Continued from "Part II of III - Mykonos - Party Island: Beach by Day, Town by Night"
http://www.epinions.com/trvl-review-4C10-F759EB9-3A00BC84-prod2
Santorini was my favorite part of the trip. I actually wish that my girlfriend and I had planned more time in Santorini, rather than Mykonos. I really just wish my whole vacation was longer.
Despite its reputation as the most expensive city in the world (apart from Tokyo), London is definitely worth the visit. It takes several days to see everything, though. I suggest starting with one of the bus tours of the city. These allow you to see the outdoor sites (Big Ben, parliament, Buckingham Palace, etc.) without walking forever.
We went to Budapest with Vienna Sight Seeing Tour (http://www.viennasightseeingtours.com), and to Prague with Royal Tour.
We were very disappointed with Vienna Sight-Seeing Tour. There were only 7 of us in the tour. The tour was actually done by Euro Bus company. The bus company uses the same bus for the tour as well as for transporting bus passengers from Vienna to Budapest. The bus had to make a detour to Vienna airport to pick up more passengers.
Upon arriving Budapest, the bus made a detour to Budapest Euro Bus terminal to drop them off.
Edinburgh is a beutiful area steeped in history and mystery. The area itself is a magnificent physical setting tied to key aspects of Scottish history. With spectacular scenery and lots of places to shop this is the place to go.
With friendly people who greet you. Nice Scottish breakfasts sure to put the pounds on. Oat cakes galore. It is hard to avoid spending lots of money in Edinburgh as their are so many clothes and gift shops. This really is the best vacation destination.
Romania is a vacation location I would highly recommend. The country has only been democratic since 1989 and this is fairly evident after you have been there for a while. I found most things to be priced very economically.
Bucharest is a city of 2.3 million people and has a lot to offer: Sightseeing, great restaurants, excellent shopping, bars and nightclubs, and much more. There is a lot of western influence especially in the area of food establishments. For those times when you just want a quick bite, a fast food burger meal can be purchased for just over $2. For finer occasions, there is a wide variety of delicious international cuisine available at thrifty prices.
Germany’s Mosel River valley is one of the most scenic, serene places in Europe to visit. The river meanders between low-slung mountains covered with row upon row of neatly tended grape vines as it wends its way toward the mighty Rhine. Along the way are fairy tale castles, some beautifully maintained or restored, others ruined from battles lost long ago. Wineries and quaint villages pop up next to the river at every major bend offering excellent opportunities to shop or to just sit in a riverside cafe with a tray of cheese and a bottle of the region’s soft white wine.
The Tower is an absolute must-see for any visitor to London. I have taken some of my most hardened and world-weary friends to the Tower and everyone has enjoyed the trip. I didn’t even have to threaten to leave them there.
Some basics to get you interested. The Tower was initially constructed during the reign of William the Conqueror (1066-1087) and was steadily enlarged over the next 200 years. What you see now is basically the same as it was at the end of Edward I’s reign in 1307.
Frankfurt has everything, both good and bad - but, in my opinion, more good than bad!! If you want a place to party - Frankfurt is the city for you!! If you want to see some historical buildings - Frankfurt is the city for you!! Day or night, winter or summer, there is something for everyone. Everything is either a short walk or a quick ride away using the "U-Bahn" (tube). The area of Sachsenhausen is full of English, Irish, Mexican and German pubs and bars. People of all nationalities can be found there, making it a great place to mingle with the "world". Everyone is friendly and if you ask, they can all suggest places to see and be seen. The "old" part of Frankfurt, the "Romerplatz" is right by the River Main. They have great cafe’s and restaurants where you can sit either inside or outside and enjoy watching the world go by. The buildings are all old timber-fronted buildings, churches and cathedrals are there to be seen, as well as museums. If you don’t want to sit outside a cafe, then take a ride on one of the boat trips up and down the Main River, the tours all include the usual "touristy" information you would ever need to know about the city. There is a main shopping street with plenty of different stores, from clothing to souvenirs. Right next to the shopping area is the "new" part of Frankfurt with the multi-national banks and businesses. The only bad things I have to say about this city is that you really need a lot of time to be able to explore and find everything, just when you think you’ve seen it all, you see something else.
While on a FAM (that”s short for familiarization) trip to Ireland with Celtic Tours and a group of travel agents, we were treated to a special side trip, not on our itinerary. It was to Dunmore East, a small fishing village about a half-hour from Waterford, full of B&B”s (Bed and Breakfast establishments). The brother-in-law of one of Celtic Tour”s representatives lives there and owns the Haven Hotel, a large bed and breakfast establishment situated on a hill overlooking the water. It is known for being a family place, where children are welcome, and there is an expansive lawn in front for them to rough and tumble on.
