Daily lfe Archives

Paris- Why It’s Still My Favorite City

by David McGuffin | Aug 9, 2026 | Blog, Culture & Customs, Daily lfe, Destinations, Eating & Drinking, Experiencing Europe

Of all the places I’ve traveled across Europe, Paris keeps its place at the top of my list. It has the grand boulevards, the boutiques, the outdoor cafés, the monuments and museums everyone comes for — and it has the Mona Lisa, the Eiffel Tower, and Notre Dame. But none of that fully explains why it’s my favorite. What does is something quieter: the way Paris rewards you for slowing down.

It’s a City of Neighborhoods, Not Just Sights

Ask me why Paris beats out every other city I’ve visited, and my answer is that it isn’t really about the landmarks. It’s that Paris is made up of dozens of distinct neighborhoods where I can step away from the tourist crowds entirely. You should absolutely see the big attractions — but there’s so much more to the city than one more museum or one more church.

One of my favorite escapes is the Canal Saint-Martin, a canal dug in the early 1800s to move grain and building materials into the city. I once spent an entire late-September morning just walking one bank and back down the other — watching kids float leaves and toy boats, moms pushing strollers, cafés and bistros getting ready for the lunch crowd, all happening beneath the amber and gold leaves of the ubiquitous plane trees. No horns, no traffic, no tour groups. Just Paris living its ordinary life.

I feel the same way about the streets near the Eiffel Tower, Champ de Mars, and Pont de l’Alma, where 18th-century blocks between Rue Saint-Dominique and the Seine are full of actual Parisians going about their day. After reading Julia Child’s biography, I learned she once lived in a small upper-floor apartment on Rue de l’Université. I still find myself walking that street, looking up, wondering who lives there in her old apartment now.

Slow Down — You’ll Enjoy It More

Paris can wear you out. I’ve led groups through two packed days trying to hit the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, Notre Dame, the Tuileries, Luxembourg Gardens, a Seine cruise, Montmartre and Sacré-Cœur, the Champs-Élysées, and a picnic on the Champ de Mars — and by day two, travelers from age 13 to 80 are all asking for the same thing: more time to breathe, to slow down, to get a break.

That’s why in the past decade I’ve moved toward longer stays and fewer forced stops per day. The sights will still be there. What people remember afterward isn’t how many boxes they checked — it’s the afternoon they didn’t rush, sitting at an outdoor café with a drink, or enjoying a quiet corner in a park on a shaded bench.

A City Built for Eating Well

Paris might be the best city in the world for a meal, whatever form that takes — a picnic along the Seine, a coffee and croissant to start the day, or a proper multi-course dinner. My rule of thumb: skip anywhere with a big multilingual menu posted outside. That’s a sign the kitchen isn’t cooking for repeat customers — it’s cooking for someone who’ll only ever eat there once.

Instead, look for where the locals eat. Avoid the tourist traps in the Latin Quarter, around the Louvre, Champs-Élysées, or up on Montmartre. Instead, find a secluded neighborhood and a small restaurant. Look for handwritten menus of the day, often sitting out front on a black chalkboard. I love starting with escargot and a good baguette, then moving to confit de canard — duck leg and thigh cooked slow in its own fat until it’s falling off the bone. Near Notre Dame, several small places tucked into a sandy little triangle of a square called Place Dauphine serve a seasonal formule menu — try the bœuf bourguignon or onion soup (but only if you’re there in winter or fall).

A few practical notes that catch people off guard: drinks don’t come with refills or much ice, though tap water is free if you ask for une carafe d’eau. Meals are a social event, not a race — your waiter won’t rush you, and you shouldn’t rush yourself either. And a service charge is already built into your bill, so tipping is a nice gesture, not an obligation.

Even the Hard Days Are Worth It

I was in Paris in April 2019, just days after the fire at Notre Dame. The mood on the streets was nothing like the Paris I knew — shock and quiet disbelief where there’s usually so much energy. Rounding a corner onto Rue Saint-Jacques and seeing the burnt-out cathedral for the first time stopped me in my tracks, and I wasn’t the only one. Even now, with most of the restoration complete, that image is part of the city’s story — a reminder that Paris isn’t just postcards, it’s a living place that endures.

