Top 4 European Christmas Markets

Posted by Rachel in Seasonal on 11 28th, 2010 | Read Comments(3)

Traditional Christmas markets first started in Germany, but they’ve been hugely popular over the years and have spread to many European locations. As well as being a good chance to do some Christmas shopping and taste some local delicacies, the Christmas markets are a wonderful way of celebrating the season and getting into the festive spirit.

Most Christmas markets run annually from the end of November until Christmas Eve, with some opening after Christmas as well. If you’re keen to visit one or more of them, then here’s our guide to the top four European Christmas markets.

1. Nuremberg Christmas Market, Germany

The Christkindlmarkt in Nuremberg is about 400 years old and still going strong. It takes place annually and you’ll find in the region of 200 market stalls lining the main square in the Old Town.

The market is well known for being a good place to find traditional handmade wooden figurines, particularly of nativity figures. The local seasonal food, Lebkucken, is also widely available, alongside traditional favourites such as hot and spicy sausages.

2. Cologne Christmas Market, Germany

Cologne has not one, but four Christmas markets, and they’re dotted around in various parts of the city. One of the markets is held in the cobbled square at Alter Markt, in the centre of the old town, and there are plenty of stalls to enjoy, alongside a carousel, puppet theatre and Santa’s grotto – perfect if you have children.

Street musicians and carol singers abound at the markets all across the city. If you’ve got lots of shopping to get done, then head to the Am Dom market located near the cathedral, as there are about 160 stalls to browse.

3. Brussels Christmas Market, Belgium

In Belgium’s capital city, Brussels, a Christmas market is held at Grand-Place. Small, wooden chalet-style huts are brought in for traders to share their wares with shoppers and you can guarantee that they’ll be plenty of delicious Belgium chocolate available in between the gingerbread and other traditional Christmas foods.

Nearby there’s usually a temporary ice rink opened at the same time, so you can shop for a while then go and watch the skaters, or have a go at skating.

4. Prague Christmas Market, Czech Republic

Prague hosts several Christmas markets – or Vanocni trh – with the largest held in the Old Town Square. The baroque setting, with its cobbled streets, is the perfect place for a traditional Christmas market and it’s a very festive experience.

Like many of the other Christmas markets, stalls are situated in little decorated wooden huts and, as well as handmade Christmas gift ideas, you can buy local foods and Bohemian crystal.

5 Essential Backpacking Tips

Posted by Rachel in City Trips on 10 1st, 2010 | Read Comments(4)

 Many people go backpacking each year and it can be an enjoyable way of travelling and exploring the world. If you’re thinking of heading off on a backpacking trip anytime soon, then here are five essential backpacking tips to bear in mind.

1.  Only pack the essentials

It may seem hard for some people to master, but if you’re going to have a successful backpacking trip, you need to limit your luggage. You’ll be carrying your luggage throughout your trip and a heavy backpack will inevitably have its toll on your back. There’s no point being fed up of carting it around after only a short time. So only pack the essentials and limit items that you don’t really need. If you find that you do need something, then you can always buy it on your travels.

2. Stay safe at all times

We’ve all heard the horror stories about backpacking and, as friendly as backpackers may seem, you do need to be aware of personal safety issues. Ideally, first time backpackers may want to backpack with a friend. Avoid accepting lifts from strangers or going off with people you’ve only just met. Keep in regular contact with family and friends at home and let them know where you are and what your plans are.

3. Make the most of exploring

Backpacking gives you a degree of freedom and it’s a great way of exploring a country, without having to rely on pre-arranged plans or tour guides. Use guidebooks and the Internet to get ideas of where to go, but also pick up tips from the locals and explore the hidden nooks and crannies of an area.

4. Keep your money and valuables hidden and safe

Ensure you keep your money, credit cards, valuables, tickets and passport safe at all times when you’re backpacking. A money belt, or bag that you can wear under your clothes will keep them hidden from view, but easily accessible. Always sleep with your money too, especially when staying in hostels.

5. Buy a return ticket

Some people set off backpacking by only buying a single ticket. But if your money runs out, or you have more expenses than you’d expected, having to then pay for a return ticket can be a bit of a pain. If you’ve got your ticket sorted out in advance, it’s one less thing to worry about.

Experience the XtraCold Ice Bar in Amsterdam

Posted by Rachel in Amsterdam on 09 7th, 2010 | No comments yet - be the first one!

