Europe

If you plan to visit Ukraine (to watch Euro 2012, for example), you will surely face some important questions: how to get there, where to spend the night and of course what to eat and drink.

Meanwhile all concerning transport, accommodation and places of interest is studied thoroughly and described in lots of guides, there is a lack of information about national cuisine. It is really bad, as Ukrainian cuisine is worth trying it. There is not only mysterious “salo” and strong vodka, but a great variety of delicious, sometimes exotic dishes as well.
So what to do if you have no open friend in Ukraine who is ready to become your “cuisine guide”?

Well, you have 3 options:
● find international fast-foods, have all meals there and leave the country without any precious experience;
● visit expensive national restaurants and take a chance to order weird dishes, strange drinks and pay a lot of money for that at the same time being puzzled with your stomach reaction;
● simply use the illustrated “Ukrainian cuisine guide” written especially for someone like you!

This guide is a result of mutual research of a Ukrainian writer Nikita Lysytskiy and two of his friends: Val Shoss (Seattle, US) and Helen Smirnoff (Bournemouth, UK), who visited Ukraine in 2011 and spent a lot of time testing Ukrainian cuisine.
Thanks to them, all the dishes and drinks in this book are presented from a tourist’s point of view. It is written by people who first had no idea about Ukrainian cuisine, but then learned it entirely.

“Ukrainian cuisine guide” will show you:
• national soups
• salads
• popular cold and hot appetizers
• meat and fish dishes
• traditional alcoholic and soft drinks
• Ukrainian desserts

You will learn not only details of every dish and approximate prices for it, but also how it looks like. We illustrated all articles with descriptive photos for you to be sure you get the same meal you order.

This book highlights all components of dishes, as well as how-to-prepare guide. It lists all ingredients of any dish you order and helps to avoid unpleasant surprises. As well the book will show you how to cook Ukrainian food at home.

Ukrainian cuisine is one of the most variable and juicy in the whole world. Illustrated “Ukrainian cuisine guide” will let you enjoy all tastes safely and help to come back home full-fed and healthy. Do not forget that some dishes may be unusual and even dangerous for your stomach. So we suggest you to buy “Ukrainian cuisine guide”, come to Ukraine and discover its flavors with safety

It began with a girl. Then it was Italian food. After that it was books and discovering that even Mark Twain had fallen for Italy. E.M. Forster was smitten too: Love and understand the Italians, for the people are more marvelous than the land.

What is it about Italy and Italians?

Italian movies immortalize the mystique. Fellini called it La Dolce Vita. Tornatore's Cinema Paradiso took James Shaw back to the sweet memories of his childhood and the Italian family who operated the hometown theater. And just like in the movie, young James had an Alfredo who, by example, taught him about serving people.

James learned that Italians don't feel they're special. Luigi Barzini, author of The Italians, repeatedly asked, Why are we the way we are? and found no conclusive answer.

But James was convinced there was a reason why the Renaissance was born in Tuscany and Italy has given the world Saint Francis, Michelangelo, da Vinci, Galileo and now Benigni, whose film Life Is Beautiful showed the world that the Italian zest for living can even make a heaven of a hell.

And so, after a lifetime of thinking about Italy James became convinced that the way to find out why Italians are the way they are, would be to eat with them at their kitchen tables. Day after day he picked their olives and the Italians began treating him like family. And James began seeing their unique human quality that attracts people to Italy and keeps pulling them back again and again.

But the story doesn't end in the olive groves of Tuscany. To discover the heart of Italian life, James had to travel back to World War II Italy.

An Italian Journey will inspire you to follow your passions, your enthusiasms, to your own Beautiful Discoveries.

Bella Scoperta!

Vintage Murder is set in Paris and Bordeaux, France. It takes you behind the scenes of high stakes diplomacy, and into the shadow world of ETA terrorism. The author, William Shepard, is a former career diplomat who served as Consul General in Bordeaux. He has created a new genre in thrillers, the “diplomatic mystery,” stories set in American Embassies abroad. Vintage Murder is the first in the series of four “diplomatic mysteries” which have appeared to date.

In Vintage Murder, American diplomat Robbie Cutler witnesses the murder of America’s leading wine critic at a vintage dinner at the Willard Hotel in Washington. Returning to the Consulate in Bordeaux, he is threatened by the Basque ETA, “the last active terrorist network in Western Europe.” A love story ensues, set against the scenic glories of France, as the lovely Sophie Marceau, a journalist, helps Cutler discover that the Washington murder is linked with terrorist threats against Bordeaux’s famous vineyards. They explore the wine regions of Bordeaux, attend a reception at storied Château Margaux, and visit Lourdes, Montségur, and the prehistoric Caves at Lascaux,.

Robbie Cutler and Sylvie Marceau must stop the ETA killers, and the stakes are raised with the visit of a prominent United States Senator of Basque origin. He and Robbie Cutler are both targeted for assassination, in a thrilling conclusion that takes place in the storied wine city of St. Emilion. And you will be present at a special dinner reception at the American Embassy in Paris, as you match wits with Robbie – and the ETA.

*****

“Bill Shepard’s first thriller combines diplomacy, terrorism and high stakes politics. He knows the Basque country thoroughly. A great read!” – Paul Laxalt, former United States Senator.

