Hank Schrader

April 17, 2025

Europe Travel

The Art of Doing Nothing in Siena

Hank Schrader

April 17, 2025

Europe Travel

The Art of Doing Nothing in Siena

Hank Schrader, USMA '71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

Anne Schrader, Certified Travel Counselor & Certified Luxury Cruise Specialist

www.dreamdestinations.com

Sometimes in our world, all is hyper speed. I know—20 years in the military as an infantry officer, sometimes being ready to deploy with aircraft wheels up in 18 hours; 16 years in big-time high school football (ranked 5th in the nation after winning a state championship in 2001); teaching all types of social studies classes; and building our travel business to a highly successful agency that helped hundreds to have awesome vacations, has made my 75 years remarkable to say the least.

Yet after visiting Europe for over 53 years, Anne and I have learned a valuable lesson. It is the art of doing nothing but enjoying the moment. We have found 2 great places we call home in Europe—Brugge, Belgium and Siena, Italy.

So, let’s visit Siena and learn about the art of doing nothing.

Why Siena?

Once a booming town that rivaled Florence in the Tuscany region, somehow it lost importance in world affairs and power and prestige of the city-states.

It was a rival of Florence during the Middle Ages but lost the battle of economic and political superiority, even though at one time the population was over 60,000, until the black death killed off over 1/3 of the population.

As happens in well preserved medieval towns, a historical event changed its course of history. In this case, it was later conquered by Florence in 1550 and became a much smaller player in Italy political and economic life.

Many think Siena is the best-preserved medieval city in Italy. This town is built on three hills; has winding lanes and dramatic up and down small roads that require strong legs to walk; and is charming beyond belief!

You could tour the good sites. Here are some pictures:

Ok, enough touring—now let’s explore why we really came here.

Mastering the Art of Doing Nothing

Your first task is to find a place with a view so you can sit and relax and let the world come to you. The view could be a café or room with a view. I think your day needs to start with a good beverage. Then just sip and enjoy.

**Where we enjoy our beverages - the bells from the various churches chime througout the day!**

**Lenny the Leopard and Little Bear guard our wine bottle on our balacony**

Perhaps then it is time to wander, and Siena comes through with a medieval street layout in this former walled city.

**The narrow streets and alleys are common in Siena**

At some point, you will get hungry. So, your next task is to understand how Italians eat.

Your Guide to Great Food and Wine in Siena

Eating in Italy is an art—it is so important to the culture of this country. It is a slow experience, full of wonderful tastes, and often becomes the evening entertainment along with the food.

Italian meals are usually 4 or 5 courses.

There are several meal combinations, such as Antipasti, Primi, secondi, Contorni, insalata, fromaggi, dolce, and cafe.

The primi and secondi are usually hot courses and the primi often is a pasta choice, while the secondi is a meat or fish course. Depending on the food choice you may select contorni (side dishes) or maybe the meal will have an insalata, sometimes served with the meal or as a separate course.

The meal ends with fromaggi (cheese) or fruit and for most dolci (dessert).

A proper meal ends with cafe (coffee).

Here are the great meals we ate at Bagoga—it was full of locals and some tourists.

First, let’s start with the owner Papa, who has riden in the Palio and makes you so welcome. He loves his guests and treats them in the best spirit of hospitality. Here I am with him:

Some of the helments of the riders in the Palio. Only 10 of the 17 Contrade (districts) in Siena compete in the 2 races each year. The race is a rivalry competition which is more than the 3 laps horse race—it symbolizes the pride and passion each contrade has for their district. There are many rituals and preparation for this race happens year long as bands and flag bearers practice often for their moment of glory. A horse does not have to have a rider to finish the race to win. Bribery, betrayal and cheating is part of the intense riveralry—it is a “anything goes” race

**The staff and Hank laugh it up—the hospitality is amazing**

**My Florentine style steak—always served rare and amazing good!**

**A great end to the meal—a chocolate dessert delight**

Now Another Great Find—La Verchia Taverna di Bacco

Outside area **La Verchia Taverna di Bacco**

Anne had their new special - an uncut papradella pasta stuffed with finely ground Chianina beef, mirepoix, sage and rosemary, “pink peppercorns” and a delicious demi-glace. All the pastas are made everyday in house including the regional favorite, pici!

**Anne barely stopped eating to let me take a photo of how her pasta dish had been made.**

**At our next meal here, Hank picked Anne’s dish from yesterday**

Lemoncello cheese cake - all desserts are wonderful and made in house!

There was wonderful Service with a grappa tasting!

**Fresh made pasta each day ready for customers and a fruit tart dessert stored for all to see**

A Great Wine Tasting Experience

Right across from our wonderful bed and breakfast small hotel was a fabulous wine store. The owner, Federico, provided us an amazing wine tasting from the Tuscany region.

He was funny and explained what made the small batched local wines special.

Here he is with the 3 bottles we were going to try.

Our Final Thoughts

Sometimes, it is plain cool to visit sites that are important to you and try and imagine what it was like during that era or in our case just relax Italian style. You might want to try the art of Doing Nothing. It might just help you recharge.

We are travel experts, ocean and river cruise specialists, and Europe destination experts. We have first-hand knowledge of almost anywhere you want to visit in Europe. We know our products and the vendors who sell them to you. We have designed special tours for dozens of clients, led several and will continue to find just the right vacation that will exceed your expectations.

When you are spending your hard-earned money for a vacation, you want an advisor who can match you with the right trip. You want someone who will understand your expectations and fuel your anticipation (or excitement) to get you the best possible trip experience. And, you want someone who can help you with the decision making process. We think we have all these qualities.

Whatever your Dream Destinations are, we are here to help you get the best possible vacation based on what is important to you! We will provide you high quality, expertly planned travel. Please give me a call 713-397-0188 (Hank) or email me at hschrader@visitdd.com . We want to help you: Savor life…make memories…Visit Dream Destinations! Your journey begins here!

ANNE has earned a degree from the University of Houston in Hotel and Restaurant Management. Serving as the President of Visit Dream Destinations, LLC, since 2016, she is uniquely experienced professional travel advisor with over 26 years’ experience in the travel industry. Among her numerous certifications, she is a Certified Travel Counselor (CTC) by the Travel Institute, considered the gold standard in travel agent certification and she is also an Accredited Cruise Counselor (ACC) by the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), as well Luxury Cruise Specialist also from CLIA. Having traveled often to Europe since 1989, she has expanded on her certification as a Destination Specialist in Western Europe (DS) with extensive first-hand experience in luxury vacations. She holds numerous other specialty designations from individual vendors. An expert photographer, she delights in capturing the true essence of destinations to share with all.

HANK is a certified Western European Destination Specialist (DS) who has been traveling to Europe for 53 years. He is also an Accredited Cruise Counselor (ACC), conferred by the Cruise Line International Association (CLIA). This recognized expert in cruise and leisure travel is a retired Army Officer, and taught World Geography for 8 years. He is a `71 graduate of West Point and has earned 2 master’s degrees. His other Certifications:

AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist
Avalon Waterways Specialist
Emerald Waterways Specialist
Riverside Luxury Cruise Specialist
Scenic River Cruise Specialist
Viking River Cruise Specialist
Brit Agent

Hank Schrader

August 8, 2024

Europe Travel

Sanssouci-Fredrick the Great’s Palace (Without Worries)

Hank Schrader

August 8, 2024

Europe Travel

Sanssouci—Fredrick the Great’s Palace (Without Worries)

Hank Schrader, USMA '71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

Anne Schrader, Certified Travel Counselor & Certified Luxury Cruise Specialist

www.dreamdestinations.com

The Palace of Sanssouci, located in Potsdam, Germany, was the summer retreat of Fredrick the Great to get away from the pomp and ceremony of Berlin, the capital of Prussia.

The original palace has only 10 rooms with 2 common areas and was built between 1745 and 1747.

So, let’s visit Sanssouci, and learn about the palace and the ruler Fredrick the Great.

Fredrick the Great

Fredrick the Great was the monarch of Prussia from 1740 until 1786. He is known as both a capable monarch, but more so as a brilliant military leader. His extensive battlefield experience and writings gained him fame as an influential military theory and doctrine figure during his reign and afterward. His favorite topics were strategy, tactics, mobility and logistics.

He also believed in enlightened absolutism—trying to distinguish his rule from ordinary royal rulers to rule for the well-being of his subjects. Among his accomplishments were modernizing the civil service in Prussia, reforming the judicial system, and allowing freedom of the press and literature.

When Fredrick came to the throne at 28 in 1740, Prussia was the 12th largest country in Europe, but had the 4th largest army (France, Russia and Austria were larger) and a staggering 86% of Prussia’s budget was devoted to funding his army. Fredrick doubled the size of his army and fought a series of battles known as the Silesian Wars (there were 3) against Austria.

His soldiers were highly disciplined and won several decisive battles against Austria. The result of these conflicts gained control of the territory of Silesia and the Saxon capital of Dresden and he annexed these lands into his Kingdom of Prussia. After 1745, Fredrick became known as “the Great” due to his success against the larger Austrian army. So influential was Fredrick in military theory, often as a result to personally leading his men in battle and using his 2 favorite tactics of speed of march and speed of fire, that his writings (all were written in French) became the model for other national armies such as Russia and France. His structure of military organization; the strict training regimens he demanded of his leaders and soldiers; and the autonomy he gave his commanders were the standard for the best armies of the world in the late 1700s and became the model used later by the German General Staff for WW I and WW II.

Fredrick the Great was ambitious, ruthless, a confident military genius who often defeated larger armies he fought and served as an enlightened monarch in an era when the various rulers of Europe vied for power and wealth. He doubled the size of his kingdom and eventually lost half of his army during the constant wars he either started or was drawn into to defend his kingdom and war territory gains.

His legacy is enduring yet controversial.

Sanssouci

The exteriors of the Sanssouci Palace are quite contrasting.

On the North side of the exterior of Sanssouci Palace, there is a double row of 88 Corinthian collonades in a half circle. Here are 3 photos of the north exterior, which is majestic and commanding and designed to impress visitors to his palace:

The west side of the quarter circle of double row of columns. This is the north side of the palace.

This is the palace entrance. Only the slight change in the roof line identifies the palace entrance.

The east side of the double columns.

Here are some pictures from the garden side of Sanssouci Palace which is serene and peaceful;

This is the view of the palace from the first terrace.

The grilled enclosed gazebo on the right side of the place (kings apartment side).

There is another very similar gazebo on the guest side of the palace.

There can be little doubt Fredrick’s favorite palace was Sanssouci. He is quoted as saying even before construction started, “Once I am there, I shall be carefree”. It was his sanctuary in difficult times and an escape for him. He was completely involved with the design and decorations of his palace. His vision was a place where he could relaxed in an atmosphere of refined culture. Fredrick II was a music lover, played the flute skillfully, and admired French arts and culture. French was the language of Sanssouci, and some historians say his French was better than his native German language.

The palace is built on a hill in the middle of a large park. The original building that was completed in 1747, has only 10 rooms all on the first floor—it is more a grand villa instead of a grand palace. 20 years later he expanded the building with the New Palace as a display of his power and strength. It was used to impress guests and Fredrick seldom used it and referred to the new construction as “fanfaronade” when translated from French means “showing off”.

An easy way to understand the organization of the main rooms of the original palace is to think of them as 3 distinct areas. The center of the Palace are the Entrance Hall and Marble Hall, which functioned as the common areas of the palace. On the east side of this central area are the King’s Apartments—his bedroom and study; the audience and dining rooms; the circular library; and the gallery. On the west side there are 5 guest rooms.

We took a self-guided audio-vox tour. It had good descriptions of the rooms but since there are so many framed paintings and statues on the walls, along with the decorated wall paintings, it was hard to grasp how opulent and detailed the palace is in a short room-by-room visit.

The common areas are The Entrance Hall and The Marble Hall which were used for receptions and celebrations.

The next pictures are the Entrance Hall. It is a dignified and elegant. The Corinthian order of the columns signals Frederick’s rank as a important royal.

The statue in the east corner is Ares, the Greek god of war. In an unusual depiction, he has his shield, helmet and weapon on the ground signifying peace and concord. Many have speculated that a man so involved in war wanted peace, as he placed this gift from the French King so prominently in the Entrancr Hall.

The Marble Room

This is the most dramatic room in the palace. The dome is richly guilded and represents Frederick’s love of architecture, music and poetry, painting and sculpture, and astronomy and geography.

The theme for the Marble Room is a recreation of the Roman Pantheon. The Marble Hall was the place for celebrations and parties.

The Kings Apartments

This is the retreat where Frederick spent most of his time while in Sanssouci.

First, the Small Gallery where Fredrick displayed some of the collection of his paintings and statues. He favored French artists and paintings, changing the selection often, to allow visitors to view his impressive collections.

Here are some pictures of this narrow room:

The Audience and Dining Room

The audience room and dining room were the first areas of the kings side of the palace. It served 2 purposes. This room functioned when a more formal area was needed to meet with his subjects as an audience room but served more often as a dining room.

Towards the end of his reign, Fredrick often held long lunches with 7 to 10 invited guests. He favored officers and scholars where he learned through the conversations more about his kingdom and his interest of a variety of subjects.

The King’s Study and Bedroom

Frederick did most of his work in the study by meeting with his counselors and ministers. He used these meetings to issue edicts, decrees and orders to rule his Prussian kingdom.

The screen on the right is where the king slept on a simple soldier’s cot.

This is the chair where Fredrick died on 17 August 1786 with his physician, 2 valets and a servant present.

The Circular Library is almost hidden and can be entered by a narrow passageway. It has a collection of over 2,100 books and manuscripts with Greek and Roman writings and a significant collection of the writings of Voltaire in French.

During the tour, this room is closed and we had to take pictures through the window on the door.

On the west side of the palace, there are the 5 guest bedrooms. The Guest Bedrooms were only for those important enough to be invited to Sanssouci.

Two of these rooms were used so frequently by Fredrick’s guests, they became known by the Guest’s name. These are the Rothenburg room, named for the Count of Rothenburg and the Voltaire Room, named after the famous philosopher who lived there for 3 years.

Here is the First Guest Bedroom:

Here is the Second Guest Bedroom:

Now the 3rd Guest Bedroom

The famous 4th Bedroom, the Voltaire Bedroom.

In this bedroom, it was much easier to see the painted wall detail and decorative theme. The black vegetation and stork are clearly visible. There is even a monkey on one wall.

There is a 5th Guest Bedroom, but it is not available to view during the self-guided tour with the autovox.

The Gardens

The gardens are a series of terraces landscaped in the baroque style. Among the features of the gardens are the Neptune Grotto, the temple of friendship (dedicated to memory of his favorite sister) the Great Fountain and the Chinese House.

This is the great fountain.

The statues on either side of the great fountain are of various Greek gods and goddess.

Fredick’s original idea was to cultivate figs, plums and vineyards in the park on the terraces. But he soon realized he also wanted a retreat here and only a year after his original idea, construction of the palace began.

Fredrick II The Great is buried in the gardens. It is a fitting place for a monarch that once modestly said “A crown is merely a hat that lets the rain in.”

The potatoes on the grave symbolize a clever idea Fredrick had about potatoes. While most of Europe readily eat potatoes, the Prussian population avoided them. Realizing he couldn’t force his subjects to eat potatoes, he posted guards around his potatoes fields and decrees stiff punishment for theft. This worked—his subjects began to think potatoes were rare and valuable and began to eat a food they previously shunned.

This the small grave area of Frederick the Great.

Our Final Thoughts

Sometimes, it is plain cool to visit sites that are important in history and try and imagine what it was like during that era. Perhaps more than most other royal palaces, this is an intimate look into the life of Fredrick the Great, his tastes, and the escape mechanisms he sought from the pressures of ruling and constant warfare that characterized his reign.

HANK is a certified Western European Destination Specialist (DS) who has been traveling to Europe for 52 years. He is also an Accredited Cruise Counselor (ACC), conferred by the Cruise Line International Association (CLIA). This recognized expert in cruise and leisure travel is a retired Army Officer, and taught World Geography for 8 years. He is a `71 graduate of West Point and has earned 2 master’s degrees. His other Certifications:

AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist
Viking River Cruise Specialist
Scenic River Cruise Specialist
Emerald Waterways Specialist
Avalon Waterways Specialist
Brit Agent

Hank Schrader

May 4, 2023

Europe Travel

Monaco

Hank Schrader

May 4, 2023

Europe Travel

Monaco

Hank Schrader, USMA '71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

Anne Schrader, Certified Travel Counselor & Certified Luxury Cruise Specialist

www.dreamdestinations.com

There are 5 Little Treasures in Europe—countries so small they sometimes are easy to miss. We call them Little Treasures.

Monaco is one of those countries.

So, let’s explore together and learn about Monaco.

Overview

Monaco is the second smallest country in the world. It is officially called the Principality of Monaco and their official language is French. It is among the wealthiest places on earth and known for glitz, glamor, intrigue thanks to James Bond films and a Formula One race in the streets of Monaco.

It is also known as a tax haven, there are no income taxes, and it is reported that over 30% of its residents are millionaires. The government is a constitutional monarchy, but the prince wields immense power which is accepted by the populace.

One last fun fact—land and buildings are so scarce that one square foot in a building will sell for more than 100,000 Euros.

A visit to the key spots of its tourist industry and gambling industry (the most important parts of their economy) will help you understand this small, wonderful country and help you decide if it lives up to the hype as one of the most glamorous places on earth.

Key Spots to See in Monaco

Belle Epoch Monte Carlo Casino—built in 1878; the casino is the world’s largest and one of the most elegant European Casinos. Admission charged to gaming salons, coat and tie required except for the casual American Room. On the same square is the elegant Opera House.

Monaco-Ville Palace—is the home to the Grimaldi family, the oldest ruling house in Europe. The changing of the guard at the palace takes place daily at 1155 AM.

The palace is a fortress built on the Rock of Monaco—here is a picture:

According to the legend, one of the Grimaldi family captured the palace disguised as a monk and let his soldiers inside the fortress—here is the statue of that event and another outside statue:

Visitors can tour the state apartments and throne room during the tour. They provide an audio box that explains facts about the rooms.

Among the rooms available to visit include the Hercule Gallery (has some impressive frescoes),

the Blue Room which is used for state functions,

the wood-panned Mazarin Room,

and the Throne Room.

Here is some more pictures of the palace:

It is open from April 2 to October 31. Admission charge. Website: www.palais.mc/en/index.html.

Monaco-Ville Cathedral--Built with the stark white stones from La Turbie in 1875, this Roman-Byzantine-style building houses the burial places of past sovereigns, including Prince Rainier and Princess Grace. Free Admission.

Monaco-Ville Oceanographic Museum and Aquarium—founded by Prince Albert I, this museum is a testament to the importance of the sea to Monaco.

There are 3 Aquariums: the Tropical Aquarium, the Mediterranean Aquarium and the sea turtle aquarium.

We especially liked the Sea Turtle Exhibit.

There is a rooftop terrace restaurant which has great views of the coastline.

Right next to the Aquarium is the Jardins Saint-Martin. We walked down through this garden off the Rock of Monaco.

Admission charge for the Aquarium .(www.oceano.mc)

Monaco-Ville Jardin Exotique--This extraordinary garden, bringing together several million species of plants known as succulents, was opened in 1933. It was boldly planted on the rocky mountainside where it blooms superbly; it has today become the object of worldwide admiration. Admission charge. Website: www.jardin-exotique.mc/en

Princess Grace Rose Garden—Opened in 1984, this garden is a tribute to Princess Grace.

It has over 6,000 rose bushes and there are about 315 different varieties.

Anne was really impressed by the size and color of the roses.

Collection de Voitures de S.A.S. le Prince de Monaco—this is a collection of the over 100 vintage cars owned by the Prince of Monaco. The collection includes famous automobiles such as Rolls Royce, Lamborghini, Ferrari, and Maserati.

The Monaco Harbor—this is a spectacular port that has some of the best yachts in the world. It has berthing space for over 500 ships.

The first two pictures are of Port Hurcle, the largest port and an amazing collection of huge yatchs.

The next picture is the port of Fontviella.

This is the view from our room at the Port de Cap D’Ail.

Jardin Japonais—this garden is designed in the Zen style. It uses water, bamboo hedges, stones and Mediterranean tress sculpted in Japanese style. The park has a waterfall, a koi fishpond with water lilies and a Japanese Tea House. The park also uses Japanese lanterns and traditional bridges to complete this excellent garden park.

I was surprised at how small this garden is.

Monaco is famous for helicopters transfers and even has a circus each year.

Some last photos—the helipad with a helicopter and two elephants in tribute to the circus.

Getting Around Monaco

The best way to get around Monaco is by bus (www.cam.mc ). You can buy bus cards, which cost 2€ per ride, directly on the bus. Bus stops are set up every few blocks on the main streets in town and buses are scheduled every 5 to 10 minutes. Buses go to all the major tourist sites; just look at the front of the bus to see the destination. There is an excellent tourist map that marks the lines by colors.

There is also a Hop-on-Hop Off bus (it is a big red bus you have probably seen in other places) that makes 12 stops. I took it and realized how spread out Monaco is with windy roads, lots of hills and tunnels—trust me the bus is your best option as taxis are few and far between and cost a flat rate of 25€.

Our Final Thoughts

Wow—what an interesting place—you should visit. Let Monaco transports you into a rarify world of money and glamor.

