Tour – Eat and Drink Like A European

The #1 time saving tip when travelling in Europe

August 29, 2015/in Europe, Europe Tour, European, Tour, travel/by Craig Bresett

Commuters and tourists heading into central Paris on the Metro.

You’re booking your dream trip to Paris, and like most people, you are on a budget. So you search hotels based on price. You find what looks like a great deal, book it, fly to Paris, and arrive at your hotel only to find out that it’s not even close to Notre Dame or the Louvre or the Eiffel Tower – in fact, it’s not even within the Boulevard Périphérique (the ring road that surrounds Paris proper). No matter, you think, you can just use the metro to get into town. But now you’re squeezed onto the train every morning at rush hour with all the commuters, and three transfers and an hour later you’re in the area that you came to visit in the first place. Heading back to the hotel for a mid-afternoon post wine-for-lunch nap isn’t feasible. And you’ve still got that same ride back to your hotel in the evening. Those slightly more expensive hotels in the city centre aren’t looking like such a bad deal anymore.

A great view from your hotel can be another benefit of staying in the city centre

Your number one consideration when choosing accommodations in Europe should be location.

Regardless of what city or town you are visiting, you will find that there are always cheaper accommodations outside of the historic centre. But add in the cost of getting into the centre and your deal isn’t quite as good (for example, you could choose to stay in a cheap hotel in Mestre and take the vaporetto (water bus) into Venice everyday – but that’s €7.50 each way!). Plus you miss out on the night time ambience European cities are so famous for.

Your number one consideration when choosing accommodations in Europe should be location. With some work, you should be able to find something suitable to your price range in a great neighbourhood in the city centre. Search for hotels by location first, then by price. Check walking distances on Google maps from the hotel to museums, churches, restaurants, etc. Being able to walk out of your hotel into the Europe you came to visit is worth a few more euros a day.

An evening stroll near your centrally located hotel is an uncrowded joy in most European towns and cities, like Siena (pictured).

OneLife Tours is dedicated to the absolute best in European travel experiences. Unlike the big box tour companies, all of our tours feature centrally located hotels giving our guests the best value for their money. We also do travel consulting, and can help you find the ideal accommodations for your independent trip to Europe. Contact our chief tour director Craig Bresett for more information.

[author] [author_image timthumb=’on’]https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/506116251454697472/4blfsXiS.jpeg[/author_image] [author_info]This blog reverently shared with you by Craig Bresett – owner and chief tour director at OneLife Tours. Contact Craig anytime: craig@onelifetours.ca[/author_info] [/author]

Shop for clothes like Parisians do

July 11, 2015/in bargain, Europe, European, France, Paris, Shopping, Tour, tour guide, travel/by Craig Bresett

Nobody is going to accuse me of being a fashionista (I’m not even sure that term can be applied to a male?). But I know from having taken thousands of travellers through La Ville Lumière (the city of light) that a “break” from the landmarks and museums most often includes a bit of must-do Paris shopping. Paris is one of the world capitals of fashion and style, and has some very high-end clothing stores where you probably couldn’t even afford a pair of socks. So where do smart Parisians (and travelers-in-the-know) shop? Thrift stores of course!

With so much focus on fashion in Paris, you can rest assured that there are plenty of perfectly good, slightly used, “last year’s” clothes make their way into the many second hand boutiques in Paris and its suburbs. If you can be caught dead (or alive) in something that’s a little (or a lot) vintage, you’re going to find lots of bargains in this otherwise expensive shopping city.

Here are a few Parisian favourites:

LITTLE BOX: This tiny store in the Marais is stuffed with vintage designer clothes, shoes and bags. Not the cheapest prices, but not a lot of junk to sort through either – the stock is well considered before being put out (probably because the shop is so small!) Designer sunglasses can also be found here at less than half of original price typically. The owners are really friendly and helpful too. Just make sure you say “bonjour” when you enter!

77 Boulevard Beaumarchais, 75003 Paris

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Little Box: 77 Boulevard Beaumarchais, 75003 Paris

PRETTY BOX VINTAGE: With a focus on real vintage, this store contains some really cool old fashions from the 1920s to the 1990s. Prices vary, but for the really unique stuff, don’t expect bargain basement! This is the place to go if you want to find something you won’t find anywhere else.

