Monday, December 12, 2011
Sunday, December 11, 2011
ESSENTIAL EXPERIENCE 25
Posted by Giuseppe Romano
From April 5, 2011
The Gift of the City of Lights - Paris, France - Sabina has talked about going to Paris since the day I met her. … Over the years, Paris kept coming up. ‘Maybe next year,’ was our refrain. We never had the opportunity to go. Paris would be my gift to her.
The Gift of the City of Lights - Paris, France - Sabina has talked about going to Paris since the day I met her. … Over the years, Paris kept coming up. ‘Maybe next year,’ was our refrain. We never had the opportunity to go. Paris would be my gift to her.
Commodore Romano and his wife, Sabina, standing in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris. The irony of my life is that I really don’t do that much leisure traveling. As Commodore for Princess Cruises, I can see how some people would think I must be joking, because of course, I travel all the time.
I’m at sea for months at a time with Princess where my duties keep my mind attuned to the safe and pleasurable passage of our passengers as we sail around the world. When my time off coincides with school vacations, my wife, Sabina, our two children and I also travel. We go to see our relatives — my family in Sorrento, Italy, and Sabina’s in Cleveland, San Francisco and Germany.
One of my favorite things to do is go camping with my boys. Give me a tent in the forest, a fishing pole and river and I’m very happy. As much as we love our vacations to see family, it was becoming clear that Sabina and I were overdue for a 100-percent carefree, zero responsibility trip together. With all of this in mind and our 20th wedding anniversary approaching, I knew I had to do something special for her. I had to create the perfect gift to symbolize my love for her and celebrate our life together.
It had been a long time coming. Sabina has talked about going to Paris since the day I met her, on a Sitmar cruise (now part of Princess Cruises) where I was, naturally, working. She was on board with her aunt, a Sitmar employee and acquaintance of mine, who had given her a cruise as a graduation gift.
Her aunt introduced us and as we got to know each other, I learned how Sabina had studied art and fashion design at university, and how she longed to walk the streets of Monet and Chagall; to see the Mona Lisa at the famed Louvre Museum; to have a drink at a café made famous by Ernest Hemingway. She had dreamed of doing this long before I met her. Over the years, Paris kept coming up. “Maybe next year,” was our refrain. We never had the opportunity to go. So Paris would be my gift to her.
To make the journey even more special, I decided to make it a surprise. I enlisted Sabina’s parents, who live in Cleveland, to come to Florida to watch our boys, Luca, then 14, and Marco, 11. My story was that she should join me on a training session in Amsterdam, itself a treat, but not Paris.
We boarded a flight from Miami to Paris under the guise that we were continuing on to Amsterdam. It wasn’t until we went to collect our luggage that I handed her a Fodor’s guide to Paris, her go-to book whenever the family joined me on board, and told her, “Happy Anniversary!” Knowing my sense of humor, she thought I was joking. But once she realized we were finally going to Paris, she was overjoyed.
We grabbed our bags and went off to discover the dazzling City of Lights.
First stop was our home for the next four nights, the Hotel Saint-Jacques in the Latin Quarter, which I had secretly booked online. It was the perfect place for Sabina because the Hotel Saint-Jacques is where her favorite movie, the Audrey Hepburn/Cary Grant classic ‘Charade’, was filmed. The hotel was charming and a piece of art itself with rooms painted in warm colors and beautiful paintings on the wall.
We headed out immediately toward Notre Dame, which was close to our hotel. This beautiful Gothic cathedral was a site we ended up visiting many times during our trip. We saw it that first morning, with pale, February light streaming through the magnificent stained-glass rose window, a gleaming contrast to the gray, stone walls. As Notre Dame was on the way to the hotel, we returned each evening, after busy days exploring, to pass by its watchful gargoyles, perched along the walls.
We stopped for crepes at one of the many creperies near the cathedral. Like our visits to Notre Dame, we quickly formed another routine of a Nutella crepe before returning to the hotel. Delicious!
Sabina discovered that the Louvre was open until 10 p.m. that first evening, so we headed there at 6 p.m. and found the museum mostly empty. How wonderful it was to walk through its rooms together, seeing the priceless works inside.
