Europe Euphoria

Few destinations around the world can compare with the visions of one’s most colorful imagination. Purple rain clouds to drape the rugged island of Eysturoy in a golden shimmer, perfect rainbow arches over the Slaettaratindur Mountain, two spectacular rock pillars that protrude from the surf like craggy teeth. Does this remind you of Tolkien tales written by J. R. R. Tolkien. The setting unlike the movie, ‘The Lord of the Rings’ is not in New Zealand but in the Faeroe Islands of Denmark. Gjógv Church, Image credit: Filip Ornstein The Lord of the Rings analogy is never far away in the Faeroe Islands, a barren and wind-swept archipelago whose volcanic peaks shoot out of the Atlantic Ocean halfway between Iceland and Norway. Carretera de Eysturoy, Image credit Local legend even claims the ring of power is hidden here. Gjogv, Image credit: Matti Utstrand Although these islands can be easily reached by plane from Britain or Scandinavia, the Faeroe Islands are remote enough to be spared mass tourism for now. You run into more sheep than people once you venture outside the sedate capital, Torshavn. Torshavn, Image credit: Sergey Lutov Anonymity has helped this semi autonomous Danish territory remain one of those rare places where you don’t have to worry about traffic, pollution or crime. Doors are left unlocked and only seven of the roughly 48,000 residents are in jail. The Faroe Islands: Grindadrap, Image credit: Jan Egil Kristiansen Viking ancestry has kept alive traditions of medieval chain dance, the reciting of ballads and a controversial slaughter of pilot whales amongst the Faroese people. Faroese chain dance, Image credit What is the weather like? These 18 islands are a pleasure where weather predictions don’t really matter since while one island will be baking in sunlight, the next is shrouded in fog. The mix of warm Gulf Stream waters and frigid Arctic waters also provides for fertile breeding ground for fish, whose impact on the Faeroe Islands cannot be overestimated. A typical grass roofed house sits atop a sea of yellow flowers, Image credit What is there to eat? You will need some courage to sample Faeroese delicacies like sheep’s head, whale blubber and Skerpikjoet raw mutton that has been left to dry for months. If you’re not feeling adventurous, there’s always roast lamb and potatoes. Skerpikjot, Image credit Do chalk out a plan to visit these far off magical islands!

The famous and mythic Bran Castle, or popularly known as Dracula’s Castle in Transylvania has been put on sale. A Habsburg heir is hoping someone might turn up to accept this national landmark according to a US based investment company. However, no pricing has been fixed yet. Back in 1212, Bran castle was built as a stronghold by Teutonic Knights. By 1938 the building started acting as a defense against the Turks, and later became a customs check post on the mountain pass between Transylvania and Walachia. From 1920 to 1948, the castle became the residence of royal family and later it became the museum of medieval arts. This structure is basically known for its unique architecture and it is famous because of myths that once it housed Vlad the Impaler, an infamous medieval warlord, whose cruelty inspired Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel ‘Dracula’. It is not confirmed that Vlad the Impaler ever lived in this castle. But there are stories that he spent two days in the Bran Dungeon. Because of the disputed connection between Vlad the Impaler and fictitious character Count Dracula, the Bran castle is commonly known as ‘Dracula Castle’ among the visitors. Credit goes to Bram Stoker, who surely had some inspiration of Vlad the Impaler while creating the character of Dracula. He also used Bran castle as his model of dracula’s castle. This castle became more and more famous with every sitation of this castle in various Dracula movies till date, and has someday became informally known as Dracula Castle. Local people also take every measure to boost the rumour. The local economy make use of the dracula connection of the castle to boost tourism. A small market exists at the castle gate selling numerous articles connected to Dracula and Vampires. In recent years the castle saw bats flying around in twilights have strengthened the story of vampires and lured film makers from various part of the world to come forward and start shooting documentaries on the castle. In May 2006, the castle was returned to Princess Ileana’s son, Dominic Habsburg. He offered to sell the castle last year also to local authorities for $80 million, but the offer was rejected. This year also he has put up the castle for sale to the right people under right circumstances. He predicted that the castle will be sold to a proper person ‘who will treat the property and its history with appropriate respect’. In his words, Aside from the castle’s connection to one of the most famous novels ever written, Bran Castle is steeped in critical events of European history dating from the 14th century to the present. The castle has been officially put for sale on the market Monday. Though no selling price is specified, they expect something around $ 135 million. The government can also have a priority to buy the national landmark, provided they can provide the best price. Now it is time to cross our fingers and wait to see the next owner of this most infamous castle.

