, interactive, and personal travel experience. One of the aspects that sets our tours apart is the opportunity to meet, interact, and become friends with locals living and working in our destinations. Our trips would not be the same if we were placed under rigid travel and social distancing rules. On our tours, we love to spend time relaxing with our traveling guests, visiting with local friends over a glass of wine, exploring a shop, sampling olive oil, or just taking a stroll through town. Attempting these things from behind a mask or at six-feet intervals would invariably take some spontaneity and adventure away from the total travel experience. We have spent the last twenty years honing our travel and tour style to come up with, what we think, the perfect combination of cultural immersion, history and art lessons, engaging experiences, and unstructured free time. We will not depart on any tour until these types of experiences are again possible, reasonable, and safe for the foreseeable future.
Since we cannot travel to Europe right now, I hope to bring a bit of Europe to you in the coming weeks. During this pandemic, I’m writing several books, adding content to my website, and trying to keep on task with the business of Exploring Europe. I yearn for the day when I can hop on a plane and fly to Europe, but, for now, I’ll have to settle for my memories. So, as much for me, as for you, I am going to begin posting a blog series I’m calling David’s Weekly Wanders in Europe.
David’s Weekly Wanders in Europe will feature videos, articles, book excerpts, virtual tours, and live online events. David McGuffin Explores Rome! is the first of several episodes chronicling the experiences and adventures on David’s Best of Italy Tour route. Along with his producer, Abby, and their travel companions, David visits the significant sites in Italy’s capital city. I hope you’ll consider joining in by participating, making comments, and dreaming of your return to travel.
All the best,
Watch David McGuffin Explores Rome! Don’t forget to scroll down after the video and read about my adventure in Trastevere. I even included a sketch from my journal.
Since we cannot travel to Europe right now, I am bringing a bit of Europe to you. I yearn for the day when I can hop on a plane and fly to Europe, but, for now, I’ll have to settle for my memories. So, as much for me, as for you, I’ll share David’s Weekly Wanders in Europe.
This week, David’s Weekly Wanders in Europe features a video, David McGuffin Explores Rome! It is the first of several episodes chronicling the experiences and adventures on David’s Best of Italy Tour route. Along with his producer, Abby, and their travel companions, David visits the essential tourist sites in Rome, plus a few off-the-beaten-path destinations..
Recently, I blogged about “pizza done right” and realized I did not have many photos of a pie. Thanks to a few recent tour members, I’ll share some here.
Phil Waltrip
Marsha Cook
Phil Waltrip
Mercato Centrale Roma
Phil and Genny Waltrip traveled on our Best of Italy tour in September 2019. They win the all-time prize for the most food pictures ever!
Watch 
