6 weeks traversing Europe. Tiki types want to meet up?

Hi.
Starting May 1, I'm heading for Athens, Greece and then working my way around Europe via train, ferry, foot, and sheer gumption. (Never buy opaque gumption.) I'm going to stop by as many tiki establishments as possible along the way. If you're interested in getting together for a few hours to show off the local tiki watering hole, please PM me. My schedule is subject to change — if a place captures my imagination I may linger a bit — but it's pretty solid give or take a few days until I get to Paris. After that, it's more of a wish list. I'm going to try to make the London Luau, or at least part of it.

I'm looking forward to soaking up the ambiance of all the different countries, and that includes meeting the people.
Cheers,

• SV

My schedule as it stands now. (Yes. I know it's "ambitious" or what some might call "crazy".)

Athens
May 2, 3

Santorini
May 5, 6

Sorrento/Naples
May 8,9

Rome
May 10,11,12

Florence
May 13

Ferrara
May 14

Venice
May 15,16,17

Milan
May 18

Provence
May 19,20

Barcelona
May 21,22

Valencia
May 23

Marbella
May 24

Gibraltar
May 25

Madrid
May 26, 27, 28

Bilbao
May 29

Paris
May30, June 1,2

U.K.

Dover
June 3

Cornwall
June 4

London
June 5,6,7,
June 8 night train

Edinburgh
June 9, 10

Fly to Munich June 11

Germany

Munich
June 12

Augsburg
June 13

Hamburg
June 14

Berlin
June 15

Bamberg
June 16

Czech Republic
Prague
June 18, 19

Switzerland ?
Zurich

Sweden ?
Arivka

Norway ?
Tonsberg

Netherlands?
Rotterdam

Mallorca
Palma
Flight - June 24

Wow! What a trip!

Probably teaching you to suck eggs...but just in case...

Do you know this web site?
http://www.seat61.com/
It's essential for planning European rail journeys.

And so is this book http://www.thomascookpublishing.com/book.htm?book_id=44

Finally, check out the various railpasses.

See you at the Luau... I hope!

http://www.tikieurope.com

Why Arvika? There's a nightclub there called the Tiki Room, but as far as I can make out, there's precious little real tiki to be found there.

May I suggest you pay a visit to the Tiki Room in Stockholm instead? Much more atmospheric. Feel free to PM me if you make it up to the land of the midnight sun!

Thanks for the information gang. I'm in Rome right now and (nearly) loving every minute of it. I've even managed to stay on schedule so far. I've already been given 2 tiki mugs which I plan to mail home tomorrow.

I'm really hoping to make it to Ungawa in Bergantino in a couple of nights, but they haven't bothered to respond to my emails so it's a night mission with precious little recon. That leaves a lot of room for things to go wrong, but I'll still try.

Quiet Village Idiot, if I don't run out of energy and money (more likely the way things are going) and I do make it up to Stockholm, I'll definitely let you know.

Cheers all.

• SV

(Very) Belated recap.

This was an amazing journey in many ways and I was deeply affected by the generosity of so many I met during my travels. I want to single out Virani in Paris and 54 house of bamboo in London for their hospitality in making a stranger feel welcome.

I'm making a renewed effort in posting photos from tiki establishments around the world I've been to but it's a lot of work so a little encouragement wouldn't hurt. :) I can't carve or paint (yet?) so it's my way of contributing.

Look for upcoming reviews and photos from Spain, Germany, the UK, Greece, the Czech Republic, Sweden and Japan (and several others I may have forgotten.)

• fm

Hey! Good to hear from you again... looking forward to reading your travellers' tales.

British Museum

Mahiki

Trader Vic's