Whatever your Dream Destinations are, we are here to help you get the best possible vacation based on what is important to you! We will provide you high quality, expertly planned travel. Please give me a call 713-397-0188 (Hank) or email me at hschrader@dreamdestinations.com. We want to help you: Savor life…make memories…Visit Dream Destinations! Your journey begins here!

HANK is a certified Western European Destination Specialist (DS) who has been traveling to Europe for 50 years. He is also an Accredited Cruise Counselor (ACC), conferred by the Cruise Line International Association (CLIA). This recognized expert in cruise and leisure travel is a retired Army Officer, and taught World Geography for 8 years. He is a `71 graduate of West Point and has earned 2 master’s degrees. His other Certifications:

AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist
Viking River Cruise Specialist
Scenic River Cruise Specialist
Emerald Waterways Specialist
Avalon Waterways Specialist
Brit Agent

Hank Schrader

December 8, 2022

Europe Travel

An Overnight Train Experience in Europe

Hank Schrader

December 8, 2022

Europe Travel

An Overnight Train Experience in Europe

Hank Schrader, USMA '71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

Anne Schrader, Certified Travel Counselor & Certified Luxury Cruise Specialist

www.dreamdestinations.com

While in Europe, we love riding the trains. A unique experience is taking an overnight train in Europe.

So, let’s explore together and learn about riding the rails at night—you won’t be disappointed!

Overnight Train Basics

There are two types of sleeper cars. They are sleeper compartments with sleeping berths and couchettes.

A couchette is a seat that converts into a bunk. Usually there are six to a compartment. This is the bare bones bunk with a pillow and blanket. Sometimes they are segregated by gender, other times not.

On our first trip by couchette in 1990, we were paired with 2 guys from Argentina, complete strangers, who were surprised by the mixed genders, and at first a little awkward for both of us. Fortunately for us, I speak fluent Spanish and we agreed to who got which sleeping bunks.

There were two problems—first no air conditioning, so the compartment was so hot, sleep was fleeting at best (perhaps said too gently—it was horrible). Second, they both smoked, so they opened the door to our compartment often to go have a smoke in the train corridor.

Opening the window to let some fresh air in was not a solution either, as passing trains roaring by created deafening, sudden noise that jolted us awake from what little restless sleep we had that night.

Although not on the Paris to Amsterdam overnight train we took in 1990, this is the typical tight corridors on overnight trains. At the end of this passageway, is the toilet (WC).

Along with that, in the old days, there was a passport check at each country border. Here is the bottom line—we hoped to save a day of hotel expenses but wound up sleeping a whole day after checking in to our hotel.

By far, your best choice is a sleeping berth. This is a separate compartment with limited facilities.

So, let’s look what an old railcar on the overnight train looks like, and document our experiences on this adventure.

Our Route

We are on a route using the EuroNight sleeper train. It is called the Kalman Imre and links Munich and Budapest. The train is named after the composer Emmerich Kalman.

On the sign you can see, we departed at 2330 (the second line on the track sign). The good news—the train started in Munich, so boarding was a lot easier with a stopped train instead of rushing to get on.

The reason, this overnight trip was a good idea, is that we stored our luggage in the Munich Station. Each large storage area cost 3 Euros for 6 hours storage (you need Euro coins and exact change). Here is what the storage area looks like.

The luggage storage boxes in Munich. You can clearly see the 3 Euro cost on the right side of the picture.

What our Sleeper Cabin Was Like

We were in compartment number 11, 13 and 15. Trust me, it was tight space for 2 and unless a small child, really not feasible for 3 adults unless you are on a bare bones budget, in my opinion.

Here is the number display outside our compartment.

Our car had air conditioning, an essential, in my opinion, even in winter.

A sign telling us about the heating/air conditioning controls in the room. Note the sign is in different languages, one thankfully is English.

What the compartments looked like with just our coats hung up. You can see the temperature control in the middle upper portion of this picture,

The coat racks and ladder storage area when not in use.

The ladder set up, so Anne could get up on the top bunk. We brought our own small silk sleeping travel sheets (the crumpled blue item on the lower bunk)—a great idea!

The sink area after opening up the green cover (note the water is not for drinking)

Train Tips/Lessons Learned

Here are some good tips you might want to consider if you want to take advantage of a night train.

1) Don’t expect a fancy car and realize you will be comfortable enough to sleep with some loud noises with train cars added and taken off the train.

2) We chose a second class berth over the first class berth, as the cost was not worth the minor upgrade.

3) Luggage storage is going to be a problem if you have more than 3-4 suitcases. The overhead racks are good but limited by the small compartment size.

4) The bathroom WC is not in your compartment—reminds me of my early days of travel, so plan accordingly and expect some wait times.

5) Don’t expect working electric outlets in the compartment, especially on the older trains. We found one inside the mirror and had to rig a way to charge our electronic devices.

Our old car had only one electrical outlet. It was inside the mirror. Since we brought a European adaptor with USB outlets, we were able to charge our devices during the trip.

You may wonder what this picture is all about! Here Anne has plugged in her portable fan, suspended it from a bungee cord, so she could experience her fan during the night. Pure genius, from my creative wife

There was a small breakfast included in the trip. Here is the menu:

Each of us got to select 7 items from the menu. Our conductor brought us the breakfast about an hour prior to our arrival at Budapest.

Our Final Thoughts

We hope you enjoyed this report.

Overnight train travel has some real advantages. During our trip, we stored our luggage in the Munich Main Train Station (Haptbanhof) and visited the Christmas Markets and had a great German meal before departure. We saved a hotel cost but it certainly is not the most comfortable way to travel.

Whatever your Dream Destinations are, we are here to help you get the best possible vacation based on what is important to you! We will provide you high quality, expertly planned travel. Please give me a call 713-397-0188 (Hank) or email me at hschrader@dreamdestinations.com. We want to help you: Savor life…make memories…Visit Dream Destinations! Your journey begins here!

AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist
Viking River Cruise Specialist
Scenic River Cruise Specialist
Emerald Waterways Specialist
Avalon Waterways Specialist
Brit Agent

Hank Schrader

June 30, 2022

Europe Travel

The Treaty of Versailles

Hank Schrader

June 30, 2022

Europe Travel

The Treaty of Versailles

Hank Schrader, USMA '71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

Anne Schrader, Certified Travel Counselor & Certified Luxury Cruise Specialist

www.dreamdestinations.com

Many folks don’t know a lot about World War I. The Great War (as it was known then) lasted from 1914-1918—it ended on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month and this remembrance date eventually became Veterans Day in the US.

The WW I sites are not as well preserved as the many sites at Normandy for D Day, but there are some meaningful places in Europe you can visit to see the actual places that some key events happened.

Most of us really do not know much about the war in terms of battles fought over 100 years ago, so, let’s learn some about what caused the war, who were the key participants, and the treaty that ended this almost 5-year conflict.

Some Causes of World War One and the Incident that Sparks the Great War

I believe most historians won’t provide an easy answer to the question: What was the cause of war? Some key events, combined with a scramble for more land and power and conflicts between European countries all contributed to a path towards war.

Here is a partial list, in my judgement, that led to the war:

The 1870 Franco-Prussian War, where a unified Germany defeated France and took the Alsace-Lorraine region back, leaving the French eager to reclaim this area and wanting revenge.

The expansion of the German Navy that was a direct threat to Great Britain’s dominance of the seas.

The competition to get more colonies by many European nations.

The rise of rampant nationalism—our country is better than other countries, more powerful and we deserve more.

The number of constantly changing mutual defense treaties and secret alliances, all in a struggle to tip the balance of power towards one country over another.

In this highly charged, competitive atmosphere, all it would take was one incident to trigger war. It came with the assassination of the Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo, the heir to the throne of Austro-Hungarian Empire.

After a month of demands to resolve this incident were not successful and getting assurance that Germany would support the Austria-Hungary Empire, they declared war on Serbia. This starts the wheels rolling—there is a series of declarations of war due to the mutual defense treaties and secret alliances.

There is no way out—a disastrous 4-year war results.

The Main Players in the Deadly Great War

Starting in 1914 and ending in 1918, there are officially 33 countries at war in this conflict. There are really 9 countries that are the key nations during this war—4 for the Central side and 5 for the Allied side.

On the Central side, the countries are Germany, Austria-Hungary, the Ottoman Empire and Bulgaria.

On the Allied side, the countries are the British Empire, France, and Russia initially. In 1917, Italy and the United States join in on the Allied side.

Russia drops out of the war in 1917, after the Tsar is overthrown in the October Revolution by the Bolsheviks and the Lenin led government sues for peace, which is signed in 1918. This is the start of the Russian civil war (Reds (Bolsheviks) vs Whites (monarchists)) that eventually leads to the communist government winning the struggle in 1923 and establishing a new country—the USSR.

This removes the Eastern Front from the conflict and starts to tip the balance of power towards Germany, who now only has to fight on the Western Front. This does allow them to shift several hundred thousand forces to the Western Front and launch an offensive in March of 1918. .In the short term, Russia dropping out favored Germany but a new entrant into the war, America, was sending its forces into the conflict and this eventually proves decisive to end the war.

All sides are exhausted, with huge manpower losses, not enough money to cover the costs of the war and little to show for all the fighting.

Germany must now face the addition of American forces. The additional firepower, resources and soldiers of the Americans countered the loss of the Eastern Front and eventually tips the balance in favor of the Allies.

It also becomes the turning point for America in a global role of international engagement to promote democracy.

The Major Conflict Fronts

The war is conducted in 4 main areas of Europe. There is the Western Front (Belgium, France) the Eastern Front (Russia), the Turkish Front (Dardanelles, Gallipoli) the Italian Front (Dolomites of the Alps). It is war of static, fixed lines, and trench warfare, especially in the Western Front.

Trench warfare was a result of advances in firepower (machineguns and artillery) from protected positions was not matched by mobility of the attacking force, so the advantage went to the defender. It was not until armored forces and combined arms tactics were developed, that the advantage went back to the attacking forces but that did not happen until the very last part of WW I with the advent of tanks used by attacking forces.

WW I Tanks Photograph on display in the Tourist Information Center of Mesen (Messines)

Trench Warfare

Trench warfare was about as miserable a fighting environment as you could imagine. Constant mud and dirt, vermin, disease and wet and cold were just the day-to-day living conditions. Add to that barbed wire, artillery shelling, machine guns, and later in the war, gas attacks, tanks and even bombing or strafing from airplanes.

Most of the fighting was for only several hundred yards or so—one side would gain ground to only lose it later. It was the ultimate stalemate for most of the war.

The Human Suffering of the War

More than 60 million soldiers were mobilized during the conflict. About 10 million were killed. Most died by artillery fire—over 65% of these deaths were due to the shelling during the battles—over 6.5 million died from the shelling!

**WW I Artillery Piece Photograph on display in the Tourist Information Center** of Mesen (Messines)

Some of the destruction caused by the war Photograph on display in the Tourist Information Center of Mesen (Messines)

The Treaty of Versailles

This was the most important peace treaty that ended WW I. It was the treaty between Germany and the Allies and was signed on 28 June 1919. The other Central Powers signed separate treaties. The treaty was signed in the famous Hall of Mirrors in Versailles Palace.

The Hall of Mirrors in Versailles Palace

Detail of the Hall of Mirrors showing its stunning roof and one of the chandeliers.

President Wilson’s 14 Points

America was now involved in global politics. President Wilson saw himself as an important diplomat and he proposed his 14 points plan. His plan served as the foundation for the start of the treaty negotiations.

Here are the 14 Points (my source for this is the US National WW I Museum and Memorial Website) :

1. Open diplomacy without secret treaties
2. Economic free trade on the seas during war and peace
3. Equal trade conditions
4. Decrease armaments among all nations
5. Adjust colonial claims
6. Evacuation of all Central Powers from Russia and allow it to define its own independence
7. Belgium to be evacuated and restored
8. Return of Alsace-Lorraine region and all French territories
9. Readjust Italian borders
10. Austria-Hungary to be provided an opportunity for self-determination
11. Redraw the borders of the Balkan region creating Roumania, Serbia and Montenegro
12. Creation of a Turkish state with guaranteed free trade in the Dardanelles
13. Creation of an independent Polish state
14. Creation of the League of Nations

Points one through five attempted to eliminate the immediate causes of the war.: imperialism, trade restrictions, arms races, secret treaties, and disregard of nationalist tendencies. Points six through 13 attempted to restore territories occupied during the war and set post-war boundaries, also based on national self-determination. In the 14th Point, Wilson envisioned a global organization to protect states and prevent future wars.

The Americans and British supported Wilson’s plan, but the French, who were attacked, wanted revenge on Germany. They won out and the key result was punishment of Germany.

The Actual Treaty of Versailles Most Impactful Article—Article 231

Article 231 was the most significant part of this treaty—it assigned responsibility to Germany and her allies for causing the war. This article became known as the War Guilt clause and required Germany to disarm, make territorial concessions and pay substantial reparations—a staggering 132 billion gold marks.

The treaty signing happened exactly 5 years after the assassination of the Archduke on 28 June 1914, which was the spark that ignited the Great War.

Eventually, the German resentment of this treaty due to massive hardships in the lives of all Germans later became one of the causes of WW II—there is actually a famous picture of a well-dressed German man with a wooden wheelbarrow full of money showing the effect of the ruined German economy trying to buy one loaf of bread due to the out of control hyperinflation of the German Mark.

Results for America from the Treaty of Versailles

During a speech to Congress in 1918, President Wilson outlined his 14 point plan where he envisioned global peace if the plan was adopted and he declared WW I would be the “war to end all wars”.

President Wilson won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1919 for his plan but he was disappointed by the punitive nature of the actual treaty. He did get his League of Nations included in the treaty. Most Americans did not want to get involved in another European War and Congress ultimately did not sign the Treaty of Versailles.

Although the US rejected the treaty, in large part due to having join the League of Nations, after WW II it served as the model for the United Nations

Some WW I Sites You Might Want to Visit

There are many spread out sites that document this horrible conflict from battlefields, museums, monuments, and graveyards. Almost every city in England, for example, erected a monument to the soldiers lost during this conflict. Here is one example of these monuments:

A WW I Soldier Monument in Winchester England

Part of the inscription on the monument reads “The Kings Royal Rifle Corps who gave their lives for King and Country in the Great War 1914-1918”.

Perhaps the Western Front has the best collection of sites to help understand more about this conflict (you will note that 5 of the 9 sites I am recommending are from this front). I am always afraid to use the word best, as it is only an opinion, but certainly most of these sites will improve your understanding of this vicious war.

1. Visit the bridge where it all started.in Sarajevo to see the Latin Bridge where Gavrilo Princip shot the Archduke and his wife. There is only a small plaque to denote the exact location of the assassination. When Bosnia and Herzegovina was part of Yugoslavia, the bridge was named the Princip Bridge, as many Serbs believe this man was a hero. I would not go out of my way to visit this site, but if you are near the area for other reasons, you might want to take a couple of photos, as nothing has changed of the street layouts since that fateful day in 1914 and you can stand on the exact spot where history was made by one of the most important gun shots were every fired (okay I confess—I actually stood on a corner in Winslow, AZ based on the lyrics of the Eagles song, so you may now understand why I would include this site).

2. Take a Flanders Fields Tour. This tour focuses on the Ypres Salient. Among the interesting sites to see include Hill 60, Tyne Cot Cemetery, and the Menin Gate Memorial. I took this tour in 2018 and it was really a worthwhile experience. Here are some photos:

**The Cross of Sacrifice Tyne Cot Cemetery—**In the center of the cemetery is the Cross of Sacrifice constructed over a German bunker captured in 1917. This monument was built at the request of King George V of the British Empire.. The words on the Cross of Sacrifice reads
THEIR NAME LIVETH FOR EVERMORE.

**The Menin Gate—the cars and people give you a sense of how large this gate is. It** is the most famous memorial of the British Commonwealth in Flanders. It lists the names of 54,896 soldiers reported missing in the 1914 to 15 August 1917 in the Ypres salient

3. Visit the trenches of Sanctuary Woods in Belgium. It also includes a good museum with recovered soldier’s equipment and weapons used in World War I.

4. Verdun Battlefield Tour (1 hour, 15-minute drive to Verdun from Reims). This tour will help you understand more about the 300-day battle of Verdun. Sites include the 2 floor Verdun Memorial Museum, L’Ossuaire Cemetery and two forts—Fort Douaumont (with the nearby Trenches of Bayonets) and Fort Vaux.

5. Drive the 40-mile Circle of Remembrance which takes you to numerous battle sites, museums, and monuments about the Somme battle. In the Somme, over 1 million soldiers on both sides died during this conflict on the Western Front.

6. Visit the battle area of Vimy Ridge in France. The Battle of Vimy Ridge was part of the larger Battle of Arras that lasted 4 days. It was a battle between Canadian forces against German forces. There is a large stone monument for the Canadians, and it is possible to see restored trenches and tunnels used during this battle.

7. Many Americans would probably like to visit areas where Americans fought in WW I. They should then visit the Picardy region of northern France and learn about the Battle of the Marne and Belleau Woods where they can see the trenches in the Belleau Woods, visit the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery, and learn more about this conflict in the Museum of the Great War in Meaux.

8. The Italian Front in the Dolomites may be the hardest area to see, as tours sometimes requires trekking into the Alps. This front was fighting between the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the Italians, who wanted to liberate Trento and Trieste from their foes. I did find a tour that included visiting the trenches and bunkers, the Grenadiers Mule track on Monte Cengio, and the museum of the battle of Caporetto in Kobarid.

9. Visit the battle areas in a tour of some of the Turkish Front sites. These include Gallipoli, and the Anzac Cove and other combat sites and memorials. These tours usually start from Cannakkale in Turkey.

Our Final Thoughts

World War I is a conflict that shaped much of modern Europe and exposed the world to advanced weapons that made warfare an extremely bloody affair. Tactics would evolve and useless slaughters of attacking well defended and protected positions were finally rejected by military leaders by using combined force tactics and bypassing strong points when possible.

The cost of humans lost was horrific and the treaties, especially the treaty of Versailles led to resentment and hardships for Germans and was a cause of WW II some 21 years later.

We hope you enjoyed this report and realize the futility of war to solve conflicts which is a theme repeated over and over in the Great War, especially on the Western Front, where many were killed to gain 300 yards of territory. I hope we learn some lessons from this conflict but it seems some countries want to gain power at the expense of other countries still today.

Whatever your Dream Destinations are, we are here to help you get the best possible vacation based on what is important to you! We will provide you high quality, expertly planned travel. Please give me a call 713-397-0188 (Hank) or email me at hschrader@dreamdestinations.com. We want to help you: Savor life…make memories…Visit Dream Destinations! Your journey begins here!

AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist
Viking River Cruise Specialist
Scenic River Cruise Specialist
Emerald Waterways Specialist
Avalon Waterways Specialist
Brit Agent

Hank Schrader

May 12, 2022

Europe Travel

Interesting Bridges in Europe

Hank Schrader

May 12, 2022

Europe Travel

Interesting Bridges in Europe

Hank Schrader, USMA '71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

Anne Schrader, Certified Travel Counselor & Certified Luxury Cruise Specialist

www.dreamdestinations.com

Europe has some of the most famous and interesting bridges in the world.

Bridges are designed to bypass some type of obstacle such a river, or valley but they often have developed into a more important function as a symbol of uniting places that once were separated.

So here are some bridge pictures of what Anne and I consider some of Europe’s most interesting bridges.

Old Bridges

Kapelbrucke, Luzern, Switzerland.

Kapelbrucke (Chapel Bridge) and Wasserturn (Water Tower) date to the 1300s. This covered, wooden footbridge is Luzern's most famous landmark. It is the oldest covered bridge in Europe.

The tower has been used as a treasury, a prison, and a torture chamber.

One of the 110 medieval paintings that originally adorned the covered roof. A fire destroyed the bridge and only 25 original paintings survived. The paintings recounted scenes from the history of Luzern and Switzerland.

Mill Bridge Luzern, Switzerland.

There is also another covered bridge here. This is the Mill Bridge, first built in 1408, but rebuilt several times due to fire damage..

Stone Bridge Regensburg, Germany.

The guarded entrance to Regensburg on top of the Stone Bridge. The Stone Bridge,, built 1135–1146,, is a highlight of medieval bridge building. It served as the model for other stone bridges built in the 12th and 13th centuries.

The knights of the 2nd and 3rd crusade used it to cross the Danube on their way to the Holy Land.

Ponte Vecchio, Florence, Italy.

This famous bridge, which crosses the Arno River, is lined with gold and silver shops today. It is the oldest bridge in Florence. The bridge has had shops lining this unique structure since the 13th century. Originally, the shops were butchers and fishmongers, which lead to a smelly bridge. In 1593, Ferdinand I decreed that only goldsmiths and jewelers could have their shops on the bridge and that tradition continues until today.

One of the reasons this is an important bridge is that it still has shops lining the bridge—a common practice in the Middle Ages and it is one of the last remaining bridges in existence in Europe that continues that tradition, as most old bridges have been torn down .

Pont du Gard.

This is part of the aqueduct of Nîmes, which was almost built by the Romans 1900 years ago to deliver water to the city of Nîmes. The aqueduct and bridge cross the Gardon River (it is also known as the Gard River). Look at the people on the bridge to get an idea how large this structure is--it is only 6 feet smaller in height than the Roman Colosseum.

