I’m always thinking about how Europe looks so pretty in people’s photo collections, video clips, and even in their memories. But I like the gritty and candid dimensions of Europe that are simply unpolished reality, too. Here’s an impromptu clip of me sharing my last, lousy lunch in Italy while changing trains in Genoa. Two minutes later, I was on my way to France.
Here you can browse through my blog posts prior to February 2022. Currently I'm sharing my travel experiences, candid opinions, and what's on my mind solely on my Facebook page. — Rick
The Latest from the Cinque Terre
The Cinque Terre is my favorite stretch of Mediterranean coastline. On this two-month research and TV production trip, I gave myself one day off, and I slotted it in right here.
Unfortunately, cruise lines are now stopping in La Spezia (the gateway to the Cinque Terre), and their thousands of passengers are congesting these otherwise peaceful towns. When the cruise ships are in, mid-days can be miserable, both in the towns — like Vernazza, pictured here — and on the trails. But if you’re out early (before 10:00) or late (after 17:00), there are no crowd problems at all.
Enjoying a sunset from the castle in Vernazza at Ristorante Belforte is one of the most romantic experiences you may ever enjoy.
The restaurants of the Cinque Terre make delightful seafood antipasti plates. When in the Cinque Terre, your best restaurant tip: Order seafood.
Chores on the Italian Road
I’ve been on the road for nearly two months now, and I’m in a great work groove. Even the little chores are fun.
Tour guides know that when you’re in Europe surrounded by tourists binging on chocolate, cakes, and gelato, you learn extreme portion control. While I rarely indulge in an entire ice cream cone, I do sample gelaterie in every town as part of my research responsibilities. And I’m getting pretty good at taking selfies — even while enjoying a little spoonful.
For me, one of the small delights of travel is getting a haircut. While it used to stress me out because of the language barrier, now I keep an eye out for a place that feels right (away from the tourist zone, and with a successful but not too trendy vibe) and trust the stylist. It’s easy to drop in, make a reservation that works conveniently into your sightseeing, and then come back later for your haircut. It’s also a fun way to meet a local. Do you have any good or bad experiences at the barbershop or beauty salon while on the road?
Part of travel is doing the laundry. While I’ve been relying on elbow grease and hotel room sinks for six weeks, soon or later it becomes fragrantly clear that a good, thorough wash is needed. All over Europe, self-service launderettes have smart machines with clear English instructions. This place in Lucca cost me €5 for the wash (detergent was automatically included) and €5 to dry. Suddenly I find people sit with me on the train.
When I’m updating restaurants for my guidebook, I love having a local friend to help out and give their insights. But it can backfire when the local tells the chef I’m writing a guidebook, and they decide to get all trendy. In these cases, I wind up eating goofy gourmet off-menu morsels like this concoction… and learn nothing about what typical travelers eat when they sit down here.
My Mug On a Van in India
My niece Nicolina is adventuring in India right now with her Hearts of the World project, bringing art to poor children across the country. I couldn’t be prouder of her — and I couldn’t be more tickled by this photo she sent me from the road. Reading the story behind this painting made me smile. It’ll make you smile too — check it out on Nicolina’s blog. (Just scroll down a few posts to “In a Pinch.”)
Al Stewart’s Biggest Fan in Rural Tuscany
My dad was a piano tuner, and in my travels, any time I see a piano, I have an urge to play it or hear it played. At Il Canto del Sole agriturismo, Luciano showed me around his farm while his son, Marco, attentively followed, seemingly fascinated by my work as a guidebook writer. When we came upon the family piano, I asked Marco to play. Oblivious to how horribly out-of-tune the piano was, Marco sat right down and belted out Al Stewart’s “Year of the Cat.” Coincidentally, that’s one of my favorite songs, and I’ll be seeing Al Stewart in concert in Everett, Washington, next month. It’s interesting to me that a pop song, written before Marco was born, would be part of this fun rural Tuscan moment. Al, if you’re there, you have a young fan just south of Siena. (And if there’s a piano tuner on the road in Italy, I’ll bet you can get a free night in a great B&B if you packed along your tuning hammer.)