I have just posted a series of travel guides to Bali, Rome and Naples, following the footsteps of Elizabeth Gilbert, author of “Eat Pray Love”, now showing in the cinemas with Julia Roberts in the role of Gilbert.

I went to Bali in September last year, Rome in October, Naples and the Amalfi Coast a few years ago. As a result, I put together a short and sweet travel guide listing hotels, restaurants and things to do in those places. More to come with the Amalfi Coast (Positano, Sorrento, Amalfi, Ravello and Capri).

Eat Pray Love Bali Travel Guide

Eat Pray Love Rome Travel Guide

Eat Pray Love Naples

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You can get the book at Amazon.com: Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman’s Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia

Thalys high speed rail Amsterdam to Paris

What used to be a 4 hour plus train ride is now only 3 hours and 18 minutes. The Thalys TGV between Paris and Amsterdam is finally running at its intended speed. After many years of incompetent bumbling around, the Netherlands railway authority and the Dutch government finally got their act together. This comes years after the Belgians were already allowing the high-speed trains to run at high speeds through Belgium. Sigh.

Mac Book Pro floating above San Francisco

Lovely day in the city, I am about to work on my Mac Book.

View of the Colosseum from the Palatine Hill in Rome

The best time to visit Rome is NOT in the summer, but in the early fall or in the spring. October is a perfect because the churches and museums are not as crowded, the restaurants are serving classic autumn dishes such as tagliolini with black truffel, and the air has a cool crispness that encourages walking and exploration.

Most people, myself included, have visited Rome in the sweltering heat of July when walking up the Palatine Hill feels like a death sentence handed down by Caesar Augustus. When you finally make it down from the Palatine Hill to the Forum to marvel at the columns of the Temple of Saturn and the Arch of Septimus Severus, you find yourself drenched in sweat and in such a foul mood that instead of spending the time to make out the details of the carvings on the Arch of Titus, notably, Roman soldiers carrying off loot taken from the Temple in Jerusalem, including the only concrete proof that there was a menorah in the Temple, all you want to do is seek shelter from the sun. Alas, this is the Forum and there are no trees. So you find yourself crouching behind one of the columns, together with hundreds of other tourists. Therefore, Rule no. 1 is do not visit Rome in July or August.

My visit to Rome in October of this year was simply marvelous. The weather couldn’t have been better: in the evenings, one needs a light jacket, but during the day, it is warm enough to walk around in summer clothes. Romans are already outfitted in their best fall clothes, including knit jackets with fur trim, gorgeous lightweight cashmere coats and boots. I find people-watching in Rome as entertaining and informative as a walk through the Pantheon.

I have begun posting reviews of restaurants and boutique hotels on Mapplr and will finish this week with a short guide to my favorite shops and restaurants in the city, as well as practical tips on getting around, finding Wi-Fi and more.

I posted my Rome photos in two sets on Flickr: one shows the Forum and Palatine Hill (above), and the other has shots of Rome’s neighborhoods and the Pantheon (below).

Check out my recent posts on Mapplr (with more to come):

Kame Hall: modern boutique hotel in the heart of Rome

Al Pompiere: traditional Roman cuisine in an old palazzo

Il Buco: excellent Tuscan food near the Pantheon in Rome

Mapplr’s favorite restaurants and cafes in Rome

Mapplr’s favorite hotels in Rome

I posted this video because I share the same feelings about travel. In my visits to developing countries I’m always humbled by this: that people who have much less than I do are much gentler, kinder, generous and thankful. So now when I’m feeling resentful about things in my life, or sorry for myself, I immediately catch the thoughts and feelings crossing my mind and I ask, “How can that be?”

Retro clock at Taipei airport transit hotel of Evergreen

On the way to Bali from San Francisco, we took EVA Air, a Taiwanese airline. We had a five-hour layover in Taipei international airport so we checked into the transit hotel to rest and freshen up. The transit hotel is clean, minimalist in a stylish 1960s sort of way, complete with retro clock. It cost only about $35 and we could take a nap, read and shower. It is also inside the security check-point. The airport food is also quite good. Our favorite is a restaurant that serves Taiwanese specialties. The noodles are delicious.

Bambu Indah Villas in Ubud, Bali

I went to Bali last month and took a lot of photos, which I have posted on Flickr. I love Bali. It’s one of the most atmospheric places on earth. I stayed mostly in Ubud, which is away from the coast. I did spend 2 days in Seminyak which is down the coast from the truly ghastly Kuta. You must never go to Kuta. Seminyak wasn’t terribly beautiful or exciting. The beaches are good for surfing but too rough for swimming. The only good think about Seminyak was the Ku De Ta bar on the beach where you can watch the sunset – great music, good crowd, fabulous (but expensive) drinks and small plates.

The Balinese have a complex culture and religion. They are Hindu and have many rites and festivals that even young people – with all their cell phones, Facebook accounts and Wi-Fi — still observe. The food is truly divine: very spicy and savoury with a lot of vegetables and fruit.

