Slow Europe

Not so long ago--2001--I would use the AOL travel boards to find advice from fellow travelers as we planned trips abroad--Europe, Africa, China, and the Americas. But, in 2001 a new player appeared on the internet and soon became the preeminent voice for traveling in Italy--eventually this voice branched out to other parts of Europe and the world, but, Italy continued to be the engine.

The force behind this venture which was called Slow Travel was Pauline Kenny. She advanced the concept that traveling slow, savoring a locality, settling in and "getting the feel" of people and life was far better than rushing through a country or countries, always remaining a stranger to any understanding of the places passed through in the quest to "see it all."

When Pauline started Slow Travel it was a very basic site--somewhat amateurish and simple; however, in the years that followed its inception, it transitioned into a highly polished, sophisticated resource for unbiased information provided by everyday people who traveled and wanted to share their learnings. Advice ranged from the best place to drop off a car in Rome to wonderful places to rent for a week and, most importantly, the best gelateria in just about any village in Italy. In this process, great virtual friendships have been established that often end up with real life meetings.

Ken, Casey and I have met many of these Slow Travel friends over the years. The year we lived in Italy many visited us in Greve--always a highlight experience for us. Usually it was just to share lunch or dinner at a local trattoria or an excursion into Florence for a meal and some shared museum trekking. Being good friends, although only virtual until the meeting, they often brought with them important items--Fruit Loops and Captain Crunch for Casey, maple syrup from Canada, brown sugar, skittles and other hard to find things in Italian stores. Without exception our time with these people who went out of their way to share with us was wonderful--good, kind, fun people. They came from Australia, Canada, England and around the United States. Now, they are all our friends with whom we communicate and sometimes see again at gatherings here at home. When we were in D.C. for the inauguration in January, we had dinner with 16 of us--at a restaurant owned by a fellow Slow Traveler.

We have traveled to places just to meet new friends. Ann and Paul in Hawaii have become close and dear to us. A friend in D.C. who goes by Chiocciola (snail in English) has developed a close relationship with Casey. She entertained him for an evening while we were there so that Ken and I could have dinner alone. Chiaro in Canada adores Casey and encourages him in his reading and school achievements. It is not unusual for people who are passing through San Diego to contact us and make dinner dates. I could fill pages with such vignettes. Life has been enriched by my friend Pauline's vision and creation.

Almost two years ago Pauline sold Slow Travel. It is not unusual when someone has a vision for something new and brings that vision to fruition to then move on to the next thing. Challenges dissipate and grow old sometimes and so to keep alive, new challenges are created.

All of this leads up to giving accolades to Pauline's new venture and inviting you to sample it--Slow Europe promises to be as rewarding as her first.

Although this has similarities to Slow Travel it is different. At this point, it does not have a message board and I don't think that Pauline plans on one--but, since all evolves, who knows what will happen in the future. Currently the focus is on vacation rentals, tips for traveling in Europe, traveler reviews, and more. There will be greater focus on Great Britain along with the continent. I have no doubt that its future is as bright as its older sister. Check it out and sign up as a member.