46 Rue de Saintonge 75003 Paris

Pretty Box Vintage: 46 Rue de Saintonge 75003 Paris

FREE ‘P’ STAR: This is probably the best of the extreme bargain thrift shops in town. You can buy jackets, pants, dresses, etc. for under €20, or dig through the bargain bins where everything is only €1! Just €1! If you don’t mind jostling a bit in this overstuffed (with clothes and people) shop, you can come away with some real steals!

61 Rue de la Verrerie, 75004 Paris (Hotel de Ville store – this small chain has 2 other Paris locations in addition to this one)

Free ‘P’ Star: 61 Rue de la Verrerie, 75004 Paris

THE KILO SHOP: This shop probably has the most interesting concept – selling clothes by weight! Basically all the items are tagged either red (€20 per kilo) or yellow/green (€30 per kilo) or orange (€60 per kilo). The stuff is well organized, with lots of men’s clothing (this place is probably the best for guys of the four mentioned in this blog). It’s extremely well organized, with lots of scales for you to check your clothing weight before going to purchase it. Here’s to innovative ideas!

69-71 Rue de la Verrerie, 75004 Paris (Le Marais store)

The Kilo Shop: 69-71 Rue de la Verrerie, 75004 Paris

Do you have a favourite thrift store in Paris that I missed? Let me know in the comments!

OneLife Tours is dedicated to the absolute best in European travel experiences for our small groups. If you want your travel in Europe to include plenty of free time built into an outstanding itinerary, we’re your company!

[author] [author_image timthumb=’on’]https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/506116251454697472/4blfsXiS.jpeg[/author_image] [author_info]This blog happily shared with you by Craig Bresett (wearing a knit cap purchased from the Kilo Shop) – owner and chief tour director at OneLife Tours. Contact Craig anytime: craig@onelifetours.ca[/author_info] [/author]

Being in History

October 10, 2013/in Budapest, bus tour, Cathedral, context, Escorted, Europe, gothic, guide, History, Notre Dame, Tour, travel/by Craig Bresett

Visiting Europe is a kind of historical re-awakening – a way of linking to our collective past. Walking down a centuries old cobblestone road, walking between centuries old buildings, I get the feeling that in some way, the past is alive in these places. With the correct historical context, or a guide who can provide it, you will get this feeling too.

When I take a OneLife Tours group into the 850 year old Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, I like to tell some of the great stories from the church’s history. But I also want my travelers to get in “touch” with history. Inside, at the back of this gothic enormity, I take them to one of the huge stone pillars. And I invite them to touch it. And to imagine the hands that quarried these stones, that carefully chipped them into this shape, and placed them at the base of the column. To realize that those people lived, worked and died here, in history, and that those who placed the stones we can actually touch would not have lived to see their work completed (in fact even their great-grandchildren would not have seen this – the cathedral took 200 years to build!) This is history. This is being in history.

Do this when you travel. Be in history. www.onelifetours.ca

Hungarian photographer Ablak Múltra forces people to “be in history” by overlaying old photographs over new images captured in the same place. The results can be stunning!

"You don't even have a tan"

January 19, 2013/in Belgium, Escorted, Europe, Europe Tour, European, France, Germany, Grand Tour, Guided, Italian, Italy, Rick Steves, Tour, tour guide, tourism, travel, Vacation/by Craig Bresett

Upon return from one of my trips to Europe in 2012, a neighbour asked me, “So what do you do when you’re over there? I mean, you don’t even have a tan.”

I actually did have some colour from hiking under the warm Italian sun in the Dolomites and along the Mediterranean coast. And I even went swimming and spent some time on the beach while visiting the Cinque Terre. But my goals in traveling to Europe are not related to acquiring a tan, and I had not put any conscious effort into deepening my pigmentation.

My neighbour has not been to Europe. She has been to Mexico. Multiple times. I believe to the same resort. And Hawaii. And she, of course, comes back with a deep tan, as well as a sense of satisfaction and a relaxed demeanor.

I think when I come back from a trip, I definitely share that sense of satisfaction in time well spent, but I think my demeanor is usually one of excited anticipation – of sharing stories and photos (and beer and chocolate for the lucky ones) with friends and colleagues, and of, well, planning my next trip!

