by David McGuffin | Dec 29, 2007 | David's Journal
I’m chronicling my first “Big Group Band Trip” to Europe in 1997 and trying to draw some comparisons to the Europe travel experience of today. Continuing my journal entry…..
June 7, 1997 (continued)…
“After lunch we met the bus and went to the Louvre where some of us tried the “Rick Steves’ guidebook” tour. It worked pretty well, but this is a big museum and after two hours we were pooped. Soon we discovered a café on the top veranda of the Denon wing that served a refreshing orange drink known as ‘Orangina.’ This café was a cool and refreshing change from the crowds in the Louvre.
From the Louvre we walked to the ‘La Boucherie’ Restaurant where we had dinner. The menu was pretty good consisting of salad, wonderful mashed potatoes, and steak.
From here was did sort of a walking tour to the Pompidou, a modern art center. The walk from the restaurant to the Pompidou was fine, but the area immediately surrounding the Center was dirty and a bit seedy. We met our bus at the Bourse and drove to the Eiffel Tower.
We arrived here at the Eiffel Tower at 9:30 p.m. (it is daylight until 10:30). Right away we got our tickets and rode directly to the top. Brian had been fretting for a month now about the elevator ride up the Eiffel Tower. He has always been afraid of heights, roller coasters, and the like. As we were ascending it seemed that the elevator cabin would never stop going up, and up, and up. All I could do was stand there with Brian, crammed into the center, and watch the horizon disappear into the skyline. Finally the elevator stopped. We were at the top and all was well! The views were wonderful, and as we stood on the observation deck we noticed a fireworks display off to the east. The trip back down was crowded too. We had to wait in a long line to change elevator cabins on level two, but we were back on the ground by 11:40 p.m. Once again we rode the Métro back to our hotel (about an hour ride).
Memories from Today: Matt loosing his drumsticks on the bus, Charlotte’s kiss on the top of the Eiffel Tower, walking all day, lunch with my family, an old woman on the Métro, the kids having a good time with their friends,- this is the joy of teaching.
It is now 1:50 a.m. we are due to awake a 6:30 a.m. so I had better get some sleep.
-David
by David McGuffin | Dec 27, 2007 | David's Journal
I’m chronicling my first “Big Group Band Trip” to Europe in 1997 and trying to draw some comparisons to the Europe travel experience of today. Continuing my journal entry…..
“June 7, 1997
The alarm woke me up from a sound sleep at 7:00! This was the first night I’ve slept in a bed in two days. Last night’s sleep on the plane just didn’t cut it. The beds were comfortable and I slept all night without waking. If that alarm didn’t go off I’d still be snoring. Last night it was hot to begin with, but It finally cooled off so that it was comfortable to sleep. There is no air conditioning.
I’m down in the breakfast room writing this entry and finishing up my ‘continential’ breakfast. It consists of a hard roll, crossaints, jelly, butter, coffee or tea, and orange juice. That should keep us going until lunch.
We left the hotel at 9:00 on a bus tour of Paris’ most important sights. Notre Dame wowed everyone as usual with its twin bell towers, flying buttresses, and huge rose stained-glass windows. This is only my second trip to Paris and I am taking it all in. It was great that Lisa took the time to point out some features of Notre Dame. We especially noticed the relief over the front door depicting God’s judgement of the dead. Seeing those goulish demons down in hell there on God’s left is enough to make anybody walk the straight and narrow path. Lisa also pointed out the carving of the headless St. Dennis near the left exit doors and his significance as being a patron saint in the Paris area.
Our bus picked us up at Notre Dame and then we drove down the river to the Latin Quarter (known so for the “education” that has occurred here). We continued on past the Lourve to the Champs Elysee, the Arch du Triomphe, the Tullieries, and finally to the Trocadero for a fantastic view of the Eiffel Tower. Back on the bus we drove a few blocks to the Opera neighborhood and had some free time for shopping and lunch.
We had lunch at a typical outdoor café called ‘le Grande something.’ I enjoyed moules (Spanish mussels) cooked in wine, herbs, and garlic butter and all the bread I could eat. Charlotte and Aunt Hilda had ‘French Onion Soup’ which was better than Bern’s. Mom had some salmon spread with salad. We also had a bottle of slightly chilled red wine from the Loire region which went well with our meals”.
