Hobby Thread - October 12, 2024 [TRex]

Welcome hobbyists! Pull up a chair and sit a spell with the Horde in this little corner of the interweb. This is the mighty, mighty officially sanctioned Ace of Spades Hobby Thread. After checking the settings to ensure proper calibration, a spin of the Ace of Spades Wheel of Hobbies(TM) landed on a theme of European travel for this week. Sehr gut!

Europe is a mix of geographies, cultures, history, and traditions. Whether for religious pilgrimages or the grand tour or holiday, people have gravitated to Europe for different non-work reasons. I am guessing some among the horde have visited Europe as well, so let us talk travel. Just returning from Oktoberfest? Do you have a favorite festival? Have a favorite city, region or attraction? How about a favorite Alpine pass? Do you have a hidden gem or discovery? Did you come home with a treasured trinket? If you have not visited, what is on your fantasy list for a visit someday? Where would you like to hear about Horde experiences and wisdom?

The Horde has to have stories. Did you backpack across Europe in your younger days? Did you have a Chevy Chase style European vacation? Did you visit East Germany before the wall came down? Were you stationed in Europe and enjoyed the local hospitality? Have you hiked the Alps or cruised the Rhine or Danube or cycled through France? If you are a military historian, what battlefields in Europe have you walked? How about cemeteries? How are your language skills? We featured a beer theme recently and many good beers are found in Europe. Have you visited breweries? What about wine regions?

Content below to get the conversation started, but looking for Horde participation. This is not a competition, so do not worry if your memory is not the fanciest or most exotic. If meaningful to you, it will be meaningful to the horde.

As per usual Hobby Thread etiquette, keep this thread limited to European travel. Politics and current events can wait for other threads. Yes, we all know the EU is going to blow up someday. No need to have that discussion in the hobby thread. Play nice. Do not be a troll and do not feed the trolls. As usual, wearing pants is optional for thread participation.

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If you are wondering where to go hiking in Switzerland, fear not. The Hobby Thread has you covered. The 13 Very Best Hikes In Switzerland The link has a description of each, associated logistics, and very pretty pictures.

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The German state of Saxony has so many castles, palaces and monasteries, they need a website to keep track of them all. Sachsen had an incredible history before the hostilities of World War I and II and subsequent time as part of East Germany. Dresden, Leipzig, and Meissen are well known cities in Sachsen but Colditz Castle is legendary because of the escape attempts by POWs during World War II.

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The Alps in Switzerland, Austria and Bavaria get most of the headlines, but the mountain range extends into Italy where they are known as the Dolomites. They have a distinctive and dramatic look with steep vertical walls, sheer cliffs, and deep and long valleys.

If you are interested in military history, some of the least known fighting in World War I took place in the Dolomites between Italy and Austria. Brutal.

The Most Treacherous Battle of World War I Took Place in the Italian Mountains

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The Rhine River is a main artery through Germany. The waterway is dotted with castles and castle ruins that are great spots to visit or just watch from a riverboat. The hillsides are striped with vines. The rocky soil is perfect for Riesling. We are convinced that the Germans keep the really good stuff for themselves and only export the leftovers. Walking paths wind through the vineyards and pop up stands sell a glass or bottle to enjoy.

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Ireland has a lot of culture to soak up, lots of history, and beautiful Waterford crystal. It also has miles of dramatic coastline. The Giant Steppes are at the extreme north coast of Northern Ireland. Atlas Obscura calls the interlocking hexagonal columns a geological oddity.

According to legend, an Irish giant by the name of Fionn mac Cumhaill constructed the causeway himself so that he could skip over to Scotland to defeat his Scottish rival, Benandonner. Apparently, while in transit to Scotland, Fionn fell asleep, and Benandonner decided to cross the causeway to look for his competitor. To protect her slumbering husband, Fionns wife gathered him up and wrapped him up in cloth in order to camouflage him as their child. When Benandonner made it to Northern Ireland he saw the large infant and could only imagine how big Fionn must be. Frightened, Benandonner fled back to Scotland. But the causeway remained.

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Bastogne, Beligum. There were difficult days in the cold and snow at the Battle of the Bulge in the winter of Dec 1944 and Jan 1945. The foxholes are still visible in the woods if you know where to look. The battlefield itself is difficult to grasp but you will see memorials scattered along roadsides at seemingly random spots. You will also see tanks in almost every town square. The past is palpable. The people remember. The Ardennes Forest is a long way from the flatlands of Flanders but are both marked by their their military history.