So when she asked me the question about what I do when I’m in Europe, she got a long and enthusiastic answer from this admittedly jet-lagged Europhile. I talked about meeting new people, trying new Belgian brews, searching for a winery in the hills of Tuscany, walking lopsided out of the Leaning Tower of Pisa, cycling along canals past windmills, quiet moments of reflection in 800 year old cathedrals, being overwhelmed by the magnificent beauty of Botticelli’s Birth of Venus, eating the freshest most flavourful pesto anyone has ever had anywhere at any time in a little restaurant in a little village on the west coast of Italy… and on and on and on.

Her response: “Wow, you must come back from vacation more worn out than when you left!”

True, my “vacations” are not really relaxing. And most of the time when I’m overseas, I’m actually working (to provide a stress-free vacation for the people who are traveling with me) not vacationing. But I’m not tired out when I come back. I’m energized and invigorated. And I can’t wait to go again.

Have it all on your next vacation – Europe’s got history, art, architecture, food and drink, great people, and even a few beaches where you can work on your tan if that’s what you like! This is Vernazza in the Cinque Terre region of Italy – part of the Grand Tour.

5 Traditional European Christmas Dishes You've Never Tried

December 25, 2012/in Belgium, Christmas, cougnou, cuisine, Czech, Dishes, Europe, Europe Tour, food, France, Guided, Italy, lutefisk, pandoro, Tour, tour guide, tourism, travel/by Craig Bresett

1. Vánoční Rybí Polévka (Czech Christmas Fish Soup) – Czech Republic
Harking back to a simpler time when meat was a luxury to most Europeans, the tradition of eating carp (a freshwater fish) for a treat at Christmas has remained strong in the Czech republic. None of the fish was wasted – most recipes for this soup call for the head and viscera to be boiled to make the stock. Even today the mayor of Prague doles out this soup to the needy on the Old Town Square on Christmas Eve.


First the stock is prepared for vánoční rybí polévka

2. Les Treize Desserts (The Thirteen Desserts) – France
Here’s one for the kids (and those of us adults with a sweet tooth). In the Provence region of France, Christmas Eve is epic meal time, or Le Gros Souper. The table is set with three candles (representing the trinity) and a large dinner of fish, vegetables, bread and cheese is shared. The thirteen desserts (representing the number of diners at the Last Supper) are then laid out to finish the feast. The desserts consist of various fresh and dried fruits, nuts, nougats, cakes, and sweet wine. After all that, everyone heads to the local church to try to stay awake through Midnight Mass!

Les Treize Desserts

3. Pandoro (The Golden Bread) – Italy
This Italian sweet bread, traditionally from Verona, is a favourite at Christmas. By its appearance you would think it is a cake, but it is in fact a leavened yeast bread, sweetened with sugar or honey, and dusted with icing sugar (some say to resemble the Dolomite peaks just north of Verona). Pandoro is typically served with a side of whipped cream, or even better, vanilla gelato, and a strong Italian espresso. Yum.

Pandoro gets its golden colour from the egg yolks used in the simple recipe

4. Lutefisk (Lye Fish) – Norway
It is hard for a non-Scandinavian to understand the appeal of this dish… however it remains very popular at Christmas throughout the Nordic countries, especially Norway. Dried cod is soaked in a solution of water and lye for a number of days, which changes the texture of the fish, making it more like a fish “jello” (jellyfish?). At this point, the fish is inedible because of the lye, so it has to be rinsed in clean water for several days to remove most of the lye. Then it is ready to be baked or parboiled, and served in all of its odoriferous, gelatinous glory.

Lutefisk: Just tell the kids it’s jello

5. Cougnou (Baby Jesus Bread) – Belgium
This sweetened yeast bread, dotted with coarse granules of sugar, is made in the shape of “the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes” (Luke 2:12). A children’s favourite at Christmas, it is usually served with another Belgian specialty – real hot chocolate.


This looks so good, I’m going to try to make it myself.

Europe – home to so many different culinary traditions. Isn’t it time you made the trek? Join one of our specialized tours of Europe and enjoy regional cuisine at its finest. Go to OneLife Tours for details.

