Virgin Atlantic Airline has released its revised Economy Class Sale Fares for flights to Nairobi, Kenya. This new fare list replaces the previous Issue number 1, dated 18 February 2011.
The airline states that its fares are reissued in order to offer an extension of validity that is now until March 09, 2011. Plus, the sub [...]
Day 9 – Mosel, Burg Eltz, Nurburgring
This was a day both MB and I were very excited about. I was excited to see Burg Eltz – one of the best preserved medeval castles in Europe, and MB was planning to drive the Nurburgring! For those unfamiliar with the Nurburgring, it is also called the Green Hell, and it is widely considered the toughest, most dangerous and most demanding purpose-built race track in the world. It is a 23km-long race track with insane curves and elevation changes. Most days it is open to the public for a few hours so people can drive on it in their own cars. We were going to try.
But first breakfast. I was glad we got the included breakfast. It was a huge buffet with meats, cheeses, breads, fruit, yogurt and Nutella, and even the only scrambled eggs we saw in Europe (although they were buffet eggs, not great). We filled up knowing we had a big day ahead.
By 10:30 we were headed on a scenic drive along the Mosel towards Burg Eltz. The Mosel was lovely and picturesque but it became an even nicer drive once we left the river and headed into the hills towards the castle.
Burg Eltz is unique in that it has remained intact for 700 years. Being in a valley helped protect it from attack and it is an incredible sight to see. Arriving by car you pay €1.50 to park and then there is a steep 10-minute walk downhill to the castle. When you finally catch the first glimpse of the castle, it is breathtaking. Once we got there we asked about the English tour which would start in 30 minutes. You can not enter the castle without an organized tour. Just seeing the exterior is worth the trip, but the interior was fascinating, so I’d recommend taking the tour (€8 per person). While we waited MB had a beer and I had a cola light on the café patio. It was quite windy in the valley and a patio umbrella actually blew away, but it was comfortable and the surrounding river valley is gorgeous.
Our “English” tour guide had a thick German accent and struggled a bit with some words but did a great job. We saw the rooms off the castle which remain in the time they were restored, from the 11th to the 17th century. 3 families used to jointly own the castle but I believe it is now owned by one family. There are beautiful fresh flowers throughout. The tapestries are incredibly preserved. No photographs are allowed inside the castle so that probably helps preserve them, but they are gorgeous. There are also animal skins and heads (trophies) on the walls and some of them, (moose, bear) came all the way from Canada. My favourite room was the kitchen with so much clever design. The walls are thick to keep food cool and there is a separate area to store salt, which was precious and expensive.
Once we were ready to leave we decided to take the shuttle van up the hill instead of walking. We felt a little lame in there with the older ladies, but I didn’t want to ruin my memory of the castle with a sweaty uphill walk. It cost €1.50 each for the shuttle and was well worth it.
On to Cochem. This is an adorable town. We were hoping to taste a bit of wine but not much since one of us would be driving. We chose Cochem as recommended by Rick Steves and it is a nice little town. Unfortunately, the GPS got us a bit lost and we were driving through very narrow streets at a steep incline, but we finally found some parking and explored the town on foot. We did find a wine garden and each had a flight of wine to taste (5 very small samples each) and our wurst for lunch. MB had potato salad, which he loved and I had French fries and curry ketchup with mine (€17 for all). We felt bad not buying a bottle of wine or two, especially when we saw how cheap they were (€3-7 each) But we knew we wouldn’t have time to drink it before we left and had no space to take it home. We walked around the town and took some pictures of the castle, then went on a little further to Bellstein, which is a tiny town on the Mosel. We stopped for an ice cream sundae to share €5 (every café in Germany seems to have a separate illustrated dessert menu). We were biding our time in the little towns before heading to our next stop – the Nurburgring.
