November 6, 2008
The 4th Berwick upon Tweed Film and Media Festival takes place between 28 - 30 November 2008. The Film Festival is an annual event which rotates between a Minifest (this year) and a full blown affair (2007). The theme of the 2008 Festival is the “State of Berwick” reflecting Berwick’s historical tug of war between England and Scotland through light, cinema and sound.
Changing Faces, Royal Tweed Bridge, Berwick Film Festival 2007
The Festival kicks off the with Opening Night Gala on Friday 28 November with “The Cabinet of Dr Calligari” accompanied by live original soundtrack, followed by a party at the Barrels Ale House featuring live music from local bands.
There will be a programme of films screened at The Maltings. It costs £4.00 per film (concessions and family tickets available) or you can buy a Big Ticket for entry to all screenings on the Saturday and Sunday for £16.
Running alongside the Film Festival, Northumberland Lights will be illuminating historic sites along the Elizabethan town walls such as the Magazine and the Dewar Lane Granary between 16.30 - 20:00.
Traffic, Berwick Film Festival 2007
There will also be local archive film screened at an icehouse and a Tongues of Fire performance at Berwick Barracks with tickets for both these events costing £3.
I’ll be stewarding at some of the events and attending the Opening Night Gala.
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November 5, 2008
Devin Castle View to Danube River
If you’re wandering around the ruins of Devin Castle just outside Bratislava in Slovakia it’s hard to imagine that the Iron Curtain ran right past it, but it’s only a couple of decades ago that they tore down the barbed wire fence along the Danube River dividing Slovakia from Austria. These days the castle ruins on the hill are a really photogenic spot and it seems too romantic to have been a dangerous place where people tried to cross the river into the West, risking being shot.
Just recently Queen Elizabeth II took a trip to Bratislava to officially unveil a statue next to Devin Castle. The new artwork is a huge iron sculpture which represents the Iron Curtain and includes quotations from Winston Churchill. It’s interesting to see that Slovakia seems to be taking a kind of step forward in acknowledging its Cold War history more openly and that definitely adds another reason to visit.
If you’re in Bratislava it’s easy to get out to Devin Castle - a regular bus service leaves from the Novy Most bridge near the Old Town. There’s also a new-ish resort out there where you might find alternative accommodation to the city centre.
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November 5, 2008
What better way to get to know a city than to be shown around by someone who genuinely loves living there? That’s the idea behind the Paris Greeters.
- Paris - Quai de Seine by Panoramas
Paris greeters are volunteers who adore their city and love showing it off to visitors. They’ll offer you walking tours of their favourite sights or areas, showing off the architecture or the history. Greeters will take groups of up to six people (including children) on a relaxed, friendly and above all personal journey through the streets of Paris. This is a new face for the city renowned for it’s distaste for foreign tourists.
Booking a greeter is easy through their webpage. Simply fill out a form at least two weeks before you are due to arrive and the organisers will attempt to match you with a guide. This is not free - the organisers ask for 10€ to cover this but you will get that back if they couldn’t find a greeter for you. While on the tour you will be responsible for paying your own public transport costs.
The greeters themselves do not accept payment or tips, however the organisation behind it does and will happily take donations to keep the concept running. It is a wonderful chance to see the French capital through the eyes of a local while not forking out for a tour with a large group doing the usual tourist traps with a blasé guide.
- Notre-Dame de Paris by gadl
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November 4, 2008
I’d like to introduce you to Heather Cowper, the most recent member of the the Europe a la Carte blogging team.
Heather lives with her family in Bristol, England. She caught the travel bug as a child from family camping holidays in Europe and since then has devoted her energy to packing as many holidays as possible in between day job and family life. Heather loves to feel the sun on her face and when the skies are grey in Bristol she dreams of escaping to far off places to bask in the sunshine. Heather also blogs about the interesting things she sees on her travels around the world and on her doorstep at Heather on her travels.