Montenegro Joins EUROCONTROL and becomes it’s 38th member. A break away new state from former Yugosalavia , it became independent only last June and applied for membership in February this year. The application was unanimously accepted, making it the 38th member. The addition of Montenegro to EUROCONTROL bring added value to the integration of the Air Traffic management system in the Balkan Region, said Victor M. Aguado, Director General EUROCONTROL. Given the growth in traffic expected, it is a very important strategic move. Air navigation service will continue to be provided jointly by Serbia and Montenegro but the control will now be with CAA Montenegro. Montenegro’s two International Airport at Podgorica and Tivat will play important role in tourist attraction to the beautiful Adratic Coastline.So far it the Adratic coastline has been hot tourist spot with Europens but with such many more will experience the beautiful beaches.

Montenegro is one of the youngest country in Europe, it became independent in June 2006 from former Yugoslavia. It has fast gained the reputation of being the most naturally beautiful country. Montenegro is an ecologically diverse state in Eastern Europe. It has some of the best beaches historically but have not been accessible because of political reasons . A large number of sunny days in summer and a large quantity of snow in winter determine the two most developed forms of tourism in Montenegro. The coastal one- in summer and the ski recreational one – in winter. Ulcinj is the southernmost city at Montenegrin coast and has the longest beachs at the Adriatic sea – Velika Plaza that is 13 km long, the Ada Bojana – a unique river island with marvelous sandy beaches, Valdanos – a unique bay with a coastline covered in old olive trees. The reconstructed old city of Ulcinj is full of interesting restaurants, cafes, galleries and hotels … and many other attractive sights make Ulcinj unique and attractive for many tourists. Ulcinj is a city that you have to visit for its health tourism, Mrio Surlaa Montenegrin African and the son of the legendary photographer from Ulcinj Rizo Surla. Beside the skillful manufacture of the beautiful photographs of Ulcinj and the surroundings, Mario is famous as a passionate fisherman and a great Boehm. It is interesting to point out that the first settlers from the family Surla have come to Ulcinj 400 years ago as slaves. Montenegrin painter Milo Pavlovic is connected, who has created his work and still creates in Ulcinj and whose face and work are famous even beyond the borders of Montenegro. Ulcinj is the best seaside town to visit on the Adratic coastline.Visited for sun, sea, and sandy beaches it is locally called ‘God given beach’.It has the prettiest grain of grayish warm sand like flour. The locals claim the sand has medicinal powers to cure sciatica , spine ailments and some say even infertiliy.It has an ideal climate that range from 25 deg to 2 deg, the highest being 38 deg. The sunny days can be enjoyed from May to Oct, with the average sunlight available for 11.5 hours. The humidity is 67% except in July when it is 63%, rainfall experienced is 134mn/m2.The pictures says it all ,a little heaven on earth.

With the new generation high speed trains reaching speeds more than 250 mph, the train seems to be the next best medium after air travel. Europe is certainly taking advantage of this high speed rail system and trying to promote tourism using it. Basically, Europe is going to ‘let the train take the strain’. How are they going to achieve this? Well, for starters, this system is known as Eurail system and it’s an existing network spread over most European countries. The Eurail or RailEurope website boasts about the system and has a map of all the rail stations. Eventually though, there will be five major hubs: at Lille, Brussels, Cologne, Frankfurt and Stuttgart These hubs will known as junctions. These junctions will be the major operational areas for the rail system. The goal As of now, the goal is to compete with the airline industry. RailEurope is going to lower some prices and make things easier for passengers. At least this way, people won’t have to wait in long lines for security check at the airports. I think this is a great idea for frequent travelers. Rail journey is and will be less of a hassel. Even after 200 years after the locomotive invention in Northen England, Railways are the safest and easiest way to travel. The trains also have restaurants and/pantry cars along with them. Passes and costs: As of now there are country passes, international passes and various other systems to keep the costs low. Eight hour journeys can cost about 35 pounds only which I think is pretty cheap compared to airtravel. There’s also Eurostar group of trains along with others which have different costs. Routes: Various routes are scenic and cheap. Some are also known as Snow route for a reason. You can opt for the following routes as of now. Prague to Budapest through Bratislava. This views are just spectacular. There’s plenty to see. As the train zooms past, you will see some serious snow in the Danube valley in winter. In the summer, it’s just awesome vistas all around. It takes 8 hours and 35 pounds for this particular journey. Next up is the Snow train option from Paris to Bourg. During the ski season, this is a route that operates between the slopes and major cities. So, if you are up for some skiing, hop in for a snow train ride. These are real cheap 6 cabin trains with not much room in them. So if you are going to do some traveling around in Europe the best way is Eurorail system. It is the cheapest and safest. I say it is the safest because there have been hardly any deaths or injuries unlike airtravel. Statistics show that in 27 years the French Train a Grande Vitesse (TGV) system carried more than a million passengers without any serious injury or deaths. This is excellent. Maybe it’s time that you buy a Eurorail pass and check out the awesome Europe.

