by Roy -

Frankfurt, Germany at sunset. The twin towers of the Deutsche Bank, right.

Business travel has been big business in Frankfurt since the Middle Ages due to its geographic position at the crossroads of Europe. Commercial nomads who once arrived on foot, by riverboat or carriage now buzz in and out on Airbus A380s, high-speed trains or the autobahn.

There is no escaping the many descriptions and euphemisms about Frankfurt that focus on business. “Frankfurt, a city that means business!” “The business of Frankfurt is business.” “Bankfurt.” “Mainhattan.” Take your pick; they all make sense.

Whether it is a quick stopover at Lufthansa’s giant airport hub or a full-blown business trip, nearly every frequent business traveller will eventually come to this German city. Visits from foreign travellers to Frankfurt were up 15.2% in 2010 from 2009.

Hotel

Elegant

To enjoy old-world elegance, or to rub elbows with the likes of German Prime Minister Angela Merkel, diplomats, socialites and C-level executives, consider the grandest grande dame in town, the Steigenberger Frankfurter Hof. For friskier new-world elegance, check out Rocco Forte’s 163-room Villa Kennedy across the Main River. Built in 2006 around an existing villa, it offers guests new-school elegance in modern surroundings. If frills are not your thing, but you still want one of the best hotels in town, consider the 5-star Hilton Frankfurt.  Surrounded by gardens, adjacent to the Stock Exchange and a five-minute walk from the banking district, this 342-room business traveller favourite is often sold out as regulars return for its large, bright modern rooms, expansive gym and pool and consistently excellent service.

Edgy

Out on the western edge of town, near Messe Frankfurt (the city’s mammoth exposition halls) sits the 428-room Radisson Blu Hotel, which bills itself as “the only round, all-glass hotel in Europe”. Respecting the latest trends in personalization, guests can choose from four different room themes: home, chic, fashion or fresh, which range from warm and classic to daring or unconventional. Rates are less than at hotels in the pricey CBD, and internet access is free.  Two other design-forward hotel choices are the 116-room, 5-star Roomers, housed in a smartly re-purposed office building in the city’s banking district near the Main River. And if Roomers’ brown and mauve palette runs too dark for your tastes, consider its nearby 4-star sister property The Pure, where everything is clean, crisp and very white.

Expense account

Celebratory business meals in Frankfurt frequently take place at fine steakhouse-style restaurants, and there are many from which to choose.  While the uber-popular, American-style M-Steakhouse sounds like it might be part of a famous chain, it is not, insist executives at Morton’s of Chicago. Another favourite for great steak is Surf ‘n Turf. If steak is not your thing, enjoy fine German/Mediterranean cuisine and live piano music at Holbein’s, located in the Stadel Museum on the river. The Ivory Club offers fine dining with hints from India in a colonial-style club atmosphere. Local celebrity chef Mario Lohninger recently earned a Michelin star at his eponymous restaurant in the Frankfurt’s traditional Sachsenhausen neighbourhood.

Off the clock

Ebbelwei Express

Based on its reputation to some as “the most American city in Europe”, you would expect Frankfurt to be large and sprawling. In fact, it is a relatively small, compact city that is easily navigated by foot or public transportation. First-timers can get their bearings quickly by spending an hour or so on the touristic Ebbelwei Express, a special historic tram that that winds past all the key city sites.  The more culturally minded can take in several museums in a single outing since they are mostly concentrated in “The Museum Embankment” along the Main River. How is that for efficient design?

Go local

zwiebelkuchen

Forget about the Frankfurter. The dish that warms the cockles of the hearts of locals is the zwiebelkuchen, bready tart topped with onions, bacon, cream and caraway seeds. Grab yours or one of hundreds of other German specialties along the Fressgass, a short stretch of Grosse Bockenheimer Strasse lined with delicatessens, restaurants and cafes packed with locals in suits noshing and people watching. (Make sure you visit the Fressgass Festival if you are in town in May or June.)

