5 comments about The Pilgrimage Road to Santiago: The Complete Cultural Handbook.

1. I bought this book in 2003 before embarking upon the Camino Frances. It turned out to be a marvelous multi-faceted reference. Due to weight considerations, I left it at home, instead of schlepping it 800 KM across Spain. Then, outside of Burgo de Ranero, I see THIS BOOK, waiting for me on a roadside bench. "That's my book!", I exclaim. Needless to say, it traveled with me the rest of the way to Santiago. Regardless of weight. If there's only one book you get about the culture, history and architecture of the Camino, this should be it. Buy this book!



2. I did the Camino in 2003 using this book as a guide. In fact it was the only one I brought with me.
   
   It's strengths are not in the trail directions it gives. There are much better guides for that. I suggest you consult one of the Camino web sites to find out the most current and recommended version of those. the operative word is current. The Camino does change from year to year, new alberges open, others disappear, the trail moves, street names change (Franco related ones are definitely on the outs), etc.
   
   That said, this is a wonderful book for the historical background and descriptions of the countryside it provides. I read this book and I became fixated on doing the Camino. If you are going to do the Camino or are just interested in the Camino, read this book. If you know someone who is going to do the Camino, get them this book. It is the best book I've ever read in terms of Camino cultural information.



3. For anyone planning to walk The Way of St James pilgrimage across Norther Spain, this book provides fascinating local history. I read it after I walked, and wish I had done it the other way around.



4. I walked the Camino in the Fall of 2004 and took this book along with a much thinner more practical guide book. I loved, loved, loved having this book! My thin, practical guidebook told me of the trail, and places to stay and eat. This guidebook brought the experience alive for me. Everynight before I went to sleep, I would read the passage about the day I had just walked, and then would read the passage about the next day's walk. I saw and experienced things I would have totally missed if I did not have this book. I would walk along and think of the millions of pilgrams that had walked this path for over 1000 years. In this books there are excerpts from journals of medieval pilgrams, which really made me feel the history of this pilgramage. I too worried about the weight of the book, but found that in the long run it was really worth the added pound in my backpack. I do recommend taking a more practical guidebook as well. I found the guidebook put out by the Confraternity of St. James to be great! If you are not one bit interested in the History and Folklore of the Camino, then skip this book. But if you are, this book is invaluable. I found that I was sharing it with other pilgrams all the time, who wanted more info on what we were experiencing.



5. My wife and walked part a portion of the Camino Frances (Leon to Santiago de Compostela) in May of 2004. In walking the Camino, I think one must consider several sources. One of these should be topographical and describe the lay of the land, one logistical and describe where you may find comfort, and one cultural. This book is the best that I know of in fulfilling that last category.
   
   While some may find this a useful guide to carry, I agree with some of reviewers who suggest not taking this book on the road. [Hopefully the authors will never read this review... ] I did carry this book, but I ripped out the irrelevant portions of the journey before I began, and every night I ripped out the pages covering the day's journey so as to lighten the load. [ I should point out that I bought another copy when I got home, so as to make amends for the destruction of the book. ]
   
   Even had I never walked I still think what I learned about Spain, the history and cultural of the regions covered by the Camino, and aspects of the architecture and other features covered in this book to be fascinating.

3 comments about Portugal (Country Guide).

1. This guide excels in the ins and outs of
   travel by other than rental car and plush
   hotels. The public transportation information
   is useful.



2. We always use Lonely Planet because they tell it like it is---good, bad and ugly !
   
   This latest book on Portugal is no exception.
   
   Wonderful !



3. After having tried a few other guidebook series, I am back to Lonely Planet, as these are simply standard-setting in terms of travellers' reference.
   
   But this is the exception that confirms the rule (along with Lonely Planet Iceland & Faroes). Though published last year, so much of the basic information is not up-to-date - and several recommendations seem like an absolute mystery as they in no way live up to Lonely Planet's usual criteria.
   
   Just too many times I found myself planning according to the book's information and recommendations, and ended up finding nothing or not finding the expected. The examples are too many to be ust coincidence and 'because things change'. I will therefore get rid of this one, and try Footprint or The Rough Guide next time I go to Portugal.
   