I went to Bali on EVA Air, which goes from SF to Taipei, and then onto Denpasar in Bali. EVA Air has cheap air fares and the service is excellent. They also have Economy Plus that gives you more leg room and doesn’t cost that much more than Economy. Taipei’s international airport has the most amazing duty free shopping I’ve ever seen. Anyway, it’s a pleasant way to travel.

I stayed at Bambu Indah in Ubud. You can read my review on Mapplr.

See my Bali photos on Flickr.

I also visited the impressive Buddhist temple of Borobodur in Jogjakarta which is on the island of Java. It’s a short flight from Bali and well worth it.

6 Mandel is an insider tip (from Philippe). They don’t advertise, the site is in French but it’s really a fabulous place to stay in Paris. Instead of a garden-variety hotel, why not try 6 Mandel which is housed in a recently renovated 19th century mansion and functions as an art gallery by day?

6 Mandel: artistic, elegant chambre d’hôte in a 19th century mansion in Paris (Mapplr)

Profile: Fabric Designer Philippe David (Shopplr)

I have traveled a lot in the past few years and I can attest to the results of the survey. When flying outside the US, I always try to book a flight with foreign airlines because their airplanes are newer, the flight attendants are friendlier, the food is better and the overall flying experience is more civilized. Here are my experiences with US and non-US carriers, and with foreign airports:

(1) United Airlines (SFO-Osaka-SFO)

This was a mistake. I had booked a ticket on ANA, the Japanese airline, but did not check if ANA itself was flying me to Osaka. As it turns out, the ANA flights to and from Osaka are carried out by the dreaded United. ANA flies only between SF and Tokyo, not Osaka.

• Very rude flight attendants: as the Seatguru survey indicated, UA staff need to go to social graces school. On the flight to and from Osaka, they yelled constantly at passengers about filling out forms, and other matters. In Japan, people who provide services do not yell at customers. The United flight attendants were also yelling in English, which the Japanese passengers (90% of the flight) did not understand. As a result, the passengers thought something was wrong and they became agitated. Then again, yelling seems to be a way of doing things in the US: in foreign airport security queues, you do not hear people yelling but in the US, it’s common.
• Disgusting food: since this was a flight to Asia, you would think they would have Asian food (specifically, Japanese food). Alas, they did not. I’ll bet their competitors – Japan Airlines, Singapore Airlines, EVA Air, Cathay Pacific – all offer Asian meals on their Asian flights. What a concept!
• Ancient flying machines: the 747 I flew to Osaka felt old, very old, and the bathrooms harkened back to the 1970s.

Verdict: I will never fly United again to anywhere in the world. SF International Airport is relatively new, clean and modern. The security staff seem much more polite at this airport than in Boston or Houston, yelling is kept to a minimum although voices are raised sometimes.

(2) TACA: I flew this airline to Peru on a trip to Macchu Picchu. The flight was from SFO to San Salvador, with connecting flight to Lima, then on to Cusco.

• new airplanes
• friendly professional flight attendants
• decent food
• clean, well-lit bathrooms that belong in the 21st century
• San Salvador airport is new; WiFi is free.
• Lima airport is also new, as is the one in Cusco.
• No screaming in any of these airports. Security staff were friendly, passport control personnel were welcoming.

Verdict: Will definitely fly TACA again to Central and Latin America.

(3) Singapore Airlines: flight from Amsterdam to Singapore; roundtrip Singapore to Manila; Singapore back to Amsterdam

I agree with the survey  - that Singapore has the best service, best food, etc. Singapore airport is also a delight: new, clean, efficient. I’d fly this airline everywhere if I could.

(4) KLM: so many trips between Amsterdam and SFO I cannot even count, most recently on a trip to Turkey, SFO-AMS-Istanbul

• old airplanes
• service is OK, not as good as Singapore
• quality of the food in business class has declined dramatically in the past few months – the food was actually quite horrible and this is in business class. It’s clear the airline is scrimping on costs, but the result is to encourage me to fly with another carrier the next time.

Verdict: I will try to avoid KLM given the old planes and bad food, but it’s a bit difficult if I want to fly to Amsterdam. Still not quite as bad as a US carrier, but slowly getting there. Amsterdam Schiphol Airport is a modern, efficient airport that, although quite large, is easy to figure out. The magazine stands offer lots of magazines and newspapers from different countries; the airline lounge of KLM is very good. Overall, Schiphol is a terrific airport. No screaming security personnel.

(5) Turkish Airlines: I flew this airline from Istanbul to Tel Aviv, then Amman (Jordan) to Istanbul last month.

• relatively new airplanes
• friendly professional staff
• decent food
• clean modern bathrooms

I would fly Turkish Airlines again. The airports in Istanbul, Tel Aviv and Amman are clean and modern, not decrepit like a lot of US airports. No screaming security personnel in those airports either. They are high-security places but the staff manage to execute their duties without yelling at passengers. Here’s another observation: when we crossed into Jordan at the border in Eilat, Israel, the Jordanian border guards were very friendly and shook our hands and said, “Welcome to Jordan!” Imagine that!

