by David McGuffin | Jun 12, 2008 | Uncategorized
My first few trips to Venice were spent on the Lido. As a young teacher, I enlisted a group of my students to travel with me to Europe, and I relied on a big educational tour company to do all the planning and guiding. This was great because I had no experience in Europe other than the three weeks i had spent there as a college student.
The hotels on the Lido were good enough, but we only had time to sleep and then we were off to ride a boat to Venice to see the sights. I can, however, remember one morning when we did have time to walk down for a look at the Adriatic Sea before getting on the bus to go to Florence. I remembered thinking it would be nice just spend a day here relaxing on the beach. But no, not on a student trip! There was way too much sights and itinerary to pack in.
My first student trip in 1997 found me traveling from Switzerland to Venice, then to Nice, and finally to Geneva. It was a lot of miles in just a few days! But I think on day three of the tour we arrived in Venice Lido. My group was mostly girls with just two guys. Anyway, Charlotte (my wife) and I got talked into taking the kids to a disco on the Lido. We found out later that this disco was strictly designed for students of this tour company and it invited in local boys from the Lido to interact with the mostly young teenage female crowd. You can only imagine the panic Charlotte and I had when faced with this situation!
So you have heard a little of my first experiences on the Lido of Venice. Why would I want to go back?! I will tell you more in my next post.
David
by David McGuffin | Jun 12, 2008 | Uncategorized
Staying on the Lido is like becoming a part of the neighborhood. Our hotel is in a residential neighborhood with absolutely no vehicular traffic. Although there are cars on the island, most people travel by bike or by foot. Plus, my hotel neighborhood is so peaceful and quiet. Recently when my group came in from a wild night of vino and shutting down the Piazza San Marco, the lobby clerk had to say “shhhhh” to us all!
However, I’ve found that the best part of staying on the Lido is the neighborhood atmosphere, the shops, and the family atmosphere. The shops, restaurants, and bars are only three blocks away from the hotel neighborhood. If you really need a cafe or vino, the nearest bar is just up the block on a small canal with all the hometown feeling you’d ever need. Have I even mentioned the beach?! As a tourist, who would ever think of spending a day at the beach in Venice? But it does have possibilities. Only five blocks away lies nice sandy beaches, cabanas, chairs, umbrellas, and the Adriatic. It’s definately worth an extra day in Venice to rest and relax on the sandy beaches!
More later,
David
by David McGuffin | Jun 8, 2008 | Uncategorized
I flew into Milan this morning and was off and “running” by nine. It’s an easy bus ride from the airport to Milan’s Centrale Station where I was to catch a train later in the day. But since I had three hours to burn, I decided to take the metro (luggage and all) to the Duomo Square and see what was happening.
Milan, the fashion capital of Italy, is loaded with all the top end stores such as Prada, Louis Vuitton, D&G, and other prime storefront property. So it was no surprise to find no “vendors of worthless crap” roaming the streets selling knock-off designer stuff. But, there on the main square, were ebony black men with gleaming white teeth “giving away” small hand-made multi-colored string bracelets. Standing back and taking it in, I learned there was an “art” to getting the bracelet tied on to a person’s wrist before they could say no. I even fell victim, although I did it purely for research!
The nicer name for these men are extra-communicati . We call them illegal immigrants at home. But I took an opportunity to talk to one such man as he was tying a bracelet on my wrist. It seems he is happy to be working in Milan. This is his “home” and he lives in an apartment with six other fellows. He is originally from Senegal and has been in Italy for one year. He was a pleasant fellow and spoke intelligently with broken English. After he finished tying on my bracelet, he cut it with a pair of fingernail clippers and then asked a some change. I gave him a euro and two quarters which he kept for a souvenir!
Well I’m off to catch a train to Venice. I’ll catch you later.
-David
by David McGuffin | May 29, 2008 | Uncategorized
The other day, I took a few people to San Remo. As soon as I drove into the parking lot, I knew we would be in trouble with the vendors. In recent years, major European tourist destinations have been flooded with black men with sacks (mostly from Senegal) whose sole job in life is to make some money for themselves (and their bosses on up the chain of command) by selling fake purses, watches, and other “designer” items. There were five or six such vendors with blue plastic sacks slung over their shoulders like Santa Claus, waiting to pounce on us as soon as our car doors were open. Ha, I fooled them by pulling through the parking spot and choosing one at the far end of the lot.
