europe – Unique Journeys LLC

THE MAGIC AND WONDER OF CHRISTMAS MARKETS BY RIVER CRUISE

May 16, 2018

Do you Believe in Magic?

I believe in magic and you will too when you board your river cruise and see it decked out for the holidays. The magic and wonder of a Christmas Markets cruise in Europe is one way to re-capture the Christmas magical feelings of your youth and give it as a gift to your children. Take a river cruise to the Christmas Markets of Europe and you can introduce your children to cultures and traditions different than your own. You can expand their horizons and help them understand other societies. You can watch their eyes light up as you wander the various markets with their array of hand-crafted toys, ornaments and delectable treats. This is the true magic of Christmas.

Christmas is still very much a religious and family-oriented holiday in the countries you will visit. While shopping is a theme of your shore excursions, intertwined with every market are Christmas concerts at the beautiful churches and areas for the children to play and have fun.

You and your children will be exposed to traditions that have been handed down in families for hundreds of years and you will be learning about different cultures while you are having the time of your life.

Caroling

When you board your river cruise ship, you are surrounded by energetic crew members excited to help you enjoy and get the most out of your cruise, a ship that has been transformed into a Christmas fantasy, and the promise of a great experience in some of the most iconic European cities and towns. However, there is one element that is waiting for your special touch – the passengers get to decorate the tree.

WHAT’S A PICKLE GOT TO DO WITH IT?

Another fun activity onboard the ship is the hunt for the pickle. The Legend of the Pickle is hundreds of years old in Germany and your family will learn the legend and will get a chance to “hunt for the pickle”. Will you be the one to find the pickle? Even if you aren’t, it’s a great family activity, that you can take home with you and start your own tradition.

LET’S TALK ABOUT THE INTRIGING CITIES YOU CAN VISIT

Your floating hotel will enable you to see many of the cities you have always heard about at a magical time of year when they are decked out for the Holidays. Some of the greatest cities in Europe are on the rivers, such as Vienna, Budapest, Strasbourg, Amsterdam and many others.

FEAR NOT FOODIES AND PICKY EATERS – YOU ALL CAN “HAVE IT YOUR WAY”

Breakfast and lunch can both be buffets or you can order off the menu. At lunch, you just want something quick so you can make that afternoon shore excursion? There is a shortened lunch menu in the lounge. Tired from all that shopping, exploring and absorbing history, how about a small assortment of sandwiches and desserts to keep your strength up until dinner. While you have been enjoying family time, your chef and his group of talented cooks has been creating food almost too good to eat. I managed and I’m sure you will too. Now, go rest up for dinner – where you have lots of menu choices.

While every city and town is celebrating Christmas, there will be regional specialties in each destination which are steeped in the history of the area. You and your family will learn the traditions that have been practiced for hundreds of years and handed down from generation to generation. Take Regensburg for example. It is the oldest town on the Danube and home to one of the oldest sausage shops, Wurstkuchl. This is a must stop before you start to explore this town which has over 1,000 historic buildings.

DO YOU HAVE A SWEET TOOTH?

Along with the wonderful treats created onboard your ship, you will find great regional specialties in each city. Take Nuremberg for example. Along with one of the largest Christmas markets in Europe, they are famous for their gingerbread. Smelling it is almost as much fun as tasting it, but not quite. And, you will get to taste it everywhere.

While in Vienna, you can taste Sacher Torte. While not a Christmas specialty, you can learn how it originated at the Sacher Hotel. Pull up a chair and you can enjoy it where it was first served. You should also order one of my favorites while there, hot chocolate MIT SCHLAG. This is one of my special treats. In German, Mit Schlag means with cream and in Austria, you get a lot of Schlag when you ask for it.

HOW TO EXPERIENCE THE MAGIC AND WONDER OF A CHRISTMAS CRUISE

If you want your family to experience the magic and wonder of a Christmas Market cruise this year, you need to call me. The earlier the better to insure your family get the perfect accommodations on your first choice of dates. Many times the early you book the better the price. The first step is up to you. I’ll await your phone call.

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WHY I LOVE RIVER CRUISES-AND YOU WILL TOO

Apr 5, 2018

SIZE DOES MATTER: Most river cruise ships only hold around 160 people. Just enough fellow passengers to give you an opportunity to get to know them over the course of the cruise, but not overwhelming. THIS IS WHY I LOVE RIVER CRUISES-AND YOU WILL TOO. On large cruise ships you might not see the same person twice; not so on a river cruise with less than 200 people. On a river cruise there is a certain camaraderie among the passengers and the crew which I find comforting.

Ever get lost on a large cruise ship? It can’t happen on a river cruise ship. While there are several areas to relax in, such as the lounge or the sun deck, they are easy to find.

