by David McGuffin | Jul 28, 2008 | Destinations
FINALLY I GET TO DO A LITTLE EXPLORING OF MY OWN: I arrived just an hour ago at my pension in Český Krumlov. Finding the pension was an adventure in itself (which I post in my last blog), but now I’ve got the van parked, my group and I are all checked into our rooms, and we’re ready to do some exploring!
According to legend and the town’s website, the name Krumlov is derived from the German “Krumme Aue”, which may be translated as “crooked meadow”. The name comes from the natural topography of the town, specifically from the tightly crooked meander of the Vltava river. The word “Český” simply means Czech or Bohemian.
The Vltava (Moldau) River flows gently just outside our pension’s entrance. The pension seems to be a multi-purpose place for sleeping, eating, and docking ones’ boats. Today, with warm weather and bright sun, the outdoor restaurant and the river are loaded with people. Floating down this river must be a major activity here. Standing on the riverbank, I can see a multitude of kayaks, canoes, inner tubes, and homemade water “crafts” lazily meandering by on the river. It’s quite nautical in a quirky sense. In keeping with the nautical theme, we hear the folks from the restaurant yelling, “Ahoy!” to those drifting by on the river and in response, the river floaters answer back with their own, “Ahoy!”
After being here for five minutes, I can tell this place is a keeper. The river, the brightly painted town building, the towering castle, and the care-free atmosphere all combine to make this one of my ideal destinations. I think, “Too bad we are only here for one night”. It was about this time in my reflective thought that I hear a loud horn sound which I soon identify as coming from a “viking-like” bull horn.
We’re hungry and decide to walk across the river and find a cafe for lunch. It was not until two days later, while visiting Prague, did I find out the “Ahoy!” was not just a funny nautical-themed greeting used on the water in Český Krumlov. It is the Czech’s way of saying an informal “Hello” to one another!
Ahoy!
-David
by David McGuffin | Jul 25, 2008 | Destinations
For the past few weeks I’ve been traveling around Europe with one of my tour groups. A couple of days ago, I got to visit the only “new” destination for me in my summer travels. One of the drawbacks of being a “tour guide” is that you go to the same locations all the time. Yes, Paris is wonderful and Rome is a “must see” city, but sometimes it gets old walking the same streets, the same route, and talking about the same sights. I know, it’s hard to understand unless you’ve done it. At any rate, my point is I finally got to go to a new destination and experience the fun of actually exploring Europe!
Český Krumlov is a delightful little fairy-tale town situated in a sharp crook of the Vltava (Moldau) River. I think that during the forty years Czechoslovakia was under communist rule, this little town was blighted and forgotten. Now since the middle 1990’s, it has become a big vacation destination for Germans, Austrians, and Czechs.
My group and I arrived in in town about one o’clock. I was driving and had no GPS guidance system in the Czech Republic, so we were going by the old-fashion method of using a map! We made it to the town center with no problem, but then we had to find and drive to our “pension” located on the riverbank in a pedestrian-only zone. Natalie, my navigator, and I tried it for a little bit, but soon decided it was a lost cause to drive around blindly hoping to run across the pension. So I stopped, looked at our map, then got out and went to a taxi sitting just a few meters away. I asked in English, since I can’t speak Czech, if the taxi driver knew where our pension was located. The driver spoke pretty good English and began with directions that sounded something like this, “One bridge, go left, then one bridge, go left, then go, three bridge, and go.” So, I understood the directions perfectly and asked, “Can you drive and I follow?” Then I made a driver steering motion and pointed to him. Success, we both understood! I got in my van. He took off. I followed.
Everything was ok until the road got narrow. Natalie started to have visions of our 2007 adventure in Arcos, Spain. She made me stop when it looked like the road would peter out. Natalie got out, hopped in the cab, and we waited. In a couple of minutes she came walking back, got back in the van and said, “Let’s go”. So off we went down a small cobbled lane with only inches clearance on either side of the van.