My sneaky ploy didn’t fend them off for long. They attacked as we were making our way to the parking exit on foot. Like sharks attracted to a bloodied swimmer, the men with sacks approached the most vulnerable of the group. Brenda, with a real Burberry bag slung over her shoulder, was the easiest target. She had proven to be what you would call a “shop-a-holic” over the last two days. When walking down the street, it was as if she had a magnet inside that drew her to anything requiring a purchase. Kid’s clothes, handbags, sandals, designer clothing, or even a hair salon were not to be passed by without a look inside to see what was available. So it was no surprise that when approached by the men with sacks, Brenda went to them with open arms, eyes, and pocketbook. I still thought there was a chance to save us, so I hurried along telling those who were not captured to look the other way and ignore these vendors of worthless crap. But no, we all had to stop and watch as Brenda checked out the workmanship of knock-off Gucci and Prada handbags. I was in shock when she said she did not want one and called each item a piece of crap. I helped my gang through the gauntlet and to the safety of the parking lot retaining wall. We had a close call, but remained unscathed.
Walking into the town center, I was on the lookout for a simple place to have lunch. Down a small passageway, I located a small pizzeria that looked like it would fit the bill. Now I don’t even remember the name, but it had a few tables outside, an ancient cash register sitting in the bar inside, and a rather rotund and happy Mamma who was doing the cooking in the kitchen. As soon as we sat down, before even the waiter had a chance to speak to us, we were once again attacked by more men with sacks! Where did they come from? I do not know, but within only a moment these “vendors of worthless crap” appeared from several directions. Here we were trying to place our order for pizza, and amongst it all we had forearms thrust at us wearing brightly colored Rolex watches. It was all I could handle trying to interpret the pizza menu, ordering in Italian, and fending off the men with sacks. Brenda looked longingly at one of the guys who had a D&G belt and that was all it took. In swooped two more with the same belt in different colors. Brenda began rummaging around in her purse and pulled out a little bottle of hand sanitizer. The pesky vendors thought she was going for her money and this spurred them on even more.
Thinking back on it now it is a funny story. But at the moment I was getting angry. Normally after ten times of telling these vendors of worthless crap to beat it, they’ll get the message and move on. But I was facing a losing battle. On the one hand Brenda wanted to order her pizza and eat, yet she was drawn to the worthless crap. I’ve never seen anything like it! We did get some relief once our pizzas arrived. The vendors honed in on another unsuspecting family who had just sat down to order.
About midway through our meal it began to rain. That was ok because we were protected by an awning and roof overhang. Then to my disbelief, more men with sacks appeared out of the back alleys like buzzards attacking a dying animal. Now they were brandishing every style and color of umbrella imaginable. This was too hard to ignore. My dining companions suddenly turned into mad men in need of an umbrella. To heck with their pizza, they had left their protective rain gear back in the hotel room. I gave up, ate my pizza, and let my friends deal with the ever-present vendors of worthless crap.
SPECIAL NOTE:
In Italy, these vendors of worthless crap are known as vu cumpra. It is apparently a reference to the vendor’s grammatically incorrect interpretation of the phrase “Do you want to buy?”
A few years ago, the Italian government decided to crack down on this illegal activity. But instead of targeting the actual vendors and their mafia suppliers, the new law punishes those who purchase fake-designer merchandise. This new law makes buyers of counterfeit goods liable for fines of €3333 to €10000, and some tourists actually have been fined! A Reuters news story from August 2005 quoted the deputy mayor of Venice as stating, “Our fight against the illegal street trade is untiring.” HA, give me a break! Have you ever seen one of those men with sacks in handcuffs? But I guess the fact remains that some foreign tourists have already been nabbed and whacked with huge fines.
To further complicate matters, the Italian Supreme Court ruled in 2000 that counterfeiting isn’t a crime unless the buyer thinks the counterfeited item is the real thing. But I think this is highly unlikely given the fact that these vendors sell their goods out of sacks and towels spread out on the pavement in tourist areas. The article went on to say that Italy’s annual sales of fake goods is estimated at four to six billion euros. The authorities are under growing international pressure to bring counterfeiting and piracy under control. Hence, the new “law” to crackdown on those who purchase the fake goods.
WHAT DO YOU THINK? Have you ever bought stuff from one of these vendors? If so, did the product look and feel real? Did you feel you got a good value?
-David
by David McGuffin | May 14, 2008 | Uncategorized
Avignon. Yes this is a historic place that should be on the “to do” list of anyone traveling to the South of France, but maybe just a half-day visit is all that is needed. The city walls (dating from the 14th century) are amazing. Just the simple fact that now, 500 years later, 90% of the walls are intact is beyond my imagination. Avignon also boasts over being the site of the “Northern Papal Palace.” It seems that in the mid 14th century, there was a divide in the Church (go figure) and the then the Pope moved all his stuff up to Avignon, leaving Rome in disarray. Within a hundred years the “Church” cleared all this up and the Papacy moved back to Rome, but Avignon prospered with the Popes.
