By Karen Bradbury
Published: January 5, 2012
Did you, like me, eat way too many cookies and other treats in the period running up to Christmas and into the New Year? Are you now thinking about getting fit in the year ahead? Does the thought of completing a marathon or a half-marathon this spring serve as inspiration for starting a training regimen in earnest?
If so, there are no shortage of running events, both close to home and those that would entail a journey, taking place in the months to come. If your resolution for the new year called for plenty of exercise and getting out to see more of Europe, why not make a travel date to complete a marathon, half-marathon, or shorter run? Barring your own participation, a friend who’s been training in earnest would certainly appreciate your support on his or her big day. Here are some competitions in the first half of 2012:
By Karen Bradbury
Published: December 22, 2011
The darkest days of the year are upon us. But we can take solace in the fact that as the winter solstice passes, the hours of daylight will slowly begin to increase. To get through these days, I find it helps to fall back on memories of a time when it remained light late into the evening. So I recall a journey I took to an area known as the Curonian Spit.
The Curonian Spit is a splinter of land tracing the coastline of the Baltic Sea for some 60 miles. It is separated from the mainland by a lagoon, and its territory is shared by Lithuania and the Russian Federation. As this geographical phenomenon lived in my memory, it was a sparsely touristed place. Thus it came as a huge surprise when, after a nearly three-hour bus ride from the Lithuanian city of Kaunas, followed by a 20-minute ferry ride from Klaipėda, and another half hour in a mini-van doubling as a taxi, I arrived in the town of Nida only to find all accommodation booked solid.
By Karen Bradbury
Published: December 16, 2011
The year 2012 is giving us more excuses than ever to hit the road. One of the events taking center stage of course is the 2012 London Olympic Games in July and August. Thinking of going? Tickets went on sale in the U.S. on Dec. 7 and are now available on the website of the only authorized ticket reseller, CoSport. Ticket prices vary, with entry to basketball and shooting events from $44 and diving competitions at $327 and up. Looking for an athlete to get behind? Why not a U.S. military member competing in the games? The Army World Class Athlete Program and the Air Force World Class Athlete Program are helping many hopefuls prepare for Olympic glory.
Following on the heels of the Olympics will be the Paralympic games in August and September, where our U.S. athletes will no doubt do us proud as well. These games are also in London.
By Karen Bradbury
Published: December 8, 2011
It really boils down to a simple question. Is it worth traveling great distances to reach one of Germany’s most famed Christmas markets when dozens of smaller, lesser known ones abound close to home?
Lübeck, in Germany’s northernmost state of Schleswig-Holstein, was one of the first German cities I ever visited during the Advent season, long before I came to call this country home. But the scant two hours I spent there, well after the darkness had settled, had left a strong impression, and I’d always had the urge to return.
By Karen Bradbury
Published: November 22, 2011
Are you planning to check out a few Christmas markets this season? Since virtually every city or town in Germany hosts one, you may find yourself at a loss when it comes to choosing the best ones to visit. The markets in Cologne and Nuremberg are among the most famous, but at times the crowds there can be overwhelming. Although it’s nice to experience them once in a lifetime, you might find the smaller markets, with their more intimate atmosphere, a much more appealing option.
If you were to get up early enough on a Saturday or Sunday morning during this Advent season, you could hit anywhere from four to six markets in one day. It would be an ambitious itinerary, to be sure, but doable. And a good way to market-hop? Take the train.
By Karen Bradbury
Published: November 3, 2011
The cold’s coming in, and it’s getting to be time to hunker down for the winter. Germans have recognized this fact for a long time, and one of the traditional events this time of year is the Martinimarkt. The name of this market stems from its proximity to St. Martin’s Day, Nov. 11. St. Martin, according to legend, was a Roman soldier-turned-monk-turned-saint for acts of kindness, including tearing his cloak in two to share it with a beggar.
