by David McGuffin | Dec 16, 2010 | David's Journal, Essential Travel Resources
Venice 1977
It used to be that the most expensive part of a Europe trip was the flight. Once arriving one could live a pretty good life on less than $40 a day. I can remember my first trip to Europe. In 1977 I was a member of the Florida Junior College Chorale and we traveled to Europe for three weeks on a concert tour. Much of the tour’s expenses were funded by the College, however each of us were required to pay $900 to cover the tour expenses. NINE HUNDRED DOLLARS! That was for the flights, hotels, transportation, most meals, and tours.
Pictured in the photo above (from left to right) is Brian, Eva, Pam, David, and Doug on the canal in Venice. That’s Casanova there in the back pushing the gondola along.
My records from 1977 show that $1 USD = 877 It.lira. Here are my total expenses for my seven days in Italy:
$.57 – Cola
$5.81- Dinner
$1.42 – Breakfast
$.39 – Cola
$1.14 – Pizza
$2.28 – Hamburger (my, my…how my tastes have changed)
$1.02 – Banana Split
$2.28 – Lunch
$4.33 – Lunch
$2.77 – Lunch
$2.28 – Lunch
$3.42 – Lunch
$6.27 – Disco and drinks
$5.70 – Drinks and entertainment on Piazza San Marco (Venice)
$2.85 – Venice Guidebook
$3.42 – Florence Guidebook
$3.42 – Rome Guidebook
by David McGuffin | Nov 9, 2010 | Essential Travel Resources
Natalie LaRosa
Updated: November 28, 2015
Carry-On Luggage: TSA & EU Regulations
by Natalie LaRosa
The best way to travel to and throughout Europe is to carry your luggage onto airplanes with you. In other words do not check your luggage with the airlines. This forces one to pack lighter. Believe me you will be glad you did when it comes to lugging that suitcase up stairs, through subways, and across cobbled streets. But most importantly it avoids the chance of your bag being lost by the airline. The first time I went to Europe the airline lost my luggage. Luckily we were staying in Rome for 3 days and my suitcase finally got to me. However, a lot of tours don’t stay put in one place for long. If this is the case you will have to do without your things until your luggage finally catches up to you, if it ever does. Since that trip, I have been a believer in carrying my luggage on the airplane with me. I advise others to do the same. It gives me a certain peace of mind knowing that my bags are with me all the time. Additionally it is one less thing to think about upon arrival when I am excited about getting started on the tour.
Now that I have discussed the benefits of carrying on your suitcase, there are a few rules you’ll need to consider before beginning to pack your carry-on suitcase. Since September 2006 the following rules apply to all flights in the USA and EU (European Union).
Both the United States TSA and EU restrict the amount of liquids in your carry-on luggage. Passengers are allowed to bring travel-sized toiletries (3.4 ounces or less) that fit comfortably in a one quart plastic zip top bag. You must remove the zip lock bag from your belongings at security check points to be visually inspected and scanned. After clearing security you can bring beverages and other items purchased in the secure boarding area onto the plane. There are special circumstances for larger containers of medication, baby formula, and other special medical material. If these items exceed 3.4 ounces you must declare them to a security officer at security checkpoint for further inspection.
These rules apply only to carry-on luggage. You can still pack all your normal things in luggage that you decide to check with the airlines.
For complete and up-to-date details about TSA and European Union regulations visit: TSA Liquids Rule
by David McGuffin | Sep 13, 2010 | Adventures in Tour Guiding, Culture & Customs, Destinations
I am back home after a summer of traveling in Europe. Over the past three months, I have visited and led tours in Ireland, Germany’s Mosel River Valley, Prague, lots of places in Italy, Scotland and Paris. Although many destinations felt like my second home, I did visit a few new locales that I can tuck away for future reference. Here is a pictorial review of my summer travel highlights.
IRELAND – Clonmacnoise Monastic site – County Offaly
IRELAND – Stacks of drying peat logs – County Offaly
IRELAND – The Cliffs of Mohar – County Clare
IRELAND- The Dingle Pub – County Kerry
Somebody had too much Guiness and got the wrong end up!
