Posts by Rick Juliusson
Atlas Obscura – The best travel hack for Bordeaux and everywhere
Finding good wine, visiting the impressive National Theater and a few of the 362 historic monuments, walking the vibrant old streets, and putting together a fresh local charcuterie tray for my wife’s breakfast are all easy and obvious things to do in Bordeaux. But to find the odd, quirky surprises, I turned as always to…
Read MoreNice! (France, that is)
When you get invited to Diana Ross’ 170th birthday party in a swanky boutique hotel overlooking the French Riviera, the only possible answer is Yes! My mother Diana turned 80, and her foxy beau Ross turned 90, so they brought us, my brother and Ross’ granddaughter to Nice for a week of luxury, food, a…
Read MoreGenoa Italy and Movie Sites
When Galen found out we were in Genoa Italy, he insisted we visit “the multi-coloured fishing village” but didn’t say why. It wasn’t until we arrived that we immediately recognized it as the beautiful setting for the animated film Luca (fish boy grows legs, rides bike, defeats the town bully…) On the earlier bike ride…
Read MoreRome in a Day
If you were raised in North America in the 70’s, you might remember eagerly plunging your dirty hands down to the bottom of the Kellogg’s cereal boxes to pull out the “Seven Wonders of the World” cards. Tony the Tiger at the Taj Majal or Egyptian pyramids, the Fruit Loops bird nosing a Greek acropolis…
Read MoreCycling “The Wolf’s Lair” in Italy
A week of bikepacking “The Wolf’s Lair” in Italy to celebrate a friend’s 60th birthday? YES! Do I know where the Abruzzo region of Italy is, or who are the other 3 Rugged Men I’ll be sharing meals and beds with, or how to say “Flat Tire” in Italian, or how to ride a bike…
Read MoreRocca Calascio – Italy’s Castle in the Sky
Day One of cycling through the stunning Italian countryside ended at the fairy-tale “Rocca Calascio,” which has been declared one of the 15 most beautiful castles in the world by National Geographic. The first day of any ride is always hard as muscles and mind take time to toughen up. Leaving L’Aquila was particularly gruelling…
Read MoreL’Aquila, Italy
For the next 8 days I’ll be cycling way up in those Abruzzo Mountains of Italy. For now, here’s a quick photo dump from this beautiful city of L’Aquila. It took 6 hours and 3 trains to get here, but oh so worth it! After a devastating 2009 earthquake destroyed much of the town, and…
Read MoreLiving the Legends of Ireland
For a wee tiny nation, Ireland has a huge footprint in global consciousness. In Canada we grew up with Lucky Charms cereal, the Irish Rovers music, leprechauns on 4-leaf clovers, green McDonalds milkshakes for St. Patrick’s Day, and sturdy men in outdoor showers lathered with Irish Spring soap. But a two-week house sit in Schull…
Read MorePerfect Day in Ireland
On a lazy Saturday in County Cork, Ireland, we decided to do a Camino training day by walking 20 kilometers. After a half-hour morning dog walk (not part of the 20 km), we drove half an hour along the coast to hike the 14km Goortdubh Loop out of Goleen. The winding one-track road took us…
Read MoreTurning a House-Sit into a Home
We come through the door timidly, respectfully. The host family welcomes us into Their Space, introduces us to Their Dogs, informs us of how to find and use Their Stuff. They are entrusting Their Precious Home (and animals) to us, their Trusted Housesitters, and in exchange for a free place to stay, our job at…
Read More