Ratso's Europhile

by Carl Russo

It doesn't look like the U.S.A. will be joining the European Union any time soon, so until that glorious day, I'll keep going to the lands that I love best. Some people dig hiking through the rain forests of South America or meditating on the beaches of the Malay Archipelago. I prefer roaming the stone villages of Roman-based civilizations and experiencing the ways of life around the Mediterranean. In fact, the title of this web site should be changed to "Italophile", or, better, "Siculophile", so drawn am I to Sicily's exotic blend of east and west, ancient and modern.

At the time of this update (August 2008), the US dollar has taken a momentary halt from its freefall. It hasn't grown, really, but the euro has shrunk a bit. Current wisdom has it that average Americans (those regular folks not privy to Bush's elitist tax cuts) cannot travel to Europe. But I'm here to tell you this is an excellent time to go! Tourism is down and deals are to be had everywhere! But choose your destination smartly. London, Paris and Venice will suck your wallet dry, as will popular beach resorts. Be creative, do your homework and have an adventure! Portugal, Romania, Greece (skip the party islands of Santorini and Mykonos) and, of course, Sicily are still cheap. Would you believe that you can find a three-star hotel with breakfast for

35 per person? Or a deluxe agristurismo with multi-course dinner and enormous breakfast for

50 to 65? I did last April!

Some tips for low-budgeters like me. You must prioritize your trips. This means that you must put $80-100 in a box every single week without fail. (If you have credit card debt, you must prioritize paying it off before you even think about travel.) Anything less than two weeks is no vacation--try for a month if you can get the time off. Travel in April, May, September or October--the weather's warm and the prices are lower. Buy your euros on Craigslist for even exchange. Travel lightly with a carry-on suitcase. If you rent a car, select a tiny, fuel efficient model and put it on a credit card that covers the insurance (then pay the bill when you get home).

My top tip: Memorize the most important words and phrases you need beyond "hello", "please", and "thanks". ("Do you have a room with a single/double bed?" "Do you speak English?" "Excuse me." "I'm sorry." "How much?" "Where is the bathroom/bus stop/train station?" "Help! Police!" "now", "morning", "tonight", "tomorrow", "wine", "beer", the numbers 1 through 12, and the days of the week cover the essentials.)

Below are links to my annual European travel/photo essays from the last decade. Be sure to click on the pictures to add the third dimension!

1999: Ratso in Sicily
Jumping off the big boot.

2000: Rat of La Mancha
Spain, Portugal and—ulp!—Morocco.

2001: 9-11 in France
Belle époque, mal époque.

2002: Big Fat Greek Hangover
Robbing the cradle of civilization.

2003: Blackout in Rome
La dolce vita loca.

2004: Sicily: The Sequel
We're All Russo's on this Bus

2005: Italy's Mezzogiorno
Ratz Stopped at Eboli

2006-7: Secret Project Sicily
Bandit Country Jamboree

2008: Project Sicily, continued
Spaghetti Western

2009: Yucatan, Mexico
No Euro: Peso

You can purchase any of the hundreds of photographs in Europhile as a brilliant 5" x 7" print, signed and dated in a white matte to fit any 8" x 10" frame. The internet doesn't do these pics justice (especially the earlier stories' photo-to-digital transfers). You need to see them in full resolution on your wall! Price: $40 shipped USPS Priority. Your money refunded if you don't love it. Transfer the bucks via PayPal to my email address: c_russo@hotmail.com . Don't forget to specify the photo and include your shipping address! You can also send a U.S. money order to:

Carl Russo
P.O. Box 170645
San Francisco, CA
94117

Are you an American planning a trip to Italy for the first time? Better read my travel tips before you go!

Return to HOME PAGE