Christmas in Europe: German Christkindlmarkt

November 28, 2012/in Bavaria, Christkindlmarkt, Christmas, Europe, Germany, Kathe Wohlfahrt, Market, Museum, Rick Steves, Rothenburg, Tour, travel/by Craig Bresett

Nobody does Christmas like the Germans, and for good reason. All over German speaking Europe, but especially in Bavaria, the tradition of the Christkindlmarkt (Christmas market) goes back 700 years. In town squares throughout Germany right now, local craftsmen and merchants are setting up Christmas markets as they have done since the Middle Ages.

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You can warm up with some Glühwein (mulled wine) like your medieval ancestors did at Munich’s annual Christmas Market.

Unlike our modern “Black Friday” Walmart riots, the traditional Christmas market is a peaceful shopping experience where you can buy unique hand made crafts, sip mulled wine, and enjoy good music. And there is an unapologetic focus on the spirit of the season, and on the Christ child – Christkindlmarkt literally means “Christ child” market. It was actually the German protestant reformer Martin Luther who decreed that gifts should be given on Christmas Day in celebration of the birth of the Christ child rather than on St. Nicholas’ Day (Dec. 6) as had been the tradition.


Friendly Liselotte Groemer has been selling handpainted christmas ornaments at the Nuremburg Christmas Market since the 1950’s.

The Christmas pickle ornament – a unique German tradition.

With a central nativity display (an imported tradition from medieval Italy – details in a future blog) and a beautifully decorated Tannenbaum (Christmas tree – a German original), the Christmas market is an oasis of light and love for locals and visitors alike.

Beautiful hand made nativity scenes are on display and on sale – reminding visitors of the “reason for the season”.

Rothenburg ob der Tauber, a walled medieval town on Bavaria’s Romantic Road, attracts visitors from all over the world to its Christmas market. The town itself is a beauty all year round, but with a light dusting of snow and the ambiance of the market, it becomes irresistible. And even if you don’t visit during the Christmas season, you can experience it year round in the seemingly endless rooms of the Käthe Wohlfahrt store across the street from city hall. The store offers every conceivable Christmas ornament, decoration, doll, window display… you’ve never seen anything like it!

Bordered by the town hall (on the left) and councilors’ tavern (on the right), the Rothenburg Christmas Market is an annual tradition going back to medieval times when these buildings were constructed.

Deep within the store is the Rothenburg Christmas Museum – 2700 square feet of Christmas history that will have even the youngest visitor nostalgic for the “old days”. A visit to the museum evokes a lightheartedness, a feeling of warmth and goodwill, with none of the “stresses” of our modern holiday, even in July! I’ve seen many of my tour members walk out of the museum into a warm midsummer Rothenburg street humming “Silent Night” and pining for cold air and hot chocolate!

Below – American travel guru Rick Steves explores the Rothenburg Christmas Museum

Come and celebrate year-round Christmas on OneLife Tours’ Grand Tour of Europe. It includ
es a two night stay in romantic Rothenburg – join us!

From outside the town walls, Rothenburg looks like the setting of a fairy tale, whatever the season!

5 Italian dishes you must eat in Italy

November 21, 2012/in Baccalà, Baccalà alla Vicentina, cuisine, Europe, food, gnocchi, Grand Tour, Italian, knodel, napoli, pesto, pizza, Tagliatelle al Tartufo, tartufo, Tour, travel, truffles/by Craig Bresett

Italy is defined by its regions. Just as you would expect the culture and cuisine of Mississippi to be different from that of Maine, you should expect that the culture and cuisine of Tuscany is different from that of Lazio or Liguria. A smart traveller doesn’t go through Italy ordering Fettuccini Alfredo everywhere (or anywhere, for that matter – they won’t know what it is!)

Here are 5 regional dishes that you should eat in your Italian travels:

#5 – Baccalà alla Vicentina – Veneto

Bet you’ve never heard of this one! Baccalà is salted or dried cod – a food that became popular in the region of Venice when Piero Querini, a travelling merchant, shipwrecked in Norway and developed a love for this high protein, easily stored food. He brought it back to share, and it has been imported in great quantities ever since. Served with soft polenta (a savoury cornmeal porridge popular in Northern Italy), it becomes a unique dish worth seeking out.

Best eaten after a long day getting lost in the backstreets of Venice or Verona.

Though Baccalà officially means “salt cod” it is often dried cod which is served with this classic Veneto dish.

