tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-63126159228662284402023-11-15T05:47:10.053-08:00Tally Ho TravelsTally Ho Travellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03285024893161293843noreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6312615922866228440.post-62559610475039676962018-06-09T11:28:00.000-07:002018-06-12T14:48:05.956-07:00New Year's Eve Zaniness in the Heart of Berlin<p style="text-indent: 20px;"><b>11:55 pm, December 31st - New Year's Eve</b>. Standing on Unter den Linden just a few blocks away from the Brandenburg Tor; in the midst of a few thousand of my fellow revellers it's apparent that for 355 days of the year Berliners are sane humans but New Year's Eve brings out the "pyro" in both Berliners and visitors alike.</p><p style="text-indent: 20px;">One day every year, December 31st to be exact, anyone in the city of Berlin, or any German city, can legally buy the most amazingly high powered fireworks made (by US standards) just about anywhere. In fact we bought our fireworks pack in a stationery store of all places! The entire day is spent in anticipation of sunlight leaving so the day's purchase of skyrockets can be unleashed into the darkening sky without repercussion from the police or other authorities.</p><p style="text-indent: 20px;">Dinners are planned with almost military-like precision so that meals are completed prior to midnight when most of the noise and lights of the fireworks erupt. Then the party moves outside to let the real festivities begin… fireworks that look like mortar boxes are set off in the street just a few feet away…fireworks of gold, green, red, orange and even a purplish blue scream overhead, launched from the building rooftops lining the street… sometimes ducking around a building corner for temporary cover is required in this free-for-all madcap frenzy of pyro-activity. But oh, the adrenaline rush and excitement of watching the sounds and colors associated with the exploding all around you is so utterly contagious!</p><p style="text-indent: 20px;">After the fireworks are finally done and the last lone flash and scream in the air is over the crowd slowly disperses, with most wandering toward the closest well-known Ubahn stop. Tag along with a local and catch a less crowed subway line just around the corner to get back home within a reasonable length of time. Beware tho, even on the Ubahn and the Ubahn station you can encounter firecracker activity so stay alert! If one lands next to your foot you can either move away really fast or (if you are lucky) stomp on it really hard with your shoe to put it out!</p><p style="text-indent: 20px;">Venturing outside the next morning, New Year's Day, brings a shock to those who are new to the Berlin style of NYE partying. On the streets and along the sidewalks sit massive amounts of spent fireworks papers, bottle rocket sticks and finished fuses — it looks like a war zone! By the next morning though (January 2nd) the masses of debris are neatly swept up into piles 2 to 3 feet deep alongside the streets awaiting pickup by the trash collectors!</p><p style="text-indent: 20px;">My advice—if you <b>EVER </b> get the chance to travel to Berlin for New Year's Eve, GO! You will <b>never</b> forget the experience!</p>Tally Ho Travellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03285024893161293843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6312615922866228440.post-48667865212643067862018-06-08T16:07:00.000-07:002018-06-09T11:40:20.722-07:00Top Winter Holiday Activities To Do in Prague<p style="text-indent:20px;>Ever dream of spending an old-fashioned European Christmas wandering on cobblestone paths gently covered by lightly falling snow? If you answered "yes", then the magical city of Prague is THE place to visit for the Christmas holidays. With so many options to choose from, here are my top 8 winter holiday activities to experience in Prague...</p><dl><dt>1. An evening walking tour of Christmas lights —</dt>
<dd>To shake off your jet lag take a relaxing walk through Wenceslas Square (known in Czech as Vaclev Namesti)to gaze in awe at the brilliantly lit and decorated gigantic Christmas tree located at the southern end of the Square. Be sure to look closely at all the different beautiful tree ornaments and lights. Try to decide which is the prettiest if you can! Afterward walk toward Republiky Namesti via Na Prikope Avenue. Make sure to pause and view the fantastic blue and gold themed holiday display at the entrance of Moser's glassworks on Na Prikope (definitely save viewing the interior of Moser's for another day). Continue walking on the newly falling snow until you arrive at Republiky Namesti and gaze on the splendor and elaborate Art Deco designs of the Municipal building facade.</dd>
<dt>2. Experience a traditional Christmas Eve dinner —</dt>
<dd><p>Since most Czechs celebrate the main holiday meal on the evening of Christmas Eve, a reservation at La Republica, just 2 blocks off Republicky Namesti, is a must. Groats and mushrooms being the 5 course feast. Groats are a barley based grain that have a distinctive mushy taste when eaten - definitely an acquired taste! The second course, a fish soup offering, reveals a buttery, slightly salty taste of broth in which cooked vegetables and crispy brown croutons swim. The main course is a flavorful fried carp served with a mouthwateringly tasty potato salad. As usual, with carp, there are many small bones to crunch so do be forewarned. The fourth course (as if you weren't stuffed enough already), as announced by the English version of the menu, consists of pear dumplings with gingerbread and cottage cheese. As unlikely a pairing (no pun intended) of foods as this sounds, the blending of savory, sweet and tangy flavors is absolute gastronomic delight! (Yes, it is THAT good…) The grand finale of this festive feast are the elaborate Christmas butter cookies for which the Czechs are famously proud,served with coffee or tea. Candied fruits, sprinkled sugars and/or flavored icings crowned the homemade shortbread or sugar cookies as per the culinary whims of the baker. All are equally delicious.</p><p>After surviving this very filling feast it is time to once again immerse yourself in Prague's holiday atmosphere, taking time to stroll the Namesti while watching the glow of the numerous colorful holiday lights and listening to the lively toe-tapping local holiday music around every street corner.</p></dd>
<dt>3. Attend a Christmas concert —</dt>
<dd>One thing that Prague is known for — MUSIC!! There are almost as many venues presenting concerts during the winter holiday as there are types of music to play. Catch a classical concert near the Prague Castle complex at lunchtime if time permits. Energize with jazz in the evening at one of Prague's many jazz clubs. Feel the Latin rhythms pulsating at a late night salsa dance club! Whatever type of music you enjoy, Prague is sure to please.</dd>
<dt>4. Winter tour of Prague Castle —</dt>
<dd><p>This isn't just your ordinary castle but a complex that houses one of the most awe inspiring cathedrals in all of Europe, the impressive St. Vitus cathedral. Other historic venues within the walls of the Prazsky Hrad complex include the Old Royal Palace, St George's Basilica, the Powder Tower, Rosenberg Palace, the Palace gardens and Golden Lane. Golden Lane, created as housing for the complex craftspeople and servants, shows a well preserved glimpse of how these workers lived within the castle walls. There is an extensive collection of armor, fighting helmets, weapons and other metalworks along the entire length of the Golden Lane's second floor (WOW gamers rejoice!).</p><p>Adult admission for a regular castle tour ticket costs 250 Kc (Czech crowns) which at the time of this posting is approximately $13 USD.</p></dd>
<dt>5. Cobblestone walk over Charles Bridge —</dt>
<dd>Late afternoon or evening in winter is the most magical time to wander the length of this magnificent bridge, It's difficult to view everything this bridge has to offer in just one walk. Between the vendors hawking everything from tourist caricatures to watercolor paintings of Prague to jewelry and other handicrafts to the buskers playing their upbeat and lively music that can be danced to, it's difficult to concentrate on the craftsmanship of the 15+ statues lining the sides of the pedestrian walkway. Don't forget to rub the dog located at the base of one of the statues for luck! You can't miss it — it's the only bright, shiny piece of the statue.</dd>
<dt>6. Shopping at the Open Air Christmas Markets —</dt>
<dd>The two largest open air holiday markets in Prague,located on Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square, are an easy 10 minute walk from each other. Both markets have cabin-like booths featuring everything from delicate handmade Christmas ornaments to amber jewelry to miniature medieval metal masks and everything in between. Food offerings at the holiday markets range from chocolates, a variety of wursts, roasted pig on a spit, roasted chestnuts and, my personal favorite, fried camembert cheese with lingonberry jam. Remember to wash the food down with a good Czech beer or very warm medovina (honey wine). HINT: Try to time your Old Town holiday market visit with a viewing of the top-of-the-hour activities of the famous Astronomical Clock at the Old Town Hall tower.</dd>
<dt>7. Vltava River viewing from Vysehrad Castle —</dt>
<dd>Take tram #22 along the Vltava River and wind your way along over to Vratislavova Street to begin the trek up the steep road, follow the turn and climb upward some more. Just when you think you can't climb anymore, enter the grounds of Vysehrad Castle, the birthplace of the city of Prague. Even in winter the red tiled roof views of the city are spellbinding, standing along the top of the castle walls. Look through the mist to the northwest for an amazing view of Prague Castle. How regal it appears, perched majestically on the hilltop, towering over all the wonders of Prague — the city itself, Charles Bridge and the Vysehrad! Walk over the well worn, moss edged cobblestone walkway, past the row of chestnut trees and snow lined dormant gardens to the western wall of the castle complex. Gaze in wonder at the activity on the River Vltava and her many bridges. Stroll north past the castle vineyards to the mosaic encrusted doors of St Peter and Paul church. Marvel at the brilliant, vibrant stained glass windows inside. Visit the cemetery next to the church if you dare. Complete your visit descending back down the road with lunch at El Paisa, the best Mexican restaurant in Prague (Really!). Don't forget to say "Hi" to American ex-pat owner Elliott.</dd>
<dt>8. Shopping and Chocolate —</dt>
<dd>Wintertime in Prague demands the occasional cup of hot chocolate. After intensive power shopping in Old Town, at Blue Praha for reasonably priced, authentic, elegantly hand crafted Czech crystal ware and the Swarovsky store for the chance to purchase the latest in Czech crystal jewelry designs, make a stop at either Choco Cafe on Liliova (if you don't mind the 20 minute wait and sometimes lackluster service) or meander over to Cafe Louvre on Narodni (for a relaxed, refined pace evoking the times that Einstein frequented the place). Both have great options for those wintertime chocoholic cravings!</dd>
<dt>9. New Year's Eve along the Vltava —</dt>
<dd>The Czechs REALLY love their NYE celebrations! There are spur of the moment firework displays on many street corners the week between Christmas and New Years. Official fireworks are presented at 6 pm on New Year's Eve and at the same time on New Year's Day with the largest fireworks display presented on a small island on the Vltava River late in the evening on December 31st. This massive display is a sensory overload of sound and color for a good 30 minutes and it's also accompanied by live music! A fantastic way to ring in the New Year, Czech-style!</dd>
<dt>10. Lunchtime Cruise on the River —</dt>
<dd>Combine two activities into one outing — Toast to your boarding with a pre-lunch drink. Enjoy the sights and sounds of the city while relaxing on board a riverboat and listening about the history of Prague with insights from your tour guide. Delight in the local and regional culinary choices of food offered at the extensive all-you-ca-eat buffet featured on board. Feel the boat gently rise and fall with the level of the water when traversing the river locks. 2 hours of entertainment that passed by in the blink of an eye. Time well spent!</dd>
