CZECH & SLOVAK REPUBLICS
Lonely Planet, 150 Linden Street, Oakland, CA 94607. Price: $22.99

This 5 x 7 1/2” 496-page softcover book is well organized to give the reader a quick—or exhausting—look at these two adjacent republics which lie north and east of Vienna, and are squarely located in the middle of Europe. Both countries joined the European Union in 2004.

Family is the center of most everyone in these two countries: Czech Republic has 10.2 million people and Slovakia has 5.35 million. Big cities the average person would recognize in these countries include Prague and Bratislava. “If you envisage the mystical Gothic buildings of Prague’s historic center, you’re not alone,” the introduction reads. “In two compact countries you can climb eerie sandstone rock formations, hike alpine slopes, enjoy what some argue to be the world’s best beer, soak in a hot spring spa, watch swordplay by firelight at a medieval castle, and down a shot of slivovitz (plum brandy) with the locals.”

The book offers information on itineraries, history, culture, environment issues, outdoor activities, food and drink, as well as numerous sections on the larger cities and areas of each country, There are also sections on transportation, health concerns and language. In fact, there are sections for subjects that you probably didn’t realize you needed, but that is the sign of a good guidebook.

“Spectacular landscapes dotted with the ruins of audaciously located castles make this maze of sandstone ‘rock towns’ and basalt volcanic fingers a rugged contrast to the prettified backdrops found elsewhere in Bohemia,” reads a paragraph in the East Bohemia section. To point out the extensive detail the guidebook provides, it goes on to say, “The sandstone formations at Prachovske skaly are renowned through Europe for rock climbing. Your best source of local information is Hudy Sport in Jicin which hires all necessary gear including harnesses, karabiners, ropes and helmets.

There are maps to show the railways of the countries, driving distance chart, helpful language phrases to learn, information about postal rates, shopping, legal matters, a list of embassies and consulates--even a section on mountain huts for the adventurous. There is also a nice selection of city maps to guide you and a tip for Bratislava: while away the hours at one of the many street cafes in the ‘rabbit warren’ old town.

For the larger cities, a list of attractions is given along with a number which locates that attraction for you on the accompanying map. Festivals are also listed with the months they are held, and suggested walking tours are offered.

In all, a handy and helpful guidebook for these two not-yet-mobbed-with-tourist countries.

 

KAREN BROWN’S SWITZERLAND
Distributed by National Book Network and available in bookstores. Price:
$19.95.

Karen Brown has a clever way of writing about the
special places she’s visited and stayed at over the
years. In her book Karen Brown’s Switzerland (2007),
she writes about exceptional places to stay and offers
itineraries for this beautiful country.

“From the Blausee, continue to Kanderstag, a small
village tucked at the end of a box canyon where the
only means of further transportation is to put your
car onto one of the trains that tunnel through the
mountains. Although this suggested itinerary goes on
to Zermatt, if you have time to linger, Kanderstag is
an idyllic place to spend a few days...Kanderstag
nestles in a flower-strewn meadow dramatically
embraced by towering Alpine peaks,” she writes.

Makes you want to buy an airline ticket right now and find this
place.

And another review: “The Hotel Edelweiss (Blatten im
Lotschental) is right in the center of town with a
glorious position overlooking the valley and up to
mountains. The exterior of the hotel is very
appealing: a three-story chalet-style house with a
dark wood facade, balconies and window boxes with
cascading red geraniums.”

Between the accommodations and the itineraries listed,
travelers can virtually plan an entire trip with this
one book. For European travelers, Karen has published
a number of travel guides, all similiar, for France;
Italy; Germany; Austria; Ireland; and England, Wales
and Scotland, as well as several more specialized
books for European destinations.

This 278-page 7” x 7” softbound with color covers is
an ideal way to cover a lot of territory when you’re
searching for just the right spot to stay, and the
right places to see, without spending days and weeks
scouting out locations. Brown has done the legwork for
you. The overnight accommodations have been personally
selected, and each is chosen for its ambiance. There
are overnight lodging ideas in categories for
budget-minded travelers as well as for those who enjoy
deluxe stays.

The book features a color map of Switzerland and six
additional regional maps showing five recommended
travel routes as well as train, boat and bus
adventures.

The front portion of the book is devoted to describing
general travel information in the regions covered
(everything from making telephone calls to currency
and car rentals to reminding you to bring along an
electric converter). It also describes attractions,
walking tours, museums, boat trips and other things to
do to make your trip fun and exciting.

Besides elongated paragraphs describing the 90 hotels
and pensions in this book, there is a nice pen and ink
sketch of each hotel listed, as well as contact
information, and other operational details of the
hotels/pensions.

Karen wrote her first travel book in 1976, so she’s had
plenty of experience in finding just the right
accommodations that offer a bit more to the traveler.

ITALIAN PHRASE BOOK AND CD

Penguin Publishing
Company (DK), 375 Hudson St., New York, NY 10014.
Price: $7.00.

This 4 x 5 1/2” 144-page perfectbound book is divided
into chapters with titles such as Everyday Phrases,
Colloquialisms, Days/Months/Seasons, Numbers, Time,
Eating Out, Stores and Services, Emergencies and
Health, among others.