#4 – Tagliatelleal Tartufo – Tuscany

The truffle is one of the most prized foods in the world, and it is no surprise that it grows in Tuscany, one of the most popular foodie regions of Italy. Truffles are mushrooms that grow underground – they are not cultivated, but must be found using specially trained pigs or dogs. This difficulty in obtaining them, combined with their very strong flavor, make them an expensive commodity – some fetch up to $4000 per kilo! Truffles are often used to flavor butter or oil, and can also be found thinly (VERY thinly) sliced on Tagliatelleal Tartufo – egg noodles with truffle. And the price won’t break your travel budget! If it (or anything with truffle) is on the menu – try it!

Best eaten after a day of being overwhelmed by the art and architecture of Florence.


Even sliced razor thin, truffles still pack a deluge of flavour.

#3 – Knödel – Trentino-Alto Adige

I can hear you now, “Knödel? Isn’t this supposed to be a list of Italian food? That looks German to me.” The beautiful Trentino-Alto Adige region, more commonly known as the South Tyrol by local residents, is the northern-most region of Italy, bordering Austria, and it’s culture, cuisine, and language reflect a Germanic heritage. Knödel simply means dumpling. And the varieties found in this region are creative, mouthwatering masterpieces of culinary art. Try a mixed plate – one made with spinach, another with beets, another with speck (a local ham). So good!

Best eaten after a day hiking in the glorious Dolomites.

Served with a broth or without, Knödel will satisfy even the heartiest of appetites.

#2 – Pizza Napoli – Lazio

Pizza is good pretty much anywhere in Italy. But when you are in Rome in the Lazio region, you must try the Pizza Napoli. Pizza originates in Naples, south of Rome, but has spread all over the country (all over the world!). Pizza Napoli celebrates the origins of this fisherman’s lunch – thin wheat crust, fresh tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese and anchovies. Simple, but bursting with flavor due to the fresh sauce and the anchovies. Don’t like anchovies? Try the pizza Margherita – same thing but no fish.

Best eaten after spending the day rummaging through the ancient past at the Roman Forum.

Your Pizza Napoli won’t be “swimming” with anchovies – just a few are enough!

#1 – Gnocchi with pesto – Liguria

Liguria is a small region on the north coast of Italy that is often referred to as the Italian Riviera. It is also the birthplace of pesto – a heavenly mixture of basil, coarse sea salt, pine nuts, garlic, extra virgin olive oil and grated Pecorino Romano cheese. The name pesto is derived from the Italian word pestare, “to crush” – the above ingredients are tossed into a mortar and crushed together with a pestle. A platter of warm, soft gnocchi (small potato-wheat dumplings) smothered with fresh pesto (fresh as in the basil was picked that morning) is an eating experience you will never forget.

Best eaten after a hike anywhere in the Cinque Terre!

It’s not easy being green. But it is so tasty!

Interested in trying some of these dishes for yourself? Why not join the Grand Tour of Europe, which includes great regional food like this during our eight days in Italy! Or if you’re looking for more Italy than that – try our Italian Experience tour!

Something on this list that I’m missing? Let me know!

Sick of election campaigns?

November 7, 2012/in Bus, Election, Escorted, Europe, European, Guided, Rick Steves, Tour, Vacation/by Craig Bresett

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As frustrating and at times exacerbating as election campaigns can be, they are an intrinsic part of the freedom that is the core of our civilization. The right to take part in choosing your leader has not always been a right – through most of human history it was either non-existent or the “privilege” of certain powerful and wealthy classes of people. On any given election day, my thoughts have turn to the House of Terror in Budapest, Hungary – a country that spent much of the 20^th century without free elections.

Budapest, the capital city of Hungary, was once the proud co-capital of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until the “age of empires” came to an end at the conclusion of First World War. The new nation of Hungary emerged from the crumbling empire, but with many different groups vying for power, it lacked stability, and during the Second World War fell prey to the extreme nationalist ideology of the Arrow Cross Party. The Arrow Cross believed in the “purity of the Hungarian race” and other such early 20^thcentury eugenics nonsense, and mimicked the German Nazi party in their hatred and persecution of minorities, especially Jews. In the short time they ruled Hungary, they oversaw the attempted annihilation of the Jewish population, transporting hundreds of thousands of Jews to concentration camps, even as the war turned against them and defeat became inevitable.