Do not do this!

English is widely spoken in Frankfurt, but do not let the familiar language lure you into an overly casual attitude when it comes to business. Germans appreciate and expect punctuality and formal business attire at meetings. You will rarely be instructed to go “business casual”. You will also probably be addressed by your last name (Herr or Frau McGinnis, not “Chris”), and you should address your German counterparts similarly. Small talk rarely includes personal topics, so stick to weather, work and world events.

Chris McGinnis

11 Dec 2011

http://www.bbc.com/travel/feature/20111207-business-trip-frankfurt

Average Rating: 4.4 out of 5 based on 194 user reviews.

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by Roy -

This article is written by Sathish K, a Software Professional and travel writer, based in Bangalore

Sarlszburg, Innsbruck, Vienna are the three main touristic cities in Austria. Of the three, I skipped the first one to go to the second one.

Innsbruck

I have travelled by plane, cruiser across countries. So this time I decided to take the Deutsche Bahn for travel to Austria from Germany and back. The normal fares are pretty high in train but there was a special offer by which I got my tickets for entire journey for less than half the usual price.

The City Night Line

So from the city of Mannheim, I take the City Night Line to Sarlszburg and then change over to the next train to reach Innsbruck.

It was raining when I was leaving Mannheim not that the other days during my stay was any different.
Innsbruck is not a big city. Surrounded by snow covered mountains even during this time of the year the view is just mind blowing. Stand at one point maybe the Bergisel Ski Jump Stadium terrace and take a 360deg turn. From start to end of the turn you will be bowled over by the scenery and the beauty.

Bergisel Ski Jump Stadium

Bergisel is one of the main tourist spots in Innsbruck. You can either use the cable car or climb the staircase (255 steps approximately) to go up the terrace which is 50mt above Innsbruck. From Bergisel to the Castle there is a route by which one should be able to walk down but I did not try it neither did I go to the castle since I spent more than 2hrs at Bergisel. And it was pretty tiring walking up and down. I went to Bergisel on the second day of my stay in Innsbruck.
Earlier day after reaching Innsbruck station, thanks to couchsurfing I get a space to stay. So I go up to the place for surfing. After pretty good breakfast and a long chat getting to know each other I leave on my journey for next 5hrs. First thing I do is get a map of the city at the Tourist Information Center which is located in MuseumStrasse.
But before I went to the Information Center I walked through the old city and having been updated on the buildings by my host it was much easy. There is also Alpen Zoo nearby but coming from India watching animals in zoo’s don’t excite me!!!

Later I start my walk up the road towards HungerBurg. Having covered most distance and with less than 2kms to cover I do not find any space for pedestrians. I look around and finally give up and start my way down. The best would be to take the tram from Renweg to HungerBurg and that would be really amazing ride up and down. Dont miss it.

Sathish K

17 April 2008

Innsbruck, Austria

Average Rating: 4.5 out of 5 based on 254 user reviews.

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by Roy -

This article is written by Meena Venkataraman, who is one of India’s leading travel writers with extensive travel experience.

An early flight to Shetlands saw us land in this beautiful cluster of islands with three entire days of exploring at our disposal. The sight of the mighty blue ocean encircling the cliffs, vast expanse of blue skies , sun splashed grassy hilltops ; We drive through all of them and our cab driver tells us, The weather isn’t this good all the time, you guys are lucky.. I love the Scottish accent. It is ever so cute.

Puffin’s Heaven, Shetland islands

We check in and explore the town a bit. We’ve read so much about this place and yet every step surpasses any expectations we might have had from hours of armchair travel. Its beautiful.

Our morning is to plan how we would make best use of the next three days. We are not lucky enough to get on the ferry to Samburgh head, but the afternoon ferry to Mousa is available. Thrilled to bits. The sounds of seagulls squeaking over food is a constant, as numerous as crows they seem to perfectly glide over the smooth blue skies wiping away any clouds that might have been in sight…

Average Rating: 4.9 out of 5 based on 208 user reviews.