On certain days the Nurburgring is open to the public to take their cars out on the track. MB had done some research and although you are not technically allowed to take a rental car on the race track, there is really nothing to stop you. We agreed that I would be in the car too – I was actually more comfortable being there because I knew he would drive more safely. As we approached the Nurburg area it started raining. MB was very concerned about this development but it turned out to be the best thing that could have happened because it meant no motorcycles on the track. A motorcyclist had died on the track earlier that day (there are about 40 deaths a year), and the bikes were not allowed on until the weather cleared. We bought a lap card for €22 (one lap) and headed onto the track. There is no waiver to sign – they don’t even take your drivers license or license plate number – but there are rules posted by the track. We saw all sorts of supercars with roll cages and drivers in helmets. Honestly, I was terrified, but once we got on the track it went by very quickly. Due to the light rain and all the tight curves we didn’t get going very fast and were passed by a few other cars. We probably averaged 80km/h and got up to 140 on one straight stretch, so no faster than we would normally drive at home, but with all the curves and elevation changes it was quite thrilling. MB was so thrilled and happy when we were done, I’m glad we got to go on the track. But this is not something I’d recommend to anyone unless you are an excellent, safe driver who has done a lot of research and your life wouldn’t be complete without the experience.
We headed back to Koblenz in the rain. Once we got back we paid a €10 deposit to borrow an umbrella from the hotel and headed out to dinner, but the rain had stopped. We walked along the pedestrian squares with lots of restaurants but I couldn’t find anything appealing. Just like in Amsterdam there were lots of Italian, Argentinean, Mexican and Irish places but a dearth of local cuisine. We finally found a place that looked good, although it turned out to be mostly Italian. It was called Chili Gastro. I can’t find a website or much info online, but I highly recommend this place. I believe the address is Paradies 2, Koblenz. We sat outdoors even though it was cool, they have a covered patio. Most of the menu was pasta but we ordered schnitzel to have the German experience. It was enormous with 2 large pieces, fries and salad. We also asked for a dry white wine and ended up with an Italian Sauv. Blanc. So we just gave up on our local experience, but the service was incredible. The server told us he’d graduated business school and was working to help friends and wanted to get into restaurant management. He also talked about his experiences driving tourists on the Nurburgring, which he does as a side job. His English was better than most of the people we know in North America. He really made the meal wonderful and the bill was only €41
Next we stopped for a few drinks at the Irish pub down the street, which was pretty empty for 22:00 and headed back to the hotel.
Tomorrow – Our last day in Europe, finishing the Rhine, Frankfurt
canadian_couple’s TravelStream™ — Recent TravelPod.com entries
I hope you’ve had a fantastic 2010, and would have traveled somewhere in this beautiful world of ours. I’ve done my fair share of travels despite lack of time off from work, and visited NZ, Philippines, Myanmar and then now, going to Europe for Christmas. As I will be leaving tomorrow for Amsterdam and won’t be back until the New Year, I would like to wish you all a great Christmas with your family, and an awesome 2011 ahead!
Make sure you check out my posts if you want some travel ideas, and look out for more exciting material in the coming year.
I’ll leave you with this YouTube clip of Buck The Singing Reindeer. Enjoy the holidays!
Apart from the golden temples, Yangon has a lot of charm and character. Most of it, you may find, is the roughness and antiquity of the city. You will find that the road, and especially the footpath needs to be fixed up. The taxis are possibly one of the ugliest taxis in the world (and this is not just one taxi or taxi company, it’s many of them!) And of course, there is the old colonial Rangoon, with the myriad of colonial-style buildings. You can really imagine back in its hay days that it would easily be one of the wealthiest cities in Asia!
Below are some more things I got to experience in Yangon:
There is one hotel in Yangon that is considered one of the best small hotels in the world, and this is not just another 5 star hotel. The Strand hotel was built in 1901 by the Sarkies Brothers, who are known for building remarkable hotels in Southeast Asia like the famous Raffles Hotel in Singapore and the Eastern& Oriental in Penang. The Strand is truly one place that tourists must check out while in Myanmar. This hotel has hosted several well-known historical figures and modern day celebrities like Mick Jagger, Somerset Maugham, Oliver Stone, Rudyard Kipling, and Pierre Cardin.
A high tea at the hotel’s cafe is a MUST! Try the Myanmar high tea, which comprises of a tea leaf salad, vegetarian spring rolls, a banana stew, sticky rice cake, and a couple other local delicacies. Very delicious! Truly worth trying out!
