BA flights lands at the wrong airport

When the pilot comes on the radio after landing and says "Welcome to XYZ" it's usually great news – you've arrived safely at your destination and, hopefully, on time. For passengers on a British Airways flight on Monday it was not something to cheer about, though – the pilot announced that the plane had landed in Edinburgh, Scotland. The problem was, all of the passengers were going to Düsseldorf, Germany. Ooops.

Explore the Danube Christmas markets


Summer may be just around the corner, but now is the time to be thinking about a visit to the Christmas Markets of Europe. The Christmas markets along the Danube are an incredible sight. Festive market stalls, surrounded by medieval houses, are fully decorated with fairy lights, piled with gingerbread, and delicate Christmas glass ornaments.

This year, immerse yourself in the enchanting atmosphere of the Christmas markets, which have brought magic to the banks of the Danube River for centuries. Spend seven nights cruising the majestic Danube as you sail from Nuremberg to Budapest.



A very limited number of staterooms are available on this all-inclusive cruise, with departures in late November and early December.


Contact Bryan today for details.

Travel Thought for the Week

“The treasures found in travel, the chance rewards of travel which make it worth while, cannot be accounted beforehand.”
– H.M. Tomlinson (1873 - 1958), British novelist

Fifty years on – Slaughterhouse 5

The Frauenkirche, the beloved symbol of Dresden.

In the fire storm that followed the Allied bombing in February 1945, the stone dome of the Frauenkirche glowed red with heat for days before finally collapsing. The Communists that took over East Germany after the war had no interest in rebuilding it, so they left the church as a heap of rubble. Reconstruction efforts finally began in the 1990's, when that sad collection of ne'er-do-wells was sent on their way (they all emigrated to Venezuela, apparently).

Kurt Vonnegut was a POW being held in Dresden at the time of the bombing. His novel, Slaughterhouse 5, was published 50 years ago this month, and the New York Times has published a short essay about.

"Weird, wise, moral, profane and profoundly human, it remains a countercultural classic and one of the most enduring antiwar novels of all time. Not to mention a salvational act of self-therapy by a man who likely suffered from what would today be recognized as post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD."

Read more here.

So it goes.

Oberammergau Passion Play 2020


I'll be leading two tours to Germany in 2020 that include the Oberammergau Passion Play. My first visit to the Passion Play in 2000 was an amazing experience, and – wow! – 2010 was even better. I am really looking forward to the next staging of this incredible production, which occupies the entire village. The opportunity to attend this amazing event only comes around every ten years, so don't miss this chance!

Starting in Berlin in late July, the German Vistas tour hits some of the best cities and villages of Germany. After touring the highlights of Berlin, one of the world's greatest cities, we'll head to Wittenberg, the town where Martin Luther launched the Protestant Reformation. We'll also spend a night at Wartburg Castle, where Luther hid for a year while translating the New Testament into German. Other highlights of this tour include a visit to the world famous porcelain factory in Meißen, exploring the cities of Dresden and Leipzig, and a couple of days in the medieval town of Rothenburg. We'll also tour the Porsche factory in Stuttgart, and amble through the Black Forest – one of my favorite parts of Germany – before getting to the main event: the Passion Play in Oberammergau. The tour ends with a couple of nights in Munich, which the some call 'the northern-most city in Italy" because of the relaxed and friendly nature of the locals.

In early August the Romantic Central Europe will visit the most important areas in southern Germany, Austria, and the Czech Republic. This tour will begin in Munich, before heading to the medieval town of Rothenburg, and then to Oberammergau for the Passion Play. We'll then make our way through the Alps, including stops in Innsbruck and Salzburg, before spending a few days in a picturesque wine village on the banks of the Danube River. From there it's on to Vienna, recently voted the 'most livable' city in Europe. Enjoy a concert in the city of music, once home to composers such as Mozart, Beethoven, Haydn, and a whole family of Strauss-es. We end our tour in Prague, with visits to Castle Hill, and the beautifully preserved Old Town.

Why experience the Passion Play as part of a huge tour group? Each of these Hand Crafted small group tours will have no more than six people, ensuring a much more authentic and relaxed experience.

Contact Bryan for reserve a spot on one of these tours.

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