Charles Bridge--

The Charles Bridge is famous for the many statues of saints that line the bridge along its length (there are 30 statues). For centuries, this bridge was the only link between Lesser Town on the left bank of the Vltava River and Old Town on the opposite side.

Venice Bridges

Venice has over 400 bridges. Here are two of the most famous:

Bride of Sighs, Venice Italy.

Canal under the Bridge of Sighs, Venice, Italy

To say this bridge is famous, is an understatement. Here is a photo of the large crowd taking pictures at this famous bridge:

There are two stories about how the bridge became known as the bridge of sighs.

The first legend of this bridge that connects the Doge’s palace and the prison, is that the condemned got their last look at the beauty of Venice and “sighed” as the moved to their cells.

The second story is about romance. In this version, it is said that lovers who kiss under the bridge in a gondola and will be granted enteral love. It is said they “sigh” at the romantic backdrop and pledge of love.

Rialto Bridge Venice Italy.

It is one of the four bridges that span the Grand Canal in Venice. The current bridge, after several other earlier bridges, was built in 1588. This sturdy bridge has become the symbol of Venice.

For over 300 years, it was the only way to cross the Grand Canal on foot. It houses many stores on the bridge and adjacent area.

Bridges with Interesting Stories

Skinny Bridge, Amsterdam Netherlands. The Magere Brug (Skinny Bridge) is often touted as the most beautiful bridge in this city that has more than 1,200 of them.

The story of this bridge is that two women - the Mager sisters - lived on opposite sides of the Amstel River. According to the tale, they had this bridge built to make it easier to visit one another. Mager is the Dutch word for "skinny".

Avignon Bridge

This is the famous bridge of the children's song "Sur le pont d'Avignon"--(on the bridge of Avignon). During the Middle Ages, it was an important bridge for pilgrims to cross the Rhone River on the way to the Palace of the Popes in Avignon.

As you can see in the photo, the bridge does not span the Rhone River anymore. It was washed away several times by floods and in the 17th century, the bridge was abandoned and never rebuilt.

Love Locks on the Pont des Arts on the Seine River, Paris, France.

Government officials have removed all these locks in June of 2015 due to damage to the bridge.

The idea of the love locks is that they symbolize that a couple's love is forever and often the key has been thrown in the river. The government of Paris auctioned the locks off to the public.

Symbolic Bridges

25 De Abril Bridge in Lisbon, Portugal was inspired by 2 US bridges--its orange color is just like the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco; and its design is like the Bay Bridge in Oakland. The bridge is named to commemorate the Carnation Revolution that returned democracy to Portugal--the protesters put carnations into rifles of the military forces and it was a "bloodless" coup.

The Chain Bridge, Budapest Hungary. This was the first permanent bridge built across the Danube in Budapest. It was built between 1840 and 1849. It is 375m long and 16m wide. This bridge connected the towns of Buda and Pest and was a major reason the two towns became Budapest.

In 1989, it was a site of protest for freedom and independence from communist rule. Today, the bridge is a symbol of Hungarian liberty. Buda castle is in the background.

Bosporus Bridge, Istanbul, Turkey.

Where East meets West, the bridge across the Straits of the Bosporus Turkey. The left bank of this picture is Europe; the right bank of this picture is Asia (SW Asia or the Middle East). It was built in 1973 and is 1,560 meters long. The bridge is a toll bridge and the highway on the bridge has eight lanes.

Tower Bridge London, England.

London's Tower Bridge is one of the most recognizable bridges in the world. Its Victorian Gothic style stems from a law that forced the designers to create a structure that would be in harmony with the nearby Tower of London.

Stunning Bridges

Cesky Krumlov, Czech Republic.

The small bridge in the background crosses the Vltava River.

Alexander Bridge Statue, Paris France.

Of the 19 bridges crossing the Seine River, this is considered the most beautiful. The bridge links Les Invalides, the site of Napoleon’s tomb, on the Left Bank with the Champs-Élysées on the Right Bank.

It was built in 1900 for the world’s fair of 1900—the exposition hall can be seen in the background of this photo.

Alte Brucke (Old Bridge) crossing the Neckar River in Heidelberg, Germany. The Tower entrance to Heidelberg Old Bridge, is one of the most photographed scenes in all of Germany and was part of the old city walls.

Here is the rest of the bridge:

Bicycle on a bridge in Edam, Netherlands and in Amsterdam.

Bikes are one the symbols of the Netherlands and with all the water crossings in this low country, we feel this is a great way to capture some of the essence of life in this fascinating country.

Here is one of our favorite photos of a bike in Amsterdam:

Brugge Bridge, Brugge, Belgium.

The canals of Brugge are a special place—it is Anne’s favorite Europe city. This twilight picture captures what we would consider the best part of this tranquil city—unmatched scenery with fairly-tale like buildings. Enjoy!

Modern Bridges

Le Salve Bridge, Bilbao, Spain.

This bridge, also known as the Princes of Spain suspension bride, is incorporated into the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain. The giant spider sculpture in the foreground is a nice contrast to this large bridge. Also, the red arches were added to the bridge in 2007 to help blend it in with the art museum.

Øresund Bridge, Øresund Strait. The Øresund Bridge is the longest combined rail and road bridge in Europe. It connects Copenhagen and the Swedish city of Malmo. Part of this is a bridge and part is a tunnel. This is a picture taken at sea by Anne.

Our Final Thoughts

It took a lot of trips to compile these photos. But more than a collection of trips, it shows the amazing capacity of humans to overcome obstacles to unite landmasses.

Maybe, in a way, it will serve as a reminder to us to bridge the gaps and obstacles we face as humans to better understand others and their cultures. I know for sure it has changed both of us for the better. We hope this will inspire to travel to Europe soon and view some of these bridges, or better yet, find your own favorites..

Whatever your Dream Destinations are, we are here to help you get the best possible vacation based on what is important to you! We will provide you high quality, expertly planned travel. Please give me a call 713-397-0188 (Hank) or email me at hschrader@dreamdestinations.com. We want to help you: Savor life…make memories…Visit Dream Destinations! Your journey begins here!

AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist
Viking River Cruise Specialist
Scenic River Cruise Specialist
Emerald Waterways Specialist
Avalon Waterways Specialist
Brit Agent

Hank Schrader

September 2, 2021

Europe Travel

Traveling in Europe in August 2021

Hank Schrader

September 2, 2021

Europe Travel

Traveling in Europe in August 2021

Hank Schrader, USMA '71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

www.dreamdestinations.com

I am sure many of you, especially the folks who plan to travel in Europe in 2021 want to know what the experience will be like.

So, here is our report

Our Airport Experience in Frankfurt

We flew on United Airlines from Houston. I described the service and our thoughts about flying first class in an earlier blog a couple of weeks ago but it is clear that while comfort and service is still very good, the food just doesn’t measure up.

Getting into Germany was very easy—we just showed our passports and vaccination cards. We were a little worried that a recent negative COVID test would be required, and even though we had taken 2 less than 72 hours prior to our flight, the border control officer did not ask for any test results.

This is probably a good place to point out there is a constantly changing landscape of entry requirements, so make sure you stay updated prior to leaving the US.,

You are required to wear masks in the airport public areas, except when eating or drinking. At passport control, you must unmask so they can check that your face matches your picture—even the border control officer smiled when we unmasked—it is surprising how different people look wearing a mask and provided a little comic relief for the new travel environment.

Coming Home from Frankfurt Airport

Leaving to come back home was not hard but we learned some valuable lessons about the required negative COVID test to re-enter the US. We had the self tests offered by some companies and featured as a good alternative by United Airlines, but we could never get it to work. First, we needed to update the App and even though we had a hot spot, could not get the App to work or update. It also appeared we would need two different devices to get the technician to talk us through the test procedures. After over an hour of trying, we gave up.

The fortunate thing was that at Frankfurt airport, there is an excellent testing site. It took less than 15 minutes, and we had our results in about 30 minutes. All reports are digital but you can also get a printed copied, which we did.

Our advice is clear—use the airport testing facility, do not waste money and effort trying to use a self testing kit. Just make sure your departure airport has a testing facility.

Getting Around in Europe on Public Transportation

We arrived by train and taxi after spending 3 days in Switzerland. Trains seem to have changed very little except the mask requirement. We used trains in Germany, Belgium, Switzerland and the Netherlands.

I should point out, there is an increasing reliance on smart phones and contactless ticket checks. Both Anne and I had smart phones, but our batteries were weak and we were constantly using our back up chargers or the power supply on the train to keep the phones charged. A great lesson learned—please make sure your phones are in top shape.

As seems to happen at times in Europe, the German railworkers decided to strike on Mondays and Tuesday during the month of August for better wages. As a result, we had to alter our plans and spend the last 2 days of our trip in Brugge—Anne was delighted to say the least!

It does bring up a second lesson learned—always check your transportation arrangements prior to the next segment. Anne cancelled our hotel arrangements and made a new seat reservation for us. We lost a minor $11 or so for a previous train seat reservation that we decided just wasn’t worth the hassle of standing in line at a rail station ticket office for a refund.

A second lesson—always check connection times and tracks if you are changing trains. We knew we had only 18 minutes between trains in Brussels prior to the train to Frankfurt, and we pretty much almost jogged between tracks. I will note the Brussels Midi station is easier than past times with our slightly heavier luggage load, as more lifts and signs are better than in the past. It was far easier than we expected and we made the switch with 10 minutes to spare.

Hotels

We stayed in 3 hotels during our trip. In Switzerland, the Hotel Des Alps was wonderful as in our previous stays. Again the only thing was masks in public areas.

In Brugge, Martin’s Relais, was the same—great hotel, no noticeable change except the morning breakfast. To help insure social distancing, there were 2 meal times—0800 to 0915 and 0930 to 1030. The quality was the same—great spread as in the past. Again, waiters and all employees wear masks at all times. Since it was a buffet, all guests wore masks when away from their tables and there were clear arrows on the floor to direct the flow. All seem to us sensible changes.

The Sheradon Airport hotel in Frankfurt was not much different except their breakfast included 4 breads (all very good) in a paper bag, juice, coffee and tea and some fruits. My only complaint was that there was too much bread in the paper bag—we just couldn’t eat it all and we hate wasting food.

All employees wear masks. Also, there were no glasses in the room and ice machines are not allowed. You have to call room service for these items.

Dining

Here is a report about our how dining has changed.

Only in France, during a stop on the cruise in Strasbourg, did we have to show our passports and vaccine cards.

In all of the many very good places we ate on this trip, all waiters wore masks. We never saw a dip in the quality of service or food—it was all excellent.

In Brugge, we were exceptionally delighted with the restaurants. This is due to Anne and her smart decision to reach out to the hotel and get recommendations of places locals would most likely eat. It was so good, I plan to write a blog about our great finds.

Another tip for you, seek out local suggestions for great places to eat. Be clear what type of food you want and price point you are willing to pay for and the results can be amazing.

Site Seeing and wandering in the Towns

We stayed at 3 different locations.

In Switzerland, we stayed in Lucerne and visited Bern for the first time. Here are some photos of Lucerne.

I will write about Bern in a new blog, as we will update our city guide but we enjoyed the visit. We managed to take over 20,000 steps during our visit (about 10 miles or so), so we really got to see a lot of the historic old town area and the top sites.

A couple of photos to let you know about this interesting town:

Bruuge was wonderful and we updated some photos of the interesting sites. Here is a sample:

I took a recon trip to Waterloo and Bastogne for our 2022 Battlefields tour (3-13 October 2022). It was a whirlwind visit, but affirmed how good this tour is going to be. Again, this will be the subject of a future in-depth blog.

My Final Thoughts

Here is the bottom line—Europe is open, safe and fun based on our experience!

What a great adventure—our return to Europe was wonderful—just another reason we love the Old World of Europe so much! We hope you enjoyed our report and these pictures as much as we enjoyed seeing them during our travels.

Whatever your Dream Destinations are, we are here to help you get the best possible vacation based on what is important to you! We will provide you high quality, expertly planned travel. Please give me a call 713-397-0188 (Hank) or email me at hschrader@dreamdestinations.com. We want to help you: Savor life…make memories…Visit Dream Destinations! Your journey begins here!

HANK is a certified Western European Destination Specialist (DS) who has been traveling to Europe for 49 years. He is also an Accredited Cruise Counselor (ACC), conferred by the Cruise Line International Association (CLIA). This recognized expert in cruise and leisure travel is a retired Army Officer, and taught World Geography for 8 years. He is a `71 graduate of West Point and has earned 2 master’s degrees. His other Certifications:

AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist
Viking River Cruise Specialist
Scenic River Cruise Specialist
Emerald Waterways Specialist
Avalon Waterways Specialist
Brit Agent

Hank Schrader

June 17, 2021

Europe Travel

Anne's European Photos--Some of My Favorites

Hank Schrader

June 17, 2021

Europe Travel

Anne’s Photos—Some of My Favorites

Hank Schrader, USMA '71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

www.dreamdestinations.com

If you are a regular reader of this blog, you already know that the heart of these blogs is the pictures we take.

But to be perfectly honest, it is almost all Anne’s great eye, patience and most of all, skill as a great photographer.

To me, the essence of a really good travel photo is that it tells a story.

It is engagement that spark’s your imagination and Anne excels in telling a story captured by her lens.

Don’t expect any real rhyme or reason or great organized method to this collection of pictures—I just decided to organize them by subject. The hard part will be selecting only a few by topic. I will start with six topics on this blog and perhaps do another blog or two with other topics.

So, let’s explore together and learn about some of my favorite pictures taken by Anne and why I like them—you won’t be disappointed!

River Scenes and Ports

The story here is beauty in half-timbered buildings and the irregular shaped market square. The workmanship is amazing. This picture is well framed—the well is off center a little (adds interest) , bikes, in the fore ground and people add perspective. It is easy to imagine a market here.

The next picture for me is the story of Amsterdam—canals, bikes, flowers and narrow buildings. The bike and flowers in the foreground add interest to the long canal whose lines draw your eyes to the building in the distance. Classic composition.

The next story is the castle on the hill over the village below on the Moselle. The large castle dominates but needs the village for support. It is also clear the river twists in a bend, which adds symmetry to the walls of the castle.

The next story is of beauty of a unique town hall, built on a river when the city bishops refused to grant the citizens land to build their town hall. The slightly off center building, the striking yellow half timbers and the river current really add interest to the out of place structure.

This picture is the story of the history of the Rhine River Gorge, greedy barons seeking taxes and tariffs, a small village perched on the river banks and growing grapes to make excellent wine. The far left fort, is balanced by the castle in the far right upper corner above the village. The tax station fort in the foreground tells the story—no escape for the boats loaded with goods, helping the lords of the castle prosper.

In Passau, a fortress looms over the Danube. It is clear the fort dominates in the background, but is supported by the buildings in the foreground. The contrasting colors add interest.

At the entrance to the Wachau Valley, a fortified abbey guards the waterway, rising 130 feet above the river. It was owned by the Bishops of Passau and is known as the “Watchman of the Wachau”. The flowing river, the exposed rocks and 90 degree cliff of the fortified position clearly show how this position could restrict movement on the river and protect the inhabitants.

This stunning picture is the story of Budapest’s struggle for independence. At almost 880 feet long, and 315 feet high, designed in Gothic Revival style, the building used 88 lbs. of gold on the exterior. No wonder it is lighted at night! Anne did a great job capturing the entire building on the banks of the Danube. During the communist rule, a large red star was placed on the building but removed in 1990.

In the Iron gates, suddenly, an orthodox monastery pops up during your passage. The Iron Gates separate Romania and Serbia. The monastery was first built in 1523, destroyed several times by invading armies and finally rebuilt in 1999. Anne captured this unique building, the granite cliffs on the far shore and the Carpathian Mountains in the distance.

Gardens and Flowers

The story here is a spectacular rose garden in Bamberg with about 4,500 roses in the New Residenz Palace garden. Anne did a good job displaying the vast grounds, the centerpiece statue and the different types of roses.

Flower markets are important to the lives of Europeans. This is one of the several flower stalls on market day in Freiburg, Germany.

The story here is the importance of tulips in the Netherlands. Tulips are an obsession in the Netherlands and these tulips in Kuekenhof Gardens are part of about 7 million planted each year. They bloom for only 5-6 weeks each year in the Spring. By taking this photo at an angle, it is easy to see the depth of this indoor flower bed and the different types of bulbs that have been cultivated.

Amid the white homes of Mykonos, dramatic splashes of colors, among doorways and windows makes one wonder who lives here. The composition is excellent, staircases on the right, a flowering tree, the white buildings and blue balconies in the left-invites you to study this photo.

The story here in this Roman square is how it is used during the day and during the night. The flowers are vibrant and soon will be gone. In the background is a restaurant that will expand into the square for more al fresco dining in the evening.

The story here is a garden created by Arabs in Spain. Water was very important to the invaders from Africa who came from dry lands and creating gardens that featured fountains and lush plants were especially important—it was almost like a heavenly place for them. These linear water features and well trimmed plants are peaceful and relaxing. Anne’s photo conveys this tranquil area superbly.

Castles and Palaces

This well framed picture is the entrance to a small protected courtyard of this German Castle. The height and sturdy white towers stand out from the dark stones at this entrance.

It would hard to imagine a castle with more turrets, and defensive walls than this storybook castle in Wales. With the contrasting red phone booth, the fish and chips eatery and people in there foreground that all contrast but still doesn’t detract from the castle built in the 1300’s, it is easy to see the size of this structure but realize it is very old.

Life inside castles in medieval times is often a mystery for most of us. In Marksburg Castle, kitchen ware and game hanging helps bring this to life.

Who wouldn’t want to live in Peles Castles? The inside is even more fashionable and ornate.

The story of the Tower of London is the key history of England since 1066. These 4 towers were built by Edward the Conquer in the 1070s after the pivotal battle of Hastings. The tower has served as a fortress, a palace and a prison—it is the most secure castle in England and a symbol power, awe and fear.

The Norman Gate in Windsor Castle is one of the symbols of power of the English monarchy. The gate is named as recognition of the lineage of the 4 Norman kings who ruled from 1066 to 1154. The contrasting garden and bench sitting area adds both interest and prospective to the stone defensive tower.

Street Signs

This wooden sign in Germany is inviting way to let folks know of this establishment. The Golden Fleece is a good tavern in this German city.

Wrought iron sign tells patrons that a good time and good beverages await inside.

If the food is as good as the outside looks, it must be great. The flower boxes and half-timber construction first grab your attention but then lead your eye to the purpose of this building—a grill type restaurant.

In an age when many could not read, this sign told people what they could find inside. Is there any doubt that shoes and boots are available here?

A lantern was the symbol of an inn during the middle ages.

In Miltenberg, this well crafted sign tells quite a story. It is the sign outside perhaps the oldest inn in Germany—since 881 according to the sign. A coat of arms decorates this ornate sign of the Hotel Zum Riesen (the giant)

Colorful Places

The Merchants Hall in Freiburg, with its dominate red facade, adds a eye-catching focal point in the colorful Munster square. It is located on the south side of Munster Square and it has been in use since the 1400s. The decorations on this building are tributes to the House of Habsburg.

In perhaps the most colorful and quaint villages in Europe (Riquewihr, France), this tavern invites all in for a good meal and drink.

In Old Town Stockholm, colorful buildings sourround the main square.

In this protected harbor pocket, the colorful town of Portofino, with a luxury yacht ported, tells the story of the transition of a small fishing village on the Italian Riviera in Northern Italy. By 1950, tourism had replaced fishing as the top economic activity of this gem.

Stacked on top of each other, this small port village’s buildings are colorful and built side-by-side in a seemingly endless jumble of buildings into a steep cliff. Anne did a good job of capturing the height and jumbled town plan. It is a well known holiday vacation spot on the Amalfi Coast.

The Greek Isles dot the Aegean Sea, and Fira on Santorini in the south Aegen looks spectacular on the steep cliffside. The best way up these steep cliffs is by Cable Car.

You really don’t need words to look at this inviting, bubbling pool and the view and I’m sure you want to jump in.

The red tile roofs, splashes of color by paint and plants characterize the Alfama section of Lisbon, Portugal. The steep streets have stores selling traditional crafts and cafes for your pleasure. These streets lead to Sao Jorge Castle (not shown).

Dramatic Castle Scenery

Castles are built to dominate and defend. Edinburgh Castle is one of the oldest fortified place in Europe; it has been a royal residence and a military garrison. Its height makes it a good defensive position but it is the most besieged fort in Britain. It houses the crown jewels and the Great Hall has hosted many royal events. For many Scots, this is the most important place in Scotland, and is open to visitors.

This defensive structure is a story of invasion and occupation. Built in the mid 13th century by Arab invaders, the Alhambra was the last Moorish stronghold to fall in 1492 during the Christian crusades or Reconquista as it is known in Spanish.

In the Julian Alps, overlooking Lake Bled, this castle is strongly positioned at almost 390 feet above the lake. This castle has defended the area for over 1000 years. It is now a museum. Anne really did a good job showing how well positioned the castle is on the heights.

A romantic fantasy land, this Portuguese Palace is constructed in the Romanticism style of architecture. It is a mixed palace of vividly painted structures amid the green vegetation that surrounds the palace. Anne took this unusual view to contrast the palace from the gardens.

The snow creates an eerie feeling to this large castle ruins 300 feet above the city of Heidelberg. The rust red facade seems to sharpen in the white snow but also holds secrets of past glory and power.