[WINE NOTE: Loire Valley-COULY-DUTHEIL Saumier Champigny 1996 @ 46F]
December 2007 Reflections:
I remember we did a lot of riding on the bus from one sight to the other that morning. Rules for buses and emissions have changed a lot since those days. Now in Paris, buses are not permitted to drop off and pick-up passengers at the major tourist sights in the city center. Other cities such as London, Rome, and Florence impose incredibally high fees just for tour buses to enter the “tourist zones.”
My tour groups today do quite a bit of walking and riding the Metro. Walking and using public transportation is exactly what “Exploring Europe” is all about anyway, isn’t it? Doing so, requires that you learn to live like a local, speak some of the language, and experience Paris from an insider’s perspective. I think it’s the only way to travel!
by David McGuffin | Dec 26, 2007 | David's Journal
I’m chronicling my first “Big Group Band Trip” to Europe in 1997 and trying to draw some comparisons to the Europe travel experience of today. Continuing my journal entry…
“June 6, 1997
We arrived in Paris at 9:15 a.m.. After clearing customs we were met by our EF tour guide, Lisa. She so far seems to be super! We transferred (by private bus, with an Italian driver named Alberto) to our hotel ‘Residence Internationale de Paris,’ 44 rue Louis Lumiere.
Right now we are in our hotel, our luggage is stored, and we are meeting with Lisa and being briefed on Paris and the Metro.
After leaving the hotel we took the Metro to Montmartre (Anvers stop-this has the famous Art Nouveau entrance). Here we ate lunch consisting of hotdog with cheese (15FF) and a Diet coke (10FF) at the foot of the Sacre Cour. The we hiked up many steps to the Basilica and went inside. It was somewhat impressive if for nothing but its size alone. The views from here are great; you can see all of Paris looking South across the river. If you lean out and look way to the right, you can even see the Eiffel Tower.
We then toured the old town of Montmartre where the Bohemian artists gathered (in the mid 20th century). Today the place is still filled with artists gathering to sketch, draw, and sell portraits. Sarah, Sabrina, and Carey got sketches done of themselves (20FF-150FF).
I am feeling OK-not too much jet-lag! But I think this is due to my sleeping on the flight over. Holly hurled and Leslie is not feeling too well either. All I can remember is how I felt in Amsterdam in 1995, so I sympathize with them.
From Montmartre, we went by subway to the old market place with outside vendors of fruit called Rue de Sentier (MO:Sentier). A brief walk through took us to our restaurant for the evening called the “Hippopotomus.” Here we dined on white rice, chicken ka-bobs, salad, and chocolate mousse. Coke Light was purchased for 10FF.
After eating, we ‘Metro-ed’ to the hotel where I immediately fell asleep. The kids and other parents did as well.
December 2007 Reflections-
If I remember correctly, clearing security and customs was a breeze. It was in the “old” Terminal I Charles De Gaulle. I remember thinking that I’d seen these inclined escalators and walkways (housed in a tube) in a James Bond movie. Today that place seems so “old” and run down. Last summer, we went through Terminal I several times and it seemed they were always working on the place with new sheetrock, barriers, and layouts.
Montmartre has not changed much in fifty years. So, when I took my students there in 1997, it was pretty much like being there today. Rounding the corner, as you head to the left of the Sacre Cour, the local artists and sketchers still hound you to get a portrait or sketch. No matter what, there is always a “good deal.” Keep walking and the price will go down, and down , and with just a hint of interest, down even more.
Hotdogs and Diet Coke! What was I thinking! Now-a-days I walk the 200+ steps to the Sacre Cour, give everybody a chance to look around, catch their breath, and see inside. Then we would head uphill and around the corner to Montmartre, fight the artist gaunlet, and visit Place du Tertre.
For a snack of soup, cheese, or salad, there is no place better the one of the cafes surrounding Place du Tertre. Mix that with a coffee or glass of wine and the ambiance is devine. For a more substantial dining experience, walk on down toward the windmill and find a local place. I’ve got plenty of suggestions for dinner.