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November 4, 2008
When Mr. Kjartan Sverrisson, the e-marketing manager at Icelandair, issued his press release that Iceland was still there, my ears perked up a little. I’ve been looking for a long-weekend getaway and wouldn’t mind paying Iceland a visit. Under normal circumstances, the place was always too expensive for cheapskates like me and it’s been ages since my last trip to the land of sheep and ice and the Blue Lagoon.
photo: wikipedia
Supposedly now after the financial crash, the country has become more affordable. But just how affordable? On that Mr. Sverrisson is oddly vague. He just says that “the favourable exchange rate means that your money will buy you a lot.” Which doesn’t really do me any good. I want to know what this “a lot” means. The favorable exchange rate in Moldova will buy me “a lot” too. And just how cheap those weekend getaways in Iceland are these days, anyway? If I’m going to go there in winter, they better be sufficiently “budget.” Alas, they’re not.
Three nights in Reykjavik, Icelandair flight from Stockholm included, will set me back about 3700SEK (about 370 euro), and 235 pounds from London (which does come out significantly cheaper – about 2900SEK).
Unfortunately, for the same amount of money I can go somewhere with much better weather and food. Mr. Sverrisson claims that “Reykjavik has become the cheapest capital city of the Nordic countries.” A quick check of restaurant prices confirms that he might be right. At today’s exchange rate, a large pizza will set you back about 7 euros, and a bowl of pasta at Caruso costs the equivalent of about 10 euro. Add to that a drink, appetizer and dessert, and you have your average Stockholm prices. Suddenly that bargain doesn’t look so good anymore.
While Iceland might be open for business and desperate for foreign tourists to bring with them and spend their hard-earned foreign cash, the Icelandic deal might not be as good as the bosses at Icelandair want to make you believe.
So, will I be going to Iceland for a weekend getaway? Nah. If for the same amount of money I can spend a whole week in Spain, why bother? Granted, it will be a mindless charter holiday, but at least the weather will be nice.
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November 3, 2008
Welcome to the November 2008 of the Europe Travel Carnival, jam packed with great posts to inform, inspire and entertain readers who love travel in Europe. Thanks to all the contributors for their great submissions.
Destination
Matt writes about Amsterdam.. Check Please posted at Playing Pro Ball: My Euro Adventures. I was sorry to read that it rained during Matt’s trip to Amsterdam, which is exactly what happened during our first trip to Amsterdam. However I was luckier during my recent trip to the press launch of the citizenm hotel in June 2008 it was sunny and warm which made Amsterdam so much more appealing and attractive.
Amsterdam
travelcat4 gives us the Short Guide To UK National Parks posted at Ultimate Vacation Guide with a short description of each UK National Park. I’d advise you to visit National Parks off peak as I recall being in the Derbyshire Peaks on a Bank Holiday Weekend one August and it was awful - traffic jams, nowhere to park etc. We visited the Lake District National Park in February 2008 and even then there were quite a few visitors around.
Consiton Water at dusk
Christina Geyer presents Off the Beaten Path: the Oberpfalz posted at an american expat in deutschland, The Oberpfalz region is in the German state of Bavaria. You can participate in Christina’s Off the Beaten Path Challenge by writing a guide to somewhere you don”t normally find in the guidebooks. I always think that Germany is way down the list when most Brits think of holiday destinations. I enjoyed our trip to north eastern Germany in Mecklenburg Vorpmmern and our overnight stay in Lubeck.
Amberg Oberpflaz
Kirsty lists Top 20 Things To Do in Florence I posted at RatesToGo Travel Blog. We didn’t have time to visit Florence when we flew to Pisa in May 2008 as we’d hired a car to tour around southern Tuscany and Umbria and driving in Italian cities is to be avoided. I plan to fly to Pisa and visit Florence and Lucca by public transport.
Florence skyline
Restaurants
Heatheronhertravels presents An artistic lunch at the V & A - in London posted at Heather on her travels, saying, “If you’re looking for a delicious and well priced lunch in central London, look no further than the Victoria and Albert Museum, where you can savour your salad or sandwich while enjoying the artistic surroundings.” I visited the Victoria and Albert Museum frequently when I lived in London but being a frugal Scot I would take my own sandwiches with me.
The Victoria and Albert Museum
Kirk Warner describes his Grand Meal in the Grand Duchy in Off the Menu. It sounds like a real gourmet treat, a ten course degustation menu at the Michelin two star Restaurant Mosoni in Luxembourg. Kirk was impressed by the Cinammon Ice Cream served with shaved Parmesan and Balsamic Vinegar and has included the recipe at the bottom of the article.