The great thing about The Strand is that it is comprised of only suite rooms and no other types of room. There are only 32 suites on offer, and it comes with a 24-hour butler service. It is absolutely luxurious, and one that many tourists only dream of staying. While I was there, I started inquiring on prices, just out of curiosity. I found out that a one-night stay at this hotel will normally cost US0, BUT, if you go during the off-peak season (May-September), the hotel offers a heavily discounted rate of US0! This is absolutely an awesome deal, considering it also includes a buffet breakfast and the 24-hour butler service! It costs about the same as some standard 4-star hotels in other parts of the world!
Now let’s talk about food! Food glorious food! I love trying out different cuisines. It was my first taste of real Burmese cuisine, as you could hardly find Burmese restaurants outside Myanmar. Aside from Burmese cuisine, Myanmar is also known for having good Indian and Chinese food. This is due to the fact that Myanmar has a good number of Indian settlers who were brought in by the British to work in the farms and mines. They stayed on and kept their culture and cuisine, and has now formed part of Myanmar’s culinary repertoire.
I managed to try an Indian restaurant in the heart of Yangon. This restaurant is quite basic, but it is clean and very efficient. In fact, it can easily beat McDonald’s hands down when it comes to service! The Indian restaurant is called Nilar’s Biryani, and their specialty is, of course, Biryani! It was quite a different biryani from what I have tried before, but I think it must be based on a recipe from a different region in India, perhaps the southern part or somewhere near Kolkata (Calcutta). The Biryani at Nilar’s Biryani shop was the cheapest meal I had in Myanmar, and one of the tastiest!
Another great restaurant I tried there was the much-rated Monsoon Restaurant, which is considered one of the top restaurants in Yangon. It offers typical Burmese dishes, as well as dishes from other parts of Indochina, particularly Thai and Vietnamese dishes. The ambience at Monsoon Restaurant is certain great, and while it may not be the cheapest place to eat in town, the price is very reasonable and still very cheap for Western standards. The food was excellent, and I would recommend it to people who would want a good restaurant to go to in Yangon that looks clean and has airconditioning.
Both these restaurants were also recommended by Lonely Planet’s Myanmar guidebook
Yangon has one big market that is a must visit if you want to shop for souvenirs, crafts and jewellery. This market is known as Bogyoke (pronounced Bo-joke) Market (formerly known as Scott Market). Myanmar is known for its abundant supply of jade and precious gemstones like sapphire, ruby, turquoise. My mom wanted some jade jewellery and I found so much jade that market! I was spoilt for choice! It also sells things like the traditional longyi, clothing, footwear, cosmetics, jewellery.
This is also a great place to change your US Dollars to local currency (called kyat – pronounced as “chat”). The one thing that you will find strange though is that there are no money changer or foreign exchange counters in this market. It’s all black market when it comes to currency exchange in Myanmar. The government banks have terrible rates so don’t bother with them. Most people opt to go to these “money changers” who would approach you and ask “Excuse me sir, change money?” Do not be afraid of these people, but canvas and negotiate on the rate. And more importantly, get the kyat from them first before handing over your US Dollar or foreign currency (just to be sure that they actually have the money).
The Sakura Building is Yangon’s tallest building, and it offers great views of the city. The 20th floor has a restaurant called Thiripitsaya restaurant, which serves traditional Myanmar dishes as well as Western-style food. At night, they have Happy Hour from 5pm-11pm, and beer is only . You can see the Shwe Dagon on one side, and the Sule Pagoda and Yangon River on the other side. You will also get a view of the cityscape of Yangon, mainly the look of the crumbling colonial buildings and rusted roofs. Admittedly, they give a distinctive character to the city.
One thing you will notice as you go around Yangon’s central city is that the footpath is not as smooth as other places. Sure, a lot of Asian cities would have the same problem, but the degree of degradation of Myanmar’s footpath is more evident in that you would kinda need to hopscotch your way on the pieces of cement and stones.. Watch out for manholes that have been left uncovered. There are some that have a bamboo pole sticking out with a plastic bag tied to one end to mark that there is a manhole there.
Aside from the broken footpath, you will also notice that a good number of Yangon’s taxis are very old and ill-maintained. So much so that sometimes I feel like those cars are going to just fall apart in the middle of the road! Such is the degree of poverty there that people can’t afford to fix up old cars. In their credit, most people in Myanmar drive gently, and I haven’t really seen or experienced a driver that made my heart skip a beat! So despite their rundown conditions, the taxis in Yangon are quite safe. Being in one of them is one of those experiences that you will remember just because of the sheer horror of the look of their vehicles.