In this castle picture, during a rainstorm, Anne captures a strong castle fortress protecting a passage way in Transylvania. The small courtyard and protected passageways project strength. It is known as the castle home of Vlad the Impaler, the inspiration for Dracula. The rain adds to this picture effectiveness as a spooky place.

4 of Anne’s Favorites

This is a photo of Anne’s favorite city in Europe. The reflection of the canal, the contrasting light and distance bell tower make this one her best pictures. It is a photo worthy of her favorite city in Europe, Brugge.

Doors fascinate Anne—this is among her favorites. The contrasting colors make this plain doorway pop and peaks our curiosity—what is inside?

Another door, but quite a story here—the Swiss guards still stand watch protecting the Pope. Today it is the world’s smallest Army—about 135 strong. This guard is on Honor Duty with his traditional halberd. It is much like the guards of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in our Arlington National Cemetery as an honor guard position. The guard stands in silence, in the duty considered today as the most important among the guards duties, except for protecting the Pope. In 1527, 190 Swiss Guards were killed defending Pope Clement VII, and allowed him to escape during the Sack of Rome. These guards proudly continue their 500+ year service to the Pope.

I have to end with a sunset—Anne just loves these images! I picked this picture taken just off the island of Santorini because there is almost a cult like following of folks who just stop and watch the sun go down. This picture just makes us members of the cult!

My Final Thoughts

What a great adventure—Anne’s Photos—just another reason we love the Old World of Europe so much! We hope you enjoyed these pictures as much as we enjoyed seeing them during our travels. She really captures the essence of a place, doesn’t she?

Whatever your Dream Destinations are, we are here to help you get the best possible vacation based on what is important to you! We will provide you high quality, expertly planned travel. Please give me a call 713-397-0188 (Hank) or email me at hschrader@dreamdestinations.com. We want to help you: Savor life…make memories…Visit Dream Destinations! Your journey begins here!

AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist
Viking River Cruise Specialist
Scenic River Cruise Specialist
Emerald Waterways Specialist
Avalon Waterways Specialist
Brit Agent

Hank Schrader

June 10, 2021

Veterans, Europe Travel

14 June--Flag Day and the US Army Birthday

Hank Schrader

June 10, 2021

Veterans, Europe Travel

14 June—Flag Day and the US Army Birthday

Hank Schrader, USMA '71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

www.dreamdestinations.com

This June 2021 is a milestone year for me. On June 9, 1971 I graduated from West Point after 47 grueling months.

This next week on Monday, 14 June we will celebrate the 246 years of the US Army serving and defending our country. It also is the US Flag Day.

So, this week, I thought I’d tell you a little bit about these 3 events and their impact on my life.

West Point 1967 thru 1971

On 9 June 1971, I stood with my classmates and took the oath to “support and defend the Constitution of United States against of all enemies, foreign and domestic” during my commissioning ceremonies in the morning of 9 June 1971. I was fortunate to have my father, then a Major General and recently returned from Vietnam, swear me in with the oath that all officers take. I was now a commissioned 2LT, as an Infantry Officer.

I was 17 when I reported to attend West Point. This is my 4th class year picture (freshman year).

My cadet days were a struggle of rigorous academics in the engineering subjects, relative success in languages, social sciences and my favorite subject, physical education.

My success at West Point in many ways was connected to being a varsity track athlete, as a long sprinter in the 440 yard dash. I earned 5 letters, a few medals in competition , but it was the closeness of the team and how important track was to me that help me overcome my academic studies difficulties and graduate.

On the way to earning my first Army A letter in 1969 in the indoor tract meet against Navy. I ran at about 155-160 lbs in those days!

Handing off in the mile relay in 1970 against Navy in the Army Navy Track meet. In all varsity sports, if your team beats Navy, you get a gold star to wear under your varsity letter. In my 3 years on varsity track (under the old rules freshman could not compete on the varsity) we never lost to Navy and I proudly wore 5 gold stars under my Army A letter.

I would return in 1981-1984 to West Point to teach physical education and help coach the cadet rugby team.

In 1983, as a coach on the Army Rugby team, we took the A side to England to play the the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst Rugby team. I am on the right , second to last in the front row.

My lifetime has been always associated with the Army in some form—it started as an Army Brat (my Dad was a career officer), as you read above I went to West Point and returned to teach in the physical education department.

I served 20 years in the Army and once a soldier, always a soldier—I have tried to help in various military organizations and causes since my retirement. It was an honor to serve.

50 years ago—in many ways a long time but most of all it seems as it was just yesterday.

So, I guess it is just fitting to tell you about the significance of 14 June in my life.

US Army Birthday

First, the US Army Birthday deserves recognition. On 14 June 1775, the Continental Congress authorized expert riflemen to serve the United States Colonies for one year. Another act on that day was special for me also, as the first and only branch authorized that day was the Infantry—my branch. Other branches were authorized on 16 June 1775 but my branch was first.

It was a difficult task that faced the members of the Second Continental Congress in 1775.

On 19 April 1775, the American Revolution had begun with the engagement at Lexington and Concord, a local rebellion of New Englanders against the British. They surrounded the British troops that occupied Boston and appealed to the delegates of the 13 colonies for help.

The delegates also learned that Ethan Allen and Benedict Arnold had taken the British forts of Ticonderoga and Crown Point. It no longer was a local rebellion, the military action had changed the situation.

They decided to take the next step by establishing the Continental Army and transformed a local war of rebellion into a war of independence for the entire 13 colonies. They resolved to “raise 6 companies of expert rifleman immediately from Pennsylvania, 2 from Maryland and 2 from Virginia and, as soon as completed, shall march and join the army near Boston, to be there employed as light infantry, under command of the Chief Officer in that army”.

The US Army and the Infantry Branch were born on that June day. On this Monday 14 June 2021 both the US Army and the Infantry Branch will be 246 years old.

So, how many serve today in the Army? The active Army has about 480,900 in an all-volunteer force. There are also around 336,000 in the Army National Guard and 188,700 in the Army Reserves.

To all of you who have donned the US Army Uniform, thank you for serving our country—there is no doubt in my mind you have made it possible for us to enjoy the freedoms that come from living in America!

Happy Birthday US Army!

June 14—Flag Day

The French and American flags in front of each grave in the American cemetery in Normandy, France on 5 June 2014. The French have never forgotten we came to help liberate them on D Day 6 June 1944.

Flags have been used throughout history as a way to identify military groups, ships, states and provinces, and nations. The most popular use of flags is to symbolize a country or nation. These symbols represent the pride of a nation and are used in times of celebration, protest and tragedy to express the feelings of the nation. Perhaps no one item can so eloquently capture the spirit of a country.

Our Flag and Flag Day

When our flag was adopted, it was created by a resolution of the Second Continental Congress in 1777. The resolution stated that the flag "be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new constellation." So, that is how the Stars and Strips was officially created and described by our forefathers.

There were several attempts to recognize our flag, especially after the Civil War, but it did not receive official recognition until 1916, by a Presidential Proclamation. It is not a national holiday but a day of observance to recognize the creation and importance of our flag. In 1949, by an Act of Congress, National Flag Day was created.

We all seem to know a lot about our flag and its meaning, but it got me thinking about flags in Europe. Here are some facts about European Flags, I hope you will find interesting.

Some Interesting Europe Flags

Dannebrog

According to Wikipedia, the Dannebrog (translated to Danish Cloth), the national flag of Denmark, is the oldest national flag still in use. This flag was adopted in 1478. The cross design has been adopted by the Scandinavian flags of Norway, Sweden, Finland and Iceland.

The oldest national flags often use the cross. Here are some examples:

The Scottish Flag—one of the oldest used in Europe.

The Union Jack

Probably the most recognized flag in the world, the Union Jack is a combination of three flags: England, Wales, and Scotland and their patron saints. It was first flown on ships, hence the nickname Jack, refers to a ship mounted flag. The flag dates to 1606. Due the large colonial British Empire, it is the most common flag in the world, and is included in some form on 23 flags.

In Guilford, England another example of the Union Jack that flies over the castle ruins.

Tricolor Flags of Europe

There are two types of tricolor flags. They are vertical and horizontal designs. Tricolor flags are associated with republics, liberty and revolution. The French, Italian Romanian and Irish flags were all created on the formation of republics in those countries. Here are some of our favorite pictures of Tricolor flags:

Vertical Tricolor Flag

The Italian National Flag at the Victor Emmanuel Monument, Rome Italy.

The French Flag on display in Bratislava, Slovakia at the French consulate with a whimsical Napoleon gazes at the square.

Horizontal Tricolor Flags

The Croatian Flag flies over the walled city of Dubrovnik

The German Flag on display in Berlin in front of the Reichstag

Ship sailing on the rivers display the flag of the country they sail through. This is, of course, the German Flag on an AmaWaterways rivership.

To my knowledge, there are only two countries that have the exact same flag. They are Romania and Chad.

The Flag of Turkey

The flag of Turkey, in many ways, recognizes the importance of the old Ottoman Empire. It is very similar to the last flag of the Ottoman Empire. The modern flag of Turkey is also has been the inspiration for flags of other Muslim countries. The crescent and star on the flag is a symbol of Islam.

The Turkish National Flag on display in Istanbul

It is quite common in Europe to display multiple flags. Here are some examples

The flags from left to right, Athens City Flag, the Greek National Flag and the EU flag (hard to see the stars on the EU flag) in Athens

Flags in Lucerne, Switzerland. The Blue Flag is the Canton Flag of Lucerne. The red flag is an adaptation of the Swiss National Flag.

Flags in front of the Sacher Hotel in Vienna. From right to left, European Union, Austrian National Flag, the Union Jack and the American Flag.

Flags in Vukovar, Croatia at a war memorial. From left to right, EU flag, Croatian National Flag and the town flag of Vukovar.

National Coats of Arms

In Europe especially, there are often flags that display a national coat of arms. A flag of a country represents its population; the national coat of arms represents the government. These are displayed in different forms, sometimes on a flag, but usually on a building or perhaps a coin.

Here are just a few we have seen on our travels in Europe:

The national coat of arms on the Matthias Church window, in the Buda portion of Budapest, Hungary.

Presidential version Standard in Prague, Czech Republic The moto translated means “Truth Prevails”

The double eagle crest. The double eagle is the symbol of power and domination and used by empires. It was most notably used by the Byzantine Empire, the Holy Roman Empire, the Ausrto-Hungarian Empire and the Russian Empire. This crest is in Austria

The Double Eagle in gold at Peterhof in Russia—of course the czar would settle for anything less that gold on the crest.

My Final Thoughts

Nations and their borders are created by man. Most counties have a strong sense of national identity, with ethnic groups that have common languages, religions and customs and traditions.

Some of these countries have been created peacefully but many are a result of war or struggles of independence. Flag Day makes me proud to be an American. It makes me prouder yet to have served our country—Happy Birthday to the US Army and more importantly to all who have served.

It also makes me recognize there are many other wonderful folks who live in other nations and it inspires me to want to visit Europe more often. I want to be a good representative of our country and have more European experiences.

We hope this will inspire you to remember who were are as Americans, remember the importance of our flag and what it represents, and honor the US Army.

We also need to recognize many of our traditions and ideas came from Europe and by traveling to these places, we learn about our similarities and hopefully learn to embrace our differences.

Whatever your Dream Destinations are, we are here to help you get the best possible vacation based on what is important to you! We will provide you high quality, expertly planned travel. Please give me a call 713-397-0188 (Hank) or email me at hschrader@dreamdestinations.com. We want to help you: Savor life…make memories…Visit Dream Destinations! Your journey begins here!

AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist
Viking River Cruise Specialist
Scenic River Cruise Specialist
Emerald Waterways Specialist
Avalon Waterways Specialist
Brit Agent

Hank Schrader

May 20, 2021

Europe Travel

Train Travel in Europe

Hank Schrader

May 20, 2021

Europe Travel

Train Travel in Europe

Hank Schrader, USMA '71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

www.dreamdestinations.com

We always find one of the most fun ways to travel in Europe is by train.

A train in France. SNCF is the abbreviation for French trains.

The Highland Chieftain—a train that runs between Scotland and London

Sometimes you can’t realize how scenic train travel is—please check these pictures out:

The train rolls past Conwy, Wales—we used the train to visit this great walled city!

The scenery doesn’t get better than this!

Train travel can get you to a new location efficiently and usually for less cost than a flight, or to get from the airport to your base of operations (a great example is the Heathrow Express from the airport to London’s Paddington Station) or can be used very smartly for day trips to outlying regions near your base city—we call it spoke travel. Some great spoke cities are London, Paris, and Munich as examples, since there are great sights easily reachable by train without staying overnight and they allow you to expand your explorations in comfort and generally hassle free, especially if you don’t mind a small walk from the station to the site, but even then, there may be a convenient link by tram or other method to cut out long walks in the larger cities.

From London, for example, we have taken 4 spoke trips. They were to Hampton Court and Windsor Castle from Waterloo Station, a long one to Bath from Paddington Station (about 1 hour and 30 minutes), and even a long trip to York from King’s Cross Station (about 2 hours ride). Just look at these pictures to see how train travel enhanced our stay in London:

A good example of a spoke train trip. This is the route between Hampton Court and Waterloo Station in London. Once you board the train, the trip will have 9 stops before arriving at Waterloo. The total time of the trip is 37 minutes, if we departed at 1454.

Maybe you will run into a lost bear looking for a home like Paddington Bear

One of the York City Gates in this former walled city

As with all travel after COVID-19, things will change—local authorities will require different protocols, so be prepared for this and adjust as needed—we anticipate rules and procedures will be altered for train travel.

Not all locations are easily accessible by train in Europe, but most are—and it is often the most relaxing way to get to new destinations.

So, let’s explore together and learn about train travel in Europe!

Buying Tickets

Buying your tickets can be complicated. An easy solution sometimes is a rail pass, but they may or may not be a good deal, depending upon how many train trips you need for your vacation. We often use a combination of both types of tickets.

Generally, you cannot purchase train tickets until 90 days before your trip. This often causes great concern for many travelers, but since many trains really don’t change much in Europe, we usually can guess the exact train.

Sometimes your tickets come with extras—boat/bus included trips and other discounts. Sometimes they substitute a bus on your route.

This is the bus between Nuremberg and Prague run by DB—the German rail system.

You might wonder why we would include this river port city from our 1990 trip—it was included in our rail pass—a KD boat trip through the spectacular Rhine River Gorge!

We can really help here—it often takes a professional like us to help to get the best deal and avoid restrictions that can lead to problems.

Station Skills and Tips

1. Before you arrive at the station put your train info on a small notecard or piece of paper. Listing the train number, car (coach) number, seat numbers, departure time and arrival time at the destination along with the correct station, will make your train travel much easier. It is amazing how many times we look at this piece of paper. It also safeguards our train tickets—we are not fumbling around trying to get the right info. If the station is close by, we often make a recon visit to help us familiarize with the station layout prior to our scheduled trip.

2. Know How Many Train Changes You will need to Complete Your Trip to the New Destination. This is critical—especially the time to get to the new train. Sometimes, the track will be right next to your arrival track; often it requires a change to another track. We have often had to run to make it—another reason to travel light. Make sure you have each leg documented, including the correct train station; track #; departure and arrival time; connection time; train car number; and seat number

3. Make sure you are at the right Station. Many European cities have more than one station (Brussels has 3, for example) and if you are making connections, a wrong station can be a real hassle or cause a missed connection.

The Cologne Train Station Master Train Schedules. Yellow background is for departures; white background is arrivals. Note dates are listed day, month, year in Europe and the use the 24 hour times. Hbf is the abbreviation for Hauptbahnhof (main train station).

A close up of the arrival schedule (black print on white background), Along with the arrival time, we can learn the train type, train number, and days the train might not run. ICE is high speed train; IC Intercity train.

4. Train Stations in Europe have a lot of things you might need for your trip. Many have information booths, food, drinks, restaurants, shopping, room-finding services, money-changing stores, lockers to store your luggage (sometimes), waiting rooms (sometimes), and convenient bus, local light rail and subway connections.

Restrooms are available but may cost some small charge (usually coins) to use.

The restroom in Rostock requires a .50 Euro coin to use this restroom

A change machine outside the restroom. “Wechsler” in German means coin change

We almost always get a picnic type lunch or least a couple of beers or a bottle of wine. It often is better tasting and less expensive than the on board food. With all the conveniences, also comes the occasional thief or beggar scam. Watch your valuables and luggage and keep your money in a money belt or zippered pocket.

The beautiful train station of Amsterdam

Shops of the modern Munich train station

The beautiful inside of the Prague Train Station. Most of the trains come into a very stark cement underground platforms, so this dome area of the station is an unexpected scenic area of the station.

5. At the Station, find the departure board to get on the right track. Most station have a big flip board or electronic board that has 10 or so departure and arrivals. The boards are organized by departure and arrival times. Find your train number and time on the departure board then wait until they post the track number. Remember Europeans use the 24 hour clock—1300 is 1:00 PM. Also the city name will often not match your English names—Prague is Praha, for instance. It can be easy to get confused—there may be identical times and similar trains—make sure you have the right one. Long distance trains are easier—often there will be this big rush to the correct platform once the track number is posted. Most long distance, high speed trains require an advance reservation and a conductor will check your ticket prior to boarding.

A Flip Board. The train that will depart next is at the top of the board. In some cases, the correct track number will not be listed until 15 minutes prior to departure and a big rush starts to get to the correct track.

6. Know the configuration of your train prior to getting aboard if possible. Many stations have the exact composition of your train on a display board. These are on the platform where the train will arrive. Locating this diagram can make boarding much easier. Each platform often has letters overhead to indicate where you should stand when the train arrives. Train cars are usually marked with a “1” for First-Class and a “2” for Second-Class and the car number.

Train Configuration Diagrams. You can see the car numbers. Yellow is first class; green is second class; and red is restaurant car.

Even if you have a First Class ticket, some local trains only have Second Class train coaches. If your coach is at the diagram for letter A for example, your coach should stop somewhere near that letter. In addition, each track will usually have a sign showing the next train arrival with a train number and other information so you can be pretty sure you are on the correct train platform. Trust the diagram and local conductors—almost all speak some English. Even if they are not sure, their guess is better than yours—they ride these trains every day. It is not uncommon for cars to be out of number sequence and a few years ago, I ran after a train car while Anne waited at the right spot—she was right, of course!

A Thalys train diagram. The train is 9339. The zones are divided in to A3, A2, A3, etc. The diagram tells you are at Zone A1

7. Tracks and Platforms can change. I missed a train to Berlin in 2008 once by sitting on the wrong platform—it had changed and I was too busy talking to my friend (an example, if I was on track 4 and the sign now says “gleis 4, auf gleis 12”, my track has changed from 4 to 12 “auf” in German translates to now). Luckily, there was another train one hour later. Even if you have scoped things out beforehand, if everyone suddenly starts running to another platform or track, just start asking—someone will tell you about the new track. With the recent COVID-19 situation in Europe, we guess some trains will change platforms or have unannounced train changes as travel returns to normal. In the past at every border, the crew often changed and there was a passport check but that has now changed. There will be more checks nowadays with the recent pandemic problems but overall the hassles should be minimal.

We are on the right track—#3. Our train is ICE 503 (high speed). Can you find the letter stops—A to G? You can also see First Class (1) and Second Class (2) configuration of the train.

8. Trains only stop for 2 to 5 minutes at most stops unless you are the first departure point on the route. If you have not been able to locate your reserved coach just get on the train. Do not waste time getting on; clear the platform as quickly as possible. Even if you are totally confused, just get on the right train and then get to the proper car and seat.

9. Know if you are required to validate your tickets. This will be often required in some form for individual tickets. There is often a machine device that will date stamp your tickets. For rail passes, you usually will have to visit the train station office to initiate your rail pass by the officials. Rail passes also require your passport to show the officials and conductors. Then, you will have to record, each leg of the trip in your rail ticket documents. Do not ignore either of these requirements—you can receive a hefty fine for non-compliance.

On the Train

1. Try to limit the amount of luggage you carry if you are using a lot of trains in Europe. We have seen people carry an amazing lot of stuff and have been guilty of this way too often ourselves. There are 2 problems here—many platforms require you to walk down steps, go under or over train tracks and back up or down lugging all your stuff. Often there is not a lift or escalator. Heavy bags can be a real problem. The second problem is putting your stuff away while on the train. Most trains have overhead racks that will hold 21 inch luggage but larger bags can be a problem. Sometimes there are luggage storage areas in your train car—sometimes not. Also there are folks in larger stations who will try to help you for a tip—you often think they are just helpful fellow travelers—be careful, train stations offer great opportunities for less honest folks looking for an easy chance to steal something. We constantly count luggage and check even if it is in the luggage area of our car. When in doubt, we carry a small chain & lock to make sure our items are secure.

2. Train seats are not for your luggage. We watched an American on a very crowded train take up several seats guarding their luggage and being very confrontational to others. Store you luggage properly—do not take someone’s seat on a crowded train. If you are obstructing a seat, be prepared to move your luggage if a new passenger arrives.

3. Do not assume just because you got on the right train all the cars are going where you want to go. Sometimes a train will split apart at some stations and part of the train will head to a different place than you want to go. Always ask the conductor if you are in the right car, right seat and right section of the train—especially if you do not have a reserved seat.

