Years ago my archeological field school classmates--in one of those boring eternities when the earth refuses to give up its artifacts in a timely manner--asked the professor, "What's the most exciting artifact you've ever found in your excavations?" They were expecting to be regaled with stories of gold and silver twisted into intricate and very large shapes--but instead his answer was, "a perfectly popped kernel of popcorn on a thousand year-old house floor in Peru."
You see, the deeper you get inside topics like travel, archaeology or even photography, the more joy you get from observing simple patterns in human life. What's one of my favorite things in Europe? Off the top of my head I'd say "watching the old folks gather in a piazza on a summer's eve to gossip about the young folks strolling the strada with their latest love interest in the Italian dance of life called passeggiata."
The mundane made large. Not very exciting is it? I didn't expect you to be thrilled, and that's the point.
So when you ask of me--or of folks in our forum or a travel newsgroup--"what's the coolest place in Europe? or "What's the best city to visit for a week in the summer?" you can pretty much bet that your question will be left in a sort of quizzical void. We need to know a bit more about you and your interests.
Like successful web searches, the more data you provide, the more focused the answer will be. Here's a "good" travel question:
Hi, I'm a thirty something guy who likes racing cars and Renaissance art. I especially admire the engineering drawings of Leonardo da Vinci. I have three weeks to spend in Italy and Germany. I'll be traveling by car with a couple of buddies who share my interests. I'll be planning the trip around museums and evocative medieval towns. Which museums and towns do you recommend that I see?
Now there's something a veteran traveler can sink his teeth into. Maybe I'd send him to the da Vinci museum in Milano, and then on to the Alfa Romeo Museum in Arese, just outside of Milano, or any number of Italian Automobile Museums.
From there he could go south to the center of the Renaissance, Florence, and visit a number of medieval hill towns nearby--or he could drive north toward Stuttgart and the Porsche museum, passing through the medieval old towns hidden in the Black Forest.
But if he'd asked, "What's there to do in Italy and Germany for three weeks in the summer?" I wouldn't have a clue as to where to begin. The subject is too large and unfocussed.
Elements needed when asking most destination questions
- How long you'll be in Europe
- What mode of transportation you've selected to get around Europe (car, train, hitchhiking, etc.)
- What you especially want to do or see (art? people? mountain landscapes? eating well? sporting events? small medieval villages or large cities?)
Remember that Europe is a big place with a diverse population. Just about everything is possible, even if it's illegal in the US.
For hotel questions add:
- How much you've budgeted per night
- What amenities you require (en suite bathrooms, pool, etc.)
Where to ask your travel questions
Our forum is always a good place to get reactions from other travelers on your proposed itinerary to Western Europe, or to get suggestions of what you should visit given your stated interests. There are forums on About for pretty much any travel interest, from traveling with kids to taking cruises, or to other destinations like Eastern Europe and France. Check out the About's travel channel page for all the options.
The newsgroup rec.travel.europe is another place where general questions about Europe travel are answered, but the place has become a bit heavy on preemptive war trolling lately.
Ciao, and good traveling!
