by David McGuffin | Jul 4, 2007 | Uncategorized
Europe is full of economy and discount air carriers. Almost every major city has a reliable and affordable airline connecting it to other countries. Yesterday we flew up from Lisbon, Portugal to London on easyJet. easyJet links about 130 European destinations with cheap and reliable jet service. They have been in business for 11 years and have a fleet of 111 Airbus jets, all for which are 3 or less years old. Our flight yesterday took us about 3 hours and cost about $60 per person! This is unbeatable. Now-a-days it makes no sense to travel by rail or car. Fly instead!
You can find links to easyJet and other low cost airlines in our travel planning section at https://davidmcguffin.com
by David McGuffin | Jun 30, 2007 | Uncategorized
Yesterday my friends and I rode the train up from Rome to Venice. We have been blessed all summer with exceptional cool and pleasant weather. Stepping off the train in Venice proved to be no exception. Where usually I’d be greeted with humid, hot, and muggy sunshine, it was exceptionally clear and temps were in the low 70’s.
We are staying on the Lido de Jesolo, just a short 15 minute vaporetto ride from the hustle and bustle of San Marco. The Lido is quiet, cheap, and a pleasure. No crowds is certainly a plus.
I spent a few hours at my favorite cafe overlooking the Grand Canal. It is just off the Rialto Bridge and serves up the best drinks, snacks, and views in all of Venice.
Today I stopped for lunch at a little cafe that is way off the beaten path. Natalie and I shared the Antipasti Del Mare appetizer for a starter. I had Spaghetti con VOLGOLE (clams) which rivaled anything I’ve eaten in the Cinque Terre.
Venice can often be a tourist’s hot and muggy nightmare. Trying to pack in the major sights of San Marco, the Doges Palace, and a couple of museums in one day is insane. Stay the night in Venice and see the city without the tourist crowds.
Best Regards,
David
by David McGuffin | Jun 14, 2007 | Uncategorized
Tonight we just finished a 10 day tour of London, Bath, Madrid, and Toledo with a group of eleven teenagers, two teachers and one parent. I must say this has been the most hilarious trip I have ever been on. The group was a perfect mix. The students got along, the teachers were well liked, and they even accepted me and Natalie into the group.
Even with all our pre-tour prompting about packing light and carrying-on luggage, most of the group showed up at London Gatwick airport with way too much baggage. Imagine carting your luggage out of the airport and onto the train. Then, once in central London, you get to haul everything down to the depths of the London underground, crowding in on the tube and jockeying for your own personal space. Finally, you have a “lovely” time lugging it all out again, up numerous staircases, to the station on the other end. Needless to say, our hotel was a welcome sight to the group on that Friday morning.
One of the highlights of the trip was taking the train to Bath and spending the entire day walking around, shopping, and touring the ancient Roman baths. In typical McGuffin touring style we had a picnic in the park consisting of fruit, veggies, meat, olives, etc. This was a big hit with everybody.
Picnicking seems to bring out the best in everyone because you’re there, sitting on the ground, laughing, sharing food, and generally having a blast with each other’s company. Every time we do this on a tour; whether it be in Paris, Neuschwanstein, or high on a mountain top in the Swiss Alps; my friends all come back saying picnicking was one of the best experiences of their tour.
All over Europe we’ve seen people having a good time in city parks. It seems to me that in the U.S. we are severely lacking in this green public space. At home there is no way I can imagine ditching my car, walking to a grocery store, buying a picnic lunch, and finding a park in which to enjoy the afternoon. Yep…picnicking is a winner! Just one more reason why I find traveling to Europe such a unique experience.
by David McGuffin | Jun 4, 2007 | Uncategorized
Hey everyone!
Since I have never been to Portugal before I had no clue what to expect. The only thing I did know, was that I couldn’t speak, write, or read a bit of Portuguese.
My first opinion of the city was that it was very busy with lots of people and speeding cars and taxi’s that honked every 5 seconds. However when the group started walking around the different parts of the city, we discovered good places to eat/drink and nice pedestrian shopping areas. The trolleys that drive up and down the hill are charming and fun to ride! It beats the heck out of walking up those steep narrow streets.
So, Lisbon is a great city and I can not wait to go back!!
-Natalie
by David McGuffin | Jun 4, 2007 | Uncategorized
A few days ago we joined up in Lisbon for my first tour of the summer. This is a pretty easy gig! There are six of us touring Portugal and southern Spain for a few days. The group consists of two old farts (me and Gerry), three guys ages 18-24 (Jay, Ryan, and Preston), and Natalie.
Lisbon is a great city. It really consists of three towns in one. Imagine two hills with a deep valley between them running out to the river, harbor, and finally ocean. So now that you´ve got a mental picture of the city here are the details. The valley contains the ¨new¨town which was built in the years following a 1795 earthquake. On one hill is the Barrio Alto area, home to local people, bars, shopping centers, and traditional folk singing, known as Fado. Across the valley is the Alfama area home to medieval Lisbon, crooked streets, a castle, and rugged sailor´s quarters from centuries past.
On our first night we visited the castle for great views of the city, harbor, and ocean beyond. It was kind of funny that I bargained for a¨family entrance¨ with Gerry being the grandpa, me the father, Natalie the wife, and our three boys! We got in for half price and the ticket salesman got a kick out of it too.
After the castle we found a great little tapas bar and restaurant called Resto. It was situated in a courtyard. Funky lamps hung from tree with electrical wiring strung about like silly string, none of which would ever meet electrical code back home. This was my kind of place where you can sit back with a drink and a friend and enjoy the ambiance of the city. We ordered the local fresh white wine known as Vinho Verde and an assortment of Tapas. Our waitress, Susannah, helped us out all night with the menu and insider tips on Lisbon´s nightlife and culture. We had plans to explore elsewhere, but why! This was a great evening.
I think it was here that Ryan, Jay, and Preston dreamed up a new slogan for my tours…
¨Take a BITE OUT OF EUROPE¨ with David McGuffin´s Exploring Europe.
What do you think?
by David McGuffin | Dec 10, 2005 | Uncategorized
Last night I had a fun time visiting with friends at a Carrabba’s Restaurant. We don’t get a chance to see much of each other and I wanted to spend a couple of hours eating and talking about our lives, our travels, and what’s new. Sometimes that’s tough to do at a restaurant where the focus is good food, quick service, and rapid table turn-over. By suggesting that we slow down and order one course at a time I was able to get the message across to our waitress that we wanted to enjoy our meal and conversation. I was lucky, she got the point and helped make the evening pleasant.
My travels have taught me that dining can and should be the main event for the evening, a culinary culmination to the day’s activities. You see we Americans are often so focused on doing stuff, that we don’t take an opportunity to slow down and enjoy the moment. Sometimes we think eating is a necessary evil…something that’s wedged in between other things we need to do. That’s not the way it happens in Europe…there, dining is taken seriously and when you reserve a table for dinner it is yours for the entire evening. There is no rush, just time to relax and enjoy!
So my challenge to you this holiday season is to slow down, enjoy the moment, go out to dinner with friends and make dining and visiting the evening’s focus. You’ll be amazed at the experience.
Bon Appétit!
