Get yourself a copy of the classic "Turn Right at the Fountain" by George Oakes
Catalogs walks across major European cities (Paris is cut into 6 walks). George wrote it as part of a New York Times series and turned into a book in 1963 and it was updated in 80s, but still extremely worthwhile as it goes in to obscure history of so many monuments. In my two years in Europe I probably did 30 of his walks...wish I could have done all 53...even now when I go to Europe I make a copy of the walks for the cities I am going to. May be you and Dave can update the book with GPS, wi-fi, new monuments and hotels and other contemporary info...
Great post about a great idea. Not too sure of just the paper copy, would love to see a google document, so I can pull it from any kosk perhaps.
lisa
· 1 year ago
made my first guide last night - it is GREAT!
Jonathan
· 1 year ago
One of the problems with travel services is remembering to print out the guide or the agenda or whatever they call it. I've been using tripit.com for a long time. I really enjoy the service for planing, scheduling, and finding my contacts that are close (let me know if you want to get added to my list and we can meet) but one of the problems is forgetting to print out the schedule and bring it with me. I like the fact that tripit has a moble enabled page, and also I can add the .ical feed to my outlook
Jonahtan
Craig Mische
· 1 year ago
Cool. Wish I could get a super secret invitation code.
Adrian Bye
· 1 year ago
I'd really prefer these would sync with my Amazon kindle via USB. I can convert the PDF but its not as good as a native kindle version. Jeff Bezos has said kindle sales are around 6% of books total, this could be a very good fit for these guides.
David Sifry
· 1 year ago
Robert, thanks for the kind words. So glad that we can finally talk about all the stuff we've been doing for the last 6 months!
Vinnie, thanks for the tip! I just ordered the book at Amazon.
Lisa, so glad that the guide worked out well for you! Keep coming back :-)
Adrian, I just bought my first Kindle and I have the same idea as you. Stay tuned!
Dave
Christopher Coulter
· 1 year ago
Eh? Lonely Planet and has Fodors been there and back and then again, forever looped, what's so special here, just "fresh" web data about crazy offbeatish events? LP and Fodors already hit the main ones, the ones that 99% of travelers will care about. Plus, a few web searches, local newspapers, would grant far more than these guides could ever cook up. I found tons of info about an upcoming Florida romp, in one Google search, if people are too lazy to search the web, so be it, pay that script-it-up guy $25.
Sifry looking to blow out another start-up, eh? Reselling "wisdom of the crowds" free information, tons of companies that do that scam with free government info, Sifry just playing the same scam only kicking up the "convenience" and "exclusive" adjectives.
But it won't work, here's why: 1. Travel is down (seriously down), 2. the guides are not personalized enough, and, for number 3, easy enough for a big name to add such info, if much demand (which I doubt), as a professionally written guide will always win over a raw random assemblage grab-bag of misc. information. Plus, the type of people that really want to goto Cupcake Festivals, whilst traveling is minimal, most will just hit the main sites, find good hotels and great eats, and relax, that covers 95-99% of leisure (and business) travelers, and the type of person to which this pitch would appeal, will undoubtedly, need more far specialized information.
Plus a $25 professionally written guide will be timeless, this stuff is throw-away the second after the trip. Dead in water, plus he's getting you to help promo, the biggest short-sell signal ever, the Curse lives on. And finally, this is another one of those circular selfish things, people of like-minds, creating ideas that appeal to their core group, throwing demographics out the window.
Hasbro
· 1 year ago
Techcrunch has a Paris guide as an example. It is possible to print the guide to a printer or PDF right from the Techcrunch site.
Many thanks for the free Paris guide TC!
Jill Barringer
· 1 year ago
I love this idea. This sounds particularly useful for shorter trips and city breaks. Lonely Planet et al are fantastic for long and generalised journeys but even so are far too big and heavy if you want to travel light. I wonder if they have backpackers in mind too?
Brian Benz
· 1 year ago
I'm sorry, what's the point of talking about this? Most of us don't have the super secret invitation code when we follow the link....more thoughts here...
