Start packing your swimsuits and sunglasses, and head to the Caribbean this winter! BA has launched several new flights to the Caribbean this season, bringing their total number of flights to the region up to 45 flights every week. The new flights will be between
London Gatwick and Montego Bay, Jamaica, and Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic (both known for their sun-drenched beaches). These new routes mean that British Airways currently
offer more flights to the Caribbean than any other UK carrier.
So if your summer tan is fast fading away and you’re languishing under layers of knitted jumpers, maybe it’s time to ask the boss nicely for a week or two off. After all, lounging about on the golden sands of a beach in St. Kitts, rum-based cocktail in hand, will surely help recharge your batteries in no time. Just tell your boss you’re trying to boost your productivity. If St Kitts or Montego Bay isn’t your scene, BA also offers flights to Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Grenada, and St. Lucia. Just open up a map of the Caribbean, close your eyes point, and BA will take you there.
And don’t forget to pack your sunscreen!
(Photo: travelmodule.csiadmin.co.uk)
Written by Travel News on November 5th, 2009 with no comments.
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I was 10 and living in suburban America when the Berlin wall fell. I remember learning about it in school and not quite understanding what it was all about. The Wall made another brief appearance during an undergraduate European history course (I understood it better that time around) and I began to appreciate the symbolism of this massive barrier. However, until I stood at the foot of one of the last remaining stretches of wall in Berlin, I had never fully pondered the impact of this structure on the people who lived in the city.
As I looked up at the relatively low wall (9 feet, 11 feet with the 2 feet of barbed wire that ran along the top of the wall – I had always imagined it to be higher), I wondered what it would be like to wake up one morning and not be able to see those I cared most about, to know that the landscape of my city had drastically changed, and that my home city may never be the same again.
The border was sealed off along Bernauer Strasse on August 13, 1961, causing a drastic shift in the daily lives of those living on this street. Residents of Prenzlauer Berg could no longer travel freely through their own neighborhood. Even worse, neighbors, friends, and relatives were separated from one another. The house across the street was suddenly part of a different political paradigm.
Due to the geographical placement of their homes, the people of Bernauer Strasse became directly implicated in this important period in post-war German history. Out of desperation and panic, people jumped out of the windows of apartments along Bernauer Strasse. Though some were successful in making it to West Berlin, many lost their lives.
The section of the former border strip running from Behmstrasse to Bernauer Strasse is now known as Mauer (“wall”) Park. In addition, you can see various fragments of the wall from Behmstrasse along Norwegerstrasse in the direction of Bornholmer Strasse or from Eberswalder Strasse along Bernauer Strasse. Along Bernauer Strasse, there is an informational wall 
(called a “street gallery”) with photos, testimonials and descriptions of experiences associated with the wall.
Another part of the memorial is the The Berlin Wall Documentation Center, located on Bernauer Strasse. It is home to a wide variety of exhibits, archival information, and opportunities to explore the history of the Berlin Wall. The center also hosts seminars on politics and other events throughout the year. It is open Tuesday-Sunday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. (March to November: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.).
S-Bahn station Nordbahnhof (S1, S2), U-Bahn station Bernauer Strasse (U8), Bus 245
Related posts:
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- Celebrating the 20th Anniversary of the Fall of the Berlin Wall …
Written by Travel News on November 4th, 2009 with no comments.
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After strolling along the Spree River, standing in awe at the base of the Berliner Dom (Berlin’s celebrated cathedral) and bargaining for a large fur hat (a throwback from communist East Germany) from a local street 
vendor, I found myself in need of a good lunchtime wurst (sausage). My friend suggested we wander over to the nearby Alexanderplatz, a large public square and transport hub in the Mitte (city centre) district (formerly part of East Berlin).
Berliners often call it “Alex,” referring to a larger neighborhood stretching from Mollstraße in the northeast to Spandauer Straße and City Hall in the southwest. Berlin’s city hall is frequently called Red City Hall (referring to its color, not politics). It is a renaissance-styled red brick building built in the mid-18th 
century that was heavily damaged during the World War II and subsequently reconstructed (in the 1950s) according to the original architectural plans.