“Bill Shepard and I served as diplomats in France, he as Consul General in Bordeaux, and his knowledge of that region – the intrigues, the relationships, the people - is encyclopedic. He has adroitly used this knowledge to weave a fascinating story. If you like Bordeaux wine, read Vintage Murder. – Evan Galbraith, former United States Ambassador to France

“London has Sherlock Holmes and now Washington has its first diplomatic sleuth, Robbie Cutler. Learn about embassy life from an expert, as you enjoy Bill Shepard’s diplomatic mystery.” – F.A. “Tex” Harris, former President, American Foreign Service Association

Just in time for St Patrick's Day Sean Healy brings you 43 Irish Drink Recipes and 38 Irish Toasts and Blessings. Sean lived with family members in Dublin for one year and immersed himself in the Irish pub culture. His favorite pub was Mulligan's at Poolbeg Street where he communed with the spirit of Irish writer James Joyce, one of Mulligan's more famous customers.

In addition to the Irish Drink recipes and Toasts & Blessings, Sean shares what St. Patrick's Day is like in Dublin, what the Irish themselves drink on St. Patrick's Day and what they eat for their holiday dinner. You'll learn the proper way to drink a Guinness® Draught and what a Bacon Butty is!

Sean also includes 38 Irish toasts and blessings that you can use on St. Patrick's Day to toast your friends and family.

If you're looking for both traditional and modern drink recipes for St. Patrick's Day or the rest of the year this is the book for you!

Here's a sampling of just some of the recipes in the book.

Traditional Irish Drinks:
* Irish Coffee - Traditional
* Irish Whiskey Punch
* Irish Whiskey Punch with Honey
* Scalteen for One
* Scalteen with Honey and Butter

Saint Patrick's Day Cocktails
* Bushmills® Irish Buck Cocktail
* Caruso
* Dancing Leprechaun
* Dublin Handshake
* Emerald Isle
* Everybody's Irish Cocktail
* Green Dublin
* Green Mist Cocktail
* Irish Ale Cocktail
* Irish Angel
* Irish Boilermaker
* Irish Brogue
* (And Many More)

Saint Patrick's Day Shooters
* Irish Flag
* Irish Frog
* Shamrocked
* The Nutty Irishman Shooter

Saint Patrick's Day Non-Alcoholic Drinks
* Fizzing Irishman
* Green Irish Eyes
* Irish Rose
* Nash's Red Lemonade
* Shillelagh
* St. Patrick's Day Party Punch

Travel hacking describes exploring the world on a budget and using personal connections, social technology and promotions to see more for less. Explore the beauty, culture and events of Norway on a budget with The Travel Hacking Guide to Norway.

This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery.

See Paris like a local with this 3-day itinerary.

If you're a newcomer to Paris and are looking to make the most of your three days in the City of Lights, or if you're a long-time Paris-lover trying to find some secret spots on foot, this itinerary is for you!

Over the course of your three day walking tour itinerary, you'll discover several famous sites and museums, including the home of Monet's water lilies, Napoleon's tomb, the Arc de Triomphe and, of course, the Eiffel Tower. However, you'll also be offered some secret spots from a Paris local, including:
** Great restaurants that are off the beaten track,
** A local Paris food market,
** A hidden church in the north of the city,
** Great (and often inexpensive!) Paris shopping,
** Much more!

Paris is a great city for walking, and this guide is written with helpful maps that allow you to get the most of the city. Of course, there is always the option to take public transportation, something that is clearly marked over the course of the itinerary, but if you're looking to explore Paris on foot and discover some of her secrets on your own, look no further.

This guide includes several 1-3 hour walking tour itineraries, complete with options for shopping and food, of the following areas:
** The Latin Quarter and the banks of the Seine
** Saint-Germain-des-Près
** Batignolles
** Montmartre
** Buttes-Chaumont
** the Marais

The goal of this itinerary is to allow you to see Paris like a local -- on foot! We've also included other cultural ideas and ways for you to feel more like a true Parisian, such as:
** participating in the French traditions of apéritif and digestif
** shopping options that won't leave you broke... or with the same things that everyone buys in Paris
** restaurants where the menus are in French, the waiters are French, and the other customers are French
** beautiful residential neighborhoods to wander
** tons of local tips to leave you feeling informed along the way!

Below, you'll find a sample of the 3-day itinerary. The actual document will contain photos and maps.

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Notre Dame – 9:30am – 11:00am
Price: Free
Duration: 1.5 hours
Hours: 8:00am – 6:45pm (weekends until 7:15pm)
Address: 6, parvis Notre-Dame

The Cathedral of Notre-Dame is one of Paris' most visited monuments... probably because it's free! The church, built in 1163, is famous for its Rose Windows as well as its gargoyles, a key element in Victor Hugo's masterpiece, Notre-Dame de Paris, or The Hunchback of Notre-Dame.

Religious scholars (or former Catholic school students) will recognize Bible and religious stories inscribed all over the interior and exterior walls of the cathedral. A few to note: the assumption of Mary into Heaven over the entrance on the far left; the statue of St-Denis, one of the patron saints of Paris, holding his own head sits below, the third statue in from the left. Inside, you'll find the famous Rose Windows, as well as the beautiful organs. A schedule of free concerts is available at the information booth by the entrance for those who would like to hear it played.
Local’s Tip: Be sure to stop in the chapel housing three to-scale replicas of the cathedral, at the eastern end of the cathedral (the furthest end from the entrance and exit doors): two were commissioned by the cathedral, and one was given as a gift by a gastroenterologist who makes to-scale models as a hobby.
Be sure to visit the outside of the cathedral as well: as you exit, turn left and walk through the park that runs along the side and rear of the cathedral.
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