Posts under ‘Europe’

You can dream up just about anything and Harrods Department Store in Knightsbridge London will be able to source it, gift wrap it and even deliver it. The store is one of the worlds finest selling an amazing range of products. To shop in their store it is nothing short of an event they have seven floors and 300 departments packed with some of the finest products you could wish to buy. The food hall in the basement is extraordinary (and in many cases just like its prices) this beautifully tiled hall sells food from the four corners of the earth the range is incredible. Visitors beware there are doormen on every door ensuring no undesirables or badly dressed people enter, no backpacks, no torn jeans and no revealing skimpy costumes are just a few of the items forbidden. As tomorrow marks the 10th anniversary of the tragic death of Diana Princess of Wales and Dodi Al Fayed (the son of Harrod’s owner) we must mention the moving shrine at the emporium dedicated to the both of them – this beautiful tribute is well worth a visit.

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The Vatican is the home of the Catholic Church and is part of the State of Vatican City which is in fact the smallest independent state in the world consisting of only 44 hectares or 107 acres. Vatican city is surrounded by Italy’s capital Rome. The head of state is the Pope who is also the head of the Catholic Church. The Basilica of Saint Peter is the huge domed church which sits in front of St Peter’s Square. This magnificent and huge basilica dates back to 1506. The church is open to the public and is home to many of the Pope’s masses. St Peter’s Square in the foreground of the Basilica dates back to the mid 1600’s and attracts tens of thousands if not hundred’s of thousands to the Popes outdoor ceremonies.

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The Moulin Rouge is probably the most famous of all the world’s cabarets dating back to 1898 it is remembered for its legendary showgirls and more recently remembered in the Baz Luhrman film staring Ewan McGregor and Nicole Kidman.

In the daylight the Moulin Rouge is a bit of a disappointment its a shabby old place and it sits in one of Paris’s seedier areas which is jammed packed with strip places and sex shops, but at night when the lights come on the Moulin Rouge building comes alive with it’s neon lit windmill and signage.

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King Ludwig II was known as a bit of a nutter, but he had a lot of good things going for him, he was the guy who’s wedding celebration grew into Oktoberfest and he liked making grand and over the top castles for himself. His most famous is Neuschwanstein which is about 2 hours drive out of Munich and was the inspiration for Walt Disney’s Disneyland castles. The castle is open to the public and well worth the effort to visit. The castle is straight out of a fairy tale with gold, jewels and murals and King Ludwig’s signature swans prominent throughout the building. Poor King Ludwig didn’t get to see his finished work he and he nearly bankrupted the state, he ended up going a going over the edge and drowned with his friend in the nearby lake.

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When you think of Paris you think of the Eiffel Tower, Poodles, French Sticks, Cheese, the Moulin Rouge and of course the Notre Dame Cathedral. This magnificent Gothic cathedral dates back to 1166 during the reign of Louis VII and was completed around 1345. The cathedral is so important to Paris that all distances from Paris are measured from a stone in front of the Notre Dame This stone is known as Point Zero. The cathedral is open to the public daily between 7:45AM and 6:45PM except during mass times and there is a great little market outside the Notre Dame selling religious artifacts, books and food.

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Checkpoint Charlie was the major crossing between Soviet controlled East Berlin and US controlled West Berlin during the Cold War. During its time several serious stand offs between the Russian and US forces occurred which threatened to escalate into war between the two nations. Today like the Berlin Wall it is one of the symbols of the separated Berlin and remains as of a reminder of the horrors of war and the 30 odd years of the stand off between East and West. Checkpoint Charlie was removed soon after the wall was torn down but a copy of the booth and sign was returned to the site as a memorial, the Mauermuseum a museum dedicated to Checkpoint Charlie is close by. Read the rest of this entry »

Every hour on the hour thousands of tourists flock to the Old Town Hall in Prague to see the magnificent old Astronomical Clock. The clock dates back centuries and was painted by Joseph Manes. Every hour as well as the beautiful chimes chickens, 12 marionette apostles dance around the clock which also features the solar system complete with planets, moon and sun and the zodiac. Much of the clock dates back to the 14th and 15th Century but the marionettes and some other features have been replaced due to wear and tear and damage sustained during wartime. Read the rest of this entry »

The best way to see Venice is by water, but unless you our out to impress your lady the Gondola ride can be an expensive way to get around, with prices anything from 50 to 200 Euros. For something less romantic but just as good try one of the small ferries which travel around the larger canals, tickets are only a few Euros and you can even get a cheap day pass for only a little more. Sometimes the ferries are busy but you always get a great view of the canal city. The most magical time to travel is around sunset when the lights come on in the palaces and the long shadows stretch along the canal. Read the rest of this entry »

If you went to a plant nursery in most countries and bought some cannabis seeds probably both you and the shop keeper would have a few problems with the law but not in Amsterdam. The lovely flower and garden shops along the canals sell some of the most beautiful flowers and also cannabis seeds and plants. Growing and the smoking of cannibals for personal use in Amsterdam is quiet legal and there are many cafes and coffee shops around the city where you are quiet welcome to light up and enjoy without the fear of prosecution. It might explain why the Dutch wear clogs?

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The Trabant has had a bit of a dodgy history, it was a East German produced vehicle which was pretty awful but has now gained a cult following of a icon of the former communist Germany. For visitors to Berlin there couldn’t be any more fun than going on a Trabi Safari in one of these weird little cars. This great tour takes in many of the Marxism and Leninism’s of Berlin where you pass some of the remaining Berlin Wall, Checkpoint Charlie and other interesting memorabilia from a time gone by. The cars are pretty special they have a whopping 26 horsepower and will do 30km through the Berlin streets and there is a great commentary with directions on the Trabant’s not so state of the art radio. You will see Berlin from a totally different perspective and you even get your own Trabant driving license on completion of your tour. Read the rest of this entry »