Europa low cost, di Marina Gersony

Come non segnalare questo libro? Trovato per caso, me lo sono regalato per Natale.

Viaggiatori raffinati, manager, globe-trotter, signore agées e adolescenti on the road: sono sempre di più le persone che scelgono di spostarsi all'insegna del prezzo stracciato ma senza sacrificare la qualità, anzi. Merito del low cost, il grande "democratizzatore" che ha rivoluzionato il modo di muoversi: se prima si sceglieva la meta e solo dopo si decideva come arrivarci, oggi si tende a fare il contrario: si valutano le località in base alle offerte del mercato e si parte all'avventura. Ecco finalmente la guida su misura per tutti i turisti non convenzionali che vogliono trascorrere qualche giorno di vacanza risparmiando sul volo per poi "rifarsi" in un ristorante o in un albergo "comme il faut". Scritto da una giornalista che ha girato l'Europa in lungo e in largo raccogliendo interventi di grandi scrittori, giornalisti, amici, personaggi famosi e non, un libro ricco di tutto quello che le altre guide non dicono. Dalla Berlino "visiva" di una fotografa, alla Budapest segreta dello scrittore, dalla passeggiata più suggestiva di Bratislava, al percorso spirituale di un sufi a Madrid, dalla Parigi buddista di un lama ai ristoranti più "in" di Leeds. Di ogni città ecco luoghi e indirizzi assieme ad aneddoti e suggestioni. "Europa low cost" é il primo libro che sposa una nuova filosofia di viaggio in grado di rendere il mondo ancora pili accessibile e vicino.

Su BOL e su IBS.

Stockholm

a couple of days in the swedish capital.

Trains: if you book online in advance you can have very good prices.

Subway (T-BANA): it is a labyrinth! Not the subway itself but all the galleries leading to it. The trains are extremely long, so sometimes you end up in a different place than where you wanted to be! Some stations are way underground (more than 100 metres...).

Hotels often have a weekend fare which is much lower.

Café Opera. Very nice dinner though a bit expensive. I had raindeer which I love and is quite impossible to find in Italy. At about 23.00 the place transforms into a club and people start dancing. Very chic.

Nice the one hour trip on the boat with commentary (you can choose the language). It leaves from near the grand hotel, in front of the King's castle.

Must see the Gamla Stan (island with the King's castle)

When I arrived it was raining/snowing. The next day all the walkways were covered with ice! Ouch! Be careful...

Dubliner's. Well what to say, a classic Irish pub (why didn't I go to Ireland instead?!?!). Wonderful Kilkenny draught (one of my favourite beers) and a nice surprise. I now have three new swedish friends: they saw me eating alone and they invited me to join their table. Very nice evening. Note that timing is quite different from south Europe, I got in at 5 pm for dinner (jumped the lunch...) and out after a few (ehm) beers at 8.30 pm. At 5 that place was already crowded!!

.T E R R A N O S T R A.

I am in Stockholm, Sweden, on a free day after a day of work in Norrkoping. It's a bad period for me. I am very sad 'cause my two years long love story has come to an end. It happened last week, I don't know if it's finally over or not yet, but anyway I've never felt so bad before. I am alone in a European capital and time is like frozen, I spend every second of the day thinking about her. Now I am in my hotel room so many kilometres from home with whatever attraction out of the door and instead of visiting the city I decided to start this blog, TERRANOSTRA, our earth. Hoping that this helps moving my thoughts away. What I want to do with this blog is to write about some of the experiences I and my friends live in the places we visit, just to give hints to other visitors. It won't be a guide, just a colllection of hints. I will start by publishing the notes collected by my friend Gabriele after the marvellous holiday to Skiathos in 2001. Then other things will follow.

Davide