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Where do you start with Prague? Astronomical clock? Charles Bridge? St Vitus Cathedral? Music? Bohemian crystal? Cold war and the Velvet Revolution? Prague is the capital city of the Czech Republic and the most populated city in the country.

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Schloss Hellbrunn is located near Salzburg in Austria. Some parts feel like formal gardens, but touches of whimsy abound if you look more closely. Aside from the odd unicorn, the grounds are filled with trick fountains. Hidden jets of water squirt from every direction (much to the delight of staff with their hands on the controllers who alternate between showing off the water features and catching guests by surprise). Gravity and water pressure power all the fountains. The dynamic nature works better for video than photos, so check out the video clip below for more.

Those who are enamored with Salzburg as a filming location for The Sound of Music also appreciate visiting the gazebo on the grounds. Yes - the same gazebo where Liesl sang about Sixteen Going On Seventeen. There are other locations that were either used as filming locations or inspired parts of the film around Salzburg too.

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Surely some among the horde will mention Paris or France. Rather than show a picture of the Eiffel Tower, Louvre, or Notre Dame, the photo below is from a church in the small town of Angoville au Plain. The church is inland from Utah Beach in Normandy. This is one of the few places in the world where paratroopers are shown in the stained glass of a church window. The ground outside the church was fiercely contested and medics of the 101 Airborne set up in the church to treat wounded from both sides.

By the evening we had 75 of them (wounded personnel and one local infant, in the church). Our own folk had come to tell us that they could not stay any longer. So we we are left with the wounded. A German Officer soon arrived and asked if I could tend to his wounded too. We accepted. During the night the churchyard was the scene of another battle. Two of our casualties died. But among those I could tend, none lost their lives. I tended all sorts of wounds, some were skin deep but others were more serious abdominal cases.

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When in London, visit the British Museum. Yes, go see the Tower of London and Westminster Abbey and say hello to the King at Buckingham Palace, but go to the British Museum. There is only one Rosetta Stone and it lives at the British Museum. It has been on display since 1802 with the exception of a stint in underground storage towards the end of World War I.

A decree is inscribed three times. One in Egyptian hieroglyphs (think formal language), one in Demotic (think cursive Egyptian script used for daily purposes), and Ancient Greek. Having the same content in three different languages opened a window into understanding hieroglyphs. Before decoding, nobody could understand Egyptian hieroglyphs. The content is less important than the language implications, but click here if you are curious to know what the stone says.

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Did you miss last week's hobby thread with a disaster prep theme? The comments may be closed, but you can re-live the content. More importantly, did anyone take action to improve and enhance their disaster preparation situation after reading horde wisdom?

Separate question - should the disaster prep thread from last week be preserved somewhere on the site as an easily accessible reference?

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Notable comments from last week:

20241006-Screenshot 2024-10-05 211725.jpg

20241006-Screenshot 2024-10-05 211813.jpg

Honorable mention due to floating fire ants:

20241006-Screenshot 2024-10-05 212300.jpg

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Words of wisdom:

"Because despite all our troubles, when things are grim out in that wide round world of ours, that's when it's really important to have a good hobby." Posted by: tankascribe at June 22, 2024 07:41 PM (HWxAD).

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This time next week, the Horde will be gathered at the TX MoMe. Looking forward to seeing you. I am shy, so say hello if you see me.

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If the wonders of Europe are not your thing and you have trouble finding something in the content or comments that resonates with you, hijack the thread for your hobbying as you see fit. We will feature a different hobby next time around. Send thoughts, suggestions and photos of your hobbying to moronhobbies at protonmail dot com. Travel tip. If you are having trouble being understood, just talk slower and louder. That usually does the trick. Enjoy the SpaceX Starship launch tomorrow. Excitement guaranteed.

Posted by: Open Blogger at 05:30 PM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 Whoa!

Posted by: Duke Lowell at October 12, 2024 05:27 PM (2UnvF)

2 Trex, you old scamp!

Posted by: Duke Lowell at October 12, 2024 05:27 PM (2UnvF)

3 Welcome Hobbiests

Posted by: Skip at October 12, 2024 05:32 PM (fwDg9)

4 When I was 16, my Girl Scout troop did a back-pack/youth hostel/Eurailpass trip through the British Isles and down through Europe as far as Rome. I loved that trip so much that I went back again when I was 22, and did the British isles on the same principles. (I took my younger brother and sister with me, on that second trip.) Then I was stationed in Greece in the mid-80s, and when I transferred to Spain, with my daughter, I took leave and drove there - six weeks, and went through Italy, Austria, Germany, France and then into Spain. Saw everything interesting all along the way. We were in Spain six years - more road-tripping, and staying in campgrounds, then. I loved it then ... but I wonder now if it is more dagerous now.