Have you got what it takes to endure an ice cold bar? If you’re heading to Amsterdam, then one unusual bar that’s worth the experience is the XtraCold Ice Bar.

Located in the heart of Amsterdam, the XtraCold Ice Bar is a specialist bar that is entirely made out of ice. The Ice Bar was created by Dutch designer Jan des Bouvrie and aims to illustrate the differences between hot and cold. The ice sculptures in the bar are contributed by artists from around the world.

Amazingly, the walls of the bar, the bar stools, the glasses you drink out of and the interior décor are all sculpted out of frozen ice. Each year the Ice Bar is entirely rebuilt, using a massive 30 tons of ice and every six years it’s given a different theme inside.

Entrance to the Ice Bar is in the form of a ticket, currently costing Euro19.50 per person. When you first arrive, you’ll enter a normal looking bar, with the logo, “Some Like it Hot,” adorning the wall. It’s cosy and warm, with a stylish interior. You can have a drink here, just like at any other bar, catch up with your friends, have some food and relax.

The Ice Bar itself has temperatures of minus 10C, so in order to cope with the dramatic change in temperature, you need appropriate clothing. Don’t worry, you don’t need to cart your own winter woollies with you, as the Ice Bar provides specialist thermal clothing for you to wear, including space-like thermal silver jackets, warm gloves and insulated warm boots.

When you’re suited and booted, it’s time to enter the Ice Bar! As you walk through the bar you’ll be greeted by an ice cold atmosphere and the words, “Some Like it Cold” – it’s exceedingly chilly and the rock hard ice creates an interesting effect. The bar is livened up by incredible life-size ice sculptures and you can sit on bar stools made of ice.

Included in the Ice Bar ticket price are two free cocktails in the Icebar. Choose between a Smirnoff Vodka cocktail or a Heniken XtraCold beer. Once you’re in the bar, it’s not just a case of enjoying your drinks – there’s also an exhilarating 4D Ice Xperience. You’ll be given special goggles to wear and will get to see a 3D animation, that will transport you for a ride through an icy landscape.

The whole ice experience lasts 30 minutes, then you’ll be able to get back to the comfort of the hot zone.

XtraCold Ice Bar

The CN Tower in Toronto Canada

Posted by Rachel in Toronto on 08 18th, 2010 | No comments yet - be the first one!

There are lots of great attractions in Toronto, Canada, but if you’re into architecture and amazing structures, then a visit to the CN Tower is essential. You can’t help but miss the sight of the CN Tower, as it stands high against the skyline in Toronto. In fact, it’s one of the tallest towers in the world, at over 1500 feet tall.

The CN Tower was completed in 1975 and was originally named after the railway company which built the tower, Canadian National. However, now that it is owned by the government and the name has been changed slight to stand for Canada’s National (Tower).

The tower serves a practical purpose of broadcasting over 30 Toronto TV and radio signals in the area, plus wireless and mobile phone signals, but it’s also a popular tourist destination.

If you’re not averse to heights, then the CN Tower is well worth including in your Toronto itinerary. The tower is open 364 days a year, although opening hours may vary depending on the time of year, and a lift is available to whoosh you to the top.

There are various different observation levels to explore, where you’re guaranteed a panoramic view of the city of Toronto, even on a gloomy day. To make the most of your visit, there are also several restaurants and coffee areas, where you can stop and relax and take in the breathtaking views, before heading back down to solid ground.

At 342m above the ground, there’s the chance to test your nerve and stand on the glass floor – which offers a vertical view down to the ground below. Not for the faint hearted, the floor is made from a super solid glass that could apparently withstand the weight of 14 hippos, so you can stand on it, jump on it or crawl over it, if you so desire.

Various ticket options are available for the CN Tower, many of which can be booked online in advance. If you want to go right to the top, to the Sky Pod, then a separate ticket is needed. The Sky Pod is reached by a special elevator, accessed from the main observation area, and takes you up to an incredible 447m. The 360 degree view offers visibility of over 100 miles. On a clear day, it’s possible to see as far as Niagara Falls.

The CN Tower

Visiting the Empire State Building in New York

Posted by Rachel in New York, New York City on 08 2nd, 2010 | No comments yet - be the first one!

A trip to New York isn’t complete without a visit to the Empire State Building. Located on Fifth Avenue, at 34th Street, the Empire State Building rises high above the street, and stands at 1,453 feet high.