4. Even if you have a reserved seat, someone may be using it. Just politely show your ticket and try and work it out. Most often it is a family with young kids or some other good reason. Sometimes it is a second class ticketed person try to score a free upgrade or just an honest mistake—right seat, wrong car (just remember you might be wrong, as has happened to us). Keep your cool and if it is a real problem, let the conductor work it out.

5. Most announcements on the train are in English following another European language first, especially on long distance trains. We have learned to know about how long the trip is and get up early (about 10-15 minutes or so) so we can get off quickly, especially if we have 23-25 inch suitcases. If the trip announcements seem to get a gasp or two from other riders, you can probably guess the train has been delayed. Just ask—most folks who ride the trains speak a little English or are willing to help. Also you often will not know which side to exit the train, or in some smaller stations, especially in England, you may have to walk forward to others cars to disembark if the train is longer than the platform. In Munich, if you get off the wrong side of the train on the U-Bahn, sometimes you have to wait for another train to cross over the train to the center platform and get your proper exit—don’t laugh, it has happened to us!

6. At your seat, be considerate. First, no feet on the opposite seats, clean up after food and drink. We always bring disinfecting wipes to clean the common area, arm rests, etc. Please observe posted signs in the cars—for example, quiet cars that prohibit cell phone conversations and handicap spaces and seats.

7. Food Service varies on trains. First Class, longer haul routes, may include a meal served at your seat at no extra charge. There may be a cart service, where you can buy meals, snacks and beverages. There may be a dining car, where you can go to buy what you might need. Most small trains do not have food options. Some take credit cards, others require cash.

Our included breakfast on the Thayls train

We almost always have a beer or two—this was included in our fare.

Problems

1. Screaming at railroad employees is rude and wrong. We watched an American scream at a reservation person because the person did not speak English well. Finally a kind man who spoke English and French stepped in and helped resolve the problem. Screaming and rudeness just makes the situation worse. Our experience is that most railroad folks really try to help and resolve problems or get you a better train or seat or car. Be patient, use short clear words, no slang, and trust the reservation representatives. When you enter the reservation and ticketing area, usually there is a number system, so get a ticket and wait your turn (now serving #). If there is a representative at the entrance area, ask what the system is and if you have a short time to make a connection, let them know. Always ask before standing in line. Sometimes at ticketing offices in the stations you may have to wait up to a half an hour to get your problem resolved—so many travel by train, even in large stations the back log can be significant. If you have a rail pass or first class ticket, sometimes you can skip the waiting lines and get served faster.

2. Train Strikes do happen. We were in Brugge once ready to leave on a Monday and we found out while enjoying a small breakfast that all local trains in Belgium were on scheduled strikes on Mondays thru the month of December in protest of wages. All the locals knew, but we sure did not. We wound up splitting a cab to Brussels with another couple—an extra 80 Euros in cash we had not planned for. Our lesson learned—ask the hotel at check in if there are any problems for departure transportation.

Long Distance Train Travel

1. Overnight trains. We have had some really good results and some horrible experiences. First rule for us—get a private compartment.

In 1990, during the world cup, we wound up in a sleeper for 4 with 2 guys from Argentina. We were all worried, but since I spoke Spanish, we worked it out. It was so hot and if you opened the windows, a passing train would shatter any possibility of sleep. We wound up the next day with heat rashes and were so exhausted, we just slept most of the next day.

On a trip in 2014 from Grenada to Barcelona in a 2 person compartment, it was very good—we got some sleep and a good meal.

And another good trip was from Amsterdam to Munich that saved us a cost of a hotel room—we arrived rested and ready to explore Munich after dropping our luggage of at our hotel. We also discovered a hidden gem in the Amsterdam Station—not only stunning decor but great food—the perfect send off for our overnight train ride!

Grand Cafe Brasserie in Amsterdam Station

Our advice --spend a little more and arrive rested, so you can save a hotel room cost yet not be so tired the benefit of the overnight ride is not wasted.

2. Expect More Overnight Travel Routes. We know these will expand, as many are questioning the value of short flights in Europe (energy conservation) and the relaxation factor of train travel. Also, the expansion of high speed routes reduces travel times.

My Final Thoughts

What a great adventure—train travel—just another reason we love the Old World of Europe so much! We hope you enjoyed these tips and pictures as much as we enjoyed sharing them with you.

Whatever your Dream Destinations are, we are here to help you get the best possible vacation based on what is important to you! We will provide you high quality, expertly planned travel. Please give me a call 713-397-0188 (Hank) or email me at hschrader@dreamdestinations.com. We want to help you: Savor life…make memories…Visit Dream Destinations! Your journey begins here!

AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist
Viking River Cruise Specialist
Scenic River Cruise Specialist
Emerald Waterways Specialist
Avalon Waterways Specialist
Brit Agent

Hank Schrader

April 15, 2021

Europe Travel

2 European April Celebrations We Missed

Hank Schrader

April 15, 2021

Europe Travel

2 European April Celebrations We Missed

Hank Schrader, USMA '71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

www.dreamdestinations.com

We always try to travel to Europe in April—the 26th is Anne’s birthday.

We have enjoyed river cruises and visits to any of the 50 European countries—it is always fun!

But there are two celebrations we have never been to in Europe and hopefully we can add them to our list of future travel experiences. First, is National Tartan Day on 6 April of each year. The second is National Beer Day on 7 April.

So, let’s explore together and learn about how we might celebrate these 2 great festivals in Europe—you won’t be disappointed!

National Tartan Day

Anne has some Scottish ancestors, so we wear the Tartan. National Tartan Day originated in Canada and the celebration has become a global celebration. The clans in Nova Scotia (New Scotland) started this festival and it became a national holiday in Canada. The celebration recognizes the Declaration of Arbroath which was signed in 1320. This document is essentially a declaration of independence of the Kingdom of Scotland from English rule.

In 2004, the Angus Council of Scotland (Arbroath is a part of the jurisdiction of the Angus Council) established the first festival in 2004—I guess they really didn’t need a special recognition day since tartan wearing is in vogue year round in Scotland, but they recognized the historical significance of the date and now it is a Scottish festival.

A Short History of Scottish Clans

Scottish Clans have many traditions but the wearing of the tartan is one of the best known traditions. A tartan is a fabric made up of horizontal and vertical stripes in different colors, on a colored background. They originated in the Scottish Highlands. Each clan has their own pattern, or several patterns. This big benefit was to quickly identify the different clans and pride.

Scottish clans were certainly not afraid to fight among themselves—wealth, land, reputation and just fighting to stay alive were some reasons there was seemingly constant conflicts among the clans. Many did not survive the conflicts. However, there were many benefits of the clan system—group defense, a sense of identity, easier to produce enough food for all members of the clan and ways to make a living producing goods and services for other clan members.

Today, the warfare has stopped and disputes are settled differently than in the past.

Now, How is it celebrated?

As you would expect, the gents all get decked out in kilts, there are parades with bagpipes and drums, dancing, Highland Games, sport contests and plenty of a “wee bit of a dram of Scottish Whiskey” or two is raised in glasses or flasks by all.

The MacFarlane Clan

Anne’s clan is MacFarlane. It is a Scottish Highland clan which held territory between Loch Long and Loch Lomond. Here is a picture of the clan crest:

The clan was a rough bunch—stealing others cattle and food seem to be their favorite pastime. They were so adept at cattle stealing, a moon lite night for those near the clans land was known as a “MacFarlane Lantern”.

**This one of our clan T-shirts. It was designed by Douglas McFarland in 2015.**

There are 5 tartans associated with the clan

**A gathering of the MacFarlane Clan in Estes Park CO**

**Anne on the left waves during the parade in Estes Park CO**

Anne and I have handmade kilts using the Modern Hunting pattern. It is one of the 2 most popular weaves—the other is the Modern Red.

**Our dog Libby wearing the Modern Red Tartan**

**Anne in her Modern Hunting pattern kilt and sash at Estes Park, CO**

A collection of MacFarlane kilt patterns and accessories. On the far left is an everyday sporrran—it is a plain design. At the bottom left, no smart Scott would be without a mug. At the top middle is the Modern Red Tartan with a kilt pin on top o… — A collection of MacFarlane kilt patterns and accessories. On the far left is an everyday sporrran—it is a plain design. At the bottom left, no smart Scott would be without a mug. At the top middle is the Modern Red Tartan with a kilt pin on top of this pattern. At the bottom middle is the Ancient Hunting Tartan pattern with the sgian-dubh (dagger). On the far right at the top is a formal sporran. And at the bottom is a flask to carry your adult beverages.

Kilts

The original kilt (known as the great kilt) was a 5-6 meter long cloth worn around the shoulders and fastened at the waist with a belt. Around the 18th century, the “little kilt” became more popular and that is the kilts we wear today. Kilts are so important to Scots, in a bid to quash their national identity, their English rulers made it illegal to wear kilts.

A proper kilt is worn with a sporran (a purse attached to the kilt belt, nowadays often holding your flask of your favorite adult beverage); a sgian-dubh (an ornamental dagger) and a kilt pin. Traditional kilts don’t have pockets, so you can understand the need for a sporran and accessories hanging from a kilt belt.

**An everyday set of accessories. A kilt belt, a mug, a simple sporran and a sock dagger.**

The sgian-dubh was traditionally worn in the top of the sock by Highlanders. Sgian means knife and dubh means black in Gaelic

Scottish Highlanders were proud of their clan. They distinguished themselves from other clans by their tartan, their dagger, their kilt pin and their sporran. Highlanders had little trust in banks and often displayed their wealth by their clothing, which is always worn with pride by wearers of the tartan.

Kilts can be worn different ways—with a shirt for day wear or as formal wear with a Bonnie Prince Jacket and a clan or black bow tie. It is fun to wear and women really like it when men wear kilts, so enjoy this brief history of kilts for a celebration we would like to had somewhere in Scotland.

**Hank Wearing his Prince Bonnie Jacket with Vest and the clan kilt**

**Anne and Hank on the AmaKristina during a Christmas Markets Cruise**

**Christmas Dinner at Kastel Engleberg in the Netherlands**

National Beer Day

In an event I’ve been training for since I was 18 (the old legal drinking age many moons ago when I was younger), the answer here is what cool places in Europe have we tasted a brew or two? Often, we began our trips with a great beer together and take a picture—it has been a Schrader tradition for the many years we been traveling together.

Ok, this is an American holiday—this was the date of the passing of the Cullen-Harrison Act, which legalized the sale of beer in 1933 at the end of prohibition. Beer became legal first, then was followed by the repeal of the 18th amendment, which ended prohibition in December of 1933.

If you have never heard of this celebration, you are not alone. It was actually the idea of a craft beer guy in Virginia, who created a Facebook page with the title of National Beer Day.

There is actually a beer purity law in Germany. The only allowed ingredients are water, hops, and barley. It was written by Bavarian noblemen in 1516. Yeast is now also an acceptable ingredient.

For sure the best way to celebrate this day, is in a tavern, pub or other suitable drinking establishment with friends lifting a pint or two, as they say in England. We however, seem to celebrate this holiday year round, so we have expanded Nation Beer Day to be European Beer Year for the Schrader’s and we plan to show you some of our celebrations throughout Europe.

Enjoy our pictures—it really shows we just like beer, in most European countries.

**Anne with one of her favorites—Guinness beer at the Guinness Storehouse Dublin, Ireland**

**Anne poses with Lazlo, one of the special waiters we have befriended on AmaWaterways during German Festival**

**Bitburger Beer served on AmaWaterways river cruises**

**Anne with another favorite Leffe beer in Brugge**

**Ganter Beer on the left in Freiburg Germany.**

**De Konnick beer in Antwerp It is a Belgian style pale ale.**

**Duval Beer. It is a golden ale beer.**

**Hank with 2 beer boots in a German restaurant in CO with Warsteiner Beer**

**Grimberg beer on the train in Europe**

**2 beers—it is easy to identify Anne’s Guinness**

**Hank with 2 beers in Brasov, Romania**

**Hank with 2 Leffe beers. It is a pale ale style beer.**

**2 Maas beers. It is a Belgian pilsner style beer.**

**Hofbrau Beer in Munich—it is brewed using the 1516 beer purity laws.**

**Hank with 2 Paulander beers. It is a German Lager beer.**

**Hank with 2 Peroni Beers—it is an Italian Lager Beer**

**Soproni beer—a Hungarian Lager—we had these in Budapest**

**Hopus Beer in Antwerp. It is a IPA Belgian style beer.**

**Hank with another of Anne’s favorite Beers—Stella Artois. It is a Belgium pale lager style beer.**

My Final Thoughts

What a great adventure—American and Canada festivals honoring the traditions started in Europe, so for us, it is a good reason to return to Europe and celebrate whenever we get the chance.—just another reason we love the Old World of Europe so much! We hope you enjoyed these pictures as much as we enjoyed experiencing them during our travels.

Whatever your Dream Destinations are, we are here to help you get the best possible vacation based on what is important to you! We will provide you high quality, expertly planned travel. Please give me a call 713-397-0188 (Hank) or email me at hschrader@dreamdestinations.com. We want to help you: Savor life…make memories…Visit Dream Destinations! Your journey begins here!

AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist
Viking River Cruise Specialist
Scenic River Cruise Specialist
Emerald Waterways Specialist
Avalon Waterways Specialist
Brit Agent

Hank Schrader

March 25, 2021

Europe Travel

European Half-Timbered Buildings

Hank Schrader

March 25, 2021

Europe Travel

European Half-Timbered Buildings

Hank Schrader, USMA '71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

www.dreamdestinations.com

Perhaps there are no more interesting buildings in Europe than Half-Timbered Buildings. Wood craftsmanship always interests us.

We always find one of the most fascinating aspects of Europe is how well all seem to use the limited space in the cities and villages and sometimes keep their historic buildings intact to honor the past—it is amazing!

So, let’s explore together and learn about these wonderful part wooden structures and other examples of how well Europeans use wood in their construction.

Overview

Timbered frame construction is quite common in Europe where there is a good supply of wood. When the load-bearing timbers are left exposed on the outside of the building, it is referred to as “half-timbered”.

The exposed timbers and the spaces in between the wood often creates a contrast, so the overall effect is a very distinctive structure, which is associated with construction methods of times past. The material used between the spaces is called infill and could be a variety of materials, such as brick, stone and other materials. It is often covered with plaster on the exterior to improve the overall appearance of the structure and to keep the fill material securely in place.

The timbers usually came directly from logs, instead of the square lumber we use today in construction. It fit well with the times, as axes, adzes, and draw knife scrapes were the woodworking tools most used during this time of construction. It was very labor intensive, but since there were not powered tools to make this process easier, it really was the only way to use wood in structures.

Most exposed timbered frame homes are located in Northern Europe, so let’s explore these cool buildings from our pictures in various countries.

Germany

As you probably know, Germany is the country where half-timbered buildings are quite prevalent.

The tiny town of Cochem has some half-timbered gems. Please enjoy!

Bernkastel is another town with a lot of half-timbered buildings. This is a charming village with scenic beauty. Please enjoy these 4 pictures!

Miltenberg is famous for its half-timbered buildings—it has over 100. Here are some of our pictures of this interesting town.

**Milteneberg, Germany Market square. Many believe it is one of the most beautiful squares in all of Germany.**

**5 levels of a timbered building in Miltenberg**

**Zum Rissan—it probably is the oldest continuously used hotel in Germany. It is a great treasure of Miltenberg.**

Wertheim, Germany also has some very good half timbered buildings.

**Market Square has some half-timbered buildings**

**Colorful building in Wertheim with flower boxes.**

**Even banks can have half-timbered designs in Wertheim.**

In Rudesheim, there are many half-timbered buildings. Here are some of them:

**Another great half-timbered venue—Keller in German translates to cellar**

Perhaps one of the most famous German half-timbered buildings is in Bamburg, Germany. Legend has it that the citizens wanted to build a town hall but were denied space by the ruling Bishop, so they built in the middle of the river on a bridge! This is one awesome building and worthy to see in person.

We found this unique half timbered house near Marksburg Castle, after taking a train from Koblenz to the town of Braubach on the Rhine River on our way to tour Marksburg. This charming little town has a good collection of half-timbered buildings. This one caught our attention due to the unique window carvings

You would expect at least a castle or two with half-timbers, so not to disappoint, here is Berg Eltz

One of my favorite views of this unique castle—Anne really captured what is like to enter the courtyard.

France

There a many surviving examples of half-timbered buildings in France. Let’s start with the Alsace region.

Another Riquewihr half-timbered building.

**Riquewihr just seems to never stop—another building that caught our eye!**

The next 5 pictures are in Strasbourg, France.

**In this narrow lane on the right of the picture, there are some good examples of half-timbered buildings.**

In France’s Loire Valley, there are some good examples of half-timbered buildings.

Old timbered building in Amboise, France

In St. Emillion we found a really old half-timbered building.

Switzerland

You might expect this construction style in Switzerland—this land locked country in the Alps with plenty of timber available and the heavy influence of Germany in parts of the country, are probably good reasons there are some wonderful buildings constructed in the half-timbered style.

England

There are some really cool examples of these structures in England.

Let’s start with the bard—Shakespeare’s house and his wife Anne Hathaway’s family home in Stratford-on-Avon.

Shakespeare’s home in Stratford-on-Avon.

Anne Hathaway’s home just outside Stratford-on-Avon.

One of the more unique half-timbered buildings is the Globe theater in London, where Shakespeare put his plays on for the public. This is a repical of the original theater—you can see the large half-timbered beams.

Now, on to Warwick, England

York is famous for many half-timbered buildings. Here are a few:

**The Punch Bowl Pub in York. This pub is over 400 years old.**

**Old blends with new in York—a half-timbered structure next to the National Trust Gift Sop.**

While most of the exposed construction is readily visible in half-timbered buildings, there are special roofing techniques that deserve a look. Here are two great examples in England—let’s start with Chipping Campden in the Cotwolds. The open air roof construction of the market hall shows great techniques of this type of classic roof structure .

**Open air market in Chipping Camden where livestock and wool was sold.**

**Note the complex wooden structure of the open air market. It was strong enough to support a slate roof.**

**Another picture of the roof structure.**

Here is one example of a special roof in Hampton Court Palace. It is a great example of a hammerbeam roof. Henry VIII wanted the roof in the most important and impressive building of his palace to recreate the craftsmanship of ages past of his medieval predecessors. It is just stunning!

**The magnificent roof of the Great Hall.**

**This picture really shows how large and impressive the Great Hall is!**

**On the walls are the Abraham tapestries. They were woven in Belgium and are very valuable. Anne did a great job capturing the detailed carvings in the roof structure.**

Denmark

We got a good chance to see some examples of half-timbered buildings in an outdoor display in Aarhus, Denmark. In the open air museum, Den Gamle By, has an outstanding collection of timbered buildings.

•Aarhus is the second-largest city in Denmark.

• It is located on the east coast of the Jutland peninsula, in the geographical center of Denmark.

•Its chief attraction is the Old Town called Den Gamle By. It is an open-air town museum of 75 old buildings collected from all over Denmark and reassembled here in the museum

**Colorful half-timbered buildings in the museum**

**Examples of half- timbered buildings in the museum.**

**Old Mill using a water wheel for power**

Romania

You probably wouldn’t think about Romania as a place with half-timbered structures but here is an excellent examples of this style of construction. Peles Castle in Sinaia, Romania is really a palace with 170 rooms not a true castle. Some of the exterior looks more like a half-timbered building. It was ready for the king and queen of Romania in 1883.

My Final Thoughts

What a great adventure—half-timbered homes—just another reason we love the Old World of Europe so much! We hope you enjoyed these pictures as much as we enjoyed seeing them during our travels.

Whatever your Dream Destinations are, we are here to help you get the best possible vacation based on what is important to you! We will provide you high quality, expertly planned travel. Please give me a call 713-397-0188 (Hank) or email me at hschrader@dreamdestinations.com. We want to help you: Savor life…make memories…Visit Dream Destinations! Your journey begins here!

AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist
Viking River Cruise Specialist
Scenic River Cruise Specialist
Emerald Waterways Specialist
Avalon Waterways Specialist
Brit Agent

Hank Schrader

February 25, 2021

Europe Travel

What Was Your Favorite Meal in Europe?

Hank Schrader

February 25, 2021

Europe Travel

What Was Your Favorite Meal in Europe?

Hank Schrader, USMA '71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

www.dreamdestinations.com

The idea for this blog came from Valentine’s Day and wonderful meals most of us celebrate. Anne and I started to think about great European meals we have shared together alone and with friends.

It got delayed a little bit by the weather here in Texas—hard to write a blog without power and post it on our website but we are finally back to near normal and hope our many Texas friends and clients have recovered and are well.

There are so many great meal experiences, I decided to describe some memorable meals and dishes from European countries we have visited—with the help of Anne’s pictures. Since cuisine and meals cross borders, we might even let you know about the same dish in two or more countries!

To make it easier, this blog will be organized by country and perhaps our favorite meals just might be one of their most famous dishes. Although we always add wine or beer to our meals, to keep it simple, I am focusing on just the food except for special beverages.

We then have a request—please share with us a memorable meal you had, why it was so good and pictures if any. Then with your permission, we will post them on a new web page on our website.

So, let’s explore together and learn about some of these meals we remember from our travels, as we wait anxiously for your responses.

Austria

In a land that has Sachertorte, Apfelstrudel, and Spargel (white asparagus), the most famous dish is Wiener schnitzel.