For Sabina, seeing paintings by the artists she had studied for so many years was a lifetime dream. For me, the most memorable painting was the Mona Lisa. To gaze upon her, without the throng of people that ring her during the day, and feel as if she was gazing back only at us, was really special. It was a very quiet, serene moment. I’m not typcially into paintings but once you go there, it changes your mind. The Louvre is a special place.
We packed a lot into our short time in Paris. We saw the churches of Saint Sulpice and Sacre Coeur. We worked our way through the department store Galeries Lafayette. We stood atop the Eiffel Tower and surveyed the city. From that high point, we spotted our next destination, the golden-domed tomb of Napoleon and the Musee de L’Armee.
Strolling through this magnificent museum, we admired the armor and diverse range of weaponry through the ages. We found ourselves thinking of our sons because they both enjoy medieval history and the Age of Empires computer games. They would love this museum. It’s truly a museum for guys!
More typically, we soaked up the atmosphere through long walks, along the grand Champs Elysee, the historic Marais district, the Jardins de Luxembourg and the ancient rue Mouffetard, a narrow cobblestone street that was once a Roman road that led all the way to Italy. Sabina mostly set the itinerary and I advised on where to dine. You know you are on vacation when choosing a restaurant is the most important decision of the day! We enjoyed a classic French dinner of Boeuf Bourguignon at the renowned bistro Chez Rene and couscous at Chez Omar.
But the meal I recall the most reminded me of one I had long ago. I must stop here and admit, this was not my first trip to Paris. I went decades ago, a few years before I met Sabina. That visit also represented a very rare break from responsibility.
I was a young safety officer at the time, appointed by Sitmar Cruises to the building team of the Fairsky (later the Sky Princess), which was being built in a shipyard near Toulon. When a strike broke out, I found myself with nothing to do, so I took a train to Paris. I stayed in a small hotel, and most of my meals were picnics of fresh, French bread, pate, cheese and wine. Is there a more beautiful lunch or dinner?
As I walked alongside famed Parisian food markets with my wife, I remember the simple meals I enjoyed more than 25 years ago. One night, we put Fodor’s recommendations aside, and recreated one of those meals. We bought baguettes, three or four different types of pate, some salami and an assortment of cheese. Of course, we also picked up a great bottle of wine.
We set our picnic out in the room of our hotel. As the night was not too cold, we opened the doors to the balcony and let the breeze in. We looked out over the city, as we sat on our bed trying different pates and sipping wine. I cannot think of a more romantic setting.
My surprise gift of a trip to Paris for Sabina was every bit as much a gift to myself. Two years have passed by since then, but I still treasure our getaway together. Before we know it, another significant anniversary, our 25th, will approach. I think it would be difficult for me to surprise her again, so I think we will plan that one together. I know if Sabina has her choice, we will go to Paris again.
I’m at sea for months at a time with Princess where my duties keep my mind attuned to the safe and pleasurable passage of our passengers as we sail around the world. When my time off coincides with school vacations, my wife, Sabina, our two children and I also travel. We go to see our relatives — my family in Sorrento, Italy, and Sabina’s in Cleveland, San Francisco and Germany.
One of my favorite things to do is go camping with my boys. Give me a tent in the forest, a fishing pole and river and I’m very happy. As much as we love our vacations to see family, it was becoming clear that Sabina and I were overdue for a 100-percent carefree, zero responsibility trip together. With all of this in mind and our 20th wedding anniversary approaching, I knew I had to do something special for her. I had to create the perfect gift to symbolize my love for her and celebrate our life together.
It had been a long time coming. Sabina has talked about going to Paris since the day I met her, on a Sitmar cruise (now part of Princess Cruises) where I was, naturally, working. She was on board with her aunt, a Sitmar employee and acquaintance of mine, who had given her a cruise as a graduation gift.
Her aunt introduced us and as we got to know each other, I learned how Sabina had studied art and fashion design at university, and how she longed to walk the streets of Monet and Chagall; to see the Mona Lisa at the famed Louvre Museum; to have a drink at a café made famous by Ernest Hemingway. She had dreamed of doing this long before I met her. Over the years, Paris kept coming up. “Maybe next year,” was our refrain. We never had the opportunity to go. So Paris would be my gift to her.