So, Go — But Go Slowly

Climb the Eiffel Tower. Walk the Champs-Élysées. Stand in front of the Mona Lisa if you must. But don’t let the checklist run the trip. Find a bench in a park, a table at a sidewalk café, a canal to walk beside. Paris rewards the traveler who’s willing to slow down and just be in it.

That’s why, after all these years and all these cities, Paris is still my favorite. Next month, I’ll tell you my secret to landing a table with a view at the Eiffel Tower… for a reasonable price. Until then, au revoir.

I learned to ride the Subway in Munich

by David McGuffin | Jun 10, 2025 | Blog, Culture & Customs, Daily lfe, Destinations, Essential Travel Resources, Experiencing Europe

by David McGuffin

I learned to ride the subway in Munich. Thirty years ago, I was teaching band at the local junior high school, and one summer, I gathered up six students and headed off to Europe. That was not my first trip to Europe, but Bavaria and Munich were new destinations for me. Previously, I’d traveled to rural destinations in the Swiss Alps, French villages, and the big three Italian destinations of Venice, Florence, and Rome. None of which required me to use public transportation to get around.

Arriving in Munich, our group did the usual tourist sightseeing activities. Our guide took us to see the historic town center, the Glockenspiel, Residence, and Nymphenburg Palace. Then, we were left to explore on our own for a few hours. I decided to buy a public transit day pass, which provided access to city buses, trams, and subways. In Munich, the U-Bahn and S-Bahn are primarily underground trains that run through the city center and into the suburbs. Being from a small town in Florida, I’d never had the opportunity to venture down into the depths of the underground tunnels and zip from one neighborhood to the other. It was fascinating to me to think about all the work that went into digging the tunnels, laying the track, and mapping out the underground routes.

First, I had to learn how the underground system worked. With the help of a map of the underground system, I determined my final destination and the direction of travel. Each train was color-coded and numbered, such as Blue U4. With this knowledge and an overground city map, I’d decided where I wanted to go and how to get there underground. I made a good many mistakes, sometimes riding the right train in the wrong direction or riding the wrong train in the right direction.

I recalled reading about the September 1972 Munich Summer Olympics and the terrorist massacre. And although we were now 20 years beyond the event, the massacre and the unique Olympic pavilions still drew sightseers. So, off I went on the U-Bahn to Olympic Park. As I emerged from the underground, I found myself not in the busy city center but in an urban park, lush and green, with the acrylic glass-paneled Olympic stadium gleaming in the distance. Although I didn’t have time for a proper tour, I did manage to wander into both the large track and field stadium and the swimming pavilion. While exploring, I came across a group of German public works employees, apparently on their lunch break, sitting under the trees, eating sausages and bread, and drinking lots of Hofbräu beer. To this day, I still don’t know how one can go back to work after a beer or two during lunch.

Back on the underground, I headed toward the city but decided to hop off at the Theresienwiese, the site of the famed Octoberfest. I was disappointed when I emerged from the underground only to find an empty 100-acre limestone parking lot with not a beer festival tent in sight. Later, I found out the place was empty except during the spring fair, the Christmas fair, and the Octoberfest celebration in September and early October. Disappointed, I headed back to the U-Bahn entrance but was distracted by the beautiful St. Paul’s Church, its red steeple, and bells tolling the noon hour.

While returning to the town center of Marienplatz, I decided to exit the underground and try my luck on the tram. These streetcar-like trams run on tracks, primarily in the streets, throughout Munich’s neighborhoods. I headed in the direction of the University and English Gardens.

Somewhere, I’d read about a swiftly running stream where surfers gathered to ride the one wave created by a waterfall in the river. I decided to rent a bike and take in some of this 900-acre city park. It didn’t take long to find it! There was a big crowd of onlookers cheering on a slew of “surfers.” There was a system; the surfers qued on the riverbank. When one surfer fell or dipped out of the wave, the next hopped in, making an endless surfing show.