Apple Strudel—this is from Koblentz Germany

We have had some great meals here, but one stand out has to be Figlmüller Restaurant on Bäckerstraße, near St. Stephens Cathedral. The star here is Wiener schnitzel—many believe they make the best Wiener schnitzel in all Europe. This breaded pork cutlet is amazing and it is giant—so big it covers the entire plate.

Compare this to an earlier meal in another part of Vienna—I think I’d go with the bigger version, wouldn’t you?

Another Weidner Schnitzel at a different restaurant in Vienna

However, for Anne it is liver and onions—another house specialty.

Belgium

Food and drink in Belgium is a pure joy. We constantly enjoy great dishes in this small country. Maybe we should start our day on a cold morning with a great coffee in Brugge.

A great way to start the day with a wonderful pot of coffee

Belgium waffles, and chocolates are great. We had some on a wonderful special tour on an AmaWaterways tour—enjoy this picture:

Belgium Waffles in Antwerp—this was on an AmaWaterways tour

The fries are worth standing in line at a food truck in Brugge, as we have done numerous times. Over 1000 beer varieties are available.

But there are 3 standout dishes here—mussels, carbonnade (beef and beer stew) and fresh lobster. Here are some of our pictures of these great meals:

It is easy to have a special night—here is our New Year’s Eve dinner in Brugge in 2019—one of the best meals we ever had!

Fire roasted Camembert cheese—Anne could have made a whole meal of this on the baguette!

My Chateaubriand with Bernaise sauce—center cut tenderloin—out of this world good!

Croatia

It stands to reason that with its many miles of coastline, fresh seafood is a delight here. Here is a meal we enjoyed in Dubrovnik in 2009—Anne had fish and I had prawns. We also shared some mussels. It was really good!

Czech Republic

Hearty meals here are quiet common and pork served in a variety of ways is always a great treat. Pork is commonly served with dumplings and cabbage.

Some of the best traditional dishes can be found in a brewery restaurant like Privnive Stupartska 1869. These pictures are from a 2015 visit during the Christmas Markets with our travel chums, Mark and Denise.

A meat lovers plate—pork ribs and a shank

But there is also luxury dining here in Prague. The following pictures are from Tersa U Zlate stude, in a 16th century building with views of Prague. This is an upscale fine dining restaurant

England

Fish and Chips, Roast Beef and Yorkshire pudding are great traditional foods but for me, it has to be both a full English breakfast and in a pub, Bangers and Mash and Shepard’s Pie.

The English also love deserts—here is traditional sticky toffee in York.

In Scotland, we found a special restaurant in Edinburgh—Wildfire, a Scottish Steak and Seafood Bistro.

France

There are so many great choices here, it will be hard to pick only one or two, so I’ll tell you about several of our favorites. Here are just some—Boeuf Bourguignon (beef stew with red wine, pearl onions, mushrooms and bacon);

Coq au Vin (chicken cooked in wine); Potatoes Lyonnaise;

Cog au Vin—we made this dish in Wales for Anne’s 60th birthday at a cooking school!

Cassoulet;

Chicken Cordon Bleu;

Croque Monsieur and Croque Madame;

Anne’s Croque Madam and my omelette in Paris at Danton’s

Jambon Beurre (a great ham sandwich on a baguette); croissants;

Lyonnaise salad;

Profiteroles; and

Soufflés.

And, of course. crepes.

Crepes restaurant workers in Brittany, France

I do want to mention a great afternoon we had in Vienne—a bottle of great wine, and cheese, cold cuts and baguette slices—it is perhaps one of our favorite memories of the perfect afternoon picnic style lunch.

Germany

Let’s start our culinary trip in Germany with breakfast

Next is favorite foods in Germany. Shall we begin with brats and all types of sausages?

Oldest sausage house in Germany in Regensburg

Hank with a Nuremberg Sausage and a red beer on an AmaWaterways tour

spätzle (traditional Swabian egg noodles),

Käsespätzle (cheese spätzle)

A street vendor during the Christmas Markets in Strasbourg—not surprising to see wonderful German food in the Alsace

Schweinhaxe (pork knuckle)

Brezel (pretzels);

white asparagus;

sauerbraten;

schnitzel with all types of sauces (my favorite is jaeger schnitzel);

Berliner meatballs;

roulade; sauerkraut; German potato salad (2 styles northern with mayonnaise and pickles, while the southern one has bacon, vinegar and most often served warm); roulade; goulash and black forest cake—my mouth is watering!.

Hungary

In a country where paprika is so readily available, beef goulash has to be the standout.

Beef Goulash at the Strudel House in Budapest Hungry

Of course, I had to finish with Apple Strudel at the Strudel House!

I also like the chicken Paprikash (chicken in a sour cream sauce spiced up with paprika).served with noodles, smoked sausages and cabbage rolls

One rare treat is chimney cakes baked over an open fire—Kürtőskalács is the correct name in the Hungarian language.

But be careful sometimes, the cuisine may not be your liking—this sign requires special taste buds

Ireland

Soda bread, all manner of shellfish (oysters for Anne), potato dishes, boiled bacon and cabbage, smoked salmon, and lamb are all good choices, but for me the Irish beef stew is amazing here!

Anne ready to order in the 1837 restaurant in Dublin

The staff at the 1837 restaurant—they are getting ready to serve my Guinness Irish stew

We recommend having it at the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin in the 1837 restaurant—it just doesn’t get better than that. The Guinness beer used just sends this dish over the top. How could a meat and potatoes guy like me not like me not like a stew made of beer, beef with bacon, in a rich, complex gravy served over mash potatoes?

Italy and San Marino

Let’s begin by just listing the wonderful foods of Italy and see our pictures. Famous foods include:

Pizza, lasagna, risotto, ossobuco (bone-in veal shank),

Focaccia (and other breads),

Focaccia bread often is served all over Europe—this is from Brasov Romania

tiramisu and great coffee are just some other wonderful Italian foods. It should be finished with gelato and a digestivo (limoncello, grappa, amaretto and maybe even Sambuca)!

Gelato shop in Rome from a food tour we took

Great desserts in this traditional gelato shop

In Italy, for us, you just have to go with one of their amazing selection of pasta dishes and with the many regions in this great food country. There are a lot of good choices but our personal favorite is Carbonara. This delightful, simple dish egg, pasta, usually a cheese blend of Pecorino Romano and Parmigiano Regina and pancetta or lardons (the meat component) is our constant choice.

Carbonara in Florence and another pasta dish

Another favorite is tortellini—here is a dish Anne enjoyed in the country of San Marino, an enclave of Italy.

This peninsula nation is also famous for fresh seafood, and depending upon your tastes, you should try some. Here is great couple of pictures of prawns we enjoyed in Portofino after a great wine tasting while on a SilverSea cruise.

A wonderful wine tasting with traditional Italian cold cuts. This was on a tour on our SilverSea cruise

Netherlands

There is one king food here—cheese! But other good ideas include bitterballen (deep fried breaded meat balls usually served with mustard for dipping), stroopwafels (a thin waffle like cookie), Dutch pancakes (more like a crepes topped in various ways), jenever (a strong gin type alcohol drink made from juniper berries—we had some on an AmaWaterways cruise tour), apple pie, raw herring (for Anne not me!), kibbeling (battered fried fish, usually cod—again an Anne dish), and maybe a visit to an Indonesian restaurant.

For cheese, maybe try Gouda, Geitenkaas or Maasdammer, but it is all amazing!

In Edam. while on an AmaWaterways Tulip Time cruise, I got a chance to visit an actual old cheese market—here are two great photos.

A historic cheese market shop in Edam—it was part of an AmaWaterways tour

Display in the historic cheese shop with the traditional cheese making equipment

But don’t think chocolate is not readily available—as in all Europe, good food does not have country boundaries!

Romania

We stayed a couple of days in Brasov after an AmaWaterways river cruise and learned about a dessert that is out of this world—paparasi! These are a donut like desert covered with sour cream and jam. Trust us, it is great.

My Final Thoughts

What a great culinary trip—we just miss these wonderful meals and the great folks we often get to share them with during our travels—just another reason we love the Old World of Europe so much! We hope you enjoyed these pictures and you will send us some favorite memories of your meals in Europe.

Whatever your Dream Destinations are, we are here to help you get the best possible vacation based on what is important to you! We will provide you high quality, expertly planned travel. Please give me a call 713-397-0188 (Hank) or email me at hschrader@dreamdestinations.com. We want to help you: Savor life…make memories…Visit Dream Destinations! Your journey begins here!

Hank in Milan enjoying an al fresco meal

AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist
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Hank Schrader

February 11, 2021

Europe Travel

Seeing Double in Europe

Hank Schrader

February 11, 2021

Europe Travel

Seeing Double in Europe

Hank Schrader, USMA '71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

www.dreamdestinations.com

After traveling several times to Europe, we would often think that we had seen something quite similar to the new site we were currently visiting.

So, I thought I’d write an unusual blog about seeing double in Europe—places that either had a twin or similar site or does a double duty in its function.

Don’t expect that this is a scientific study—this is our picture report of how one site reminded us of another place or does a double duty.

So, let’s begin our mystery tour of Europe.

A Famous Bridge that has a Twin

One of the most interesting bridges in all of Europe is the Charles Bridge in Prague. It is pedestrian only and adored with statues of 30 Saints. Construction of this bridge started in 1357 and was completed in the early 1400s. Here are two pictures:

**People on the Charles Bridge—you can see the castle in the background**

However, this bridge has a twin—in Würzburg, Germany. The old bridge was constructed from 1473 to 1543. There are 12 statues of Saints and is pedestrian only, just like the Charles Bridge.

Take a look and see if they look very similar to you with these 2 photos.

**People on the Old Bridge in Würzburg**

Double Duty Clock Towers

There are several impressive clocks that served in medieval times to tell time and provide additional information—usually astronomical information.

First up is the clock in Prague. The Astronomical Clock (Orloj)--on the side of the Town Hall Tower--consists of an astronomical dial embellished with zodiac symbols, a calendar dial and colorful, moving sculptures. As the clock chimes, biblical figurines come out, and spectators may watch the "Walk of the Apostles." An hourly bell toll features a figurine representing death. The clock comes to life from 0900 to 2100 daily.

Next up are two towers in Munich in the Old Town Hall and the New Town Hall in Marianlatz.

In the Old Town Hall the clock tower has a clock and an astronomical clock. The Old Town clock tells time; indicates the moon phase on a rotating ball; and has a zodiac on a fixed ring within a 12-hour dial. Here are 2 pictures of the Old Town Hall and its double duty clock.

On the New Town Hall, there is a tower with a famous glockenspiel (1908), which performs at 1100 and 1200 all year. The story is of a 1500 wedding, of a Bavarian Duke (blue & white) and his French bride (red & white), knights and celebrations. Enjoy these photos of this unique Munich spectacle.

**Clock on the New Town Hall in Munich**

**People Waiting for the Glockenspiel Performance—you can see the figures on the left tower**

An easily missed astronomical clock tower is in Hampton Court, just outside London. On the inside of the main gate house, there is an astronomical clock. The time clock is on the other side.

**Inside of the Main Gate with the Astronomical Clock**

Lesser known clock towers are also worth knowing about.

In Dubrovnik, the clock tower also has another function. The rotating moon ball shows the lunar phase.

In the island of Malta, a clock on a church does double duty by telling us the time, the day of the week and day of the month. Here are 2 pictures of the St. John’s Co-Cathedral (this is another similar named St. John’s Cathedral on the island):

**St. John’s Co-Cathedral in Valletta, Malta**

In Venice, many don’t realize there is an astronomical clock on a beautiful building—the St. Mark’s Clock Tower. This tower has several functions. Part of the reason is you have to examine closely the whole building tower to see all the functions of this clock tower.

The first clock is not a dial type in the higher portion of tower—there are numbers in two blue panels that tell the hour (in Roman numerals) and 5 minute intervals (in Arabic numbers).

Below the panels is a large clock that is a 24-hour dial type clock with Roman numerals for each hour. The dial is a gold pointer that represents the sun and tells the hour of the day. It also has all the signs of the zodiac, and a moon phase clock.

Please take your time to study these pictures to learn more about this wonderful clock tower.

In Old Town Lyon, the St. Jean Cathedral has a clock and also has astronomical clock. It has an astrolabe dial (an instrument to measure the position of sun and prominent stars) and a calendar dial. On the front portals are medallions depicting the signs of the zodiac, the Creation, and the life of St. John.

While this clock is not a double duty clock, it does have a special feature. Located in Novi Sad, in the Petrovaradin Fortress, this clock tower has reversed clock hands to help fisherman on the Danube River—the hour was more important than the minutes, as it was for soldiers stationed in the fortress. It is a four sided clock, so it can be seen from many different vantage points.

The numbers on the clock are huge—around 2 meters or 6 feet. This was a clock designed to be seen at great distances.

Tile Roofs

Glazed tiles make roofs highly decorative and add to the importance and splendor of buildings. Sometimes, even plain tile roofs can tell a story. Here are some famous examples—do many look similar to you?

So, let’s learn more about tiled roofs.

The Gothic towers and tiled roof of St. Stephen’s Cathedral still dominates the skyline of old Vienna. Visitors can climb to the top of the south tower for a splendid view of the city. The north tower has a 22-ton bell nicknamed the boomer (Die Pummerin).

But the most distinctive feature of this cathedral is the tiled roof of this 364 foot long structure. My research found that the roof has over 230,000 tiles in distinctive patterns. The roof is sharply pitched to keep snow off the roof and to allow the rain to clean the tiles. On one side is the double eagle, the symbol of the Hapsburg Empire.

**St. Stevens at night, Vienna, Austria**

There are also 2 other mosaics, depicting the coat of arms of the city of Vienna (right side) and the Republic of Austria (on the left in the picture below), with single headed eagles.

**South side of St. Stevens with mosaics of the coat of arms of Austria and the city of Vienna**

Our next stop is in Budapest to see two tiled roofs. The first is on the Buda side at St. Matthias Church. The tiled roof is stunning, made with tiles from the famous Zsolnay porcelain factory located in Pecs, Hungary. Here are two pictures:

**Matthias Church on the Buda side of Budapest**

The next roof in Budapest is the Central Market (it is also called the Great Market Hall). You can clearly see the similar tiles in these two pictures—it should come as no surprise the tiles came from the Zsolnay porcelain factory.

**Close up of the tiled roof—just stunning!**

Now, we are off to Serbia and the town of Novi Sad. The Name of our Lady Catholic Church in Liberty Square has a tiled roof made with Zsolnay tiles. Here is a picture of this splendid roof.

Our last stop is a look at roof tiles that tell a story of a war. We are going back to Dubrovnik, where the roof color tells us about the damage war brings to the old town area. The lighter colored tiles were not damaged, as you can see in this picture.

Looking at the city, the distinctive red roof tiles stand out among the stone buildings. According to one source I read, 70% of the roof tiles were destroyed in the 1991 war and replacing them cost 9 million dollars for the needed 200,000 or more red tiles.

**All bright red roofs—these buildings all were damaged during the shelling**

As you look at these pictures, it reveals the vast amount of the destruction the shells caused to the city dubbed “The Pearl of the Adriatic”. It is a somber reminder of how fragile our world really is.

**A great photo by Anne that captures the contrast between the undamaged roof in the foreground and the extensive damage towards the back of photo.**

A Tiny Statue that has a Twin

Perhaps one of the best love sculptures in Europe is a young naked boy taking a piss—we know it as Manneken-Pis. It has become the symbol of Brussels because it represents for the Belgium people their sense of humor and independent thinking.

This bronze statue was designed by Jerome Duquesnoy in 1619. It is an iconic landmark and people have fashioned an extensive set of costumes for the 24 inch figure.

**Manneken-Pis on display—most are surprised at how tiny he is!**

His costumes have its own museum but he is not alone in Europe.

**Manneken-Pis in the hospital with an IV at the Museum Display**

**Manneken-Pis Museum—you see the rows of display cases—a great visit in Brussels**

There are several official copies of the little guy. One is in Colmar, France.

Here is a picture of his twin in Colmar.

**Manneken-Pis in Colmar—this is an official replica**

My Final Thoughts

What a great adventure—seeing double in Europe—just another reason we love the Old World of Europe so much! We hope you enjoyed these pictures as much as we enjoyed seeing them during our travels.

Whatever your Dream Destinations are, we are here to help you get the best possible vacation based on what is important to you! We will provide you high quality, expertly planned travel. Please give me a call 713-397-0188 (Hank) or email me at hschrader@dreamdestinations.com. We want to help you: Savor life…make memories…Visit Dream Destinations! Your journey begins here!

AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist
Viking River Cruise Specialist
Scenic River Cruise Specialist
Emerald Waterways Specialist
Avalon Waterways Specialist
Brit Agent

Hank Schrader

January 28, 2021

Europe Travel

European Small Vehicles

Hank Schrader

January 28, 2021

Europe Travel

European Small Vehicles

Hank Schrader, USMA '71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

www.dreamdestinations.com

We always find one of the most fascinating aspects of Europe is how well all seem to use the limited space in the cities and villages—it is amazing!

The one most interesting things to Anne and I, is how well small vehicles thrive in the densely packed cities.

For Anne especially, tiny is cute. but more than that, they are useful and not wasteful—efficient, compact and great to look at.

Don’t expect any real rhyme or reason or great organized method to this collection of pictures—they just caught our eye and we were fascinated seeing them used in the daily lives of Europeans.

So, let’s explore together and learn about these small vehicles—you won’t be disappointed!

Our Pictures of Small European Vehicles

**Amsterdam Truck—unique to say the least!**

**Vintage Cadillac on display in the Car Museum in Brooklands, England**

**Cochem Germany Pizza and Pasta Delivery Truck**

**Guildford England X-Ray Engine Diagram Mini Cooper**

**Vintage Mini in Munich—we watched in amazement a family of 4 (2 teen age daughter and a husband and wife) get in and drive away!**

**Royal Gardens Ice Cream Truck, England**

A Lada in Budapest, Hungary. These are the old mass produced Soviet Era cars, which were very unreliable. Our guide told us a joke “What is the difference between a Lada and a Golf Ball? You can drive a golf ball!” — **A Lada in Budapest, Hungary. These are the old mass produced Soviet Era cars, which were very unreliable.**
**Our guide told us a joke “What is the difference between a Lada and a Golf Ball? You can drive a golf ball!”**

My Final Thoughts

What a great adventure—little vehicles—just another reason we love the Old World of Europe so much! We hope you enjoyed these pictures as much as we enjoyed seeing them during our travels.

Whatever your Dream Destinations are, we are here to help you get the best possible vacation based on what is important to you! We will provide you high quality, expertly planned travel. Please give me a call 713-397-0188 (Hank) or email me at hschrader@dreamdestinations.com. We want to help you: Savor life…make memories…Visit Dream Destinations! Your journey begins here!

AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist
Viking River Cruise Specialist
Scenic River Cruise Specialist
Emerald Waterways Specialist
Avalon Waterways Specialist
Brit Agent

Hank Schrader

October 29, 2020

Europe Travel

Hank's European Geography Quiz

Hank Schrader

October 29, 2020

Europe Travel

Hank’s European Geography Quiz

By Hank Schrader, USMA ’71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

www.dreamdestinations.com

Here is a little fun for you (I think we could all use a little fun right now)—25 Quiz Questions to challenge your knowledge about European Geography.

I am a former high school World Geography and AP Human Geography teacher and coupled with our travel experiences, we have learned a lot about Europe and want to share our knowledge with you--hopefully you will enjoy this quiz!

I will first ask the question—there may even be a hint to help you, then a picture related to the question, and finally the answer.

It should be fun! OK, class is in session—Good Luck!

The Quiz

1) Q. Most of us remember the oldie song “Ferry Cross the Mersey”. It was by Gerry and the Pacemakers. So if you rode this ferry, what city would you be in?

**We visited this city in 2017 on our Azamara British Isle’s cruise**

**This is a picture inside an actual ferry across the Mersey—the Zeebrugge!**

A. Liverpool, England. Gerry and the Pacemakers were part of the “Mersey beat” scene. The song refers to the River Mersey which flows past Liverpool, England.

2) Q. The Danube River starts in Germany and flows to the Black Sea. It also flows through the capitals of four nations—the most of any other river in the world. Name the four capital cities.

**You would see this castle/fortress at one of these capital cities.**

A. Vienna, Austria; Budapest, Hungry; Bratislava, Slovakia and Belgrade Serbia

3) Q. There are 2 countries in Europe that are on both the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. They both have large coasts and famous beaches. Can you name them?

**This is a port in the Atlantic Ocean for one of these countries**

**Here is another port in a different country for this quiz.**

A. France & Spain

4) Q. Great Britain is comprised of 4 countries—England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales. Which country does not have its own official flag?

**London England Parliament Build with the Union Jack proudly flying above it.**

A. . The only official flag of Northern Ireland is the Union Jack. The Ulster Banner was used by the government of Northern Ireland from 1953 to 1973 but it was abolished by an act of parliament in 1973. While not the official flag, some still display it and it is sometimes used in some international sporting competitions.

5) Q. One of my favorite train rides is through the Brenner Pass. Can you name the two countries on either side of the Brenner Pass?

A. Austria and Italy. This mountain pass through the Alps is one of the principal passes in the eastern Alpine range since the mountains here are at a lower altitude than many other Alps Mountain Passes. The scenery is great during the train ride and dairy cattle graze in the alpine pastures.