Hotel Saint -Jacques in the Latin Quarter, where Commodore Romano and Sabina stayed.
We boarded a flight from Miami to Paris under the guise that we were continuing on to Amsterdam. It wasn’t until we went to collect our luggage that I handed her a Fodor’s guide to Paris, her go-to book whenever the family joined me on board, and told her, “Happy Anniversary!” Knowing my sense of humor, she thought I was joking. But once she realized we were finally going to Paris, she was overjoyed.
We grabbed our bags and went off to discover the dazzling City of Lights.
First stop was our home for the next four nights, the Hotel Saint-Jacques in the Latin Quarter, which I had secretly booked online. It was the perfect place for Sabina because the Hotel Saint-Jacques is where her favorite movie, the Audrey Hepburn/Cary Grant classic ‘Charade’, was filmed. The hotel was charming and a piece of art itself with rooms painted in warm colors and beautiful paintings on the wall.
We headed out immediately toward Notre Dame, which was close to our hotel. This beautiful Gothic cathedral was a site we ended up visiting many times during our trip. We saw it that first morning, with pale, February light streaming through the magnificent stained-glass rose window, a gleaming contrast to the gray, stone walls. As Notre Dame was on the way to the hotel, we returned each evening, after busy days exploring, to pass by its watchful gargoyles, perched along the walls.
Notre Dame, the iconic cathedral they visited each day.
Sabina discovered that the Louvre was open until 10 p.m. that first evening, so we headed there at 6 p.m. and found the museum mostly empty. How wonderful it was to walk through its rooms together, seeing the priceless works inside.
For Sabina, seeing paintings by the artists she had studied for so many years was a lifetime dream. For me, the most memorable painting was the Mona Lisa. To gaze upon her, without the throng of people that ring her during the day, and feel as if she was gazing back only at us, was really special. It was a very quiet, serene moment. I’m not typcially into paintings but once you go there, it changes your mind. The Louvre is a special place.
We packed a lot into our short time in Paris. We saw the churches of Saint Sulpice and Sacre Coeur. We worked our way through the department store Galeries Lafayette. We stood atop the Eiffel Tower and surveyed the city. From that high point, we spotted our next destination, the golden-domed tomb of Napoleon and the Musee de L’Armee.
Sabina standing in front of the Mona Lisa at the Louvre.
More typically, we soaked up the atmosphere through long walks, along the grand Champs Elysee, the historic Marais district, the Jardins de Luxembourg and the ancient rue Mouffetard, a narrow cobblestone street that was once a Roman road that led all the way to Italy. Sabina mostly set the itinerary and I advised on where to dine. You know you are on vacation when choosing a restaurant is the most important decision of the day! We enjoyed a classic French dinner of Boeuf Bourguignon at the renowned bistro Chez Rene and couscous at Chez Omar.
But the meal I recall the most reminded me of one I had long ago. I must stop here and admit, this was not my first trip to Paris. I went decades ago, a few years before I met Sabina. That visit also represented a very rare break from responsibility.
I was a young safety officer at the time, appointed by Sitmar Cruises to the building team of the Fairsky (later the Sky Princess), which was being built in a shipyard near Toulon. When a strike broke out, I found myself with nothing to do, so I took a train to Paris. I stayed in a small hotel, and most of my meals were picnics of fresh, French bread, pate, cheese and wine. Is there a more beautiful lunch or dinner?
Musee de L'Armee.
We set our picnic out in the room of our hotel. As the night was not too cold, we opened the doors to the balcony and let the breeze in. We looked out over the city, as we sat on our bed trying different pates and sipping wine. I cannot think of a more romantic setting.
My surprise gift of a trip to Paris for Sabina was every bit as much a gift to myself. Two years have passed by since then, but I still treasure our getaway together. Before we know it, another significant anniversary, our 25th, will approach. I think it would be difficult for me to surprise her again, so I think we will plan that one together. I know if Sabina has her choice, we will go to Paris again.