So for the history one must visit Avignon, but the ambiance, cuisine, and experience leaves a lot to be desired. Last night I wandered the town, taking in the sights, and was scouting out dining options. Adhering to my “Thrifty and Tasteful” travel philosophy, I’d set up in an IBIS hotel with an excellent location just outside the medieval city walls. I went out to explore the sights and find a suitable place for dinner. It was 8:00 p.m. and it appeared the city was desolate. No cars, no people, not even a dog or cat in the street! When I made it to the Pope’s Palace and the main city center, there were people milling around, but not many! I walked the exterior path of the palace walls through canyons of sheer rock with the cathedral’s flying buttresses “flying overhead.” Even for me this was a bit scary because there seemed to be an abundance of “hobos” (my friend Kathleen’s term) and male couples meandering about. At times like these, Charlotte’s (my wife) apprehensions always pop into my mind and I look for a way out!
No problem. I got out of the area and was once again surrounded by expensive eateries sporting candles, soft music, expensive menus, and waitstaff all dressed in black. To add to the problem the menus started at 58 euro, not including wine…yikes! These places look promising, but it did not fit my “Thrifty and Tasteful” philosophy.
Back to the town center. It was flooded with tourist eateries, covered awnings, and multi-lingual menus all featuring the same “authentic” provencial foods. And then there was the ever-present impatient waitstaff. I tried real hard to get away from this situation and I walked away back towards the Pope’s Palace and selected an outdoor cafe that looked promising.
I was wrong. The waiter was ready to go home. The “plat du jour” was “finished” and he did not even recommend a starter or desert. I got the steak and fries which looked good when delivered with its butter and herbs, but in the end it was tough and loaded with gristle.
I could go on, but you get the point. We’ve all been “had” by these so called authentic places. I’m willing to make these mistakes and pass the information on to you. You’ll only get the best dining recommendations from me!
So two blog posts have been consumed with “food.” Tomorrow I’m going to Monaco and I promise to talk about something other than eating!
-David
by David McGuffin | May 12, 2008 | Uncategorized
Bonnieux, France
I arrived at the very quiet and almost desolate NICE airport at 8:30 this morning. By 9:00, I was in my rental car and heading away from the sea and into the mountains. Knowing I would have a few days to explore a little on my own, I began re-reading Peter Mayle’s classic “A Year in Provence.” In it Mayle, and Englishman, details his life as he and his wife move to Southern France, buys a house, and set up housekeeping. From his descriptions I’ve learned that his home in not too far from this village of Bonnieux.
Earlier I made a stop in Aix-en-Provence for lunch and the Sunday market. Aix main street, Cour Mirabelle, is lined with shady plane trees, double width sidewalks, quintessential outdoor cafes, and today, hundreds of white tents housing every type of craft, food, oil, lotion, clothing, and souvenir known to man. Even with all this, the Cour Mirabelle is beautiful! At one end stands the Hotel de Ville and a inviting square and at the other, a large fountain that is the signature piece of the city.
After wandering around a bit I stopped for a coffee at Café Duex Garscon, which was one of Mayle’s top recommendations for Aix. People watching has never been better. Afterwards I attempted to find a restaurant that in 1986 was one of Mayle’s top choices for Aix. But alas, it must be no more. I wandered up and down rue Frederic Mistral in search of Chez Gu, jugs of wine, and amazing food.
I settled for a glass of wine, a Perrier, and some olives at Les Grillion, a perfect outdoor café on Cour Mirabelle. For the price of a drink, I could spend the afternoon here at this table, watching life happen. There is no place like a café in France, it makes you slow down and enjoy the experience. However, the mountains were calling….
It is 7:00 p.m. and I’m at the local bar at the top of town in Bonnieux. When I arrived thirty minutes ago, I was the only person here but with ten minutes, it filled with regulars. The man here next to me must have been drinking Pastis all his life! The smell of sweet licorice comes across my nose as he stirs his drink. Others are catching up on today’s news over a beer. I don’t understand too much French, but I know enough to understand a couple of the fellows are hanging out here while their wives attend Mass at the church down the hill. They all know one another. They all walk here, and if they stay too much longer, they will stagger home together.
Bonnieux is a great find. I just happen to set my GPS to it today because it was mentioned in Mayle’s book. After four hours, I’m in love with Bonnieux. Situated atop a high hill it reminded me of the village in Andalucía Spain or even the Dordogne region of France. I’ve walked the whole town top to bottom and its well worth an afternoon and a night!
Its 7:30 and I have a dinner reservation at my hotel restaurant. Catch up with you later.
David