Most of the original buildings right on the Alexanderplatz were bombed during World War II. As the center of East Berlin, the square was used as a showcase of communist architecture. Many of these plain, hulking buildings still stand in the platz today. However, there are also several monuments that make Alexanderplatz stand out from the rest of East Berlin.
My sister and I were both enamored with the Weltzeituhr, a mod “world time clock.” It was constructed in 1969 as part of the square’s redevelopment phase. The Weltzeituhr features a revolving cylinder with the world’s 24 time zones, marked with the names of major cities in each zone. The clock is crowned by a simplified model of the solar system that revolves once per minute.
Alexanderplatz is also home to the famous Fernsehturm (TV Tower) or the Tele-spargel (toothpick) as it is commonly called by Berliners. Measuring 1197 feet, it is one of the largest structures in Europe. The Fernsehturm was built in 1969 by a team of German architects in collaboration with Swedish experts. It is comprised of a concrete shaft, a steel-clad metal sphere and a TV antenna. Views from the top are amazing. Be prepared, the line to go up is very long. If you have reservations at the revolving restaurant (Telecafé), you can bypass the line and go right up. Dinner reservations should be made well in advance.
Currently, Alexanderplatz is hosting a temporary outdoor photography exhibition to mark the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. “Friedliche Revolution 1989/90” (Peaceful Revolution 1989/90). The 
exhibition is in English and German and can be visited until November 14, 2009. It is open 24 hours a day and admission is free.
If you’re interested in shopping for arts and handicrafts (paintings, wood carvings, jewelry, lanterns, bags, books, etc.), visit the nearby kunstmarkt (art market) at the Museumsinsel (Museum Island) next to the bridge every Saturday (11:00 AM – 3:00 PM) and Sunday (10:00 AM – 2:00 PM). Be sure to try the currywurst (sausage with ketchup and curry powder- yes, it’s delicious!) and gluhwein (spiced wine with a shot of rum).
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Written by Travel News on November 4th, 2009 with no comments.
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Roast chestnuts, festive music, mulled wine and shopping ideas galore – these are just some of the ingredients that make up the traditional Bath Christmas Market.
The annual Bath Christmas Market takes place in late November - early December and runs for 11 days (in 2009, it runs from 26th November to 6th December.) Traditional wooden stalls are erected in the city center, near the famous Bath Abbey and Roman Baths. Stallholders sell handmade and unusual gifts, Christmas decorations, cards, and food and drink that mark the holiday season. There are over 100 stalls, built in a style reminiscent of European chalets, each with an abundance of Christmas lights strung around them, creating a celebratory atmosphere on a typical, dull, dark December day or as daylight fades and dusk arrives.
The Christmas market has become a popular Bath attraction, with many people from a wide surrounding area making day trips or taking weekend breaks to the city to take full advantage of the market. It does get extremely busy, especially on weekends, so if you want to browse the stalls properly, then it’s best to go early or late in the day and avoid the peak times at weekends.
Street entertainment is a big part of the overall experience, so you can expect to enjoy watching and listening to a variety of novel amusments and diversions as you wander the market grounds. Carol singing is, of course, a favourite form of entertainment at this time of year, but there are also children’s entertainers and a good selection of musicians to keep the crowds happy. Children – or children at heart – can also enjoy a ride on the Victorian Galloper Carousel, which offers rides throughout the day.
Three stage areas have been introduced this year to provide a real break from the shopping crowds and give you time to focus on the entertainment in style. Plus, you may get lucky and catch the sounds of a full choir singing in the Bath Abbey.
Holiday food and drink is available throughout the market area, so you will certainly want to enjoy a warming glass of mulled wine, tuck into mince pies or nibble on traditional roasted chestnuts. Other European favourites are available as well, from freshly made pancakes and crepes, to German Bratwurst.