If you’re intending to visit the Empire State Building, then it’s worth visiting early in the day or late in the evening and, where possible, buying a ticket online in advance. Estimates suggest that, in the height of the tourist season, between 10,000 and 20,000 people a day visit the building, which can cause considerable queues at busy times. A clear day is the ideal time to visit, as you get the opportunity to see for miles from the top of the building, but even on a grey or cloudy day you can still appreciate the great views.

Visiting during the day gives you the chance to see how the city below you looks during daylight and there are great opportunities to see other fantastic sights from above. It’s worth spending an extra few dollars to purchase the audio guide, which you listen to as you go up and around the building. In particular, there are prompts on the audio tour that tell you where to stand in the observatory to get to spot particular sights, such as Brooklyn Bridge, which you may otherwise miss if you’re not familiar with the geographical landscape.

But there’s something magical about visiting in the evening too, as many movies have famously depicted. New York City looks magical when it’s lit up night and, if you time your visit to coincide with sunset, you get to witness the changing city as it moves from daylight to darkness and the flickering lights gradually come on below. Amazingly, the building stays open late into the evening, with the last lift (elevator) heading up the building at 11.15pm.

Whatever time of day or night you visit, do allow plenty of time to soak up the sights and enjoy the experience of the Empire State Building. Most people spend an average of two hours here, but you can easily while away plenty more time. Even if it’s a hot day outside down at ground level, slip in an extra layer to put on when you reach the top, as it can be breezy and colder the further up the building you go.

Cameras and video cameras are widely accepted, but leave your tripod behind, as they’re not allowed in. Be aware too that you’re likely to have to undergo security checks on admittance and there are other objects, such as glass or bottles, that you can’t carry with you.

The Empire State Building is an amazing structure and a huge part of New York’s skyline, so do visit if you have the opportunity.

the secret of Bucharest’s charm

Posted by admin in Bucharest, City Trips on 07 16th, 2009 | Read Comments(2)

Bucharest, the capital of Romania,  is a shifting, disconcerting city with the provincial calm of sunlight-spattered streets, lined with secret gardens, town houses and small domed churches that look like cakes of brick sprout.  It is also a dispersed city- an urban rift created by the megalomania of Ceausescu. The center of the city is undefined, even though Calea Victoriei remains the principal artery; fulfilling its new role as a luxury showcase for the city, it is once again an attractive boulevard. Bucharest begins to reveal its incommensurable charm once you start to wander through the maze of its neighborhoods by foot, keeping in mind that, if you walk through the city parks which feature numerous bucolic refreshment stands, Romanticism, though gone underground for a time, never completely disappeared.

Taxi Jungle

Bucharest’s taxi drivers have a refreshingly liberal sense of equal opportunities, above all, when it comes to ripping people off, they view anyone as fair game, locals, foreigners, young, old, male, female, anyone who steps in the wrong kind of taxi can expect to be well and truly buggered. This city may just be one of the European capitals with the highest number of taxis per capita, authorities claim to issue about 10.000 permits each year, but everyone knows there are a lot more on the city’s streets. If you want to get by taxi to any meeting point in the city there are several rules you really have to keep in mind if you do not want to get outsmarted. Rule number one: you have to remember when getting into a taxi in this city there are two kinds: those which are operated by a tried and trusted taxi company (of course this is the good choice) and those who are independent drivers (and that is obviously the bad choice). You should avoid taxis with the number 9403 on it, because these are the independent ones, and you should be extra careful around Gara de Nord, Baneasa Airport, Bucuresti Mall, Piata Universitatii and Piata Unirii. Rule number two: only take a taxi that indicates the taxi fare per kilometer, in other words, a maximum of 3 RON (3.6 RON = € 1/ 2.5 RON = $ 1). Rule number three: before getting into a taxi you should ask the driver if he knows the street you are looking for. If not, you’re better off with another taxi, because Bucharest taxi drivers have the unfortunate habit of dropping customers off in the neighborhood, if they have indicated a nearby landmark as a reference. Rule number four: watch the meter, because it sometimes starts to turn rapidly once the passenger gets in. And rule number five, as a tip to all the people than plan to vacate in Bucharest: whenever possible, ask your hotel concierge to reserve your taxi for you.

