No comments about The Travels of Vasco Da Gama (Explorers and Exploration).

1 comments about The Rough Guides' Madeira Directions 2 (Rough Guide Directions).

1. I bought this Rough Guide for my next holidays, before it was even printed, knowing I would risk not to receive it in time for my departure.
   In the meantime it started popping up unto the shelves of my favourite bookshop, while all of my friends joked me about my pourchase, which I would have needed to resell coming back from holidays.
   But Amazon surprised me again and they delivered it before the scheduled date and I am so far studying it!
   I believe Rough Guide Directions are an even better tipe of guides, for the tourist who wants to grab a good bite of the place with an indepth knowledge without all the fuss of a boring lecture.
   Thanks for asking me. Bianca

No comments about Barcelona Then and Now (Then & Now Thunder Bay).

No comments about Fodor's Spanish for Travelers (Phrase Book), 3rd Edition (Fodor's Languages/Travelers).

5 comments about Cork Boat.

1. So what? Who cares? That was the basic impression I was left with after reading about two thirds of this sophomoric, self-congratulatory ego fest. I could not finish the book. The combination of his cliche-ridden style, his bursts of self-promotion, and his unchecked rants against his "friend" Garth was more than I could stomach. Any emotional capital he may have earned (his sister's death, the all-nighters to finish the boat) was just squandered. This would have made a great magazine article, but it makes a terrible book.



2. As a child, one of John Pollack's favorite bedtime stories was Holling C. Holling's Paddle-to-the-Sea, the story of a carved toy canoe that, over the course of several years, makes its way from the north shore of Lake Superior, through the Great Lakes, out the St. Lawrence river and, finally, to the Atlantic. Kind strangers aid the canoe's perilous journey and, in the happiest of eventualities, the man who was once the boy who carved the canoe learns of its progress.
   
   Cork Boat, a recounting of John Pollack's lifelong endeavor to build and launch a boat made entirely of wine corks, tells a similar tale of individual determination, a supportive community, and sheer serendipity.
   
   Pollack first turned boatwright at age six, building a craft from orange crates and firewood. It went straight to the bottom of the marsh at the end of the Pollacks' street. Undaunted, he decided then and there that his next boat would be made out of corks. His parents began saving corks, and thus the Cork Boat project began.
   
   By 1999, Pollack was in his 30s, disillusioned with his career as a Capitol Hill speechwriter, and ready to chuck it all in order to devote himself to building his cork boat. At the time, his parents' cork collection topped 3,000. Some quick calculations revealed that Pollack would need at least 60,000.
   
   He quit his job, kicked cork collection into high gear, and took on a partner - a young architect named Garth Goldstein, who soon upped the estimated number of corks needed to 100,000 (the completed boat would actually top out at 165,321 corks). Design work began in earnest, and design solutions (a hexagonal "disk" of corks held together by rubber bands) were stumbled upon entirely by accident.
   
   One by one, difficulties mounted and were surmounted by Pollack and Goldstein's creative thinking, personal connections, determination, and charm. When Washington restaurants and bars failed to come through with the corks they promised to save from the millennium New Year bash, Pollack secured a corporate sponsor - a cork manufacturer who donated tens of thousands of corks. When the completed boat was found to be too large to fit on the boat trailer hired to take it to its launch site, Pollack and Goldstein bought 10 furniture dollies, strapped them to the bottom of the boat, and hired a tow truck to take the craft to the marina.
   
   Not even the horror of September 11, 2001 could sink the dream of the Cork Boat. Though Pollack was certain that none of his volunteers would want to think of something so frivolous in the days after the attack, the opposite was true - volunteers came flooding back because the boat was frivolous. After 9/11, many people were looking for hope wherever they could find it, and the Cork Boat was a hopeful project.
   
   When Pollack's corporate cork sponsor proposed a voyage down Portugal's Douro River, the whole world took notice - everyone from major news networks to the most modest Portuguese villagers. Everyone was determined that the Cork Boat should succeed in winding its way through the Douro to the Atlantic, offering tips for outsmarting customs officers, and tows when the current was too forceful to row against.
   
   Pollack acknowledges that the Cork Boat will probably never sail again. The magic of its trip down the Douro came from the fact that the boat was so unique -- it's sort of a "been there, done that" approach. The story of the Cork Boat, recounted in this book, is an exciting, amazing testament to Pollack's vision and the power of community. Definitely worth reading.



