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Terroir Tours - November 2023

Terroir Tours - November 2023

November 08, 2023

Be Prepared

Lisbon - April 2023

Earlier this year, Lauren and I decided to do a recon mission to Portugal in preparation for our 2024 Pride of Portugal tour. I arrived a day early, my partner in crime due the next day from London. At this point in my life, I’ve explored a few countries and I’m feeling pretty good about myself and my preparedness walking out of Humberto Delgado Airport.

Portugal is the westernmost point of Europe and the country is roughly the size of Indiana. It’s only 6 hours from Philadelphia so after a quick overnight flight, I hit the ground running. I needed a ride to my hotel, which was conveniently located in the city center, no problem. I recognized the queue forming outside for taxis and while waiting, I noticed the signs indicating that Uber was not permitted.

I’m up next and hustle to a sporty red four door. A young woman with long dark hair helps me lift my bag into the truck, then I walk around and get in the back seat.

“The Emerald Hotel, please?” I say as I scramble to get situated. The driver looks at me confused and shakes her head.

“Do you speak english?” I ask.

She continues to shake her head.

Ok, no problem, I’ve been here before. Fortunately, we all have iPhones. I reach for mine, only 7 percent juice.

Fortunately, I have my power bank fully charged, again, I scramble around the back seat. The driver was incredibly patient and possibly somewhat amused.

“You” she holds out her phone, google maps already engaged. I typed in the Emerald Hotel, and we’re off.

Why was that so hard? Now feeling a bit less confident than before, I chalk it up to lack of sleep and no coffee. The sun's shining, windows are down and I settle in for the 20 minute ride. I remember being impressed with the modern infrastructure and overall cleanliness of the highways and interchanges. Also, if you enjoy graffiti and street art as much as I do, this is your spot!

I tend to be chatty when I travel, especially when I meet a local who might give me some good tips. Although my first attempt was unsuccessful, I decided maybe my high school Spanish might come in handy and try to strike up a casual conversation. It turns out Spanish and Portuguese have very little in common. Perhaps I’ll just sit quietly and charge my phone.

We arrive at the hotel and I go to pay the driver. I retrieve my wallet and produce my credit card,

No cards, only cash.

This is actually a problem because I don’t have any euros yet. Ok, think… I need an ATM. I always remind our guests and travelers with Terroir Tours, “be sure you have your debit card so you can access cash if you need it while we’re in Europe.”

I explain the situation to the driver, sort of. She’s very patient, undoubtedly she’s heard this one before. Not to worry, she indicates that there's an ATM not far, nice!

She drives a couple of blocks and I get out, retrieve my wallet… before leaving home, in an attempt to travel light, I emptied my wallet and brought only the essentials. Driver’s License, Priority Pass card, 2 credit cards… but no debit card? Now I’m beginning to feel uncomfortable and a bit embarrassed.

Once again, I explain and ask to return to The Emerald House.

Upon arrival, I graciously thanked my driver and asked her to please, “una momento?”

She nods so I jump out the car and enter the hotel, through the revolving door, then take a right to the front desk.

After a brief introduction, I explain to the receptionist that while I’m not even yet a guest of the hotel, I do have a reservation and in addition, I’m going to need 30 euros cash right now in order to pay my driver, please? Fortunately, the bartender on duty was happy to accommodate me (we later paid him back in spades!) I hurried out to pay the driver, collect my bag, check in and it seemed like I was back on track.

For me, taking a walking tour in an old European city, led by a local, is one of my favorite things to do, period. I’m so curious and always learn a lot. Today, I’m scheduled for a tour with a small group in the Bairro Alto neighborhood of Lisbon.

I spotted the red umbrella, and the small group of 7 or so gathered beneath the statue in the center of the piazza.

“Hi, I’m Jake.”

After a quick ID check, the walking tour of Lisbon began.

During the tour, I learned about the incredible history of the country. While most of western europe was arguing over religion, Portugal and Spain decided quickly, ‘we’re catholics’ and moved on. Together the two countries ruled the world for a couple hundred years (This begins to explain why they speak Portuguese in Brazil). That was until the infamous earthquake of 1775.