Bucharest Neighborhoods

Divided into six sectors, Bucharest is, similar to Paris, organized around piatas or ‘squares’, whereas sector one is the largest with an amplitude of 67.5 square kilometers. There is a ranger of beautiful streets compartmentalized in those six sectors. The Calea Victoriei, Bucharest’s main street, situated in sector one, leads from Kiseleff Boulevard to the north to the bank of the Dambovita River in the south. Despite all efforts, the Calea Victoriei illustrates a visibly Oriental penchant for disorder: it was not laid out in a straight line. The wealth of Bucharest is completely concentrated along the Calea Victoriei, and turns it into a mecca of shopping, as well as a showcase for western Luxury goods. In sector three you can find the city’s center of commerce in the 18th century, Lipscani, where tiny shops along Strada Lipscani used to sell linens imported from Leipzig back then, but in a poor state of repair and with an indigent population, Lipscani fell into decay during Ceausescu’s reign. A very interesting neighborhood is of course Dorobanti, situated in sector one, whose streets that head toward Piata Victoriei from Piata Dorobantilor are named for major European capitals: Strada Paris, Roma, Londra, among others.

The beautiful Churches of Bucharest

In the beginning I wrote about small domed churches of Bucharest looking like cakes from brick sprout in the midst of concrete complexes inherited from the Communist past – the ‘blocks’, as the Romanians call them. When you walk through the streets of Bucharest you come across the most beautiful churches you have ever seen in your life, above all the Old Court Church (Biserica Curtea Veeche), the city’s oldest church constructed within the walls of the Royal Palace, which is now in ruins (Strada Franceza). After a while of walking through the romantic streets of Bucharest you stop to notice every single church because there are so many of them existing. Constructed on the Metropolitan Hill in the 17th century, the Metropolitan Church (Catedrala Patriahiei) is dedicated to Saint Helen and Saint Constantine. (Strada Mitroploiei). Bucharest’s best choir sings at Zlatari Church (Biserica Zlatari) during mass. Situated on the Calea Victoriei the goldsmiths guild built this church in 1715.

Ceausescu’s Palace

Ceausescu’s Palace is the most controversial building in Bucharest, whose construction began in 1983 on Ceausescu’s orders, who razed an entire neighborhood to the ground – an area that has often been called historic. In truth it was an outlying neighborhood with winding streets, low houses and numerous small churches. Its residents were evicted precipitously and relocated an edge of the city.  It took 200 architects, 300 engineers and 20.000 workers about six years to construct this enormous white mass that swallowed about 20 billion lei (RON), but the construction was unfinished when the dictator was deposed in 1989 and it remained unchanged for several years as the Bucharest government did not know what to do with the People’s House.  Today this building is known as the Palace of Parliament and became a tourist attraction. A forty-minute guided tour takes visitors through the ceremonial rooms. The Modern Art Museum is now located in the rear section of the building. Concerts and conferences are held here, and it has been used as a film set, notably for Costa Gavras’s ‘Amen’ – for which the walls were covered with icons.

Neither the romantic facets nor the beautiful constructions in between several blocks full of Romanian history will be forgotten if you ever visit this city. Marvelous churches, enormous Universities, Palaces and ruins that tell you a story about the history of this charming country will stay in your mind and remain there forever as a wonderful memory of being acquainted with a shifting, disconcerting and dispersed city called Bucharest.

Rainbow Parade 2009

Posted by admin in Events on 07 7th, 2009 | No comments yet - be the first one!

Flashy, colorful and open-minded...that was Vienna’s motto on July 4th, 2009 when the 14th Rainbow Parade took place in the streets of 1st district, the Ring Boulevard, one of the most exclusive and most beautiful streets of Vienna, which is on this special day staged as ‘the Street of Republic’.

Every year, since its first Organization on June 29th 1996 by Andreas Brunner, Christian Michelides, Guenter Strobl and Hannes Sulzenbacher within the ‘Austrian lesbian- and gayforum’, over 100.000 people travel across their constraints and want to be a part of this  very special and unique day in Austrian History in connection with the gay and lesbian community. As an official political demonstration the Rainbow Parade advocates for solidarity, tolerance, equality and equal opportunities for gays, lesbians and transgender people in Austria and works parallel to Germany’s Christoper Street Day. The name for this famous event was brought up by Mario Soldo and his thought of incorporating the rainbow-flag, one of the most-known and spread symbols for the homosexual culture.