Arrow Cross fascist propaganda

In October 1944, with the German troops on the run and the Arrow Cross thoroughly defeated, Hungary was liberated.

Liberated from one form of tyranny, replaced by another. The Soviet army now controlled Budapest, and in the dividing up of Europe that occurred after the final defeat of the Nazis, Hungary found itself on the wrong side of the Iron Curtain. Though an independent state in name, Hungary was essentially a satellite state of the USSR, and when stirrings of rebellion made their way back to Moscow in 1956, they sent in the tanks. There are actually a large number of Hungarian-Canadians in the Fraser Valley (where I live) who immigrated to Canada in 1956 after escaping from the increasing tyranny.

How does a hated, unelected government maintain power over the citizens? Indoctrination? Yes. But mostly terror. Soldiers patrol the streets. “Traitors” are publically executed. Neighbours just disappear. During both the fascist and communist regimes, there was a building on AndrássyStreet in Budapest that people talked about in hushed tones. It was the place where surveillance of citizens was carried out. It was the place where those who “disappeared” ended up. Some were eventually released, broken after days or weeks of torture. Some were never seen again.

The building is now a museum – The House of Terror.

The House of Terror

When you walk into the museum, you come face to face with a Soviet tank surrounded by an enormous wall filled with mugshots of some of the victims of tyranny. Their faces are a haunting reminder that these people are not just statistics – they were sons and daughters, mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters. And they had one thing in common – a desire for freedom.

A symbol and tool of repression

In 1989, the collective desire for freedom outweighed the will of the tyrants to control the people. With communism collapsing all over Eastern Europe, the people of Hungary demanded and got their first free parliamentary elections in May 1990. And that building on AndrássyStreet lost its aura of terror. But it didn’t lose its history, and so in 2002 it was opened to the public as the memorial and museum it is today.

Not just statistics

Interested in visiting the museum? OneLife Tours Best of the East includes a three day stop in Budapest with tours of the House of Terror and many other highlights of this beautiful city. Go to our website OneLifeTours.ca for more information.

A Ride Fit for an Empress

October 16, 2012/in Bus, Escorted, Europe, European, Guided, Rick Steves, Tour, Vacation/by Craig Bresett

Lake Bled (as seen from the castle terrace) – its natural beauty has drawn visitors for centuries

Slovenia is a tiny country, even by European standards. Driving from Austria to Italy? You might not even realize that you’ve passed through another country, if not for the huge cold war era border stations – now completely empty, with no stop required – a monument to another era. For much of the 20^th century, Slovenia was a province of Yugoslavia – a post WWII communist conglomeration held together more by their leader President Tito’s charisma than anything else. But Slovenia has been a sovereign nation since the Slovenes declared their independence in 1991. A brief conflict ensued, but Slovenia avoided the devastation that other parts of Yugoslavia suffered as it disintegrated.

Today’s Slovenia is a peaceful, friendly mix of baroque elegance and natural beauty. And nowhere is that natural beauty more stunning than on Lake Bled.

Nestled in the Julian Alps, the lake is like a scene from a fairy tale – a castle on a cliff overlooks the town, and a beautiful baroque chapel sits majestically on Slovenia’s only island. To get to the island, you can rent a row boat or take a ride on a pletna – a special keel-less wooden boat handcrafted by local artisans and operated by local families. The pletna captains have inherited the special rights to provide this service from the time of Maria Theresa – the Hapsburg Empress who ruled Slovenia as part of the vast Austro-Hungarian Empire. During harsh economic times, the Empress granted 20 Bled families the right to not pay taxes they could ill-afford, but instead to provide a service – transporting pilgrims across the lake to worship at the island church. Today, the descendants of those same families continue to fulfill their ancestors’ role, but sadly, they are no longer tax exempt!

A traditional pletna, awaiting it’s next group of pilgrims.

Robert Wilfan, expert plenta captain and friendly local guide.

A journey to the island and back takes about 90 – 120 minutes (depending on how much time you spend on the island). While you are on the island, you will be encouraged by your pletna captain to ring the “wishing bell” in the church. Robert Wilfan, one of the pletna captains and a great local guide, loves to share the legend of the bell with tourists. Many of the captains speak English quite well, and somehow can fit in some excellent history between deep breaths as they row and you relax! Make sure your camera has plenty of memory – photo opportunities abound.