DIET? Of course you can maintain your diet on a river cruise. There are always healthy choices and vegetarian options available on river cruises. Just don’t look at the beautiful presentations of the breads and pastries.

However, if you do indulge you can reassure yourself that you will be taking one of those walking excursions soon, so all will be well.

BOWLING ANYONE? (more…)

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Paris: A City packed with fine art, architecture, shopping & sightseeing

Nov 30, 2016

Two days in Paris, the city of lights, is not enough time!

But… it was all the time we had. Our journey to Paris was the first leg of the AMA Waterway wine cruise package. After the two day journey in Paris, we headed to Bordeaux for a seven day riverboat cruise through the wine region. The trip ended with three glorious days in the Loire Valley. Even though two days in Paris isn’t enough time to see everything that was on our list, we did manage to pack in much as we could!

To describe Paris, to a Paris “virgin,” one has to define the layout of the city. The city of Paris is divided into arrondissements (administrative districts, or neighborhoods) which are situated on either the Right Bank (northern side) or the Left Bank (southern side) of the Seine. There are 20 arrondissements with the 1st located at the center of the city, on the Right Bank. The following arrondissements spiral outwards in a clock-wise direction. Most of the famous tourist attractions can be found in one of the central eight arrondissements.

Location, location, location!

Our hotel, the Crowne Plaza was located in the Republique Neighborhood, on the right bank, between the 3rd, 10th & 11th arrondissements. It is a lovely neighborhood that surrounds a central plaza, the Place de République. The plaza is lined with restaurants, pubs and pâtisseries, (bakeries) all within walking distance of our hotel.

A 31′ bronze statue of Marianne, the Goddess of Liberty sits in the center of the plaza. Marianne is surrounded by three statues representing Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité (liberty, equality fraternity), the values of the French Republic.

Getting around Paris was easy. There were buses and cabs that stopped right outside the front door of our hotel, and a Metro station less than a half a block away. We either walked or took the Metro, which was an absolutely stellar transportation system. I found that people in France, don’t tell you how many miles or kilometers you are from your destination; they tell you how long it takes to walk there.

Day One in Paris

Dealing with jet lag is tough, but we still had a great first day in Paris. We opted to take a 30 minute walk to the Seine so we could purchase day passes for the Batobus; a hop-on-hop-off tour boat that cruises the river. The day passes allowed us to get on and off at as many stops as we wanted.

We hopped on at the Hôtel de Ville, did a half circle cruise around the city and then and hopped off at he Museum de Orsay. This converted train station/museum is smaller than the Louvre, but loaded with fabulous works of art. After returning to our stop at the Hôtel de Ville, we decided the Metro was a better choice for our return trip back to the Republique neighborhood, where we found a charming and affordable restaurant just off the main drag, full of local diners. After dinner we limped back to the hotel for a great night’s sleep!

Statue of St. Louis, founder of Sainte Chapelle

Day Two – Our Final Day in Paris

We kicked the second day in Paris off at a lovely pâtisserie, where we dined on croissants, fresh squeezed orange juice and cappuccinos. On to the Metro station for day passes which cost only €14 each (around $15). The journey then led us to the fabulous Notre Dame Cathedral, on the Île de la Cité, an island in the Seine. From Notre Dame, we headed to Sainte Chapelle, a royal chapel, known for it’s incredible stained glass windows, also located on the Île de la Cité. What amazed us is both — these Gothic structures were built without the equipment or technology that we have today, and they’re still standing!

What is a trip to Paris without a visit to Ladurée, the grande dame of Paris pâtisseries, where the Macaron Mania began? Of course we weren’t going to let this opportunity pass… Hunger set in after the cathedral visits, so we headed to the Champs Elysée, where we found our pâtisserie and cafe. We enjoyed lunch and a well deserved rest. The meal was topped off with cups of decadent hot chocolate, the best in the world!

After lunch we headed to the Arc de Triomphe, the iconic monument built as a tribute to French soldiers lost in all wars. We took an elevator to the observation deck to be able to experience some of the best views in Paris. The Arc de Triomphe was a sobering and beautiful memorial to fallen soldiers.

As if the Arc de Triomphe wasn’t high enough, we forged on to the Eiffel Tower and proceeded to travel to the top, via elevator (of course). The views from the top were nothing short of magnificent, even for someone terribly afraid of heights. Luckily, there was a sturdy fence enclosing the observation deck! The day turned into evening as we descended. We were delighted by the light show the Eiffel Tower provided us with. This was the perfect ending to a beautiful two day excursion to Paris.

A final note on Paris

I can’t write about Paris without mentioning how impressed I was with the incredible architecture, the sculptures, gargoyles and the fine craftsmanship of the ironwork. If you are interested in fine art, architecture, shopping or sightseeing, Paris is the city to visit!