6. What US state is named after a Greek Island? This Greek Island once had one of the 7 Wonders of the Ancient World at its harbor entrance. (Hint—my classmate from West Point is one of the 2 Senators. It is a very small state.)

Colossus of Rhodes, artist's impression, 1880. Public Domain Wikipedia

A. Rhode Island. Rhodes, Greece is a popular island and tourist destination, especially for its Medieval Old Town. In ancient times, at the entrance of its harbor was the statue of the Colossus of Rhodes, one of the 7 Wonders of the Ancient World.

7. Q. London and Paris are both located on rivers. Name the two rivers.

Here is one of the rivers—these love locks no longer exist—the weight keep causing the rails to collaspe!

A. London is on the Thames. Paris is on the Seine.

8. Q. There is one European country located on the Adriatic Sea that has only one island. It is not on the sea, but on a beautiful lake. Part of this beauty is the rugged mountain range near the lake, the Julian Alps. Can you name it?

This is a picture of the island. You can clearly see the steeple of the famous church on this island.

A. Slovakia. The only island is on Lake Bled, and there are no salt water islands. The island’s name is Bled Island. Located on this small island is the Assumption of Mary Pilgrimage Church. The church has a famous tradition—local grooms carry their brides up the 99 steps, while the bride remains silent during the trip—it is said to bring them happiness in the future.

9. Q. Name one of the two cities in France that is known as “the Venice of the North.” They are referred to Venice because of its canals.

**This is a picture of one of the canals.**

A. Strasbourg or Colmar. The picture is one of the canals in Strasbourg.

10. Q. There are several tiny countries in Europe—I call them Little European Treasures. Name 2 of these countries or city-states that are land locked (no direct access to the sea)

Here is a picture of one of the tiny countries I call Little Treasures

A. In Italy, the Vatican and San Marino. The other 2 countries are Lichtenstein, and Andorra.

11. Q. My father fought in the Battle of the Bulge in World War II. Most of the key fighting took part in the dense forest of Wallonia in Belgium and in Luxembourg. What is the name of this forest region? (Hint—it is also the US military official name for the battle).

**Luxembourg City—it is a short distance to this famous battlefield site.**

A. Ardennes. The Ardennes Counteroffensive was the last major German offensive campaign of WW II. The Ardennes is in the Southeastern corner of Belgium and in Luxembourg. We are working on a possible trip to this battlefield and museums in 2022 that we would escort.

12. Q. Sometimes the name of a place can tell you what you might expect to see or do at place. One our favorite German Cities is “Baden Baden”. So what does “Baden” mean? (I’ll accept one of two answers here—and it’s not the famous casino!)

A. Bath or Spa. Baden in German means “to bathe”. Wikipedia says “Baden Baden” means the town of Baden in the territory of Baden. Bad in German is translated to mean a Spa town.

13. Q. Europe is a continent of peninsulas (a peninsula has water on 3 sides)—it has 5 peninsulas. The Jutland Peninsula is the smallest. Can you name the country that occupies most of this peninsula? (Hint—a lot of Vikings came from this country).

**This is the very end of a portion of this peninsula. This is Kronborg Castle.**

A. Denmark occupies most of the Jutland Peninsula. A very small portion of the peninsula is part of Germany

14. Q, Another peninsula question—remember Europe has 5 major peninsulas. Only one of these 5 is occupied by one country and two enclaves (an enclave is a country inside another country). Can you name the country that occupies this peninsula? (Hint—the name of the country is also the name of the peninsula. I call these 2 small countries Little Treasures and one of these is the smallest country in Europe).

**This is the colorful town of Portofino**

A. Italy occupies all the land mass of the Italian Peninsula. The enclaves are San Marino and the Vatican (the smallest country in Europe).

15. Q. What mountain range separates France from the Iberian Peninsula? (Hint—the tiny country of Andorra is in this mountain range—one of what I call the Little European Treasures).

**The foothills of this mountain range**

A. The Pyrenees Mountains separate France from Spain. The mountain range is about 305 miles long and its tallest peak, Mt. Anelo, is 11,168 feet tall.

16. One of the islands of Scotland is famous for a small breed of horses—they are often called ponies. It is also known for a special breed of herding dogs—the slang name for these dogs is also a great hint to the name of this island. Can you name this northern most island of Scotland?

**A Scottish Island but it is not the island that is the answer.**

A. The Shetland Islands—home of the Shetland ponies and “shelties” or Shetland Sheepdogs. It is a popular stop for cruise ships, as many tourists like this unspoiled destination.

17. One famous square in London commemorates a famous naval battle in which the English defeated the combined French & Spanish Fleets in 1805 as part of the Napoleonic Wars. The hero of that battle was an admiral named Lord Horatio Nelson and he stands tall above the square on a column. What is the name of the square (it is also the name of the cape in southwest Spain where the naval battle took place)?

A. Trafalgar Square.

18. Q. Two European Countries claim to be the originator of French Fries (Pomme Frites)? Can you name them? What are French Fries known as in the United Kingdom and Ireland?

A. Belgium and France both claim to be the originator of French Fries. Both have reasonable claims and I don’t favor one over the other. French fries are called chips in the British Isles. They are “chips” of the whole potato—hence you might have heard of Fish and Chips, the popular pub dish in the British Ilse’s. What we call potato chips in the US are known as crisps since they are crispy!

19. Q. One of the most renowned train rides of the world starts in Paris and ends in Istanbul. What is this train rides most commonly known as? (Hint—Agatha Christie wrote a famous story about this train ride for her Belgium detective, Herucle Poirot and it has been made into several movies.)

**You might see this famous landmark in Istanbul**

A. The Orient Express. The official name of this luxury train ride is the Venice-Simplon—Orient Express. If you want to go bring your tux and formal wear and a lot of cash—it costs $19,900 or more for a suite cabin shared by two!

20. Q. One famous English King, Henry VIII, did not live in London after 1529. What is the name of the palace that Henry VIII lived in after 1529 (by the way, it’s a great day trip from London)?

**Henry VIII re-enactor at this famous residence**

A. Hampton Court Palace. The Palace was Henry VIII’s favorite royal residence. Among the highlights of the palace are Henry’s State Rooms, the vast Tudor kitchens and over 60 acres of enchanting gardens.

21. Q. One of the themes of Geography is called human-environment interaction—it focuses on how humans adapt to and modify the environment in which they live. What man-made feature (canal) allows travelers to cruise on both the Rhine and Danube Rivers without ever having to leave water? Completion of this canal was one of the reasons why so many modern luxury riverships cruise in Europe, as completion of this canal allowed for a 14 day cruise on the two rivers of the Rhine and the Danube. Did both Charlemagne and Ludwig I of Bavaria both try to build the canal prior to its completion in 1992 (True or False).

**This town on the Danube is the starting point of this canal**

A. The Main-Danube Canal connects the Rhine River to the Danube River, using the Main tributary. It is 106 miles long, has 16 locks and was completed in 1992. True, both Charlemagne and Ludwig I dreamed of linking these two rivers.

22. This city used to be called Byzantium and later Constantinople. This is where Europe meets Asia, separated by the Bosporus Strait. What is a strait? What is the name of this city today?

A. A strait is a narrow passage of water connecting two seas or two larger bodies of water. The Bosporus Strait connects the Black Sea and the Mediterranean Sea. The current name of this key city is Istanbul but some countries like Greece still call Istanbul by its older name Constantinople.

23. Q. This city has been called Europe’s ultimate walled fortress city. It is located in the southeast of France. What is its name?

A. Carcassonne, France. Since the pre-Roman period, a fortified settlement has existed on the hill where Carcassonne now stands. In its present form, it is an outstanding example of a medieval fortified town, with its massive defensive walls encircling the castle and surrounding buildings, its streets and its fine Gothic cathedral. It is the largest walled city in Europe.

24. We have all heard of the pied piper of Hamelin, a fairy tale written by the Grimm Brothers and others. In what European country is Hamelin located?

The Pied Piper leads the children out of Hamelin. Illustration by Kate Greenway. Public Domain Wikipedia

A. It is located in Lower Saxony, Germany (northwestern Germany). The town of Hamelin has a fine old town area and on Sundays during the summer months actors recreate the Grimm Fairy tale of the pied piper of Hamelin. According to this fairy tale, the pied (pied means dressed in multicolored clothing) piper is hired to lure a rat infestation away from Hamelin. Using his magic pipe, the music puts a spell on the rats and the rats follow him to the Weser River, where they all drown. When the town refused to pay him the agreed upon sum, he later uses his pipe to lead the children of the town away in revenge to a cave where they were never seen again. On the main street of Hamelin, it is illegal today to play music in public except during these recreations!

25. Q. What two European Cities, located on the Danube River, where united and became the capital of Hungary? What is the name of the bridge that united these two cities (the English nickname is okay)?

**A picture of the famous bridge that unites these 2 cities**

A. Buda and Pest united to become Budapest. They are united by the Széchenyi Chain Bridge. It is more commonly known as the Chain Bridge. This was the first permanent bridge built across the Danube in Budapest. It was built from 1840 to 1849. It is 375 meters long and 16 meters wide. This bridge connected the towns of Buda and Pest and was the major reason these two towns became Budapest. In 1989, it was the site of a protest for freedom and independence from communist rule. Today, the bridge is a symbol of Hungarian liberty.

Bonus Question

26. What is Anne’s favorite Europe City (hint—it is in Belgium, begins with the letter B, has canals and can be spelled two different ways)

A. Brugge, Belgium! The alternate spelling is Bruges.

My Final Thoughts

So, how did you do? Do you deserve an A on this quiz? The good news is it is not graded—it is for fun! I hope you learned something new about our favorite travel destination--we sure miss traveling to Europe!

We hope this inspires you to dream about European travel—and then take action when travel restrictions are lifted! We will be ready to help!

Whatever your Dream Destinations are, we are here to help you get the best possible vacation based on what is important to you! We will provide you high quality, expertly planned travel. Please give me a call 713-397-0188 (Hank) or email me at hschrader@dreamdestinations.com. We want to help you: Savor life…make memories…Visit Dream Destinations! Your journey begins here!

AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist
Viking River Cruise Specialist
Scenic River Cruise Specialist
Emerald Waterways Specialist
Avalon Waterways Specialist
Brit Agent

Hank Schrader

October 1, 2020

Europe Travel

5 Things We Miss About Travel to Europe

Hank Schrader

October 1, 2020

Europe Travel

5 Things We Miss About Travel to Europe

By Hank Schrader, USMA ’71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

And Anne Schrader, Certified Travel Consultant and Europe Destination Expert

www.dreamdestinations.com

Today’s blog title is inspired by Anne—it’s Thursday Morning and the blog comes out in a couple of hours and I just didn’t have a good topic. But in true form, after returning from walking our Dog, Libby, Anne had a brilliant idea.

“Why not write about the 5 things we miss in Europe? She then suggested for her it was food, flowers, friends, famous places and fun.

**My co-author Anne on a recent AmaWaterways cruise**

So, today, I’d like to tell you about the “F”ive reasons why we miss traveling to Europe. Hopefully, after reading this and seeing Anne’s pictures you will give us an A grade and not an F!

Food

If you know us, food and wine are always on the list of important experiences we have in Europe. They range from picnic supplies for the train, small bistros to Michelin starred restaurants. Perhaps the best factor is the overall importance most European countries place on food—it is really hard to get a bad meal!

Here are just a few great food experiences we miss so much (I really am missing so many here but I had to cut it down a lot):

In Paris, here are 3 favorites—Danton’s (a small bistro), Le Soufflé and the Coup Chou.

We love German food and Anne’s favorite is Schweinhaxe—pork shank!

In Austria, in our opinion, the best Weiner Schnitzel comes from Figmüllers in Vienna but Anne lovers their liver and onions.

In Italy, for us, it has to be Carbonara, although Henry has never had a pasta dish he didn’t like. The good thing about carbonera is that it is a favorite throughout Europe.

In Brugge, it has to be Mussels and Frites for Anne; lobsters (both of us) and Flemish carbonnade (a wonderful stew dish) for Henry.

**Hank attacking his lobster meal in Brugge**

For Hank it would be tough to choose between Flemish Carbonnade and Guinness Irish Stew. But luckily for me, Anne can make both wonderfully, so he has the best of both worlds.

I guess we can’t really leave the food topic without a good story about friends and food.

As you probably know, we have annual trips with our very good friends Denise & Mark Thomas. While Mark is the certified wine expert, Denise has as an excellent palate and has her preferences.

We almost always leave the wine choices to them. Their knowledge, is not only about the wines themselves, but they also know whether the choice will enhance all of our menu choices, and to insure there is a true value (biggest bang for our Euros) that makes the experience even better. Can’t do better than the right wine(s) at the right price!

Other than agreement on the wine(s), food choices are not always in sync for the four of us. Both Denise and Anne are NOT fish aficionados, even though Anne does love shell fish, Denise’s only choice is Alaskan King Crab.

However, Mark and Anne are up for just about everything! So, for Christmas in Paris, Denise and I acquiesced to let Anne & Mark dine on one of the most extravagant seafood meals they had been trying to convince us to experience during every one of our Paris trips (we have never been shy about spending our Euros)! They were not disappointed and the presentation, regardless that Denise and I ate beef, was certainly something in and of itself to behold! Great Memories!

Are you hungry yet?

Flowers

It always is amazing to me how many gardens and flowers are available in Europe. They range from large, formal gardens, to small window boxes. Here is a small sample:

**Doorway bursting with color in Cochem Germany**

Friends

Life is sure better when you share it with others. We have been so lucky to have many great experiences and chances to share with others.

On the tours and river cruises we have led, the best part has always been traveling, not with clients, but friends who trust us with their travel experiences. We have built some awesome bonds with these folks. Here a few pictures of some of the times we have experienced.

**The rest of our 2015 river cruise group**

The hardest part of traveling with friends is having to say good-bye after the trip is over. Of course, we’re lucky because we do stay in touch and spend time talking not only about our past excursions, but also planning future ones! We have recently discovered that the more photos we can post of our times traveling together with a certain friend does keep him involved in the weekly blog and we are certain that it means we’ll definitely have more opportunities to update and enlarge our gallery of times we’ll spend with him!

Happy birthday, my friend, Jeffrey (I’m proud to share the same birthday 6 October, but you’ll always be the older and wiser man!)!!!

**The October 6 Birthday Boys—Jeff (1948) and Hank (1949)**

Famous Places

There is just no shortage of famous places, structures and iconic symbols of countries in Europe.

I wrote a blog about the 10 most iconic places in Europe—here is the link https://visitdd.wordpress.com/2017/04/05/how-many-of-these-10-iconic-europe-landmarks-have-you-visited/

Here are a few pictures:

Fun

Life is too short not to enjoy it—we always create memories from our experiences when traveling to Europe. The world becomes just a little smaller seeing how others live and play and have fun and we just love joining in.

**Drinking Wine in Bayeux with some new European friends**

Sometimes it also involves Americans traveling to Europe.

Think I’m kidding—here is a great story about how small the world is.

We attended a great wine tasting in Rome at Vino Roma with Hande Leimer, a wine and food expert.

**Handi leading us on a food and wine tour**

While we were waiting to start, talking with some of the other guests, it turned out one of the couples was from Virginia, where I went to high school. I asked what High School they attended and their reply was Fort Hunt HS. Small world, same HS I graduated from in 1967!

Fast forward to 2018, over lunch at a West Point rugby reunion, during a discussion about traveling in Europe, we learned one of my classmates, Jack, also had gone to a wine tasting at Vino Roma. Small world indeed!

Sometimes when leading groups on AmaWaterways our clients show talents that are delightful. My classmate John and his wife, Irene, who is Greek, are both specialists in the Greek culture and language. It was amazing in 2019 to watch them lead and dance the other passengers to beautiful Greek music provide by the on-ship entertainer. A true joy and fun for all!

**John and Irene dancing on out 2019 AmaWaterways Cruise on the Rhine**

We also love festivals—here is part of our 2019 75th Anniversary of D Day group in 2019 with some fashionable ladies from the 1940’s!

**Bob, Tom and Joe with 3 reinactors from 1944 from our D Day Anniversary Tour**

And, to show you even Santa likes us, here is photographic proof! He is one fun guy!

My Final Thoughts

So, how did we do—do we deserve an A for our five F things we miss about travel to Europe?

We hope this inspires you to dream about European travel—and then take action when travel restrictions are lifted! We will be ready to help!

Whatever your Dream Destinations are, we are here to help you get the best possible vacation based on what is important to you! We will provide you high quality, expertly planned travel. Please give me a call 713-397-0188 (Hank) or email me at hschrader@dreamdestinations.com. We want to help you: Savor life…make memories…Visit Dream Destinations! Your journey begins here!

AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist
Viking River Cruise Specialist
Scenic River Cruise Specialist
Emerald Waterways Specialist
Avalon Waterways Specialist
Brit Agent

Hank Schrader

August 27, 2020

Europe Travel

My Favorite Top 12 Experiences in Europe

Hank Schrader

August 27, 2020

Europe Travel

My Favorite Top 12 Experiences in Europe

By Hank Schrader, USMA ’71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

www.dreamdestinations.com

Wow, do I miss traveling to Europe!!! I hope it returns soon—we have a river cruise scheduled in December—I sure hope we get to go!

As I sit at my desk writing this during a pandemic, my mind can’t help but wander on what great experiences we have had in Europe.

So, this week I’d like to talk about my 12 favorite experiences traveling in Europe.

No. 12. My first trip to Europe in 1971

After graduating from West Point on 9 June 1971, I went with a classmate to Europe for 6 weeks. Armed with a Eurorail pass, a bunch of American Express Traveler checks and a backpack, we went on a tour of the most famous places in Europe—Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Hamburg, Heidelberg, Munich, Madrid, Vienna, Venice, Rome Nice, Paris and London.

In a way, it replicated most of the old Grand tour of Europe that the nobility often took. I fell in love with Europe and still can’t wait to return—it all started with that trip!

**Post Card I sent my parents. On 24 July 1971 I was on top of the Eiffel Tower.**

No. 11. Our First River Cruise

There is no doubt that I was stunned after taking a river cruise in 2009 on AmaWaterways. It changed my perception of how great travel could be. The Moselle River and Main River voyage through the heart of Europe will always be one of my favorite travel experiences.

**What a surprise—Hank ordering wine on our first river cruise in 2009**

In 2015, we led a group to this wonderful part of Germany and will return when we can.

No 10. Our tour of Croatia and Ireland

There may not be a 2 week period where we learned so much about Europe in depth as those two weeks in 2010. What a complete contrast—a Balkan country and an Irish Island. My two favorites—Dubrovnik, the pearl of the Adriatic, and marching in the St. Patrick’s Day parade in Sligo.

**Hank and Anne ready to march in the Sligo St. Patrick’s Day Parade**

**A quick pint with some Leprechauns after the parade**

There can also be no better time than drinking pints in a Dublin pub just before the Ireland Scotland test rugby match during the Six Nations test matches.

**Dublin Koehoe’s Pub before the Ireland Scotland Rugby test match**

No 9. Our Celebrity Cruise in the Mediterranean

Seeing part of the world of Greek islands, Ephesus, Israel and the highlight for me Istanbul was an adventure beyond belief. The spice market, the Hagia Sofia and Topkapi Palace were thrilling. I also remember walking hand-in hand in Ephesus with Anne, just like Anthony and Cleopatra did thousands of years ago.

No 8. Our Route of Wine Traders Azamara Cruise.

Sailing from London to Spain along the coast on the western edge of Europe was special. My favorite part was a visit to Sintra in Portugal to see Pena Palace and Sintra National Palace. At the end of the cruise, we went to Granada and visited the Alhambra. Later on that same trip, we visited Carcassonne, the largest walled city in Europe.

No 7. Our 2 Baltic Cruises

This fascinating part of Europe is best understood from the importance of the Baltic Sea for development of the modern world of Scandinavia and northern Europe. The two standouts for me—Estonia’s Tallinn Old Town walled city and Peterhof Palace in St. Petersburg. I also liked seeing all the Scandinavia capital cities and visiting Berlin.

No 6. Our British Isles Cruise

Sailing to Ireland and around most of England and Scotland is an experience not to be missed. Sharing pints in numerous pubs, visiting castles in Scotland and buying custom made kilts in Edinburg made this trip so memorable.

**Kilt Factory where our custom made kilts were made**

No 5. Our Danube River Cruises

We have sailed on the Danube River 6 times. The second longest river in Europe has helped us explore a region that is so unique. Visiting Budapest and Prague, my two favorite eastern European cities, once that seemed so exotic and unfamiliar, now beckons us to return!

**Anne with Lazlo on our Blue Danube River Cruise on AmaWaterways**

Sailing the lower Danube to the former iron curtain countries was wonderful—this area was once closed off to me during the cold war and I just thought I’d never get a chance to explore this part of Europe. We ended that trip by staying in Brasov, Romania with visits to Peles Castle and Braun Castle. Who knew you could visit the Iron Gates, 3 capital cities and end up chasing a vampire myth!

No 4. Our Provence River Cruises

France is such a great country, so diverse and an amazing place to explore. While it is hard to pick one favorite place, I always come back to the Rhone. Wine, Roman ruins, home to the Pope for over 100 years and Lyon, the gastronomical capital of France, are just some of the reasons these trips are special.