Saturday, December 10, 2011
5 Surprising Foreign Laws That Put Travelers at Risk
Today a U.S. citizen received a prison sentence of two and a half years for breaking Thailand's "never bad-mouth the King" laws, reports the LA Times.
This case shows that foreign visitors to Thailand are not exempt from the country's laws against defaming the monarchy.In this particular case, Thai-born Joe Gordon, a 55-year old used-car salesman, wrote a blog posting several years ago—while he was living in Colorado—that included a Web link to a site featuring an unflattering biography of the king. Gordon then made the mistake last May of visiting Thailand for its famously affordable medical clinics. Yes, he was jailed today for something he wrote in the US several years ago.
To be sure, Gordon's case is extreme, and the average American traveler's chances of being arrested abroad are only .006 percent.
But Gordon's case does underline an important point that affects all travelers: A few laws may be so unexpected that they can catch even culturally sensitive Americans off guard. In the case of Thailand, travelers may discover that police are obliged to investigate every complaint that someone has defamed the monarchy, and prison terms can last up to 15 years.
Here are four other surprising foreign laws to watch out for while vacationing abroad, based on reporting by Katherine Spiers for Budget Travel.
Over-the-counter medicines in the U.S. are sometimes illegal in Japan, and that includes some Vicks and Sudafed products and anything else containing pseudoephedrine. If authorities at customs catch you with such products, they may detain you.
Singapore puts a great deal of effort into keeping its public toilets (along with many other things) pristine. And visitors are expected to help keep them gleaming. Failure to flush may result in fines.
Traveling by scooter in many major cities of the Philippines has its challenges: You can get ticketed for driving in sandals or bare feet. In Finland, taxi drivers playing music in their cars are required to pay a copyright fee. The idea is that the music is being presented to the "public"—the cabs' paying customers. So your cabbie might keep things quiet to save a few euros.
Courtesy - Budget Travel
ESSENTIAL EXPERIENCE 24
Posted by Mona Ehrenreich
From March 29, 2011
Mystery and Intrigue in the Venice of the North - St. Petersburg, Russia - It can sometimes be an exercise in ingenuity to keep a group of video-game-playing teens focused on the culture of Europe. That is, until we arrived in St. Petersburg.
Mystery and Intrigue in the Venice of the North - St. Petersburg, Russia - It can sometimes be an exercise in ingenuity to keep a group of video-game-playing teens focused on the culture of Europe. That is, until we arrived in St. Petersburg.
Mona and her daughter Andie outside Peterhoff Palace. Traveling with a family group can always be a challenge on vacation, and I usually travel not only with my own family but with several other family groups. It offers a great opportunity for my kids to have friends along as companions, but it also means finding activities to please not one young traveler, but several. I have always loved the study of history, so one of my travel goals is to share with my children places that have been important to the world’s social and political development – sometimes to their dismay. I’m convinced they’ll thank me someday.
A few years ago I joined with three other families to sail on a Scandinavia & Russia voyage. Among our entourage were two 12-year-old girls, including my daughter, Andie, and four (yes, four!) 14-year-old boys, including my son, Matt, and nephew, Brandon. As you may have guessed, the boys were our toughest crowd, as it can sometimes be an exercise in ingenuity to keep a group of video-game-playing teens focused on the culture of Europe. That is, until we arrived in St. Petersburg.
Here in this flash point of the Russian Revolution we found the answer: death and destruction.
Of course St. Petersburg, often called the “Venice of the North,” is a beautiful city and we all thoroughly enjoyed our two-day visit here, each for our own reasons. Although the city is relatively young, it’s loaded with history spanning the extravagance of the tsars (or “czars”) and their royal families, the Russian Revolution and even the 1991 fall of communism. Throughout all of these periods, the city seems to have embodied a level of intrigue and mystery that sets it apart.
And it’s this tumultuous history that offered a number of attractions to send adolescent minds racing.
Even before we got there I bribed the boys to attend the cruise director’s excellent port talk on the city. Only the promise of ice cream sundaes got them in the theater seats, but once he started telling the story of St. Petersburg, they were glued to those chairs in rapt attention.