The market is ideally located for exploring the rest of Bath’s shops, where you can get more of your Christmas shopping done. And there are plenty of restaurants and cafes in which to stop for a refreshing cup of tea or coffee, or have a bite to eat at lunchtime. If you are visiting on a weekend, 
then the streets are likely to be heaving with visitors – the market attracts coach loads of extra visitors – so if you are planning on treating yourself to lunch out, then it’s advisable to book a table in advance. If you don’t, you could find yourself queuing for ages, or waiting in vain for a free table.
On most days, the market opens at 10am (11am on Sundays) and stays open until 6pm, 7pm or even 9pm. It provides a wonderful festive atmosphere, especially at night, and is a lovely way for all ages to enjoy the festive season and find some great gift ideas.
Photos courtesy of visitbath.co.uk
Copyright: Bath Tourism Plus / Colin Hawkins
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- Bargain Cruise on the Danube River and Visit the Christmas Markets …
Written by Travel News on November 4th, 2009 with no comments.
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There’s so much going on here at National Geographic headquarters that it’s hard for us to keep track. Here’s a roundup of events happening in November.
Terra Cotta Warriors, National Geographic Museum
Our eagerly anticipated special exhibition opens November 19 at the National Geographic Museum in Washington, DC, and will run through March 31, 2010. The crated warriors arrived the other night and the museum staff is getting the statues in place right now. Timed tickets are required and they’re going fast. You can buy them here. Save your ticket stub to get 20% off in our newly redesigned and expanded National Geographic Store. For directions on how to get to the museum, click here.
Glimpse Correspondents Program
If you plan on working, studying, or volunteering abroad, apply for the Glimpse Correspondents Program. Each semester, the Glimpse Foundation picks a team of talented young writers and photographers between the ages of 18 and 34 and rewards them with a $600 stipend, career training in writing or photography, and publishes their work on Glimpse.org. All entries are due by November 8.
National Geographic Expeditions
Want to go on a warm-weather trip? National Geographic Expeditions is hosting a free online webinar on Monday, November 9 at 8 p.m. about its upcoming expeditions to Costa Rica and the Panama Canal. To register for the webinar click here, or learn more about the expedition here. Best of all, those who book a trip between January 1 and March 31, 2010 will get a $500 airfare credit.
National Geographic Image Collection
Stop by our DC headquarters and take a stroll around our courtyard to see LED lightboxes showcasing some of the best (and some never-before seen) National Geographic photography. The exhibit is free to the public, and is based on our new book, National Geographic Image Collection (hint: makes a great present!). A video preview of the book is here. The New York Times recently profiled Bill Bonner here, the keeper of our photo archives, which contains more than 11.5 million images.
National Geographic Channel
Admit it: you love IKEA and all of its fashionable, cheap goodness. On November 5 at 8 p.m., National Geographic Channel’s Ultimate Factories series takes viewers inside IKEA’s largest plant in Zbaszynek, Poland, and shows just how IKEA makes its wood furniture. Here’s a video preview of the show.
All Roads Film Project
On November 4, the Society will hold a special screening of Unconquered: Allan Houser and the Legacy of one Apache Family, a documentary about Native American art and traditions. There will be a discussion with the director, producer, and Allan Houser following the screening. Tickets are $8.
National Geographic Traveler Seminars
Our fall-winter schedule is available now, and lists one-day seminars in travel photography taught by National Geographic photographers. The next seminar is December 6 in Seattle, with our lively team of Jim Richardson and Catherine Karnow, who share with you their secrets on how to make photos “that tell a story.” Video preview here. For more info and online registration, click here.
Written by Travel News on November 4th, 2009 with no comments.
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- For the past month, 10 slabs of the Berlin Wall have been installed outside the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). According to thelocal.de,
“The 2.6-tonne slabs have been made available to artists, who have been
given free rein to make their own statements on each block of
concrete.” The wall will be on display until November 8, “being
symbolically toppled.” [thelocal.de]
- Through November 5, Omni Hotels is offering 40 percent off select stays in Austin, Chicago, Corpus Christi, Dallas, Fort Worth, San Diego, New Orleans,
San Antonio, Houston, and Tucson. Reservations must be made for travel between Dec. 2, 2009 and Feb. 10, 2010 (and excluding December 31). Fore more information, click here. [Omni Hotels]
Photo: currentevents via Flickr
Written by Travel News on November 4th, 2009 with no comments.