Tournon Wine Tasting.jpg — **Hank and Anne Wine Tasting**

Perhaps best of all, we met our travel chums, Denise and Mark on our first cruise in 2013 and now we travel together whenever we can.

**Our travel chums. Captain Dany, Denise and Mark**

No 3. Guiding Our Friends and Clients in Europe

There can be no better feeling than helping others learn more about Europe. We strive to help them see great sights, remove hassles and share great times together. We have helped folks visit with us guiding Amsterdam, Brugge, Ghent, Prague, Budapest, Paris and London

No 2. Leading 2 D Day Tours

There is probably more work related achievement that compares with the privilege of leading 2 groups on our D Day tours. My military background, coming from a family where my Dad fought in Europe in WW II and the responsibility of helping folks understand the D Day invasion, has challenged us and taught us a lot about how to make our participants understand what a debt we owe to those brave men who changed the course of history on 6 June 1944.

No 1. Sharing Europe with Anne.

It is hard for me to image what our Europe travels would be without each other sharing our trips since 1989. There are just too many to mention but several stand out in my mind—our cooking class in Wales with Angela Gray for Anne’s 60th birthday; hiking to Burg Eltz in March, after basing in Koblenz; Christmas markets river cruises on the Rhine and Danube; buying hats in Regensburg; traveling with our travel chums to share Christmas in Kastel Englenburg; waking up in 1990 in Baden-Baden to learn Germany had won the world cup with a street party right in the square below our window and finding Brugge, our favorite European city. Paris, Rome and London, including our visits to the Cotswolds, were also special. I know I have missed many others but we look forward to more adventures.

**Anne, Santa and Hank at Christmas Dinner**

**Anne, and Hank with our new hats in 2019**

My Final Thoughts

I know this list is not complete—I’m sure I’ve missed something wonderful. Makes you want to go to Europe, doesn’t it!

We would like to thank those of you who have trusted us for their travel needs and we look for to help you again and anyone else in the future who might need our help.

Whatever your Dream Destinations are, we are here to help you get the best possible vacation based on what is important to you! We will provide you high quality, expertly planned travel. Please give me a call 713-397-0188 (Hank) or email me at hschrader@dreamdestinations.com. We want to help you: Savor life…make memories…Visit Dream Destinations! Your journey begins here!

AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist
Viking River Cruise Specialist
Scenic River Cruise Specialist
Emerald Waterways Specialist
Avalon Waterways Specialist
Brit Agent

Hank Schrader

August 13, 2020

Europe Travel

European Walled City Gates and Towers

Hank Schrader

August 13, 2020

Europe Travel

European Walled City Gates and Towers

By Hank Schrader, USMA ’71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

www.dreamdestinations.com

One of my favorite things to do in Europe is to visit the old walled cities of Europe.

Many of the walls have been torn down, but often it is possible to find an impressive gate remaining from the remnants of towns that had walls built around them to protect these settlements.

So, I thought I’d provide you some of our collection of pictures of the awesome gates that once restricted access to many of the cities of medieval Europe.

An Overview of Obsolete Walled Cities

A walled city is a fortification used to protect a city or settlement from potential aggressors. From ancient to modern times, they have been used to enclose settlements and provide protection for those living in the city.

Almost every town in medieval times that could built defensive walls did so—they were essential to survive the harsh times of yesteryear. Today, walled cities have become obsolete due to improved weapons and aircraft used in modern warfare.

The good news is that the cities that did not destroy their old walls, now usually are special places where you can enjoy a bygone era that survives in today’s modern world.

Here is a look at some of our favorites:

Amsterdam, Netherlands. Once there were many gates to this city, but they are long gone. The best remaining example is now a restaurant. It was named the Waag (weight house) and is located in Nieuwmart Square, Amsterdam.

**Waag House (Weighing House) Amsterdam, Netherlands**

Arnhem, Netherlands. There are no walls left here, but the Sabre Gate is huge and impressive. It was originally used for defensive purposes but later was used to guard prisoners and insane people. It probably was built around 1357.

Berlin, Germany. The Brandenburg Gate is one of the most famous landmarks in Europe. The gate was one of the 18 gates of the Old Berlin Customs Wall and built in 1730 or so. It has become a symbol of unity for the German people after the collapse of the Iron Curtain in 1989.

**The Brandenburg Gate Berlin, Germany**

Bordeaux, France. This gate is a little hidden, but well worth seeking out. This medieval gate is called the City Gate Cailhau and was built in the 15th century. The elegant gate was built to celebrate Charles VIII’s, King of France, victory in battle in 1495 (see the plaque picture below).

Brasov, Romania. This walled city had 5 gates but only one, Catherine’s Gate, remains today. Not only did it serve to protect the city, it was used to collect tolls for merchants to enter and sell their goods. The gate was built by the Tailors Guild in 1559.

Brugge, Belgium. There were many gates in the original walled city. Today 4 remain. They are: The Ezelpoort (Donkey Gate), which was built over a canal. The Kruispoort Gate is pictures below.

Not pictured are 2 other town gates. The Gentpoort gate is located on the old road to Ghent. The Smedenpoort is the blacksmiths gate and the current gate was finished in 1367. This gate shows many similarities with another surviving gate: the Ezelpoort.

**Poertoren Gun Powder Tower is on the edge of Lake Minnewater. It is just a nice photo and has no real significant historical and there is no access to this tower**

Carcassonne, France. Since the pre-Roman period, a fortified settlement has existed on the hill where Carcassonne now stands. It is an outstanding example of a medieval fortified town, with its massive defenses encircling the castle and the surrounding buildings, the narrow streets and its fine Gothic cathedral.

The walls have 53 towers and 5 barbicans (A barbican is a fortified outpost or gateway or any tower situated over a gate or bridge). There is a castle inside the walled city complete with a drawbridge. It is the largest walled city in Europe.

There are 2 main gate entrances to the city. They are the Narbonne Gate and the Aude Gate.

Cochem, Germany. This delightful small town has two really good gate towers.

Dubrovnik, Croatia. Dubrovnik is known as the pearl of the Adriatic. This walled city is considered to be among the great fortification systems of the Middle Ages. The walls are about 1.940 meters long and 25 meters high (82 feet) at some points. It has 17 towers, 5 bastions and 2 angular fortification and a fort that is all incorporated into the walls. There was even a moat around the land portions. The city at one time was defended by 120 cannons.

It had 4 gates. Pictured below is the Pile Gate.

**The Pile Gate, was one of 4 gate entrances to the Dubrovnik. It was a drawbridge gate.**

These fortifications were never breached, but diplomacy skills of its leaders rather than military might was probably the reason Dubrovnik never fell to its enemies, according to some historians. We have walked portions and the views are stunning.

Freiburg, Germany. Pictured below is the Schwabentor Watch Tower Gate. It is one of 2 remaining towers in the city. The other, the Martinstor is a 13 century gate tower. The city walls are gone.

**Frieburg, Germany Schwabentor Watch Tower Gate**

Heidelberg, Germany. The Heidelberg Bridge Tower guarded the bridge entrance to the old city of Heidelberg. The bridge is over the Necker River.

Kotor, Montenegro. This walled city still has its walls intact. There are 3 gate entrances to the city. Pictured below is the main gate, known as the Sea Gate and is located on the western side of the city.

Mainz, Germany. This walled city once had 34 gates and watch towers. Only 3 remain. They are: the Iron Tower, the Wood Tower and the Alexander Tower. The Iron tower was both a watch tower and a gate into the city.

Miltenberg, Germany. The Wurzburgtor appears in some written reports around 1379. This medieval gate tower is on the eastern edge of the old town of Miltenberg. Originally, it had a gun platform with battlements, as this side of the city was most at risk from attack.

**Wurzburgtor watch and gate entrance in Miltenburg, Germany**

Munich, Germany. The Karistor Gate was an entrance to the historic center of Munich.

Regensburg, Germany. The watch tower over the stone bridge that was once one of the few bridges to cross the Danube River, is a classic gate and watch tower.

**Old Gate entrance in Regensburg, Germany**

Riquewihr, France. This small village in Alsace had good walls and a good watch tower.

Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany. This may be the best known walled city in Europe and is very popular as a tourist destination. Rothenburg is Germany’s best-preserved walled city. Part of the walls have covered walled walkways and can be walked and provide great views of the city. The wall is about 2.5 km (1.5 mi) long and covered, with several towers and entrances at the gates.

San Marino, San Marino. This tiny city is completely encircled by walls on 3 sides, since a sheer rock cliff natural barrier defends the area that is not walled.

Speyer, Germany. This huge watch tower gate is quite a contrast to the modern city that remains now. This once walled city had 68 towers guarding it. The most important watch tower still remains and at 188 feet, is one of the tallest defensive watch towers in all of Germany.

**The one remaining tower in Speyer, Germany**

Tallinn, Estonia. Tallinn Estonia old town is a great place to visit. It is the oldest capital city in Northern Europe. With 1.9 km of its original city wall still standing, Tallinn has one of Europe’s best preserved medieval fortifications—it has cool gates and 20 defensive towers. A large part of what gives Old Town its fairytale charm is the system of walls and towers that surrounds it. The old town is divided into lower and upper towns—and it is just a charming, fun place to explore. We have been there 2 times and are ready to go back soon.

**Gate entrance to the old city Tallinn, Estonia**

Trier, Germany. This is the oldest gate on this list—the Porta Nigra. It was built during Roman times.

Trogir, Croatia. This old gate was built in the 17th century.

York, England. York has been defended by walls since Roman times. It has the most intact walls of any city in England. We walked some of the walls and it was great to see this old town from the large walls.

**Monk Gate York England. It was designed to be a self contained fortress. Today it has a Richard III Museum in the old fortress area.**

**Royal Coat of Arms on Peter Gate York, England**

Inside the walls, the York Cathedral is especially impressive and there are other medieval half-timbered buildings and areas that are neat to visit. The walls had 4 main gates which restricted entrance into the town, provided protection and were also used to collect tolls.

Valletta, Malta.

**This is one of the shear entrance gates to this fortress**

Wertheim, Germany. The Spitzer Turm (Pointed Tower) gate does not lean because of an architectural problem, but due to 800 years of flooding from the Main River. The Sprizer Turm is 115 feet tall. It dates back to the 1200s and was one of the original 18 watch towers that ringed this city.

My Final Thoughts

I hope you enjoyed this look at some great landmarks which once were so important for protection of towns and villages that now have become relics of the past.

I can’t help it—these are just cool!

Whatever your Dream Destinations are, we are here to help you get the best possible vacation based on what is important to you! We will provide you high quality, expertly planned travel. Please give me a call 713-397-0188 (Hank) or email me at hschrader@dreamdestinations.com. We want to help you: Savor life…make memories…Visit Dream Destinations! Your journey begins here!

AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist
Viking River Cruise Specialist
Scenic River Cruise Specialist
Emerald Waterways Specialist
Avalon Waterways Specialist
Brit Agent

Hank Schrader

August 6, 2020

Europe Travel

European Guilds

Hank Schrader

August 6, 2020

Europe Travel

European Guilds

By Hank Schrader, USMA ’71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

www.dreamdestinations.com

I recently wrote about the history of brands and our brand Dream Destinations. Several of my readers reached out to me and said they would like to know more about Guilds and see more of our pictures (doesn’t surprise me—Anne’s pictures are much better than my prose!)

So, being your obedient blogger, I went back in our over 6,000 pictures of our European adventures to provide you some of the great photos Anne has taken for your enjoyment.

I will recount a little about the history of guilds and how they changed society in Europe during the Middle Ages—it should be fun! The last part will be pictures of guild houses we have seen in Europe.

Ready for our journey? Let’s go!

What are Guilds?

Guilds are associations of artisans who controlled the practice of their craft and merchants that traded goods. There were two types of Guilds—Merchant Guilds and Craft Guilds. Each had a significant impact upon developing society a little over 1000 years ago or so.

In medieval cities, craftsmen tended to form associations based on their individual trade or skill.

In the Middle Ages, all craftsmen and most important merchants were members of guilds.

How Guilds Helped Change Medieval Society

Prior to the rise of Guilds, feudal society in Europe had 3 classes of people. These were the Nobility, Priests and Peasants. On the European continent, society was slowly changing after the collapse of the Holy Roman Empire, as a class of merchants began to emerge.

With trade expanding and a weakened nobility ruling class, merchants and trades people began to band together to promote their business interests. The key factor of their business interests was the free flow of goods produced or sold by the guild members without interference or as little as possible from nobles. Society now had 4 classes of people: Nobility, Priests, Merchants and Tradesmen, and Peasants.

Guilds generally flourished in areas of Europe from 1100 to 1500 or so.

By the 1300s, these guilds had developed sufficient power to preform functions more than just their business interests—they often became a form of quasi government. Many had Patron Saints, even had chapels and helped the less fortunate members of the guild and others in the community. This was especially true in the Low Countries of the Benelux region (shorthand for Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg).

These independent trading centers were often ruled by the guilds and their councils with a figure head noble ruler. Some guild members, called burghers became very wealthy and lent money to nobles (usually to help finance wars) and they actually had equal or more power than many nobles.

With their increased power and influence, the guilds built guild houses. These guild halls served as a place to hold meetings and often displayed their power and wealth.

These guild houses were often built near town halls, as merchants wanted to influence laws and regulations and, in some cases, served as ad hoc government centers. In England, for example, the guild halls actually turned into our modern day town halls.

The Key Goals of Guilds

With the key goal of preserving their business interests, guilds generally had 5 key goals. They were:

1) Establish a monopoly for a particular good or service within their area of influence;

2) They set and helped ensure standards of quality of goods and services;

3) They established standardized trading practices to help encourage the free flow of goods;

4) They established stable prices for goods and services due to their monopoly or virtual monopoly in a local area; and

5) They either became or sought to control local governments to help maintain their monopoly.

How Guilds help Transform European Commerce

The rise of towns and distinct divisions of labor helped take trade into an international dimension instead of the previous local only model. Stability in both prices and quality went up significantly. This was the beginning of modern commerce in Europe.

Merchant Guilds

In 1100 or so there was a growing class of merchants who no longer journeyed from villages or towns to peddle their goods. The rise of towns helped these merchants prosper—it was in their mutual interest to band together for protection and hire others to transport their goods. These groups became merchant guilds.

Merchant guilds were the first type of guilds to organize for their mutual benefit and added stability during times of political instability and offered some protection from greedy nobles. They also were the first type of guilds to dissolve (in the 1500’s and 1600’s) after other merchants gained better legal protections and could operate at less costs than guilds.

By 1300, merchant guilds covered most merchandise sold in a town and they often traded in long distance products by acquiring raw materials and having the craft guilds convert them into a product for sale—they made the initial and ending transactions.

Merchant guilds also conducted fish markets, ran taverns and had other trading activities for profit. The key difference between a merchant guild and a craft guild was no specialized technical knowledge or skill was required to be a member of a merchant guild as there was no need to create a master product—it usually only required enough money and education to conduct trades.

Merchant guilds were usually very prosperous and often the most important citizens of a town.

Craft Guilds

Craft guilds included work such as bakers, weavers, blacksmiths, masons, painters, metalsmiths, blacksmiths, butchers, leatherworkers, and even soap makers and candle stick makers.

The guild’s senior craftsmen controlled the working hours and conditions of work of their members. They also made sure work was of proper quality by setting standards and using apprenticeships to teach younger workers the skills and techniques they would need to succeed in their chosen trade. This was not an easy process.

First, there was an apprenticeship were the master craftsman controlled all aspects of the training and this could last several years—usually 5-9 years. Apprentices were provided food, shelter, education and clothing but no wages. Apprentices often started very young age. These were sought after positions for some families initially, who paid large sums to get their children into apprenticeships.

The next step was a journeyman with a little more freedom, they could earn wages and respect but again this could also last several years.

Finally, the person had to submit a work to be judged by master members of the guild before the craftsman could earn certification as a full-fledged master member, who could then set up their own workshop and train apprentices and journeymen.

Craft guilds not only set standards, they also had courts to levy fines for poor workmanship, or other disputes like unfair competition. In short, the guilds’ standards and rules governed all craft goods during this era.

An Example of How Merchant Guilds and Craft Guilds Worked Together

The wool trade in Brugge is an excellent example of how guilds controlled making cloth. The merchant guilds would buy the raw wool (often from the Cotswolds in England) and sell the woven cloth after the wool was processed. The craft guilds would dye and weave the raw wool into cloth. By working together, all guilds involved in producing a product benefited and made money.

**This what a typical loom might look like in the Middle Ages but this picture was taken in 2014 in Brugge by Anne**

Decline of Guilds

Guilds held significant power but many of their policies led to their eventual demise. They controlled prices and determined what amount could be charged for goods (they considered it a fair price) but this stifled competition. Merchants who were not guild members often had to buy the right to sell goods from the guild and were told what price was acceptable for their merchandise. Some merchants started forming companies and bypassed the guild process.

Particularly upsetting to craftsman were the long process to become an accepted master craftsman member of the guild. Apprenticeships initially were highly sought after but eventually craft membership became so exclusive and was often only reserved to direct relatives that it could not be sustained.

As you can imagine, significant wealth and status came to master craftsman and the fewer there were, the more powerful and wealthy they were.

Merchant guilds and craft guilds often came into conflict of governing a city or town. Since the merchant guilds were wealthier, they tended to dominate governments. Often, the more numerous craft guilds lost out to the merchants and suffered economically by laws and practices. Friction was inevitable.

The rise of the company where merchants and craftsmen were combined together to increase productivity, and was more efficient. It also broke the monopoly of the guilds.

Cool Guildhalls

With guilds now just a part of history, they left some impressive buildings that now often serve as museums or commercial establishments such as restaurants. Here are some pictures of guild houses in Flanders (Antwerp, Brugge, Brussels, and Ghent); a part of the Hanseatic League in Tallinn; and Zurich.

Flanders

Antwerp—most of the remaining guild halls are on Market Square or very near market square (there are at least 10). While most guild halls were for merchants and artisans, one of the guild halls was for a group of archers, who held competitions and were a social group.

7 Guild Halls on the north side of Market Square. From left to right (they are numbered using odd numbers) #3; #5 Coopers House (barrel makers) ; #7 Archers House; #9; #11 Grocers House; #13; #15 (on the end). — **7 Guild Halls on the north side of Market Square. From left to right (they are numbered using odd numbers) #3; #5 Coopers House; #7 Archers House; #9; #11 Grocers House; #13; #15 (on the end).**

**Detail of 5 guild houses with their roof ornaments. These are from left to right (they are numbered using odd numbers) #3; #5 Coopers House; #7 Archers House; #9; #11 Grocers House (on the end).**

**Detail from the Archer’s Guild House #7 of St. Michael (their patron saint) slaying the dragon in Antwerp Market Square.**

**Detail of one of the roof ornaments on the southeast side of market square. It is either from the Tailors House (#38) or the Carpenter’s House (#40).**

Brugge—there are some standalone guild halls, but most were on Market Square.

**Some of these buildings around market square in Brugge were guild houses but the area was renovated in 1995, so many are hard to identify as they were remodeled.**

Symbol of the Tanners in Brugge—2 lions with a shield. There is no remaining guild houses here. This statute is in the small square is named Tanners Square after the tradesmen who used to work here. On the other side of the square is the fish mark… — Symbol of the Tanners in Brugge—2 lions with a shield. There is no remaining guild houses here. This statute is in the small square is named Tanners Square after the tradesmen who used to work here. On the other side of the square is the fish market. It now is an area for restaurants and a place to take canal boat rides around Brugge.

**The Fish Market in Brugge where Merchants used to sell the catch of the day. Now it is a craft market.**

Brussels—the grand palace (the main square in Brussels) has some of the most impressive guild halls. Some claim this is the most beautiful square in all of Europe and these guild halls help add to this impressive square.

**Detail of Top of the Guild House of Brewers**

Ghent—here the majority of the remaining guild halls are located on the Graslei Canal.

**On the left is the old corn warehouse. On the right side this is the House of the Grain Weighers Ghent**

Hanseatic League

Trade in the Baltic region was controlled by a special league, called the Hanseatic League. It was started in Germany and reached from Bergan, Norway to Tallinn, Estonia. By far, Bergen has the best remaining guild halls, but the walled city of Tallinn has some excellent examples of guild halls. Guilds in Estonia often were combined guilds of merchants and artisans.

**Great Guild Hall Tallinn, Estonia. It was a combined merchant and artisan guild hall, It is now the Estonia History Museum.**

One of the most unique guilds was the Brotherhood of Blackheads. They are an obscure guild that are only known to exist in Riga, Latvia and Tallinn, Estonia.

**Sign outside of the House of the Blackheads, Tallinn, Estonia.**

**Ornate door entrance to the Brotherhood of Blackheads. It was a guild of shipowners, merchants and foreigners.**

Zürich—there are 14 Zunfthaus (Guild Houses) in the old town area of Zürich.

**Wine Growers and Merchants Guild House Zürich**

My Final Thoughts

What a great look at how society developed in Europe! Anne really does take some great pictures. Travel with understanding a little about what you are seeing makes a big difference and we would be happy to help you visit any of these great places in Europe and learn more about how Europe developed!

Whatever your Dream Destinations are, we are here to help you get the best possible vacation based on what is important to you! We will provide you high quality, expertly planned travel. Please give me a call 713-397-0188 (Hank) or email me at hschrader@dreamdestinations.com. We want to help you: Savor life…make memories…Visit Dream Destinations! Your journey begins here!

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