</dl>Tally Ho Travellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03285024893161293843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6312615922866228440.post-34300840938956720732016-03-09T15:13:00.003-08:002016-03-09T15:13:48.611-08:00Top 3 Restaurants in Berlin's Schöneberg"<p style+"text-indent: 20px;">Die Feinbackerei features a pub in the front of the building and a restaurant in the back. This establishment,located in Schöneberg, is a fantastic local find with authentic German food, drinks and fantastic Berliner Weisse (in either red or green), the un-official drink of Berlin. Try the lentil soup and weinerschnitzel for a meal to dream about long after the fact (sooo good!!). The food portions are huge so come hungry! Remember to bring euro/cash because Die Feinbackerei does not accept credit cards. Dinner and drinks and the tip for 3 people set us back about $50 USD.</p>"<p style+"text-indent: 20px;">Located just inside the division between Kreuzberg and Schöneberg lies Tomasa, a very popular dining option for Sunday and holiday brunch. The second floor event dining room is a converted hall of an older building sitting on the northern edge of lovely Viktoria Park. The brunch menu selections range from various pates, cheeses and smoked salmon starters to breakfast items such as pancakes, bacon and eggs benedict to numerous hot and cold entree items and finally desserts, all equally delicious! Afterwards, walk off some of those calories over to the highest point at Viktoria Park and enjoy a panoramic view of the city for free. Credit cards are accepted and weekend brunch reservations are advised. Tomasa is located at Berlinerstrasse 8a, Berlin, 14169, phone: 030.859.66.397 or you can view online @ www.tomasa.de.</p>"<p style+"text-indent: 20px;">For the best breakfast expereince any time of the day in Schöneberg make reservations in advance for Cafe BilderBuch, located at Akazienstrasse 28 Berlin. The Cafe's extensive weekend brunch is held in a large, beautifully decorated second floor dining area, complete with a baby grand and pianist. Choose from four juices, tea, coffee, mimosas to start your dining experience. Then decide which of the buffet areas to start with -- will it be the hot breakfast eggs, bacon, benedicts or the cold buffet area with a yogurt bar --fresh plain and flavored yogurts with your choice of toppings? Or perhaps the cold appetizer buffet area with smoked salmon, various olives, marinated veggies and various cheese selections is the proper place to start? Wherever you choose to start make sure to save room for more -- eat as much as you want! The service is unhurried and friendly but unobtrusive. So sit back, relax and enjoy a lovely brunch while listening to the expert sounds of the jazz pianist. FYI -- during the week the downstairs breakfast options, although not in as opulent surroundings, were equally as amazing in a more cosy atmosphere. Credit cars are accepted. A party of four,the weekend brunch is $145USD and $30 USD,two people, for a weekday breakfast.Cafe BilderBuch phone: 030.7870.6057</p>Tally Ho Travellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03285024893161293843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6312615922866228440.post-51438685743841002392016-03-09T11:03:00.003-08:002016-03-09T11:03:26.273-08:00Feel the Buzz About Berlin<p style="text-indent: 20px;">Have you ever just been somewhere, not doing anything of note, and instantly felt an unexpected burst of energy zipping through your body? For most, it's a rare and unanticipated happening. But it happened to me, creeping up and enveloping me while waiting at a Berlin S-Bahn stop after returning from 4 days in Munich. And "No", I wasn't in danger of being electrocuted nor had I been drinking (too early in the day)! What I did catch was the Berlin Buzz!</p><p style="text-indent: 20px;">That energy carried though the air is exactly what makes Berlin so very distinctly and uniquely Berlin. Is this almost tangible energy a by-product of the neverending process of reinvention currently sweeping over this entire city? OR is it due to the influx of millennials yearning to flex their creativity to add to the re-invigoration of this European capital city that doesn't really feel like a typical "big capital city" like London or Rome? Maybe the "buzz" is merely a result of Berlin's integration of the city's preserved pieces of history standing along side its more recently created modern areas. Possibly all of the above mentioned ideas are working in unison to create this buzz of energy that currently exists as Berlin.</p><p style="text-indent: 20px;">To experience the Berlin Buzz firsthand travel by U-Bahn (the Berlin underground subway) or overground by S-Bahn to Prenzlauer Berg and Neukölln districts for the current, most hip places to visit. The southern district of Berlin, Kreuzberg, is historically known for its large Turkish population, and Schöneberg, synonymous with the homosexual community, are both slowly changing their population demographics due to re-gentrification and have lower housing costs when compared to other areas of Berlin.</p>For a change of pace enjoy a quiet walk in the western areas of Charlottenburg and Wilmersdorf which are more suburban in feel with residential streets lined with tall stately trees. Or enjoy the city center sights and activities in the Old Town districts of Mitte and Friedrichshain. And last, but not least, are the outer districts that comprise Berlin's hinterland (outskirts) -- Lichtenberg, Marzahn-Hellersdorf and Pankow to the north and east, Treptow-Köpenick and Steglitz-Zehlendorf to the southeast and south west, respectively and Spandau and Reinickendorf to the west and northwest of city center. Each region has it's own delights and surprises alike for visitors to discover. So come with me, the TallyHo Traveller, and together we will visit the best of Berlin!</p>Tally Ho Travellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03285024893161293843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6312615922866228440.post-81329648461738359072014-05-15T13:53:00.001-07:002018-06-12T14:50:10.353-07:00Horsin' Around on Weekends in Aiken SC<p style="text-indent: 20px;">Charmed by Southern hospitality? Impressed by a strong sense of history and community? Enthralled by all things of nature? Like horses? If you answered "Yes" to any or all of these questions, then take a long weekend (or even a full week) trip to Aiken, South Carolina. You will be seduced by all this small town of about 29,000 has to offer.</p><p style="text-indent: 20px;">Historic Downtown Aiken -- Drive down Richland Avenue and marvel at the trees, shrubs and flowers all in full spring bloom in the wide medians between both directions of traffic. Park on Laurens Street SW and window shop along both sides of the street. There's something for every interest included among the locally owned shops on just this street- bakeries (one just for pets), restaurants, cafes, a brewpub, a candy store, furniture design stores, unique clothing stores, antique shops, a quilt shop, an all-things-equine store, gift stores and an awesome T-shirt shop. For lunch stop in at Betsy's On the Corner (corner of Laurens and Barnwell). Don't forget to order from one of the 20+ flavors of ice cream for dessert (yum!).</p><p style="text-indent: 20px;">Aiken Center for the Arts -- After lunch at Betsy's, burn off a few of those calories by crossing to the other side of Laurens and walking down the block to this impressive local museum and it's shop. Relax and enjoy the art, created by local and regional artists, in the various museum galleries both upstairs and down. Stop at the museum's shop on your way out and select a reasonably priced souvenir from among the varied selection of photographs, multicolored glass ornaments, original paintings, jewelry and cards created by the local Aiken area talent.</p><p style="text-indent: 20px;">Aiken Polo Match -- Check out Aiken's Polo Club website at www.aikenpolo.org for their weekend practice and competitive game schedules and go watch a polo match. To reach either the Whitney or Powderhouse polo fields (off SC Hwy 19/Whiskey Road) take care and travel slowly over the moderately rutted red clay roads. Keep an eye out for horses being ridden on these clay roads during your travels. If meeting a rider, common courtesy dictates to (please) slow down and stay as far to the right as possible.</p><p style="text-indent: 20px;">Aiken Thoroughbred (TB) Racing Hall of Fame and Museum -- Located in a former carriage house and stables on the grounds of Hopelands Gardens (also off SC Hwy 19/Whiskey Road) since 1977, this museum highlights the lives and racing accomplishments of 39 champion horses that trained at the local Aiken Training track. Ever heard of the racing champion Seabiscuit? He's represented here since his trainer, Tom Smith, trained at Aiken. Some of the 39 champions of the Aiken Hall of Fame include Tom Fool, Stage Door Johnny, Pleasant Colony and his daughter Pleasant Stage as well as the legendary Swale. Ask Aiken native Museum Curator Lisa Hall about the legend of War Admiral's son Blue Peter and the tree associated with him at the nearby Aiken Training Track. A horse enthusiast's heavenly afternoon of TB racing nirvana!</p><p style="text-indent: 20px;">Hopelands Gardens -- Behind the tall serpentine red brick wall along Whiskey Road to the east and Dupree Place to the north hides the 20+ acres of Aiken's premier location for serene, natural beauty. Delicate floral aromas of roses, camellias and magnolias tickle the nose. Listen to the songbirds signing their melodies against a backdrop of water splashing among the fountains. Gaze in awe at the majestic splendor of the huge old oak trees spreading their limbs as if reaching for the sky. Take a lunchtime picnic and sit along one of the many benches and indulge both body and soul with the sights and sounds of Hopelands!</p><p style="text-indent: 20px;">Hitchcock Woods -- Bring your best pair of walking shoes or riding boots and helmet to explore the largest privately owned forest situated within a US city (yes, it's an even bigger area than NYC Central Park!). This 2100 acre wooded preserve boasts 70 miles of trails for horseback riding, walking(with or without dogs) or jogging -- however no bicycles allowed!!</p><p style="text-indent: 20px;">On the Trail of Painted Ponies -- Find as many of the life sized painted horses, created as part of a 2003 Aiken public art project, as you can. Some are easily spotted within the historic downtown area. Did you find Magnolia Mare, Stonerside or Have Sum Fun out at Hopelands Gardens? Keep looking...</p><p style="text-indent: 20px;">South Boundary Street Oak Canopy -- Take a short detour off Whiskey Road and leisurely (not too fast) drive down South Boundary Street. Marvel at the mile long stretch where the Southern live oak trees, lining both sides of the road, have grown into intertwined limbs overhanging above to create a green leafy canopy. No wonder the locals call this street "The Avenue of Oaks". It's definitely worth stopping for a photo op!</p><p style="text-indent: 20px;">Early morning at Aiken Training Track -- Thrill to the commanding sound of equine power as you feel the horses hooves pounding around the sandy track in the early morning mist! Revel in their fluid, graceful strength as you watch the horses quickly cover ground, increasing the length of each stride, as they bound further around the white wooden railed track and pass you by in the blink of an eye. After such a glorious start to the day if you need yet more to prod you into motion visit the Track Kitchen for breakfast,just a few short blocks from the track on Mead Avenue, and listen as the local horse people get their day started too!</p>Tally Ho Travellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03285024893161293843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6312615922866228440.post-78165231601761376782014-01-26T14:47:00.001-08:002014-02-26T15:04:50.597-08:00TSA Fashion Enemy #1 – Which Clothing Item is It?<p style="text-indent:20px;">Which clothing item do you think would cause the most grief during a TSA full body scan? Underwire bra? Apparently not. Platform heels? Only if breaking your ankle (or neck) sprinting down the airport escalator to catch the last shuttle train counts. No, fellow air travelers, based on personal experience, the #1 fashion nemesis of the TSA’s screening process is…(drumroll, please!)…an ordinary sweater woven with metallic threads (sad, but true!).</p><p style="text-indent:20px;">“Ma’am, can you come with me and wait here?” is not what I expected to hear from the Denver airport TSA screener upon completion of a full body scan this past March. Caught off guard by the request, I glanced over my shoulder to view 4 to 5 orange target area alerts on the scanner’s scan of my upper body image. Initial thoughts ranged from “OMG, I broke the bloody scanner” to “Wow, I didn’t think a few metallic threads would freak out a scanner that way!” At that point I was handed off to another TSA screener who kept muttering something about her information screen not updating properly. A few minutes and complete body wanding later, this same screener took me over to another station. At that point a thorough hand swabbing test was administered (obviously looking for metallic thread residue at that point).Thankfully the hand swabbing results tested negative and I soon was walking toward my A Concourse gate.</p><p style="text-indent:20px;">While reading in the gate seating area, a pesky thought crossed my mind. Could this recent screening experience be repeated going through security when transferring flights at London Heathrow? Determined not to put my concerns to the actual test at LHR (and risk upsetting the airport screeners and possibly London airport security), a short wardrobe change at the nearest Denver airport restroom solved the problem. The remaining security screenings for my journey were, fortunately, uneventful.</p><p style="text-indent:20px;">So, dear fellow travelers, a major life lesson learned from this trip will stay with me forever as well as serve as a warning to others. DON”T wear clothing with metallic threads through TSA scanners unless you don’t mind some extra unwanted attention!</p>Tally Ho Travellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03285024893161293843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6312615922866228440.post-79406626361910847562012-08-27T13:46:00.000-07:002012-08-27T13:46:40.648-07:00A Mid-Summer’s Afternoon Dreamin’<pstyle="text-indent:20px;">Ever daydream about being behind the wheel of a supercar on a sultry summer afternoon, the wind rushing through your hair as you and the car power down an open stretch of highway? On an August afternoon I was “living the dream” near Loveland, Colorado, at a select 2 day opportunity sponsored by Sill-TerHar Motors of Broomfield, Colorado.</p><pstyle="text-indent:20px;">Imagine my surprise a few weeks earlier when my husband, Randy, handed me not just one but 3 invitations to test drive a variety of Aston Martins, Maseratis or Lamborghinis at the Loveland Embassy Suites hotel. I knew demand for this test driving event would be HUGE and, since appointment times were limited, I called early the next morning to speak with the event coordinator, Steven Leonard, to make appointments for Randy and myself. As anticipated, Steven confirmed that even though the invitations were mailed only one and a half days earlier, he already had 18 RSVPs to schedule for this auspicious occasion. Within a day or so I received the coveted email confirmation…4:30 PM, Tuesday, August 7, 2012… a date of unqualified anticipation!</p><pstyle="text-indent:20px;">On the appointed afternoon Randy, Mom (our official guest) and I drove to the Embassy Suites in our 2005 Redfire Ford Mustang, one of the preeminent made-in-the-USA muscle cars. Upon entering the hotel’s conference center parking lot a bright yellow Lamborghini caught our collective gaze, followed in swift succession by a dark grey Aston Martin Vantage. While parking the Mustang we immediately spied a gorgeous red (with black convertible top – Mom’s favorite color combination!!) Maserati parked nearby. We exited our car and promptly walked over to mentally salivate over the sleek and sporty beauty of the Maserati Granturismo S exterior. After our comparison of the three makes of supercars there, the Lambo didn’t stand a chance!