Shop for clothes like Parisians do

Shop for clothes like Parisians do

Nobody is going to accuse me of being a fashionista (I’m not even sure that term can be applied to a male?).  But I know from having taken thousands of travellers through La Ville Lumière (the city of light) that a “break” from the landmarks and...
Being in History

Being in History

Visiting Europe is a kind of historical re-awakening – a way of linking to our collective past.  Walking down a centuries old cobblestone road, walking between centuries old buildings, I get the feeling that in some way, the past is alive in these...
“You don’t even have a tan”

“You don’t even have a tan”

Upon return from one of my trips to Europe in 2012, a neighbour asked me, “So what do you do when you’re over there?  I mean, you don’t even have a tan.”I actually did have some colour from hiking under the warm Italian sun in the...
5 Traditional European Christmas Dishes You’ve Never Tried

5 Traditional European Christmas Dishes You’ve Never Tried

1.  Vánoční Rybí Polévka (Czech Christmas Fish Soup) – Czech RepublicHarking back to a simpler time when meat was a luxury to most Europeans, the tradition of eating carp (a freshwater fish) for a treat at Christmas has remained strong in the Czech...
Christmas in Europe: German Christkindlmarkt

Christmas in Europe: German Christkindlmarkt

 Nobody does Christmas like the Germans, and for good reason.  All over German speaking Europe, but especially in Bavaria, the tradition of the Christkindlmarkt (Christmas market) goes back 700 years.  In town squares throughout Germany right now, local...
5 Italian dishes you must eat in Italy

5 Italian dishes you must eat in Italy

  Italy is defined by its regions.  Just as you would expect the culture and cuisine of Mississippi to be different from that of Maine, you should expect that the culture and cuisine of Tuscany is different from that of Lazio or Liguria.  A smart...