The next great European war will probably come out of some damned fool thing in the Balkans. – Otto von Bismarck If you’ve followed my travel book reviews so far, you may have noticed something disturbing. One reader did. After posting the last review of Peter Mayle’s Toujours Provence, I received a note asking why … More Albania: A Narrative of Recent Travels
Life is a combination of magic and pasta. – Federico Fellini When Robie and I set out from Albania to enjoy a week-long getaway in Italy, we were looking forward to exploring the baroque architecture of Lecce in the southern region of Puglia. But when March showers left us taking grey, overcast pictures of the … More When it rains in Lecce, eat pasta … and cheese
See the world. It’s more fantastic than any dream. – Ray Bradbury Known for the date they were first sighted by European explorers, this chain of 74 mostly uninhabited islands was named for a holiday celebrating the start of summer and the traditional wearing of white. But christened more than a century before the international … More Where are you now?
Every sip of sangria is a taste of summer, no matter the season. – Anonymous Some of the best food finds are discovered in the least likely places. When traveling Robie and I eat mostly local fare. But sometimes trying food we know and love halfway around the globe gives new life to the … More Sangria, a healthy little fruit salad
The human animal differs from the lesser primates in his passion for lists. – H. Allen Smith After nearly three months on Ikaria during the off-season, we’ve compiled Reid & Robie’s Top 10 things to do when the island’s not packed with sunseekers. But first, an Honorable Mention: Keeping track of our neighbor’s herd was … More Ikaria Top 10
The code is more what you’d call “guidelines” than actual rules. – Captain Barbossa in Pirates of the Caribbean When Robie and I started cleaning out the house and preparing for this adventure, I made an exception to my rule about not reading a book twice. Because like Captain Barbossa, I believe rules should … More Toujours Provence
You are what you eat. So don’t be fast, cheap, easy or fake. – Homer One of the best things about our roving retirement is the food. And not just the amazing cuisine we get to try, but the chance to recreate delicious dishes and add them to our repertoire. In Liverpool Robie and I … More Pork, cheese and ouzo – the new winter classic
Feel the history beneath your feet. – Anonymous You’re standing in the largest medieval square in Europe, host to one of the Continent’s biggest Christmas markets. After Mongols destroyed the city in the 13th century, a new plaza covering 9½ acres was built at the intersection of ancient trade routes with a central market surrounded … More Where are you now?
A lock, like most people, will open up with patience and a bit of kindness. – Anonymous Crime was said to be nonexistent on the island. Cars were left unlocked, bicycles unchained and homes open. People set packages down on café tables and walked away for hours. They deserted boats and cars for weeks or … More Willie Dare makes a friend
Liverpool is full of the kind of people who go out on a Monday and couldn’t care less about Tuesday morning. – George Harrison Reid and I spent ten weeks in the United Kingdom’s fourth largest metropolitan area. And while it isn’t as big as London, Liverpool has a lot to offer – for short … More Top 10 things to do in Liverpool
Reid & Robie 