They learned that Tsar Peter the Great first built a fort here in 1703 on what was essentially swampland to protect the country from attack by Sweden. By 1712 it was Russia’s new capital, and for the next 200 years it served as the primary site of the royal court, and as such became home to spectacular royal residences. When tsarist Russia abruptly ended in the Russian Revolution, the city became known as “Petrograd” and then “Leningrad,” a name it would hold throughout the Soviet era. But in 1991 a referendum returned the city to its original name, so it was St. Petersburg we would visit.
As we were a group of 12, we decided to take advantage of a private guide and van so we could tour the city at our own pace and make the most of our two days. Our guide, Alla, had spent her life in St. Petersburg and was full of history and stories to share with us. We saw the palaces of the tsars, experienced world class art and culture, tasted vodka and caviar, and most importantly for the teenage set, visited sites of murders, revolution and wartime destruction.
One of the must-see destinations in St. Petersburg is the Hermitage, formerly the Winter Palace, but now one of the world’s preeminent art museums. We found something for everyone here among the more than 2 million exhibits. Priceless works of art from Michelangelo, Renoir and Van Gogh; artifacts from ancient Egypt; jewels; grand carriages, and … an arsenal. Here suddenly the boys sprang to attention as right in front of them appeared real-life examples of the armor and weapons they recognized … from their video games. I was amazed that my son knew the names of almost every piece of weaponry – and I didn’t know any!
St. Petersburg’s tsarist palaces are truly amazing places to visit. I think everyone in our group was wowed by these opulent compounds that also showcased the excesses of royalty. The multitude of gilded fountains on the grounds of the Peterhof Palace is a breathtaking sight as they glisten in the sunlight, but I couldn’t help but also realize, while looking at this level of indulgence, that I wasn’t surprised that the royal Romanov family was eventually overthrown by a revolution.
At the Catherine Palace, the grounds are slightly simpler, but inside the rooms defy the imagination. I’m not usually much of a picture-taker when I travel but I was literally so “floored” by the intricate inlaid work found on the floors of the grand ballroom that I found myself taking photo after photo of the different colors and patterns beneath my feet. My husband, who wasn’t able to join us on this cruise, has a great appreciation for woodworking, so I knew he would be impressed by this artistry … and that my description alone would never do it justice.
Catherine Palace is also home to one of the most lavish rooms anywhere in the world – the Amber Room. The Amber Room is literally that – an array of brilliant amber stones covering nearly every surface, and it’s a stunning sight. I had researched the Amber Room in advance of our trip, so I knew what we were seeing was really a recreation of the room as it existed before World War II. Even my restless teens were intrigued to learn that what actually happened to the real Amber Room is one of the art world’s great mysteries. During the war, it was covered in an attempt to protect it from being stolen. At some point, however, the amber was taken away to Konigsberg Castle and briefly displayed. After that, it disappeared. Whether it was hidden by Nazis, lost at sea, or destroyed, no one knows. But that didn’t stop the kids from speculating: Did it melt in an explosion? Could Indiana Jones find it? And why hasn’t any of it shown up on eBay?
I think it sobered all of us to discover that virtually all of the royal palaces had been looted and burned by Nazis during World War II, and that much of what we were seeing were elaborate restorations. The “before” pictures in many places gave the younger members of our group a very graphic lesson on the ravages of war, much better than any textbook could.
One of the most breathtaking sites in St. Petersburg is the Church of Our Savior on the Spilled Blood. By the name you could guess that there is a gruesome history here, as it was the spot where Emperor Alexander II was assassinated in 1881. But a few years later an impressive church opened on the spot of this attack, decorated inside and out with incredibly detailed mosaics. From outside, the building looks quintessentially Russian, with colorful onion-shaped domes, but inside it is covered with a dazzling display of mosaic skill from the most prominent artist of the day. The boys, naturally, were more fascinated by the history of bloodshed, while the girls marveled at its beauty.
