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Greetings Fellow Travelers!
Have you ever tried to plan a vacation but you just can’t decide on a location?
The Untours website has a great tool to help you decide where to go: Trip Logs, written by Untourists
who have traveled to some of the very places you are considering. To get the inside
scoop on activities, restaurants, and Untours accommodations from people who have
‘been there, done that’, this is the best place to start. We have recently updated
the Trip Logs page on our website with our latest submissions, and we’ll be adding
more in the coming months now that the 2005 season is well under way.
In this issue of the Eurozine, we are featuring excerpts from some of our recent
additions as well as from our archives. Even if you aren’t planning a trip in
the near future, just reading about someone’s hike through a field of alpine flowers
or their sumptuous meal in a bistro will take your imagination on a brief journey.
Enjoy!
Happy Travels,
Kim Paschen and Marilee Taussig
Co-editors, Eurozine |
Untours Eurozine April 2005
Triplogs featured:
We are always looking to add to our collection of Trip Logs. If you'd like to
submit one, please email it to travel@untours.com.
888-868-6871
www.untours.com |
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Paris: The Arc de Triomphe presides over the most
famous avenue in the world, the Champs Elysées. |
Trip log tidbits
Before you read some of the excerpts from trip logs below, here are just a few
things to note:
- The majority of submissions are from clients who have gone on Untours. You will get their honest opinion on locations, accommodations,
and their overall experience. In a few instances, staff who have gone on Untours
for vacations have written about their activities.
- Every trip log is an individual submission, so the organization and the content
will vary. Some trip logs will describe every detail down to the food on the airplane;
others will feature just the highlights.
- Keep in mind that many trip logs are from a few years ago when the dollar was
much stronger (1€ equaled $.80 as opposed to today’s going rate of 1€ for $1.30)
so prices that are listed may no longer be accurate.
- To view our entire collection of trip logs, visit our Trip Log Archives Page.
- If you wish to continue reading one of the trip logs below, click on the link
at the end of each one and you can read the submission in its entirety.
Peter and Margaret Haggart took a Paris Untour in the fall of 2003. The following passage describes their shopping experience
in upper crust, gourmet stores.
It rained hard last night but was just overcast and cool this morning. We started
our day in the Place de la Madeleine area, which is full of up-scale stores and
shops. We started at the famous Fauchon’s, which is really four distinct stores
all laid out like fine works of art in their displays of goods and all very very
expensive!
There is a tea room, meat shop, pastry shop, and grocery. All very nice, but
the grocery has a wine cellar (cave) that blows the mind. One bottle of vintage
red wine selling for $5000, a bottle of Scotch for $3200, and one bottle of Champagne
going for just $9000. Upstairs in the tea and spice shop the spices are available
in the usual containers, but you can also scoop them up from open bowls, so the
smells are captivating. We then rode the famous pink padded elevator back down
to the ground floor. We then moved on to Hediard’s, which seems easier to shop
in and less formal, although just as carefully laid out. We bought some interesting
mustards here. Next came a shop devoted to truffles "La Maison des Truffes" one
batch in the window sold for $6000 a Kg. Next came a shop which was selling caviar
and also very expensive salmon and eel! We then passed by a Baccarat crystal shop.
We failed to make reservations at the Lucas Carton Restaurant, which saved us
$600 for dinner tonight! See what other adventures the Haggarts experience on their Paris Untour, including visits
to famous art museums, and a trip to Monet’s house in Giverny.
You, too, can call Paris home on an Untour...click here to see what an apartment in this enchanted city looks like. |
Tuscany South: Shawn's crew takes a gaze at some incredible
countryside in Monticiano, Italy. Photo by Eiji Miki |
Shawn Linderman put together a very informative trip log detailing his adventures
in Southern Tuscany in 2004 including a trip to the morning market in Buonconvento. Note: this trip
log is in PDF format so you’ll need Adobe Acrobat Reader to read it.
I ate way too much last night. Couldn’t help myself—Jane made a bread and cheese
quiche-like dish with onions and tomatoes that was so delicious I had four helpings.