Slovenia’s only island is small, but the church is grand!

You will get a great view of the Bled Grad (castle) that clings precariously to a lakeside cliff while you are out on the water. Don’t miss it – when you are back in the village head up the hill to the castle (a short uphill drive in a bus or car, or a steep walk!). Commanding views await you from the upper terrace, and a visit to the Guttenberg printing press and the monk’s wine cellar, both of which are attended by museum workers in costume and in character, are fabulous parts of the castle experience. The monk in particular has a great sense of humour, and a great passion for Slovenian wine – which is actually really good! I have tried several of the wines he has in his cellar, and I favour the “house” white that you can bottle yourself – with the monks help.

Wine is a spiritual experience for this Slovenian monk and his happy visitors!

Back in the village, pop into a local restaurant or patisserie overlooking the lake and enjoy a piece of Kremna rezina – a Bled original. In 1955, the pastry chef at the Park Hotel came up with a new recipe for cream cake – a mix of custard, whipped cream, and puff pastry. Since then, they have served over 10
million of these delicious pastries! You can go for the original at the Park Hotel, or get it at many other cafés and restaurants in town. Afterwards, if you’re up for it, take a walk around the lake on the flat, well-maintained path – and during the hour or two it will take you, contemplate this beautiful little corner of the earth!

Interested in visiting Slovenia? OneLife Tours Best of Eastern Europe will give you the full Lake Bled experience and more. Check out our tours at www.onelifetours.ca

Pletna Captain Robert Wilfan and OneLife Tour Director Craig Bresett outside of the Bled castle museum.

Wild Surprises on Conwy Mountain

October 6, 2012/in Bus, Escorted, Europe, European, Guided, Rick Steves, Tour, Vacation/by Craig Bresett

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North Wales is famous for its towering castles and rugged mountains. The walled town of Conwy, with its fine old shell of a castle is a perfect place to visit for both. Conwy is situated on the coast between the Irish Sea and Snowdonia National Park (http://www.eryri-npa.gov.uk/home). The big draw in the park is Wales’ highest peak, Snowdon, but a less touristy more serene hiking experience can be found just outside the walls of the town on Conwy Mountain, or Mynydd y Dref (“The Town’s Mountain” in Welsh).

On a recent trip to Conwy, I set out for what I expected to be a brisk pre-breakfast walk along some of the roads outside of town, but found myself at a trailhead and decided to take it. The first part of the “trail” actually went straight through a farmer’s field and past his house. The feeling that I was trespassing was dispelled when the farmer, who was also up early (aren’t they always?) greeted me with a warm “bore da –good moornin’” as I walked past the barn. Passing through a set of sheep-proof gates I meandered up the hill through the bell heather and rowan trees. It wasn’t long until I was at a peak of sorts – and to my great surprise found myself standing in the ruins of an iron-age fort, Castell Caer Seion. This fort had once ringed the peak and stood as a defensive position for the local Celtic tribe.

From the peak the town and its castle looked small, and to the east, if I had binoculars, Liverpool would have been visible. But the view over Conwy Bay and into the rest of Snowdonia was spectacular. As I wandered around amongst the stones, I came across another surprise – a herd of wild horses – actual wild horses! They seemed completely unperturbed by my presence – as long as I didn’t get too close. A little further down the trail (I took a different trail down) a flock of sheep blocked my path. They moved en masse as I got closer, but stood just a few feet off of the trail and stared me down as I walked past. I thanked the sheep for the wool they gave to make my newly purchased tweed jacket, and was on my way back to town.

There is something special about discovering a new place and having a new experience on your own – but at the same time I wanted to share it with others. At breakfast that morning I told my group members about my early morning adventure – “Why didn’t you wake us up?” was asked more than once. If I had known about the trails up the mountain, I would have! And in fact, the next group I take to Britain will definitely have the opportunity to get up early in Conwy and join me on the mountain. Go to www.OneLifeTours.ca to find out how you can be part of that group!

Conwy Castle looks pretty small from up here.

Many shades of green in Wales.

Scared sheep.

Brave sheep. “What are you lookin’ at?”

Wild Horses couldn’t keep me from returning to the town!