Interview with Dave Hoerlein
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| Ace Tour Guide Dave Hoerlein, after twenty years of leading tours for Rick Steves, is still flying high. |
Dave Hoerlein's user-friendly maps in Rick Steves' guidebooks have led millions of travelers through Europe's most popular destinations. He is one of Europe Through the Back Door's most seasoned tour guides, with 20 years of experience leading tours through virtually every country in Europe. When he's not dreaming of Europe, he lives in Seattle with his wife Jane, a Dane who used to lead tours as well.
How did you meet Rick?
I met him 20 years ago at a class he was teaching at the Experimental College at the University of Washington. I asked him if he needed help with his maps, so that's how I started working for him. Then, one day he asked if I wanted to go to Europe with him and help him lead a tour. Of course I said yes! But in those days, anyone with a pulse could lead a tour (we had such a need for guides back then)! Back then, we stayed in youth hostels every third night, and getting a bathroom in your room was a luxury.
What tours did you lead this year?
I lead a Village Italy and Barcelona tour in the spring, and two Best of Sicily and South Italy tours in the fall.
What do you like about leading the Best of Sicily and South Italy tour?
People have said, you can't really understand Italy unless you go to southern Italy. Rome is only mid-way through the country, so there's still a lot to see. South Italy is less expensive, warmer, friendlier, and more exotic. You see influences from the Arab, Norman and Greek cultures — it's Italy with a whole other flavor. They haven't done as much marketing as Tuscany, and Sicily in particular has had a major PR problem because of the influence of the Mafia. But the only signs of the Mafia tourists will see are monuments that have been erected to honor those who have worked to end its influence.
The cuisine is wonderful. The food reflects the overlapping influence of the various cultures that have called Sicily home.The weather makes for great conditions for growing grapes but there hasn't always been the know-how for bottling and exporting wine. The Nero D'Avola grape grows only in Sicily, but many people say it reminds them of the syrah. In my opinion, Sicily makes as good a wine as Tuscany — and it's a much better value.
South Italy is for the adventurer; the region has a fantastic spark and energy. Those who have enjoyed northern Italy will find the south to be full of pleasant surprises — like well-preserved Greek ruins, golden beaches, mosaic-filled churches and delicious specialties like grilled sword fish. There were some people on my last tour who had never been to Europe before, and were blown away by the variety found in south Italy.
You also lead the Spain & Portugal tours. What do you like about that tour?
There's a purity to the culture that's unique. For example, in Germany you'll see people wearing lederhosen, but often it's just part of the tourism industry. In Sevilla, Spain, you'll see women wearing these gorgeous flamenco dresses because they want to. They love to live their culture. I remember once being in a tapas bar in Granada and all of a sudden two couples walked in. One started clapping, one started singing, and two of them started dancing. This kind of spontaneous energy and cultural pride occurs in Spain like nowhere else.
In Portugal, the feeling is laid back, rural, and rather sleepy. Spain is a very proud country, but there's a melancholy feeling in Portugal that their glory days are long since past. Ever since the heyday in the 1400s, when Portuguese explorers like Magellan and da Gama sailed the seven seas, the country has been more of a backwater. That combined with Portugal's isolation is a bonus for travelers looking for a real cultural experience. And those beaches are fantastic! But now they're part of the European Union so they feel more connected.
What are your favorite tours to lead in Europe?
I enjoy the multi-country European tours. I'm still fascinated by the way countries can be so geographically close to each other yet so drastically different in terms of culture, language, art, geography, weather, etc. I love the Village Italy tour because there is less time on the bus and you get to do things that a typical tour wouldn't have the time to do. Tour members get to experience wine and olive oil tastings, go on a truffle hunt, and watch how Italian artisans create ceramics.
How many months are you in Europe each year?
Usually two months a year. Back in the old days, I used to be there for three-four months each year.
How has Europe changed since you first visited 20 years ago?
There are definitely more chain stores. Not just U.S. chains like McDonalds (which you do see), but due to the ever-expanding European Union you'll find a German Home Depot-like store in an Italian town. It's more expensive as well, though the savvy traveler can still find good values. Europe gets more tourist-friendly each year. More English is spoken. Signage is much improved. I remember doing the night walk in Rome back in the 80's, and you'd really have to know where you were going. Now there are signs everywhere telling tourists where things are now when walking from the Pantheon to the Trevi fountain — it's like following the yellow brick road! Europe has become more accessible and you can travel with ease on the Continent like never before. The ever-increasing network of high speed trains and cheap flights within Europe make this possible.
But people still stick to their roots. I remember talking to a man in a small town in Sicily and asked if this was where he was from. He said no, he had been brought up a 1/2 mile away!