Walking the streets you feel like you're been thrown back in time. Colorful handmade tile covers every building's facade. The sidewalks are made of cobble stone marble. They're stunning and they're so old and slippery that it’d become a national debate whether or not it might be time to take them up. Lisbon reminded me of San Francisco in terms of the coastal vibe and the steep hills throughout the city. It’s definitely a challenge walking the streets. Fortunately, I noticed several fleets of tuk tuks, almost like golf carts, that whisk travelers through the most dramatic streets, weaving in and out, up and down.

Then, we meandered down a dark, uneven stairway into my favorite neighborhood of Lisbon, Alfama. Here, the old traditions of homemade Ginja and live Fado music remain part of daily life.

My guide Eduardo was fantastic, I plan to hook back up with him for my return tour next spring. We ended with a fresh, classic pastry of Lisbon, the Pastel de Nata.

Although this was a “Free Walking Tour”, it’s expected that each member of the tour tips the guide. Again I go for my wallet and remember, I have no cash. I decided to hang back and wait for everyone to disperse before revealing to my guide that I could not pay. We chatted for a bit and I got his contact info... And the qr code for his paypal. Finally, I asked him for a recommendation for lunch. He suggested a small, local place, about a quarter mile walk. Perfect!

I arrived at the small taverna and it was quite busy with locals, always a good sign. The host pointed to a table and presented a menu. The energy was high, it’s the lunch shift. Servers and patrons danced back and forth and no one spoke english. I tried to decipher the menu, then quickly recognized a local specialty, Sardinhas Grelhadas. I pointed, smiled and added “Una Super Bock.”

The sardines were fresh and delicious. Served with a few boiled potatoes and a cold beer, it was just what the doctor ordered.

After a second beer, I asked for a bottle of water for the road and the bill. I present my card,

“Apenas a dinheiro.”

SHOOT!

I’ve been here for four hours and I owe three people money!

I’ll be back in Portugal with my friends this spring leading 2 -10 day tours of Lisbon, Sentra, Porto and the Douro Valley… and we now have 2 seats available! Follow us for more details!

Tuscany - October 2018

Picture it, San Quirico, 2018. A small hilltop village in the heart of Tuscany. We arrive in our rented fiat and check in at a local bed and breakfast. The area is so small, that while Lauren was getting ready for the evening out, I had time to meander through the entire town. I found a little wine bar that I thought we might check out later, then, I grabbed some flowers and 2 beers on my way back to our room.

I love being there in October. The leaves are turning colors, it’s beginning to get cool in the evenings and the tourists are all long gone. In addition, this was a Tuesday so the quaint little village is eerily quiet.

We wander the maze, ducking into the nooks and crannies, the buildings are centuries old. Across a small courtyard, our path opens onto a classic piazza. I remember the sound of the church bells ringing and the chatter from the group of old men gathered by a fountain.

She’s hungry and I’m thirsty so we circle back to the little wine bar I spotted earlier. I open the door and we enter, it’s a small place, half the size of Rioja. There’s one guy working, he’s serving wine, making food and he’s very excited - he’s basically the Italian Jake! We warm up to each other immediately, although we have quite a bit of trouble communicating. I attempt to convey to Luca that I also work in the wine business, at a wine bar in fact. He wants to know if I’m familiar with any of his wines and we explore the shelves together. I don’t recognize many of the labels, a wonderful collection of small producers from Montalcino, San Gimignano and surrounding areas. “However, I do recognize that one!” I pointed and smiled at the bottle proudly perched at the top of the shelf (with multiple vintages).

Biondi-Santi is a producer, possibly THE producer to know when it comes to Brunello di Montalcino. The sangiovese based wine from the heart of Tuscany is ubiquitous among showy collections and legendary among old school wine aficionados. The family were among the first to establish the traditions of the area, an area which now permanently resides on the ulta short list of world-wide wine royalty.

I’ve never tasted the wine, I just said I’d heard of it.

