Bill and Eleanor, our Untourists of the Week, are standouts among the standouts that you normally see profiled here in our Untourists of the Week feature. Of course they’re enthusiastic Untourists (Twice to Paris, twice to the Swiss Heartland on Untours) but what makes them particularly remarkable is their enthusiasm when sharing the word about Untours. Bill is a social media maven and we are featured frequently in his postings. He is also a talented photographer and videographer and shares those on the Untours Cafe, our social network for Untourists. Perhaps most memorably, Bill and El were the folks who ‘nominated’ Hal, our founder (and my dad) to be profiled on the Today Show. Soon after Bill suggested us as a company that “makes a difference”, Hal was being interviewed on The Today Show. Thanks. Bill and El, for all you’ve done for us.
Tell us a little bit about your most recent Untour and why you chose that particular destination?
Our most recent Untour was Paris in 2010 for a month. It was our fourth Untour. We chose Spring when there would be fewer tourists. A month visit would give us time to do some overnight visits to Versailles and Giverny.
Why did you choose to go there?
We loved the Swiss Heartland Untours in 2002 and 2004 living in a small town atmosphere. We were ready for a different experience in a big city like Paris. In 1973 we had spent two days in Paris at the tail end of a two week four city bus tour. The bus tour was exhausting. We always wanted to return to Paris, but for more than two days, and at our own pace rather than the tour bus schedule. We were determined to somehow make it back to Paris. Untours gave us the opportunity to experience Paris again on our own terms.
What is your favorite Untours memory?
There are many favorite Untours memories. I prefer to refer to them as “Untours moments.” This is just one example. I called it “A Commotion of Emotion at the Louvre.” I posted this May 8, 2010 on the Untours Cafe: During our 2008 Paris Untour we had lunch on the balcony of Cafe Mollien at the Louvre. The Maitre’d, Alain, allowed us to move to the edge of the balcony for a better view of the Pyramid. During our meal, Eleanor asked him for his autograph and permission to take a photograph. We are currently on our 2010 Paris Untour. I printed a number of photos taken of Parisian friends during our 2008 visit to Paris to give as gifts of fine memories. Yesterday we visited the Louvre. The cool weather did not allow for lunch on the balcony. So we decided to have a Cafe Mollien lunch at a window inside. However Alain was nowhere to be seen. We showed Alain’s photo to our waiter. He said Alain wasn’t there, but he would give it to him. So there we were having a nice lunch overlooking the Louvre courtyard when a waiter approached. It took several seconds, but I realized that it was Alain. What followed was a commotion of emotions. Hugging, kissing, more hugging and kissing. Alain was beside himself with happiness that we would remember him with a photo gift taken two years earlier. He was close to tears. So were we. He said “I’m going to cry now!” His reaction to our photo gift was totally unexpected. We created such a commotion that people were looking to see what was going on. One of the men at a nearby table offered to take a photo of us with Alain. What a great moment that was! It topped seeing the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo and Winged Victory of Samothrace.” This is just one of many “Untours moments” that I have posted on the Untours Cafe. A short clip of the event was posted on YouTube: http://youtu.be/j8T8RgZr7PI
How is taking an Untour different from other ways of traveling?
Freedom while feeling secure. Once you unpack, you are literally at home. You do your grocery, etc. shopping locally. It becomes your neighborhood. The merchants become your friends. After returning to a boulangerie a number of times, the lady behind the counter finally cracked a smile (an Untours Moment). That’s when I knew I had become a local rather than a tourist. Each day is your own to do what you want. We had a 4 hour lunch/conversation one day with table mates we met for the first time (another Untours Moment). Traveling should more than sightseeing. It should be a cultural experience that refreshes the soul…via Untours Moments. On the Untours Cafe I posted a multi-episode narrative titled “How we found Untours.” We had lost a free trip to Switzerland to to illness. But a month later lady luck reappeared in the form of Untours. I ended the narrative with the following statement: “The luckiest day of your life may be just around the corner, like the day we found Untours.”
If you could describe an Untour in just 3 words, what would they be?
Moments to remember
The Untour Apartments they chose |
||
|---|---|---|
| 2011 |  |
|
| 2011 |  |
|