1 comments about Retiring in France, 2nd Edition.

1. In this book "Retiring in France", David Hampshire gave extremely helpful information and guidance regarding the various rules, regulations and the complex bureaucracy in France. I will be retiring in south France soon, and I needed all the guidance I could get regarding bringing an automobile and other household items, Visa and residency requirements, Taxation, Health care, Insurance, etc. The book starts with discussing the advantages and disadvantages of retiring in France, pre-preparation; getting there: all you need to know to get your belongings there with immigration requirements and customs rules and regulations; all you need to know about renting or buying a home; all you need to know about day to day living in France, and finally, what to do if you need to move back home. I've found this book to be very helpful and contain very valuable, up to date info and thorough answers to all the questions I have so far; it's going to be my reference for a long time to come. Well worth the price.

5 comments about The Village to Village Guide to The Camino Santiago (The Pilgrimage of St James).

1. I have just finished my Pilgrimage - In the five weeks I used this book to walk the track to Santiago in Spain - I grew quite fond of it - The 220 page book is ring bound and fits compactly into my rucksack.
   Every village is mentioned on the 800km way with information on each village, like don't cross this field because of a bull, or this is the village of barking dogs, or in this village the Baker helps Pilgrims or visit Madam Debril in this village near the laundry who likes chatting to pilgrims -
   Ninety Five villages and a guide between them - In each village the books lists places to stay and other useful information - The book will suit the budget traveler who walks the Camino because I did the walk on $10 per day, staying in the religious establishments the book mentions often for free. The book also prepares you for the Journey and details exactly what to take, like how much weight, what type of clothes, shoes, how much does food cost, how to do your laundry, dealing with bed bugs, useful Spanish phrases and so on - It also lists places worth visiting as you walk this 800km track and some interesting stories and legends around these places.
   There are also things to watch out for and useful tips - The book will mention at many different points legends around the Camino - It is a very detailed book on the 800km route every fork on this path is mentioned example.. the path now climbs for two km, turn right at the church, from the top of the next mountain you will be able to see the following five villages etc..-
   I took maps and three other guides with me but after reaching the city of Pamplona to reduce weight I posted the other books back to New York along with my tent and electric stove - the book had warned me not to take the tent & stove



2. I purchased this book after deciding to walk the Camino and was intending on taking it on the journey as a guide. I am now planning on taking another book I've purchased - A Pilgrim's Guide to the Camino de Santiago: Camino Frances - The French Way of St. James (Camino Guides) which is a better format, has more maps and relevant information.
   
   This book has no colour images or maps and the layout needs attention. The information seems reasonably comprehensive but a better layout design, more maps, photos and consistent headings for each village would be helpful. It seems to have good general info on the villages.
   
   If you've got room take it on the walk with another guide, if not, read it before you go.



3. As a veteran on the Camino for many years, I still use this guide as a favorite, although I own most of the others.
   This is the oldest guide book on the Camino but it is updated every year with Pilgrims sending feedback on their journey. The 2007 edition has all the changes on the route. I have walked the route now over three times with Pilgrims from various confraternities of St James's. The problems of road works continue and no all the guides are up to date as this one. This guide is also used when we wish to plan our budget because it has all the latest prices for accommodation, useful when you consider that prices are steadily rising in Spain and it no longer is a cheap country.
   
   The guide has hardly any pictures except about two dozen woodcuts, but one of the enjoyments of the pilgrimage is to see places that would surprise you, so seeing photographs tends to spoil it and the woodcuts do nicely. This guide is recommended by the Catholic Church so contains information for the religious pilgrim of on Holy places along the route. Its not a glossy guide like the lonely planet guide with artistic typesetting. But a guide for Pilgrims By Pilgrims.



4. This is my favorite guide and I have just completed my pilgrim and I tresure it - It never let me down.
   
   This is a book packed with information not only on the history of the places you will pas as a pilgrim. But all the information you will need to make detailed planning. The book is updated frequently and all the latest changes are in this book.
   
   The village to village guide has been around for many years frequently coming out in new editions as pilgrims and clergy themselves report changes to the pilgrimage route, this 2007 edition is case to point.
   