How about that exchange rate?!
15FF for a hotdog= $1.50USD back then
10FF for a coke light= $1.00USD
sketches and paintings 20FF-150FF=$4-20USD
Rue de Sentier, that’s near the Borse, and that’s just a short distance from the “market area” I referred to known as les Halles. This grand market place is no longer there, in fact it was leveled in 1971 and replaced with a pitiful underground marketlace, now a major RER station.
The Hippopotomus! White rice, kabobs, etc….one of the main reason I decided to venture out on my own. There is soooo much more to Parisian cuisine than this!
And I can’t leave without discussing the hotel Residence Internationale de Paris. This place is OK, but it was way, way, way out on the outskirts of the city center. It took a 30 minute Metro ride with several changes just to get to Notre Dame. The neighborhood was a little sketchy with hookers on the streets between Metro stops. Don’t get me wrong, I even used this place once after founding my tour company, but there is a lot better to be had for the price in Paris.
So end my discourse on tour reflections from June 6, 1997. Hope you’ve gained a little travel insight!
-David
by David McGuffin | Dec 25, 2007 | David's Journal, Destinations
Me and My Dad circa 1957
I’ve always been a little sentimental about memories. When I was a kid, I remember spending hours at my grandparents’ home looking through old black and white family photos. These photos were kept in the “middle room” in the bottom right drawer of a dresser. Back then, in the 1960’s, the collection of photos contained photos of my grandparents and parents taken from the 1930’s and 1940’s. My Uncle Bob, the oldest child of my grandparents, was interested in photography when he was in college and had left quite a collection of photographs in that drawer.
While browsing through those faded black and white photos, I always enjoyed identifying phots of relatives, taken in their younger days. But what really interested me was the locations in which they were taken. I dreamed of distant places and new locales, even if they were just “back home” in South Carolina or at the local zoo.
Later when I was in college, Charlotte and I actually wrote letters to one another, and we still have them today. Those handwritten letters are sometimes funny to look back upon and read. It’s funny, but I can always remember the exact locale, circumstances, or events to which we referred in those letters. I guess that’s why when I was about to depart on a big trip to Europe, I decided to purchase a leather bound journal to record my thoughts, reflections, and memories.
So in June 1997, I set off on a band performance tour to Europe organized by EF Educational Tours. Now, those of you who have known me for some time, know that EF Tours is the reason I started my tour company, Exploring Europe. But at that time, I did not have the know-how or the resources to set up a tour to Europe, much less a performance tour! So, I relied on a tour company to plan and organize the tour, our accomodations, transportation, dining, and performance venues. Here is an entry from the first pages of my 1997 journal:
“June 5, 1997-
Today, we were up at 7 a.m. in Middleburg (FL) doing the last minute stuff that always makes me late. Why Charlotte picked this day to get her hair cut and frosted is beyond me, but she did! I left for the bank, school, and last minute errands by 8:30 and began my rush to get things done here at home. The most important stop was at our bank to get Traveler’s Checks. I arrived back home at 10 a.m. and met up with my kids and some friends for our trip to the airport. We still had to make a stop at the “hair place” to pick up Charlotte and Brian, and by the time we got there, it was pouring rain. After our first of many “passport and moneybelt checks,” we were on our way.
We arrived at the airport by 11:35 a.m. and found the Continential Airlines check-in desk. Benny, the agent there, was very helpful with getting our group checked in and most importantly, getting all our instruments on free of charge. By 12:30 the whole group had checked in and we all walked down to the gate.
Finally at 2:30 p.m. we departed Jacksonville and were off on our adventure. After about two hours, we arrived at Newark. In transit, we flew over Manhattan and I got my first look at New York City. The Empire State Building, World Trade Center Twin Towers, and Statue of Liberty were pretty darn impressive, especially for a country boy from Middleburg.
To get in the European spirit, we had pasta at “Sabbaro” in Newark airport, then hung out for about two hours. We boarded Flight #56 at 7:25 p.m. and were off the ground by 8:30. The flight was uneventful – I slept most of the time due to my taking two Bayer PM. We also had ear plugs and an eye mask which really helped me sleep.”