Luxembourg Neumunster and Johanneskirche
Travel Tips
European Vacation – Gotchas to avoid and frugal options for cost conscious American Visitors from the One Family’s Blog gives tips on how to make your travel budget stretch further. One of the tips is to consider low cost carriers such as Ryanair for flights within Europe, as they can be cheaper than taking the train. If you book in advance and travel midweek off peak you can book flights for as little as £1.
Ryanair aeroplane
George L Smyth features One Minute How-To - How To Survive The Oktoberfest posted at George L Smyth, in which Christian Weller explains the things you must should know to get the most out off attending the Oktoberfest in Munich. Unfortunately this post was submitted after the deadline for the October edition of the Europe Travel Carnival but you could bookmark it for next year.
Got beer?
GirlScientist asks for tips about what to do and see on her forthcoming trip to Helsinki in In One Month, I will go to HEL and Back posted at Living the Scientific Life. My husband was in Helsinki for a conference a couple of years ago and he thought it was a beautiful city.
Helsinki Railway Station
I hope that you’ve enjoyed the November 2008 edition of the Europe Travel Carnival. Please make your submission for the December 1 2008 edition by Monday 24 November. Please only submit articles which are directly related to travel in Europe. You may submit more than one article but I can only include one article per site or blog.
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November 1, 2008
Zagreb is the capital of Croatia and it is, by far, the biggest city. Zagreb is located in the middle of the country and can be easily reached by plane and train. Now I am not going to sugar-coat thins article and say that I am in love with the city, but being that it is the major hub of a lot of travel in Croatia I have been there many times. Zagreb has many interesting attractions, great shopping, happening nightlife, and great food. I would not recommend Zagreb as a main attraction, but considering that it is the biggest city and easiest to fly to in order see other areas of the gorgeous country there are some things you should check out if you are there.
Statue in Main Square
One of the coolest things to do in Zagreb is to take a walk around the central main part of the old historical area. Central Zagreb has the best shopping in the city, great restaurants and nightclubs, and has a fantastic open-air market. The market is generally happening from the early morning until the mid afternoon. You can find everything there from fresh fruit and vegetables and fresh meat to great handcrafts and local wine and honey. A walk around the huge market can take hours and you will be sure to find some great things. Just up from the main open air market is the Zagreb Cathedral on Kaptol, which is probably the most famous building in Zagreb and its spires can be seen from all around the city.
In the historical old town centre is the Croatian History Museum. The museum is part of history itself as a gorgeous Baroque palace, Vojkovic-Orsic-Rauch, which was built at the end of the 18th century and the museum was formerly the private residence of 3 successive baronial families.
The building that houses the Croatian National Theatre is a national treasure and holds great dramatic, opera, music, and ballet productions. One highlight of the Theatre is the ceremonial curtain, which was painted by renowned Croatian painter Vlaho Bukovac.
If you want a little history you can head to the village of Scitarjevo, which is just outside Zagreb, and check out the Andautonia Archaeological Park. Here there are the remains of the ancient Roman town called Andautonia, which has been excavated and is currently a fascinating tourist attraction.
The nightlife in Zagreb is great with a huge student population. There are many small bars and cafes located on the cool street of lining the cool street of Tkalciceva in Gornji Grad. If you want a little more sophistication you can check out try either Hemingway, Trg Marsal Tita 1, or Skola, Bogoviceva 7, which are both chic lounge-bars that serve cocktails and have great music. If you want a brewery atmosphere head to either Pivnica Medvedgrad, Savska 56, or K Pivovari, Ilica 222, both of which are Central European style beer halls that are attached to breweries. There are also many cafes and bars located in the main square.
There are a lot of cool clubs in the city, but a couple of the better ones are the dance club Aquarius, which overlooks Lake Jarun and is about 4 kilometres from the city center. If you wan t a chance to see some Croatian celebrities check out Saloon, Tuskanac, which is THE place to be seen.
There are no shortages of restaurants all around town, but since it is a huge city you can also find many international types of food. In the main square area you can find these eateries and real Croatian fare, along with some of the best pizzas in the city.
