Christmas Sound and Light Show
by JDeQ
Happy Holidays!
We wish all Slow Travelers a very special holiday season, filled with memories of special places and dreams of future trips.
Contest Winner: Featured Photo for December
In March we had a contest to select photos to feature in the next 12 issues of Slow Tidings. Last month's featured winner was Martha. This month we're featuring TominVB's photo Sahara Camel Scene. We've enjoyed all these wonderful photos!
Great San Diego Gathering (March 12 -14, 2010)
New Years Resolution #1. Plan to be part of the 2010 Slow Travel Gathering! It is not too late to join other Slow Travelers the weekend of March 12-14 in San Diego, California. Chief organizer Shannon says there's still room for about 20 people. Check out the San Diego Gathering forum for discussion on details, sightseeing, events, and a list of attendees.
San Diego will be a great destination for a long weekend in March. Learn more about one part of town many Slow Travelers plan to visit in Palma's discussion Can't Miss a Walk Through Little Italy.
From the Moderators
Business Signatures
In order to maintain SlowTalk's focus on community and on individuals sharing their love of travel, we recently asked our members who are business owners to use something other than their business name as their Slow Travel member name. Exceptions are possible for longer-term members who meet specific criteria. This new policy will be effective January 1, 2010. See this announcement for more information.
Reviews from the Forums
Members often provide great information about a vacation rental, hotel or restaurant in a Slow Talk forum post. Although we'd love to get more detailed reviews from everyone, this doesn't always happen. We will now occasionally develop reviews based on forum posts. See more information here.
Bluffs over looking the Mississippi River
in Vicksburg (Mississippi) National Battlefield
by BJinNM
PhotoHunting!
Slow Travelers were PhotoHunting on many forums this past month. Enjoy the results of these recent Hunts and share some of your own photos:
- Busy on the Everything About Travel forum.
- Cold on the Italy forum.
- Arch on the France forum.
- Stone on the United Kingdom & Ireland forum.
- Sunset on the North America forum.
Slow Travelers Talk!
This past month Slow Travelers have been sharing the memories of their fall trips and seeking help as they plan their next journeys. Here are a few of the most interesting discussions on the Slow Talk forums this past month. Join in the conversation!
General Travel Topics
– interesting, fun, sometimes provocative travel discussions- Much thoughtful discussion resulted from this post about the Slow Food philosophy of eating well.
- Medical treatment in Italy was the focus of one Italy traveler.
- Slow Travelers had fun discussing Christmas cakes in Italy and France. Kevin Widrow shared his Panettone Revelation and Alecto wondered about that Christmas Cake he once had in France.
Trip Planning
– requests for ideas, input or help on upcoming trips- WI_TRAVELLER's question about where to celebrate a special anniversary brought forth many good suggestions.
- Joe n. is looking for information on off the beaten track artisanal food producers in Italy and has received some mouth-watering replies.
- Linda from Kingswood TX asked about a good route and a place to stay overnight while traveling from Provence to Normandy.
- The replies to Tara F's question made us wish we could join her in London when she asked where to take a family Christmas photo.
- Other Slow Travelers planning trips to London got recommendations for where to have a Sunday roast and where to have lunch near museums.
- Kathryn wanted us to help her convince her husband to go to Spain. Shannon started a Spain PhotoHunt to add to the fun.
- Kaydee is planning a long weekend to New York City during the holiday season. She asked for advice about accommodations, getting from LaGuardia airport to Manhattan, and buying tickets to the Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular.
- Victoria L. Herring needs ideas for where to spend a Caribbean vacation in February.
- Kim will have an eight hour layover in Amsterdam on her journey home from Israel. Find out what some STers have suggested to her for how to spend her time.
Sharing Resources
– posting links, articles and information of interest to others- Teaberry is once again posting the weekly highlights for Travel TV in the Everything About Travel forum. Check for the latest listings every week or add your own suggestions.
- Slow travelers looking for fast transportation shared information on Italy's high speed rail system. GAC provided more information on new schedules and pricing here and here.
- You can always count on good advice on the Technology forum. This month Slow Travelers shared many good recommendations for travel cameras.
Back From...
- Slowtravel members share their recent trip experiences- Trekcapri shared highlights of her recent three weeks in Scotland and thanked everyone for their help when she was planning her trip. (She also blogged during her trip.)
Unanswered Questions
- these members haven't received much response ... perhaps you can help!- Foxfirejg wants suggestions for day tours from Bologna.
- SL Jones is looking for a hotel near the Athens airport.
Elsewhere on Slow Travel
(reviews, trip reports, photos and blogs)Here is a sampling of some of the new publications on the Slow Travel website:
Trip Reports
Ten Nights in Florence and Venice by Deva
"I truly enjoyed my trip to Florence and Venice! Italy is a beautiful country and the people we met were almost uniformly generous and helpful. Ultimately I enjoyed Venice more than Florence, although I certainly did have a good time in Florence."
Germany - From the Middle Rhine to the Bavarian Alps by Kathryn J
"Germany had never been on my "list" until a few months before we went, but I am definitely glad we went. It is an easy country to visit with beautiful scenery, surprisingly good food (and wine)and very friendly people. I would recommend a trip to Germany to anyone." Don't forget Kathryn's vacatoin rental reviews from her trip (highlighted last month): Ferienhaus Muhlrad'l in Mittenwald and Apartment Idyll in St. Goar.
Tomales Bay Weekend by Gloria
"We left the Bay Area Saturday morning. Our friends left Sacramento and two hours later we arrived in Tomales Bay on the northern California coast. We met in front of the Continental Inn and enjoyed a quick treat while sitting in the sun in front of the inn."
Reviews
New Year's Resolution #2. Submit reviews of vacation rentals, hotels and restaurants and help other travelers! Here's a sample of some recently-posted reviews.
Vacation Rentals
SlowTrav favorite, Casina di Rosa, gets another favorable review from Lloyd K while Moderator Shannon was busy submitting reviews from her recent trip to Spain for Carmen District Penthouse in Valencia, Tarraco Apartment in Tarragona and Rose Condo in Girona.
Hotels
Trekcapri sent us several hotel/B&B reviews from her Scotland trip - this hotel, Cuillin Hills Hotel, on the Isle of Skye was her favorite lodging.
This review of a B&B in Normandy, La Basse Cour, came from Chabichou's post on the France forum.
Restaurants
Rkorchid sent in many review from a recent trip to Torino, Italy including Ristorante Monferrato and Le vitel étonné. See all our restaurant reviews for the Piemonte region of Italy here.
Blogs
Marta blogged from Oahu on her Postcards from the Trail. Her posts include some wonderful photos. And we have a new blogger on SlowTrav, Jamie and Henry's Holidays, Cruises & Travel; right now they're taking us along on their trip to the Inca Trail!
See our past newsletters: Newsletter Archive.
We hope you will forward this newsletter on to your friends. If you've received a forwarded copy and would like to subscribe, register on our forums: www.slowtalk.com. Registration is free and without obligation, just make sure you agree to "receive emails from administrators."
New Year's Resolution #3: Spend more time on the Slow Travel website in 2010!
Happy New Year and Happy Travels!
The Slow Travel Team
www.slowtrav.com - Slow Travel
www.slowtalk.com – Slow Travel Forums
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