Posted by: Sgt. Mom at October 12, 2024 05:34 PM (Ew3fm)

5 Having lived in England 2 years probably have lots of stories.
Best was ending what I term my most fun year 1979 at New Years Eve in Edinboro. A medieval banquet with hagas and on the Royal Mile, kissing girls and swinging scotch.

Posted by: Skip at October 12, 2024 05:35 PM (fwDg9)

6 Calling astromonical calculations rounding errors.

Posted by: Hokey Pokey at October 12, 2024 05:36 PM (QSrLX)

7 3 Welcome Hobbiests

Posted by: Skip at October 12, 2024 05:32 PM
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Skip - this thread is partially due to you. I was wondering whether you had been to the historical locations where you have done your modern day war gaming.

Posted by: TRex at October 12, 2024 05:37 PM (AtJGJ)

8 It appears from my latest Ancestry update that I have a tiny sliver of Scots in my genes and some Icelandic. Considering how the UK has degenerated in recent years, maybe Iceland would be a better place to visit. My ex-boss flew there with his new wife a few years ago, rented a diesel car, and drove all over, especially along the road that rings the entire island.

And I've always wanted to see Australia and New Zealand; but considering the finances and how long it would take to get there even by plane, I dunno. It would be just my luck to arrive when a new dictatorial government decided to impose some kind of new lockdown.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at October 12, 2024 05:37 PM (omVj0)

9 AI FTE!

Posted by: Hokey Pokey at October 12, 2024 05:37 PM (QSrLX)

10 Only as a kid visiting historic sites, but then think that's why I love military history seeing them as a young kid.

Posted by: Skip at October 12, 2024 05:40 PM (fwDg9)

11 "Did you visit East Germany before the wall came down? "

I did courtesy of the United States Army, 1975-1978. Spent 3 years near the Fulda Gap experiencing the German culture along with constant alerts, multiple trips to Grafenwohr and border duty.

Posted by: Mister Scott (Formerly GWS) at October 12, 2024 05:41 PM (QNSds)

12 Amazing Stained Glass window

Posted by: vmom stabby stabby stabby stabby stabamillion at October 12, 2024 05:41 PM (0JWOm)

13 War gaming convention in a couple weeks, Nov1,2. Just before this thread was looking at games being offered to play.

Posted by: Skip at October 12, 2024 05:41 PM (fwDg9)

14 Rex I should make a write up of the convention, explain games, how they are set up and a few pictures

Posted by: Skip at October 12, 2024 05:44 PM (fwDg9)

15 I was in England on a school choir tour. This was back in summer of 79. Everyone told me, "Pack a sweater" but I foolishly thought, "A sweater? in July?"

I ended up buying one once we got there.

I used the daily allotment money (supposed to be for food) to buy lots of 45 RPM records.

Posted by: BeckoningChasm at October 12, 2024 05:45 PM (CHHv1)

16 Touring conquered lands would certainly be a "hobby."

So would the prerequisite raping, pillaging and burning. You know... if you were into that sort of stuff.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at October 12, 2024 05:46 PM (Q4IgG)

17 14 Rex I should make a write up of the convention, explain games, how they are set up and a few pictures

Posted by: Skip at October 12, 2024 05:44 PM
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Yes. Yes you should.

Posted by: TRex at October 12, 2024 05:47 PM (AtJGJ)

18 I was in England on a school choir tour. This was back in summer of 79. Everyone told me, "Pack a sweater" but I foolishly thought, "A sweater? in July?"

I ended up buying one once we got there. . . .

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I visited New Mexico, Albuquerque and Santa Fe, in late May. High desert, right? It drizzled (odd, locals told me) every day. Rather than skip the hiking I'd come there for, I bought an Eddie Bauer rain jacket at the store near the SF Plaza. (I still have it, rolled up in my car trunk, and use it frequently.)

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at October 12, 2024 05:51 PM (omVj0)

19 War gaming convention in a couple weeks, Nov1,2. Just before this thread was looking at games being offered to play.

Posted by: Skip at October 12, 2024 05:41 PM

Are you going to milleniumcon in Texas?

Posted by: Mister Scott (Formerly GWS) at October 12, 2024 05:54 PM (QNSds)

20 I have a travel question. Where are there outdoor hot springs, suitable for soaking in, within 4 hours of NW Arkansas, please? Does Hot Springs AR have any outdoor soaking areas? I think it may be Eureka Springs where there is only one outdoor facility and it is men-only, clothing optional, nobody in their right mind would go there unless they wanted to experience monkey pox.