The book begins, “The pronunciation of an Italian word is very similar to the way it is written.” And once you progress beyond “Si” for “yes and “Come sta?” (how are you?), you can start to tackle the 2,000-word English-Italian dictionary located at the back of the book.

Now a book is great, but an additional helpful guide
that comes with this book is a 70-minute DVD which
guides you through the book, beginning with the easy
phrasing. This gives you a good foundation for the
later, harder words and phrases. The CD features easy
to hear and follow narration, and likely cuts the
time by half that it would take to learn Italian.

This doesn’t mean you don’t have to “work” at learning
Italian or any language: a daily dose of any foreign
language will improve your skills dramatically over time.

I found the book and CD well-thought-out, and the book
is easy to hold if you’re taking it along on your trip
(which you should).

Now let’s see, prego (please) pass the dolci (dessert)
because I need a bit more food after that filetto al
cognac (fillet of beef flambe).

 

 

100 PLACES EVERY WOMAN SHOULD GO.

By Stephanie Elizondo Griest, published by Travelers’ Tales, Palo Alto, 853 Alma Street, California 94301,
telephone 904-310-6274, www.travelerstales.com.
352 pages, softcover.

“Despite its name, Llanddwyn Island is attached to the mainland in all but the highest tides, so is technically not an island. It is, however, a romantic place with endless coastlines, rolling dunes, sea cliffs, salt marches and mud flats.” And so writes Griest in her new book that “points the way to places of inspiration and enlightenment…”

Some of her European trip tips include champagne tours of France; Lesbos, Greece (Greece’s third largest island); County Mayo, Ireland; Amsterdam; and the Czech Republic, among others.

The book encourages women to see what pleases them: she recounts where to go for ice cream, for the sexiest lingerie, for dancing the tango and even surfing sites, places to swim with sea creatures and famed teahouses: not all of these are in Europe, however. In fact, the list of destinations for these activities are far-ranging.

Why go to Sweden? Well, it is the best place to be a woman, she says, because of the number of women who graduate from college, hold a job, win public office and serve as cabinet members.

Morocco, she says, is a “full throttle assault on the senses and there is no better way to put it.” In Essaouira, Morocco, you should explore its bustling souks “tucked within the whitewashed medina, where surprises await behind every azure door.”

It’s a wide, daunting and thrilling world out there, and we could use a bit of direction, she writes. With a good bit of road dust under her nails, and the years flying by, she says traveling with a reason now seems more important than ever.

After this read, you’ll find out what reasons there are to go to places she describes.

 

 

Venice Pocket Map & Guide,
$8.99 USA; $8.99 Canada.

This is a 2 3/4" wide x 6" 80-page guide with a pull-out map that illustrates Venice's major sights. The tall, slender guidebook fits in your pocket quite easily. The booklet is divided into sections such as Introducing Venice, Venice Area by Area and Practical Information, along with color photographs that show some of Venice's highlights,
including Basilica San Marco and its details.

In the Castello section, the copy reads, "Castello is the largest sestiere of the city. Its industrial hub was the historic Arsenale, where warships were made," and proceeds to tell about churches, historical buildings, streets, bridges and squares, museums and galleries. It even shows the vaporetto (water boat) boarding points in the sestiere.

There is also an index and Phrase Book section. The all-color pull-out map measures 14 1/2" x 11 3/4". This handy book is nicely done and features a laminated cover. Published by Penguin Group USA (DK Publishing).

100 Greatest Trips, $34.95
This 288-page hardbound book is a pleasure to have and to hold.

While divided into U.S. and Canada, the Caribbean, Mexico and South America, Western and Eastern Europe, Africa and the Middle East, Asia, and Australia/New Zealand, our readers will want to concentrate on the locations in Europe.

"Europe's Most Livable City," reads one chapter on Zurich. There are two sides to Nice, France, reads another section, and proceeds to tell you about them. This all-color hardbound is a good, easy read and features great photography, as you'd expect from a Travel & Leisure publication.

In Rome, try Cafe de Paris or Harry's bar, two of the featured spots in this book. In Greece, the cosmopolitan Cycladic Island has a history of wild nightlife. Not a guide book, per se, this 8 1/2 x 11" title offers snippets of good reading and "seeing" of locations.

Croatia, Poland's Krakow (Cool Central), and Christmas in St. Petersburg are also highlighted. At the rear of the book is a section that highlights hotels, dining experiences and other attractions in the countries mentioned. Travel & Leisure
(www.travelandleisure.com/guides/)

Teach Me German...and More German, $29.95
Taking your children to the Germanic lands soon?

This two-pack of softcover 8 1/2 x 11" books--plus a CD with German songs--is one way to get your children involved in the language before you go.

Each book is full of drawings and words to songs that you and your child can look at and read as you play the songs on the CD. Songs featured include Stille Nacht, Heilige Nacht; Ringalayoi; Marias suBes kleines Lamm; and Oh! Susanna. Translations of the songs are located at the rear of each book.

The publishing company sells language books for French, Spanish and Italian, as well as for other languages as well. This is a clever way to get the kids to learn a foreign language! Teach Me Tapes, Inc. (www.teachmetapes.com)