Left no room for pie. I paid for my gluttony—had nightmares and got very little
sleep. Janet had a hard time waking me up for Saturday morning market in Buonconvento.
No signs or directions, but we finally chased it down, after first stopping at
the for fresh bread. While folks certainly stock up on food and stuff (the market
trucks are really well designed for their functions, whether it be shoe store,
clothing, butcher, cheese shop, etc.), market day is a social event too. First,
everyone in town, and I mean everyone, is out and about—never knew so many people
lived in town. Vendors and customers greet each other like old friends. Men and
women are chatting in groups all over town...
So, home with our booty—Jane and I are stunned by the incredible taste of the
fresh strawberries. Fresh bread toasted with butter and honey, cantaloupe and
I’m happy and finally reviving a bit. Janet got a beautiful green sweater (we
didn’t pack warm enough clothes for these chilly May mornings and evenings) and
maroon top—also found a very nice skirt, but it was too expensive. Laura, our
landlady’, is here doing some gardening. She says the grapes in the vineyard you
can see from the kitchen window are new red grapes that won’t produce for a couple
more years. Janet, Jane and I went for a walk after putting away the groceries.
Janet and I lost a roll of film in Siena, so it was a chance for Janet to get
shots of the wildflowers again. We also picked enough to have vases of fresh flowers
in the kitchen and living room.
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Switzerland: The tremendous view of the Jungfrau.
Photo by Marlene Hench |
Marlene and Frank Hench took a Swiss Oberland Untour in the summer of 2004. Their extensive descriptions of their daily activities
are a wealth of information. Below they write about their trip to the Jungfrau
region.
Friday, July 16
The alarm woke us very early. We hopped out of bed and ran to the window. Yes!
The sky was very blue with very little cloud cover. It looked like a perfect day
to go to the Jungfrau.
We took the bus to Thun, and had some time before the train, so went across the
street to a Starbucks that we had spotted. Yes, even in Thun, Switzerland! Once
aboard the train, we were able to sit back and enjoy our breakfast... Once we
reached the town of Kleine Scheidegg, we would transfer to the Jungfraubahn, the
train that was going to take us on an incredible journey up through the mountains
of the Jungfraujoch.
Leaving Kleine Scheidegg, the train runs straight up the mountain to the Eigergletscher
(7,690 ft). The snow covered mountain views up were gorgeous. At the Eiger, the
train now enters a 4 1/2 mile tunnel which runs through both the Eiger and the
Monch. It makes two stops in the tunnel. The first is Eigerwand (9,397 ft) and
the second is Eismeer (10,360 ft). Both have windows with views of the glaciers.
We were glad that we decided to get off the train at both stops for a moment to
take in the views and another large amount of digital photos. The next and last
train stop was at the Jungfraujoch Station.
Everyone leaves the train at this station to view the featured attraction, the
glaciers. The station is actually underground with a series of tunnels that lead
to various areas. The Sphinx is the highest viewing area (11,723 ft) and offered
panoramic views of the glaciers. There is no way I can describe the majestic views
we saw except that I labeled one of my many photos taken here "Heaven" because
when I look at it, I expect to see God appear in the middle of the glaciers. It
had to be one of the most awesome sights we have ever seen. After we decided that
I had enough digital photos of the Jungfrau and Frank had enough videos of it,
it was time to leave the mountain.
When we reached Kleine Scheidegg, both of us were feeling hungry. There was a
little outdoor restaurant nearby where the chef was grilling sausage, and cooking
rostis. Then in the back he had a large kettle of sauerkraut and potatoes. How
delicious the lunch was there. For dessert, there was a large selection of apple
strudel, apple cake and other pastries. It just doesn't get much better! Learn more about the Hench's travels including a trip to a cheese maker, how
they retraced their family roots, and much more.
