The Intentional Tourist
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Mengucci: The Intentional Tourist [TRAVEL TIPS] AS YOU'LL FIND. So WHEN ON THE obert Kane has stayed at Britain's He suggests that, when in Switze rland, Grand Hotel, but he recommends one take the train. against it. "A single expletive- Wow l- is in order "The Grand Hotel has not, in for the Swiss train system. It embraces a my unhappy experience, proved very 3, 107-mile network that sees it speed grand," he writes. "Enviably well-situated through rolling countryside, climb steep and impressively venerable (it goes back a mountains, zoom through tunnels as long century), it seems tired. Refurbishings not as 12 miles (the Simplon), and- inevitably withstanding, corridors need paint; and at journey's end, if my not inconsiderable the restaurant at breakfast wants a more experience is typical- arrive at the destina appetizing buffet and supervised staff. r tion station on the minute. T hi s is a brilliantly would hope, too, for an offer of a bellman e ngineered, impeccably maintained, effi at check-in, for heavy baggage; a room ciently operated system right up there with doorlock that worked without having to the other E uropean rail road leaders, the call fo r staff help to effect entry; a toilet F rench and the Germans. You may travel that flushed properly; a hall porter who virtually everywhere by train." would smile and provide requested infor In Spain, you'll find relief in the shower. mation on train departures; a switchboard "My hat is off to the Spanish plumbing that would come through with an asked industry. Bathrooms of Spanish hotels, lux for wake-up call; and a bedside lamp with ury to budget, are invariably equipped with a bulb strong enough to read by." the kind of showers Americans li ke: MARY ELLEN MENGUCCI is an associate editor ofSyracuse University Magazine. She profiledphot ographer William Coupon for our September / 990 issue. Published by SURFACE, 1991 1 Syracuse University Magazine, Vol. 7, Iss. 3 [1991], Art. 8 attached to the wall, with a wide nozzle. population-in France And shower curtains- so often absent in than in any other country. Continental European hotels, where show Certain restaurants deny ers are attached to rubber hoses that run them entry, but they go wild when turned on." shopping with masters and And when in France, along with those mistresses, and rare is the ho great sights and romantic accents, one can't tel in France that does not help noticing les chims. have special rates pour les ani "Although they do not vote (at least, to maux. I have yet to meet a my knowledge), dogs come close to being French dog that I did not like full-fledged French citizens. I have no fig (they are invariably friendly and ures, but there simply has to be a higher quite prepared to charm the pants proportion of dogs-vis-a-vis the human off you). Which is not to say they all have been properly trained. Caveat: Watch where you walk." t's a Thursday afternoon in December I and Robert Kane is sitting in his New York City apartment, chatting modestly about his 25-plus years as a rravel writer. He mentions some of his recent and upcoming excursions- Britain, Mexico, Washington, D.C., Spain, and Hong Kong-but he can squeeze no more from his memory. "Those are rhe major trips, anyway," he says matter of facrly. Ir can be difficult to remember every trip when you travel for a living. Soon, he's expounding on, of all things, packing a suitcase. H e always uses a com parrmentless, 26-inch bag (made by a Cali fornia firm called rhe French Company, to be exact). Inside he packs his suitcoars, shirrs, and trousers as flar as possible. Heal ways includes a sweater, in case of in clement weathe r. Kane neatly rolls his neckties and places rhem with his shoes, notebooks, maps, and orher belongings in- his rrick-separare clear bags. This en ables him to locare irems quickly, and helps to keep his bag organized and his clothes wrinkle-free. T hough h e has a sysrem down par, he readily admirs his dislike for rhe task. "I loarhe packing," he says, rolling his eyes. He particularly dislikes preparing for trips rhat require several rypes of clothing for sundry weather conditions and acrivi ries- dress clothes and beachwear, shorrs and swearers, heavy coars and lighr jackets. "For instance, when I leave for my trip to Spain this week-when is rhat?" he a sks himself and rhen answers. "Oh, my, rhar's Robett Kane, photographed in his Man hattatt ap{lttlllmt, is more likely to be elsewhere. His career as a travel wtiter draws him to the four comers ofth e eatth. One moment he's here, and the next he's not. tomorrow. I guess I'd better ger packing." https://surface.syr.edu/sumagazine/vol7/iss3/8 M A R C H I 9 9 I • 33 2 Mengucci: The Intentional Tourist Whoops. Robert Kane can momentarily ent restaurant (sometimes in jacket and cover) for identification. "Otherwise," he forget an overseas trip the way you forget tie), even when he might prefer to do some says, "I find that they may think you're a your dry cleaning. But it's to his credit, be thing else (lie on the beach and skip lunch, nut or that you're going to blow the place cause those many, many years in the field for example). "Every restaurant and every up." In addition, Kane carries his press iden only enhance his ability to tell it like it is. meal is planned in advance. And each one tification cards and, in some cases, a letter His jetting from continent to continent has counts," he says. from the appropriate tourism bureau, with made him anything but blase about which he works closely in most countries. travel-rather a keen observer and critic. ust exactly how does one make a living When Kane dines at a restaurant or cafe, He knows nearly every trick of the travel Jwriting about other places? In Kane's he does so anonymously. Usually, he says, trade-where to go, what to see, and how to case, it means traveling approximately "They don't know who I am until the end best spend time and money. four months a year, usually in economy of the meal when I ask if I can take the in At first glance, Kane's job- writing class (like most of his readers). It means terior of the menu with me." This way he books and articles about faraway places and reading no more than the headlines when feels he receives the same type of service adventurous lands-seems glamorous, even an airplane crashes. It helps if you're bilin that one of his readers is apt to experience. romantic. It's a lifestyle many of us dream gual-Kane speaks French and some Span All this eating can put on the pounds, about. ish, though he admits it's no longer a neces though, so Kane rarely samples more than Kane runs into people like us all the sity for the average traveler. It means occa one dessert a day, and often eats only one or time, and he finds himself gently remind sional flight delays and lost luggage. It two courses at a restaurant. "And of course, ing us that what he does is indeed work. means thorough research and planning in this business, you walk a great deal. It "When you meet somebody new, who is prior to a trip-even paying bills in ad helps some," he says in a resigned manner. not in the business, they say, 'Oh, what a vance. And once Kane reaches his destina "It doesn't help as much as it should." fabulous job. Gee it must be great fun.' I do tion, it means visiting, staying, inspecting, To keep track of all his discoveries, Kane enjoy my work," Kane admits. "It's very or dining at each place he writes about. carries several pocket-size notebooks with satisfying and I am very pleased with the The nature of Kane's job requires him to him on each trip, and fills them with notes. books . ... But it is hard work, whether move frequently, sometimes at a whirlwind Whenever he can, he jots notes directly on you're writing a cookbook, or a novel, or pace, to provide his readers with as much a menu, hotel brochure, or a museum this kind of book." information as he can about accommoda guidebook. This, he says, makes the sorting In fact, Kane, like any other person tions in a particular area. "Three days in a and writing process a little easier when he working for a living, experiences days when hotel is a great luxury. I try to stay two-night returns home to begin work on a book. he'd rather not work at all. "You may want stands. I hate to stay one-night stands," he to say, 'Oh, I don't want to bother with says with a chuckle. orn in Albany, New York, Kane had lunch today,' or 'I'll just have a When Kane inspects a hotel other than Btraveled relatively little until World sandwich."' But because Kane's one where he is staying, he generally asks War II and the Navy interrupted his time in each location is limit the assistant manager on duty to provide studies at SU and took him to Hawaii and ed, he must eat every him with a tour.