Posted by: Emmie at October 12, 2024 05:55 PM (Sf2cq)

21 Houses of the Holy album cover.

The cover is a collage of several photographs which were taken at the Giant's Causeway, Northern Ireland, by Aubrey Powell of Hipgnosis.

Posted by: Bertram Cabot, Jr. at October 12, 2024 05:55 PM (63Dwl)

22 Spain for 10 days. Saw AlHambra, awesome, and Ronda. Even more awesome. And a random medieval tower and wall sitting on a plain in the middle of nowhere. The gate was open so we just walked in. The tower smelled like piss to no surprise.

Then 2 days in London before it was complete shit.

Posted by: weft cut-loop at October 12, 2024 05:57 PM (IG4Id)

23 Is that church where Red Buttons got it?

Posted by: Bertram Cabot, Jr. at October 12, 2024 05:57 PM (63Dwl)

24 Is that church where Red Buttons got it?
Posted by: Bertram Cabot, Jr. at October 12, 2024 05:57 PM (63Dwl)

Private Steele was hung up on the parish church of Ste. Mere-Eglise.

Posted by: mrp at October 12, 2024 06:05 PM (rj6Yv)

25 The closest I've been to Europe is Iceland. I was part of a concert choir that toured the island in 1971. It was a fascinating place with its varied landscapes (no volcanos erupting at that time) and a culture very different from any in my experience. A bit eye opening.

Posted by: JTB at October 12, 2024 06:09 PM (yTvNw)

26 24 Private Steele was hung up on the parish church of Ste. Mere-Eglise.

Posted by: mrp at October 12, 2024 06:05 PM
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Another church with paratroopers depicted in the stained glass windows.
The text says:
To the memory of those who through their sacrifice liberated Sainte-Mère-Église.
They have come back.
25th Anniversary of the Veterans of the 505th, 82nd Airborne Division

Posted by: TRex at October 12, 2024 06:11 PM (AtJGJ)

27 I have not been, or have plans to leave the Good Old US of A.

Posted by: OrangeEnt at October 12, 2024 06:11 PM (0eaVi)

28 I like walking in Spanish cities, especially the La Latina district of Madrid after 10PM.

The place goes from being uninhabited at 7 PM to a jolly, roaring, fun, stew-pot of all age groups by midnight. Infants in prams right up to 95 year old couples out for a walk, a dance and a drink.

Posted by: Fred_Z at October 12, 2024 06:12 PM (VQIqq)

29 Fall In is in Lancaster. But one thing definitely would add to article would be miniature war game conventions are held all over and all different times of year.

Posted by: Skip at October 12, 2024 06:13 PM (fwDg9)

30 24 Is that church where Red Buttons got it?
Posted by: Bertram Cabot, Jr. at October 12, 2024 05:57 PM (63Dwl)

Private Steele was hung up on the parish church of Ste. Mere-Eglise.
Posted by: mrp at October 12, 2024 06:05 PM (rj6Yv)

Red Buttons lived.

You know, until he didn't in real life.

Posted by: Aetius451AD at October 12, 2024 06:13 PM (y31cs)

31 He was shot in the foot.

Posted by: Aetius451AD at October 12, 2024 06:14 PM (y31cs)

32 You know there is a controversy if a paratrooper ever did get hung up in the steeple.

Posted by: Skip at October 12, 2024 06:14 PM (fwDg9)

33 It appears from my latest Ancestry update that I have a tiny sliver of Scots in my genes and some Icelandic.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at October 12, 2024 05:37 PM (omVj0)

Just a wee dram, then.

Posted by: OrangeEnt at October 12, 2024 06:15 PM (0eaVi)

34
It appears from my latest Ancestry update that I have a tiny sliver of Scots in my genes and some Icelandic.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius

So, you're about, what, 1/4th Scotch?

Posted by: Soothsayer Textualizes Stupiditiy For You at October 12, 2024 06:17 PM (JvzFt)

35 European travel...can't say enough about Bayeux and the Normandy region.That was one of the areas I took the family in June - Paris, Bayeux, Oxford, London (and yes, saw the Rosetta stone). Enjoyed myself in France more than the UK, to be honest. Been to Paris twice now, and loved it both times, but Bayeux was something special. With the Allied flags everywhere, the history, between WWII and William the Conqueror, and just being a cozy small town, I'd go back in a heartbeat. Preferably with a car to get lost in the hills among the Norman homesteads.