But the site that most captured the imagination of our young tribe of teens was the Yusupov Palace. Not really a palace but an elaborate family home, it was here that several men, including Prince Felix Yusupov, who was married to the tsar’s niece, plotted the murder of controversial mystic Rasputin in 1916. He was considered a danger to the country because of his influence over the royal family, particularly the tsarina, Alexandra, who believed he could cure her son of hemophilia. Many different stories surround his death. I had read Prince Yusupov’s autobiography, and as he tells it, Rasputin was poisoned and, when that had no effect, he was shot. When they mistakenly thought he was dead, Rasputin managed to run out of the house, was chased and then shot two more times and beaten with a rubber club. When he still didn’t die, he was finally drowned in the Neva River. The palace display showed life-size figures, including Rasputin sitting for his final meal. It sounds like it would be a dark and foreboding place, but I remember it as a very beautiful home with rich gilded details. The boys unanimously declared it one of the coolest places they’d ever been, and talked about it for the rest of our trip.
You could not learn the story of Rasputin without also learning the story of Nicholas II and Alexandra and their family. After Rasputin was killed and the Russian Revolution started, the entire Romanov family was taken prisoner, and finally murdered by revolutionaries in 1918. To add to the spine-tingling intrigue of the story, Rasputin had prophesied in a letter that “if it was one of your relations who have wrought my death, then no one in the family … none of your relations will remain alive for more than two years.” The Romanovs were killed 19 months after Rasputin’s death. After that chilling revelation it was no wonder we had the boys’ attention! Andie had a different focus as she couldn’t stop thinking about the tsar’s young daughters, not much older than she was at the time.
St. Petersburg is filled with these kinds of stories. It’s a city steeped in drama that, as it turns out, is a great way to capture the attention and imagination of younger travelers. During our two days in St. Petersburg, we learned about revolution, assassination, war and political intrigue. Of course we also experienced priceless works of art, breathtaking palaces, and the beauty and grace of the Russian Ballet.
But the true value of what we absorbed became more apparent when we returned home and all our students were back in school. During a history class discussion, Brandon surprised even himself by raising his hand and volunteering an answer to a teacher’s question about the origins of the Russian Revolution – an answer he knew because of what he learned on his summer vacation to one of Russia’s most intriguing cities.
A few years ago I joined with three other families to sail on a Scandinavia & Russia voyage. Among our entourage were two 12-year-old girls, including my daughter, Andie, and four (yes, four!) 14-year-old boys, including my son, Matt, and nephew, Brandon. As you may have guessed, the boys were our toughest crowd, as it can sometimes be an exercise in ingenuity to keep a group of video-game-playing teens focused on the culture of Europe. That is, until we arrived in St. Petersburg.
Here in this flash point of the Russian Revolution we found the answer: death and destruction.
Of course St. Petersburg, often called the “Venice of the North,” is a beautiful city and we all thoroughly enjoyed our two-day visit here, each for our own reasons. Although the city is relatively young, it’s loaded with history spanning the extravagance of the tsars (or “czars”) and their royal families, the Russian Revolution and even the 1991 fall of communism. Throughout all of these periods, the city seems to have embodied a level of intrigue and mystery that sets it apart.
Mona's group of young travelers from a shipboard photo.
Even before we got there I bribed the boys to attend the cruise director’s excellent port talk on the city. Only the promise of ice cream sundaes got them in the theater seats, but once he started telling the story of St. Petersburg, they were glued to those chairs in rapt attention.
They learned that Tsar Peter the Great first built a fort here in 1703 on what was essentially swampland to protect the country from attack by Sweden. By 1712 it was Russia’s new capital, and for the next 200 years it served as the primary site of the royal court, and as such became home to spectacular royal residences. When tsarist Russia abruptly ended in the Russian Revolution, the city became known as “Petrograd” and then “Leningrad,” a name it would hold throughout the Soviet era. But in 1991 a referendum returned the city to its original name, so it was St. Petersburg we would visit.
As we were a group of 12, we decided to take advantage of a private guide and van so we could tour the city at our own pace and make the most of our two days. Our guide, Alla, had spent her life in St. Petersburg and was full of history and stories to share with us. We saw the palaces of the tsars, experienced world class art and culture, tasted vodka and caviar, and most importantly for the teenage set, visited sites of murders, revolution and wartime destruction.
