Approximately 200,000 spectators are expected to visit Lucerne, Switzerland for the 27th Swiss Yodeling Festival from June 26 to 29. More than 11,000 yodelers, flag throwers and alphorn players will participate in a number of contests along the shore of Lake Lucerne. A festival parade winds through the Haldenstrasse and across Lucerne’s “Seebrücke.”
PROGRAM EVENTS
Thursday, 26 June 2008
Two national finals: 13th Swiss Young Talents’ Yodeling Competition and the 15th Swiss Young Musicians’ Competition
Friday, 27 June 2008
Competitive events for yodeling, alphorn blowing and flag throwing
Festival happenings in the yodelers’ pubs and at yodelers’ stands
Saturday, 28 June 2008
Competitive events for yodeling, alphorn blowing and flag throwing
Festival happenings in the yodelers’ pubs and at yodellers’ stands
Sunday, 29 June 2008
Ceremonial presentation of the flag
Reception of festival veterans, ceremonial church service and official festival ceremony
Festival parade
Festival happenings in the yodelers’ pubs and at yodelers’ stands
The InterContinental Hotel in Prague sits on the banks of the Vltava River in the city’s Jewish Quarter.
This is important because it offers a great view of the city and the Prague Castle and the river’s activities, but it also is convenient to the historical center, as well as transportation. The high-end shopping area called Parizska Street is a few steps outside the door.
I didn’t realize all this when I first spotted the hotel, but soon I realized that location sometimes can be everything. But for his hotel, it goes beyond that. It’s a luxury accommodation on the inside, as well as being centrally located.
OFFERS 372 ROOMS The hotel offers 372 rooms and suites and another important feature, especially for the business traveler—the Club InterContinental (concierge service, a library, free internet access, copy machine, newspapers and refreshments).
The hotel’s rooms feature goose-down duvets, blackout curtains, Italian marble bathrooms, mini-bar, in-room safe, color television with 47 channels, telephone, voice mail, coffee machine, iron and ironing board and individually-controlled air conditioning.
I found plush towels in my room, fluffy pillows, chocolates at turn down time, bright, cheerful rooms with two comfy chairs and 3.4 ounce bottles of shampoo, lotion, conditioner and shower gel. The bathroom had two hand towels, two face towels and two shower towels. There was plenty of closet space, a storage cabinet and nice plush carpeting. The flat screen television was of the newest model, and the swimming pool was nice.
BREAKFAST: GOOD VARIETY Breakfast, an important meal for business and leisure travelers alike, featured a large variety of meats and sausages, cheeses, cereals, potatoes, hot plates such as waffles or scrambled or fried eggs made to order, breads and rolls, juices, coffee and tea, and fruit, as well as whole fruit. The breakfast was delicious and there was plenty of it. The wait staff was pleasant and efficient.
The hotel’s staff is multilingual–good when you can’t understand the local language.
The Zlata Praha Restaurant in the hotel serves a wide variety of dishes, including Czech and international cuisine. A Sunday brunch is also offered between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. A second restaurant on the first floor, the Primator, offers excellent views of the river. Duke’s Bar & Cafe offers a pleasant setting for a quiet drink or two, with live entertainment on Friday and Saturday evenings.
A Health club and spa are part of the hotel offerings, with whirlpool, saunas and solariums, as well as five treatment rooms.
To make a reservation, go to www.intercontinental.com/prague or www.icprague.com. The five-star InterContinental hotel is located at Curieovych 43/5, Prague 1, 110 00, Czech Republic. E-mail is prague@ihg.com.
By Don Heimburger Photos by the author or as noted
“I am delighted to introduce the Hotel Amigo, which we restored to its rightful status as the best luxury hotel in Brussels,” said Rocco Forte when the hotel’s renovation was completed in 2002. Forte, owner of the Rocco Forte chain of 14 hotels (some currently under development), which are located in European capitals and in Marrakech, has assembled a group of upper-scale hotels that are designed to provide all the usual higher class amenities and then some.
Located at Rue de l’Amigo 1-3, only a block from the famous Grand Place, considered the center of Brussels and noted as likely the most beautiful square in Europe, the five-star Amigo is ideally situated near the key historical sites, shopping areas, restaurants and entertainment.