IRELAND – O’Flarherty’s Pub – Dingle, County Kerry
The Mosel River Valley – Germany
PRAGUE – Czech Republic
PRAGUE – Traditional Czech Restaurant
ITALY – Monterosso al Mare – Liguria (Cinque Terre)
Chef/owner Luigi Corcioli at La Lampara Ciak. The best spaghetti with shellfish I’ve ever tasted.
ITALY – Volterra, Tuscany
The only bar I go to in Volterra is “La Vene di Vino.” Owners Lucio and Bruno know how to make you feel at home and serve up some really good Tuscan vino.
Traveling by train from Milano to La Spezia.
ITALY- San Gimignano, Tuscany
Medieval Festival
ITALY – Florence, Tuscany
Cityscape view from the “Piazelle Michelangelo.”
ITALY – Volterra, Tuscany
Me and Genuino Del Duca, owner of my most favorite restaurant in all of Italy.
Ristorante Enoteca Del Duca – Volterra
SCOTLAND – Glasgow
The “Willow Tea Room” made famous by architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh. We dropped by for brunch at 10:30 on a Saturday morning. I had tea (of course) and a Scottish Salmon sandwich. During the entire experience I felt like I had to hold out my little finger while sipping the tea.
SCOTLAND – Oban
SCOTLAND – Lough Earn
We had a beautiful day to drive across Scotland from west to east.
SCOTLAND – St. Andrews
My friend John striking a pose on the 18th fairway at St. Andrews Old Course.
ITALY – Amalfi
ITALY – Ravello
The second time I’ve ever brought a tuxedo to Europe. I attended a wedding at Villa Cimbrone and it was amazing!
ITALY – Rome, Lazio
I caught the sunbeams just right in St. Peter’s.
ITALY – Viaggio, Tuscany
Charlotte and I spent the first two nights of our vacation here at
Agriturismo Savernano.
ITALY – Volterra, Tuscany
We happend upon a festival on July 31, 2010. Approaching midnight , the main square was filled with people lighting hot air filled luminaries. At midnight they sent them on their way into the night.
ITALY – Riomaggiore, Luguria
It has become a tradition that Charlotte and I spend a week at the
“Cinque Terre Residences” in August.
This year we ate out once and then I cooked the rest of the nights.
Thanks for taking a look at my photo gallery. Remember, you can join me in most any of theses destinations by taking a David McGuffin tour. Check out what I’ve got to offer at https://davidmcguffin.com.
by David McGuffin | Aug 6, 2010 | Destinations, Hotel Reviews
I discovered Cinque Terre Residence in March 2005 and have been staying here at least once a year ever since. Normally, I come here with my wife (for our anniversary trip) in August each year. We have come to love the laid-back ambiance of the locale, the patio with an amazing view and the super-clean and air-conditioned rooms. We’ve always reserved the apartment with a kitchen, because I like to cook. This last time here I cooked every night with fresh ingredients purchased in the village. The staff (Carla, Piero and Davide) are wonderful and a pleasure to deal with.
The modern, purpose-built collections of rooms are located high on a hill overlooking the town of Riomaggiore. Getting to the Cinque Terre Residence is a bit of a challenge, but no more so than any other place in town. I suggest taking the green shuttle bus from the bottom of town (at the end of the tunnel from the train station). The shuttle bus can drop you off above the Cinque Terre Residence. From there it is a simple downhill walk to your room.
Getting to the town center takes five minutes and it is all downhill, however, it is all up hill with 132 steps on the return trip. You’ve just to prepare yourself for that (or take the green shuttle bus back up by way of the road).
I am a veteran traveler to the Cinque Terre region and have stayed in other towns and other hotels and rooms in Riomaggiore. If you are up to the challenge of walking around in the five villages of the Cinque Terre, I can recommend no better place to lay your head than the Cinque Terre Residence.
Book your room directly with the Carla at http://cinqueterreresidence.it.