Posted by: MD_Mike at October 12, 2024 06:17 PM (BouEL)

36 Spending time in the Netherlands is my way of traveling to a land where I'm the pocket-sized version of myself, thanks to the local basketball team gene pool.

Posted by: HappyFun at October 12, 2024 06:18 PM (aIURK)

37 The Alhambra is magnificent - if you see nothing else in Spain, spend a day, at least to see it and the gardens, and the Generalife palace.

Almost every ruined and abandoned tower, castle, etc anywhere in Europe does smell of piss. No public restrooms anywhere near a lot of them.

I came around the corner of a ruined hilltop castle - the Acrocorinth, in Greece, and damn-near gave the elderly shepherdess who was hoisting her skirts to take a dump there a heart attack.

Posted by: Sgt. Mom at October 12, 2024 06:19 PM (Ew3fm)

38 Normandy would be a dream vacation, my FiL was a D-Day vet so it has become a heavy reading subject.

Posted by: Skip at October 12, 2024 06:21 PM (fwDg9)

39 You know there is a controversy if a paratrooper ever did get hung up in the steeple.
Posted by: Skip at October 12, 2024 06:14 PM (fwDg9)

You know who else go hung up on a steeple? Gov. Whitmer of MI. All seven diocesan bishops in the state issued a statement condemning Whitmer for her Dorito stunt and the Michigan Catholic Conference did the same.

Whitmer didn't get shot in the foot. Her foot is currently inserted in her pie hole, which explains why her office has yet to make a reply.

Keeping track of Dem stupidity is my favorite hobby at the moment.

Posted by: mrp at October 12, 2024 06:21 PM (rj6Yv)

40 Fall In is in Lancaster. But one thing definitely would add to article would be miniature war game conventions are held all over and all different times of year.

Posted by: Skip at October 12, 2024 06:13 PM

I forgot about Fall In. When we lived in Connecticut I would go to the big three HMGS East conventions every year, cold wars, historicon and fall in. We live in Texas now so it is a bit of a drive to attend.

Posted by: Mister Scott (Formerly GWS) at October 12, 2024 06:21 PM (QNSds)

41 I have been to Canada which is as close to Europe as I want. Even the Delmarva is foreign.

Posted by: Accomack at October 12, 2024 06:21 PM (sSkke)

42 It appears from my latest Ancestry update that I have a tiny sliver of Scots in my genes and some Icelandic.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius

So, you're about, what, 1/4th Scotch?
Posted by: Soothsayer Textualizes Stupiditiy For You at October 12, 2024

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Not even that -- more like 1 or 2%. The majority is German and Swedish, with Ruthenian (a corner of Europe where Ukraine and Slovakia meet) and some Russian. English too, they say now, plus Scots and Icelandic (?).

I would have been vastly amused if Ancestry had reported I had Bushman or Hottentot in my line.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at October 12, 2024 06:22 PM (omVj0)

43 I spent a good part of the summer of 1978 at La Rochelle, France studying French, followed by a whirlwind tour of Europe. When I returned for a weeklong conference in Paris in 2008 I made a point of spending another week in La Rochelle to show my late wife where I had been that summer. Both Paris and La Rochelle had changed. Paris was dirtier and more dangerous than it had been. The house I had lived in in La Rochelle was now in a No Go zone. I didn’t try to visit it. Où sont les neiges d’antan?

Posted by: NemoMeImpuneLacessit at October 12, 2024 06:22 PM (ZVgZ4)

44 Courtesy of the USAF I have done the following in Europe:

Driven the Autobahn in Germany, drove a HUMVEE on Italian roads, and even survived an Italian taxi driver in Rome who could not find the USO.

Been to Trier where they have a museum about Constatine, visited the small Roman coliseum there, and even toured the gardens of a large mansion who's outer walls and statuary were trimmed in gold.

Been aboard a Type XXI U-boat. Visited Patton's grave at the American Military Cemetary in Luxembourg. Got to visit the Vatican and tour the Basilica.

Then there is all the local food to enjoy in Germany and Italy. So no complaints. Das ist gut, grazie.

Posted by: Anna Puma at October 12, 2024 06:23 PM (EY0VU)

45 . . . Been aboard a Type XXI U-boat. Visited Patton's grave at the American Military Cemetary in Luxembourg. Got to visit the Vatican and tour the Basilica.