   Yet, my critical rating of this guidebook should also be seen in the light of my high expectations, as Lonely Planet - mostly - does set the standard. Try again - new edition.

3 comments about Streetwise Madrid Map - Laminated Center City Street Map of Madrid, Spain - Folding pocket size travel map with integrated metro map including lines & stations (Streetwise (Streetwise Maps)).

1. I got this for a recent trip to Madrid. It's an excellent map if you are interested in central Madrid, showing plenty of detail, and the laminated format makes it easy to carry around and fold/unfold. But if you are looking for something outside of the central area (e.g. the University of Madrid, which I as visiting, and which was tantalizingly just off this map.), it would be better to get a map of the entire city.



2. the map looks nice and the lamination is good. However I wish it was smaller and covered a broader area (my hotel was up by Santiago Bernabeau).



3. "Streetwise" city maps are great boon for the traveler. They're simple, durable and easily stowed in any pocket. The "Streetwise Map of Madrid" is no exception to this group of travel aids. I used it recently on visits to Madrid and found it to be perfect for getting around the city, including via the Metro system.

5 comments about Walk in a Relaxed Manner: Life Lessons from the Camino.

1. Back in the summer of 2003, I visited a former seminary roommate in Leon, Spain. I showed up a couple of days before his wedding after backpacking through Amsterdam, Paris, London, and Madrid. While strolling together through Leon, my Spanish friend remarked that people thought I was a "Pilgrim" because of my clothing and backpack. I asked him to clarify, and he replied that Leon was on the path of the Camino Pilgrimage. Thus began my interest in the topic.
   
   "Walk in a Relaxed Manner" was the first book I read about the Camino. It's newly published, written by a 60-year-old nun who walked the Pilgrimage around the time I was in Leon. She hit the trail with a retired priest, and this book was born from that experience. The subtitle and theme is "Life Lessons From the Camino," and each chapter is based on a way she grew due to the Pilgrimage. For example, the book's title is shared with a chapter where Sr. Rupp describes how she learned to walk slowly and thoughtfully instead of quickly and competitively. Other chapter titles include "Savor Solitude," "Deal with Disappointments," and "Live in the Now." Such topics may strike some as trite. But I found it impressive that more often than not, it was the walk's difficulties that enabled her to internalize these truths.
   
   The author writes in a clear and readable manner. She rejoices in the high points of the Pilgrimage, and is honest about the lows as well. Each lesson is presented in a thoughtful manner, and all are applicable to everyday life. However, like many spiritual insights perhaps some sort of defining experience is required to truly own them. But reading about these truths may be a way to prepare the heart for their eventual actualization. Although a Catholic nun in the Servite Community, Sr. Rupp keeps things fairly ecumenical throughout her tale. In addition, practical advice about the Pilgrimage is sprinkled throughout the book, and a list of helpful Camino resources is included at the end. There's even an authorized website based on Joyce Rupp's name if you want more info about her.
   
   Someday I'd like to do the El Camino Pilgrimage. I hope I don't have to wait until my sixties, but sometimes you have to let things happen in their time. If I do walk it, I'll be glad if I learn and grow half as much as Sr. Rupp did. Recommended for all travelers and pilgrims.
   
   UPDATE 9/7/07: Well, I only had to wait until I was forty to do the Camino. On 7/14/07 I stepped off in St. Jean Pied-de-Port (France), and on 8/24/07 I walked into Santiago, Spain. After returning home to the US, I went through this book again. It was nice reading about familiar places on the Way, and also to identify with the lessons Ms. Rupp writes about. Recommended even more now that I've actually done the trek.



2. This is an amazing book about an amazing experience--walking across Spain--and well after midlife. We share the hardships and blessings of this journey and are able to walk, talk and think in a relaxed manner while reading it. There are lessons subtly given that everyone can shsare.



3. this book was great, talked me out of going, realize that all that heat and dirt was not for me, will go trekking in nepal instead, much cooler temps, author did this to add to her spiritual credentials,alll about herself and her inner thoughts, suspect she had not been out of the USA before.
   
   cheers



4. Reflections of this Catholic sister, as she walks the Camino with the semi retired priest of her parish.
   
   This journey of two people of faith met with all the challenges the Camino can offer. Joyce started out as what I call an overachiever, and Tom as a steadying influence.
   
