Say Fromage: Celebrate the Best of French Cheese
In Paris, there are a variety of companies vying for your attention in what seems to be a competitive food tour market. There’s a bit of a difference between providers – some are more limited in neighborhoods, some are a bit more expensive than others. All claim to offer samples of the best French treats Paris has to offer. But it seems only Paris By Mouth offers a workshop focused exclusively on the marvel that is French cheese. Oui, les fromages! The Background Research I’ve done walking tours in Rome, Amsterdam, and London. These were all worthwhile and involved many (6+) food and drink samples. They give a broad overview…
An in-Seine Cruise: The Best of Paris by Boat
Ah, Paris. It’s a city that just begs you to take a stroll through city streets and narrow lanes, finding interesting bistros and immaculate gardens. But a boat cruise down the Seine is also tremendously popular. So popular, in fact, that many well-travelled bloggers might insist it’s worth skipping. And so I’ll just go ahead and say it: they’re wrong. You’re in Paris. If this is your first time going to Paris, you embrace your tourist-ness and go with the flow. OMG, puns are awesome!!! But I do want to suggest a few options to consider for an experience that is more fun, without all those awful tourists (present company…
How to Prepare for Mountain Gorilla Treks
If you’re here, maybe you’re considering a gorilla trek. Is it something you want to do? Probably, yes! But to prepare for gorilla treks, you’ll want to know your options. And once a destination is determined, many questions pop up. How should I dress? What do I need to take with me? Is it safe? I’ll tell you here, but first let’s provide a little context about our target species. An Introduction to Gorillas The short story is that there are two species of gorilla: eastern and western. That’s pretty simple, right? Populations of the lowland subspecies of western gorillas are more significant, but the Cross River subspecies numbers are…
Westminster Abbey, Walks, and Whodunits: Last of London
Our last of six days in London was meant to pack in the most important stops that we had yet to see. That even includes Westminster Abbey, notable because it was one of the first items added to our itinerary. But the day required much more than just going to church. We still had quite a few sights left to see! So far, we’d visited several museums, had afternoon tea, enjoyed a tour with a yeoman warder at the Tower of London, birded through a couple Royal Parks, and briefly saw Buckingham Palace. We’d spent a day out and about, visiting Stonehenge and Bath. We had gone to a musical…
Our Best Mall is Not for Shopping
When I was planning a European adventure in 2019, the variety of free museums in London was a huge relief. We were trying to be very conscious of budget constraints on that particular trip, and London itself is not generally a budget-friendly city to visit. But the costs of daily entertainment can be greatly minimized if people are willing to avoid the tourist traps. Just stick to the bastions of world history, art, and culture. How’s that for biased language? Obviously I’m saying that as someone who avoided most of the tourist traps. So there, London Eye! Take that! It occurs to me, though, that my own country’s capital city…