The doormen in their black top hats signal a welcome to the hotel; the lobby is small, but neat and classy with a dark-paneled reception counter and polite clerks.
The air-conditioned room was bright, very clean, with a small suite adjoining the bedroom and bathroom. Comfort was key. There was a modern feel to the room which featured furniture and pictures from the Blaton collection and influences from Brussels’ history. The bright bathroom featured a red mosaic vanity top and excellent toiletries.
The room contained Brussels linens, red silk curtains with embroidered velvet details and Flemish chairs and desks. The bed was firm and comfortable. The room was quiet and provided a cozy getaway from busy shopping or touristy activities. I did not try the restaurant for dinner, or the bar, being there only one evening.
A BIT OF HISTORY
The hotel has a bit of history. The original structure on the lot was built before 1522 by a wealthy merchant family and later purchased by the city council and turned into a prison. In 1957 the Hotel Amigo was built by the Blaton family on the occasion of the Universal Exhibition of 1958. During the Rocco Forte renovation in 2000, it underwent a re-styling by Olga Polizzi, the hotel’s director of design. Canvases from artists such as Courtens, Dansaert and Wagemans, together with Flemish wall tapestries from the 18th century, give the hotel a pleasingly modern but still historic flavor.
The morning breakfast included all the necessary eggs, breads, meats and cheeses, juices, coffee, and fruits to satisfy many diverse tastes. The wait staff was pleasant and helpful.
Then hotel was won many awards, including being rated one of the top 100 hotels in the world by the Institutional Investor in 2007. Forbes Traveler rates it one of the top 400 hotels in the world.
European Traveler rates it extremely high as well. We liked virtually everything about it.
The lowdown:
• Member of the Leading Hotels of the World • 174 rooms, including 18 suites and the Blaton Suite (on the top floor with large terrace for excellent views of Brussels) • In-room telephones, voice messaging, internet connection, cable TV, marble bathroom, minibar, safe, trouser press • Ristorante Bocconi, with bar in the lobby • Ballroom for up to 200 guests • Fitness center • Transfers from the airport (at a charge) • 24-hour room service which “arrives on time” (the hotel guarantees this) • In 2007, room rates for a classic room single were 590e; 720e for an executive room single • General Manager: Ivan Artolli, since 2002 (fluent in French and English) • Reservations: amigo@roccofortehotels.com
By Marilyn Heimburger Photos by Marilyn and Don Heimburger
What better way to discover the magic of Christmas than to experience the sights, sounds and smells of Germany’s famous colorful Christmas markets!
Not only do these markets offer beautifully-crafted products and traditional food, they are also filled with a sense of excitement, community and anticipation during the season of Advent.
Children’s eyes sparkle as they gaze at the colorful lighted displays, and friends meet to share a drink and celebrate the season.
European Traveler’s first stop on a Weihnachtsmarkt tour was Munich’s historic market in Marienplatz. Possibly dating from the 14th century, the market was first called a “Nicholas Market” during the 17th century. Since 1972 the Christkindlmarkt, as it is now called, has been held in the central square of Marienplatz, near the famous Glockenspiel in the town hall.
Market-goers can relax at the Ratskeller located in the basement of Munich’s Rathaus.
100-FOOT-TREE SPARKLES
A nearly 100-foot- tall Christmas tree, sparkling with thousands of tiny white lights, towers over the more than 140 stalls that fill the square and meander down Kaufingerstrasse toward the famous two-towered Frauenkirche.
Hungry? Try the grilled sausages and sauerkraut, or potato pancakes with a glass of the delicious local beer. Or warm up with a cup of Gluhwein (hot spiced wine) and take home a souvenir Christmas Market mug. Buy a gingerbread heart that declares your love or friendship in icing, or a package of traditional Nuremberg Lebkuchen. The aroma of roasted almonds, served in paper cones, is everywhere. Handmade Christmas decorations of straw, pewter and wood, hand carved from the Oberammergau, South Tyrol and the Erzgebirge areas of Germany, carry forward Christmas traditions of centuries passed.
