“The [Café] Central is a place for people who have to kill time, so as not to be killed by it. . . .” --Alfred Polgar “I AM SIGMUND SPIELBERG!!!” The obviously unemployable flaneur with umlaut eyes landed at my marble-topped table without a proper invite, brusquely pushing aside a Thonet wooden chair. Brandishing a copy of Der Spiegel on a wooden rolling pin in his left hand, and reeking from an unfortunate cologne resembling turning … [Read more...]
Internet Access in Hotels
When I first came to Europe - Internet cafe's were plentiful - seemingly several per block in the more touristy cities. Over the past 6-8 years I've been to Europe many times and have seen the Internet cafe's disappear. Even this afternoon while traveling through the Cote d'Azur in southern France I saw several old Internet cafe's with the name of the business fading above the currently empty location. Friends who don't travel are often … [Read more...]
Driving the Italian Riviera Autostrada
The impressive "autostrada", or toll highways along the Italian Riviera are truly an engineering marvel - with seemingly hundreds of bridges and both short and long tunnels drilled right through the rocky mountain sides. As a result, you have a road that is amazingly level even though it passes through large mountains and deep river gorges. Complicated round abouts and entry points are located next to entrances to the autostrada. Entry requires … [Read more...]
Driving through Tuscany & Antinori Winery Visit
It was hard to leave San Marino - it is such a unique and small country. Interesting museums, eclectic shopping, great views and good food! We opted for the slow drive through Tuscany - covering windy roads up and down the rolling hills, cresting passes and driving through several National Parks. The roads are narrow, steep at times but always through picturesque countryside. This time of year everything is green or in bloom. Spring has … [Read more...]
Exploring Italy and San Marino
Today we spent the morning exploring old town Verona - coming across crowds for the first time since our stay here. The crowds were buzzing around Dante's statue (yes that Dante from Dante's Inferno - he spent some time in Verona) and supposedly the balcony and house of Juliet in Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet". There has been a lot of rain here, coupled with the slightly warmer temperatures and the snow melt, the rivers are swollen. Verona … [Read more...]
Ten Finalists Chosen: 2012 Cintas’ America’s Best Restroom Contest
Ten Finalists Chosen For 2012 Cintas’ America’s Best Restroom Contest Public Voting Begins for 11th Annual Contest Will America’s next Best Restroom be the result of a multi-million dollar renovation to the nation’s largest natural outdoor amphitheater, and set against picturesque iconic Hollywood Hills? Or will Sin City’s most luxurious loo, a sprawling 2,000 square foot space inside Vegas’ Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, earn … [Read more...]
David Stanley: Traveler & Guidebook Author
David Stanley is a well-heeled travel writer who has written a number of books about the South Pacific for Moon Handbooks. We have admirably followed his career for a number of years. He has been writing guidebooks for over 30 years and has maintained his South Pacific website since the late 1990's. We recently had a chance to ask him about his career, travels and advice in regards to travel writing. Q. You are a prolific writer how … [Read more...]
Select Highlights of South East Europe
These are some of the highlights of visiting select locations in Croatia, Hungary, Montenegro and Serbia. This trip was totally unscripted and unplanned. All we had were our plane tickets to Europe. We used public transportation to get around - buses, trains, city trams and metros where available. Note that while distances on the map don't look that far from each other especially along the Dalmatian Coast, the roads are narrow, windy and very … [Read more...]
Kotor Montenegro
We are chilling high above the scenic town of Kotor (rhymes with Motor) situated in this amazing, southern most Fjord in all of Europe. We are staying with a family in their home in the hills above the main part of town. The city is lit up, the breeze warm, and the musty earthy smell of the surrounding fig trees all around us. We are also enjoying a late harvest dessert wine from Oremus, one of Hungary's finest wineries in the Tokaj region. Not … [Read more...]
Courchevel’s Chalet de Pierres Returns after 5M Euro Renovation & Addition of New Chanel Boutique
Chef Mathias Dandine is Appointed and Debuts a French Regional Menu Courchevel, France (January 18, 2011) - The Chalet de Pierres returns to the illustrious Courchevel 1850 gastronomic landscape with the commencement of the 2010/11winter season. The owners and operators of the world-renowned Hotel de Charme Les Airelles recently acquired the restaurant and invested more than five million Euro into its renovation, updated the interiors, … [Read more...]
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