Soon, I was pedaling through the park on an easy path between the forest and the stream. All of a sudden, I was stunned and almost ran into a tree! There, right in front of me, was a man and his son (I assume) playing Frisbee. They were both completely naked, running and flopping around with vigor, leaping and dashing to catch the Frisbee. Looking around, I noticed I was the only one around who was clothed. Men, women, boys, and girls, all in their birthday suits, were perfectly happy to soak up the sun, picnic, play, and enjoy life on that grass meadow by the stream. Later, I learned that many Germans, including those from Munich, are not shy about their bodies. Although one is required to wear clothing on the trams, it’s perfectly fine to bare it all in the English Gardens!

Since I wasn’t prepared to join them and take a dip in the stream, I turned in my bike and took the U-Bahn one last trip to Marienplatz, the center of the old town. From there, I wandered a few blocks over to the Hofbraühaüs, the world-famous beer hall. Walking in the front door, I was immediately enveloped by oom-pap music, thousands of voices, and a sauna-like damp heat, all mixed with the underlying, slightly pleasant smell of yeast and hops.

This place was huge! There were several hundred long plank tables, each about 30 feet in length, filled, thigh to thigh, with people eating and drinking. There are no saved seats here… find a space and settle in! Soon, a waiter came by to take my order and bring me a liter-sized mug filled with frothy Hofbraü beer. Bratwurst and sauerkraut followed, accompanied by a big dollop of spicy brown mustard.

In Munich that day, I learned to make the most of what I had and turn it into an adventure. A subway pass, bike rental, and curiosity taught me a lot about exploring Europe. Now, even after scores of visits to Munich, I always seek out a new adventure, but none will ever top that first thirty-something years ago.

1977 Lunch in Rome on flight layover to Athens

Munich Frauenkirche

Munich Oylmpic Stadium

OctoberFest fun

English Gardens?

Prost from the Hofbraühaus

Contactless Payments are the way to go in Europe!

by David McGuffin | Sep 30, 2022 | Culture & Customs, Daily lfe, Eating & Drinking, Essential Travel Resources

Contactless payments are the way to go, especially since the evolution of COVID-19 and pandemic panics. If you are not sure what this is, you need to study before going on your trip.

Contactless payment technology enables payment transactions via a contactless chip embedded in payment cards, tags, key fobs, watches, and mobile phones. The chip communicates with a reader device that uses radio frequency or Near Field Communication (NFC) standards.

Contactless payment “machines” and devices can be found in restaurants, bars, pubs, public transportation vending machines, food and soda machines, parking meters and payment machines, taxi cabs, buses, hotels, and many other locales.

Recently issued credit cards will have a “fan-shape” icon (like shown above) printed on them if contactless-enabled.

iPhones, SmartPhones, Apple Watch, GooglePay, and ApplePay will need to be “set-up” with credit card and account information BEFORE LEAVING HOME.

In Restaurants, split the bill, no problem!

If you are out dining with a group and want to split the bill, try this:

Don’t worry about telling the waiter beforehand. Everyone should order their meal “on one tab.”
Enjoy your meal.
Ask for the check when you are ready for it. Don’t ask for it to be split!
Look at the check, take out your calculator, and add up the total for what each person (or couple) is paying. Add 5%-10% tip if you want.
Ask the waiter to bring the “machine.” He will show up with a portable credit card device.
Tell the waiter how much you want to pay. Swipe, insert, or tap the machine and that about will go on your card.
Repeat the process with the others at the table.

Spending Money in Europe… Contactless in king!

by David McGuffin | Sep 26, 2022 | Daily lfe, Essential Travel Resources

Before the COVID-19 Pandemic, Europeans tended to use cash for their day-to-day spending much more than Americans did. Back in the early 2000’s Europeans carried lots of cash in their pockets on a daily basis. Even as recent as 2019, I would deal mostly in cash when making purchases less than €50. But, that has all changed with “social distancing” and the Covid-19 Pandemic panic.

In 2022, CONTACTLESS payments are the way to go.

Either TAP your contactless credit/debit card to the MACHINE or your WRISTWATCH to the machine. However, you must set this contactless system up with your bank and credit card provider before leaving home. ApplePay and GooglePay have similar systems for phones and portable devices.

And, by the way, the MACHINE is portable. It comes to the table at a restaurant, and your credit card never leaves your hand.