Candles, pottery and toys are among the offerings of other merchants, all of whom brave the chilly weather to be a part of this festive annual event that is open from the Friday before the first Sunday in Advent until Christmas Eve.
SPECIAL CHRISTKINDL STAMP
On the way to the additional booths located in the town hall’s inner courtyard is a special Christmas Post Office which will postmark your mail “Christkindl” and send it anywhere in the world.
Unique to Munich’s Christmas markets since the middle of the 18th century is the Kripperlmarkt, Germany’s largest manger market. Located a short walk away from Marienplatz on the Rindermarkt, this specialty market offers animals, figures, stalls, lanterns, sheds, trees – anything for a large or small Nativity scene. Food and beverages are available at this market from the hut at the base of a colorful, two-story-high, rotating candle pyramid.
Both the Christkindlmarkt on Marienplatz and the Kripperlmarkt on the Rindermarkt are open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., on Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. and on Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. A 10-minute walk from Marienplatz to Brinner Strasse at Wittelsbacher Platz brings you to the Mittelaltermarkt. This unique market is designed to transport you to the Middle Ages, where knights and ladies-in-waiting stroll among wooden stalls, which are lighted by flaming torches and candlelight.
Vendors dress in period costumes, and hot mulled wine is served in clay vessels. Pastry, waffles, crepes, fur accessories, jewelry, candles, ceramics, and knight and princess costumes for children, are among the products available at this relatively new but increasingly popular market.
THE DALLMAYR STORE
On the way back to Marienplatz, stop and visit Dallmayr, Germany’s most famous deli . It has been located on Dienerstrasse between Marienplatz and Odeonplatz. since the late 17th century, but the current building was constructed in 1950, after the previous one was burned to the ground during World War II. Known for its brand name coffee, the delicatessen offers luxury foods that include confectioneries, tea, honey, jelly, chocolate, meat, sausage, chicken, fish, caviar, pasta, bread, fruits, vegetables, wine, tobacco, and even an indoor fountain stocked with live crayfish. There is also a high-end restaurant with seating for 120.
Another interesting and tasty stop is Rischart Bakery, located right off Marienplatz. During the Christmas market season, this outdoor, cobble-stoned café is transformed, with the help of a windowed white tent, into a heated, carpeted, indoor café, complete with a white, fabric-swagged, star-lit ceiling. Children are invited to assemble cookies for baking at a workstation, while adults enjoy coffee and a pastry.
DEUTSCHES MUSEUM OFFERS A LOT
Is it too rainy to visit the Christmas markets? Spend some time at the Deutsches Museum until the weather clears. Founded in 1903, the museum shows the development of science and technology from early time to the present day. It is one of the largest museums in the world, with exhibits on marine navigation, mining and man’s first attempts at flight to space travel and rocket science.
Beautifully detailed models show railroad and bridge construction. The museum’s collection of musical instruments is one of the most important of its kind anywhere in the world. Tours and demonstrations are scheduled daily in many departments. Find more information at www.deutsches-museum.de.
If the magic of Christmas at the markets isn’t enough, end your day at the Munich Opera House enjoying a performance of Mozart’s “Magic Flute.” This production is a holiday favorite for families, who dress in their finest for the event. During the intermission, have a glass of wine and light dinner or snack at the lower level food service area. A behind-the-scenes tour of the Bavarian State Opera house reveals the immense area available to facilitate movement and storage of scenery for the many productions. With seating for 2,101, it is the largest opera house in Germany. First built between 1811 and 1818, it was rebuilt after being destroyed by fire in 1823, and again after being bombed during World War II. The current neoclassic building was finished in 1963.
With the popularity of Munich’s Christmas Markets, accommodations may be difficult to find near Marienplatz. For comfortable lodging, try the Hotel Pullman Munch, which is just a short U-Bahn ride away from Marienplatz, the Christmas markets, and the Opera House. It is located at Theodor-Dombart-Strasse 4, 80805 Munich Phone: +49 89 360990.
Colorful Oberammergau is home of the Passion Play in 2010.
Photos by Don Heimburger
With anniversaries and unique events all year long, 2010 is shaping up to be a year of variety and diversity in Germany.