   A couple concepts stuck in my brain from chapters of this book. Enjoy existential friendships. Return a positive for a negative. Negative things do happen, but Joyce would make a determined effort to see the positive - a concept I accept, but sometimes have difficulty applying.
   
   I enjoyed this thoughtful book.



5. My wife and I earned a compostela walking a portion of the Camino Frances in May of 2004. Since then I've read many books on pilgrimage, including several accounts of other pilgrims' journeys on the same road we traveled. Many are what another reviewer describes: diaries of the interior lives of the author, focusing mainly on their hardships and triumphs, as if to point out how they changed the camino, rather than how they were changed by it. If I felt that this were all to this book, I wouldn't recommend it. Instead, I think this book provides a wonderful balance between soulful reflection and the pragmatism of the all-too-physical journey. Walking the camino does appear to have all the ingredients necessary for earning a 'spiritual experience merit badge', and some seem to walk it just to earn pilgrimage street cred. Even were that Rupp's intention, and I doubt very much that is the case, she's provided a great perspective for potential pilgrims and useful material to aid past walkers. It's true that she does not shy away from describing unpleasantries of the road: dirty accommodations, illness, rude pilgrims, bad food, and bad weather. These are very real likelihoods, and she discusses them very frankly; pilgrims do not float along the road, barely touching the earth, and any idyllic expectations soon come face-to-face with harsh reality. Rupp does not bring up these issues merely to complain, however; the benefit of this book is how she treats these subjects as well as her prayerful introspection as equally engaging points of reflection and provides a useful perspective on integrating even these issues into a larger pilgrimage experience. The subtitle of the book, however, is "Life Lessons from the Camino", and that's the true value of these observations: her effort in showing that much of our day-to-day life is filled with just these sort of experiences and just this sort of potential for reflection, appreciation, and understanding.

4 comments about Frommer's Spain 2008 (Frommer's Complete).

1. This guide covers a lot. My only issue with Frommer's is the bulk and weight. I will use it for research, make a list of what I want to see, take the map with me and leave the book back home. I travel light without check in luggage and this would take too much space. Outside of that I like it better than most.



2. I am very satisfies with product and service. the product arrived in very good condition.



3. I bought this book, read it, planned along their recommendation. Had a great grip to Spain. I love the idea that a map of Madrid & Barcelona is included, it was very helpful. We walked around a lot for sight-seeing, without the map, won't be as convinent.



4. I love their best lists - the best small towns, the best beaches, the best luxury hotels... It's a really great idea. The worst thing is that they don't even mention Murcia and the Costa Cálida at all! Come on guys, 704 pages and you still manage to miss a whole region out of the guide. They say they update it every year so let's see what the 2008 update brings!

5 comments about Seville & Andalusia (Eyewitness Travel Guides).

1. I love these books. They give brief informative descriptions along with tantalizing photos in all areas. I like very much the historiccal timeline in the beginning of each book. Although brief, it gives a great sense of what was going on throughout time in the particular location. This book starts with all history from 1000 BC. I love the pictures and cross sections as well as the brief and concise snippets on many interesting towns, sights etc. It gives a very strong visual and overview of many places so you can decide where you may actually want to visit. Of course there areth erequisite reccomendations for restaurants, hotels and travel options. These are also brief and you may want a different book or travel agaent for more suggestions in this area.



2. As is true of DK's Eyewitness books, this book is full of fantastic pictures. It's great to wet one's appetite, but doesn't really have enough meaty information to help one prepare to visit Andalusia. It's one saving grace: great maps. I recommend this book, but not alone. This is a great companion to The Rough Guide to Andalucia.



3. Eyewitness Guides are beautiful, gorgeously illustrated books on glossy paper that are perfect for planning a trip but not so good for carrying along with you. But they don't need to be! I used the guide to Andalusia to plan my 5-city itinerary, including a stop in Ronda which I'd never heard of but ended up being one of the highlights of our travels. This guide gives you a general view of the sights to see, with many photos and maps. But especially in a country like Spain, the wise traveler makes his or her first stop the tourist office--there's one in every city and many towns. That's where you get your map, the info on walking tours, a schedule of museum openings and closings, etc.
   