</p><pstyle="text-indent:20px;">We finally walked into the conference center and found the Lake Loveland room where we introduced ourselves to Steven and Jack TerHar, Jr. After reading and signing a short test driving contract (speeding tickets were each driver’s responsibility – if the police could catch us, that is!), photos were taken of each driver’s license. Steven then suggested that Randy, Mom and I should test out Aston Martin’s Rapide 4 door sedan first.</p><pstyle="text-indent:20px;">After escorting us to the car, we quickly discovered this was no ordinary sedan – even the opening of the car door was a unique experience! Once seated inside the 8 way memory power seats, all mirrors were adjusted for maximum visibility and comfort. Placing the car fob into the ignition slot and pushing in brought the 6.0 liter V12 engine to life with an impressive roar. So many buttons and knobs on the full grain leather with walnut facia trimmed console…I was almost afraid to touch one for fear of pushing an ejection seat button, if there had been one. (After all, Aston Martin IS known as the preferred ride for James Bond of 007 fame!)</p><pstyle="text-indent:20px;">Randy drove initially while Mom and I marveled at the trez chic ride. Mom was extremely impressed by the full console of individual controls for the two back seat passengers and I enjoyed the comforts from the front passenger seat. After getting a feel for the Rapide’s handling and acceleration capabilities by using the paddle shifters located on the steering wheel, Randy pulled over on a short side street and exchanged seats with me. Once settled in to the driver’s seat properly I elected to use the automatic transmission by pushing the “D” button on the dash and off we went.</p><pstyle="text-indent:20px;">The Rapide maneuvered well around several roundabouts and stormed down the straightaway while surrounding us in comfort and luxury. The interior of the car was also very quiet except for those brief bursts of acceleration. The test drive session ended much too soon as we arrived back at the conference center lot.</p><pstyle="text-indent:20px;">Walking back inside with HUGE smiles on all our faces, Randy struck up a conversation with Jack about performance cars. BIG MISTAKE!! Noting that Mom and I were anxious to drive another vehicle, Steven asked which car we were interested in driving next. Mom and I simultaneously said “the red Maserati!”. So, with Randy still Conversing with Jack, Steven escorted Mom and me out to the parking lot and opened the doors to our ultimate driving experience – the Maserati Granturismo S!!<br />
<pstyle="text-indent:20px;">Outstanding…Adrenaline…RUSH!!! It simmered the moment the driver’s door was opened on the 2012 Rosso Mondiale red with black convertible topped Maserati. The rush increased when switching on the ignition key and listening to a magnificent symphony of sound as the 4.7 liter V8 engine sprang to life. It intensified upon exciting the parking lot with very responsive handling round the roundabout. In the blink of an eye the 433 hp Maserati roared from zero to seventy mph without hesitation. By this time the engine sounded like “music to our ears” (Thanks, Mom). This supercar’s turning radius was surprisingly stellar as well, making a legal U-turn so very effortlessly. An extended test drive down another side street allowed a little more time to fully enjoy and appreciate this most stylish and powerful car – the ULTIMATE driving machine! Mom summed up the driving experience in the Maserati as “the most fun EVER in a car” and I absolutely agreed.</p><pstyle="text-indent:20px;">Meanwhile, Randy, having missed the chance to drive the Maserati, channeled his inner James Bond by driving the grey Aston Martin V12 Vantage two seat coupe. He was suitably impressed by the gear shifter (said it was “great”, which is no small compliment from him) and appreciated the blistering acceleration the 6.0 liter, 12 cylinder engine provided. The agility and handling capabilities of this extraordinary auto, one of the few supercars with an actual manual transmission, really “wowed” my Mustang-loving spouse. To paraphrase the Aston Martin literature, this Aston Martin Vantage was a smart looking, compact sports coupe engineered to perform like an exciting GT!</p><pstyle="text-indent:20px;">The sticker prices for the supercars tested by us were not as outrageous as initially thought! The MSRP list for the regal 2012 Aston Martin Rapide was $204,670 with a top of the line interior; $198,820 was the MSRP pricing for the athletic and sporty Aston Martin V12 Vantage. The price tag for the most perfect Maserati Granturismo S was a mere $157,000. So I guess maybe I’ll play Powerball the next time the big bucks roll around…</p>A huge “Thank You” to Jack TerHar, Jr and Steven Leonard of Sill-TerHar Motors from Broomfield, Colorado, for inviting us to test drive these incredible, truly elegant supercars! They both were gracious and informative hosts for this event. (Hopefully we will receive another invitation again next summer!)</p><pstyle="text-indent:20px;">Again, TallyHo! And I’m off…. to work on more travel tales to tell you about!</p><p><span style="font-weight:bold;">Sources</span>—</p><b>Sil-TerHar Maserati</b><br />
125 Alter Street, Broomfield, Colorado 80038-0344<br />
Phone: (303)469-1801 X769<br />
<a href="http://www.sthmotors.com">www.sthmotors.com</a><br />
<b>Sil-TerHar Aston Martin</b><br />
125 Alter Street, Broomfield, Colorado, 80038<br />
Phone: (303)469-1801<br />
<a href="http://www.sthmotors.com">www.sthmotors.com</a><br />
<br />
Tally Ho Travellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03285024893161293843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6312615922866228440.post-21812001273850154042012-08-22T11:59:00.001-07:002012-08-22T12:17:41.343-07:00Kaitlin's Successful Steps for Obtaining a German Work Permit<pstyle="text-indent:20px;"><b>Note from the TallyHo-Traveller:</b> TallyHo introduces our first guest writer, relating her experiences with recent German governmental processes...Forward Ho!</p><pstyle="text-indent:20px;">From January to May 2012, I completed my student teaching internship in Berlin, Germany. As an American citizen, I was allowed to stay in the country for 90 days with my passport, but since I was staying longer than 90 days (and the school I was interning at wouldn’t let me begin until I had all of the documentation), I needed to obtain a residence permit.</p><pstyle="text-indent:20px;"><b>Note:</b> from what I found, the term “residence permit” is more or less synonymous with “residence visa” or just “visa”</p><pstyle="text-indent:20px;">The process is not too terribly difficult, especially if you have your employer working on it. Even if you have to go it alone, it’s not so bad. The following steps, gained from my experience of obtaining proper documentation needed to reside legally in Berlin, Germany for the 5 months I was there, are as follows:</p><pstyle="text-indent:20px;"><b>Step 1:</b> Obtain your work permit.<br />
You must do this, even if you are participating in an unpaid internship. My employer (the school I was student teaching at) still had to have this permit, even though it stated that I was getting paid a monthly salary of €0.00. Your employer should file the paperwork to obtain this permit for you. You will generally need to submit the following to your employer so that they can file for the permit:</p><pstyle="text-indent:20px;"> <b>Verpflichtungserklärung</b> (Formal Obligation) -- this form proves that you have monetary funds to support yourself during your stay</p><pstyle="text-indent:20px;"> <b>Immatrikulationsbescheinigung</b> (Certificate of Enrollment) -- this form proves that you are enrolled in a higher education institution and requires the seal of your college/university, along with an authorized signature, both of which can be obtained from your university registrar’s office</p><pstyle="text-indent:20px;"> <b>Copy of your passport</b></p><pstyle="text-indent:20px;"><b>Step 2:</b> Find a place to live</p><pstyle="text-indent:20px;">Before you can continue with the rest of the visa process, you must find a place to live. It is a good idea to have a copy of the lease or a letter from your landlord stating that you do have a place of residence.</p><pstyle="text-indent:20px;"><b>Step 3:</b> Register at your local <b>Bürgeramt</b></p><pstyle="text-indent:20px;">Before you venture to the <b>Ausländerbehörde</b> (Foreigner’s Authority), you have to register at your local registration office (<b>Bürgeramt</b>). You must fill out the <b>Anmeldung</b> form. Since it is printed only in German, it is best if you look it up on-line and translate it beforehand (or take a German translater along) if you do not know German. Your employer should be able to tell you which Bürgeramt you should register at. </p><pstyle="text-indent:20px;">Some websites say that this process takes hours, but that was not my experience. Here are some tips to help expedite the process:</p><pstyle="text-indent:20px;"> Arrive early, about 15-20 minutes before the office opens</p><pstyle="text-indent:20px;"> If you can’t arrive early, go during the hours when most people are at work</p><pstyle="text-indent:20px;"> Try to avoid going right before holidays or the week between Christmas and New Year’s; everyone tries to get into the Bürgeramt before the holidays</p><pstyle="text-indent:20px;">Notes on the process:</p><pstyle="text-indent:20px;">When you walk in, walk up to the desk and ask for the <b>Anmeldung</b>. You will receive a number and will have to go sit in a waiting room. Keep an eye on the number board because it will tell you which room you must go to.</p><pstyle="text-indent:20px;"><b>Important Note:</b> You must return to the Bürgeramt at the end of your internship to deregister, or else your employer may be fined. The form you fill out in this case is called the <b>Abmeldung</b>. After you deregister, take a copy of the paper to your employer.</p><pstyle="text-indent:20px;"><b>Step 4:</b> Apply for (and obtain) your residence permit from the <b>Ausländerbehörde</b> (Foreigner’s Authority)</p><pstyle="text-indent:20px;">Note: You can apply for your residence permit before you get to Germany at your local German consulate, but if you are told that you are fine with just a work permit, this is not true—you MUST have a residence permit. <b>A residence permit is NOT a work permit; these two are NOT synonymous!</b></p><pstyle="text-indent:20px;">Ultimately, it is best if you can make an appointment at the <b>Ausländerbehörde</b>. These appointments usually need to be booked on-line more than 2 months in advance. If you can’t make an appointment, show up VERY early, at least a couple of hours before the official opening for the day. When I was there, the first person in line showed up at 3:00 in the morning. If you are a student, you will get sent to building B, along with most everyone else who is waiting in the queue.</p><pstyle="text-indent:20px;">When you get into the building, find the correct floor and then head for the nearest silver box on the wall. This box gives you your number; after you obtain this, take a seat and wait for the number board to flash your number. <b>Note:</b> the silver boxes only give out a certain number of tickets. If you don’t get one initially, you can wait because sometimes more tickets are issued during the day; it depends on how fast everyone waiting is processed. If your number is not called, keep your ticket and it will be called the next day.</p><pstyle="text-indent:20px;">Things to bring:</p><pstyle="text-indent:20px;"> €50 cash</p><pstyle="text-indent:20px;"> Work permit</p><pstyle="text-indent:20px;"> Visa application</p><pstyle="text-indent:20px;"> Passport photo</p><pstyle="text-indent:20px;"> Formal obligation</p><pstyle="text-indent:20px;"> Proof of health insurance</p><pstyle="text-indent:20px;"> Certificate of enrollment</p><pstyle="text-indent:20px;"> Contract with employer</p><pstyle="text-indent:20px;"> Passport—you need two blank pages in your passport for the visa</p><pstyle="text-indent:20px;">The proof of health insurance, formal obligation, certificate of enrolment, and contract with employer were not necessary when I applied for my residence permit, but it’s better to have the documents with and not need them, than to need them and not have them.</p><pstyle="text-indent:20px;">The first time your number appears on the board, you hand over all of your documentation, including your passport, to a man behind a counter. After this, you go back and sit in the waiting room. The second time your number appears on the board, you go into a room and talk to the visa agent. In my experience, the visa agent spoke excellent English, so if you don’t know German very well, don’t worry. You will be asked a few questions, such as “what do you plan to do after your visa expires?” and “how long do you need your visa for?” and then you will be given a plastic card. You will load your €50 onto this card via a machine that is found in one of the waiting room areas. Take the card back to the Visa agent and then he will print out your residence permit and stick it into your passport, sign, and stamp it.</p><pstyle="text-indent:20px;">Congratulations! You have completed the process and now have your German residence permit!</p>Tally Ho Travellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03285024893161293843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6312615922866228440.post-72885183993353005212012-06-27T16:04:00.000-07:002012-06-27T16:04:23.226-07:00TallyHo-Traveller’s Springtime Gallop Through Northern and Central Europe 2012 - Final Day Twelve<p style="text-indent:20px;">Wake up Thursday the 12th to a full travel day back to the US! We had yet another efficient checkout of the Holiday Inn Mitte. After deciding the evening before to use a taxi to return to the airport because of the amount of luggage we were bringing back, the front desk promptly handled our request for a large taxi. Within minutes the auto arrived with enough room for 5 people and all our luggage – all this for less than 20 euros! What a deal!</p><p style="text-indent:20px;">Since the check in process for BA did not start until 90 minutes prior to departure, we stopped at the airport coffee shop Wien for juice, cappuccino and the biggest slice of cheesecake ever! Finally we said our goodbyes to Kaitlin and checked in, quickly went through Passport Control and Security (all the same queue) and after a short wait, boarded the plane.