Is there anything that is better than Berlin in the summer? The answer to this question is simply, no. To know the reason, you need to plan a trip and see the wonderful charm of the Berlin summer, because there is no other season in which the capital is so colorful. Visit to Berlin in summer, will make you understand how the city takes advantage of the longer daylight hours. Life is lived outdoors, on balconies, at sidewalk cafes and in platzs. Image Credit Berlin shows its best side as soon as the first rays of sun come out. The inimitable combination of urbane life, numerous parks, an attractive river and sea scenery gives the summer of Berlin a special charm. The streets and cafes are colored and full of life and concerts and parties are bringing music and high spirits. You can experience the opening of the open-air season with impressive concerts, festivals and great street parties. Image Credit Open air events: Summer time in Berlin is the time of many open air events. No doubt, there is something for every taste. A great palette of street parties, classical concerts, rock and pop concerts, theatre and opera performances takes place in the summer months. Eat at: Eating out in Berlin is very inexpensive compared to any other Western European capital or other German cities. The city is multicultural and many cultures’ cuisine is represented. Hackescher Markt is one of the main tourist areas for eating out. Kastanienallee is also a good choice. Here superb Indian-fusion food, mostly vegetarian. Prater Garten is Berlin’s oldest beer garden and an excellent place in the summer. Accommodation: There are more than 350 hotels and guesthouses in and around Berlin. You can make the online reservations and find the right accommodation for yourself. Image Credit Getting There: Tegel in north-west of the city and Schonefeld are the two main airports in Berlin. British Airways and Air Berlin fly to Tegel. EasyJet and Ryanair fly to Schonefeld. Long, hot summer in Berlin is most captivating and is sure to lure you.

Street food is not only seen in the streets of New York and that of India. The vendors are also seen in Paris, France. Looks like the French are actually quite into street food culture just like Bengali’s (in India). So if you are in Paris, you have plenty of options for your meals. You should be able to take what French call it ‘a walking lunch’. It’s just grab and go deal from one of Paris’s many food stands. This is basically a Panini in the center of the city. After all, Paris is the street food capital of the world! The French are really big on seafood. Oyesters, sea snails, moules frites(steamed mussels and French fries are some common menu items. Although, these don’t really fall in the street food category. There’s all sorts of food stands in Paris. For example you can grab pita bread from pita stand. You can also grab a crepe from a crepe stand. All these type of foods are cheap, easy on your pocket and on your stomach allowing you to maximize pleasure during French travel. The street food in Paris is ‘more stratified and less variegated endeavor’. Mostly students, immigrants and tourists take to the street food since it is cheap. A person who is economically in a better shape (example a businessman) will never grab a French hot dog from the street vendor. Instead he will walk into a cafe. The street food mostly includes easy to make and ready to eat foods like crepes, glaces and sandwiches as well as French version of hotdogs. Which streets have cheap eats in Paris? Get off from the metro at Maubert/Mutualite station. You can walk up St. Genevieve which changes to Rue Mouffetard. Rue Mouffetard has cheap fixed priced meals. 20 to 40 Euro will get you cheap prix fixe menu. This includes pastry, rue bread and French cheese. There’s a multitude of restaurants in Paris besides the street food stalls. So one might wonder if the French do anything other than eating. Well, you can check out the French vistas after lunch or you also have the option to chill out in a French bar. Who knows, you might find yourself trying out the French with your partner.

Thousands of revelers sprayed each other with sparkling wine and set off firecrackers yesterday to kick-start Spain’s most famous fiesta, the San Fermin bull-running festival. Thousands of people gathered in the Pamplona, Spain Town Hall Square, wave their red handkerchiefs during the traditional Chupinazo, Image credit The highly contentious event, that includes the cruel and dangerous daily bull-run through the narrow streets of the town center, is a major draw for tourists from all over the world. Arranged to receive this water spurt, a group of young people celebrates the beginning of San Fermines, Image credit The Encierro involves running in front of bulls down an 825-metre (0.51 mile) stretch of cobbled streets of a section of the old town of Pamplona. The biggest day is 7 July, when thousands of people accompany the effigy of Saint Fermin along the streets of Pamplona, along with dancers and street entertainers, such as carnival giants. Festejo of chupinazo from the balconies of Pamplona, Image credit The encierro begins with the letting off of two rockets, the cohetes. One firecracker announces the release of the bulls from their corral, and a second firecracker signals that the last bull has left the corral. A true rain of digging and red has fallen on the people who have met to celebrate chupinazo, Image credit Crowds packed the town-hall square, most dressed in white shirts and trousers and donning red handkerchiefs, the traditional garb of the festival. Bathing in wine? , Image credit The launch of the skyrocket, known as the "chupinazo," began the nine-day fiesta that was popularized internationally by Ernest Hemingway’s 1926 novel "The Sun Also Rises" and centers around the daily running of the bulls. From crowd surfing to crowd jumping, revelers go airborne during the San Fermin fiestas in Pamplona, Spain, Image credit The first bull run is set to take place today and from here on everyday till July 14, it is also broadcast live on many televisions. Injuries are common as the crowds strive to keep ahead of the bulls and overcrowding has made the runs extremely dangerous. There’s plenty of daredevil activities to entertain revelers before the running of the bulls, Image credit Since records began in 1924, 13 people have been killed. The last fatality, a 22-year-old American, was gored to death in 1995. Revelers drink wine during the opening day, or "Chupinazo," of the San Fermin, Image credit A day before the start, hundreds of members of the Ethical Treatment of Animals, a U.S-based international animal rights group, ran nearly naked through the streets of Pamplona/Iruna on Thursday with their bodies painted with slogans like ‘Torture isn’t culture,’ and ‘Bulls yes! Bullfighters no!’, calling for an end to bullfighting. Personally, I feel bad for the bulls mutilated by the festivities , but those of you who enjoy it and are not in Spain to experience it live, can view it on TV.

