Yesterday we had a guided tour of Pisa. I’m rather fond of the city. It’s a manageable size and has its own charm. If I was going to live anywhere in Italy, it would probably be here. We also had one of my favourite guides in Italy Alessandro. He’s not only one of the best …
Siena
Siena is like a living Museum. It hasn’t moved on much since the 15th century. Sure, the shop front, bars and restaurants are glitzier than they used to be, but look up, and it’s as if time has been preserved in aspic. Twice a year, Siena is home to the worlds, most fabulous bareback horse …
A love letter to Mrs TimOnTheTrain and easyJet go on the sh*t list!
I’m very sorry that I haven’t posted so far on my Italian tour. It’s been frantically busy, and to be honest, I’ve posted about Venice and Florence many times before. As I write this, I’m waiting in the hotel lobby in Florence, and shortly my clients will be joining me for dinner at our local …
Continue reading "A love letter to Mrs TimOnTheTrain and easyJet go on the sh*t list!"
Barcelona wrap
Today we travelled to Barcelona by high-speed rail, a long journey, taking nearly 6 hours, but travelling at speeds of up to 310 km/h. Any word in Spanish that ends in the letters “ito” means little. Our high-speed train today looks a little bit like a duck, a pato in Spanish. That means the locals …
Granada & The Alhambra
I may be in love with this city. I need to return and spend some time here. We arrived by high speed train (the AVE) from Seville and went straight into a guided tour of the Alhambra palace and the city. After the morning rail we needed lunch and where better than the bullring restaurant? …
Blood & Sand (Not really… It just sounded right)
Yesterday we were in Seville. I’m lying in bed now falling asleep so I’m not gonna write for too long. I’ll let the pictures do the work. We enjoyed tapas and wine lunch, alfresco on a terrace overlooking the river and the city because that’s just the kind of folks we are here at Vacations …
Continue reading "Blood & Sand (Not really… It just sounded right)"
Trams in JacarandaLand
We move so fast on this Tour that I’m now combining cities! A morning guided Tour of Porto included what I believe is the prettiest rail station in Europe. Okay… maybe the second prettiest. Well, it’s in the top three. Porto’s São Bento Station is a mosaic of tiles inside, a mural of Portuguese history. …
Douro Cruise and How To Photo A Chicken
We made an early start this morning. And headed into the mountains of Northern Portugal. From here, the river Douro winds its way through the terraced vineyards that provide some of the very best Portuguese, wine and Port wine. The weather gods were kind and we took a cruise along the river for a few …
Madrid, Salamanca & Ham
We’ve had a busy couple of days, so this is going to be one of those posts that is heavier on photos that on text. That’s because I’m pretty tired and I have an early start tomorrow morning and a complicated day to organise. We started in Madrid, and we enjoyed a guided tour of …
Two Tours, Three Countries, Four Weeks
June is the second busiest month of the year for us Tour Manager people (September, since you ask). This year is no exception. I have two tours, back to back, with only 36 hours between them. The good news is that they are both strong Tours and I'm already familiar with them from previous experience. …