</p><p style="text-indent:20px;">An hour and a half later the plane landed at London Heathrow and, having eaten a smaller breakfast while approaching lunchtime, we opted to dine at Gordon Ramsay’s Plane Food. Chris and I loved the beef carpaccio appetizer! While the fishcakes others ate were a little dry (Shame, Gordon!), the banana toffee pudding was fantastic. Not a cheap lunch, but a great location for watching planes take off and taxi to their respective gates!</p><p style="text-indent:20px;">After lunch, a final cruise of the duty free shops while awaiting the posting of a gate during the 1 and ½ hour delayed BA Flight #991 back to Denver. Finally a gate was posted and we took the underground train to Terminal 5 Concourse C to reach our departure gate. Eventually boarding began and the flight back to home was underway.</p><p style="text-indent:20px;">The flight crew aboard this plane was very friendly and competent – MUCH better than the other trans-Atlantic flight! I watched the movie, The Iron Lady, while eating a very flavorful dinner that came with complimentary wine and other beverages(when requested). After the dinner trays were removed and the Iron Lady ended, I started to watch War Horse but fell asleep halfway through (probably due to a combination of the previous week’s activity and not feeling well more than the actual movie itself). Upon awakening, I viewed part of the movie Tower Heist prior to a hard landing in Denver, but we brought the RAIN back with us (which we desperately needed)!!</p><p style="text-indent:20px;">All in all our April gallop through Northern and Central Europe was a fantastically memorable trip and we didn’t get lost once (Thanks to Vanessa)!!</p><p style="text-indent:20px;">Can’t wait ‘til our next visit…</p>Tally Ho Travellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03285024893161293843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6312615922866228440.post-27038183130074995362012-06-27T16:00:00.001-07:002012-06-27T16:00:52.945-07:00TallyHo-Traveller’s Springtime Gallop Through Northern and Central Europe 2012 - Day Eleven<p style="text-indent:20px;">Wednesday, April 4th – our last full day in Berlin! After breakfast Randy and Chris decided to visit the computer gaming museum in the southeast part of the city while we gals went to Ku’damm for some retail therapy. Sitting outside a small Italian coffee shop while Kaitlin savored “the best double chocolate cake in Berlin” we watched the birds at an adjacent outdoor aviary. A large crow entertained us as well by trying to decide which piece of biscotti to steal from the table next to us. After selecting the prized piece, the crow flew off victoriously, leaving the remainder for two sparrows to squabble over, much to our amusement! As we walked around the corner of the mini-shopping area, I spied a Meissen porcelain outlet. A few short minutes of marveling over the various wares (along with sticker shock at the prices) quickly showed me that even the outlet prices were definitely out of my price range. I did, however, take a complimentary Spring catalog as a souvenir.</p><p style="text-indent:20px;">Onward to H&M (there are ONLY 5 or 6 on the Ku’damm) for more value oriented shopping! I found a gold pleated dress just perfect for special occasions as well as a clearance blouse for springtime wear. Across the street at C&A, another value priced clothing store (as well as a competitor of H&M), Kaitlin and I both found some brightly colored springtime tops. We then popped in briefly at Karstadt to look at certain perfume pricing (and compare to airport duty free shop prices). By then the guys were finished with their museum experience and texted that we would all meet up soon.</p><p style="text-indent:20px;">We revisited the Irish Pub in the Europa Center for a late lunch – you can’t go wrong with an Irish coffee alongside a toasted ham ‘n cheese sandwich! After lunch it was back to the Ku-damm for more shopping, meeting up with the guys again at the hugely famous (or was it famously huge) department store KaDeWe. Our heads were on swivels as we tried to take in all the wares and activity inside the store’s main sales floor. Then off to the escalators to the 6th floor, home of the only food hall in Europe larger than Harrod’s of London! The cakes and pastries section looked divine and there was even a section of American foods. We laughed at the $8 Poptarts and $11 Quaker Oats Instant oatmeal pricing – one has to REALLY be homesick for the US of A to pay those prices when the German pastries and tortes beckon!! Out of the store we hurried back down the street to the S1 to keep a dinner appointment with yet another set of German cousins.</p><p style="text-indent:20px;">We arrived at our destination with just a couple of minutes to spare and walked to a small restaurant just outside the train station. Another type of schnitzel for me for our last dinner in Germany! I also tried a hot Gluhwein as an afterdinner balm to soothe my throat and help clear away the sinus congestion – the Gluhwein was very warm but not as sweet as I had imagined, but seemed to work well as a medicinal remedy. Another lovely evening spent with relatives ended too soon with a train ride back our hotel for an early bedtime in anticipation of another early wakeup call then next morning.</p>Tally Ho Travellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03285024893161293843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6312615922866228440.post-34573220662769760222012-06-27T15:58:00.001-07:002012-06-27T15:58:23.287-07:00TallyHo-Traveller’s Springtime Gallop Through Northern and Central Europe 2012 - Day Ten<p style="text-indent:20px;">It was now Tuesday morning the 10th, with only 2 full days left to tour the Berlin area – so much to potentially do and so little time. Nana, Kaitlin and Randy chose to get up early and eat over at the nearby Gesundbrunnen shopping center’s bakery. Chris and I breakfasted at the ample buffet provided at our hotel. Since we got up later and the dining area was very busy, we were soon seated at a table with a German family of 3. When the German father asked in halting English if he “could” have some milk for his coffee, his younger,middle school aged daughter teasingly admonished him in German for not saying “may”. All of us sitting at the table had a good chuckle over that (which served as a wonderful conversational ice breaker) and pleasant small talk was made until breakfast was finished and we went our separate ways.</p><p style="text-indent:20px;">Chris and I met up with the rest of our group and it was decided to take the train north of Berlin to the small town of Sachsenhausen, home to one of the WW II concentration camps. Arriving at the train stop in Sachsenhausen, we saw a large chimney to the west and headed in that direction. An easy 10 minute walk from the train stop, we first came upon a cemetery that contained several mass grave sites. The area was already feeling depressing and solemn. Pushing a button at one of the entrances to the camp unlocked the gate and a feeling of foreboding came over as we proceeded onto the camp grounds. There were disturbing reminders of the horrific acts committed there again and again with the written and video presentations posted around various locations of the camp. Clouds thickened and a light drizzle developed while on the camp grounds which only served to reinforce the gloomy atmosphere. The camp was a depressing and disturbing reminder of the atrocities committed against several nationalities during WW II. Upon leaving the grounds and walking back to the train stop, the clouds cleared and the sun peaked through, lifting our mood once again.</p><p style="text-indent:20px;">Back to Berlin via the S-bahn and U-Bahn we travelled to the southeast section of Berlin to view what is commonly called “the Castle Bridge”. The Oberbaumbrucke is a beautiful twin spired bridge created with several colors of brickwork. It was especially gorgeous when viewed by the River Spree waterfront. At our vantage point on the riverfront we could see the O2 stadium as well as several riverboats that serve as floating hotels/hostels as well as floating taxis from which to view the marvels of Berlin. Returning to the Holiday Inn Mitte Randy and Kaitlin opted to take the S1 train and watch Berlin’s own soccer team, Herta, play onscreen at the Celtic Cottage pub, while Nana and I took the elevator down to Movie, the hotel restaurant for an early dinner.</p><p style="text-indent:20px;">After Nana and I toasted the trip with Bailey’s doubles, we reviewed the limited evening menu of the restaurant. Having developed a bit of the sniffles earlier in the day I ordered the house potato soup, which was comfortingly warm but saltier than expected. Nana, on the other hand, ordered the most ample selection on the limited menu – the cold plate! This selection was a HUGE plate of smoked salmon, meats, cheese, crudités and a side of cold schnitzel. Each portion was so large that it took the both of us just to finish the schnitzel. The head waiter was very kind and set the remainder of the plate on a tray so we could take it back to the room for Chris to enjoy. After such a filling meal, an early evening was in order to combat the head congestion and throat tickles that were beginning in earnest. (Oh, in case you were wondering, Herta lost the game by unintentionally shooting a ball into their own goal…OOPS!)</p>Tally Ho Travellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03285024893161293843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6312615922866228440.post-56553185363880493642012-06-27T15:56:00.000-07:002012-06-27T15:56:01.654-07:00TallyHo-Traveller’s Springtime Gallop Through Northern and Central Europe 2012 - Day Nine<p style="text-indent:20px;">Easter Monday, April 9th, dawned with a late wake up call. Downstairs, we checked out the hotel breakfast buffet;it was just as impressive as the previous ones. So much to choose from and very filling. This particular buffet has multiple juice options and over by the juice bar I spied some type of red dessert-like wine. Taking a small glass for all at our table to sample, I was very surprised by the agreeable taste (apparently for Italian breakfast palates) – even Nana said it didn’t taste too bad.</p><p style="text-indent:20px;">After a very leisurely breakfast we strolled across the small park again to the train station in anticipation of finding a cathedral to view (which was one of Nana’s 2 requested viewings; Schloss Marienburg was the other one). Off the train at Alexanderplatz we viewed a holiday street fair complete with adorable miniature houses and booths (as envisioned in my mind’s eye). We then walked past the famous Fernsehturm TV tower, through a small park and by a huge fountain that included a humongous statue of Neptune (Neptunbrunnen) to St Marienkirche. Inside the church, tall arched ceilings led toward a nave of darker wood carvings topped with a most unusual crown of many antlers. Turning to face the back of the sanctuary, the upper ornately (gold) gilded balcony held the most impressive pipe organ I had ever seen.</p><p style="text-indent:20px;">West on Karl Lieb Strasse we peeked in at the Berliner Dom, but did not enter since church services were in session. Then we stepped across the street for a photo opp in front of the fountain in the Lustgarten. Still heading west past the Lustgarten, we crossed a bridge over the River Spree (which divides Berlin in half, rather like the River Liffey does in Dublin). We saw another holiday street art fair which we cruised through that contained many interesting styles of paintings, homemade hats, fantastic stained glass pieces (that would not survived transport but I got a business card anyway), murano style old fashioned ink pens and more. I managed to bargain for a funky cat painting on canvas for Chris and a colorful cityscape lithograph for Kaitlin as their Easter gifts/souvenirs.</p><p style="text-indent:20px;">Winding past the Opera House and through the Humboldt University campus past the Hotel Roma, (loved the Rolls parked in front of the hotel) we made our way to the Gendarmenmarkt plaza and marveled at the architecture of the two churches on the plaza. Just then the camera decided to squirt out of my gloves and land on the concrete sidewalk (Sorry). Checking it over, the camera was still operational, so I dodged a bullet with that mishap since it was not my camera. After looking around the plaza, Kaitlin, Nana and I decided to look in a lace shop just across the street. Inside the shop were many beautiful table items, blouses and ornaments constructed of lace and all made in Germany. The opposite side of the shop housed delicate wood carvings of all types;we debated whether they would survive the return trip to the States. In the end, we opted to buy only a lovely delicate lace table runner, knowing that it would survive the trip back home.<br />
Meeting up with the guys back at the plaza, it was time for lunch.</p><p style="text-indent:20px;">Walking southwest across the plaza, we spied a chocolate shop that Martin had recommended that displayed massive chocolate sculptures of famous German landmarks in the various windows fronting the street. Knowing we had to go inside after finding a spot for lunch, we walked a few blocks on Mohrenstrasse past Friedrichstrasse and found Izimi, a sushi restaurant. The sushi was very fresh and flavorful, the miso soup quite delightful and the plum wine very potent. The green tea ice cream was appreciated by everyone also.</p><p style="text-indent:20px;">We then walked back to the chocolate shop, Fassbender and Rausch, and went in. Business was brisk due to the holiday. There was an impressive, intricate display of a large Easter egg just inside the entrance door for all to appreciate, but not eat (or touch as the sign said). Chocolate from every country and in every shape and size was displayed inside this shop. Randy and Nana went to the specialty truffle counter (very long with many different flavor combinations) to select a few pieces. I was presented with a chocolate bunny impulse buy by Randy and Kaitlin after their checkout of some souvenirs. I have yet to find the right occasion in which to first bite its ears off (the only proper way to begin to eat a chocolate Easter bunny) – maybe Mother’s Day (or not). I’ll let you know when it happens, so stay tuned.</p><p style="text-indent:20px;">Back on the S1 to the Feurbachstrasse area for some down time then on to the Alt Berliner on Ku’damm (there’s another location on Unter den Linden too) for dinner (because sushi is great but doesn’t stick around that long). I started my meal with a Bailey’s coffee and it was just that – more Baileys than coffee – YUM!! Other foods sampled included beef goulash soup (not as peppery as the Angleterre Hotel’s), a flavorful currywurst (Randy’s fave), farmer’s omelette (more potato than egg) and a humongous plate of German style nachos with 3 types of dipping sauces (none of which were guacamole). The nachos had an unusual taste like a lightly fried, puffy Doritos. A leisurely train ride on the S1 after dinner brought us back to the Holiday Inn Mitte and an early night turn in.</p>Tally Ho Travellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03285024893161293843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6312615922866228440.post-83117202791012504392012-06-27T15:51:00.001-07:002012-06-27T15:51:32.675-07:00TallyHo-Traveller’s Springtime Gallop Through Northern and Central Europe 2012 - Day Eight<p style="text-indent:20px;">The start of Easter Sunday arrived much too soon even with a late alarm of 8:15 AM. We dressed and met Kaitlin at 9 AM to walk the 4 blocks to the Einstein Cafe for breakfast. Just beating the morning rush of customers, we found a backroom table and enjoyed our light breakfast offerings of fruit, muffins, and cake as well as the mandatory coffee and tea. Since relatively few stores are open on Sunday in Germany we wandered across the street to briefly show Nana the CheckPoint Charlie memorial we had viewed in more depth the previous evening. Walking back to the Angleterre through a growing crowd of tourists I took photos of the hotel façade from across the street. Once inside the hotel, I took the lift (elevator) up to the 7th floor to check out the mini gym and sauna. Discovering both were locked at mid-day on a holiday Sunday I decided to go back and enjoy being in our lovely 2 room suite for a few more minutes before the noon checkout time. Check out was, once again, very friendly and efficient. <br />