My Reflections in December 2007:
How I’ve changed in those ten years! Traveler’s Checks, Bayer PM, eye masks, quick airline check-in, and the World Trade Center are things of the past. Now-a-days, I use my debit card to get local cash, I have a glass of wine instead of Bayer PM, the World Trade center is no more, and my cap or hat takes the place of the eye mask.
There is more to come with this trip; we aren’t even in Europe yet! Needless to say that trip must have had a lasting impression on me. Now nearing the end of 2007, I’ve got a collection of nine leather bound journals chronicling my adventures in Europe and the rest of the world. I hope you’ll enjoy reading about me and my travels.
November 2011 Update:
I am turning my “pen and paper” journal into an online episodic account of my travels. This is the first in a weekly series that will appear over the next few months. If you have questions, comments, suggestions, or just want to add more information, I’d love to hear from you. Simply click the {comments} tab below and type away.
Episode 2 arriving November 14, 2011
-David
by David McGuffin | May 27, 2007 | Adventures in Tour Guiding, David's Journal, Destinations
The flight to Edinburgh was completely full. But that did not matter. I watched a bit of the movie, had my pasta and vino for dinner, and sequestered myself for three good hours of sleep with my iPod playing Bartok all night.
We finally got to Edinburgh town center by 12:00 and we were starving. So we found a seat at the “World’s End Pub” for a good meal of fish and chips. After lunch, we hit the streets again and saw all the sights there are to see in Edinburgh. We walked along Rose Street and window shopped, hiked-up Calton Hill for a grand city view, watched people, and found a good bench in the park.
Later we made our way up to the Castle. The medieval buildings are impressive and you can imagine yourself walking those very streets as if you were back in the 1400’s. It was a Saturday so the town was busy but the people and weather were nice. However, it was a bit cold, but not too bad. I would say that the high was around 55’F, which is pretty nice in the sun.
Later in the evening we got a call from Lindsey, my friend, who goes to the University of Edinburgh. She wanted to meet us at the Waverly Pub later that night for a couple of pints. So, we set out to find a good place for dinner. This was around 19:00 and we forgot that it was a Saturday with a Bank Holiday on Monday to follow. We walked around a long time before finding a place that wasn’t full. The name of the restaurant was “The Wee Windaes” up on the Royal Mile. The food was really good and we made it inside before the rain and hail (who woulda thunk) started coming down. I had lamb chops and Natalie had fresh Scottish Salmon.
After dinner we walked down the Royal Mile and found the Waverley Pub. Natalie and I went in, but found the place deserted, save for a bar tender and a couple of odd sorts at one of the tables. We got a couple of pints of Tennant’s and grabbed a table. I should have known better, but my mind was telling me “this is gonna be a dud evening”…however my heart knew better.
So…two hours later we were holding court at our table. Natalie was defending “W” and being “chatted-up” by our newfound friend Andrew who was a “newbie” at the Waverley. Meanwhile I sat back and took it all in while catching up on the news from Lindsey and her adventures with the University of Edinburgh, her landscaping ideals and the ultimate defense of her dissertation. This was an original pub with warm “drawn-from-the cellar-drop-by-drop ale” taps and plenty of “Callie80.”
After a few hours and several more pints we bailed on the Waverley and climbed up the Royal Mile, spat on the Edinburgh heart, hopped-skotched on the corner stones, petted the bronze Greyfrier’s Bobby, and finally ended at my favorite E’Burg pub known as “Sandy Bell’s”.
The place was packed, but somehow Natalie had a mission in mind and cleared the way. We ended up right by the musicians and the “Trad” session in the back. (“Trad” is short for traditional music session). We all grabbed a seat and the jig began. Wow, what a night! The bartender kicked us out at 1:30!
So, you might be wondering how I managed to fly over from the US, tour a city, and still experience a pub until the wee hours of the morning? Just pace yourself, don’t take a nap, keep walking, and sing-a-long with the band!
Cheers from Scotland!
David
by David McGuffin | Apr 21, 2007 | Adventures in Tour Guiding, David's Journal, Eating & Drinking
My friends Dennis and Linda sent these pictures of our rural France dining experience. I’ve detailed the experience in the post dated April 18.