For the homosexual community in Austria the Rainbow Parade does not only symbolize standing up and fighting for equal rights and opportunities, but also removing the scales from a lot of people’s eyes and showing the world outside that the homosexual community is open-minded to every citizen of Vienna and kind of invites everyone to celebrate and demonstrate with them. According to Mahatma Ghandi’s non-violent resistance the gay, lesbian and transgender community fights against discrimination and for freedom for the full expression of their personalities. Though homosexuals have to face the issue of being politically unprivileged, the Parade shows a political background on the whole scenario of the Rainbow Parade and even various political parties show their respect and party with the homosexual community on this very special day, among all the Social Democratic Party of Austria and the Greens Party. Once again, the main focus of the 14th Rainbow Parade was the homosexual community arrogating a statute of a civil union for co sexual relationships. Minister for women’s affairs Gabriele Heinisch-Hosek from the Social Democratic Party of Austria and Ulrike Lunacek, Europe assembly woman of the Greens Party  proclaim at the closing event of the Rainbow Parade on the Schwarzenbergplatz that they are very sanguine that this would be the last Parade without a law for a civil partnership for homosexuals.

Showing that the homosexual community not only cares about the political situation of gays, lesbians and transgenders in Austrian, an own truck was dedicated to commemorate gays and lesbians in Iran. The truck of the organizers of the Rainbow Parade called HosI (Homosexual Initiative) drove with the Motto ‘HosI: Since 30 year a Hit’, because this pressure group celebrates its thirty years of existence. Every year, after the main march around the Ring Boulevard took place, thousands of people assemble at Schwarzenbergplatz, where the closing event of the Rainbow Parade takes place and where politicians hold speeches and celebrities show their respect through performing their songs on a big stage with draped with the rainbow flag. This year, Valerie, a very famous Austrian singer, Lutricia McNeal, a well-known international singer and many others took their places in demonstrating for the equal rights and opportunities for the homosexual community. The whole march for equal rights, civil union and tolerance ends up in a big party where those thousands of people who assemble are having a wonderful time, full of music, love, tolerance and respect. At 10 p.m. the whole Parade ended with the well-known and famous ‘Blue Danube’ by Johann Strauss, just like it has to be for an event of the Danube-Metropolis.

Beyond all this happy an frolicsome party mood and peaceful demonstrations, there are still a lot of problems unresolved and questions unspoken. What happens to the homosexual community politically in the future? Will they ever be equated in rights and opportunities? Will all this fight and effort one day turn out aided and bring up those issues the homosexual community is fighting for so long and so hard? Problems that will remain unresolved until society finally takes a few steps forward to embrace equality of all kinds of human, whether they are gays, lesbians, bisexuals or transgenders, because all that really matter is that we are all one of a kind, humans, with one blood and one need… to be loved.

Spending a day on top of San Francisco for free

Posted by admin in San Francisco on 05 31st, 2009 | Read Comments(2)

San Francisco is a beautiful city that is really worth visiting. Thousands of tourists visit the city every year attracted by its steep rolling hills that are climbed by the famous cable cars, the chilly summer fog, the fabulous mix of modern and traditional architecture and of course because of San Francisco’s word famous landmark, the Golden Gate Bridge.

When you visit the city you want to see all it has to offer in a short amount of time. Due to the special architecture of San Francisco vista points where you can get a great view of the city are very much searched after. Obviously in many cases you have to pay for getting a wonderful view of San Francisco, but not always.

I will share the best and greatest tips for fantastic views of San Francisco with you in this article. I got those tips just 2 days ago from the concierge of the Transamerica Pryamid, on which you unfortunately can’t go up anymore, and tried them out for you.

You know that they say that “the best things in life are free”! This is also true for the travel tips I will share with you – they are all free, meaning that you can enjoy a spectacular view of the San Francisco area without paying any money for it.

1. Enjoy an amazing view from the Grand Hyatt

The Grand Hyatt San Francisco

The view from the Grand Hyatt San Francisco

The Grand Hyatt near Union square is one of the most well-known hotels in all of San Francisco. Its Grandviews Lounge and Grandviews Restaurant atop of the big hotel offer spectecular views over the San Francisco bay area. This makes the Grand Hyatt a place worth visiting even if you are not staying there as a guest.

However, I heard that despite of the great view the food there is pretty expensive. Therefore, just go up to the 39th floor breakfast buffet at around 11am. I was really amazed by the fantastic view and the personell didn’t even bother to talk to me for the 15 minutes I took pictures there. The views of northern beach are really lovely.

