By Karen Bradbury
Published: July 30, 2007
In Germany and still without plans for the second weekend in August? Muscle cars, drag racing, live music, camping out…Are your ears beginning to perk up? Then make for Geiselwind, roughly between Würzburg and Bamberg, to catch the Bike and Music Weekend, which kicks off on the evening of Thursday, Aug. 9 and runs through Sunday, Aug. 12.
According to the program, you can anticipate drag racing, American cars, stunt shows, burn outs, a bike show, go-go girls, a campground and more than a dozen bands. Rose Tattoo is the headline act. The event is billed as one of Germany’s biggest motorcycle events. Admission costs 25 euros for all four days, or you can pay a single-day entry fee of 6 euros on Thursday, 12 euros on Friday, 15 euros on Saturday, or 4 euros on Sunday. Kids under the age of 14 get in free.
By Karen Bradbury
Published: July 26, 2007
So what is the thriftier approach, buying rail tickets to a major German city and combining that with an on-line hotel deal, or buying a package deal inclusive of accommodation from a vendor affiliated with the train network? Like so much in life, it all depends.
AMEROPA is a travel agency associated with Deutsche Bahn that sells hotel and rail combination deals. Presuming that it has an offer on accommodation in a place you actually want to go, and your travel takes place from a major train station, it can sometimes offer you significant savings.
By Karen Bradbury
Published: July 19, 2007
Here in Germany, I do a lot of my shopping at the overcrowded, understaffed, but inexpensive Aldi grocery chain. My latest shopping excursion there provided me with more than just a cheap cucumber. On the way out of the store, what caught my eye but a brochure advertising “Traumreisen zu ALDI-Preisen” or “dream trips for Aldi prices.” Now how could you walk past an offer like that?
I can’t vouch for the trips 100 percent, as I’ve never done them or even spoken with someone who has, but for the prices alone, the offers are worth passing on. Ever wanted to see Malaysia? Take a 10-day trip to a four-star hotel, including flight from Frankfurt, airport transfers and breakfast for just 799 euros per person double occupancy for selected departure dates. The trips do get more expensive, depending on the departure dates you choose, but the highest they get up to is to 1,099 euros. You get seven actual overnights in the hotel, so be braced for long flight times.
By Karen Bradbury
Published: July 13, 2007
Sturgis, Daytona, Loudon … and now Garmisch. The Edelweiss Lodge and Resort hosts a Military Motorcycle Rally Aug. 24-26. The event is being sponsored by the kind folks of Exchange New Car Sales and Harley-Davidson. No Harley, or it’s in the shop for repairs? All bikes, and all bikers are welcome, as long as you have a Department of Defense ID card, or barring that, a good buddy with the card who’s willing to take you along as a guest.
Latest word is that hotel rooms are sold out for that weekend, but camping sites are available. The hotel’s Web site encourages you to check back often, in case rooms do become available as the dates draw nearer. No worries, though, as you can always stay elsewhere in town, or pitch a tent at the campgrounds, and still be part of the activities for additional fees.
By Karen Bradbury
Published: July 11, 2007
While it’s fun to strike off to a place for no particular reason other than that it sounds nice and you’ve never been there before, it’s even better when there’s something fun going on there, and if that event just so happens to be free, well, you’ve scored on that one, haven’t you?
Here are a few music-related freebies that might be worth checking out this summer:
By Karen Bradbury
Published: July 10, 2007
Francophiles based in the Stuttgart, Germany, area may still be rejoicing over the May launch of a high-speed train between their fair city and Paris. The French TGV, or train à grande vitesse, now coursing the route has knocked about two hours and twenty minutes off the time previously needed to complete the journey, bringing it down to just three hours and 39 minutes, to be precise.
To somewhat lesser fanfare, the time needed to traverse the route between Frankfurt and Paris on a German Inter-City Express was knocked down by a couple hours as well. Where do you need to live to benefit from the new routes?
By Karen Bradbury
Published: July 3, 2007
If you didn’t get your annual Independence Day fireworks fix, check out the second in a series of five events staged annually along the banks of the Rhine River.
“Rhein in Flammen,” translated variously into English as Rhine in Flames or Rhine Aflame, sees different stretches of the mighty river and its castles and ruins illuminated by light shows and fireworks, as the river itself bustles with traffic and tourists.