   The guide has aquired a bit of a cult status as not only does it have practical information and is a directional guide but it has many stories on the monuments and places of interest along the way. There have been many changes on the route. When the guide was first published there were hardly any pilgrims walking the way of St James, now many thousands make the journey. Prices too have gone up considerably and the new edition incorporates these changes. Latin American and the poor pilgrim will appreciate the guide as it allows one to do financial planning and make up a budget. The guide also points the way to cheaper accommodation.
   
   You will NOT find pictures coloured arrows and diagrams in this guide. It's a sober practical tome. I agree that pictures are not needed as you will be walking many miles to see these places, to stare in wonderment of the discoveries you have made. Pictures rather spoil this. Its rather like Seeing `War and Peace" at the movies interpreted by Hollywood and then reading Tolstoy's famous literary work, . Therefore I am glad there are no pictures in this book and only medieval woodcuts.
   
   The latest 2007 edition has done away with maps as the route is now way marked with thousands of arrows very fifty yards or so. So its impossible to get lost. There is one large map where you can plan your position in the context of where you are on the route and thus able to chart your progress.
   
   There is very useful practical advice on how the plan your journey what the weather would be like during different seasons etc.
   
   An entire section is devoted to the equipment you must take, useful things to carry in your rucksack, a useful chapter describes how to get to the pilgrimage route by Land Sea and Air. It is so detailed that it gives the latest taxi fares and times when taxis leave from |Pamplona to Roncesvalles.
   
   The book is built on the experiences of Pilgrims past and that is its forte. The pilgrimage for every person is different however the book outlines how others did it and their itineraries.
   
   The book also comes with a short English Spanish phrasebook, focused on what the walker might need to say while on the walk, at the back, very useful as on the pilgrim route which is off the beaten track hardly anyone speaks English.



5. I'm preparing to walk the last 110km starting next Sunday and orginally consulted three books: Walking in Spain by the Lonely Planet ($20), Walking the Camino de Santiago by Pili Pala Press ($20), and A Pilgrim's Guide to Camino de Santiago ($30). Then I came across the Village to Village Guide ($35) and, based on the reviews and price, thought that it was a must read.
   
   So far, I'm disappointed. The information, I'm sure is accurate, but it is scance. Walking the Camino and A Pilgrim's guide had more references to lodging and meals and better route discriptions, complete with maps and walking elevations. Even the Lonely Planet's guide to all of Spain seemed to have about as much info as Village to Village.
   
   Village to Village looks like it was prepared by loving, but inexpert hands. At the top of page 194 one of the editors hiccupped and deleted at least two villages and part of the description of Portomarin. (I don't know about the preceding 400km of the Camino leading to Portomarin.)
   
   Because my walk will only be 5-6 days, I'll be able to take the short, pertinent excerpts from all of the books and will report when I return. For my own preparation I've relied the most on Walking the Camino de Santiago, but have regularly consulted the others.
   
   Part of the preparation for the walk has been refining and refining what I'll be taking. Perhaps the editors of Village to Village have done the same, giving us a bare bones treatment of what we most need,ie. there are no maps because the arrows blaze the way. If that's the case, there may be virtue in having it. I'll let you know.

No comments about Time Out Shortlist Paris 2009 (Time Out Shortlist).

5 comments about A Town Like Paris: Falling in Love in the City of Light.

1. This is a very easy & fun read. I love Paris and enjoyed experiencing it through an expatriate's eyes. I would recommend this to anyone who wants a fun and entertaining experience, especially if you have any interest in Paris or submersing yourself in a culture other than your own.
   Looking forward to book #2.



2. I loved this book. I lived in Paris for a year myself and found Bryce's account of French government, cultural mentality and "on verra" attitude to be very funny and true to life. Makes me miss Paris even more!



3. Absolutely loved this book! I was so sad when I came to the last page....as if I was leaving Paris and the good friends I made there. Corbett has a fantastic sense of humor and tremendous knack for storytelling. Can't wait for the sequel!



4. Found this coming back from Australia, had selected the films I planned to see on the flight and then read A Town Like Paris from cover to cover. Corbett's account of ex-pat life is hilarious, whether or not you know Paris (although anyone who has spent time there will love seeing their experiences so wittily described). Bring on the sequel!