Then there is all the local food to enjoy in Germany and Italy. So no complaints. Das ist gut, grazie.
Posted by: Anna Puma at October 12, 2024

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I'd love to drive the autobahn and tour a U-Boat.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at October 12, 2024 06:25 PM (omVj0)

46
Do you know what a "penturner" is?

I didn't until last week. It's a person who, get this, turns pens. Yeah. More exactly, it's a man who turns a "medium" on a lathe to make a barrel for a pen.

https://is.gd/QkE4Gh

Posted by: Soothsayer Textualizes Stupiditiy For You at October 12, 2024 06:25 PM (JvzFt)

47 A good use for a time-travel agency would be to visit spots in Europe before they became cesspools. I wouldn't visit Europe today even if you paid me.

Wait. How much are we talkin'?

Posted by: BeckoningChasm at October 12, 2024 06:25 PM (CHHv1)

48 Oh, forgot. Courtesy of RTS did the river cruise on the Rhine. Got to see many monuments of the Germans beating the French.

Posted by: Anna Puma at October 12, 2024 06:26 PM (EY0VU)

49 I see at TMP there are conventions all over, only ever been to Historicon, Fall In and Cold Wars. Cold Wars. Cold Wars might be in Gettysburg next year.

Posted by: Skip at October 12, 2024 06:27 PM (fwDg9)

50 45 I'd love to drive the autobahn and tour a U-Boat.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at October 12, 2024 06:25 PM
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How close are you to Chicago? U-505 lives there.

Posted by: TRex at October 12, 2024 06:28 PM (AtJGJ)

51 OAN, One America News, is available to me on over-the-air! Cool.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at October 12, 2024 06:29 PM (omVj0)

52 I just want to put this out there:

It's almost time for the first Hockey Night in Canada of the season!!!

Posted by: Archer at October 12, 2024 06:29 PM (IDphi)

53 Been lucky to hit a few of those. Actually I've traveled much more to "exotic" (as in, nobody goes there) sorts of places, for pleasure and work, including many conflict zones (which were great).

On the list - Normandy (duh), D-Day and calvados and food; Ardennes, Bulge; northern and eastern Portugal, and Madeira; Norway (mostly for x-c skiing, but there are some WWII sites); northern Italy in general.

Many places in Russia high on my list for a long time, current unpleasantness, damn it, puts all that on ice for a while. Have seen a fair amount of Russia and former USSR already, spent a lot of time there.

Posted by: rhomboid at October 12, 2024 06:30 PM (GcNJ2)

54 Hola, Hall. How y’all doin’ syevodnya?

Posted by: Bulgaroctonus at October 12, 2024 06:30 PM (v6JzV)

55 How close are you to Chicago? U-505 lives there.
Posted by: TRex at October 12, 2024

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The width of the country away, about 1K miles. I remember building the Aurora model of the U-505 many years ago, though.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at October 12, 2024 06:31 PM (omVj0)

56 I'd love to drive the autobahn and tour a U-Boat.

I'd love to drive a U-Boat on the autobahn.

Posted by: Blanco Basura - Z28.310 at October 12, 2024 06:31 PM (lUFok)

57 I'm signed up for an Alaska Inland Passage cruise next year. I have zero interest in visiting Europe.

Posted by: mrp at October 12, 2024 06:32 PM (rj6Yv)

58 Was watching videos on the famous, but after I left, RAF Bentwaters now Rendelsham's UFO close encounter. Happened month after I left. But there is a reproduction of the UFO in the spot It happened and a Cold War museum at the old base.

Posted by: Skip at October 12, 2024 06:32 PM (fwDg9)

59 For y’all at Corsicana this weekend, ask Mrs.E about her trip.

Posted by: Eromero at October 12, 2024 06:33 PM (o2ZRX)

60 Can't mention WWI in the Dolomites without linking Sabaton's "Soldier of Heaven"
https://youtu.be/LYI3eegIJlI?si=6fRMFr6NWFARwN3h

Posted by: KCSteve at October 12, 2024 06:33 PM (bxAlI)

61 I'm signed up for an Alaska Inland Passage cruise next year. I have zero interest in visiting Europe.
Posted by: mrp at October 12, 2024

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That would be cool. And I'd love to take a cruise up the Atlantic coast of Norway. Everybody wants to stampede down to the tropics; pffft. I want a change from tropics.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at October 12, 2024 06:35 PM (omVj0)

62 Since I can't contribute much to the thread theme, I'll branch out.

To a degree, I choose my pipe tobacco to suit what I'm reading. Mild English blends or Capstan Blue (supposedly Tolkien's favorite) for the annual reading of LOTR. Burley or Virginia flake tobaccos for historical fiction like Cornwell, O'Brian, or Treasure Island. Aromatics for children's books like Wind In The Willows and cozy books. Full English or navy flake for heavier nonfiction like CS Lewis academic writings or classic philosophy.