   I can't resist giving two tips: the tourist office in Seville near Plaza Nueva has FREE internet. And be sure to go to the Alcazar--I thought it outshone the more famous Alhambra, with far less hassle and far fewer people.
   
   I agree with the reviewer who says the hotel info is not good, and the author of this guide could probably eliminate it with no loss except excess weight. These days the internet is by far your best source. And as for restaurants, just wander!
   
   I loved this guide, but no one source is going to have it all for the independent traveler--and in any guide, info on hotels and restaurants is usually out-of-date before it's printed. But use this guide to dream--it's great



4. The Eyewitness travel guides are always a must when you travel. I added this one to my growing collection and was not disappointed!



5. I am a Travel Agent. Going to Spain in Nov. I love Eyewitness Travel Guides.

5 comments about Top 10 Barcelona (EYEWITNESS TOP 10 TRAVEL GUIDE).

1. I decided to check out the Top 10 guide for Barcelona given the excellent experience I had in London with a similar guide on a past trip to the UK. I noticed the same compelling points with this guide as I'd noticed with the London guide -- a concise list of things to do in city, a list of various neighborhoods, list of best cafes/bars and sample itineraries for spending an entire day in each neighborhood, the top 10 things to look for at each attraction, and the best feature: the compact size of the guide.
   
   But I was looking for more than just the above -- I was traveling to a city where people don't talk in English after all. What I really liked about the guide was the main map that showed all the important street in an uncluttered fashion, and the mini-maps that were included in the assorted Top 10 lists, making it a breeze to locate the attraction or cafe/bar. I also loved the list of the Top 10 drinks you'll find only in Barcelona like the "Orxata", the "Granissat" and of course, the "Sangria" that is refereshingly different from what you might have had anywhere else. There are similar lists for food items (definitely try the "Pallela"), shops, etc. These are the things that make you blend in with the locals with confidence.
   
   I also loved the section on Streetsmarts -- when you're in a country where English is not the first language, you sometimes need a helping hand with even the simplest of things -- like what is the best deal on the Barcelona Metro? Should I buy single tickets or a "T-10" for 10 tickets? How do I make a local phone call? What should I avoid? (Answer: touristy scams at La Rambla). The Top 10 guide's Streetsmart section covers many of these "small" things on your mind and also include a few pages with popular Spanish/Catalan phrases with translation in English, eliminating the need to carry a phrase book, if any.
   
   With this guide, I was able to see Barcelona according to my schedule and tastes. I took in all the touristy attractions and spent time exploring specific neighborhoods like El Raval, Eixample and interesting detours. Not a day went by when I wasn't glad for having this guide by my side -- and at under 10 bucks a pop, I'm quickly acquiring a collection.



2. It was the perfect guide for my independent trip to Barcelona. It is the most user friendly city guide I used (I've also used Rick Steves and Rough Guide). The guide first identifies the top 10 sites and then what I loved is that it marks them on a map with numbers making it really easy to spot. The map in the guide was great and in color. It made my trip so enjoyable because I knew what I wanted to do and where to get there. Also, becasue it showed all the locations of the sites on a map I could easily plan which sites to see all in one area and thus make the most out of my days. It also gives history behind each site and also lists the top 10 things to see at each attraction!
   I loved this guide and wished they had one for more cities!
   
   The one complaint I have is that I really think Park Guell should be listed in the top 10. I almost missed the park (where the tradmark colored frog is and Gaudi's home) but a hostelmate told me about it. It is listed in the top ten for parks but just be aware that that park is a must see.



3. I spent 7 days in Barcelona in Nov 2006 and though I did some research before I arrived, took only this book with me. As an independent traveler (no tour groups) I used it very heavily during my stay - not only as my primary map and metromap, but as my only reference for locations, hours, and priorities in determining my daily itineraries. I also occasionally used it for restaurant, tapas bar and shopping recommendations. It never led me astray.
   