If you need CASH, use a BANK ATM Machine

Using your debit card from your local back home is still the best way to get cash while traveling in Europe. There are ATMs (often called Bankomats) everywhere, and you treat them like those in the United States. Insert your card, type in your PIN code, and choose the cash amount. The machine makes noise and then spits out cash in the local currency.

AVOID EURONET ATM MACHINES! – These machines have popped up all over Europe in the last year. The machines are typically in storefronts and advertise “free cash withdrawals.” Those traveling with me have reported high fees and exorbitant exchange rates combined into 20% or more markups.

If you have cash to spend, get to know the currency, both notes, and coins.

Bank NOTES

Paper currency (notes) are very easy to identify in all European countries. They all have a number in the corners denoting the value of the note. To make it even easier, European notes have different sizes and colors for each denomination. A €50 note is larger than a €5 note and is a different color. This holds whether you’re spending UK Sterling, the EU euro, or any other currency. Other than it looks like Monopoly money, you should have no trouble working with paper currency.

I still carry a small daily supply of banknotes in my front pocket, secured with a money clip. Each morning I take inventory of my banknotes and load up with what I think I might need to spend during the day.

The remainder of my stash of cash (and passport and credit cards) goes in my money belt tucked neatly and safely inside my pants. Now, of course, I know this is not living like a local, but it does give a peace of mind knowing that in unfamiliar circumstances, I don’t have to worry about my important stuff being taken from me.

COINS

You’ll likely use a few coins in Europe, like for doing laundry. It’s a good idea to do a little homework before your trip and study the different coin denominations, colors, and sizes. Here are some hints:

I like to lay all the coins out and do a mental and physical quiz each time I arrive in a new country.

Here is how I begin this quiz in the European Union.

Here is how I begin this quiz in the United Kingdom.

I like to use two pockets to sort out my coins; one for small coins under €1/£1 and another for large coins over €1/£1.

Before going into a shop, I take inventory of the coins in my pocket so that when the merchant gives me the total, I’ll know if I have enough coins to make the purchase or need to pay will bank notes.

Gone unchecked, coins can be overwhelming. It is a good idea to use many coins as you can on a daily basis.

After your trip, spend or cash in the coins before leaving the airport. Since many European coins are high-value, it can be expensive to fly home with a pocket full of change. Before heading home, spend them, trade them in or give them away.

Plastic Credit Cards

Europeans don’t make a distinction between credit cards and debit cards. I don’t believe I’ve ever had anyone ask “debit or credit.” I use my plastic (credit card) for larger purchases such as hotel bills, airline tickets, car rentals, and other big-ticket items. It makes perfect sense to use a credit card for online and telephone purchases. Credit cards also come in handy for purchases at unattended self-service machines in train and bus stations and at those unmanned European gas stations. Unfortunately, you’ll most likely need a chip-and-pin card for these. See my chip-and-pin card article for more information.

American credit cards work throughout Europe and are widely accepted at major hotels, stores, and attractions, especially in tourist-oriented areas. In smaller towns and mom-and-pop operations, credit cards may not be accepted because the merchant must pay the credit card company a hefty fee for the “privilege” of accepting credit cards. Visa and MasterCard are widely accepted. The American Express card, although a well-known name in the travel industry, is often not accepted due to the higher transaction fees the merchants must pay American Express.

Dynamic Currency Conversion (DCC) is a service offered to credit cardholders that offers to convert a foreign transaction at the point of sale into the home currency of the cardholder. This is never a good idea for the consumer because it comes with inflated exchange rates that benefit the merchant. An unsuspecting cardholder can lose up to 7% by opting into this feature. Since DCC works against the purchaser, never say you would like your purchases to be converted to dollars.

Pizza Done Right!

by David McGuffin | Apr 20, 2020 | Culture & Customs, Daily lfe, Destinations, Eating & Drinking, Experiencing Europe

The Coronavirus lockdown has disrupted the “normal” routine all over the world. Here at home, in Middleburg, Florida, Charlotte and I are spending much of our time keeping to ourselves, working on previously ignored projects around the house, and occasionally running to the store to pick up food or hardware items. Needless to say, I am getting stir-crazy and itching to get back to travel (#BackToTravel)! But, until we can do that safely, cooking is a good substitute for me.

