Monthly Archives: May 2012

Old and new on display in Germany

Jewelry, mosaics, glass and sculpture abound at the Roman-Germanic Museum in Cologne. The Documenta art fair opens in Kassel in June and runs for 100 days.

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More nifty German words

A recent addition in Deutsche Welle’s ‘word of the week’ – their word for domestic damage control after ”a few”  – Drachenfutter. (e.g., Andy Capp making excuses to Flo after a long  night at the pub). The newest one is … Continue reading

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More Staropramen updates

From Prague Post – Molson-Coors has plans for Staropramen. such as adding snacks to the end-of-tour beers. Pickled cheese. OK. And that yummy, super-fatty Prague ham! Here’s the link to the new Visitor Center. Take a virtual tour after you … Continue reading

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Art exhibition in Dresden for Raphael’s Madonna

You’ll recognize the cherubs, if nothing else. It’s 500 years since Raphael painted his Madonna and Dresden is celebrating thru August 26th.  From Deutsche Welle.

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London travel update for Jubilee weekend, June 2012

Click on the link for the latest information on travel around London during the Queen’s Jubilee festivities. (Sure, they tell me not to drive into the city, but send me a plane ticket so I can join in the scrum? … Continue reading

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Another large earthquake in Italy

Only a week after another large quake hit northern Italy, another one strikes in the same area. From France 24.

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What’s on for the Queen’s Jubilee next weekend

From France 24. Listing of the events celebrating the Queen’s Jubilee. No beheadings, no abbey destruction; only civilized fun on the official slate. (Who gets to take the leftovers home? Just wondering).

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For Memorial Day

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European airlines in the current economy; a solar-powered plane

From Deutsche Welle – How some of Europe’s airlines are coping with the current economic climate. From France 24 – A successful long-distance flight by a solar-powered plane. Let’s hope this becomes commercially viable in the next 10 or 15 years. … Continue reading

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London Tube closures for weekend of 26 – 27 May 2012

Lots of Tube lines being worked on this weekend. Half will be in effect both days, the others only on Sunday. The Circle Line between Edgware Rd and Kings X (big pain), Hammersmith/City and Metropolitan will be disrupted on Saturday … Continue reading

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Some thoughts on the eve of Memorial Day in the U.S.

Memorial Day is Monday, May 28th, 2012. It’s a uniquely American holiday and this will be the 144th such observance since the first one in 1865, after our Civil War ended. A friend emailed me about a recent visit to … Continue reading

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Earthquake in Emilia Romagna

From Deutsche Welle. Aftershocks from the Emilia Romagna earthquake do more damage. From the Guardian. Cheese warehouses sustain damage from the earthquake. From the BBC. Photos of earthquake damage. So now I’m wondering whether I’ll include Bologna on my next trip? If … Continue reading

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New home for Mucha’s Slav Epic in Prague

From France 24.  Alfons Mucha’s heroic-scaled masterpiece, his Slav Epic, has moved to a new home in Prague. Mucha is better known for his Art Nouveau posters, but this collection of 20 paintings was his lifework and Prague was the … Continue reading

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Buck House opening early this year

From France 24. Buckingham Palace, which usually opens to the public in July or August, will open for a week at the end of June this year, close for a few weeks, then reopen from the end of July thru … Continue reading

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Claim your riverside spot for the Queen’s Jubilee flotilla on the Thames

From France 24.  A flotilla of hundreds of different boats will sail down the Thames on June 2nd for the Queen’s Jubilee. The Queen’s barge (sounds like something out of Cleopatra, doesn’t it?) will include William and Kate. Isn’t that nice.

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In-flight cell phone use beginning on Virgin Atlantic

Virgin Atlantic will begin allowing passengers’ use of their cell phones in the air. My opinion: they need to charge more than they are planning and make texting free – else there could be a new category of air rage.

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Prague Spring Music Festival continues

Prague Spring Music Festival continuing this month.

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Travel to Versailles like a king. Really! And Grand Palais art in Paris

The train to Versailles from Paris has added a stylish option. From France 24. A new Daniel Buren art exhibition at Paris’s Grand Palais. From France 24.

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London Tube closures for weekend of 19 – 20 May 2012

This weekend’s Tube closures are minimal. The only Tube closure is on the Central Line between Marble Arch and Liverpool Street. And while a major headache, at least there are plenty of alternate lines to get around the mess. There are … Continue reading

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More pub and beer news – a new category for TravelMagpie

Beer and wellies at the Muddy Duck. From Oxford Mail. From Deutsche Welle. Berliners are coming back to beer.

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EU cap for mobile phone roaming charges

From Deutsche Welle. Effective July 1, a new cap for cross-border roaming charges goes into effect.

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Should graffiti be preserved? Leipzig is wrestling with the answer

Leipzig’s view of graffiti as art. From Deutsche Welle.

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The Dutch think of everything!

Reblogged from work.failblog.org (odd name for a blog) et al – Dutch help for men

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Van Gogh Museum makes a new acquisition

Amsterdam’s Van Gogh museum has acquired another Van Gogh long held privately. From Dutch News.

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Prague Beer Festival and other Czech news

OK, so I probably will never make use of this piece of info. Still… an interesting look at how wedding traditions, even food, are changing in the Czech Republic. From Prague Post. Helpful note… svíčková, is roast beef with creamy vegetable … Continue reading

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London Tube closures for weekend of 12 – 13 May 2012

Here are this weekend’s Tube closures. The biggest disruption in central London is the Central Line closure, extending east beginning at Marble Arch. Partial closures on the Bakerloo, Metropolitan and Northern lines are also scheduled, as well as some Overground, … Continue reading

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European travel news roundup, recycling art from Dutch churches, the oldest cave art in France

Touring the Dutch coast in Zeeland.  From London Independent. Be careful of ‘tourist prices‘. From London Independent’s Simon Calder. BMI gets gobbled up by British Airways; Virgin loses out (Rats!). Other BMI subsidiaries in limbo. From London Independent. From Dutch … Continue reading

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This is serious… Booze cruises in danger!

Pollution measures may change booze cruise practices and boost prices in Europe. From the London Independent.

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Who’s swimming down Worcester, England’s High Street?

Recently, heavy rains flooded Worcester, England, among other places. Not good news for locals or visitors, but I was entranced by the photos that accompanied this item from London Independent.

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Travel ideas – Samos, Gomera, Guernica and Geocaching in Italy

From Prague Post. A look at Samos, Greece. Some travel ideas from London Independent… – Geocaching in Italy; –  Gomera, the ‘forgotten’ Canary Island; – a look at Guernica/Gernika, the Picasso artwork and the Basque town today

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