<p style="text-indent:20px;">Back on the U6 to the S1 train we traveled on to the last hotel on our trip – the Holiday Inn Mitte, just a few short blocks from the Gesundbrunnen train station (Bahnhof).</p><p style="text-indent:20px;">Well, it’s only a few short blocks to the hotel providing you get off the train and head in the proper direction. As luck would have it, we did not and ended up walking around the long (i.e. scenic route) way to the hotel (Berlin city street maps are always a good idea). We walked through a small park on the way and arrived at the hotel about an hour prior to the published check in time. Luck was partially on our side, as the Reception Desk staff on duty informed us that one of our 2 requested rooms was ready, so we could certainly check in early with that one. We decided to drop off all of our luggage in the readied room and check in to the other once we returned to the hotel after meeting our German cousins.</p><p style="text-indent:20px;">Taking the train to Bornholmerstrasse in the former East Berlin section wto meet with our cousins at a coffee shop by the name of Elf (translated to “eleven” in English) we arrived just a few minutes before Cousin Martin. We sat in the backroom, anticipating ordering one of the sublime pieces of cake displayed in the front of the café. Various cake slices were eagerly ordered after Martin’s arrival – both Martin and Randy ordered a plum marzipan torte, Kaitlin and Nana had the raspberry torte and I opted for the schokoladen/orangen (chocolate/orange) torte which was heavenly! Chris chose a meat, cheese, fruit platter that was quite substantial (and quite tasty he said). Soon Cousin Kati and their 2 children arrived and introductions were made all around. Soon enough the toddlers became restless and Kati, being the good mother she is, took them across the street to the park while we conversed with Martin. After a couple of hours, naptime for the children beckoned, and we departed the café, but not before Nana and I ordered a couple of cake slices for carry out (I bet you can guess which types we chose) fas a late night dessert. Walking along with the cousins until we reached their apartment building, we bid adieu then walked back to the train station via another Berlin Wall memorial. This memorial commemorated the demise of the Wall and the reintroduction of the East Berliners with their West Berlin brothers and sisters via the bridge that stood immediately before us. A humbling experience and one all should see if given the opportunity.</p><p style="text-indent:20px;">Back to the Holiday Inn Mitte via train, we arrived just in time to dine at the hotel restaurant, Movie, and enjoy the Sunday Schnitzel Special menu. Eager with anticipation both Randy and I ordered the Wiener schnitzel – would it live up to our schnitzel expectations? Emphatically YES – the schnitzel was extraordinary as was the potato/ham/pickle salad that accompanied it. (Could we please bring the chef back to the States with us?) Nana enjoyed the chicken schnitzel (more like a chicken cordon bleu), Kaitlin savored her schnitzel selection and Chris truly appreciated the non-breaded pork schnitzel with “tasty buttery” potatoes on the side. Add the obligatory Berliner Weisse (red, not green) as the finish to a perfect European Easter Sunday.</p><p style="text-indent:20px;">After dinner Nana decided on a few short games of FreeCell on her Kindle while the rest of us decided to check out the sauna and observatory on the 6th floor. We discovered a fantastic view of nighttime Berlin from the outdoor portion of the conservatory and definitely sweated off some of the day’s calories in the menthol scented sauna (supposedly 5 minute limit per use which we eventually figured out). Then back to our rooms around 10 PM for much needed showers and sleep.</p>Tally Ho Travellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03285024893161293843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6312615922866228440.post-88087300370592758472012-06-27T15:46:00.002-07:002012-06-27T15:46:53.006-07:00TallyHo-Traveller’s Springtime Gallop Through Northern and Central Europe 2012 - Day Seven<p style="text-indent:20px;">We awoke to a 7 AM alarm Saturday the 7th in a Hotel Ibis’ newly refurbished fourth floor triple room. After preparing for the day, we all made our way downstairs to the hotel breakfast buffet. Tasty bread, rolls, pastries, cheese, ham, leberwurst, various herring dishes and an unusual-but-tasty beet salad beckoned as different breakfast options. All the various dishes we tried were very delectable and the coffee and juice were perfect finishing touches to start another very busy day. Our morning check out of the hotel was again very efficient and friendly; a large taxi called by the front desk for us arrived within 5 minutes of the phone call. A short taxi ride to Malmo’s Trianglin train station later, we purchased tickets for the train to CPH which arrived within 1 minute of our arrival to the train platform. Talk about efficient timing (and a little luck!). Alas, we had to be back in Berlin for Easter Sunday, but wished we had planned more time to explore and enjoy the city of Malmo (a great reason for a return future visit!).</p><p style="text-indent:20px;">Arriving at the Copenhagen airport with time to spare, Nana and I decided to do some window shopping and complimentary food sample tastings. After purchasing some duty free souvenirs (should have bought some of those addictive caramel wafer cookies, darn) we met up with the rest of our traveling party and walked to the gate posted on the Departures board for our return trip to Berlin. Prior to boarding, there were about 10 different newspapers for reading on board our 40 minute SAS flight – I snagged a London newspaper that surprisingly contained a colorful feature article on the flowers blooming in the Netherlands (how appropriate and déjà vu). After deicing the plane (it started to snow on our arrival to CPH) due to the cold and snow, we lifted off into the low clouds. The clouds prevented us from seeing any interesting land sites below until almost time for landing again at Berlin Tegel airport.</p><p style="text-indent:20px;">Back in Berlin the clouds slowly parted and allowed the sun to shine. The temperature was definitely warmer outside Berlin-Tegel airport waiting for the bus than the start of the day in Malmo! We travelled by bus and train to Fregestrasse, off Feuerbachstrasse S-Bahn station for a short time to regroup and formulate plans for the remainder of the day until check-in time for our next hotel “home”. At a local ReWe supermarket we picked up smore gluten free snacks and a bottle of Easter day wine for our German cousins. Then we walked several blocks down Bundesallee to a gluten free bakery discovered by Kaitlin on a previous weekend jaunt. Debating where to eat a late lunch, we opted for one of Kaitlin’s regular haunts, Café Melanie. Nana and Kaitlin ordered chicken enchiladas, Chris opted for a specialty cheeseburger, sans bun, and Randy and I savored German-style cherry cheese cake (kirsch kase kuchen) and coffee. Being revived by the very good and extremely filling food offerings we slowly made our way via train (how else?!) to the next hotel on our itinerary – the Angleterre Hotel (which I had booked on a whim since we only needed rooms for one night).</p><p style="text-indent:20px;">Arriving at Friedrichstrasse 31 (does the street name sound familiar?), we walked to the Reception Desk only to learn that since the hotel was fully booked for that night, our 2 standard rooms request had been upgraded to 2 two room queen suites at no extra charge. Happy Easter one day early! Nana decided to R&R in her shared suite while the rest of us walked four blocks to Checkpoint Charlie. While at the site we saw where the Wall had been (I took a photo to commemorate the event) and discussed the information at the Checkpoint Charlie memorial wall. We marveled at the revitalization in the former East Berlin area around us as dusk settled in along with the wind and a light snow. Wandering back to the Angleterre the snow started in earnest due to the increased cold temperatures. </p><p style="text-indent:20px;">Back at the hotel, Chris picked up a complimentary voucher for free Internet room access at the front desk. Once back in Nana’s suite, we opted to order room service due to the reasonable prices posted on the menu and because we were being wimps, not wanting to venture outside again at night into the cold and snow. Room service was prompt, but there were some issues regarding the gluten free portion of the order. More on that in my upcoming expanded article on the Hotel Angleterre. Finally all ended well with a little patience on our part. Definitely a good night’s rest was enjoyed by all.</p>Tally Ho Travellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03285024893161293843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6312615922866228440.post-74484332933128856422012-06-27T15:42:00.000-07:002012-06-27T15:42:58.947-07:00TallyHo-Traveller’s Springtime Gallop Through Northern and Central Europe 2012 - Day Six<p style="text-indent:20px;">Good Friday morning, April 6, found us awake, dressed and checked out of the NH Leeuwenhorst Hotel and Conference Center and on the road to Amsterdam Schiphol airport (AMS) by 7 AM. Chris had preprogrammed Vanessa the prior evening to stop at the closest petrol station to the airport, but forgot to reprogram afterwards so we had to make one U-turn, then followed the road signs to the AMS car rental return area. Arriving there we bade farewell and thanked Vanessa, our GPS unit, for getting us where we needed to be (worth her weight in gold!!) then began the 10 minute walk via moving walkways to the airport check in area. A new and novel experience for all of us was using the moving walkways that were pitched at a very steep incline, both lower and upper, during the walking trip to the AMS main terminal. Arriving so very early to the main terminal we were the first in line waiting for Scandinavia Airways (SAS) check-in to open. The SAS check in process was very prompt,friendly and relatively painless, as was going through airport Security and Customs. The flight from Amsterdam to Copenhagen on a SAS MD-80 was short, but relaxing with plenty of legroom and we were very efficiently served coffee or tea by an all male flight crew. Soon we began our descent over water to Copenhagen International Airport (CPH) which ended in a very smooth landing with a moderate taxi trip to our gate. Directions once inside the CPH airport were well marked, directing us to ticket kiosks for buying train tickets to Malmo, Sweden. We discovered at this point that many credit card transactions in Sweden required use of a credit card PIN number so we opted to buy the train tickets with Kaitlin’s debit card.</p><p style="text-indent:20px;">The train to Malmo was a short 20 minute ride with very smooth starts and stops by the train operator. Arriving at the Hyllie train stop in Malmo, our Swedish cousin Thomas was waiting to transport us to his home near the sea about 30 minutes southeast of Malmo. Along the way Thomas gave us the scenic tour with ocean views and all. We spent a fun afternoon meeting several of our Swedish cousins and showing them photos of our home in Colorado over coffee and homemade carrot cake with a few other delicacies.</p><p style="text-indent:20px;">Early evening found us along with our cousins at a small seaside restaurant that had just opened for the season that day. Little did we know that we were in for such an extraordinary Swedish seafood experience – an initial extra special touch provided by the waitstaff, and much appreciated by us, was the printing of an English translation of the Swedish menu. First, out came a complimentary appetizer consisting of a salmon salad on small toasts which was exquisite! Then, an ordered starter of homemade shrimp toast (which I could have gladly lived on forever), followed by a large entrée portion of hot smoked salmon (smoked onsite at the restaurant) made for an unbelievably, exceptional meal. Add to the mix a fantastic visit with the cousins and we didn’t want the evening to end. Sadly about 9:30 that evening the cumulative effect of travel to 3 countries in 1 day plus the satisfying afterglow of such a fantastic dinner gave way to subtle yawns by some. After many hugs and farewells, Thomas delivered us safely to our Malmo hotel, the Ibis Malmo hotel, through a gentle rain and waited until we were completely checked before bidding us goodbye. Thanks again, Thomas, for all you did to make our trip less stressful and a major highlight of our 12 day adventure!