Pizza Done Wrong

Recently, we had worked outside in our yard, all day long. When supper-time rolled around, neither of us felt like cooking, there were no left-overs in the fridge, and restaurants are closed during the pandemic. So, I decided to run up to Papa Murphy’s and get a “bring-home-and-cook-it-yourself” pizza. (I’ve eaten pizza all around the world and have decided Papa Murphy’s Pizza produces the best takeaway alternative to a homemade pie. I like cooking it myself and eating it hot! By the way, I keep it simple too, thin-crust, mushrooms, pepperoni, onions, and bell peppers). It was only 6:30 in the evening, but unfortunately, the store was already closed due to shortened hours! So, I went to the local Pizza Hut, walked in, ordered a pizza, and waited for it in my car. It was semi-warm when I got it home, but we were starving by this time, so we opened the box and dug in.

It was not very good. The crust was overcooked and hard, the red sauce was tart and astringent, and the veggies were not fresh. The pepperoni was the best ingredient. But we ate it!

Next Time, I Made My Own

A few days later, I decided to stock up on the ingredients to make fresh homemade pizza. But, when I got to the grocery store, they had no flour on the shelves. It seems, like toilet paper, flour is a hot-selling item during this pandemic! So, I walked over to the deli counter and purchased a hunk of made-fresh daily pizza dough. I’m not sure if Publix Super Market mixes this up every morning in their deli, or if it arrives frozen and they thaw it out, but regardless, it is pretty good. I also stocked up on my fav four ingredients of pepperoni, bell peppers, sweet onions, and mushrooms. Here’s how it turned out… almost like Italy!

Italian Pizza Done Right

When in Rome, we often begin our Exploring Europe tours with a Day 1 get-together at Mercato Centrale Roma for a pizza lunch before heading out for sightseeing. This is the perfect way to get acquainted with one another and with authentic Italian food. Not only does it house a great pizzeria, but there are also 17 other food stalls selling almost anything to eat or drink that comes to mind when thinking of authentic Italian cuisine. Check out this artisanal pizza from pizzaiolo Gabriele Bonci. Photo thanks to Italy Magazine and their article on Mercato Centrale Roma.

Pizza-Mercato-Centrale-Roma-Italy-Magazine

We have searched thousands of photos in our archives for a picture of our groups eating pizza at Mercato Centrale in Rome or Florence. I guess the pizza is too good to document, but we did not find a single photo in our files. So, if you have any photos of pizza at Mercato Centrale or in Italy or your favorite pizzeria at home, send them in and we’ll post ’em!

There are hundreds of pizzerie (that’s plural for pizzeria) all over Rome. Some are better than others, but none of them are bad. If they were, they would be out of business real quick! I like to visit those that are small places with a real wood-fired pizza oven, a pizzaiolo (the man who wears white clothes and makes a pizza), and is located outside of the tourist areas.

Claudia’s Homemade Pizza

My friends the Del Duca’s live just outside the ancient Etruscan town of Volterra, in Tuscany. I visit with them six or eight times a year, either at their home and agriturismo known as Podere Marcampo or their Ristorante Enoteca Del Duca. Twice a year, we rent out their agriturismo rooms and host 12-15 people on our “Villa Vacation” tour. This is a delight because we get to unpack our stuff for seven consecutive nights and experience what life might be like for a local in Volterra. Each day we go on short excursions to Lucca, Siena, Volterra, San Gimignano, and the Chianti region for sightseeing, wine tasting, and fun. When we return to Podere Marcampo, there is time for relaxing, swimming, sunbathing, hiking, and of course, eating and drinking!

One evening, a few years back, Claudia offered to make pizza for our group and to share her recipe. Here it is.

INGREDIENTS FOR 4 PEOPLE

1.3 lbs all purpose flour
1/2 oz. beer yeast
14 oz. warm water
Half a glass of extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp. spoon of sugar
1 tsp. of salt
tomato puree
oregano

Dissolve the yeast in warm water. In a bowl, mix the flour with salt, sugar and extra virgin olive oil. Add the water and knead until you get a soft uniform dough. Cover the bowl with a cloth and let the dough rise for 2 hours.