3. The author, a former speechwriter for a Congressman and Clinton, quits his job to build a boat made out of 165,000-plus corks held together by rubberbands, which he then sails with friends down the Douro River in Portugal. It sounds like a fairy tale, and it practically is, a heart-warming true fantasy story of childhood dreams and adult sacrifice and priorities and adventure. Pollack is, of course, a gifted writer, adept at spinning a tale and interweaving personal remenisces, anecdotes and a few strands of history here and there. But it's Pollack's determination and optimism, though, that make this such a sweet story. After the descriptions of camraderie, community, despair and dedication, I felt like cheering along as they pulled into Porto on the final day.



4. While this book doesn't rank as great literature in my opinion, it did read well if one is already inclined to enjoy travel articles. Yes, some of the personal material was surprisingly embarassing in it's clumsiness, but the overall storyline made it a pleasant little read. Certainly not Paul Theroux for travel, but that would be a very high mark indeed. But c'mon: a boat made of cork? Quirky enough to like.



5. Self-promoting? Yes. Poorly written? No doubt about it. Filled with annoying, saccharine-sweet vignettes about one man's pseudo-problems and his triumph-of-the-human-spirit approach to overcoming them? Absolutely.
   
   But in spite of all this, I'm almost ashamed to say that it's still a really good book. This story is bound to appeal to everyone. Anyone who still has a childhood dream unfulfilled; anyone who sometimes yearns for a simpler time when life wasn't so complex; anyone who occasionally wishes that the world could be divided into just two groups - those who save corks and those who don't; anyone who thinks it would be fun to sail the Douro River while seemingly an entire European nation rushes to the river banks to cheer you on; anyone with a soft spot in their heart for sappy stories with happy endings is going to find some joy in this little book.
   
   You'll probably also found yourself rolling your eyes at times - like when it suddenly dawns on you that this guy is an awful writer but somehow managed to land a job writing speeches for the most powerful man on the planet. And you'll probably think at least once or twice that this is the guy that you always wanted beat the crap out of in high school because his attitude was way too positive. But that won't stop you from enjoying the magical journey that this book takes you on.

3 comments about Buen Camino Hiking the Camino de Santiago.

1. I got started on this book and couldn't put it down, so read it cover to cover the day I got it. This day by day journal of the authors' hike across Spain's Camino de Santiago pilgrimage trail is a treat for armchair travelers and a resource for those about to take the same journey. For those of us who have walked this trail, this book will bring back a lot of familiar memories.
   
   The book makes a good start with a readable Camino map. The trail goes mainly from east to west. In contrast to most maps, they have placed west at the top, making all the placenames easy to read.
   
   The authors are hikers and this shows in their short but excellent forward on training and equipment. Low pack weight, quick drying, washable clothing and foot care are some of the highlights.
   
   In the body of the book, each chapter covers a day on the trail. They soon get into the simplified priorities of the Camino: Food, shelter, companions. Just some phrases from some of the chapters: "body sprawled across the trail", "a little scary at first, but no problem", "tired, wet, muddy", "bread, chorizo, cheese, Ruffles potato chips", "greatest shower in the world", "ankle deep mud, soaking wet", "a couple of beers", "tomorrow is a shorter day", "we met up again in a bar", "today was one of those days", "Santiago", "in the pouring rain", "hugging each other and crying".
   
   This is one of the few Camino journals where the authors stay mostly in small hotels, rather than the overcrowded refugios. There are some tips for this mode of travel, such as call ahead if you want to be sure of a place to stay.
   
   For me, the photos are the strong point of this book. They tell the story well, and the composition is excellent. In the first printing of this book, which is the one I have, the photo print quality was poor. In the current printing, it has improved.
   
   I recommend this book to anyone with a taste for adventure, but particularly for those thinking of going, or who have gone on the same pilgrimage.



2. Jim and Eleanor Clem's "Buen Camino" is an engaging first-hand account of their walk along the Spanish pilgrimage route the Camino. The book's journal style details the day-to-day experiences of the couple as they hike the 500 mile path across northern Spain. From their starting point at St. Jean de Pont to the final destination of Santiago reached 38 days later, each chapter describes individual stages of the route. Picturesque photos accompany the text and visually depict their observations about the landscape, towns, and buildings seen, which gives the reader a clear idea of what to expect when walking the Camino. A map showing the Clem's course, pictures of their Compostelas, or certificates of completion, and a list of recommended guidebooks also are included.
   
   They share practical advice and information about essential hiking gear, developing a walking routine, and arranging accommodations. Valuable tips such as stuffing newspapers in wet boots to dry them out from rain provide insight into the challenges faced while being a pilgrim. Interesting notes about Spanish customs (in Spain bells ring at least once every hour) and food found in towns on the route (common restaurant fare includes meat, French fries, and ice cream) are sprinkled throughout the book.
   