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by Roy -

This article is written by Indrani, an engineer by profession and an avid travel writer, based in Bangalore

Ignatius Benedictine Church,  Széchenyi Square, Gyor

After rambling through the roads of this historic town, Gyor, I settled down with ice cream in one of the benches in Széchenyi Square. Gyor has won Europe-award for the protection of the historic buildings, in acknowledgment of the reconstruction of the Baroque centre of the town. The square is surrounded by many historic buildings and museums with fine art works. A couple of days are surely required to tour this town and I had just two hours of hurried tour through the place. The museums were struck off the list unfortunately.

The weather was very friendly that day and the Maria Column looked most captivating. The statues of Mary with infant Jesus with golden crowns atop their heads looked brilliant against the bright blue sky.

Indrani

8 Dec 2011

http://isharethese.blogspot.com/2011/12/szechenyi-square-gyor-hungary.html

Average Rating: 4.4 out of 5 based on 160 user reviews.

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by Roy -

This article is written by Dina Menon. Dina is a hotel management graduate from IHM Mumbai, she loves to network with people. And give her the world map and she is already planning her next sojourn even before her bags are unpacked. Discovering the history and learning all about the local flavor comes naturally to her. She loves her Wandering ways and her hobbies include listening to music, watching movies and partying till wee hours in the morning.

Sitting down to pen my thoughts on Germany did seem a tad bit difficult – simply because the country is so breathtakingly beautiful, I wasn’t sure if I could do justice with a mere blog…

The famous Cologne cathedral

Where do I start …cliched…but true…my love affair with the country started with the famous ‘Sound of Music’ movie; the rolling hills, the tolling bells, the medieval castles which painted a romantic picture; the cathedrals, the endless travel books that I had read –  about the picture perfect villages and the magical forests – and the little phrases that I picked up along the way – Auf Weirdesen et al –  so when a chance came  along for me to experience Germany as part of the German Travel Mart in Cologne –

The city of contrasts – old and new city of Salzburg

I knew it was trip of a lifetime – because from the moment I stepped foot into the country, I knew the travel books hadn’t done justice – simply because as a Wanderer, you have to live the place – see the history come alive, waltz through the fairy tale castles, smile back at the charming people and experience the underlying thread of romanticism humming a tune to the lovers… a flavor which unfolds to every traveler who comes into the country.

Leopold palace in salzburg – sound of music location

Well, luckily, for us lot – when you are a Wanderer, we follow a pretty simple thumb rule  – pack your bags and explore the offbeat. Experience the myriad layers the country has to offer and that’s exactly what I did in my sojourn.

St. Peter’s church in Munich

Freiburg, Salzburg and Munich  was on my agenda after my series of meetings at Colonge…I had to experience the city of Mozart – had to relive my Sound of Music fantasy…had to discover the city of contrasts…and along the way, discover the little towns and the cities – which I now say are stunningly pretty, friendly, traditional, easily accessible, simple to discover, and literally oozing with character. The seduction’s easily explained.

Average Rating: 4.9 out of 5 based on 282 user reviews.

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by Roy -
This article is written by Justin Rabindra. Justin is a Manager with an Advertising Agency in Delhi. He is also an avid traveler and photographer.
The quaint town of Cordoba with a population of  about 300, 000 is perched on the south bank of the Rio Guadalquivir. Islamic architecture, quaint courtyards, balconies dripping with flowers make this one of the most romantic cities you could visit. At the time that we were there a festival was on and the whole town had a carnival air. Women wore traditional, colourful frilly white, red and black dresses and high heels, their dark hair tied in a bun with a red rose behind their ear. Men wore traditional pantalons and red or black shirts. They came on decorated horse drawn carriages through the narrow, cobbled streets and everyone headed for the tented carnival area near the river.
They drank beer and sangria, sang and swirled to Flamenco music. It was a good time to be in Cordoba and a pleasant change from an afternoon watching a bullfight in the ancient ring.
Justin Rabindra
18 Dec 2008
http://justinrabindra.blogspot.com/2008/12/hostal-agustina-cordoba-spain.html

Average Rating: 4.8 out of 5 based on 268 user reviews.

