Travel Forum / Destinations / Europe / January 2004

For those who like to read simple French, but informative
the working mans newspaper, le Parisien is it.
Today has a nice article, including map,
in national real estate price increases

Lake Garda, Italy's largest lake (370 km2) is perhaps the most
beautiful lake in all of Europe. Its waters are incredibly blue, the
particular blue of mountain spring water. The transparency and intense
blue of the water and the luxurious vegetation add to its natural

If you're not afraid to post your real name, how come
you're posting to soc.retirement with a pseudonym,
Longwind ?
Donna, do you know Earl is back there under an assumed

Hi everyone--
I'm going to be studying abroad in Florence this spring and I'm staying
with an Italian family.  I'd like to give them a gift when I arrive to
thank them for letting me stay there.  Not to mention sweeten them up

My husband I would like to do day trips in Sept. with our home base in
Florence.  How can we hook up with a tour agency/facility  that go
each day to Sienna,San Gimignano/Cortona/Volterra/Greve and whatever 7
days will allow.  We would like to be with a guided/type group that

I will be going to Italy soon with my AP.  The AP's typical routine
before bed is to relax in front of the TV.
When we were in London, we stayed at an Austrian-run hotel.  We
noticed that on the cable, there were a fair amount of German TV.

Ok, please no jokes about England's weather: What's the weather like in
London in May or early June? When would you say is the best time to
visit? Thanks.

I noticed that there is a new Starbucks at La Defense - so now if you
happen to be visiting La Grande Arche and fancy drinking a bucket of
dishwater while sitting on a sofa and pretending that you've just had
sex with Courtney Cox, you don't have a thing to worry about.

For those who know Paris, they will remember the voie rive gauche along the
river on the right bank.  In the summer this area is covered by sand and
a beach resort is created!
When the river gets high this area floods first and they

Cycling in southwest France:
Has anyone cycled the Canal du Midi recently?
           Can one cycle the whole way on a path?? Is it pretty? Is it so
flat that it is boring?

I'm looking for adresses in Barcelona : restaurant, musical bars and
especially hostales and pension(es).
Thank you for your help... and sorry for my approximate english

I just came across a reference about the Cardiz carnival in late
Februart being "wild" ... anyone who has been there cares to recount
the experience? ... I will be in andalusia mid february for three
weeks ... thanks

I am travelling with a couple of my friends to Hamburg next week. We are
Students so therefore we need somewhere fairly cheap in or around Hamburg. I
will be driving so can be outside. We will be there from next Thursday to
Sunday.

We're going on a fairly expensive tour of Italy with a church group,
and travelling early in order to see some of the area where my
grandfather was born/grew up, in Solofra and Naples.  We'll have
three nights in the area, and the tentative plan is to arrive around

Flying form Bruxelles to zurich or taking the train? Cost? carriers? this
latter is the thing that is hardest for a North American to ascertain. Any
help would be appreciated.