Our most recent tour started in Munich on the 16th of July. We greeted the seven members of the Harsh family back for their 6th trip with us since the summer of 2003. This time, we’re spending two weeks on a leisurely exploration of the areas around Schwangau, Berchtesgaden, Salzburg and Munich. We took them […]
Nothing Makes an American Happier than Ice
When traveling in Europe, Americans know that getting ice cubes in your drink, whether it’s a coke or a gin and tonic is nearly impossible. The Europeans simply don’t “do” ice. I’ve witnessed our tour guests banging their heads against the bar, crying out for ice! ice! ice! This year I decided to do something […]
A Conversation with Rick Steves
James Derheim at left, Rick Steves at right. (Photo by Rick Steves) Rick Steves was in Rothenburg the last couple of nights, updating his popular guide book and basically causing a miniature earthquake everywhere he went among tourists who know his TV show and books. Rick is a Super Celebrity among the traveling masses. His […]
Beaches Galore in Portugal
Although the Atlantic Ocean is not exactly our kind of water (brrrr! We’re used to the balmy conditions of the Gulf of Mexico) the sand quality and the beauty of the rock formations more than make up for the fact that the water is a bit on the chilly side. Here’s the beach at Sao […]
The Romans were here, too
The 3rd century Temple of Diana in the interesting city of Evora, the Alentejo, Portugal. This small city also boasts a beautiful 16th century acquaduct and a chapel built entirely of bones. One of our favorite hotels is also located right next to the temple. The Pousada (as state-run hotels located in historic landmarks are […]
Postcard from the Algarve
I laid rubber on the road when I saw this scene straight out of a travel magazine. Was surprised that the farmer didn’t have a little coffee can out there for donations.
Coming soon, ceramics from Portugal
We found a source for glazed pottery from the Alentejo region of Portugal, and a shipment is on the way to our shop in Sarasota. It took quite a bit of work with the shop owner to figure out a way to get the pottery from their shop to ours, but we worked it out […]
First Visit to the Algarve and Portugal
Jenean and I just returned from our first adventure in Portugal. What a country! We can’t wait to return. Discovering a new place and planning for future tours was our first priority. A nice bonus was the ability to make purchases for our European gifts shop in Sarasota, Florida. And a third bonus to going […]