Thereafter, extend the dough with a rolling pin and adjust it in one or more flat oven pans lined with parchment paper. Cover again, and let sit for an hour.

In the meantime make the tomato sauce. Puree fresh tomatoes or purchase quality canned tomato puree. (David’s note – I always use the CENTO brand for whole canned tomatoes and puree. They have no citric acid which is often added as a preservative). Mix in salt, pepper, oregano, and extra-virgin olive oil. Let it rest for at least one hour in the fridge.

Pre-heat the oven to 500°F.

Uncover the dough, place a thin layer of tomato sauce on the dough. Add other ingredients from the list below. Cook for 15-20 minutes.

Mozzarella, sliced potatoes, bacon, rosemary
Mozzarella, spinach (pre-cooked with garlic), and sausage
Tomato, mozzarella, ham, mushrooms, olives
Tomato, mozzarella, sliced veggies, marjoram

Slice and enjoy your homemade pizza!

Pizza Marcampo 3 web — Claudia is at the far end of the table. There is a bit of her pizza remaining in the photo on the right. These photos were taken at our Villa Vacation Tour in July 2015.

Pizza Marcampo 1web — Claudia is at the far end of the table. There is a bit of her pizza remaining in the photo on the right. These photos were taken at our Villa Vacation Tour in July 2015.

Feel free to leave comments below. Share your favorite photos of pizza and tell us all about your dining experience on one of my social media platforms noted below.

Read the sequel and see more pizza perfect pictures here.

COVID-19 Coronavirus Updates

by David McGuffin | Mar 1, 2020 | Daily lfe, David's Journal

March 16, 2020 –

The COVID-19 Coronavirus has spread across the globe faster and wider than expected. Now with Europe and the United States almost on total lockdown, it is uncertain when life will get back to normal. Regardless of all the “news” erupting from our TVs and radios, I am still relying on accurate information coming from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the World Health Organization, and the US Department of State. I will continue to monitor their websites for daily alerts on the status of the Coronavirus and its travel-related consequences. Additionally, we are fortunate to have many friends around Europe who continue to provide accurate on the ground and “in the trenches” information.

Friends in Italy, who just two weeks ago seemed not worried, are now in crisis mode. A report from a fellow tour guide in Berlin, just this morning, tells of Germany coming to a standstill and in full-out crisis mode. Unfortunately, it appears things will get worst here on this side of the Atlantic before they get better.

At Exploring Europe, we are taking no new bookings for tours scheduled to begin before May 31, 2020. By order of the CDC and the US Department of State, we will not operate any tours scheduled to depart from now until April 19, 2020. We are trying to cancel as few tours as possible but with the information changing almost daily, our decisions will be updated as needed.

March 1, 2020 –

The COVID-19 Coronavirus has been a hot topic for the last few weeks. There is no denying this Coronavirus is spreading across the globe. Experts tell us there is no way to predict how this will affect travel in Europe in the next few weeks or even months. Some suggest the virus will disappear as winter turns to spring, while others fear travel may come to a screeching halt in the coming months. Honestly, no one knows for sure.

As a tour operator, our primary concern is the safety of those who travel with us. Consequently, to make the best possible decisions, I am relying on accurate information coming from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the World Health Organization, and the US Department of State. I will continue to monitor their websites for daily alerts on the status of the Coronavirus and its travel-related consequences. Additionally, we are fortunate to have many friends around Europe who continue to provide accurate on the ground and “in the trenches” information.

We have not canceled any of our tours at the moment. I pledge to monitor the news and alerts coming from the organizations mentioned above and make tour-related changes or cancelations as needed. Currently, the Department of State has issued a Level 3 advisory (Reconsider Travel) for all of Italy and a Level 4 advisory (Do Not Travel) for the regions of Lombardy and the Veneto. Fortunately, we do not have any tours scheduled for Italy until Mid-April. Over the coming weeks, we will continue to monitor the situation in Italy, and make decisions as needed regarding our tours in Italy.

As for the rest of Europe, the Department of State, WHO, and CDC have issued no Coronavirus-related travel advisories. We have tours scheduled in Austria, Germany, and Spain beginning in mid-March, and for the moment, we will run those tours as planned. Later this month, I will get on my flight to Munich and explore Europe for a few weeks.

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