Traveling SLOW

Many of you know me today because we 'met' years ago on the Slow Travel website/forum.  While many of you remain virtual friends, I can't begin to count the number of real, solid, up-close-and personal friendships we've made because of ST.  Although Pauline sold ST many years ago, the site remained active, but experienced a gradual decline as many of us joined Pauline's new site, SLOW EUROPE.  Many of us also continued our friendships via social media, most specifically Facebook.  Eventually Slow Travel shut down, but the friendships remain.

Right now we're staying with our best friend in Italy.  We originally met her through a recommendation from someone on the ST message board, back in 2002.  We just had dinner with friends we met through ST, and later became friends with via the Expats In Italy site, which is also now gone.  In addition to the friendships, I can't begin to tell you how much valuable advice and insider information we've gained over the years.

Any time I have a question about travel to Europe, SLOW EUROPE is my first stop.  Whether I'm looking for restaurant suggestions for Rome, day trip ideas from London, or suggestions about where to base in France, the people on the SE forum always come through for me, often suggesting things I would never have found in a guide book.  Right now I'm researching for 2018, throwing around ideas about possible itineraries.  I feel like I'm thinking out loud, narrowing down my choices based on the experiences of others.  While every suggestion might not make it into my final plans, every suggestion made is what helps make my final plan my own, because I've had so many different ideas to choose from.

Here are just a few photos of places we've discovered, thanks to our slow travelin' friends:

St Cirq la Popie, France



Trulli in Alberobello, Italy



Vineyards in Barolo, Italy



Interior of La Sagrada Familia, Barcelona Spain