|
Founded by
a Lifetime of Passion for European Travel.
E uropean
Discovery was founded and is owned by Ellie
Burns-Brookens. Ellie has a degree in
Electrical and Computer engineering from Oregon
State University and began her career in the
high-technology sector in engineering, marketing
with responsibility for several large business
units. She
has traveled extensively in Europe for both
business and pleasure guiding work acquaintances, family, friends
and clients for over 20 years. During this
time she developed a great love for travel
throughout Europe, discovered
many special out of the way places and has met
many wonderful people. She also has
acquired skills for getting around Europe that
she loves to share with others to help them have
a wonderful trip without the agony of learning
things the hard way. In order to share this life long love of European travel
and help others enjoy their first trip as much as she
does every single one, she founded European Discovery. Ellie founded
European Discovery on the firm belief that one can not truly experience the
culture and feel of Europe if you are in a very large group and if you do not
have any time to explore on your own. By providing a tour that has a small
group size with great local guides, great little hotels and a comfortable way to
explore, travelers can have the best of both worlds; value and fun with a group
and skip all of the negatives for a truly unique and rewarding experience.
Nikki
 Klutho is our travel
consultant based in our office in Portland. Nikki has a Bachelor’s degree in
Communications from Lewis and Clark College in Portland and an MBA in
International Marketing from American Graduate School of International
Management in Phoenix. Nikki worked as a travel agent for several years before
taking time off to raise her two daughters. Her love of travel and planning
vacations led her to Mt Hood Community College’s travel program in 2005. Upon
completion of the program in May 2006, Nikki has been working at European
Discovery as Ellie’s assistant.
Local Expert Guides
 Tom
Hooper is our expert guide for London. Tom
has a law degree and has been a London based Blue Badge guide
(the official guides of Great Britain)
since 1994. He was recently awarded the
highest honor for Blue Badge Guides, a Life
Fellow in 2004. His knowledge of history
and sense of humor make him one of the best
guides in London and we are lucky to have him.
The guided tour of London that we do with him is
educational, fun and just downright the best
there is.
 Dominique
Atkins is our expert guide for Paris. She is a French native bilingual
guide with a degree in History of Art - recommended and experienced for small
groups and conferences with a personal touch. She has a passion and love
for the city of Paris and her enthusiasm and knowledge will make us fall in love
with it also.
 Belinda
Gornall is our expert guide for
our 5000 years of history tour in the South West
of England which includes
Stonehenge. Avebury, Salisbury Cathedral and
quaint village of Lacock. She grew up in Chelsea and moved
to the Cotswolds when she married her husband
who is a country doctor. In 1987, after
raising her children, she trained as a Blue
Badge guide. She speaks fluent French (she
studied in Paris) and
guides in both French and English. Between
1992 and 2004, she led week-long
hiking tours in the Cotswolds and Cornwall. She is interested
in most aspects of guiding, but in particular,
loves the medieval churches/cathedrals and roman/pre-roman remains.
She just loves the feeling of age and history that one gets living
in England! She still lives in a old Cotswold stone cottage and
stays very active. Her expertise and her
enthusiasm for her country and its' history is contagious
on our tours - she brings the past to life!
 Eddie
Ramsay
is our Scottish Guide and gives our Edinburgh Tour.
He started guiding in 1981 as a member of the Scottish
Tourist Guides Association as a Coach Driver Guide
and
built up to become a free lance guide in 1988.
He has served as an active member on the Scottish
Tourist Guides Committee and has guided a few famous
folks around his beloved Scotland and Edinburgh. He
recently started a web site about his Clan History
and now gets enquiries from all over the world. His
site is
www.eddieramsay.com. The picture (on the left) of him as a
Wallace Warrior was taken at Stirling Castle when he
and some friends were taking part in a Wallace
Enactment. He leaves the sword and Wallace attire behind when
taking around our group as he hopes that we will all
behave without it.
 Our guide in York is Jenny Denton. She lives with her husband and an assortment
of animals in York. She has been a Blue Badge Guide since 1989 and I feels that
guiding has been the most rewarding and interesting job that she has ever had.
York has so much culture and history and it is such a joy to share it with
visitors and to see their amazement. She also is a member of the
University Choir so can give great recommendations to anyone interested in
finding musical activities while in the North of England. When we go on a tour with her it seems as if she
knows everyone in town and is greeted with many smiles; with her we are treated
and enjoy the city as neighbors.
 Our
guide in Venice is Guido Lion. He is the representative of all of the
professional guides for Italy to the WFTGA(World Federation of Tourist Guides
Association) and we are extremely lucky to have him as our guide in Venice.
(Rest of bio coming)
 Our
guide in Florence is Paola Barubiani and her team. Paola has been a professional
guide in Florence and the surrounding area since 1992. Prior to that she was a
teacher of languages in the Italian schools. She graduated from the
University of Florence with a degree in Foreign languages. With her
passion for art and history she received a second degree in Medieval History.
Her English is fabulous, her sense of humor wonderful and her passion about her
beautiful city of Florence is infectious. Taking a tour around Florence and
through its amazing artwork truly brings the history to life
Our guide in Rome is Marilena Barberi. Her bio and new photo is coming soon.
|