And yes, I can be weird to even consider these matters. I don't smoke a pipe every time I read a book, but it is part of the enjoyment.

Posted by: JTB at October 12, 2024 06:36 PM (yTvNw)

63 Isn't there a D-Day museum in or near Mobile Alabama?

Posted by: Skip at October 12, 2024 06:36 PM (fwDg9)

64 NemoMeImpuneLacessit, funny, my first time in Fwanhce was also 1978.

Did you check out the U-boat pens in La Rochelle? Did I hear correctly on some video that they used them in the filming of "Das Boot"?

Anna Puma reminds me, did a one-night/two-day cruise up the Mosel from Trier. August. Quiet, beautiful, not crowded, pastry and local white wine in the sun. Ace has featured pics of Cochem, where I overnighted and turned around, on some cafe threads I think.

Quick hits: there are all kinds of rieslings, from dry to dessert, all good (to me); Trier is the birthplace of Marx, and I think was the place Patton took without permission and replied when reprimanded "would you like me to give it back?". And U-505 at the museum in Chicago, very worth it, very well done exhibit covering several related aspects of the Atlantic war.

Posted by: rhomboid at October 12, 2024 06:37 PM (GcNJ2)

65 My dearly departed Pop's infantry unit made several trips to what was the European Theater where they fought in WWII. I was once invited to tag along and was unable to do so. Regret it to this day.

Posted by: Notorious BFD at October 12, 2024 06:38 PM (mH6SG)

66 Actually if I could go to Russia, except for current war, would go in a second. Lots there I would love to see.

Posted by: Skip at October 12, 2024 06:39 PM (fwDg9)

67 63 Isn't there a D-Day museum in or near Mobile Alabama?
Posted by: Skip at October 12, 2024 06:36 PM (fwDg9
Nawlins. See it whilst you can.

Posted by: Eromero at October 12, 2024 06:39 PM (o2ZRX)

68 To a degree, I choose my pipe tobacco to suit what I'm reading. Mild English blends or Capstan Blue (supposedly Tolkien's favorite) for the annual reading of LOTR. Burley or Virginia flake tobaccos for historical fiction like Cornwell, O'Brian, or Treasure Island. Aromatics for children's books like Wind In The Willows and cozy books. Full English or navy flake for heavier nonfiction like CS Lewis academic writings or classic philosophy.

And yes, I can be weird to even consider these matters. I don't smoke a pipe every time I read a book, but it is part of the enjoyment.
Posted by: JTB at October 12, 2024

***
JTB, I can't say I've ever tried to match my pipe tobacco to what I'm reading. Generally it's more "What am I in the mood for?" and "Which pipe to smoke it in?"

This morning I had a mix of Stokkebye's Luxury Twist Flake with Rattray's Stirling Flake, about 70/30, in the sandblast Savinelli I've had since the '80s and call my "Somerset Maugham" pipe. Last night it was some Edward G. Robinson in a Georg Jensen sandblast billiard. (EGR always burns hot for me; I need to mix it with something even milder.)

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at October 12, 2024 06:40 PM (omVj0)

69 As always, thanks for the considerable effort you put into composing this thread, TRex.

Posted by: Notorious BFD at October 12, 2024 06:42 PM (mH6SG)

70 I have noticed, and research on the 'Net backs me up, that nicotine can have a mild analgesic effect. A lot of mornings I wake up with a sore shoulder and stiff back. If I'm going to work out, an ibuprofen, coffee, and stretching before the session usually wipes a lot of it out. On the non-workout days, though, a morning pipe, even with a mild blend, gets me feeling not only wakeful but more comfortable. Startling, but it seems to work.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at October 12, 2024 06:43 PM (omVj0)

71 Skip I have already spent a fair amount of time there and seen a lot, but on my Russia list are another visit to Moscow (museums, mostly), then Kursk (hey, is that a drone boring in on this cafe?), then Volgograd* - obviously my Great Patriotic War list. Trans-Siberian railroad (to Khabarovsk, already did it from there to Vladivostok). Lake Baikal.