2. Free glass elevator views from the St. Francis Hotel

Westin St Francis Hotel San Francisco

Elevators at Westin St Francis

Pretty close to the Hyatt you will find Westin St. Francis Hotel on Union Square. The hotel features five outside glass eleavators that will give you amazing views of the city when going up the building. And it’s all for free. I walked through the lobby and simply took one of the turbo elevators mounted externally up to the 32nd floor. It felt just like a great ride in a theme park…be sure to go up to 32 and down to 10 multiple times for maximizing your fun

3. De Young Museum – combining fine arts and fantastic views

De Young Museum at San Francisco

View from De Young Museum

The De Young Museum is a modern building complex that houses interesting exhibitions and collections. In case you are not to keen on art the De Young is still a place of interest as you can go up to the free top viewing lounge of the De Young Museum tower. Albeit “only” 12 stories high this is a GREAT view to the ocean beach area. You will be astonished by the beauty of tower’s 360-degree-view. I recommend you bring your binoculars so that you can make most out of the view.

4. Look at San Francisco from Twin Peaks Hill

Twin Peaks Hill in san Francisco

View from Twin Peaks Hill

While you are near the Golden Gate Park you should get a taxi up to the “Twin Peaks” hill of San Francisco. There might be some tour busses up there, but I don’t recommend it as the aprox $12-$15 for the Taxi take you up just when you need it, not when others planned it. The view from the two hills with an elevation of about 922 feet in the center of San Francisco is beautiful provided you have wind and clear weather. Then, when you want to go back ask some tourists that have cars very nicely and I’m sure they will give you a lift down to Height Ashbury again. After shopping around there you can easily take the 71 back to market street.

5. On top of San Francisco in the Bank of America Building

The Bank of America Building in San Francisco

Carnellian Room in San Francisco

The Bank of America Building is located in San Francisco’s financial district. At 3pm go up to the 52nd floor of the Bank of America Building to the so-called Carnellian Lounge. There you can ahve a little cocktail for relaxation and enjoy a fantastic afternoon view of the city. If you ask the staff very nicely they may also let you into the main dining room that I have been in as well.

6. The unique view from Marriott Hotel

The well-known Marriott Hotel

Baybridge and Oakland from the Marriott Hotel

The Grand View Lounge of the Marriott Hotel at 4th stress is “only” 42 floors high and is very crowded around 5.30. If you want to get a window seat to take full advantage of the unique view offered by this bar I’d advise you to be there earlier. Have a nice drink and enjoy looking down on the busy streets of San Francisco.

7. Spectacular views from a San Francisco landmark – the Coit Tower

The Coit Tower is a San Francisco Landmark

From Coit Tower you have a lovely view of San Francisco

You can see the Coit Tower already from afar. Built atop of Telegraph Hill in San Francisco’s Pioneer Park the tower offers a fantastic view of Golden Gate Bridge, Aquatic Oark, Alcatraz, Angel Isand, Treasure Island, Pier 39, Lombard Street, Nob Hill and the financial district of the city. Admission is charged for going up the tower in an elevator and paying that money is really worth it. However, if you need to save money for another San Francisco attraction you can simply check out the lobby murals and outside vista points for free.

8. Looking at San Francisco from afar – Sausalito

The city of Sausalito is close to San Francisco

Great view from Sausalito

Sausalito, small willow grove, is a city located in the San Franciso bay area. Located near the northern end of the Golden Gate Bridge it offers lovely views of the whole San Francisco bay area on the other side. You can either access the city via the Golden Gate Bridge or go over from San Francisco by ferry. Of course you will eventually have to spend money to get there, but the beauiful views of San Francisco that you can get there are all for free. A trip to Sausalito really pays off on a day with nice weather.

9. The secret vista point Tank Hill

Tank Hill is a secret vista point

Tank Hill View

Tank Hill is one of the hidden gems in the city of San Francisco. Many people who live in San Francisco haven’t even heard of this beautiful spot from which you can get some of the best views of the city. On a clear day the small park the panoramic view is amazing and the place is never crowded, so you can joy the tranquility of the place.  You will have a slightly different view than from Twin Peaks as Tank Hill is closer to the ground and can discover all details of the landscape surrounding you at a bird’s eye view.

10. Having a relaxing view from Corona Heights Park

Corona Heights Park in San Francisco

View from Corona Heights Park

If you rather want to enjoy a spectacular view surrounded by nature rather than from a skyscraper Corona Heights Park is another place to check out. Despite the altitude being lower than on Twin Peaks Hill you can enjoy nice views of the city from there. The park is less touristy and more relaxed than Twin Peaks and so you can easily sit back on one of the park benches and take a glimpse of Civic Center, Hayes Valley, Potrero Hill and Mission. It’s the perfect place for unwinding and letting your thought wander.

