Which I can report is wonderful though cold. Great food, great gorgeousness, great people. Thank you, Luis and Maude, for showing us such a great time!
Several people have written to ask what on Earth we are doing galivanting about Europe. I could have sworn that I mentioned why at some point. But here it is again for those what missed it:
We are here to do research for Scott’s next book part of which is set in the European alps. As it involves air ships we went for a ride on a Zeppelin. We also came to attend the Children’s Book Fair in Bologna, to launch Extras in the UK, to get some writing done, to catch up with some of our European-based friends such as Coe Booth, David Moles and Ben Rosenbaum who are all in Basel at the moment, and to eat lots of wondrous food (see poll to your right).
Things learned on the trip so far:
- Dutch publishers hate fantasy, but they love Maureen Johnson.
- Germans ones love fantasy.
- Stephenie Meyer is a Scott Westerfeld fan and has been going out of her way to tell her foreign publishers how much she loves his books. Thank you, Stephenie Meyer!
- Switzerland is INSANELY expensive for tourists. Every menu I looked at I thought there had been a series of bizarre numerical typos. Surely the soup couldn’t be twenty dollars in an ordinary cafe?
- Ben Rosenbaum’s kids are fabulous.
- You can get great vegetarian food that isn’t cheese and noodles anywhere in Europe that isn’t German speaking.1
- Zeppelins are quiet and smooth and the best form of transport other than a bicycle or shank’s pony. You would not believe the views.
- Free wifi is the best thing in the universe. Why are posh hotels so allergic to it?
- Paris remains the most beautiful city I have ever seen.2 Though Bolzano’s pretty gorgeous too. As is Rome and Bologna. And Buenos Aires. And, um, oh nevermind.
And now I must return to having fun in Paris. As you were!
sigh, paris. I hope you’re taking good restaurant notes, because I need some serious recommendations from my favorite foodie.
Yes, Switzerland = expensive. But it sure is beautiful!! Alas…
I’m jealous of the zeppelin ride! Just randomly…is it something anyone can do or did you and Scott set up something special to get a ride? Because that actually isn’t very far away from where I live. Just curious..
Yeah, what is it with the fabulosity of the hotel being inverse to their willingness to provide free internet. Seriously, fancy hotels: keep your bath products and your chocolate on the pillows. I want internet!
I actually found in Vienna (and Prague some years ago) that the only place to get a reasonably priced green (uncooked) salad was at McDonalds. Paris (and Rome) were reliefs.
I love Paris. Once I learned how order a cup of coffee to go I was in heaven. If you get a chance the Luxembourg gardens are beautiful. Enjoy the city.
Ah, Paris! I wish I was there. Stephenies had Scott’s books in her favorites on myspace as long as I can remember. Hm, I’ve never had any of the food in the poll. lol What is a non-chocolate truffle?
Hey Justine, it was sooo great having you and Scott visiting me here in Basel. I still haven’t gotten over how expensive that restaurant was!!! Eek!
Switzerland IS pretty expensive. I mean, the chocolate alone could bankrupt a person… well, maybe just me!
BTW, I’ve been eating all that chocolate you left behind. My thighs are not happy about this! 🙁
Have fun on the rest of your European adventure! See you in NYC on my next go-round!!!
I’d be jealous of all the fun you’re having, but my copy of Magic’s Child just arrived today so I’m er… busy. 😉
Hee, paris! For probably the only time ever you are in the same city as me (I go to college here) 😀 You should have done book events here >.>
Aw…thank you! I made them myself! (The kids.)
(Well, okay, mostly Esther made them. But I contributed to the design.)
(Does this mean you guys will take a shift if I bring them to Wiscon? Just wondering… :-> )
Correction to: You can get great vegetarian food that isn’t cheese and noodles anywhere in Europe that isn’t German speaking.
That’s anywhere in Western Europe. Hungary and the Czech Republic, in my experience, make the German-speaking world look like a salad bar.
Coe, let me know if you need any help finishing off that chocolate…
It was great seeing you guys!
Ben: Does this mean you guys will take a shift if I bring them to Wiscon? Just wondering… :->
Sadly, we won’t be at WisCon . . .
Correction to: “You can get great vegetarian food that isn’t cheese and noodles anywhere in Europe that isn’t German speaking.”
That’s anywhere in Western Europe. Hungary and the Czech Republic, in my experience, make the German-speaking world look like a salad bar.
Not true! Italy and Greece and France have fabbo vegie food. Last time I looked they were in Western Europe.
But, yes, Scott has said we can never go to Eastern Europe because he would starve. He has ruled out Cuba for similar reasons. And is skeptical about Spain. He won’t believe me that they have veggie food there. But surely he should believe Lawrence Schimel who is vegetarian and lives in Madrid?
Sadly, we won’t be at WisCon…
So you said. But Wiscon 2009? 🙂
Last time I looked they were in Western Europe.
Right, I meant “you can get great vegetarian food that isn’t cheese and noodles anywhere in Western Europe”. Including Spain, particularly if you like egg-and-potato pies. But Eastern Europe, not so much. I once biked across Hungary (Budapest to Eger) as a vegetarian. A whole lot of fried veggies from the freezer, the occasional leaf of wilted salad, and sour cherry soup. The sour cherry soup was good.
Ugh…Paris…ick.
I was happy about footnote 2. We natives never really appreciated what we had. Oh, I like the instant review of the comment in real time – very cool.
I was surprised at how well we ate in Zurich last summer. We had just come from Venice (train ride from Venice to Zurich: omg gorgeous), and I wasn’t expecting to enjoy the food as much, but I did.
We’re not vegetarians, which helps. But a block from our hotel there was a vegetarian salad-bar type place that was quite good, where we ate a number of meals. And another block further on there was a posh grocery store with a coffee bar and other accoutrements. (Don’t tell the Feds, but I bought some Lindt single-origin Cuban chocolate — contraband in the U.S. — and smuggled it back home.)
Paris. Sigh. I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself.