by David McGuffin | May 9, 2014 | Adventures in Tour Guiding, Blog, Destinations, Experiencing Europe
A few years ago Alain Maurel, my friend and bus owner, suggested I visit Vézelay. He told me it was a pity to miss such a charming village that was only a few miles off the busy autoroute from Burgundy to Paris. So, last year I gave Vézelay a “test run” and discovered I had indeed been missing a hidden gem. This travel season I’ve included Vézelay in my Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and France itinerary and all agree, it is a keeper!
Vézelay is in an imposing position strung out along the crest of a hill, with far-reaching views over the ‘Monts de Morvan’ and on the edge of the Morvan Regional Park.
20 minutes off the autoruote
Vézelay as viewed from the Monts de Morvan
Many of the houses along the main street are now cafes, galleries and gift shops but there is none of the “worthless junk” along the road that occupies many a tourist town – if you are look- ing for tacky souviners, you will need to look elsewhere.
The highlight of the village is without doubt the Abbey of St Mary Magdalene, an awe-inspiring building with soaring decorative vaults. The abbey contains the relics of Saint Mary and was historically the departure point for pilgrims to Santiago de Compostella.
The drive to and from Vézelay is beautiful. These photos were taken a few days ago at the start of May.
by David McGuffin | May 8, 2014 | Blog, Culture & Customs, Daily lfe, Destinations, Experiencing Europe, Holiday
I am smack dab in the middle of my Best of Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and France tour. I picked up a group of just four folks a few days ago in Munich and we’ve had a blast getting to know each other and experiencing Germany and Austria. It being the beginning of spring, we’ve run in to several celebrations dedicated to digging out of the gloomy winter and leaping into spring.
Frühlingfest Munich
Frühlingfest Munich
In Munich, the massive outdoor Octoberfest site was booming with the Frühlingfest. This, a yearly spring celebration seemed very much like our state or county fairs at home with the addition of lots of lederhosen, dirndls, beer, and sausage. As the opening ceremonies began I enjoyed marching bands, horse-drawn beer wagons, and fifty or more ancient pistols being fired into the air in celebration of spring.
While in Salzburg fellow tour members stumbled upon a celebration of the Lord Mayor’s birthday in the Mirabell Gardens complete with fanfare, song, toasting, and celebration. The Augustiner Bräustübe had just switched over to its standard brew, changing from the special Lenten Bier it had served from Ash Wednesday to Easter.
Mirabell Gardens
Driving through Bavaria and the Austria Tirol we encountered lush green fields covered with beautiful wildflowers. Each little village seemed to be trying to outdo the next with its freshly painted and über-Bavaria blue and white maypoles. Even the livestock seem to be extra happy to be out of the barns and into the fields. At times we would encounter field after field of vivid bright yellow rapeseed in full bloom adding to the contrast of the countryside.
Fields of Rapeseed
Tirol
On the morning of May 1st, I watched a crew put up a huge tent and install the 90- foot Maypole topped with a tree and dripping with hanging pretzels. Throughout the morning, locals would drop by to check on the progress, looking up and giving the guy hanging from the Maypole advice and encouragement. Young ladies, clad in traditional dirndls, arrived to set up the tent as a makeshift beer hall while local volunteers laid down wooden walkways and carried all sorts of “potluck” food into the tent. I was sure the celebration would be grand and sort of sorry I was going to miss it.
Maypole in Tirol
Later we arrived in Vaduz, the capital of the Principality of Liechtenstein. Popping out from the underground parking garage it appeared the city was deserted. As I walked toward the main square it became evident that most of the locals were settling in here under a huge tent. The Liechtenstein fire department had all their trucks and equipment out on display. Some of the firemen were in their “dress blues” while others were manning the hot grills loaded with sausages and bratwurst serving lunch to hundreds of people. There was a pair of strolling troubadours, with an accordion and guitar, willing to serenade a table for just a small donation to help the fire department. Nearby, kids were jumping in the bounce house, playing firemen games with water, climbing all over the fire trucks, and getting a ride in the 60-foot “cherrypicker” bucket on the hook-and-ladder truck.
Vaduz Festival
We are in the heart of Switzerland today. The Lauterbrunnen Valley is my favorite alpine spot in all of Europe. I don’t know what today will bring, but I am sure it will be filled with fresh wildflowers in high alpine meadows, snow-capped glaciers, and the gently clanging of bells as the cows are moved from the winter barns to the spring meadows. Everyday is an adventure on an Exploring Europe tour and stumbling upon local celebrations makes travel even more authentic. Why not consider joining one of my tours in the coming months.
Switzerland
Your Adventure Starts Here!
by David McGuffin | Apr 1, 2014 | Blog, Destinations, Experiencing Europe
The Berlin Wall, a 96-mile-long barrier, was erected in stages around West Berlin in 1961. The East Germany government did not call it a barrier or wall, but the “Anti-Fascist Protective Rampart.” Major portions were rapidly constructed, almost overnight, to prevent the constant seepage of people from the East to the West. It is said that close to 3 million people had leaked out between 1949 and 1961. So, by 1961, the East had had enough and built “The Wall” or “Mauer”, as it’s known in German.
The Wall was actually two walls with a patrolled “no man’s–land” in between. The inner wall (on the East German side) was a four-inch thick by 12’ high concrete fence, supported every 8’ or so by steel I-beams. I suppose this type of construction was used so that great lengths of the inner wall could be erected with little effort. Simply install the I-beams in the ground, as posts, and drop the heavy pre-fabricated concrete panel in between.
The outer Wall (located on the West Berlin border) was more substantial. Still constructed of pre-fabricated concrete, this Wall was 12-feet high, about 6” wide, and had a rounded concrete pipe-like top casing to discourage grappling hooks, ladders, and like.
In between these two walls was a “no man’s-land” ranging in distance from 30’ to 150’. This “no man’s-land” was devoid of vegetation, contained a patrol road, lighted by high powered street lamps, and watched over by more than 100 sentry towers containing armed patrol sharp shooters. Additionally, there were hidden trip wires and invisible silent-alarm barriers designed to alert the guards of any movement with the “no man’s-land.” In the photo below, the wooden cross marks a spot in the former “no mans-land” where a victim was shot and killed by East German border guards.
The intact portion of the Wall stretches for four of five blocks along Bernauer Strasse from the Nordbahnhof Station. As with everything else in Berlin, the Wall Memorial is under construction and some portions of the outside exhibits are not complete. However, there was enough signage, placards, and photos to hold my interest for three hours along this stretch of the Wall. One of the outdoor exhibits contained photographs of the 136 people who were killed at the Wall while trying to escape.
During the Wall’s 28 years, it is documented that border guards fired 1,693 times and made 3,221 arrests. There were 5,043 documented successful escapes. About 10% of these escapes were East German border guards sneaking off to the West.
Visiting this site gave me a “hands-on” understand of just what this Cold War and Socialist division between East and West was all about. It was not until I walked the Wall, surveyed the city-scape on either side, and read accounts of “life behind the Wall” that I fully realized what the horror of being “fenced in” must really be like.
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by David McGuffin | Mar 30, 2014 | Blog, Destinations, Experiencing Europe
From early in my life, I had heard stories about The Cold War, East Germany, and the East and West Berlin separation. I recall my uncle, a U.S. Army officer, telling stories about his adventures while stationed in Germany in the 1950’s. Later, his son (my cousin Bobby) was stationed in Berlin at the time the wall fell in 1989. I remember talking with Bobby at one of our reunions about the simultaneous jubilation and discord in those early November days in 1989. But I had always had this sense of trepidation and unease when it came to traveling to former Communist countries. So, I never took the opportunity to explore to the “east.”
Even with all my travels, I had never visited Berlin… until today. I boarded the ICE high-speed train in Hamburg. At speeds up to 218 kph, was transported to Berlin in just over one hour and thirty minutes. Not being in a rush, I took my time in the Hauptbanhof train station. I even sat down with a Starbucks coffee and my guidebook to get a feel for the city. After walking out the wrong side of the station, checking my bearings with “Google Maps”, and readjusting my course, I struck off down Invaliden Strasse into the former East Berlin. I was immediately faced with detours and construction on the street and sidewalks causing me to cross from one side of the street to the other. However, with a little persistence, I managed to navigate the stretch to my hotel in about thirty minutes.
Berlin’s Hauptbahnhof
My hotel is wonderful! Recently, I’ve been using booking.com to research and book my hotels. The “Hotel i-31Botique Hotel” has 113 brand new and modern rooms with all the perks.
After chatting with the front desk clerk, I learned the “Berlin Wall Memorial” was just 200 meters behind the hotel. So, after settling in to my room, I ditched my bags and went out to explore the “Berlin Wall” all of which I will share with you in my next blog entry.
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by David McGuffin | Feb 9, 2014 | Essential Travel Resources
ScotteVest Evaluation
I mentioned a few days ago that I was testing a ScotteVest to determine if it was a suitable replacement for my normal drawstring backpack. I’ve worn it now for four days and now can make an evaluation. But before I do, let me tell you a little about the ‘essential” stuff I carry day in and day out my drawstring backpack.
As the name implies, my drawstring backpack is small and lightweight. It is about 12”x16”. The “drawstrings” offer no support and if the packed is loaded with gear, the string can dig into your shoulders a bit. My pack has a big main compartment and an outside zippered pouch. There is also a mesh holder for a ½ liter water bottle. Typically I carry these items in my backpack:
- Small travel umbrella
- A small waterproof pouch with medication, pens, glue stick, bottle opener, Tide to go stick, moleskin, nail clippers, paper clips, sticky note pad, sharpie markers, rubber bands, duct tape roller around a pencil, a clothespin, Neosporin, sunscreen, and other odds and ends.
- A leather-bound Journal
- iPhone charger and adapter
- iPhone, used as my all purpose camera and communication device
- Bandana,
- Sunglasses,
- Maps, guidebooks, itineraries, etc.
I’ve found that’s all I need to get through the day in any destination. Additionally, I wear a moneybelt in which I keep my valuables such as money, credit cards, and passport. If needed, I wear a lightweight, waterproof jacket with several large pockets.
Ok, back to the ScotteVest…
PROS – It has lots of pockets that are designed to lay flat and stay closed. All of the pockets are in the front or sides of the vests. There is a large pocket in the rear, but I’ve not used it because items in there would get in the way when seated. The pockets are designed for specific items, for example: there is a pocket for glasses with a cleaning cloth attached, a pocket for a water bottle, two pockets for iPods and smartphones, a tube-like channel for earphones to tuck away discreetly, an iPad or mobile reader pocket, a pocket for documents such as passport and boarding passes (I used this while in transit and flying and it is great… keeps everything handy. But once “in country” I transfer all that to my moneybelt). All of the pockets I’ve mentioned are on the inside of the vest. There are four pockets outside with magnetic closures and zippers. That’s 18 pockets in all!
I’ve neatly organized all the items I usually put in my drawstring backpack into the various pockets of the ScotteVest. Now that I’ve travel with it a few days and remember in which pocket I’ve placed items it is becoming real handy. I like it because all the weight is distributed evenly across my shoulders and it does not look like a sack of potatoes around my torso. The vest is warm and traveling in the cooler months this comes in handy as another layer.
CONS
The vest makes me hot. Especially when traveling through airports and on the airplanes. I feel the heat building on my shoulders and back an become extremely warm.
The vest is not particularly attractive, but I’m an old fart, so don’t really care.
I’m not too sure about how the vest will work in the summer heat. It does have a mesh inner liner which is supposed to transfer the heat out and cool in.
OVERALL – I am happy with the ScotteVest. At $125, it is expensive, but for me it will do for cool weather travel. I’ll be wearing this thing for the next three week, so I’ll let you know if I change my mind on anything.
Here is the link to their website if you want to learn more: http://www.scottevest.com