A traditional song in Germany;s fairest city translates to “I lost my heart in Heidelberg.”
Many a man has lost his heart in this beautiful city. I lost my heart time after time, even lost my virginity, while I was a GI at U. S. Army Intelligence (an oxymoron according to some) in Heidelberg. For two summers in the 1950s, I took advantage of the city being a must-see for American tourists. By the busloads, college students, mostly coeds, stopped for at least an overnight in the land of the Student Prince. We “intelligence soldiers” would change from fatigues to civvies and visit the favorite haunts of the local university students and the tourists. At Zum Seppls and Roter Ochsen (Red Ox) we partook of the revelry, tipped a few half-liter mugs of Schlossquell, the local bier, and on many an occasion finished the evening by taking some girls for exploratory trips up the hill to the castle courtyard. It was a romantic setting. I won’t tell everything, but it was an experience of some significance in the mind of a young man.
Declared an open city in World War II, Heidelberg escaped Allied bombings. Retreating Germans blew a couple of bridges over the Neckar River, but that was about the extent of war damage. A beautiful city survived while most of Germany lay in ruins.
Before the advent of mass travel, Mark Twain visited Heidelberg. It was 1878 and the prolific Samuel Clemens was working on A Tramp Abroad, his recounting of an extended stay in Europe. He wrote glittering accounts of Heidelberg and the city has been a destination ever since.
Today’s visitors may be put off if they approach the city from the Bahnhof (the main rail station). It is an uglier part of town, but a trip across the strasse to the tourist office will get you a city map and directions to walk down the pedestrian-only Haupstrasse (Main Street) to the medieval Gothic old town. Tiny lanes and thin houses crowd together. It is an explorers’s paradise. Following the tourist map, one can delight in finding such vintage structures as the Hotel Zum Ritter, a 1592 Renaissance palace. It’s the ideal place to enjoy some German cuisine. Take sidetrips down any of the inviting side streets, most barely wide enough to handle one auto. In the same area one can inspect the Kornmarkt, the Church of the Holy Ghost and the many buildings of Heidelberg University, the oldest learning institution in Germany. A walk across the Alte Brucke (Old Bridge) leads to Philosopher’s Walk, a path on the opposite side of the Neckar. It’s a long hike with some healthy climbing, but the views of the old city are worth the effort. This is the vantage point for clicking some postcard-perfect photos of the castle that looms over the city.
The footpath (Bergweg) up to the famous Schloss is the best way to explore the castle. Construction started in 1300. Completion was 400 years later. There are many castles in Germany, especially along the Rhine, but the Heidelberg Schloss is an experience. Sixty-minute guided tours are worth the price. In one cellar is the world’s biggest wine keg. The castle is partly in ruins but enough remains intact to make it a worthwhile visit. And the view looking down to the city and valley is spectacular.
Back in the old town, one should visit the student inns for lunch or dinner. At Seppls and Roter Ochsen, one may be joined by singing college students who enjoy practicing their English. They play drinking games and have a raucous time.
In my Army daze, we took bicycle rides down the Neckar River road to visit small towns. The whole Neckar is fun to explore. I recall renting kayaks for smooth pedaling rides on the river.
A funicular will take you to the top of Konigstuhl Mountain. One summer we rented rooms at the Konigstuhl, a small hotel atop the mountain. It was a nice location and only a funicular ride from town, or a long hike on interesting paths.
Heidelberg has many more inns where Germans go to whoop and holler. It was at Rodensteiner’s where I met a wholesome German lass in the fifties. (MInd you, she wasn’t fifty; it was in the 1950s) She showed me her small apartment which was the least exciting part of our evening together. She also showed me some hand-knit sweaters and inferred quite strongly she would like to marry a GI. This was just ten years after World War II had ended and Germans were desperate to improve their lot. I, however, was happy with my lot and never returned to the little apartment.
How much do I like–make that love–Heidelberg? After serving 18 months in the military there, I have returned five times. I think it is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. It is not massive and monumental as are Paris or Rome, but it has its charm. It’s no wonder they get more than three million visitors a year.
It was in Heidelberg that I collected my first lidded German beer stein. For only ten marks (about $2.50) I got a blue salt-glazed stein with a pewter lid. It was dated 1892. I went on to collect others and to start Stein Collectors International, the world’s biggest organization of serious collectors of drinking vessels. So, you see, Heidelberg affected my life. It can affect you, too.
Go to Heidelberg. You may not lose your heart but you will have a rewarding time.
