PARIS— While staying the City of Lights, I could write about the Louvre, Versailles, and French food. But as I start to wind down this six-month trip, I catch myself in a reflective mood looking back over the journey. Back in Greece, I watched several college-age kids ride up the ramp of our ferry on [...]

GENEVA— Switzerland was never high on my list. Sure, it was on the original itinerary, but if I had ranked the 30 countries we were to visit at the start of this journey, Switzerland would have probably been in the middle of the pack. Before we left our home and said goodbye to life as [...]

BILBAO— During the two and a half years I spent planning this trip, the most common question people asked was, “Which country are you looking forward to visiting the most?” The answer was always twofold: Italy, because I was going to be working on a book with my friend Wyatt. And Spain, because of everything [...]

The last thing anyone needs this time of year is another best-of or top-ten list. Too bad, I have been doing this for twelve years, so I get to claim some type of seniority or year-end-column-list squatter’s rights on this one. Every year I publish a year-end top-ten list of the best meals I’ve enjoyed [...]

MALAGA, SPAIN— Ten years ago, if someone posed the question, “Where do you think you will spend your 50th Christmas?” My answer would have been quick and certain, “At home.” A decade is a world away in Malaga, Spain. I have worried about Christmas since August. The original itinerary had the family spending the entire [...]

MADRID— I love my hometown of Hattiesburg and my home state of Mississippi. For the last four months I have been on a one-man PR, marketing, and promotional tour touting the joys and benefits of living in South Mississippi to any European who asked, and many who didn’t. Over the years my kids have asked [...]

List the correct reason why the Eating Europe Tour has been changed from 30 countries in 12 months, to 23 countries in six months: a.) The European Union only allows visiting non-residents to stay up to six months without establishing temporary residency. b.) The Volvo company will only allow us to drive the newly purchased [...]

LENNO, ITALY— It’s a grey day, inside and out. Outside the front door of our villa, Lake Como is still. The early morning fog has lifted and I can barely see the snow-capped mountains in the distance. I was told that this is the best weather they’ve had in decades, so I guess we should [...]

LENNO, ITALY— This column is supposed to be about a restaurant I visited last week on the island of Burano, just across the lagoon from Venice. Osteria da Romano reminds me of an Italian version of Galatoire’s. The waiters wear starched white jackets and bow ties, several generations of family members operate the restaurant after [...]

VENICE, ITALY— When one tells another that he is going to Europe for a year and bringing his wife, 14 year-old daughter, and 10 year-old son, there are two typical responses that are tendered: “That will be such a wonderful learning experience for the children.” Or, “Are you out of your mind?” The former response [...]