Just bought the Tulsa Guide... This is really cool stuff! The folio format is great. The information is really solid for an early beta stage. Technically speaking its really, really tight. Like it. A LOT!
I knew when Dave took us into confidence on our photowalk in London he was onto something. I'll sure help to promote it. Great job Dave and co!
Justin Thorp
· 1 year ago
Hey Robert! Whatcha got planned when you're out in the DC area? I'm based out there.
We have a bunch of great start-ups in the DC area. I work at one of them (Clearspring - http://clearspring.com). If you'd like to meet some, i'd be happy to make intros.
I found your blog via Google while searching for travel guide to amsterdam and your post regarding Blog Archive Walking around Paris with Dave Sifry « looks very interesting to me. I have a few websites of my own and I must say that your site is really top notch. Keep up the great work on a really high class resource.
Dave Cunningham
· 1 year ago
Hi Dave,
You maybe correct that every tourist guide will not have total knowledge of every aspect of a city - but in general a tourist guide is a hard working professional that adds alot of valve and local wisdom for a new overseas visitor to their country.
Totally fair, Dave! In fact, we've been exploring some ways that hard working guides can leverage their expertise in the places they know, and make extra money and promote themselves to boot! More to come, and thanks for the great feedback!
All Comments
Catalogs walks across major European cities (Paris is cut into 6 walks). George wrote it as part of a New York Times series and turned into a book in 1963 and it was updated in 80s, but still extremely worthwhile as it goes in to obscure history of so many monuments. In my two years in Europe I probably did 30 of his walks...wish I could have done all 53...even now when I go to Europe I make a copy of the walks for the cities I am going to. May be you and Dave can update the book with GPS, wi-fi, new monuments and hotels and other contemporary info...
http://www.amazon.com/Turn-Right-Fountain-Fifty...
I like the fact that tripit has a moble enabled page, and also I can add the .ical feed to my outlook
Jonahtan
Vinnie, thanks for the tip! I just ordered the book at Amazon.
Lisa, so glad that the guide worked out well for you! Keep coming back :-)
Adrian, I just bought my first Kindle and I have the same idea as you. Stay tuned!
Dave
Sifry looking to blow out another start-up, eh? Reselling "wisdom of the crowds" free information, tons of companies that do that scam with free government info, Sifry just playing the same scam only kicking up the "convenience" and "exclusive" adjectives.
But it won't work, here's why: 1. Travel is down (seriously down), 2. the guides are not personalized enough, and, for number 3, easy enough for a big name to add such info, if much demand (which I doubt), as a professionally written guide will always win over a raw random assemblage grab-bag of misc. information. Plus, the type of people that really want to goto Cupcake Festivals, whilst traveling is minimal, most will just hit the main sites, find good hotels and great eats, and relax, that covers 95-99% of leisure (and business) travelers, and the type of person to which this pitch would appeal, will undoubtedly, need more far specialized information.
Plus a $25 professionally written guide will be timeless, this stuff is throw-away the second after the trip. Dead in water, plus he's getting you to help promo, the biggest short-sell signal ever, the Curse lives on. And finally, this is another one of those circular selfish things, people of like-minds, creating ideas that appeal to their core group, throwing demographics out the window.
Many thanks for the free Paris guide TC!
http://bbenz.typepad.com/softwaresoapbox/2008/0...
I knew when Dave took us into confidence on our photowalk in London he was onto something. I'll sure help to promote it. Great job Dave and co!
We have a bunch of great start-ups in the DC area. I work at one of them (Clearspring - http://clearspring.com). If you'd like to meet some, i'd be happy to make intros.
Drop me a line - justin@clearspring.com
You maybe correct that every tourist guide will not have total knowledge of every aspect of a city - but in general a tourist guide is a hard working professional that adds alot of valve and local wisdom for a new overseas visitor to their country.
Do you think that is a fair comment amigo?
Dave Cunningham
Chief Exploring Officer
www.ourexplorer.com
Dave