   Jim and Eleanor also express the significance of the Camino to them -- that undertaking the walk brings "simple but rewarding successes" and that "the Camino is a break from the complications of modern-day life". Focus on the moment and let the journey unfold. The down-to-earth recording of their story would be a helpful reference for anyone planning to trek the Camino. So walk along with the Clems as they follow the yellow arrow markers and discover why the Camino is a "great adventure and the trip of a lifetime"!



3. A dull recitation of daily meals, hotels etc., this book reduces the Camino to middle America suburban mediocrity.

2 comments about Mallorca (Eyewitness Top 10 Travel Guides).

1. If you like this book about Mallorca, take a look to one of the following links: http://www.balearicpictures.net http://www.mallorcapictures.com http://www.menorcapictures.com http://www.ibizapictures.net http://balearicpictures.net http://mallorcapictures.com http://menorcapictures.com http://ibizapictures.net



2. If you like this book about Mallorca, take a look to one of the following links: http://www.balearicpictures.net http://www.mallorcapictures.com http://www.menorcapictures.com http://www.ibizapictures.net http://balearicpictures.net http://mallorcapictures.com http://menorcapictures.com http://ibizapictures.net

3 comments about Top 10 Madeira (EYEWITNESS TOP 10 TRAVEL GUIDE).

1. First issued in 2005, the "newness" of this book is its strong point -- i.e., hotel and restaurant recommendations are very current. However, the book is not a stand alone tour guide for Madeira. Its maps are totally inadequate in their level of detail, its coverage of things to do/see varies from excellent to sketchy. I would recommend it only as a companion guide to a more comprehensive tour book.



2. this book is definitely not a stand alone guide, but makes a great quick reference to the hit points (top 10 local dishes, top 10 gardens, top 10 beaches, etc). The most useful page was the top 10 warnings - none of our other guidebooks mentioned that you'd be charged for the garlic bread at restaurants even though you didn't order it or about taxi drivers ripping off tourists - this definitely helped us on our trip! You can probably find the book cheaper elsewhere, as we did, so it's worth your while.



3. I went to Madeira for 3 days and took this guide and I'm glad I did it. It focus more on Funchal but with so litle time its ideal to plane the days and not waste one second of time.
   
   It has great info about all the best places and I found the bus information the most usefull for people like me, who wanted to save money but enjoy the trip at the same time. It has lots of pictures of what to expect, usefull information about the island, info on prices, small maps and the best locations and monuments: the very best top 10 of places you just have to visit while in Madeira, places like The Catedral of funchal, Museu de Arte sacra, Adegas, Jardim Botânico, Mercado dos Lavradores, Monte, Curral das Freiras, Pico do Areeiro and many more.

3 comments about Time Out Barcelona (Time Out Guides).

1. We just returned from Barcelona two weeks ago. We had three guide books with us, and this is the one that we consistently carried around. The books were identical in terms of the touristy information and sites. But where Time Out really shines is in the food and drink and nightlife sections. We tried many of their listings and they did not steer us wrong once. Also, their listing s are for places where locals also frequent, which makes for a much more pleasant trip! We had a fabulous time in Barcelona. A couple of recommendations: Park Guell is worth the trip. The following tapas bars were delicious and swarming with locals: Euskal Etxea, Bar Celta Pulperia (get the pulpo and acompany it with a bottle of albarino), and Cerveceria Catalania.



2. Don't buy this guide if you are headed to Barcelona soon...The reaon I gave it a 3-Starts rating is that some of the bars this guide recommends do not exist anymore! I wanted to go to three of them and they were all closed or replaced by other businesses.



3. I went to Barcelona recently, and in the planning of the trip I consulted four guide books:
   
   Lonely Planet's Barcelona City Guide
   Dorling Kindersley Eyewitness Barcelona and Catalonia
   Cadogan Guides Barcelona (Dana Facaros and Michael Pauls)
   Time Out Barcelona
   
   All of them were good. I took two with me: Lonely Planet and Eyewitness.
   The reasons I chose those two:
   
   Eyewitness unfailingly has a good quality map, which in my view is LP's downfall. Eyewitness always includes a Street Finder Index which LP does not, and LP often misses out on streets other than the major ones, which can be very frustrating, especially in a city like Barca where there are many alleyways. I never use Eyewitness for hotels - the information is scant and usually more expensive than my (more Lonely Planet) budget, but it has fantastic colour photos and cutaways of buildings, and illustrations which place buildings within their streetscapes. It's a nice book to read on the bus or train going somewhere.
   
   LP specialises in listings, which seemed to be more up-to-date and comprehensive than either Time Out or Cadogan, It also had a good Excursions section which helped a couple of times when I travelled beyond the city. I also liked a couple of the walking routes they recommended. Information on matters such as public transport is comprehensive and detailed. I like the chapters on history, architecture and food as well.
   