One of the must-see destinations in St. Petersburg is the Hermitage, formerly the Winter Palace, but now one of the world’s preeminent art museums. We found something for everyone here among the more than 2 million exhibits. Priceless works of art from Michelangelo, Renoir and Van Gogh; artifacts from ancient Egypt; jewels; grand carriages, and … an arsenal. Here suddenly the boys sprang to attention as right in front of them appeared real-life examples of the armor and weapons they recognized … from their video games. I was amazed that my son knew the names of almost every piece of weaponry – and I didn’t know any!
Some of the many fountains at the Peterhof Palace.
At the Catherine Palace, the grounds are slightly simpler, but inside the rooms defy the imagination. I’m not usually much of a picture-taker when I travel but I was literally so “floored” by the intricate inlaid work found on the floors of the grand ballroom that I found myself taking photo after photo of the different colors and patterns beneath my feet. My husband, who wasn’t able to join us on this cruise, has a great appreciation for woodworking, so I knew he would be impressed by this artistry … and that my description alone would never do it justice.
Catherine Palace is also home to one of the most lavish rooms anywhere in the world – the Amber Room. The Amber Room is literally that – an array of brilliant amber stones covering nearly every surface, and it’s a stunning sight. I had researched the Amber Room in advance of our trip, so I knew what we were seeing was really a recreation of the room as it existed before World War II. Even my restless teens were intrigued to learn that what actually happened to the real Amber Room is one of the art world’s great mysteries. During the war, it was covered in an attempt to protect it from being stolen. At some point, however, the amber was taken away to Konigsberg Castle and briefly displayed. After that, it disappeared. Whether it was hidden by Nazis, lost at sea, or destroyed, no one knows. But that didn’t stop the kids from speculating: Did it melt in an explosion? Could Indiana Jones find it? And why hasn’t any of it shown up on eBay?
An example of the gilded details found in St. Petersburg palaces.
One of the most breathtaking sites in St. Petersburg is the Church of Our Savior on the Spilled Blood. By the name you could guess that there is a gruesome history here, as it was the spot where Emperor Alexander II was assassinated in 1881. But a few years later an impressive church opened on the spot of this attack, decorated inside and out with incredibly detailed mosaics. From outside, the building looks quintessentially Russian, with colorful onion-shaped domes, but inside it is covered with a dazzling display of mosaic skill from the most prominent artist of the day. The boys, naturally, were more fascinated by the history of bloodshed, while the girls marveled at its beauty.
Displays at the Yusupov Palace depict Rasputin's last meal.
You could not learn the story of Rasputin without also learning the story of Nicholas II and Alexandra and their family. After Rasputin was killed and the Russian Revolution started, the entire Romanov family was taken prisoner, and finally murdered by revolutionaries in 1918. To add to the spine-tingling intrigue of the story, Rasputin had prophesied in a letter that “if it was one of your relations who have wrought my death, then no one in the family … none of your relations will remain alive for more than two years.” The Romanovs were killed 19 months after Rasputin’s death. After that chilling revelation it was no wonder we had the boys’ attention! Andie had a different focus as she couldn’t stop thinking about the tsar’s young daughters, not much older than she was at the time.
Andie, Matt and Brandon at the Yusupov Palace
But the true value of what we absorbed became more apparent when we returned home and all our students were back in school. During a history class discussion, Brandon surprised even himself by raising his hand and volunteering an answer to a teacher’s question about the origins of the Russian Revolution – an answer he knew because of what he learned on his summer vacation to one of Russia’s most intriguing cities.
HOME EXCHANGE
TRADING PLACES
THE ABCs OF HOME EXCHANGE
THE ABCs OF HOME EXCHANGE
Chapter 4
BEING THERE
Travel is broadening, especially if you stop at all the recommended eating places. -- UnknownBEING THERE
You are on your way to the vacation of your dreams. You're looking forward to experiencing the pleasures of an unfamiliar spot with all the comforts of home. Your pets are safe at home with your home exchange partner, your garden will be well tended while you're gone, and you've spent a lot of time building a relationship of trust with your home exchange partner. If this is your first home exchange, you still may feel a bit uncertain about what to expect when you get to your destination. Chances are, your home exchange partners will be providing you with a home information kit containing many of the items you included in your welcome package to them. This, along with the research you've done, should put your mind at ease. Some home exchangers take along their correspondence file for that particular home exchange because it too is filled with good information about the host's home and neighborhood.