</p>Tally Ho Travellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03285024893161293843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6312615922866228440.post-40961550355656254602012-06-27T15:37:00.000-07:002012-06-27T15:38:56.532-07:00TallyHo-Traveller’s Springtime Gallop Through Northern and Central Europe 2012 - Day Five<p style="text-indent:20px:">The next morning (was it Thursday the 5th of April already?!?) dawned somewhat overcast – perfect for the day of photography that was anticipated. Waking at 7 AM we all ate breakfast at the included breakfast buffet downstairs. We were not expecting anything here to rival the breakfast buffet experience at Hotel-Pension Kassandra in Berlin. We were more than pleasantly surprised! The morning buffet at the Dali restaurant was even MORE extensive than the Kassandra’s –I especially appreciated the coffee machine that brewed everything from regular coffee to café au lait to cappuccinos and expressos – a miracle machine for early mornings! After mentally waking so very enjoyably over the leisurely and ample breakfast it was then off to the Keukenhof Gardens for a day of natural beauty among the famous flowers of the Netherlands.</p><p style="text-indent:20px:">On the short 10 minute drive to the Gardens (thank you, Vanessa!!) we ooohed and awed over the bright, multi-colored blocks of flowers in the numerous fields we passed by. Just when we thought we couldn’t be more impressed, we pulled into the parking field for Keukenhof. To say that cars were directed to park close together was a bit of an understatement, but just a short walk took us to the entrance gate for the gardens. Arriving just after the park opened for the day we were able to have our prepaid passes scanned at the ticket booth and then we zipped inside, looking forward to an amazing floral experience. After purchasing the Gardens booklet complete with map we chose which direction to wind our way through the various areas of the gardens. The morning started as chilly (9 degrees C) with a light wind, but progressively became warmer with the sun breaking through the clouds by mid-afternoon; it was perfect weather for a long, brisk walk while viewing the various colors and types of flowers in the gardens, complete with Europe’s largest fountain and a 700 tree labyrinth. When the weather started to get to nippy we would duck into one of five different pavilions of floral displays, each with their own distinct floral delights. But more on that subject in another article….</p><p style="text-indent:20px:">After a delightfully warm and filling lunch onsite of mushroom ragu over puff pastry to ward off the morning chill, Kaitlin, Chris and I shopped for a few postcard souvenirs while Randy and Nana elected to powerwalk the last remaining paths of the Gardens. After meeting near a side entrance, we spent the next hour or so driving around enjoying the vivid fields of blues, reds, purples, yellows, pinks and magentas of the hyacinths, daffodils and tulips already in bloom. Back at the hotel, after taking a short break to update my travel journal, we ventured to the hotel aquatic center. There we discovered a slightly heated indoor pool and a luke warm temperature “hottub” which we stayed in for less than ½ hour. At least the shower was nice and hot (twice as warm as the “hottub”)! After going back to our rooms to change, we explored our options for a late dinner (by American standards) at the hotel. Not seeing anything at the hotel that we could all agree on, we hopped into the Mercedes for the short drive into Sassenheim’s city center (Centrum) where we discovered a true “diamond in the rough” of dining --the EETcafe de Voogd.</p><p style="text-indent:20px:">The EETcafe de Voogd sat on a small quiet street in the Centrum, not looking like much from the outside. Once inside, the atmosphere of the restaurant was open and inviting. Our waitperson, Anika, was extremely pleasant and spoke perfect English. Once she learned that one of our group was gluten intolerant, she went above and beyond the call of duty to make a special effort in checking with the kitchen regarding “gluta” (or the lack thereof) in a couple of menu selections. The onion soup starter was very delicious and warmed us up nicely. Nana and I shared a traditional Dutch food, bittesballer, which was a potato croquette filled with veal, and served with sinus-clearing authentic stone ground mustard on the side. Entrees enjoyed by the others included a pasta dish, ribeye steak and another Dutch tradition, satay – a beef dish with a peanut type sauce which was quite tender and flavorful (and totally a traditional Dutch fav, Anika assured us). As a surprise ending to our evening dining adventure, Anika brought out a stellar culinary note – a complimentary dessert made of lemon, egg whites and prosecco – we don’t remember the name but definitely remember that it was devoured quickly and enjoyed by all. After reluctantly bidding Anika and the Café a fond farewell we arrived back at the hotel (Randy was really getting good at zipping through the roundabouts by then) for an early morning (6 AM) wakeup call the next morning.<br />Tally Ho Travellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03285024893161293843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6312615922866228440.post-69202587347421048562012-06-27T15:32:00.000-07:002012-06-27T15:34:25.253-07:00TallyHo Traveller's Springtime Gallop Through Northern and Central Europe 2012 -- Day Four<p style="text-indent:20px;">Wednesday the 4th of April found us rising early for another ample Hotel-Pension Kassandra breakfast buffet. After the meal Randy and Kaitlin headed to the Europa Center in a moderate rain to collect our rental car while I reluctantly checked out of the hotel. After a 30 minute wait, a rental Mercedes B Class showed up at the hotel where we quickly loaded our luggage and started on the road trip to Lisse, Netherlands for tulip viewing. After a couple of wrong turns, we finally got onto the autobahn in the direction of Hanover, driving through less and less rain the farther we traveled to the west. Once out of Berlin proper our son, Chris, deciphered the GPS navigation system (christened Vanessa by daughter Kaitlin) and set coordinates for our lunchtime diversion (and special surprise for Nana), Schloss (Castle) Marienburg, located about 45 minutes south of Hanover. Vanessa’s directions led us directly to the Schloss Marienburg parking area around noon, where we promptly located a great parking spot.</p><p style="text-indent:20px;">We stretched our legs as we gazed at the impressive castle grounds perched on a wooded hill ahead of us. Arriving at the expansive castle entrance gate, we turned left into the gift shop to purchase tickets (7 euro per adult) for the 2 PM tour of the castle interior; that left us ample time to relax and enjoy lunch at the onsite castle restaurant. The restaurant wait staff was friendly, as well as efficient, and our lunch of beef veggie soup, duck soup and lamb goulash was excellent (in addition to being very reasonably priced). A cool wind started to blow into the inner castle courtyard after lunch; time for the tour to begin! Our tour guide led the group into the antechamber and closed the door on the cool wind to begin the tour (no photos allowed!). Since the tour was delivered in German, Nana had elected to use the free audio tape available in English to more fully understand the spoken portion of the tour. The winding staircase to nowhere was a memorable part of the interior tour as well as the huge iron and copper pots in the fully stocked basement kitchen, library with ornate reading table and central heating grates and personal chapel with pews specifically reserved for the king and queen (AND the enormous pipe organ directly above the royal pews!).</p><p style="text-indent:20px;">An hour later we were back outside in the cold -- time to head back to the Autobahn and onto the Netherlands. Randy enjoyed driving the sections of the roadway where there were no posted speed limits (reaching speeds up to 160 KPH at times)! Traffic moved quite well until about 35 km east of Amsterdam. A couple of slowdown areas due to heavier traffic at rush hour and then we were back up to the posted speed (no tickets, no harm, no foul), where there was one – some areas did not have a speed limit posted.</p><p style="text-indent:20px;">Along the way as we inched closer to the Germany/Netherland border, those of us awake spied an old fashioned windmill – how pretty and picturesque -- Hello Holland! Kaitlin remarked that she loved her initial impression of the Netherlands – lots of green grass with horses in every pasture, it seemed, and colorful flower fields! We were getting closer to our lodging “home” for the next two days once we exited off the A44 heading for Sonnenheim. Vanessa’s directions for traveling through the numerous roundabouts (5, we counted!) were outstanding although there was some confusion at one of the roundabouts. Once that issue was resolved we decided that roundabout travel was a fun game of chicken, Holland style, when entering a roundabout. Docked along the canals next to the road were small boats of various types, some apparently used as homes, since lights emanated from their curtained windows in the early evening light.</p><p style="text-indent:20px;">Around 7:30 PM we arrived at our new lodging for the next 2 nights, the NH Leeuwenhorst Hotel and Conference Center. Check-in at the Reception desk was very friendly, efficient and in English! Our desk person even made same night dinner reservations for the onsite restaurant to complete the check-in process. Randy parked the Mercedes in the hotel parking garage, after we unloaded our baggage, and was back at the lobby within a few minutes. From there we proceeded to our elevator and the first floor where we were assigned 3 adjoining rooms. Since dinner reservations were not until 8:15 PM, we had plenty of time to look over our respective rooms, unpack and cruise the lobby gift shop. Dinner at the Sabre restaurant, included in our hotel package, was a pre-selected 3 course meal of 2 appetizer choices, 2 entrée choices and 2 dessert choices. My choice of venison carpaccio app, steak with mushroom sauce and chocolate mousse met with a mixed review. The appetizer was very memorable as was the dessert but the steak was a little overcooked from the medium that was ordered. I should have opted for the prawns and cod that the others had ordered and raved about. Such is life! The food in general was very good but the service was exceedingly slow – over 2 hours for a 3 course “fix pris” meal. I finally had to flag down another waiter to request the dinner check – not what I needed at 10:30 PM after a very long but enjoyable day of travel. Ending the evening in our nicely furnished rooms was a positive note – each room was furnished in soothing neutral tones with accents of burgundy red, complete with modern flatscreen TVs (English speaking channels included CNN and BBC), choice of pillow types, in room tea and both a soaking tub and separate shower in the en suite bathrooms. Sleep came quickly that evening, dreaming of the eventful day to come.</p>Tally Ho Travellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03285024893161293843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6312615922866228440.post-55511970394607448442012-06-27T15:28:00.000-07:002012-06-27T15:28:07.908-07:00TallyHo Traveller's Springtime Gallop Through Northern and Central Europe 2012 -- Day Three<p style="text-indent:20px;">What a treat Tuesday morning, April 3rd, revealed -- trying to decide which of the numerous buffet items to choose from for breakfast - varied selections of breads and pastries, croissants, hard boiled eggs, several types of meats, cheeses, yogurt, several juices, milk, tea and coffee. Anna and two other employees kept the buffet well supplied until after 9 AM! Everything we ate was delectable! A fantastic way to start our Berlin adventure!</p><p style="text-indent:20px;">After breakfast we met up with our daughter Kaitlin and took the U-Bahn then S-Bahn trains and then bus transfer southwest of Berlin proper to a small town called Kleinmachnow. Our daughter escorted us around town and we walked to the Berlin Brandenburg International (BBIS) school, an International Baccalaureate school, where she is currently student teaching (hence one of the reasons for this trip). Along the way, we saw various trees and flowers already blooming, much earlier than when we left Colorado! An older man was walking his very cute Westie in a forested area not far from the BBIS. After touring the school grounds, we opted to walk a path that led us through the forest along a large lake. After a very long lakeside walk, we climbed a short distance to an abandoned castle (our retirement home, Kaitlin kidded), the Hakeburg Castle. The huge, stately castle sat overlooking the lake through the trees and was a complex of marvelous older buildings, complete with a cobblestone courtyard and conservatory on the side of the actual castle as well as a neglected formal garden area in back. We lingered there a short while, looking around and dreaming, if only that MegaMillions jackpot were ours! Finally we hiked back down a different (and, thankfully, shorter) path to where we had entered the woods. Opting to go back to the bus stop a different way, we walked back down the hill through a residential area (and saw two honest-to-God fixer-uppers for sale) to wait for Bus 623 to take us back to Berlin Zehlendorf.</p><p style="text-indent:20px;">After our extensive morning walk, it was time for lunch. Tomasa’s Restaurant’s posted menu had some interesting gluten free options so we decided to try their food. Kaitlin and I decided, not being as hungry as the others, we would share the gnocchi with shrimp and lachs. This turned out to be a fortuitous plan because the food portions were HUGE! The dish was very tasty and paired wonderfully with my Berliner Weisse (a very famous Berlin drink of weiss beer and raspberry syrup – yum)!</p><p style="text-indent:20px;">After lunch activities included more walking and riding the S-Bahn train to the Brandenburg Tor with a short stroll through part of the Tiergarten, all the while taking many snaps with the camera. Back past the Tor and the US Embassy onto Unter den Linden (where the street is appropriately lined with linden trees) led us to the Volswagen Automobil forum Bentley/Bugatti showroom on Friedrichstrasse. Upon entering the showroom/museum, a black Bugatti Veyron (th red accents, of course) was prominently displayed -- a source of much excitement for those brave enough to enter the building. While my husband Randy stood in awe, enjoying the view of the fastest European supercar in existence, I marveled (and took multiple photos) at the Bentley sedan displayed next to the Veyron. After a short tour of the rest of the museum, we walked south on Friedrichstrasse to the Ubahn station, hopped the U1 back to Uhlandstrasse and walked back to Hotel-Pension Kassandra.