We sit with Luca and enjoy the anonymity of the small Italian countryside. We tasted a selection of recommended wines and enjoyed a couple of his small plates. No one else in the bar (there are 7 of us including the two French guys outside) is speaking English and we’re having a wonderful time. Our friend pours a second flight of wines that he likes, wines from the area, of course! Another couple joined our small tasting and the two Frenchmen eventually joined us, too.

“Luca,” I waved him over.

“I - would - like - purchase - a - bottle - … to share… with everyone.” I attempt to request, pointing and using broken english for some reason.

Of course, he knew what to do, opened the sparkling rose I selected and poured a glass for each member of our group. I offered a humble toast and we continued the lively conversation.

Then, I noticed one of the Frenchmen, Olivier, whispering to Luca, in Italian I think.

“Oh shit!” Have I offended them?

Olivier points to the bottle on the top shelf and Luca goes to retrieve it.

“No, not that one, that one,” Olivier instructs.

All of a sudden, things have escalated and we’re drinking the 2010 Biandi Santi Brunello di Montalcino in a small Tuscan wine bar with strangers on a Tuesday. Next thing you know, here comes Luca shaving his secret stash of white truffles over toasted bread with melty fontina, and all's right with the world.

Our heads are spinning with a combination of traveler’s buzz and a little too much wine. It was one of those incredible moments that you can’t plan for and don’t see coming - sometimes that’s the best part of the adventure.

I didn’t want to leave but we didn’t want to overstay our welcome and we're both ready for a big bowl of pasta so we said our goodbyes and headed for the door. But not before we asked our hosts for a recommendation for dinner and I got a selfie of the group to prove to myself later that this really happened!

It’s now dark and quite cool out so we bundle up and head in the general direction of the restaurant that our friends recommended..

“What just happened!?” I said to Lauren as we leaned into each other.

I can remember going on and on about the wine, the people, the truffles… I wanted to know more about the wine, the story, the history, my God that was incredible!

I took out my phone and pulled up the website, Lauren now has her phone out to access google maps. The page opens and I stop in my tracks.

“Honey, you're not going to believe this.” I said.

I show her my screen, then flip back to the selfie from the wine bar, then back to the website. There’s Olivier, prominently featured - he’s the CEO of Biondi-Santi.

No one in the bar mentioned it and he never said a word. I’m sure he knew I was going to tell this story for the rest of my life to anyone that would listen!

I Travel to Learn About the World:

Rebuttals and Reactions: Greensboro News & Record

11 July - 2023

Regarding Froma Harrop's July 6 column:

Do we really need to travel? Yes!

The first time I had the opportunity to travel to NYC I was a freshman in college, I flew there to visit my sister over fall break.

A soon as I arrived, I got lost.

I remember the pace of the airport. The smell of the “big city”, cars honking, buses flying past, people shouting.

My senses were heightened. I was intimidated and unsure. I had to figure out how to find my way in an unfamiliar environment.

There’s a difference between tourists and travelers. I’m a traveler. I crave adventure, I look forward to the unexpected and I’m always grateful for the opportunity.

Eventually, I found my way out of LaGuardia, to the East Village and to my sister's 13th St. apartment. During that memorable weekend I had so many firsts. Sushi, MoMa, Trainspotting, and a drag show.

‘Something to look forward to’ is part of the fun. I read menus before I’ve even packed my bags. I can’t imagine how for some folks, visiting (obvious) tourist hotspots like Rome, Barcelona, Dubrovnik or Bar Harbor becomes tedious? Not for me! I’ll take a walking tour, meet some locals to get tips for avoiding the crowds and where to find the best food and drink. All due respect to Shakespere, I recommend Roselind skip Bar Harbor and visit Monhegan Island for an incredible Maine adventure.

And what about the food! If you’re not serious about food, trying the local food, it’s a real problem. You can only have white truffles straight from the ground if you’re in Italy during truffle season and there’s nothing like eating authentic Biltong in the stadium at a South African Rugby match.

I want to have experiences and travel to interesting new places. Damn right I have a list! You should, too! I want to have stories to tell and friends all over the world, you keep your fancy backsplash.

I need to travel because that’s how I learn about the world.

Augustine of Hippo: “The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.”

In loving memory of Mr. Ron Morris