Yangon is not so much a touristy city from my experience. It has a certain rustic charm that will definitely appeal to those who seek out adventure and get a feel of what Asia was like 50 years ago. Not much of the infrastructure has changed, and life in Yangon is still quite laid back and simple.
More stories on Myanmar coming your way, so watch out for it!
Have a Fabulous Journey ahead!
When we heard the good news that TBEX 11 was coming to our hometown of Vancouver we were excited to have our beautiful city welcome the travel blog community.
As host of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Games, the city has launched itself onto the world stage and become a tourism hotspot for all types of travel.
Within a 20km radius you can be skiing in the mountains, strolling on the beach, hiking through temperate rainforest, kayaking secluded coves, dining at world class restaurants or attending an international event. We happen to think its one of the greatest cities in the world, but we’re totally biased!
When we travel to new countries or cities we want to know what the locals do for fun. Don’t get us wrong, we like to visit the popular sights as much as the next traveller, but the best way to experience a city is to follow the lead of its people.
As residents of Vancouver, we thought it would be helpful to go beyond Vancouver’s top attractions and introduce TBEX 11 attendees to things that we like do in Vancouver during the summer (because the event is in June).
Deep Cove is a harbour community on the east side of Seymour Mountain, a short drive from downtown Vancouver and accessible by public transit. The waters in the cove are normally calm, making it the perfect place to go kayaking, canoeing, paddle boarding or boating (Equipment Rentals are available).
We put together a short video from an afternoon kayaking the cove last summer – Kayaking in Deep Cove
If water activities aren’t your thing, check out the popular Baden-Powell Trail and hike the 45-minute trail to the stunning viewpoint that overlooks Deep Cove and Indian Arm (its the rock cliff in the photo below – to the right). It’s not a mountain climb but it can be challenging for some, so bring proper shoes and a bottle of water. It’s one of our favourite hikes in Vancouver.
After you’ve had your fill of outdoor adventure, head into the small town and sample its world famous honey donuts with a cappuccino or enjoy a local craft beer on an outdoor patio.
Grouse Mountain, often referred as the “Peak of Vancouver”, is one of Vancouver’s top tourist attractions. But what many people don’t know is that it’s also one of the most popular hiking trails for residents of Vancouver.
Why do the locals love it so much? Because it’s a kick-ass work out!
Don’t make the mistake of thinking it’s a leisurely hike to a viewpoint. It’s a 3 kilometre trail straight up the face of Grouse Mountain. Every time we do the hike we see tourists with jeans and dress shoes attempting to reach the top. They typically don’t make it past the ¼ mark before turning around in defeat.
There is a reason it’s called “Mother Nature’s Stairmaster”. You will sweat, you will bitch and you will hurt, but there is no better feeling than reaching the top. Don’t worry, you can take the tram down.
Although we don’t have a professional baseball team in British Columbia, we do have the Vancouver Canadians. The minor league team plays at Nat Bailey Stadium, which is the perfect sports venue for a summer ball game.
It’s a small, no frills stadium with traditional metal bleachers, old school scoreboards and foot long hotdogs. Even if you don’t like sports, you’ll enjoy an afternoon at the Nat!
On a nice day, the perfect West Coast activity is to rent a small motor boat and explore Howe Sound. A highlight is the colony of harbour seals that inhabit Pam Rocks, pictured below. It’s also likely that you’ll spot bald eagles while on the boat trip.
It’s not that expensive either. For two hours of personal boat time (usually enough to get to the seal colony and back) it’s about 0, and the boats can fit between 4-6 people. To visit marine parks and secluded coves that can only be reached by water, it’s wise to do the 4-hour rate and head to Gambier or Anvil Islands.
Similar to Nat Bailey Stadium, Hastings Park is a Vancouver icon. The vintage race track has been around since 1947, making it a popular attraction even without the horse races.
We’re not big into gambling but love spending the afternoon at Hastings Park because of its great views and entertaining atmosphere. It’s free to enter, so we don’t mind putting a couple bucks on the ponies, which adds to the excitement of the Hastings experience.
It’s easy to get to the park by public transit and it neighbours Playland, Vancouver’s infamous amusement park, so you can make it a full day by combing the two activities.