From modern to traditional, the festivals and anniversaries offer something for every taste: the RUHR.2010 European Capital of Culture, the decennial Passion Play performance, Robert Schumann’s 200th birthday, the 300th anniversary of the renown Meissen Porcelain, the 175th birthday of the German Railway and last but not least, the 200th year of the world’s most famous beer festival, the Oktoberfest in Munich.
Essen and the Ruhr Region in western Germany will be voted the “European Cultural Capital 2010.” For the first time in this European competition the cultural capital is not an individual city, but a whole region with Essen as the standard bearer.
The Ruhr region is Germany’s highest populated area and especially exciting for its post-industrial transformation. Discover this region on the move with its cutting edge museums and art installations within the existing walls of former coal mines and factories. The exciting project RUHR.2010 celebrates those changes with fascinating exhibitions, events and workshops starting in January. www.ruhr2010.de
For the 41st time, the Bavarian village of Oberammergau will celebrate the Passion Play in 2010. This event has taken place every 20 years since its first enactment in 1633. More than 2,000 Oberammergauers, actors, singers, instrumentalists and stage technicians, bring to life the last days of Christ in approximately six hours of playing time. More than 500,000 visitors from all over the world and tens of thousands of Americans will be part of this unique religious event from May 15 to October 3. www.passionsspiele2010.de
Only one year after Mendelssohn, Leipzig celebrates another one of its famous citizens: the 200th birthday of Robert Schumann. Many concerts will be dedicated to his works, featuring solo concertos, symphonies, piano works and song-cycles.
Without Schumann, 20th century music would be quite different. The fusion of radical subjectivity and mastery of form, and his characteristic modernity and individuality, has inspired and influenced many composers who came after him. A highlight of the Schumann Year is the anniversary concert in the Leipziger Gewandhaus on June 3 and 4, but also Baden-Baden, Bonn, Bremen, Dresden, Duesseldorf, Frankfurt, Heidelberg, Stuttgart and Zwickau will celebrate the composer with special concerts and exhibitions. www.schumann-portal.de (German only)
Oberammergau Mayor Arno Nunn
The history of European porcelain began with the discovery of hard porcelain and the subsequent founding of the Meissen porcelain workshop in 1710 near Dresden. In 2010 the Meissen porcelain workshop will celebrate the third centenary of its founding. Visitors can tour the factory and the museums as well as participate in workshops.
The anniversary will be celebrated with several world class porcelain exhibitions in Meissen and Dresden. In the Meissen workshop the yearlong project “All Nations are Welcome” shows outstanding pieces of Meissen Porcelain that reflect the influence of different cultures and epochs during the workshop’s 300-year history.
Within the walls of Albrechtsburg Castle in Meissen, where the first European porcelain workshop was founded in 1710, a special exhibition takes you deep into the beginnings of the Meissen porcelain (May 8 – October 31). Another highlight will be the exhibition in the Japanese Palais in Dresden, showing famous works from the first 100 years of the Meissen workshop (May – August). http://friedrich.meissen.com
The world’s most famous beer festival, the Oktoberfest in Munich, celebrates its 200th anniversary from September to October 2010. It took place the first time in 1810 as a festival honoring the marriage of Crown Prince Ludwig (later King Ludwig I) and Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen. The festival grounds Theresienwiesen were named after her. The Oktoberfest, or “Wiesn” as it is called in Bavaria, started out as a horse race. A parade was added in the following years, and at the end of the 19th century, local brewers opened their beer tents. Today it is an enormous festival, attracting millions of visitors from all over the world every year with Bavarian music, food and, of course, beer. www.oktoberfest.de
In Nuremberg, 175 years ago, the first German train, the steam-driven “Adler” (eagle) started off towards the neighboring city of Fuerth. To celebrate this milestone in Germany’s history, the city will host several events throughout 2010: During the “Blue Night” (May 15th), artists will stage spectacular projections and actions to kick off the Railway Year, the past will be brought to life again with major locomotive and vehicle parades planned by German Rail and a comprehensive jubilee exhibition in the Deutsche Bahn Museum will focus on 175 years of railway history (dates to be determined). www.nuernberg.de
European Traveler 