Locals appreciate Charles Bridge, the most popular tourist attraction of Prague in Czech Republic, with much pride. A landmark to history it spans the river Vltava between Old Town and Mala Strana. However, the mass tourism that the bridge attracts is it any good for it? Tourism is part of the development of society, but it should also mean the interaction of cultures, through intermingling with the locals . With mass tourism this is not really possible. Walking down the bridge towards the Old Town early one December morning, after a recent snow fall, Image credit Gothic architecture and Baroque sculpture combine in the Charles Bridge. 30 statues and statuaries of saints line the bridge, bestowing beauty magic and romance to it. Packed with tourists, Painters and vendors, it stays abuzz with people and activity. Charles Bridge at night The bridge is 516 meters long and nearly 10 meters wide, resting on 16 arches shielded by ice guards. It is protected by three bridge towers, two of them on the Lesser Quarter side and the third one on the Old Town side. Sunrise at the bridge, Image credit History of the bridge In 1357, Charles IV started the construction of a new bridge. The supervisor of the project was Peter Parler, who also constructed the chancel of the St. Vitus Cathedral. John of Nepomuk The Charles Bridge, named after King Charles, was 502 meters long. Resting on 16 arches it was wide enough for 4 carriages to cross at the same time and would be the only permanent link between both riversides. Charles Bridge used to be the most important connection between the Old Town, Prague Castle and adjacent areas until 1841. Today Prague is one of the architectural treasure-chests of the European Union and a magnet for mass tourism. At dawn, dusk or during the night, the bridge is a wonderful place to see fantastic views of a beautiful city and to meet tourists and locals alike.

Tourist will no longer be disappointed when they go to Berlin. They can now get to experience Berlin Wall and its history on a bike. The City has recently built a trail along the 160km stretch of the wall. We all can remember watching thousands of people climbing the Berlin Wall and its fall on T.V in 1989, and, the reunification of Germany. The wall was bulldozed, the pieces were bought and sold and have become collector’s item. Today it is illegal to remove any pieces from the wall but every souvenir store or postcard shops sell them. The pieces, usually small grain or a tenth of an ounce, carry no proof of authenticity. What remained of the wall until recently was a cobblestone path. Innovative Michael Cramer dreamed the idea of a bike path (a hugely popular city transport in the region) along the wall’s course. It took 5 years and a lot persuasion to build it, but the result is worth it. The trail circles old West Berlin and a lot of history along the way. You will cross Checkpoint Charlie famous for its 1961 standoff between Soviets and Americans. The Glienicker Bridge where captured spies were exchanged and the East Side Gallery that showcase 1.3-km of the remaining longest stretch of wall. It features murals by International Artists. Crammer himself conducts guided tours in summer or you could just go and discover it yourself with a guidebook. If one wants a closer look, there are three museums exclusively on the Berlin Wall. The Standing Museum is an open air and near the Gestapo Headquarter use to be. It runs along a potion of the wall tacked with wooden roof and frames. These frames carry posters with subtitles in four languages (English, French, German, and Russian) that tell the story from World War II to the Cold War and how the Wall was built. The Berlin Wall Museum on Bernauser Strasse is excellent which a serious researcher will enjoy. There is an in-dept portrayal of key events from 1961 to 1989. It has a library with many good books and even magazines of that time. Situated on the border between French and Russian sectors it gives a complete reconstruction of a section of the wall complete with double barrier. Checkpoint Charlie is downtown and the most famous point. The museum is more of an art exhibit with period military vehicles, paintings, and dioramas. It has a special section highlighting the struggle for freedom.