Well, we made it the “Pension U Matesa and Labyrint” and there was plenty of room to park next door too. Relief! We piled out of the van, Natalie got our room keys, and another adventure began.
by David McGuffin | Jul 18, 2008 | Culture & Customs, Destinations
Last night I was in Paris for the second time in a month. Every tour group has its different dynamics and this one was no exception. I’m leading around a group of seven adults, three couples, and one single gentleman. After a grueling day of walking and sightseeing, we were all looking forward to my traditional picnic on the Champ du Mars. The weather has been unseasonably cool and until last night, clear and cloudless. That changed yesterday afternoon when the colds rolled in and there was even some sputtering rain.
Not to be cheated out of the picnic experience, we grabbed our umbrellas, and then went off to the market. The Monoprix is a combination of a department store and a supermarket. These are scatted all over Paris, but this one is particulary convienient because it is just three blocks from the Eiffel Tower in the Cambronne area. So, we divided up our shopping duties and agreed to meet outside in twenty minutes. Forty-five minutes later we were loaded with food and were walking to the park.
As I mentioned, it was sputtering rain so there were very few pods of people sitting on the grass park. We decided to risk it and staked out our territory on a grassy section with an amazing view of the Eiffel Tower. We spread out our “table cloth”, all the food, and a couple of bottles of wine. Then we dove into the food.
Looking down the park toward the Eiffel Tower we noticed a group of policemen in white shirts visiting every pod of people, telling them a few things, and then the people either packed up and left or remained seated. This was odd, and very different from all my previous experiences picnicking here. Soon the policemen in white shirts came to our little group of picnickers. One officer told us it was forbidden to have open bottles of “spirits” in the park. I took this to mean liquor, not beer or wine. But when I asked he said no, nothing of the sort was allowed. Now this was really odd. I cannot even begin to recount the times where I’ve picniced with my tour groups on this very location and had no problem.
We all started packing up our food deciding that the weather was not so good for a picnic anyway. Then after about five minutes, more policemen were heading towards us. These were different police, not in white shites but in black commando uniforms with heaving-duty pistols strapped to their side. When they got to us, we all hurriedly said we knew the new rule and were packing up. One of them laughed a bit and said, “No, no it’s ok. Just hide the bottle of wine in your bag and it is ok!” These guys obviously carried more authority than the police in white shirts. So we stayed! No more rain and the evening was a success.
Later we noticed the two sets of policemen speaking with one another. They both were animated in their gestures and it was obvious there was some disagreement. Some of the men in white walked back the way they had come in shame. It seems they were being a little too aggressive in enforcing the new alcohol policy in the park. Three hours later, when we were packing up to go home, we noticed the “NEW” signs which had just been stuck in the ground stating this new “policy.” In big bold icon on the right stated no sitting and drinking from bottles. HA!
So the moral of the story here is that the rule has changed in Paris. There are signs in the parks that illustrate the no drinking rule. But apparently for now, it is ok as long as it is out of view.
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by David McGuffin | Jul 10, 2008 | Destinations, Essential Travel Resources, Uncategorized
A couple of days ago, I wrote of my experience in Siena while walking to the main town square known as Il Campo. I had changed into a pair of jeans and a sweater and was mistaken for a local by an Italian couple who was lost in the maze of narrow streets in Siena. That got me to thinking about the current fashion in Europe.
It’s about 10:30 p.m. Earlier, the city was drenched with flooding rains that ran everyone inside. Even now, there is a dampness and chill in the air. As I look into the sky beyond the bell tower, I can see the weather is still a little “iffy”. Hoping the rain is gone for good, I grab a table at one of the cafes surrounding Il Campo, making sure I get one with an umbrella and a view. The waitress arrives with a slick little Bluetooth PDA on which she taps in my drink order and hurries off to another table.
Soon my wine arrives accompanied by the obligatory “free” bowl of chips and peanuts. I sit back and take in the “fashion scene.” Let’s see, I’ll pretend the square is like the face on a clock. So if the bell tower is at “12”, then I’m sitting at about “8.” Every guy I see is wearing jeans or cargo pants. Fifty percent of the girls are wearing tight fitted jeans and the other fifty percent are wearing capris or pants. It’s a young crowd. Some guys are wearing polo shirts and invariably, their collar is totally “popped.” Many guys have on logo jackets made of cotton which are always zipped all the way up to the neck. A lot of the guys and ladies are wearing these “Emo” type glasses. They seem to be very popular in Italy this season. You’ve seen them… brightly colored, rectangular frame, low profile. It must be the “in” thing.