(6) Continental Airlines: OK for traveling outside the US, their business class is better than KLM’s. However, flying Continental within the US is absolutely horrible. Although the flight attendants are better than United’s, the seats are extremely uncomfortable because they do not go back far enough and the leg room is tight. You know exactly what a battery chicken feels like after being on a domestic Continental flight. The only reason I flew Continental was that we were using up frequent flyer miles so we had to fly this airline to get to Roatan, Honduras via Houston. From SFO to Houston (and back) I got a backache I never get on other carriers.

• relatively new airplanes
• miserable seating on domestic flights: very uncomfortable, seats don’t recline much, no leg room, you will get a backache
• flight attendants better than United’s
• for travel outside the US, Continental’s business class is very good

Verdict: I will avoid flying Continental within the US but will consider flying with them to foreign cities. Houston Airport (named after the first George Bush) is relatively new but insane. These carts carrying people, lots of them, keep zipping around all the time. It’s actually scary. TSA security personnel at this airport believe in the power of yelling as if it were a talisman against bad luck, bad weather, bad people. I don’t know why TSA people at this airport have their voice volumes turned up to maximum.

(7) Alitalia: I flew Alitalia from Amsterdam to Milan and back; Amsterdam to Rome. Will definitely avoid next time.

• ancient planes
• nondescript food
• friendly flight attendants

Alitalia is an airline that has been teetering on the edge of bankruptcy for many years, kept alive artificially by the Italian government. As a result, the planes are quite old. It’s seen better days. I would not fly this airline again.

(8) Virgin America: SFO – Las Vegas; SFO to Washington DC, NYC to SFO

• brand new airplanes with mood lighting in the cabins, feels like a disco lounge
• good service
• no regular meal service, you order via the screens, pay and your meals are brought to you. The result is a quiet cabin without carts constantly rolling up and down the aisles. Why don’t other airlines do this?
• in-flight Wi-Fi (but you have to pay)

I would fly Virgin America everywhere in the US if I could. But of course, one has to still go through US airports which have drawbacks: many are old and have not been updated in the last 30 years. They resemble what we once called “Third World airports”, except many airports in the Third World have been modernized and updated. TSA security staff in US airports shout at passengers constantly as if yelling makes airports more secure. In Dulles Airport at Washington DC (could this be the worst airport on earth?), we had to board these ridiculous “people movers” (seemed futuristic in a Jetsons sort of way in the 1960s, now very inefficient) that took us from one terminal to the another terminal where the baggage is collected. The guy operating the people mover kept screaming very rudely at us, telling us to shove in some more even though there was no room until we started yelling back at him. Very uncivilized! And this is in the nation’s capital. Obama needs to appoint a Chief Social Graces Officer for US airports, in particular, Dulles.

(9) Easy Jet: Amsterdam – London, Amsterdam – Barcelona (back when they were still flying this route)

• new-ish planes
• OK service
• pray they don’t cancel your flight, otherwise they have no airport desks where you can change to another flight, you need to call a number and you can bet everyone else on your canceled flight is trying to do the same

Cheap, cheerful and good when it all works. Terrible if your flight is canceled. When the regular airlines like BMI, BA and KLM began lowering their prices, I stopped flying Easy Jet because I just can’t bear to go through the cancellation horror again.

(10) Iberia: frequent trips between Amsterdam and Barcelona and to the Balearic islands via Madrid or Barcelona

• old airplanes
• good service
• bathrooms have seen better days, seems very 1970s

Fortunately for Iberia, the airports at Palma de Mallorca, Madrid and Barcelona have been modernized in recent years. Otherwise the travel experience would be worse. Iberia is probably not in as bad a financial situation as Alitalia but everything feels old.

(11) Lufthansa: Amsterdam-Munich, Amsterdam-Frankfurt-NYC

• Some airplanes are new, some are old, you never know what you are getting
• service is professional, not as friendly and warm as Singapore Airlines
• food is edible, I’ll leave it at that

Munich Airport is beautiful and modern. Frankfurt Airport is a fright – ugly, decrepit and nasty, something out of a nightmare that would involve you and Kafka trying to make it to a connecting flight with only 12 minutes to departure. If you need to fly through or to Germany, go for Munich.

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The flying experience has changed dramatically in the past 15 years. I am willing to pay more for a better flight experience – more leg room, cheerful, polite flight attendants, better food – but am not given this option. We are willing to pay more for better hotel rooms, why not the same thing on airlines? In general, foreign carriers offer a much more civilized travel experience because they have newer planes and their staff are friendly and professional.

To see how sad air travel has become, see The Saddest Fruit Plate of All in First Class (with bonus photo).

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Check out www.mapplr.com for my reviews of the best boutique hotels and restaurants around the world.

If you like antiquities, you must travel to the ancient cities of Petra and Jerash, both of which are in Jordan, and to Jerusalem. Since I was a child, I’ve been fascinated by Greek and Roman mythology and history. I remember spending hours pouring over books about ancient Greece and Rome. I could spend an entire morning walking through ruins even in the hot sun (note: these places never seem to have trees and I always visit them during the warmer spring and summer months). I will post a long travel article with recommendations on where to stay, how to get there and what to do. In the meantime, enjoy the photos of Jerash, Petra, Jerusalem and Haifa. Click on the link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/esme/sets/72157618894899095/

Next: Istanbul