Celiaanne

carolyn, thanks. It's good to know I'm not alone

SeaUrchin, that sounds exactly like me....not sure where I'm going and then not sure where I've been. I guess I should take some notes, but I tend to just enjoy what I'm doing....

Kenderina, You sure are lucky with the airfares...

robjame

As a corollary to the original question; Would you be more likely to share the information if the OP gave his email address in the original post? So maybe you would give a broad stroke answer in the thread but email the OP with the specific "secret information"?

hopingtotravel

I used to fill out those little opinion cards from Travel and Leisure and the like. Now I find that I can no longer afford Ventana and Inn at the Market! 15-20 years ago those were somewhat secret.

However, I share a lot of the places I've been in England, and Ireland, etc, because there are so many places I want to go I doubt I'll be back to the same ones.

Luckily, no one but Alaskans and Canadians likes our favorite spot on Maui because others find the wind too chilly.

Fodorite018

robjame--No, I wouldn't email it to someone either.

fishee

robjame -- I think the email next to your handle is worth a try. I feel like there are many posters here that are particularly helpful and if I had a favorite (secret) spot I'd certainly be willing to share it with the people who have helped me so much in the past. Unfortunately I don't have any info for you on the 18th but if I did it would be on its way to you...

robjame

fishee - you are up late!
This is a restaurant in the 5th that we have shared reluctantly.
RESTAURANT MOISSONNIER
Tél: 01 43 29 87 65
28, Rue des Fossés-Saint-Bernard
75005 PARIS 05 ème
Closed Mondays and Tuesdays
It is a mom-and-pop place(pop cooks and mom RUNS the front) that could be best described as Lyonnais. The specials are excellent - interesting fish entrees. Although you will see and hear very little English spoken, they do have an English menu to help you along.

maitaitom

robjame, I'm always interested in your restaurant reviews. Do you have any idea of how many places you have dined. Seemingly each time I read a post by you, I have a strong hunger urge.

Thank you for sharing!

((H)

papagena

I usually share - I figure there aren't enough people who take my opinion seriously for a place to get overrun with tourists on the strength of my recommendation!

robjame

maitaitom - Don't waste time answering this thread! Get back to writing your trip report. We're all waiting!

bellastarr

When I see a question about an area I know, if time permits I will try to offer suggestions to help sort through information that is already available, or maybe ways to get from place to place, schedules, and the like.

When I travel however, I have worked so hard to learn the language and become acqainted with local people that I normally keep quot;local" places to myself, unless someone I know directly (and trust) asks me for that information. I do this because in many highly popular places, locals tend to need some semi-private places of their own where they can enjoy being away from the ebb and flow of tourists, and if I find such places through them, it's something I try to protect.

I started doing this in Hawaii, where my sister had married a local, and through them, I was able to experience and value the Hawaii that many tourists might not see. Not everything in the beautiful places in this world should be up for sale, IMO!

This is not through any negative feeling towards tourists (since I am one), but more a respect for the much needed privacy of locals.

hopingtotravel

I know that Hawaii especially tries to protect this privacy. On one visit to Maui we discussed taking a day ferry to Molokai. Our condo rental agent suggested that they 'don't really want tourists coming over there'. I also know there are secret short-cuts through the fields that they don't put on any maps.

bellastarr

hopingtotravel- enough said...Hawaiin is such a fragile place that it needs all of the protection that we can provide! And it is so beautiful that any tourists will find plenty to enjoy without need "shortcuts" of any kind!
Back to European subjects!

Marianna

Yes, robjame, I know some people who also do not share favorite and delicious recipes - not my mother, although it took a while to get the family's Italian cookie recipe in writing. It was always a little of this and a little of that which resulted in nothing like her cookies!

As for any travel secrets, I will share whatever information I may have which might be useful to another person seeking such information. I don't know if they qualify as secrets though. That is what we are all about here - sharing our travel knowledge and experience to assist eachother in making plans, decisions, choices, etc. Even if I knew of a very special place - hotel and great room number, restaurant, etc., I would share that with someone here if it would help them in planning their trip. That's why I research trips here myself - you can get such valuable information from other people's experiences which they share here for all to use.

So, SeaUrchin, what is the name of that Sorrento restaurant? If it's the little place down by the sea in the center of Massa Lubrense (I can't remember the name), it was closed when we went there in July. We were very disappointed - they made the best calamari.

sfowler

I share to the degree that I remember.

I resemble that remark

I'm happy to share, except for the occasional restaurant that is doing fine without y'all there