</p><p style="text-indent:20px;">Once we left Nana back at the room to recooperate from the day’s activities, the rest of us walked a few blocks and discovered a small health food store to stock up on some gluten free snacks. Then back around the corner to Uhlandstrasse we looked for a Konditorei to consume some late afternoon coffee and cake. At Kaffee Rosterei there were many tea and coffee varieties to select from, as well as multiple types of cakes and pastries (even a gluten free cake)! After a relaxed hour with a large latte and slice of cake, we meandered back to the hotel for the remainder of the evening.</p>Tally Ho Travellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03285024893161293843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6312615922866228440.post-65204484437416074162012-06-27T15:24:00.001-07:002012-06-27T15:28:49.276-07:00TallyHo Traveller's Springtime Gallop Through Northern and Central Europe 2012 -- Day Two<p style="text-indent:20px;">Having landed at LHR a few minutes ahead of schedule on Monday, April 2nd, at noon (UK time), due to constant tail winds, all passengers were offloaded and transported to Terminal 5 by bus. The weather was in the low 60s and mostly sunny – no expected British rainshowers for once! Once inside the Terminal we followed the purple Flight Connections signs to Security and quickly went through that process. It’s amazing how much faster the Security process went with not having to take shoes off! Once belts and jackets were back on, two of us decided to window shop some of the Heathrow Terminal 5 shops – Harrods, Dior, Prada, Gucci, Burberry, Tiffany and the Caviar House (free smoked salmon samples there) – before meeting up with the others. Since we still had a 3 ½ hour layover before the next BA flight, it was time to eat lunch (or was it an early dinner?) at Terminal 5’s Crown Pub bar and restaurant. What a great decision for reasonably priced airport pub grub this choice was! I waxed poetic over a British mini-pie selection consisting of a steak and ale pie (my absolute favorite), a chicken and root veggie pie (much better than anticipated) and a shepherd’s pie (still good, but the least liked of the 3). The mini-pies were accompanied by a huge serving of mashers (mashed potatoes as we Yanks would say) and steamed mixed veggies. Add a half pint of Guinness as the perfect beverage and a perfectly memorable lunch was slowly savored. Chili and smoked salmon baguette sandwiches ordered by other members of the traveling party were equally consumed with great satifaction while we waited for a gate assignment to be posted on the Departure board for the final segment of our trip to Berlin, Germany.</p><p style="text-indent:20px;">After a couple of hours we decided to walk off some of our d mouth-watering lunch and try to find information regarding our rapidly approaching departure gate. Stopping at the British Airways Customer Service desk we were given the information we needed. A short walk from that desk and we were at the correct gate. Soon our fellow passengers began descending on the area and a general boarding call was made soon after. Let the cattle call begin! After going through another Customs check with passports at the ready we actually boarded the plane via a walkway and not stairs and a bus. An improvement to be sure!<br />
<p style="text-indent:20px;">A short, efficient hour flight later we landed at Berlin’s Tegel airport. After a few minutes waiting for a gate (due to being early yet again) we finally disembarked the plane. Getting through German Customs was quick and efficient and our luggage was waiting for us at Baggage Claim when we got there. Upon exiting the Baggage Claim area our daughter, Kaitlin, met us and directed us to the bus transportation area. We took Bus 109 from the airport to the Kurfurstendamm/Uhlandstrasse stop. After deciding which direction our first hotel might be, we took a guess and headed south on Uhlandstrasse. Two blocks later and there it was, the Hotel-Pension Kassandra, located on the corner of Uhlandstrasse and Lietzenburger Strasse.</p><p style="text-indent:20px;">A buzz of the door button opened the wooden security door and we walked up a flight of gorgeous older white marble steps to Reception. Anna, our evening hostess, was a very efficient and friendly older German matron who took us to our room and described, Auf Deutsch, how the room’s door lock and light switches worked as well as cautioned about the step up to the bathroom. Our requested room of a quad consisted of 1 double and 2 single beds, 2 writing desks with chairs, a small TV with multiple channels and a large wardrobe for luggage and clothes. The double bed mattress was new and very comfy (NO bedbugs here!) and the feather comforter kept me VERY warm at night.</p><p style="text-indent:20px;">The Hotel-Pension Kassandra was a clean, but older, building in need of some TLC (in particular the threadbare carpets) but considering the price of the room, which included a wonderfully extensive breakfast buffet and the central Berlin location, our 2 night stay here was a great start to our Berlin holiday. After dumping our luggage in our room we walked and window shopped the Ku’damm down to the Europa Center and ate a late dinner at the Irish Pub bar and grill. One tasty toasted ham and cheese sandwich washed down with Irish Mist made for a satisfying end to a very exciting travel day.</p>Tally Ho Travellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03285024893161293843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6312615922866228440.post-72961381390532954072012-06-27T15:20:00.000-07:002012-06-27T15:20:08.976-07:00TallyHo Traveller's Springtime Gallop Through Northern and Central Europe 2012 -- Day One<p style="text-indent:20px;">A typical April Fool’s Day this was not! After months of planning (with a few revisions), our 12 day European adventure began with summer-like temperatures in the mid-80s during the 1 hour trip to Denver International Airport. After parking offsite at our favorite Tower Road facility, USAirport Parking, we arrived at the British Airways check in desk around 6:15 PM. Patiently waiting in the queue for about 20 minutes our travelling party finally completed an efficient, as well as pleasant, check in. After a short delay at the Concourse A Security we made our way to Concourse A’s food court and the last Micky Ds Filet-O-Fish, the best of American fast food fish sandwiches that I would eat for the next 12 days. Watching the sun set over the Rocky Mountains while the outside cargo crew loaded luggage and cargo onto the British Airways (BA) 777 which would take us over the Atlantic to London Heathrow was a fantastic start to our adventure. Finally it was time to go through the UK Customs procedure (passports available, everyone!), walk down the long walkway and board the plane.</p><p style="text-indent:20px;">The boarding process was relatively smooth considering it was definitely a full flight. Soon the plane pushed back from the gate. Within a half hour of takeoff, the flight attendants served the evening meal. By the time we were served the only meal option available was chicken and rice, which wasn’t horrible, but not up to the standards of a previous BA transatlantic flight. When enquiries were made it was discovered that the requested Gluten Free (GF) meal entrée for one of our traveling party did not get loaded onto the plane. The flight attendant was profusely apologetic and did locate and serve some other GF food items to keep starvation at bay (glad we thought to bring GF snacks for a contingency!) Having eagerly anticipated watching the movie “The Iron Lady” which was listed in the current selections at BA’s website for this flight, I was extremely disappointed to discover that it was not listed in the on board choices. (Major Bummer!) “The Debt” was not as exciting as the movie trailer previewed but “The Descendants” proved to be an unanticipated, pleasant surprise (George, you should have won that Oscar)! The overnight flight was a little bumpy at times and the service by the attendants was not as stellar as on a previous trans-Atlantic flight but eventually we did arrive at London’s Heathrow airport.</p>Tally Ho Travellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03285024893161293843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6312615922866228440.post-72954280801515399342011-11-15T10:58:00.000-08:002014-02-26T15:03:32.680-08:00Wearin O' the Green in the Emerald Isle 2010 - The Short and Sweet Version<br />
<pstyle="text-indent: 20px;">PM Saturday – Departed wintery Denver, CO, for London Heathrow on British Airways </p><pstyle="text-indent: 20px;"><br />
March 14, Sunday – Arrived at London Heathrow; Transferred from Terminal 5 to Terminal 1; Arrived in Dublin, Ireland mid morning; Finally found the hotel location; Late lunch/early dinner at the Jameson Distillery restaurant (Happy Irish Mother’s Day!!)</p><pstyle="text-indent: 20px;"><br />
March 15, Monday – Toured Christchurch; Located the Essex Street Tourism office; Cruised Grafton Street; Rode the Luas to tour the Guinness Brewery</p><pstyle="text-indent: 20px;"><br />
March 16, Tuesday – Visited the Irish National Museum of Decorative Arts at Collins Barracks; Leisurely walk to the Temple Bar area for lunch; Brief walk to Dublin Castle; Brisk walk back in late afternoon for the Jameson Distillery tour and tasting<</p><pstyle="text-indent: 20px;"><br />
March 17, Wednesday – Happy St Patrick’s Day!! Parade viewing on Dame Street; High afternoon tea at the Westbury Hotel; Wandering the festive streets of Dublin; Dinner at O’Shea’s on the banks of the River Liffey</p><pstyle="text-indent: 20px;"><br />
March 18, Thursday – Day tour to the Cliffs of Moher and the Burren; Lunchtime at a Doolin carvery; Drive around Galway Bay and back again to Dublin; Supper at Dirty Grace’s Bar</p><pstyle="text-indent: 20px;"><br />
March 19, Friday – Ah, the full Irish breakfast at O’Shea’s; Bus trip to Dun Laoghaire and a walk on the pier; Sighting of a seal at the harbor; Lunch in the harbor town; Back to Dublin for last minute souvenirs</p><pstyle="text-indent: 20px;"><br />
March 20 , Saturday – Off to London Heathrow…Will our British Airways flight back to the States take off on schedule or will the strike delay our homecoming?</p><pstyle="text-indent: 20px;"><br />
To find out more about the above adventure, check out the Extended edition of “Wearin O’ the Green in the Emerald Isle 2010” coming to a blog on <a href="http://www.tallyho-traveller.com/">www.TallyHo-Traveller.com</a> soon (as soon as my editor approves the final draft…)!!</p>Tally Ho Travellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03285024893161293843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6312615922866228440.post-11348163681701401032011-10-23T17:34:00.000-07:002011-10-23T17:34:57.168-07:00The 23rd Annual Rocky Mountain Mustang Round-Up Weekend in Steamboat Springs<div style="text-indent: 20px;">
Imagine closing off the entire main street of a town for an entire Saturday morning and afternoon… well, that’s just what happened Father’s Day weekend in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, this June. Never having visited this oasis in the middle of the Rocky Mountains before, this Western event was just the start to a memorable family weekend (and subsequent Father’s Day gift).</div>
<div style="text-indent: 20px;">
We started our trip to Steamboat Springs at rush hour on Friday afternoon. After surviving sluggish traffic due to an accident near Boulder and creeping through Golden, we were finally moving on Interstate I-70. The pace was fast, considering it was a Friday afternoon, for traffic heading into the mountains to try and escape the summer heat of the Front Range. Upon arriving in Silverthorne we exited at mile marker 205, made a brief stop for snacks and drinks and started the 37.6 miles drive north on Colorado Hwy 9 to Kremmling. This portion of the drive was a gorgeous one with hillsides dotted with vivid blue lupines, lavender water iris and
yellow wildflowers. Getting closer to Kremmling, the rain settled in, but the road was in very good condition so we travelled onward. Once in Kremmling we turned west onto US Hwy 40 and completed our trip into Steamboat Springs 51 miles later, surprised at the amount of snow still present around the Rabbit Ears Pass area before descending into the valley where Steamboat Springs resides.</div>
<div style="text-indent: 20px;">
Our hotel, the Hampton Inn and Suites, was easy to find, thanks to the very reliable travel directions on the hotel’s website. After parking next to the Inn I climbed up the full flight of stairs to the lobby registration area. The evening reception manager was patiently waiting our arrival and was very pleasant and understanding about the late arrival. Noticing his surname on the Registration Desk board, I discovered he was a distant cousin to a close family friend. What a serendipitous beginning to the weekend!</div>
<div style="text-indent: 20px;">
After getting directions to our room, we grabbed our travel duffels and headed to the 2 bed family suite that I had booked on the Internet. Upon unlocking the door to our room, we discovered this was, indeed, a rare find. The suite contained 2 king beds, a sitting area with a sofa, table and chair with ottoman. We also had two full bathrooms and a vanity area that included a mini-refrigerator, microwave and coffeemaker. There was a small sideroom that could have easily housed a double air mattress for additional people. We, however, used this as a changing/luggage storage area. Since it was getting late we decided to go to a Qdoba Mexican restaurant we had seen on the way into town. Little did we know this Qdoba was the State Patrol’s stop of choice for the evening. After much needed sustenance, we headed back to our hotel room for the remainder of the evening.</div>
<div style="text-indent: 20px;">