A Queen’s Day like never before…

Posted by admin in Amsterdam on 05 8th, 2009 | No comments yet - be the first one!

Year after year the townsfolk of the Netherlands, the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba celebrate on April 30th (or on April 29th if the 30th is a Sunday) a very unique and joyous day, universally known as the Queen’s Day.

Queen’s Day History

Originally intended by the Liberal Union to be a day of national unity in the Netherlands it all found its start in the celebration of the birthday of Princess Wilhelmina on August 31st 1885, where it was called Princess’ Day (Prinsessedag) until the Coronation of Wilhemina five years later, in 1890, where the day finally got its today’s well-known name Queen’s Day (Koninginnedag).

Although Queen Wilhemina almost never attended such festivities on Queen’s Day, it turned, with Queen Juliana, who ascended to the Dutch throne in September 1948 to a national and international jollification which thousands of people from around the world attend every year, to honour the Queens of the Netherlands. Queen Juliana’s date of birth was April 30th and because of that fact this day was celebrated every year on her birthday, and after her daughter Queen Beatrix succeeded over her, she decided to keep the holiday on April 30th as a tribute and an honour to her mother Juliana. And since that day, the Netherlands celebrate their Queen’s birthday every single year, to honour her and to pay tribute to the throne. Every year, since her coronation Queen Beatrix visited the Queen’s Day and celebrated it with the townsfolk of the Netherlands.

The Calm before the Storm

Until this year’s Queen’s Day, it was kind of a miracle, that there has never been any kind of scandal or inauspicious incidents, (except for the year of 2001, when the Queen’s Day visit of the Royal Family has been cancelled  as there was worry about maintaining the quarantine measures to control an ongoing outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease) but that just seemed to be kind of the calm before the storm. But like usual, changes occur and so it happened that this year, when everybody expected to celebrate a usual Queen’s Day one man planned something different. A man, authorities released that the man was called Karst Tates, tried to attack the Dutch Royal Family during a Queen’s Day celebration by crashing his car, a black Suzuki Swift, accidentally close to the Royal Family’s bus.

On this Thursday, where everyone just wanted to celebrate frolicsome and have a good time, five people were killed, and another twelve were injured during in this incident in the Dutch town of Apeldoorn. Among these twelve, five have been injured very seriously, including the driver of the vehicle which crashed into the low metal railing along a column on the side of the road. Suspiciously the vehicle appeared to be heavily damaged even before the actual crash transpired. Until now, the reason for this affair still is completely unclear and inexplicable. As the Royal Family’s bus moved along the street through the crowd, who were behind the barriers off the road, a black vehicle zoomed past it. The crowd luckily stayed safe, because of being sheltered through the barriers but security officials and journalists including many camera men, were in the road as the car went by and finally got stopped by a monument.

Members of the Royal Family had to see the whole scenario, gasped in shock and then quickly sat down as the bus continued driving to make sure that the Royal Family remains safe. The police announced that the driver came right to hospital badly injured and being charged with trying to attack the Royal Family, nights after his attack, he died by reason of his bad injuries.

Famous Free-Markets

The Queen’s Day is not only famous and well-known for the celebration of the birthdays of the Queens of the Netherlands throughout the centuries but for its free-market all over the country where anybody is allowed to sell things on the street, comparable to nationwide car boot sale or a flea market. Many people set up stalls or blankets in the parks, on sidewalks and even on the roads themselves, which is possible, because cars are banned on some streets. It is kind of a tradition that children do sell their cast-off toys and clothes while entrepreneurs do sell food, beverages and a wide range of other items.

Besides the traditional free-markets there are a lot of other activities on Queen’s Day taking place, such as typical activities just for children or performances of music or other entertainment for money. With the years the Koninginnedag developed to obtain the character of an open-air party, with a variety of concerts and special events taking place in public spaces, particularly in Amsterdam, which attracts year after year about 450.000 to 850.000 people from anywhere around the world.

The Color Orange

This very special day, which is rich of traditions and customs, is marked with the color of orange all over the whole country, as a reference to the colors of the Royal Family, who actually comes from the House of Orange-Nassau. Everywhere you look you can see a variety of orange banners, orange colored foods and drinks and an inconceivable amount of orange clothing and a range of interesting as well as creative accessories, sometimes it even occurs that you can see the water in fountains being dyed orange. Those who do not dress in the traditional Queen’s Day color are usually dressed in the national colors red, white and blue.

