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Patrick W. O'Bryon
Writer. Traveler. Europhile, especially Italy and France. Hobbies: rescuing animals from abuse, abandonment and mistreatment, and being sous chef around the kitchen to my chef de cuisine wife.
Blogroll
Corridor of Darkness, A Novel of Nazi Germany (paperback)
Category Archives: European Travel
HELLUVA WAY TO FIRST SEE EUROPE: The Seagoing Life’s Not for Everyone
I awakened to total silence. I had fallen asleep to the raucous laughter, boozing, amorous groping and other fulfilling activities which mark a last night at sea with a shipload of grad students, all off for a year in Europe. … Continue reading
OF COURSE IT’S SAFE TO DRINK THE WATER…An Adventure in Old Spain
The whole second half of our Spanish journey hadn’t gone exactly as planned, so why was I surprised to wake up to a smiling physician about to inject me in the butt with a huge hypodermic needle? After all, only … Continue reading
Posted in European Travel, Travel Memoir
Tagged Alcazar, Benidorm, Cadiz, Costa del Sol, European travel, flamenco, Morocco, Seville, Spain, Spanish customs, Spanish travel, trichinosis, Water poisoning
1 Comment
LOOKING FOR (ITALIAN) LIFE AFTER FLORENCE?
Hundreds of you readers (well, two, to be precise) have asked for an alternative to Florence, just in case they’re stuck driving circles around that lovely cultural center trying without success to break into the old town itself (see my … Continue reading
HOW I LEARNED TO HATE FLORENCE…
Before all you lovers of Italian culture build your own big bonfire and set me alight as a modern-day Savonarola, let me explain. No doubt Florence deserves its reputation as a must-see destination, particularly for travelers discovering the beauties of Italy for the first … Continue reading
PLANNING YOUR EUROPE TRIP…AND A SAMPLE TASTE OF ROME AND SURROUNDINGS
Unless you’re a frequent traveler to Europe, deciding where to go and how long to stay can seem overwhelming. Since now is the time to make plans for this travel season, let me share a few tips on what works … Continue reading
Posted in European Travel
Tagged Amalfi, Amalfi coast, Assisi, Europe, European car rental, European travel, Fiumincino, Italian B&Bs, Italian hotel recommendations, Italian hotels, Italian restaurant recommendations., Italian restaurants, Italy, Leonardo Da Vinci airport, Orivieto, Perugia, Pompeii, Positano, Rome, Sorrento, Todi, Trastevere
1 Comment
HOW TO EMBARRASS YOURSELF IN A THREE-STAR PARISIAN RESTAURANT
Those of you who follow my posts on traveling in Europe already know that I prefer cozy, family-run restaurants. We’ve tried the gastronomique route, with all the foam and inventive cooking techniques imaginable. And it isn’t always easy when two of your … Continue reading
Posted in European Travel
Tagged Bois de Boulogne, European travel, France, French dining, French gourmet dining, French travel, gastronomique cuisine, Hotel de Crillon, Le Louvre, Ovo-lacto vegetarian, Paris, Parisian restaurants, Pescatarian, Place de la Concorde, Tuileries, Vegetarian in France
8 Comments
GREAT TUSCAN RESTAURANTS YOU COULD EASILY MISS
Let’s face it, it’s not difficult to find great food in Italy, but a lot depends on your taste. And you’ll have your share of disappointments if not careful. Contrary to popular opinion, you can get a mediocre meal, particularly … Continue reading
Posted in European Travel
Tagged Chianti, Dining, Europe, Greve in Chianti, Italy, Osteria, Panzano, Rapolano, Ristorante, San Gimignano, San Miiniato, Siena, Trattoria, Tuscany
1 Comment
EUROPE IN THE MORNING
What is it about dragging yourself out from under that down comforter, pulling on some clothes, and setting forth on foot early–not five a.m. early, but six, or six-thirty or even seven–when the sun has just begun to reclaim the … Continue reading
Posted in European Travel
Tagged Almafi Coast, Camon, Dordogne, European travel, France, Italy, Loire, Normandy, Panzano, Provence, Rome, Trastevere, Tuscany, Umbria, Venice
5 Comments
Patrick W. O'Bryon 