   Time Out's great strength for me was in helping to plan. It had a huge array of hotels, and if you were especially interested in nightlife, I would take Time Out. I was there primarily for a conference, and many of my evenings were organised. And I'm also night a great nightclubber, perhaps contrary to Barca lifestyle!! If you are - consider Time Out. Its maps were pretty good, but not comprehensive for the area I was staying in, beachside Barceloneta.
   
   That is where the Cadogan guide excelled. Its maps were so good that I pulled them out of the book and took them with me. I would have taken the whole book, but for the weight in my suitcase! Its info about places and sights seemed accurate and comprehensive.

4 comments about Lonely Planet World Food Spain (Lonely Planet World Food Guides).

1. As frequent world travelers, we have certain "rituals" we perform prior to departure. Chief among these is "studying" food - reading and preparing dishes from appropriate cookbooks. We're going to Barcelona and Costa Brava in May, and have prepared numerous Paella dishes. The recipe in this book is much easier to prepare than most and equally excellent in flavor. We had read in Saveur Magazine a bit about Sidrerias. (Cider Houses, but not as in the bestselling book.) The Lonely Planet guide gave much more information. The one downside to this book is the lack recommendations of good restaurants, bars, etc. Perhaps their travel guide does this, but it would have been much better to incorporate this into the volume under discussion. The book is extremely well organized, and it's easy to access information on virtually any food-related subject. This would be a great addition to the library of anyone interested in Spanish cuisine. The section on "Fit & Healthy" does a much better than usual job of explaining potential risk factors for American tourists, and how to deal with them. This will be one of three books we bring with us to Spain. I look forward to acquiring any other titles published in this series. Kudos to Lonely Planet.



2. As frequent world travelers, there are certain "rituals" we perform prior to departure. Chief among these familiarizing ourselves with the local cuisine, and preparing dishes we expect to be eating. This little volume does the best job I have ever seen in explaining local food and drink, food preparation tools and techniques, and regional variations on all of these. Some recipes are included: the paella is the easiest I have ever prepared, and equally flavorful. The book is beautifully illustrated and whets one's appetite for travel to Spain as well as eating there. Descriptions of restaurant types are excellent: do YOU know what to expect at a horno asador, versus a terraza? And just what sort of drink WOULD you find at a sidreria? The one downside of the book is the lack of specific recommendations of restaurants, tavernas, etc. This is somewhat countered by a very precise guide to recommended stalls to visit in the Barcelona market. However, other guide books would have to steer you to eating establishments. The section on "Fit and Healthy" eating should be read by any traveler to a foreign country. Kudos to Lonely Planet. We look forward with great enthusiasm to their editions related to other cuisines.



3. We travel quite a bit and spend a lot of time beforehand getting information about the food where we're headed. Before taking off for Turkey some 3 years ago we bought "Eat Smart in Turkey," (there are several countries covered in that series), which was just what we were looking for. We used LP guides a lot, so welcome the debut of their food guides. Bought the one on Spain for an upcoming repeat trip and expect this guide to be helpful. No McD's for us!



4. I have three lonely planet food guides: Italy, Portugal, and Spain. I have used the other two extensively on my travels, each very informative on regional cuisines..no easy task, especially for Italy.
   
   Disappointingly, this book lumps Spain together in only 4 regions: Mediterranean, Atlantic, Pyrenees,and Heart of Spain, and barely touches its diverse cuisine. Actually there are 17 regions (not 4 as this book would have you believe) in Spain -each with its own regional specialties. For example, in Mallorca (where I have just visited) they have beautiful rustic brown bread, a pizza-like pastry called Coca, a dish not unlike ratatouille called Tumbet. But you won't know that from this book, which mentions none of these. Mallorca is only cited in the book as a place where rice grows in Spain. The book does not even consider the Canary Islands! These are just 2 examples of things left out. I could go on: the winter-like gazpacho made of game served in Valencia's interior region,the famous veal "ternera" from Galicia, caffe carajillo a typical after dinner coffee served with alcohol (your choice) or caffe bonbon served with sweetened condensed milk. No, none of these are mentioned in the book, either.
   
   On the whole, the book skims the surface of Spanish cuisine...describing what most already know about Spain, ie: tortilla, jamon, sangria, paella, manchego cheese. I seriously wonder whether the author even visited Spain or wrote the entire book from his arm-chair somewhere far far away from Spain.
   
   If you'd like to learn about regional Spanish food for your trip, better look elsewhere. You'll be sadly disappointed with this book.