Rail Europe for the Student Traveler
Rail Europe As a Student Passenger
Read Jetsetters Magazine at www.jetsettersmagazine.com
Read this entire feature FREE with photos at
http://www.jetsettersmagazine.com/archive/jetezine/sports02/adventure/trains/raileurope/student/eurail.html
Hitting the Rails
It has been a time-honoured tradition for the North American university grad to leave his sheltered nest and seek the unknown in a distant land.
Unfortunately, tradition also lends way to clich
The early twenties, book smart grad is filled with an ambition to add some life experience to his new set of professional letters. He sits in a dockside cafeating hometown food with French provincial names as he writes into a leather-bound booklet some deep insights that he assumes are original. He dreams of having a torrid love affair with some local peasant girl but settles instead for swapping email addresses with some Canadians doing the exact same thing. As entertaining as this prospect seems, it was not my wish. I wanted to carve out my own adventure, and in Europe there is no better way than by train.
The European rail system has been for years second-to-none for accessibility, comfort, and, with Rail Europe, affordability. There are a variety of Rail Europe passes for different prices that can get you anywhere you wish in little time and from city center to city center. North Americans must purchase the Rail Europe tickets before departing Europe (you can’t get them in Europe) and well in advance of their trip, and in certain countries the passes are valid on ferries and riverboats. The passes are easy to use and, if taken advantage of fully, are cheaper than most other forms of transportation. Best of all is that trains can get you to remote areas that you would otherwise miss. For the budget-minded the night excursions or hotel trains save you hotel rooms so that you awake the next day in a new country!
Copenhagen
I landed in Copenhagen and got immediately roped into the standard tourist sites Tivoli Gardens , the Royal Palace, etc.
I saw an incredible exhibit of Danish design at the National Art (Kunst) Gallery, and I took a bike ride through an area called Christiania, an area started by a group of Danes in the 1960s looking for free love, free drugs, and free rent, and it hasn changed much since. I was here when I was thirteen years old, staying with a cousin. Since, the government has made an attempt to clean up Christiania by taking out most of the drugs but the general atmosphere remains. Old military buildings painted in bright colours are home to all sorts of the local free thinkers from vagrants to artists to very accomplished architects. The tour ended at the National Library, also called the Diamond because of its seemingly transparently beautiful aesthetics. It is a remarkable example of the old world class of an European city (half of the building is the original building of the National Library) and the clean lines and simple concepts of modern Danish design that act to seemingly tell a story with nothing but light.
Munich
As wonderful of a city as Copenhagen is, the tourist route begins to lose its luster and the rails are calling me East. I’ve been to Germany before so I wasn interested in staying for too long, but the food and beer would be a shame to miss yet another perk of train travel. Local trains can always be caught if you simply feel like ending up in a small town outside Munich, ordering a heaping lunch and a few giant steins of local brew and making your way out the same day. Needless to say, between Frankfurt and the Hungarian border I was full, comfortably brewed-up, and happy as the beautiful sites of central Europe flew by.
As can be expected, this type of life can take its toll on a persons ability to remain conscious. By chance, when my body and mind were screaming for sleep, I happened upon a rather quiet train car. In fact, at one point a person was asked to keep the noise down behind me. I thought there was going to be some sort of movie starting that necessitated such silent attention until I realized that some of the train cars are specifically designated for the lazy kind of traveler that I felt like being. They are quiet cars and I will snore my praises of them for years to come.
Budapest
A city full of history, incredible architecture, and beautiful women. As you walk around the city you get a definite stench of the former socialist society coupled with an obvious existence of capitalist growth. The city sits on the banks of the Danube. The Pest side is where you would find a much more built-up city center with malls and shopping areas, not to mention the late night venues. You can imagine my desire to visit the other side of the river.
The other side of the river is the Buda part of the city (are you picking up on the basis of the name yet?). A little quieter and lush, Buda contains some beautiful homes and sites. The Gelhert Hill, marked by a statue that can be reached by hiking paths, offers an incredible view of the city. I was lucky enough to meet a lovely local named Janka and I was invited to a dinner party. Hungarians are often seen as slightly less personable than some western European counterparts. This can be chalked up to a very dry sense of humour. I can attest, however, that this is not the case at all. After a great, home-cooked meal and a few cocktails in a quaint apartment in the hills filled with great people, including Zigga (who I knew for a few days and offered me a lift to the train station), and of course the beautiful Janka; I would say that kindness and generosity are staples in the social diet of Hungarians. They also have an uncanny ability to have a good time.
Again, some relaxation is in order after seeing so many sites.
Read this entire feature FREE with photos at:
http://www.jetsettersmagazine.com/archive/jetezine/sports02/adventure/trains/raileurope/student/eurail.html
By David Lazzarion, Canada, Correspondent, Jetsetters Magazine at www.jetsettersmagazine.com
About the Author
David Lazzarino, Canada Jetsetters Magazine Correspondent. Join the Travel Writers Network in the logo at www.jetsettersmagazine.com
Lisbon – The Forgotten Gem of Europe
For many centuries, Lisbon, the capital of Portugal, was regarded as one of the most magnificent cities in Europe. With its long history, Moorish influences, stunning location and vast riches from India and Brazil, it was a trading hub for hundreds of years. But a devastating earthquake in 1755, followed by fire and a tidal wave, reduced it to ruins and obscurity. In recent years, however, Lisbon has begun to return to some of its former glory. It was the European City of Culture in 1994, hosted Expo 98, and was the major host city for the huge soccer event, Euro2004. More people are discovering its fascinating blend of old and new. Even better, it still remains relatively affordable by European standards.