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by Roy -


A man runs in Phoenix Park, Dublin October 25, 2011 

When the wind comes from the West, the smell of hops drifts across the city from the Guinness brewery, tempting Dubliners to stop for a pint of Ireland’s favourite tipple.

A typical Irish pub

It’s famously difficult to resist the lure of Dublin’s cosy pubs, which dot every corner of its winding, rust-red streets.

Yet there’s much more to Dublin than that. Surrounded by countryside of outstanding beauty, Ireland’s capital curves around a wide natural bay split through the middle by the peaty waters of the River Liffey as it flows down from the Wicklow mountains.

The River Liffey at night

The Liffey has been called ‘the Ganges of the literary world’, owing to the capital’s outsized literary clout. The city of 500, 000 residents has produced James Joyce, Jonathan Swift and Oscar Wilde, none of whom are among the four other Dubliners who have won the Nobel Prize for literature.

Average Rating: 4.7 out of 5 based on 177 user reviews.

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by Roy -

This article is written by Rishiraj Pruthi. Rishiraj is a family man, an avid traveler who loves his wife and his car (in that order!) – he believes in wandering into the off beaten tracks and exploring the local culture and savoring every moment of his Wandering Ways. He celebrates life and believes in living every moment of it to the fullest!

Starting off the tour to the Arctic Circle !!!


Commenced the long jpurney to Helsinki via Franfurt… Slept throughout the plane journey to Frankfurt, only to get soaked in football fever in Germany. Kind of a festival atmosphere at the airport. Ventured out in the 7 hour stopover with Kiran, my wife. Met a Brazilian named Euginia in the subway train to Frankfurt city central. The helpful localite took us to the old city as against her plans to show us around. What a sweet way to start the soujorn !! enjoyed the tranquility of the atmosphere there in, feasting on a fantastic pork pizza and strawberry cake along the way only to end up having yummy pasta on the onward flight to HELSINKI. And now its 11:30 pm here and we can still see daylight and scores of youngsters soaking in the atmosphere. Sitting in a pub called Teerenpeli wherein the Jack Daniels and amazing scenes have helped get over the jet lag!! Not to forget the picturesque Hotel Helka where we are staying … DAY 2 will take us to Rovaniemi.

Average Rating: 4.7 out of 5 based on 283 user reviews.

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by Roy -

‘Tis the season to wrap up warm and celebrate the festive season through the ages.

Hardwick Hall, Derbyshire

Find out how families pulled together during the war years to celebrate the festive season with this 1940s thrifty Christmas. The dining room, drawing room and bedrooms will be dressed as they would have been on a 1940s Christmas morning, with relevant music. Activities include make do and mend workshops. Christmas at Hardwick, 3 to 4 December, 11 to 3 pm.

Kenilworth Castle, Warwickshire

The ruins of Kenilworth are best known as the home Elizabeth I’s great love Robert Dudley, who transformed the castle into a Renaissance palace to impress his queen. In true Elizabethan style, Kenilworth is hosting a Tudor Christmas with historical re-enactment group Heuristics, who will give interactive presentations about Tudor Christmas traditions, games, decorations and food. A Tudor Christmas, 17 to 18 December, 10 am to 4 pm.

Alfriston Clergy House, Sussex

For an authentic medieval Christmas, head to the 14th-century Alfriston Clergy House, the first house to be acquired by the National Trust. There won’t be a Christmas tree (that came later) but you’ll see how a country house was decorated in the Middle Ages, with lots of holly, ivy, mistletoe and garlands of apples and nuts festooning the walls. Medieval Christmas, 3 to 18 December, 11 am to 4pm.

