There is a lot to reflect on, but first I am going to start by focusing on the food. One thing that we did was to really think about what we wanted to be eating, what we wanted to get out of the trip. Food is not always such a central part of why we are going someplace, and after this trip, I think that might have been a mistake (good thing I finally figured that out). Many guidebooks are arranged so that there are sights described, and then places you might eat nearby, but the guidebooks that do this routinely (Lonely Planet, Rough Guide) are often times more interested in getting a reasonable meal rather than a memorable one. My husband did an exceptional job of researching places to eat and then patiently located them, first on the map, and then in real life. The only mediocre meals we had were those that strayed from his detailed preparations.
The beauty of the internet in the travel planning scenario is that it is possible to do extensive research on a place prior to going there, and the pay off is really many fold. First, we had meals that were worth the trip. I have always thought the idea of "Paris for dinner" was absurd, but when you have a meal that the combination of location, quality, and uniqueness make you think "this alone is worth it", and it didn't cost the earth, that is something to strive for in every meal when traveling. Web research, a good map, and access to transportation can make it a reality. I enjoy the occasional over-the-top meal, but not nearly as much as I enjoyed my week in Rome, which was a series of excellent but affordable meals. Now that I am home, and once the Olympics are not occupying every moment that I am not working, sleeping, or exercising,
I want to get to one of the benefits of travel at our house--making some food that reminds us of the trip.
No comments:
Post a Comment