Saturday we woke to a sunshine filled blue sky with the promise of some afternoon rain. Downstairs in the common area next to Registration a hot “courtesy” breakfast was waiting – cereals, pastries, muffins, fresh fruits, self-service waffles, several different juices, teas and coffee were only some of the choices for those of us just (mentally) waking up to start the day. After finishing breakfast, I inquired at the front desk about sidewalk availability to walk into the main part of town. The desk manager informed me about a paved bike path just a block away from the back parking lot of the hotel that would lead us conveniently to the Main Street festivities which were only a quarter of a mile away! The bike path was a pleasant winding walk along the fast-flowing Yampa River, complete with meeting a new canine friend (or two). It was also an easy way to erase some of the morning’s breakfast calories as well.</div>
<div style="text-indent: 20px;">
Once on Lincoln Avenue, the main street of Steamboat Springs, we were impressed by the sheer number of Mustangs lining both sides as well as the middle of the street – there were well over 300 cars total at the official show as well as many other Mustangs just cruising town. One of the first cars we viewed was the same year and model as our son’s – a 1993 Mustang LX. It was in superb condition for its age. The owner was a very personable female from Lakewood, Colorado, who obviously appreciated her car. After walking the length of downtown Lincoln Avenue and talking with numerous owners of cars at the show, we decided to eat lunch at the Old Town Pub and Restaurant at the corner of 6th and Lincoln Avenue.</div>
<div style="text-indent: 20px;">
The history of this establishment is a very colorful and varied one. Built in 1904 as the Albany Hotel, this structure subsequently was used as the town’s first hospital, then a post office, general store and finally a movie theater. The second floor of this two story Victorian building was even used, at one time, as a dance hall. In 1983 the Old Town Pub & Restaurant took up residency and still remains there today. Proprietors Matt and Lizzie Larock currently operate the business. I am attest to the fact the fried mushrooms are very tasty (and so is the Bailey’s coffee).</div>
<div style="text-indent: 20px;">
After lunch we meandered back via the bike path to the Hampton Inn and Suites and decided to enjoy one of the three outdoor hot tubs on-site to soak and re-energize ourselves. To our amazement, we were the only ones using this facility and were enjoying both the soothing warm waters and the conversation, until it was time to leave the pool area due to an impending afternoon storm.</div>
<div style="text-indent: 20px;">
After some quiet downtime we decided to go exploring and find somewhere to eat for dinner. Luckily, I had found a restaurant that fit all our criteria for the evening and was relatively easy to find. Saketumi is a self-proclaimed “sushi/asian fusion” restaurant that, according to their website, flies in the freshest fish daily. I was somewhat dubious about the freshness claim since we were in a landlocked area right in the middle of the USA, but we were all game to try the food anyway. The food at Saketumi was one of the highlights of this trip – the miso soup was very flavorful and the plum wine very potent. Everything we ate was extremely fresh and well-prepared, especially the Bula roll, Saketumi’s best selling roll. A delectable roll of panko fried shrimp, crab, avocado and tuna, served with a sweet soy and spicy aioli sauce, the Bula roll was just heavenly. My husband and son agreed that the sashimi assortment they ordered was not only very fresh, but a high quality selection of fish as well. Given the popularity of this restaurant, the fact that Saketumi is housed in a small “intimate” space and does not take reservations, it is strongly recommended to arrive at its opening time of 5:30 pm in order to get a seat (before starvation sets in). Just bring a healthy credit card limit or plenty of cash because prices are not inexpensive (did I mention that the fish is flown in daily to landlocked Steamboat Springs?!?), but even waiting an hour or so would be well worth it; the food is just that good.</div>
<div style="text-indent: 20px;">
After a restful night’s sleep, we decided to forego the Hampton’s ample “courtesy” breakfast and try a recommended breakfast eatery, Freshies, which was less than a block to the north of the hotel. We walked over and were seated just before the main breakfast crowd arrived. There was a large selection of both breakfast, brunch, smoothie and beverage choices to meet just about any dietary need. My ham, egg and cheese croissant was incredibly fresh and the coffee was delightful (must have been the local area water they used to brew the coffee). I could have drank the entire pot but, since we were going to be on the road to home soon, good reason kicked in and I elected not to do so. Soon after we reluctantly checked out of our weekend hideaway, bid “adieu” to Steamboat Springs and headed on down US Highway 40 to home, going by way of Granby and Winter Park (but that’s a story best told another day…).</div>
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Sources</span>-
<br />
<address>
Rocky Mountain Mustang Round-Up<br />
PO Box 21706<br />
Denver, CO 80221<br />
<a href="http://www.rmmr.org/">www.rmmr.org</a>
</address>
<address>
Old Town Pub & Restaurant<br />
600 Lincoln Avenue<br />
Steamboat Springs, Colorado 80487<br />
Phone: 970-879-2101<br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.oldtownpub.jimdo.com">www.oldtownpub.jimdo.com</a>
</address>
<address>
Saketumi<br />
1875 Ski Time Square Drive<br />
Torian Plum Plaza, Steamboat Springs, CO 80487<br />
Phone: 970-870-1019<br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.saketumi.net">www.saketumi.net</a>
</address>
<address>
Freshies<br />
595 S Lincoln Avenue<br />
Steamboat Springs, Colorado 80487<br />
Phone: 970-879-8099<br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.freshiessteamboat.com">www.freshiessteamboat.com</a>
</address>Tally Ho Travellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03285024893161293843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6312615922866228440.post-47404664110624930452011-10-16T22:01:00.000-07:002011-10-16T22:01:34.230-07:00A Summer Sunday at Arapahoe Park Races<div style="text-indent: 20px;">"What do you want to do for your birthday this weekend?" was the question of the month frequently asked this August from my family. After pondering all of the possible places and activities to be enjoyed in this part of Colorado, watching an exciting afternoon of horse racing at Arapahoe Park in Aurora, Colorado, was my ultimate decision.</div><div style="text-indent: 20px;">We travelled from the north Denver metro area to the Arapahoe Park track via tollway E-470 with a minimum of traffic – a small wonder for the Denver metro area! Free parking was readily available in a large marked parking area next to the park’s grandstand facility. Once inside the doors we elected to celebrate at the track’s Reserved Clubhouse level instead of the general admission grandstand seats. What a bargain! For $12 USD we purchased a daily racing program and our party of 5 adults sat in the air conditioned luxury of our own private "box" (table with 5 padded chairs) complete with a personal TV monitor and Ryan, our personal waiter, for the afternoon. A fun, pampered beginning to 4 hours of excitement and possible betting-profit!</div><div style="text-indent: 20px;">We arrived at our "box" about 30 minutes before the start of Race #1. The others in our party decided to find some snacks while I scoped out essentials such as the betting area and restrooms. After a short stretch of my legs I arrived back at our clubhouse table to find nachos laden with cheese and the yummiest onion rings waiting. Our waiter, Ryan, made periodic trips to our box during the course of the afternoon, willing and eager to bring us burgers, hotdogs, brats or (bar) alcoholic beverages – whatever we desired to enhance the afternoon’s enjoyment.</div><div style="text-indent: 20px;">At 1 PM sharp the track’s PA system played the National Anthem. Everyone readily rose during the presentation and erupted into spontaneous applause as the last note played. What a fantastic start to the official beginning of the afternoon!</div><div style="text-indent: 20px;">Arapahoe Park’s claim to fame is that it is Colorado’s only home to live Thoroughbred, Quarter horse, Arabian, Paint and Appaloosa horse racing. The day’s Race #1 featured Quarter horses racing a sprint of 350 yards on the dirt track directly in front of the grandstands. Just prior to the running of Race #1 my husband handed me a $20 bill and said "Happy Birthday—enjoy the betting". This being said, I had already decided to "mentally" place a bet on a horse from the race as practice before betting any real money. As the horses were being led to the paddock for saddling I explained to my Mom and daughter exactly how to read the printed racing program for today’s festivities and we each set about to see who could predict the winner. We watched eagerly as the horses and their riders (“Riders Up” for all you novices) were led onto the track for the Post Parade. A buzz of anticipation rose among the crowd while the horses were loaded into the starting gate. Then…a few short seconds later the bell rang, gates flew open and 10 horses exploded into a flat-out full sprint lasting about 19 seconds.</div><div style="text-indent: 20px;">After thunderously crossing the finish line directly in front of our view, my daughter turned and said, "that was fast," (when asked if she enjoyed Race #1). The winner, El Muneco Vision, was pulling away from the others at the finish line but a photo was needed to determine the second ("place" for you bettors) horse, Wildecard, who finished just a nose in front of A Zestee Brisco, the third place ("Show") finisher.</div><div style="text-indent: 20px;">It became apparent by mid-afternoon that both my husband and daughter's systems of determining the winners were more consistant than mine—especially for Race #3 where my daughter, A Colorado State University music major, picked a horse named Miss Music Major, who, coincidentally, won that race, but what a fun way to celebrate a birthday on a summer weekend; 10 exciting races over 4 hours! The perfect ending to this fantastic afternoon was the triple rainbow we saw when exiting the racetrack grounds at day’s end.</div><br />
<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sources</span>-</div><address>Arapahoe Park<br />
26000 E Quincy Avenue<br />
Aurora, Colorado 80016<br />
(303) 690-2400<br />
<a href="http://www.mihiracing.com/">www.mihiracing.com</a><br />
</address>Tally Ho Travellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03285024893161293843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6312615922866228440.post-42321875348358899202011-10-16T00:49:00.000-07:002011-10-16T00:49:36.448-07:00The Cobra-Ferrari Wars<div style="margin-bottom: 20px; text-align: center;">The Shelby American Collection’s 15<sup>th</sup> Anniversary Bash</div><div style="margin-bottom: 20px; text-indent: 15px;">On a breezy warm August afternoon in Gunbarrel, otherwise known as North Boulder, Colorado, a select group of Mustang and Ferrari car racing enthusiasts were privileged to attend a momentous fundraiser in support of pioneer racer Carroll Shelby’s Mustang car museum.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 20px; text-indent: 15px;">Cars for viewing (and drooling over) at this 15<sup>th</sup> anniversary event included sleek Ferraris, sporty Ford Mustang GT 500s, locally owned vintage 1960s series Cobras, select one-of-a-kind Corvettes, a distinguished older Jaguar, a well preserved (and still running) 1953 Cunningham-style Ferrari and a newer model 2011 Aston Martin V12 Vantage that was so sophisticated and refined, it seemed that James Bond would show up at any moment. Alas, James Bond was NOT in attendance, but even better for those 1960s racing enthusiasts, a featured special guest, Bob Bondurant, was.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 20px; text-indent: 15px;">Bob Bondurant raced cars back in the same 1960s time period as Carroll Shelby and their contemporaries. He was among the first American race car drivers to help overthrow Ferrari’s dominance in the European racing circuit. In 1995, Shelby and his team became the <b>first US </b>manufacturer to beat Ferrari during the FIA World Sports Car Manufacturers Championship series of racing.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 20px; text-indent: 15px;">Many victories and decades later, Bob Bondurant is the current owner of the Bob Bondurant Racing School based in Chandler, Arizona. Bob was gracious in meeting with his many awestruck admirers at this 15<sup>th</sup> anniversary gala event and patiently answered a few questions from those gathered around him before moving on to the museum area.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 20px; text-indent: 15px;">Other notable activities at this 15<sup>th</sup> anniversary celebration included an on-site barbeque with open bar by Green’s Point Catering out of Longmont, Colorado and admission to the on-site Shelby American Collection of Mustang cars. The Museum also hosted a silent auction featuring Shelby Cobra-related posters and memorabilia. I placed a bid on the exquisitely crafted lead crystal Mustang car model but, sadly, was outbid, much to my husband’s relief. Outside the Museum, a band performed '60s tunes to which all could rock and roll. Nostalgia was the word of the day to those in attendance!</div><div style="text-indent: 15px;">Presently open to the public only on Saturdays with an admission of $5 USD per person, the Shelby Mustang American Collection Museum highlights the history that Carroll Shelby’s Cobra cars played in smashing Ferrari’s road racing dominance until 1995. A historic collection of vintage Cobras and GT Mustangs are featured at this museum with pictoral and printed documentation of selected races from the era.</div><div><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />
Sources</span>–</div><address>Shelby American Collection<br />
5020 Chaparral Court<br />
Boulder, Colorado 80301<br />
(303) 516-9565<br />
<a href="http://www.shelbyamericancollection.org/">www.shelbyamericancollection.org</a></address><address>Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving, Gate 3<br />
20000 South Maricopa Rd<br />
Chandler, AZ 85226<br />
(480) 403-7600<br />
<a href="http://www.bondurant.com/">www.bondurant.com</a><br />
</address>Tally Ho Travellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03285024893161293843noreply@blogger.com0