I’ve been in Europe now for a month and my most vivid memories are of the fun I’ve had with people. Simple things like getting a haircut in a foreign country, meeting the child of a guide, and going back to a restaurant again because I really like the restaurateur. These are the sparkles that keep the memories of a trip alive. (And all of these people are listed in my guidebooks.)
In the Amalfi Coast region of Italy, I find that many couples work as driver/guide teams. Here Giovanna Donadio is my guide and her husband, Francesco del Pizzo, drives. He’s quiet and she loves to talk — a good mix. And their little boy is adorable. If someone is listed in my guidebooks (like Giovanna and Francesco), chances are I actually enjoyed their services.
A week before meeting my TV crew I always get a little stressed out when I need to get a haircut from someone I don’t know, in a land where I don’t speak the language. This year I had a brainstorm: I asked my favorite Amalfi Coast driver, Raffaele Monetti (you can see him looking on in this photo), to book me a time with his barber. I figured: good enough for Raffaele…good enough for me. And it was great.
I dropped back into my new favorite hair salon in Sorrento, Satisfhair (run by Luca and Tony, the guys in the hats), to get the details. I added it to my book. But I’m not terribly systematic when it comes to this sort of thing. In my books, if there’s a clinic listed in a town, I likely got sick there and needed it. If there’s a masseuse listed in a town, I was likely really exhausted and in need of a good massage there (and enjoyed it). If there’s a hair salon listed…I needed a haircut (and liked the one I got).
In Rome, my personal treat is having dinner at Ristorante il Gabriello, where delightful Claudio always greets me warmly and I dine very well. He’s one of those lucky people who found his niche and really enjoys his work…and his patrons are the beneficiaries.
My favorite Rome guide, Francesca Caruso (on the left), spent the better part of a day with me checking sights and restaurants in Rome for the new edition of my Rome guidebook. We knew that tour guide Sarah Murdoch was treating her group to a wonderful last dinner of their trip that night — so we popped in to say hi between our many restaurant visits that evening. I love to see a group beaming at the finale of a wonderful tour. (Nice work, Sarah!)
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This is Day 31 of my “100 Days in Europe” series. As I travel with Rick Steves’ Europe Tours, research my guidebooks, and make new TV shows, I’m reporting on my experiences in Italy, Portugal, France, Ireland, England, Scotland, Germany, Switzerland, and more. Thanks for joining me here on my blog and via Facebook.