Berlin Bound: Beer bicycle bars rolls through Berlin streets

By Richard Irwin, Staff Writer

In Berlin, we saw something that brought smiles to our faces: A beer bicycle bar. The circular bar rolled slowly down the street, as patrons pedaled and drank their suds.

We opted instead for a typical beer garden. There are many to choose from, some outside in beautiful parks, others inside.

There’s even beach bars strung along the Spree River bank. In the summertime, Berliners love to have a drink while wiggling their toes in the warm sand. The mood is quite festive.

Just one of the many surprises that visitors will find in Berlin. For more information, visit www.visitBerlin.com

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Berlin Bound: Dark history reflects Holocaust in Berlin

By Richard Irwin, Staff Writer

The history of Berlin can be quite dark. The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe reflects the brutal Holocaust caused by Nazi Germany. Officials estimate that between five and six million Jews were killed in the Holocaust.
The 2,711 concrete stelae of the memorial are deceptive.

While the tops of the concrete blocks seem level from a distance, walking down into the memorial is quite an experience. Tourists will find themselves lost in the heart of it, with the blocks soaring as high as 15 feet above them.

The eerie silence is broken only by the murmuring of visitors navigating the sloping field. An underground center holds the names of all known Jewish Holocaust victims.

Another center, the Topography of Terror, traces the rise of the Gestapo and SS. The museum is actually on the site of the old headquarters. The buildings were largely destroyed by Allied bombing in 1945 and the ruins demolished after the war.

In 1987, the cellar of the Gestapo headquarters, where many political prisoners were tortured and executed, was found and excavated. It was turned into a memorial and museum.
Inside the new center, exhibitions follow the many groups that fell victim to the Nazi regime — gypsies, homosexuals, handicapped. All were slain by the thousands.

After a while, the nightmare of Nazi Germany became too much. We left.

For more information, visit www.visitBerlin.com

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Berlin Bound: Museum Island is a true gem in Berlin

By Richard Irwin, Staff Writer

Be sure to visit Museum Island, a world-famous collection of five museums with UNESCO World Heritage recognition while in Berlin. Many were damaged during World War II, but have been restored.

Inside the Pergamon Museum, visitors will find massive reconstructions of the Great Altar of Pergamon, the Roman Market Gate of Miletus and Babylonian Ishtar Gate.

Nearby, visitors will find the restored Neues Museum, home of the famous bust of Egyptian queen Nefertiti. This artifact is an amazingly lifelike, her regal gaze looking out for all eternity.

The Altes Museum offers a collection of Greek, Roman and Etruscan art and sculpture, while the Bode Museum has a wonderful collection of Byzantine art.
Nearby, the German Historical Museum studies 2,000 years of German history, while the Jewish Museum Berlin discusses the history of German Jews.

For more information, visit www.visitBerlin.com

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Viking River Cruises adds 30 Longships in last three years

Viking Freya sailing the Rhine River with Viking River Cruises (Photo courtesy of Viking)

Viking Freya sailing the Rhine River with Viking River Cruises (Photo courtesy of Viking)

By Staff Writer Richard Irwin

While working on your New Year’s resolutions, did you promise yourself a great vacation in 2014?

If you need some ideas, here’s a list of the hottest travel trends.

The annual travel survey by the Travel Leaders Group found European river cruises to be the single hottest travel trend. Only three years ago, European river cruises ranked 21st. Based on actual booking data, the survey suggests this is the next big thing.

“If Europe could find a way to create additional scenic rivers, the travel industry and, in particular, our agents would be sending even more clients on European river cruises,” said Travel Leaders Group CEO Barry Liben.

Many travelers don’t realize the biggest river cruise company is based in Woodland Hills. Viking Cruises was recently named “Best River Cruise Line” in Cruise Critic’s 2013 Annual Editors’ Picks Awards.

Viking says unprecedented consumer demand has made it the company’s biggest year to date. Almost all of its 2013 itineraries were sold out as well as more than half of all 2014 staterooms. And the company is responding with more ships, said Carolyn Spencer Brown, editor-in-chief of Cruise Critic.

Viking will add 14 new Longships this year. Last March, the L.A. cruise line set a Guinness World Record by christening 10 ships in a single day.

Viking’s fleet will grow to 51 vessels by the end of 2014. This includes 30 new revolutionary Longships in the last three years alone.

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