Night follows Day

After the Queen’s Day traditionally and chronologically appears the Queen’s Night, which is, just like the day, a whole night full of party and music. Many bars and clubs throughout the Netherlands, especially in Amsterdam or The Hague, arrange special events catering to revelers that last all night long. This tradition found its commencement in the early nineties when Queen’s Day riots were an increasing problem in The Hague, so tenants of clubs and bars came up with the idea to convince the rioters that continuing the celebrations is a much better way of spending the Queen’s Night.

Obviously no one will ever forget this tragic incident that cast a cloud over the usually happy and glad Queen’s Day in April 2009, but as always in history people and the tide of events will move on and maybe next year the loss and the pain will be a little bit forgotten when the Netherlands, the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba celebrate the Queen’s Day of 2010.

The Rainbow Parade in Vienna

Posted by admin in City Trips, Events, Vienna on 07 14th, 2008 | Read Comments(3)

Last week on the 12^th of July 2008 the 13^th Regenbogenparade took place in Vienna, which is a street festival for the rights of gay people always attracting homosexuals from all over Europe. This year 120.000 spectators, among them many tourists, gathered along the sides of the street and had a look at the spectacular outfits presented in the colourful parade to the rhythms of classical music and techno. Due to the European Football Championships the parade also had a football theme: “No more offsides!” whereby the organisers called for the discrimination against gays, lesbians and transgender people to stop.

Gay couple kissing

Regenpogenparade means rainbow parade in English. The name for the event was chosen as the rainbow flag (or pride flag) is a symbol for the homosexual culture. The original rainbow flag was introduced in 1978 at the San Francisco Freedom Gay Parade consisting of eight stripes in different colours that each has a deeper meaning. Pink stands for sexuality, red for life, orange for healing, yellow for sunlight, green for nature, turquoise for magic, blue for serenity and violet for spirit which are all important themes for the gay community.

The Vienna Rainbow Parade was started in 1996 in order to emphasize solidarity, tolerance and equality for gays, lesbians and transsexuals. It should remind people of the first upraise of lesbians and gays against the police in June 1969 in New York on Christopher Street. This is also why there are many similar parades around the world on the so-called Christopher Street Day. While preparing for the event the gay community as well as clubs, bars and shops in Vienna host several events every year with the theme “Gay Pride” in the 29 days before the Vienna Rainbow Parade.

Lesbians partying against discrimination

Ever since its start the parade has been a great success with a huge, colourful crowd walking down the Ringstraße (the grand boulevard surrounding the inner city of Vienna) and passing by Vienna University, City Hall and the Parliament finally ending at Heldenplatz, a huge square where a huge open-air event takes place after the parade has finished. This event usually also features prominent acts and celebrities.

At this year’s event Right Said Fred and Kosheen partied with the big crowd celebrating their lifestyle on the streets of Vienna. However, the event is not all about partying; it is also there to remind people of the equality of the gay community and also of risks of this special lifestyle. Therefore, a minute’s silence was held for the remembrance of people who died from AIDS because of their sexual preferences.

The 48 groups who presented there crazy and creative costumes on the parade also showed that the event wasn’t all about fun, but definitely had a political background too. The call for the legalization of gay marriage was clearly in evidence throughout the whole parade. In an act of solidarity two rainbow flags were hissed by politicians on the Parliament for that special day.

Gay men wearing funky costumes at the Rainbow Parade

Due to the good weather and the immense efforts of the organisers and participants of the parade the event could achieve a visitor record this year. This makes it one of the most important events for gay rights right after the Lifeball Austria’s famous AIDS charity event held every year in the Vienna City Hall that attracted popular celebrities such as Elton John, Sharon Stone, Linda Evangelista or Kylie Minogue over the last years in order to raise money.

Time will tell if the demands of the gay community proclaimed in this demonstration will be heard and fulfilled by the Austrian politicians. In any way the Vienna Rainbow Parade 2008 was a huge success and people here in Austria look forward to the 14^th Rainbow Parade that will take place in 2009. If you happen to be in the city around that time, this is definitely a place to go!

Further Reading:

Video from the Vienna Rainbow Parade

Vienna Rainbow Parade Blog

Article on the Event

Life Ball Vienna

The Most Sexual Event in The Year