5. I've read a couple of books of this ilk (foreigner drawn to Paris). Bryce Corbett's take is among the best. He doesn't take himself too seriously. He's a good observer - he knows both funny and absurd when he sees it. He inflects his tales with a generous humor that transcends borders. He's respectful of the French people and their culture, but also arches his eyebrow towards what he perceives as anachronisms like the 35-hour workweek and the government-subsidized work lunch. Plus, he pithily articulated what I've always wanted to see in print: The _real_ reason French Women Don't Get Fat. Hint: it has less to do with the specious 'three square meals a day' and 'good quality produce' theories promulgated by Mireille Guiliano, and more to do with nervous energy, 'a packet of Marlboro Lights and a couple of Xanax.' As for what's fueling that nervous energy, well, read the book!
   
   Also, take a look at Corbett's video posted on this Amazon page. It's a nice three-and-a-half minute summary of the book. It also captures the author's winning personality.

2 comments about Antique and Flea Markets of London and Paris.

1. Antique and Flea Markets of London and Paris is a book serious shoppers will love. While spending several summer months in London, I have visited a number of the markets described. The authors are right on target, and the photos are enjoyable. I learned about many features I've missed, and read about several new places to try on the next trip. The book realizes that shoppers are people, not machines, and tells a little about the market's surrounding area, especially places to stop for a snack and a rest.

   I'm not as familiar with Paris, but if the Paris section is even close to being as accurate and useful as the London section, it will save shopping time and hassle across the channel, as it will in London.

   This is not "the" book for your trip if you need a complete guide book. If you like antiques and markets, however, you will love this book.




2. This book met a lot of my expectations by being very portable, very well-illustrated, and full of good descriptions of the merchandise one is likely to find in London and Paris flea markets. "Antiquing" is a very visual experience for me, and having plenty of photographs to whet my appetite for the various shops was a real plus. The book was useful too in helping me plot which days to attend which markets. Even if the merchandise changes and vendors sometimes move, there is enough general information that stays constant for this to be a useful guide for several years. The two-for-one format--London and Paris in one book--is also fun. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is because the maps could have been better. Otherwise, a great resource!

2 comments about Provence Style (Icon (Taschen)).

1. Beautiful pictures. Pictures only, with a brief title at the end of each section. A good small book to take on a drive to augment the scenery, as you can talk while you glance through it. My copy is falling apart even though it has been barely handled. This book doesn't evoke for me the mood of Provence, just the mood of someone else's vacation. I would describe it as the vacation photos of a stranger. I still gave it three stars because the photos are beautifully done



2. Excellent!! I've given several as gifts to friends. Wonderful things do often come in small packages!

3 comments about Buying a Home in France, 7th Edition: A Survival Handbook (Buying a Home in France).

1. We JUST (September '99) bought an apartment in Paris, using this book as a daily reference. It helped us immensely, giving us confidence in many procedures from looking for a place initially to the closing, including geat information on insurance and utilities. Definitely a great source!



2. ...if you're thinking about buying property in France. Hampshire is totally on target. I read his book before going through the buying process, and couldn't believe how perfectly his advice dovetailed with my actual experience.



3. This book has some good information for anyone considering purchasing a home in France. It's aimed more towards a U.K. citizen, versus a U.S. citizen, but I still found it helpful. Some of the info. applies only to purchases of 'flats' (apartments) and not houses, but he doesn't tell you that. I found out after asking for some of the documentation he mentions. I would recommend the book to anyone considering the purchase of a French property -- get it early so you do it right!

2 comments about Michelin the Green Guide French Alps (Michelin Green Guides).

1. I am planning a trip to Annecy, France in the French Alps. This tour book is more detailed than general books on France. It provides websites, small maps, small city maps, driving tours, excellent history of the towns, and recommended sight-seeing.



2. A very dependable and reliable travel resource. Logical layout and very informative.

1 comments about Floating Through France: Life Between Locks on the Canal du Midi (Travelers' Tales Guides).

1. This was a very enjoyable travelogue written by a group of adventurous women. It tells of their experiences while cruising on the canals in France. Their story brought back many wonderful memories. I made a similar trip on the canals and rivers of Brittany in 1999 with five female friends. This is the book we talked about writing after our trip and never got around to doing. I enjoyed it so much that I purchased a copy for each of my fellow travelers. My thanks to Barbara Euser and her friends for a delightful book.

1 comments about The Most Beautiful Villages of Normandy (The Most Beautiful Villages Series).

1. Excellant book. Excellant purchase. Good delivery. No complaints.