Ok, so Zagreb is not one of my favourite cities, but there are a lot of nice things to see and the open-air market is one of the better ones I have been to in big metropolitan areas. If you head to Croatia going to Zagreb is the easiest city, not to mention the cheapest, and there are some things in the city that you should check out.
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October 31, 2008
Tasting notes - Copyright Andrew Hayes
When planning my recent trip to Lisbon, I found some information about Vini Portugal’s ‘Sala Ogival’ –offering free tastings of Portuguese wines – and decided to have a closer look. Having experienced plenty of tastings, usually focused more on selling and less about the wine itself, I was pleasantly surprised by the beautiful tasting room in Lisbon’s Baxia neighborhood.
Upon entry, you might suspect that you had gotten the directions wrong and stumbled into an inviting art gallery. Artfully decorated, there is no overt commercial aspect to the space even though Vini Portugal is a private organisation, partially funded by the Portuguese government, partially by wine producer associations. The focus here is resolute: give the consumer a memorable experience, balanced between all the senses and they’ll become your best salesmen.
You can choose your own flight of six wines, dividing your choices across two wines out of each of the selected regions currently on offer. The three highlighted regions change every three weeks to ensure all Portugal’s winegrowers are fairly represented, although this also means you might have to make a return trip. The staff are very friendly and eager to help you make an appropriate choice based on your own personal palette and wine preference.
Once you’ve tasted your wine, you’ll be given a score sheet to rate the wine. If you find something you like, you’re in luck: the tasting room also sells the wines on offer; this saves you the hassle of finding your favourites in a wine shop in town. My favourite was the vinho verde sparkling wine, but then again I have always been a fan of these bubblies. I’ll be honest, everything we tried was wonderful, and the ambience of the tasting room is one of my best Lisbon memories.
To learn more, visit the website http://www.viniportugal.pt
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October 30, 2008
Following my post earlier today about Ryanair’s rescue fare for passengers stranded by the collapse of Sterling Airlines, I received an email from DFDS Seaways with details of the free travel available for stranded Sterling passengers on their Harwich to Esbjerg ferry.
DFDS Seaways are offering free transport to Sterling Airways passengers after the airline went bust this morning. To assist with repatriation, DFDS Seaways will offer free travel onboard the m.s. DANA SIRENA to all Danish residents and British travellers holding valid Sterling Airline tickets. DFDS Seaways will honour all valid Sterling Airlines tickets and offer free travel onboard the m.s. DANA SIRENA to Esbjerg subject to availability.
All Sterling Airlines’ customers who hold a valid ticket with the airline are eligible for free travel from Harwich to Esbjerg in a standard class cabin, subject to availability, until Thursday 6th November. For
more information contact DFDS Seaways on 0871 882 0890 for more details.
http://www.dfdsseaways.co.uk/aboutus/sterling_airlines
Anna Etmanska of the Europe a la Carte blogging team alerted me to the fact that SAS are offering stranded Sterling passengers free travel (although passengers will have to pay airport taxes, fees and charges) until midnight on 30 October. This offer is only available at the airport upon production of a Sterling ticket, if there are seats in economy class on the plane.
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October 30, 2008
I came across the Essential Travel online magazine and blog in a press release detailing the UK based travel insurance website’s redesign to include more tips and advice for travellers.
I was impressed by online magazine which is published monthly. The October 2008 edition had articles about financial protection for your holiday, Miami, Florida and ideas for Half Term breaks. The Essential Travel magazine also has travel tips, questions, ideas and destination guides and 24 hour guides.
The Essential Travel blog authored by Joanna Hunter is very interesting, varied and written with Joanna’s personality and sense of humour evident but not detracting from the content. I was relieved to hear that someone else isn’t that enamoured with Dubai with Joanna describing it as “a souless building site”, “full of cynical tourist traps” and “an ecological folly on a grand scale”. Now I haven’t even visited Dubai but I I’m not in the least attracted to do so.
Ski Dubai
I liked the magazine and blog because they offered useful travel information from a UK perspective and weren’t plastered with adverts or constantly trying to push Essential Travel’s insurance policies.
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