Check out an outstanding apartment in the Swiss Oberland in a lovely setting close to public transportation. |
Austria: The majestic Alps surround the picturesque
village of Kuchl pictured here during a festival. |
In the spring of 2003, Charles and Margaret Gates took an Austria Untour and here are some of the highlights:
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Fresh apple strudel waiting for us on our arrival. Our landlady waving to us
from an upstairs window.
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Standing alongside the locals celebrating Corpus Christ Day. The pageantry, folk
dress, bands and parades. Buying goodies from the stands along the parade route.
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A local gentleman joining us in a restaurant and buying us all a drink. The Austrians
loved having us. Even though he spoke no English we communicate with Charles'
limited German.
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Coffee by a fountain with a new friend we meet in Salzburg while looking at a
map. She's from New Zealand and wants to help. We have a wonderful visit over
espresso and cappuccino. Then on to the Marionette Theatre for "The Magic Flute".
Timeless.
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A trip up the mountain with one of our host families to celebrate summer solstice
(first day of summer). Stopping first at a very old farm house for schnapps made
by the owners. Then on up the mountain to a hut (restaurant) and wonderful mountain
food, a local band, singing and overall merry making. Then out to see the fires
burning (intentionally) all around us in the mountains in welcome of summer. Something
new for us but isn't that what its al about?
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Our landlady driving us up to see the Golling waterfall in the coolness of the
evening. Also to the lake in the Valley, so peaceful. We enjoy the ducks and the
complete serenity of such a setting. Its like we have gone back in time and there's
no one else on earth.
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Evenings sitting on our patio, snacking, having a glass of wine, enjoying the
view, visiting with our host family (the Helmichs), a most wonderful, helpful
couple.
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Bavaria: The 14th century German castle you'll call
home comes complete with towers and moats. |
Chuck and Gini Knueppel went on the Castle Untour in the spring of 2003. Here’s what they had to say about life in a castle.
Wednesday, June 4
We’re castle freaks — ruins, restored as museums, or even elaborate imitations
— we’ve viewed them in the UK, Spain, Italy. No rusty sign pointing to an empty
moat and a drawbridge has ever been ignored! But this one is different. It is
surrounded by a real moat; it has a wall all around, and a big wooden gate. And
we’re actually going to live in one of its towers! Our host, Baron Dr. Manfred
von Crailsheim, smiles as he steps out of the garden. "Call me Manfred," he says,
"let me help you with the luggage. I’m so glad you’ve come when the roses are
blooming at their very best." We went straight through a charming courtyard, with
flowers everywhere and climbed a short way up a spiral stairway to the door of
our Carola apartment.
Pictures of Carola don’t convey the degree of coziness, spaciousness, and beauty
that surround us. We walk into a small entryway, with a modern bathroom at the
side, and enter the roomy kitchen. Two vases of roses and a tempting apple strudel
decorate the cheerful room. A compact unit — 2 electric burners, stainless steel
sink, under counter fridge and a dishwasher, with a chopping block topped cabinet
at the side. Toaster, coffee maker, electric teapot, and a microwave oven are
on a side table. More roses are in our beautiful living room and bedroom. The
former has both a color TV and a CD player with a stack of wonderful classic CDs.
The furniture is comfortable, floors are adorned by antique oriental rugs, and
thick white walls keep the interior as cool as any air conditioning system could
possibly do. On the bedroom wall opposite the window are bookshelves stocked with
an interesting assortment of hard back and paperback books. All advice about reducing
the effects of jet lag say to stay awake at the destination until bedtime in that
zone. After stowing our clothes in the large armoire, we really tried. But nap
attack took over, and after an hour of sleep, we both felt much better. I had
a post nap favorite "Untour moment". . .waking up to see the afternoon sunlight
dappled by the waters of the moat and reflected on the ceiling overhead. Click here to read more about the Knueppel’s adventures in Bavaria as they wind
their way through the picturesque towns of Southern Germany, sipping iced coffees along
the way.
Take a peek here at what the inside of one castle apartment looks like. |
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Idyll, Ltd.
415 E. Jasper Street
Media, PA 19063
www.untours.com
P. 888-868-6871
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