When you first arrive at your destination you just might want to kick off your shoes and relax. If you arrive late in the evening, sleep may be your main priority. The first rooms you'll be looking for are the bedrooms and bathrooms. Unless you're staying in a 24-room villa, it shouldn't be too hard to locate your sleeping quarters. Whenever you're ready, you can take a more extensive tour of the home and check out all the rooms.
Hopefully, your exchange partner has left some room in the closet and drawers for your belongings. If not, you may choose to make some room for yourself. Take note of where things are so you can put them back in their proper spots.
Early on in your stay, be sure to locate the information package. This should tell you a lot about what you need to know. Take note of what items you use from any available food supplies so you can replace them before you leave. You might want to start a shopping list for this purpose. If brand names are unfamiliar to you, make a note of them.
Basically, staying in someone else's home is like living in your own household. Use the same common sense as you do when you're at home. Things like locking doors when you go out, closing windows in case of rain, unplugging electrical appliances during a lightning storm, and taking off your shoes if they're wet and muddy before entering the house are automatic to most people.
When your stay is over, consider the following before you leave your exchange partner's home.
· Replace food and other supplies you have used, such as sugar, spices, coffee, teas, paper goods, etc.
· Wash linens and put them away.
· Put items that you've moved back in their place.
· Leave a note with any important incidents that have transpired, such as phone calls or callers. If you've had a problem with something in the home, you may want to include that in your letter.
· Place keys in their specified locale.
· If applicable, leave money for long distance phone calls or any other reimbursements you've worked out beforehand.'
· A small gift, a token of your appreciation, is always a welcome surprise. Leave it on the table with a thank you note and perhaps a word or two about something special that happened during your stay.
The Golden Rule of home exchange is to treat your host's home as if it were your own and leave it the way you found it (if not better).
Most importantly, always bear in mind the three R's of home exchange: Responsibility, Respect, Relax!
Call Avant Travel 800-627-7260 or 859-233-0000
Info Courtesy - Home Exchange
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How does Overseas Delivery work? It's this simple: ONE: Order the Volvo of your choice from your local Volvo retailer. TWO: Pick up your new Volvo at the Gothenburg Factory Delivery Center or at any official delivery location in Europe. THREE: Test your Volvo out on the roads of Sweden, either with one of our spectacular tours or on your own. Then head anywhere you please in Europe. FOUR: Drop off your Volvo in Gothenburg or any official drop-off location in Europe. We'll ship it to your authorized Volvo retailer and take care of all the paperwork involved when importing a car, from excise taxes to import duties. ***BONUS OFFER THROUGH APRIL 30, 2012.*** WINTER TRAVEL OFFER: Add Paris or Stockholm to your trip! Paris: $1595** includes three hotel nights in Paris, with tax and breakfast, Inter-European flights, two hotel nights* in Gothenburg, with tax and breakfast, round trip private transfers from the airports to the hotels. Stockholm: $795** includes three hotel nights in Stockholm, with tax and breakfast, Inter-European flights, two Stockholm Cards with free admission to many museums and attractions as well as unlimited use of subway, buses and local trains, two hotel nights in Gothenburg*, with tax and breakfast, round trip private transfers from the airports to the hotels. *One night in addition to the regular OSD package for a total of two nights **C30 – Stockholm $1,095 and Paris $1,895 For additional details: Call Darlene Grisso 859-266-2161 or 800-888-2161 or cell 859-699-8513 |
Friday, December 9, 2011
World's Best New Affordable Hotels
Every so often, a hotel comes along that is both stylish and comfortable, close to the action and affordable. From the beaches of Mexico to the quaint courtyards of New Orleans, here are 26 properties that make the cut this year. You're welcome.
A view of the Hotel da Vila, in the village of Ponta do Sol, on Portugal's Madeira Island
(Christian Kerber)
(Christian Kerber)
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