High Mileage

The Monaco Grand Prix

admin — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 18:19:23 +0000

I may be a bigger car junkie than I am a travel junkie. And Formula1 car racing is a real passion. So what better trip than 2 weeks in the Italian and French rivieras? And a weekend in Monte Carlo, Monaco for the annual car race extravaganza.
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Crushed at St Peters

admin — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 21:46:31 +0000

Did you ever think what it would be like to go to Rome to see the Pope do Christmas or Easter mass? Even if you’re not religious, attending one of these events can be exciting. And dangerous.

Having done both the Christmas Eve service and Easter Vigils I can say its worth fighting huge crowds and standing in long lines. And sometimes it rains…and is very cold. So then, what is the procedure and what should you expect? First comes getting “tickets”, something I didn’t realize the first time (we actually wound up watching the service on local Vatican TV).
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Yack It Up!

admin — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 21:45:44 +0000

I’ve been accused of being a “perk” traveler. Always looking for that something extra, for free. So what’s wrong with that, and how do you do it?
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Timing is Everything

admin — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 21:44:57 +0000

I’ve never been a very lucky person. And the only raffle I ever won was for a bottle of “two-buck Chuck”. If you can call that winning. But every now and then, the travel god’s do smile on us. And sometimes that smile lasts for a few days, or weeks.
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What, No Refrigerator

admin — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 21:44:03 +0000

American travelers to Europe sometimes cannot figure out how to eat snacks and light meals. Many lower cost hotels provide no means of storing perishable food items like cheese, meats, milk, etc. Obviously they want you to eat in their restaurants, which can be pretty lousy and touristy. So what did I do on a Venice visit for New Years celebration a few years ago? And how could I preserve some excellent local sandwiches for a long train ride the next day?
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Beneath Rome

admin — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 21:43:19 +0000

Believe it or not, Rome has a subway/metro. Many tourists visiting the city never realize it exists, and just how useful it can be. For only 1 Euro you can buy a ticket good for 75 minutes of travel. And for 4 Euro you can get a 1-day pass. Considering what a taxi would cost this is a bargain. And no traffic to worry about, which in Rome can be a real log jamb.
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Tour Bus Idiots

admin — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 21:42:26 +0000

If you’ve read my stories in the past you probably know I am not a fan of Tour Packages. But some years ago I found a tour I couldn’t refuse…actually a cruise which I hate as much as group tours. Why did I succumb? Well the itinerary was something I just couldn’t resist and couldn’t put together myself. I’ve always obsessed about seeing the pyramids at Giza. And visiting the Cairo museum, the Greek Islands, and maybe Jerusalem/Bethlehem are also highpoints I needed to see. So I found this great cruise on a very small ship.
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Ugly American Tourist

admin — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 21:41:32 +0000

Is the term “Ugly American” still relevant? Are you one? Why do you travel anyway?

I often wonder why people travel to Europe, and expect to be greeted in English and never try to understand or assimilate into the local culture. If your goal is to simply see sites, visit museums, and take tons of pictures, maybe traveling the great old USA would be better. When I go to another country my main reason is to see how other folks live, eat, work, and play. Their culture is what interests me, and how it’s different from ours.
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Food Extremes in Rome

admin — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 21:40:26 +0000

There was a time when it was impossible to get bad food in Rome. And gourmet food was something Italians scoffed at as French. Boy have times changed!

Having been to Italy many, many times over the last 15 years, my food experiences have covered a very broad range. Everything from basic pizza to specialty pastas to rare and exotic meat dishes. And lately some really aweful offerings, possibly due to giving the tourists what they want or are willing to accept. The rule today is either you get food or ambiance. Good food in out of the way places, or bad at the Piazza’s so you can people and site watch. My rule has always been only go where the locals go.
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Riding the Rails

admin — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 21:39:40 +0000

The train is a great way to explore Europe in a relaxed manner. There are many reasons to prefer trains over planes, cars and buses for travel in Europe. Nearly every city has one or more stations which are served by trains many times each day. There are no time-consuming check-ins and often you arrive in the heart of your destination. While traveling you can admire the view, talk to fellow passengers, go for a stroll or read a good book. Plus you can eat any time you want without the hasstle of finding a good place. And you can meet interesting people that always seem willing to share travel tips and ideas.
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