By Karen Bradbury
Published: February 14, 2013
The Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour makes its way through Germany Feb. 16 to March 24.
The Banff Centre, a Canadian institution promoting art, culture and education, is the organizing force behind the festival, which each fall showcases films about mountain culture, sports and nature.
By Karen Bradbury
Published: February 8, 2013
Fairly certain you'll be in Europe this same time next year? If so, attending the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics might have sprung to mind.
Americans wishing to get individual tickets to the games can do so through CoSport, a leading provider of Olympic Games packages and a U.S. Olympic Committee sponsor, starting Feb. 11. Tickets go on sale at noon Eastern Time. Packages that combine tickets with hotel stays are already on offer on CoSport's website. An account is needed to buy tickets, so it may be advisable to set one up beforehand. Note also that a Visa card is needed to complete any transactions.
The Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics take place Feb. 7-23 not in Sochi proper, but in the suburb of Adler and the mountain resort of Krasnaya Polyana. This resort area by the Black Sea has long been popular among Russians as a summer-sun destination. Even in the winter, temperatures there are mild in comparison with the rest of the country.
Bear in mind that U.S. citizens traveling to Russia need visas to enter the country. Visas can be obtained at Russian consulates in countries outside of the U.S., although these services generally cost more for foreign citizens than for residents of the country in which the consulate is located.
By Karen Bradbury
Published: February 7, 2013
With Valentine’s Day fast approaching, those with a travel-loving partner might be on the hunt for a romantic destination offering something out of the ordinary. You might consider the four-star Romantikhotel Im Weissen Roessl, in Austria’s Salzkammergut region, which is surrounded by mountains and sits on the banks of Lake Wolfgang.
The hallmark feature of the White Horse Inn, as it calls itself on the English pages of its website, is a year-round heated pool, installed directly into the lake and maintained at a constant temperature of 86 degrees. The lake pool and a heated outdoor whirlpool make up part of a sprawling wellness area built alongside Lake Wolfgang. Other spa facilities include a sauna with a lake view, a panoramic sport and fitness area, salt steam baths and sun terrace with heated lounge chairs.
By Karen Bradbury
Published: January 31, 2013
The Carnival season is upon us, and one of the earliest — and most elaborate — celebrations in Europe takes place in Venice, Italy. Venice’s Carnevale season starts about two weeks before Carnival reaches its climax in the rest of Europe and is celebrated through Feb. 12.
The official program began Jan. 26. Each year’s edition is based on a theme; in 2013, “Live in Color” alludes to the unique pallet of shades associated with the city’s famous lagoon.
By Karen Bradbury
Published: January 15, 2013
This year promises to be memorable for visitors to Amsterdam as the city celebrates various milestones, including 400 years of the canal ring, 125 years since the opening of its concert hall and the reopening of the Rijksmuseum.
Those planning a visit to the Dutch capital this spring should shoot for an April visit, when the Rijksmuseum re-opens and the Observatorium, a stargazing observatory, allows public access for the first time in 200 years. In May, the Van Gogh Museum reopens, and June’s agenda features Open Garden Days and the broadcast of a live performance by the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra onto the Museumplein.
By Karen Bradbury
Published: January 10, 2013
Although the darkest days of the year have passed, there still is plenty of winter to get through. Those without the time or money for a tropical vacation can console themselves with a quick getaway into another world. A visit to a German spa, thermal bath or indoor water park often can feel like a mini-vacation and do wonders to perk up a case of the seasonal blues.
The search for a facility that suits the interests of the entire family might begin by visiting therme-sauna-freizeitbad.de.
By Karen Bradbury
Published: January 2, 2013
A new year calls for new travel destinations, and low-cost carriers can help make the dream of reaching distant shores a reality.
New airlines are springing up and old standbys are constantly fine-tuning their networks. Here are some of the latest new routes offered at airports near U.S. military communities in Europe.
Stall number 107 at the Christmas market in Wiesbaden, Germany, offers a variety of Russian souvenirs. Profits from sales support the Saint Elisabeth Convent in Belarus. Courtesy of Karen Bradbury
By Karen Bradbury
Published: December 21, 2012
Those doing some last-minute shopping at the Christmas market in Wiesbaden, Germany, might happen past a stall near the city's red brick Market Church and the children's railway. Typical Russian souvenirs such as stacking dolls, lacquer boxes and wooden toys, along with icons and religious items, make up the goods on sale there. The stall's manpower, whatever the time of day, will always consist of just one individual --- Sister Magdalena Tichoniuk.
For the fourth year running, the stall has been selling items to raise funds for the Saint Elisabeth Convent, located on the outskirts of Minsk, the capital of Belarus. Many of the goods for sale here, to include the ceramic mugs and ornaments, along with the religious articles, are crafted by residents of the convent. Around 106 sisters and 10 monks currently live there.
The history of the convent is recent. It was founded in 1999 to provide spiritual and social help for the sick and the suffering. The sisters of the convent engage with some of the most vulnerable members of society: orphans, many of whom are mentally disabled, psychiatric patients, those ill with tuberculosis. The convent also runs a farm that provides for the needs of an additional 150 men, some struggling with alcoholism or drug addiction, others recently released prisoners. Their work has already enjoyed a measure of success --- so far around 40 men have managed to rebuild their lives and reintegrate into society.
Sister Magdalena was born in Poland but has spent the last 10 years within the convent. With her knowledge of English, Russian and German, she readily engages with visitors to the Christmas market and speaks of the convent's mission. Her brief annual residency in Wiesbaden is supported by the Russian Orthodox Church of St. Elizabeth, located on the city's Neroberg.
As profits generated by sales at this particular stall are used to benefit the works of the convent, a gift obtained here translates to a pleased recipient, a buyer who can feel he's done a bit of good with his purchase, and an incrementally better life for someone in Belarus. In any language, the spirit of the season.
To learn more about the convent, see http://obitel-minsk.by. English pages are available. Visitors to the convent in Belarus are welcome.
By Karen Bradbury
Published: December 20, 2012
In search of a brave and unusual undertaking to start off 2013? How about a bracing swim in frigid waters?
Many hardy souls choose to welcome the new year with a dip into a lake or sea. If you’d care to add such a feat to your list of accomplishments, here are some suggestions:
By Karen Bradbury
Published: December 12, 2012
The British have one Christmas tradition they claim as their own: an outing to see a pantomime, or “panto.” The theatrical production is full of singing, gags, slapstick humor and audience participation.
Produced by both local troupes and renowned companies, the fantastical story lines appeal to children, while adults enjoy the risque, off-beat double entendres.