What kind of things can you buy at a Martinimarkt? Whereas traditionally it might have been a day to stock up on goods needed to see you through the winter, nowadays Martinimarkts have by and large come to resemble craft or flea markets. The first two weeks of November, in fact, are chock-full of all kinds of markets, whether called Martinimarkt, Herbstmarkt, Vorweihnachtsmarkt, or otherwise.
By Karen Bradbury
Published: October 25, 2011
Halloween’s just around the corner, and Germany is a good place to be if this is one of your favorite times of the year. The popularity of this holiday seems to increase with every passing year, giving you plenty of off-base options for fun and fright. Here are some ideas for outings:
Halloween parade: Could it possibly have anything to do with the American presence in Kaiserslautern that the city hosts a one-of-a-kind in Europe celebration at this time of year? The Halloween City parade & pumpkin spectacle generally brings tens-of-thousands of revelers to the city center to enjoy a full day of seasonal fun. From 11 a.m. kids can carve pumpkins and make Halloween decorations, and at 3 p.m., there’s a program especially for the young ones at the Stiftsplatz. At 3:30 p.m., the children’s parade begins, with a prize given for the best costume. The adults get their turn at 7 p.m., when their parade sets off from Eisenbahnstrasse. There’s a 3000 euro prize for the best decorated car, and the wearer of the best costume walks away with 500 euros. Kids don’t need to pre-register for any of these events, but the adult participants do, and there is an entry fee. To register, visit www.werbegemeinschaft-kl.de/index.php?id=82 (German only) or call Anna Becker at 0631-365-3426. Frau Becker speaks English.
By Karen Bradbury
Published: September 27, 2011
A year or so ago, Stripes ran an article in its travel section titled Paris: Three stars for do-it-yourself lunch at cooking school. The lunchtime course, offered by L’atelier des Chefs, purported to have you in and out of the kitchen with a full belly within the space of an hour for just 15 euros. Sounded great to me. The downside was that the course was entirely in French.
While I’d taken that fine language way back in high school, all those years of study hadn’t really translated into anything usable on a practical level. Although I knew it was unlikely that I’d understand much of what the chef was saying, I took a chance and booked the class for a friend and myself.
By Karen Bradbury
Published: September 22, 2011
Sure, it was heartbreaking to see the summer come and go so soon, but the fall season is also a wonderful time to travel throughout central and southern Europe. Hotel prices have come down, crowds have thinned, and the odds of encountering a heat wave are pretty low this time of the year. Plus, if you have friends stateside who keep promising to get over to travel around Europe with you, they are likely to snap up cheaper airfares than they ever could have at the height of summer. Fall is also the top season for harvest and wine festivals. But what to do and where to go? The choice this time of the year is staggering. Here are some food- and wine-based events throughout Europe to tempt your palate and wet your whistle:
Belgium: The country celebrates its love affair with beer throughout the year, and autumn’s no exception. A couple of events beer lovers might wish to check out include Brassigaume, taking place Oct. 15-16 this year in the town of Marbehan. Rather than a massive beer bash, some 20 master brewers from small independent operations present the best of their beers, along with warm meals featuring -- of course -- beer in their preparation. Busy that weekend? Another small-scale venture is the Weekend of Belgian Beers in Limburg on Nov. 11-13.
By Karen Bradbury
Published: August 16, 2011
Is Oktoberfest 2011 on your radar? Maybe you were thinking about it, but were put off by the hassle of driving to Munich and finding a hotel at this late date. A possible option might be to take advantage of German Rail’s offer of a party train, heading to the fest on Sept. 24 and Oct. 1.
The wagons bound for the Bavarian bash won’t be sedate places --- think DJs and dance floors --- although there is a seat reservation included in the deal. This mode of transportation has obvious advantages over a bus trip. You get space to move around and a restroom close at hand --- critical after a day of downing 1-liter Masses! Price includes round-trip rail transportation in second class, seat reservations and two .3-liter drinks from the bar.
