A woman unknowingly backs up onto my foot to get the perfect shot of Palazzo Vecchio. In the middle of the road, a couple adorned with two big backpacks clutches a map and stares into the blue sky, looking for answers to the question, “where am I?”. Lines of people snake around streets more so than cars do. Prices rise on restaurant menus in the city center. It is tourist season in Florence. All around the world, locations invade with tourists, willing and ready to explore somewhere for two weeks of vacation. The tourist versus traveler debate is a ridiculous one. As much as I complain Continue Reading
Travel Book Giveaway Winner
The moment you all have been waiting for is here. On June 2nd, I invited readers to answer one simple question to be entered to win an Ultimate Adventures Rough Guide supplied by Hostelbookers. Fifteen readers answered the following question: Where would you go on your next great travel adventure and why? I was really impressed with the responses I received and started kicking myself that I didn’t make the decision one at random. Please don’t be offended if I didn’t select you as the winner. All of the answers were winners to me. And the winner is…. Laura W. If you put Continue Reading
Suzy Stumbles Over Travel: Week of June 14, 2010
It is that time of the week again. In case you are new here, each week I ask readers and writers to submit their favorite travel posts of the week. I read, comment, stumble, and tweet each submission. The following Monday, I select my five favorites from last week to be featured. The cycle continues. After you read my five favorite submissions from last week, leave a comment here with a link to your submission for this week. You have until the end of the day on Saturday (US Mountain Time) to leave your link in the comment box below. Throughout the week I will read the post, comment, stumble Continue Reading
Just A Place To Rest My Head
The room I now occupy in Florence functions as a bedroom, living room, dining room, kitchen and closet all in one. The studio apartment combines all areas of living. Coffee is just two feet from the bed. My new desk where work will take place merges with the relaxation a couch and TV provide. There are no walls keeping one room’s role out from the other. As I chatted with my landlord about the space with 24 hours of no sleep hanging over, she told me how it served as the library of her old family villa. She recounted just where all of the books were stacked against the walls. Today, books Continue Reading
Budapest Wishes You Were Here
It is no secret that I love to find the best views of a city when I travel. While in the heat of the day yesterday I hiked to one of the best views of Florence, Bret from The Jetpacker was reflecting on one of the views he enjoyed of Budapest. Take the funicular up to Buda Castle and suddenly you are 300 feet above Budapest, overlooking the Széchenyi Chain Bridge and St. Stephen's Basilica, where the mummified hand of Stephen, the first king of Hungary, resides. From this vantage, you can spot every major landmark in the city... as long as you don't get distracted by the buskers and Continue Reading
Suzy Stumbles Over Travel: Week of June 7, 2010
As I frantically throw three months of belongings into a suitcase and redesign my site, Suzy Stumbles Over Travel must go on. If you are new here, each week I ask readers and travel writers to share their favorite posts of the week in the comment box below. I read every submission, comment on each piece, stumble the post on Stumbleupon, and tweet the entry on Twitter. The following Monday I feature my five favorite posts submitted last week for some extra love and attention. Without further delay, please enjoy my five favorites submitted last week. When you are finished, leave a comment Continue Reading
San Marino Wishes You Were Here
San Marino is technically not a part of Italy. It may sit right smack in the middle of the country, but it is its own republic and has been since 301 A.D. That makes San Marino the oldest republic in the world. A state only one-third the size of Washington D.C. is easy to miss, but it shouldn’t be. San Marino’s view of the rest of the world, the rest of Italy, tends to impress. You climb to the top of the town and this is what surrounds. Would you like to have your photo featured here? Email me at suzy [at] suzyguese [dot] com. I will link back to your blog or website. Continue Reading