   It is very current - it even references that a few places will be closed for repair until month X to save you the effort of going there. And the way one large section of the guide is broken out by neighborhood makes it extremely easy to figure out the best way to spend your time in a given part of the city (it also suggests itineraries for each neighborhood if you don't want to plan them out yourself).
   
   It's also a great size - easy to toss in a daypack, purse, or even jacket pocket.
   
   I fully agree with the two previous reviews that the layout of the maps and color-coding of the sights makes it very easy to keep on track - even in a city as large as this one. And that Park Guell ought to be in the Top 10.
   
   My only suggestion for how it could improve would be to give even more "tips" than it sometimes does on the sides of pages. For instance, visit the National Art Museum of Catalunya in the latter afternoon on a Fri/Sat/Sun and stay for the Magic Fountain display at dusk. Visit La Pedrera near sunset (unless midsummer does not allow it) and go up on the roof as the sun sets and the lights come on. It's magical.)
   
   I've traveled pretty extensively and used a lot of different travel guides, others of which I can also recommend. But this is hands-down the very best I have ever used and I cannot recommend it highly enough if you are spending even one day in Barcelona.



4. This is the most helpful book I have seen on Barcelona. I believe it should be combined with a more indepth guidebook wo one can look up the most interesting locales in more depth. It is very hard to get perspective on sites to take in when there are so many fascinating places to visit. This helps with the highlighting and the winnowing. I got a total of five of these books and passed them out to all the other groups going with us.



5. After reading all the great reviews online, I decided to purchase this guild book for Barcelona, but since I never purchased a guide book by eyewitness, I was skeptical... so I bought the Rough Guides' Barcelona as well. Turns out, this one is SO MUCH BETTER and comprehensive than the Roughs' guide! During the week that my boyfriend and I stayed in Barcelona, we brought both books with us everywhere. I would say 90% of the time, this guide was able to provide us the accurate info to the sites we wanted to visit. One day, we accidentally left this book in the hotel, and got lost using the Roughs' guide! Anyway, I would highly recommend if you only going to buy one guide book for Barcelona, you purchase this one. It made our trip much easy and enjoyable.

1 comments about The Roads to Santiago: The Medieval Pilgrim Routes Through France and Spain to Santiago de Compostela.

1. Although you can find books of any kind about the now so popular roads to Santiago, this one adds value by its beautiful pictures and well written impressions that go along them.
   Especially, if you didn't take a camera along your own camino, this book is an addition.
   It brought quite some memories back to my mind.
   And it makes me long for other roads.

1 comments about 365 Days in Spain Calendar 2009 (Picture-A-Day Wall Calendars).

1. Having lived in Spain, I fell in love with this calendar the first year I saw it and I have now used it for several years. The photography is exceptional and the calendar itself very useful. The spaces are large and the finish has permitted the use of a variety of pens/pencils.

5 comments about Race to Dakar.

1. Fans of "Long Way Round" and "Long Way Down" will find this book of interest, but just not the same without Charley's riding mate Ewan.



2. This book was great. I didn't really know too much about the Dakar Rally before reading this book. Reading about all of the preparation before the rally was great. However, reading about the rally itself was the best part. It was amazing to read about all of the adversity that each rider faces, especially the privateers (non-factory teams).
   
   I recommend this book if you are interested in the Dakar Rally or enjoyed "The Long Way Round."



3. Race to Dakar
   
   I first found Charley Boorman through his trip Long Way Round. I read that book and devoured the DVD TV series. And found out Charley was going to try the Dakar rally.
   
   I ended up reading Race To Dakar in one day. It was so engaging I could not put it down. I liked everything about it. Its shown me places I'm sure I'll never see.
   
   Then I bought the Race To Dakar DVD through Amazon.Ca. And it was just as amazing as the book.



4. I found it to be a good read. A lot of detail about the race and prep of equipment and riders. More motorcycle content than either Long Way Round or Long Way Down. I received the DVD after reading the book and found the DVD even better, except for the additional profanity.



5. Having read "A Long way round" and "A Long way down" , this book is facinating to read and just another part of the story. Charley knows what a motorcycle rider wants to hear to makes sure you get it. If you liked either of the "Long Ways" you will love this book. I rate it above long Way Down and as good as Long Way Around. Buy it, you won't be disapointed