Located on 7 hills beside the Rio Tejo (River Tagus), Lisbon is best explored on foot, as driving and parking are difficult, to say the least. Some of the hills can be taxing to climb, but in most cases a funicular or tram is available. Much of the appeal of the city is to be found wandering up and down the streets. Examples of both Moorish and art nouveau architecture are common, as well as beautiful mosaic pavements.
One of the highlights of Lisbon is the Castelo de So Jorge, perched high above the city, and yet quite close by. Originally built in the 5th century, it has undergone many extensions, and modifications. It has been used as everything from a royal residence to a prison. The panoramic views are magnificent.
If your tastes are a little more upbeat, then the area to visit is Bairro Alto. This area has long had the reputation for containing the best restaurants and nightclubs in Lisbon. Alternatively, if you want to go upmarket, then the shopping district for you is Chiado.
Lisbon also contains a number of excellent museums. The Museu Calouste Gulbenkian contains what was originally a private collection of classical and oriental art. The very generous benefactor left his collection to the people of Portugal, along with a very generous charitable foundation. It’s very easy to spend a day strolling around the gallery, even though only about a quarter of the collection can be displayed at any one time.
Depending on your interests, you can also spend time in the Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga (National Museum of Ancient Art), or the Museu Nacional do Azulejo (azulejo are the hand painted tiles which adorn so many of Portugal’s buildings). If you prefer something a little more modern, there’s also the Centro de Arte Moderna (Modern Art Centre).
Eventually, if you reach the point where you’re completely saturated with art, tiles and gorgeous buildings, you can always spend some time in the Parque das Naes, or the Nations Park. It was the site for Expo 98, and now contains gardens, various family attractions, restaurants and bars. It even contains Europe’s largest Oceanarium.
Lisbon is the type of city that you can try to sample in a day, but it takes much longer to truly appreciate all of its many and varied delights. Allow yourself plenty of time to do just that, and your visit to Lisbon will remain amongst your most treasured memories.
About the Author
Travelling is a much loved past time for the author. To find out more, check out www.travelportugalinfozone.com or www.travelportugalinfozone.com/lisbon/ for more information.
A Cuba Vacation
Taking time out from the everyday stresses and strains of life to visit an exotic place is something that everyone looks forward to. Cuba, with its notoriety brought upon by its government and the clamp down of the American government on its export and tourism, is a country known more for its cigar and its leader, rather than as a vacation destination. Despite this, every year more and more tourists from Canada and Europe are flocking to Cuba, enthralled by its natural beauty and its passionate and welcoming people. Tourism in Cuba is currently at an all time high.
Cuba is the largest of the Caribbean islands and is inhabited by people with a mixed race of Caribbean Indian, African and Spanish heritage. It has a contrasting landscape ranging from beautiful and mesmerizing beaches to sprawling and craggy mountain ranges. Limestone Mountains loom over the fields of tobacco, utilised for their famed cigars, providing a stunning scenic view. The natural beauty of Cuba and its history has shaped the country to what it is today. This is one Caribbean island that has been left unspoiled by technology and modern day living.
Like many of the Caribbean islands, Cuba main source of tourism is the beach industry. The country is blessed with hundreds of miles of sprawling sandy beaches, with fine white sand and clear blue water. Tourists visiting Cuba have a multitude of choices for the location of their beach vacation. The major resorts of Varadero and Cayo Largo are the most renowned and here you’ll find many 5 star all inclusive resorts. Despite this, there are also plenty of smaller, quieter beach resorts where you can truly get away from it all.
Aside from stunning beaches, Cuba also offers plenty of rustic towns and cities full of rich culture and heritage. A vacation to Cuba isn’t complete without visiting at least one of the Cuban towns or cities and meeting the local Cuban people.
In the north-west of the country you’ll find the capital city, Havana - the hub of everything that is Cuban. When you stroll around the city you’ll feel the essence of the Cuban past – a rich legacy emanating from the Spanish colonial architecture that beholds the city. Parts of the city resemble the set of an old movie, reminiscent of a bygone era, with old American cars bustling by. A lot of work has been done in the past decade to restore old Havana, a UNESCO world heritage site, but much of the city has been left untouched and hundreds of crumbling buildings collapse each month.
Havana also has its fair share of museums, including the Museum of the Revolution, the Havana Club Museum of Rum, the Cigar Museum, the Ernest Hemingway Museum and the National Museum of Fine Arts.
Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city in Cuba and is located on the eastern end of the island. It has a beautiful setting at the foot of the Sierra Maestra Mountains and overlooks a magnificent bay. Unlike the other towns and cities in Cuba, Santiago de Cuba has a very Caribbean feel to it. This is as a result of the influence of the Haitian planters who settled here in the 19th century.
Trinidad, located in the heart of Cuba is one of the original towns and was founded in 1514. The city is filled with cobbled streets and old buildings with tiled roofs and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988. It’s a very pleasant city to spend a day or two, with many museums, churches and Plazas.
An ideal way to spend your vacation is to take a few days to do some sightseeing in Havana or one of Cuba’s other cities and then follow that up with a relaxing weeks stay in one of the luxurious all inclusive resorts by the beach.
About the author:
Suzanne is the webmaster of http://www.suzannestravels.comYou can read about her recent vacation to Cuba in her Cuba Blog http://www.suzannestravels.com/cubaHere you�ll find information and reviews of her stay in Guardelavaca, Holguin and Havana