Most of the guys are drinking bottled beer. Tennents and Budweiser seem to dominate. The girls seem to lean toward mixed girly drinks. From inside the small “bar,” the sounds of Donna Summer’s “Last Dance” blast from the stereo system. No one is dancing, instead everyone is standing around, laughing, talking, and generally having a good time.
All the tables at every cafe are now full. There is probably a hundred people spilling out onto the square, all with drinks in their hand. Glancing up, I notice the moon has peeked out from behind the clouds lighting up the sky. It’s 11:15 and the party goes on. No rowdiness, yelling, or horsing around as in American bars. These people are not here to party, get drunk, and make a scene. Instead it looks like a perfectly natural setting to gather and visit.
I’ve just about finished my drink and snacks and it’s getting late. Leaving, I walk across Il Campo to the sounds of “Y.M.C.A.” blasting from the PA system… but no one out here cares.
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by David McGuffin | Jul 8, 2008 | Culture & Customs, Destinations
Maybe I need to modify my European wardrobe. For years I’ve preached that guys wear solid shoes, khaki pants, and collared shirts. They are easy to care for, blend in, don’t yell “American”, and are comfortable. Now maybe I’m not so sure. Fashion in Europe is a big deal and I’m beginning to notice changes.
This article is for the guys, but you ladies can take note too! I bet if you look around in Paris or Rome you’ll see the same trends in your fashion as well. I’m not Clinton and Stacy from “What Not to Wear”, but I do have a little fashion sense!
Siena – A couple of weeks ago….
Although it was dreadfully warm earlier, the afternoon rain ushered in a cool front across the hills of Tuscany. Earlier, I had dined with my tour group and walked back to the hotel afterwards. I went to my room, but found that I was restless and not really ready for bed. I decided not to waste a night sleeping when I could be on Il Campo, the main town square. Because it was chilly I changed into a pair of jeans, threw on a sweater, and headed out.
As I exited the hotel doorway and walked toward Il Campo, a car with a guy and a girl drove by. Soon they realized they were in a pedestrian area and made a U-turn back towards me. As they were driving by, the girl leaned out and asked, “How do you get to Il Campo?” She spoke only in Italian and I was amazed that I understood it all. Without thinking, I told them they could not drive to Il Campo, they must park here, outside the walls, and walk. I said all this in Floridian-Italian and got the funniest look from the girl. It was like she realized she was hearing the right answer, but it was from the wrong person. After a couple of seconds we both laughed. I said in English, “I’m a tourist” and she responded in English as well, “You don’t look like it.” Then, off we went in opposite directions.
A few weeks before, I was in Florida leading a tour preparation and orientation meeting. When the subject of packing and clothing came up, I gave my ususal spiel about how Europeans generally “dress up” more then we Americans. You don’t see them in shorts or flipflops unless they are at the beach. You’d never catch them in a “warm-up” suit unless they were in a sporting event, and most often they don’t wear jeans. I was challenged on that last statement by someone who had been to Europe the previous year who said, “They wear jeans all the time!” That got me to thinking…
So, now I’m making it a point to notice the fashion this season and see what changes I should make to my packing list. I’ll keep you updated and give you a new list if needed.
-David
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by David McGuffin | Jun 18, 2008 | Destinations, Experiencing Europe
Recently I’ve been writing about my travel experiences in Venice and the “slow life” of staying on the Lido. I’ve got another experience to share that only happens when all the right elements fall into place. Somehow I’ve got a knack to stumbling into these situations. For me it takes going out on a limb and getting out of my “comfort zone,” but when it happens, it is magical.I made it to the island of Burano by about 4:30 p.m.