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National Geographic Magazine’s International Photo Contest has just ended, and there are some great submissions, like this one taken in India’s Ganges River.
Says photographer Jenay Martin, “The Ganges is the holiest river in India. Every morning and every evening Hindus bathe in the holy river. However, it is very polluted, and in this very location there is no living oxygen and is pure sewage. Even in the filth of Varanasi, life goes on. People still bathe, and animals still manage to find things to eat. This goat is eating a holy garland that was offered to the river during a funeral procession.”
For more images, visit the weekly galleries on National Geographic Magazine’s site and vote for your favorite images. Viewer’s Choice winners will be announced in early December. Check out the gallery of last year’s Viewer’s Choice favorites. Voting closes November 8.
Written by Travel News on November 4th, 2009 with no comments.
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Last week, National Geographic Traveler assistant editor Janelle Nanos got to chat with legendary actor and World War II enthusiast Tom Hanks, who has “perhaps done more than anyone in Hollywood today to help tell the stories of the war with the film Saving Private Ryan and HBO series Band of Brothers” and who just helped produce the interactive film Beyond All Boundaries for the World War II Museum in New Orleans. Hanks’s goal of the film–which premiers on November 8–was to make an impression: to give the viewer a chance to
look beyond the familiar black-and-white portrayal of WWII and see that
these were real people, living their lives in a period that would
change them forever.
A trailer of the movie can be seen here. For the complete interview and insiders look at the film, click here.
Written by Travel News on November 4th, 2009 with no comments.
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Photo: BenjaminB99 via Flickr
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Friend of IT (and author of delightful Cold Beer and Crocodiles: A Bicycle Journey into Australia) Roff Smith is just back from biking the Welsh national cycling route, and shares with us some tips on traveling in the area.
So how do you keep them down on the farm after they’ve seen Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch? You got me. It’s not easy. Since I’ve returned from cycling the Lôn Las Cymru–the Welsh national cycle route–I’ve thought of little else but going back and doing it all again. Stretching more than 250 picturesque miles from the ancient castle town of Chepstow in the south, to windswept Holyhead in the north, (home to the Holyhead Harpies Quiddich Team, if you happen to be a Harry Potter fan), this is said to be the most beautiful of Britain’s long-distance cycling trails and having cycled a good many of them myself, I’d be hard put to disagree.
Those five days I spent travelling its length were like a step out of time, a harkening back to a slower, gentler oil-painted world of leafy country lanes, old market towns, World Heritage castles and the romantic 11th-century ruins of Llanthony Priory–and yes, there’s plenty of utterly unpronounceable Welsh names along the way, not least of which is the aforementioned town on the isle of Anglesey, listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as having the U.K.’s longest place name. Locals shorthand it to Llanfair P.G.
The route itself is cobbled together of quiet lanes, cycle paths, even a stretch of ancient coaching road. It is superbly signposted and so easy to follow that you don’t really need any maps, although the excellent ones published by Sustrans are well worth having since they can help you plan your day, and offer up interesting alternatives–you can, for example, start off from Cardiff if you wish. There are plenty of B&Bs and pretty little inns along the route, so you needn’t rough it or carry a lot of gear–a point worth considering since the Lôn Las Cymru meanders through the Brecon Beacons, the Cambrian Mountains and Snowdonia National Park, making it one of Britain’s more challenging rides as well.
Of course, you don’t have to cycle the whole thing in one go. Good rail connections and bicycle-hire shops mean that the Lôn Las Cymru is very do-able in weekend-sized bites, say, between Chepstow and Hay-on-Wye, sixty miles of the very same countryside for which William Gilpin, the 18th century traveler and essayist coined the word “picturesque”. There are still the hills of course, but then, isn’t that what those hearty B&B breakfasts are for?
Photo: George Borrow Photography
Roff Smith’s October article for National Geographic magazine, about the shipwreck of a 16th c. Portuguese ship carrying more than 100 million carats of diamonds, can be found here.
Written by Travel News on November 4th, 2009 with no comments.
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