Steveston is a charming fishing village in south Richmond, located south of Vancouver. It’s the departure point for many Whale Watching tours that explore the Gulf Islands and the San Juan islands. We went on a tour last summer and saw a pod of Orcas hanging out in their natural habitat – a very cool experience!
Steveston is an active fishing harbour so you can walk the docks and purchase fresh seafood directly from the fishing boats (you won’t find better prices anywhere!).
On a sunny afternoon, we like to visit the village and indulge in fresh fish and chips, then walk off lunch along the popular pier. As the photos below illustrate, it’s not a bad way to spend an afternoon outside the city.
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What are your favourite things to do your home city?
Share your comments below!
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Happy New Year Everyone! I just came back from a brief European adventure and I thought I’d share my exciting experience there to you all. My first post of the year, so I hope you will all enjoy it!
Prague - a city known for its beautiful architecture, romantic views and cheap beer. It’s no wonder that since the Czech Republic abandoned Communism and embraced the free world, throngs of tourists have discovered the beauty and elegance of this stunning city. Apart from its great sights, with such cheap and great beer, many young Europeans (British guys in particular) have descended for buck’s nights/stag parties, drinking spree weekends and a whole lot of clubbing. It’s become party central and THE place to be in Central Europe for those wanting great night clubs and parties.
For New Year’s Eve, Prague was known to have one of the best spots to watch fireworks behind the beautiful Prague Castle and the majestic Charles Bridge. I saw all the Youtube videos of New Year’s Eve fireworks in Prague from the previous years, and I said to myself, I have to be there for it. And of course, being party central, so many night clubs are sure to be offering great party options in the city.
After having witnessed 3 great New Year’s Eve fireworks in Sydney, I was inspired to check out the New Year’s Eve fireworks of the other countries and take great shots of it. A group of my friends and I started discussing the places we can go to celebrate the New Year, and what initially started out as a trip to Paris became Prague when we saw those great videos.
Prague Old Town New Years Eve 2011
Prague (or “Praha” as the locals call it) is known for great fireworks display over the past few years, but what we have neglected to check is that the city also allows its citizens to light their own firecrackers and do their own fireworks display! There doesn’t seem to be any rules around lighting firecrackers across the city, and so they go crazy lighting up wherever they please. This obviously is quite dangerous, and some people do get hurt if they happen to stand in front of those lighting the firecrackers!
My friends and I were shock to find out about this, but since we already booked our ticket to go to Prague for the New Year, there is no backing out anymore. Besides, having grown up in the Philippines where they sell dynamite-strength firecrackers and cause hundreds of injuries each year, we thought we can easily survive this one.
We positioned ourselves on the Old Town side of the River Vltava, hoping to having a view of both the Charles Bridge and the Prague Castle. On our way there, we had to fight through the crowds and saw a few police patrol cars going around and approaching locals who have been misbehaving and throwing fireworks at other people. The whole atmosphere in Prague was kind of chaotic, but it wasn’t bad enough to stop us from having a great time and catching a glimpse of what is said to be one of the best New Year’s Eve fireworks display around.
When my friends and I finally found a spot to setup our tripods and take great photos of the Prague Castle and Charles Bridge, we were all hoping to see the fireworks come out from behind the castle. The countdown began, and when the clock struck midnight, there was hardly any fireworks to be seen!! Well, as we turned around, we saw much of the fireworks on our side of the Vltava River and not behind the castle! We had to shift our cameras, but with the jam-packed space by the river, we could hardly move our cameras! I took as much shots as I possibly could. Some were good, some weren’t. At the end of the day, we thought that the Sydney New Year’s Eve fireworks were still more spectacular than the one in Prague. Nevertheless, going to Prague for the fireworks was a good reason to visit this romantic city.
The following day, we found out from one of the locals that the government apparently ran out of money to do the fireworks display, and hence, all we saw were the ones that the locals fired off themselves!! Well, here are some of the better shots we got:
Prague Fireworks NYE 2011 – With Charles Bridge and Prague Castle
Prague Fireworks NYE 2011 – on the other side of the bridge
More Prague Fireworks NYE 2011
Prague – Unsynchronised Fireworks Lit by Locals – NYE 2011
Some more small fireworks in Prague NYE 2011
Last few big fireworks display in Prague NYE 2011