This island is the way out toward the place where the Venice lagoon empties into the Adriatic Sea. Burano is a fishing village and is most famous for finely handmade lace. At first glance it seemed the island survives only on tourism, but as I was about to find out, there is a lot more culture here than meets the eye. From the boat dock I walked up the “main drag” and found my tour group right where I expected them…at the first bar in sight. Now don’t misunderstand me here, hanging out at a bar is not a bad thing, so I decided to join them for a few minutes. By 5:00 the whole area was shutting down. The bar was handing out tabs which is highly unusual for Italy. I asked our waiter, “what was up?” and he said most tourist take the 5:20 boat back to Venice and there is no tourist business to speak of after that time. The restaurants in the area only serve lunch and are closed for dinner.
My group decided to return to Piazza San Marco for some shopping and more of Venice. I decided to hang around a while longer and checkout this village. So off I went in the direction away from the boat dock. Soon I discovered an amazing array of freshly painted buildings sporting every imaginable color of a rainbow. Red, blue, orange, yellow, and green seemed to be the dominate hues. The place was charming. Had I not known better you could have been in and Irish fishing village, not one on the Venice Lagoon. Strolling here I discovered I was actually in a residential area. Lining both sides of the sidewalk (there are no cars are on the island) were open doors covered only by a thin sheet of cloth flapping in the breeze and surrounded by pots of flowers in full bloom. This lent even more color to the already beautiful scenery. Kids were out playing, riding tricycles and bikes, and just generally being kids. Soon I came to the end of the island where it dropped off into the lagoon. In the distance I could see the harbor entrance defined by jetties jutting out into the Adriatic.Turning around I walked in another direction and after a few minutes found myself in the town square. Now this was what I was looking for! It was about 6:30 and the square was alive with action. Lining both sides of the “street” were every type of shop imaginable, each with its own awning sporting its name and purpose. Every shop was filled with people looking, shopping, and making purchases. These were the local folks, they lived on the island, and each one knew the other. It was my kind of town! I sat down at a café so I could get a good view of the action, ordered a drink, and took it all in.
After a few minutes four men sat down at the table next to men ordered a drink. The waitress was a happy woman, dressed in black, with deeply dyed red hair. After getting the guys their Apelrol’s she appeared with an accordion and gave it to one of the gentlemen. Within seconds he had it cranked up and was pumping out a tune. The other fellows joined in belting out song in rich baritone voices. It did not take long for them to gather a crowd and soon other men from the community took a seat and joined in. By this time I knew I had happen upon something special for me, but not at all unusual for Burano.
I couldn’t help it so on the next song I joined in. Now I’m not too shabby of a singer and I think the guys at the next table picked up on that. They needed a tenor and evidently I was doing a pretty good job. It was fairly easy for me to hear and belt out the harmony. I found that by watching the “leaders” mouth I could even get all the vowels correctly. I just got lucky with the consonants. All songs have a form and once you know where the verses and choruses fit it is easy to follow along.
After five or six songs one of the guys ran across the street, took a jar of retrieved a jar of anchovies offered by the shop tender and return to the table. By this time I had been invited to join the “choir” at their table and we all feasted on anchovies, bread, and vino! Yummmmmy! After licking the oil off his fingers the accordion player started up again and more men sat down and joined in . It seemed this was a normal thing, these guys passing away the late afternoon in song! By now it was getting to be 7:30 or so and I began to see the men watch their watches. I don’t speak Italian very well, and certainly do not understand the Venetian dialect, but I did pick up that their wives were expecting most of them home for dinner soon and they had better wrap it up. I think we had gone through three of four liters of vino and I did not know how they were going to go home and pretend they had not “stopped off for a cocktail” after leaving the office! HA! But no, I was made to understand that was not the way it was. Waiting for them was at least a one hour dinner with more vino and a relaxing evening at home.
At precisely 8:00 the waitress arrive and pried the accordion out of Eugenio’s hand and took it to a back room of the café. Everybody got up, said their “ciao’s” and were on their way home. You can’t manufacture this type of an experience. You’ll only run across it by getting off the beaten path, out of your comfort zone, and stick with the locals. You’ll get lucky about 10% of the time!
Ciao,
David
After being here for five minutes, I can tell this place is a keeper. The river, the brightly painted town building, the towering castle, and the care-free atmosphere all combine to make this one of my ideal destinations. I think, “Too bad we are only here for one night”. It was about this time in my reflective thought that I hear a loud horn sound which I soon identify as coming from a “viking-like” bull horn.