Osborne House, Isle of Wight

Every year, the ground floor of the Osborne House on the Isle of Wight is decorated with the traditions of a Victorian Christmas.

Queen Victoria and Prince Albert bought this Italianate palace in 1845, and the queen spent almost every Christmas there after Albert’s death in 1861, until her own death in 1900. So every year, in her honour, the ground floor is decorated with the traditions of a Victorian Christmas. Visitors can enjoy singing chimney sweeps, Victorian fairground stalls, street games and A Christmas Carol pantomime. A Victorian Christmas, 19 to 20 November, 10 am to 4 pm.

Upton House, Warwickshire

Witness how the “downstairs” inhabitants celebrated Christmas in the 1930s at the Servants Christmas Ball. Based on oral testimony and house records from the era, Upton House will be hosting a party traditionally held for its staff, and guests can marvel at the long gallery, decorated with paper chains, and take part in 1930s dancing demonstrations. Servants’ Christmas Ball, 3, 4, 10, 11, 17, 18 December, 12 to 3:30 pm

Abigail Whyte

2 Dec 2011

http://www.bbc.com/travel/blog/20111202-english-country-houses-to-visit-this-christmas

Average Rating: 4.4 out of 5 based on 209 user reviews.

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by Roy -

This article is written by Kavya S.

Thanks to a badly planned transit, recently I got a chance to spend a day in London. While 24 hours is not enough time to understand or know a city by any stretch of imagination, it is ample time to form some ill-informed first impressions. Here is my list of empirical observations about London and Londoners.

  1. English are awfully polite. Even when they almost push you under the bus. In my first hour in London, I narrowly escaped an English death. Not once, but twice. First I managed to jump out of the way of a speeding man only to end up in front of a speeding bus. But both the man and the bus were very polite and made sure that the experience did not bruise my ego.
  2. Indians are now avenging the years of colonialism. By my rough estimation, there is one Singh or Kaur in BA ground staff for every two true blue British employees. The ratio gets better (for the Indians) when the sample under study is made up of immigration officials.
  3. Innit is the wassup of London. It is used to fill the silences and as punctuation. And generally as a sign of Britishness.
  4. London is a decompression zone between the west and the fareast. It is exactly midway between India and US and I don’t mean just geographically. Londoners drive on the left side of the road but calculate distances in miles. Kids wear uniforms to schools. People in London drink tea but don’t get it sugared already. On the road, they honk; they flash lights and give the driver in the next lane the bird. But when a pedestrian steps on to the road, they stop and become the epitome of virtue, patience and a crusader upholding the right of way. (See observation 1)
  5. Cambridge needs to offer more faucetology courses and degrees. I used a lot of restrooms while I was there (All that tea I drank had to find a way out). But never once did I find a faucet that did not flash freeze my hands or boil them raw. Dear Brits, you can mix the hot and cold water before you it spews out of the tap, innit?
  6. Londoners take their politeness to the shower. Bath tubs and showers have folding glass doors that only go half way across. I suppose they don’t splash around much water.
  7. Beer is for schmucks. If you want to get drunk, you have to order wine.
  8. Day ends at five. After that there isn’t much to do other than drink wine.
  9. Five is the lucky charm. Shops close at five and legal age for drinking at home is 5!!! I bet London has the politest drunk 5 year olds in the whole world.
  10. They love their brick buildings, wrought iron gates, ferris wheels and big clocks.

If you agree with my observations, pat me on my back and leave a comment. If you have more to add, leave a comment. If you disagree, send me a ticket to London so that I can go a verify your claims

Kavya S.

4 May 2011

http://www.kettik.com/go/europe/uk/stories/77

Average Rating: 4.5 out of 5 based on 249 user reviews.

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