* they already change the city signs to "Stalingrad" every November for a bit, but I don't know the referendum to re-name the city that, permanently, fared

Posted by: rhomboid at October 12, 2024 06:43 PM (GcNJ2)

72 And I plan to road-trip up to exciting Jackson, MS, next Saturday morning. They have one of the last true tobacconists/pipe shops left, the Country Squire. It's a three-hour drive each way, but I figure I'll get there when they open at ten, shop a bit, have a light lunch, and drive back, stopping at the occasional truck stop both ways.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at October 12, 2024 06:46 PM (omVj0)

73 Go Tribe!

Posted by: Notorious BFD at October 12, 2024 06:47 PM (mH6SG)

74 My family and I were blessed to live in southern Spain (Andalucia) for three years in the late eighties curtesy of the US Navy. The locals at that time were very pro American and we loved our time there. As a navy pilot I was able to fly all over North Africa and Europe and see the history and beauty prior to the EU and mass immigration. It will never be the same.

Posted by: Esteve at October 12, 2024 06:47 PM (weH2K)

75 72 And I plan to road-trip up to exciting Jackson, MS, next Saturday morning. They have one of the last true tobacconists/pipe shops left, the Country Squire. It's a three-hour drive each way, but I figure I'll get there when they open at ten, shop a bit, have a light lunch, and drive back, stopping at the occasional truck stop both ways.
Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at October 12, 2024 06:46 PM (omVj0)
Keep your eyes open and drink bottled water.

Posted by: Eromero at October 12, 2024 06:47 PM (o2ZRX)

76 JTB, love it. Like Wolfus, have never thought of doing that. My problem is as more of a cigar consumer at the moment, I fear my tobaccos will age between pipe sessions. Only interesting pipe is a nice simple meerschaum, from Haym Pinhas in Istanbul, bought it via mail order in the early 80s. But I used to love a pipe with a book. Also, outside, in the bitter cold (no wind) on ski trips to New England and Quebec.

At the moment I'm about to hit the porch with a new-to-me cigar and try to finish the current book, an account of the American part of Market Garden (John McManus, "September Hope").

Posted by: rhomboid at October 12, 2024 06:48 PM (GcNJ2)

77 More than WWII Russian history, I want Czarist era information and tours

Posted by: Skip at October 12, 2024 06:48 PM (fwDg9)

78 Skip then St Petersburg is your friend. I lived there a bit when it was Leningrad, so was able to take in most of the notable imperial stuff, which is everywhere (and amazingly restored by the Soviets after some fairly rude visiting Germans left things a bit mussed up). Each day I woke up looking out the window across the river at the Winter Palace (Hermitage) when I was there. Also Novgorod (great kremlin), and of course Moscow.

Posted by: rhomboid at October 12, 2024 06:53 PM (GcNJ2)

79 Having spent 2/3 of the nineties stationed in Europe, I got to Octoberfest a couple of times, hit Berlin twice and did a day cruise of the Rhine, passing by the Lorelei (which is the sight of many shipwrecks and gave birth to a Siren-like legend. The Pogues have a great song about it: http://tiny.cc/r35qzz ) I had a great time there, wonderful beer, great schnitzel and bratwurst. Fun times.

Posted by: tankdemon at October 12, 2024 06:54 PM (gd7au)

80 50 How close are you to Chicago? U-505 lives there.

When I was a kid, we took a road trip to Wisconsin that involved going along Lakeshore drive in Chicago.

That was the day they moved U-505 across Lakeshore drive into the Museum of Science and Industry. We had a front-row seat for several hours!

Posted by: Ray Van Dune at October 12, 2024 06:54 PM (gfztU)

81 Missed last week but followed a link to video recommended Refuge Medical.
/www.refugemedical.com
This is what came up.

Our store is closed as we observe Atonement and the Sabbath Day!

May Messiah bless your spirit, family, and home.

Shabbat Shalom!!
00 DAYS : 01HRS : 25MINS : 38SEC

We will reopen at 7:15pm on Saturday, October 12.
------------------------------

That's what you call faithful.

Posted by: Braenyard at October 12, 2024 06:55 PM (jyGs/)

82
Someday I'd like to visit Tokyo and the grave of Godzilla.

Posted by: Soothsayer Textualizes Stupiditiy For You at October 12, 2024 06:56 PM (JvzFt)

83 Meh, never been east of the Miss. river. I don't know what meh means, but I've seen people use it.

Posted by: Ronster at October 12, 2024 06:56 PM (lZeXY)

84 My brother in law was stationed at Kaiserslautern in 1991. Went on a tour to East Berlin while there, sponsored by the Air Force equivalent of Military Welfare and Recreation. Because things weren't settled formally we had to go through the weirdest charade at the East Berlin border. Had to hold our passports to the window but not look out the window, not acknowledging that they were being inspected. The first thing the tour guide pointed out at the start was the location of the US Embassy in East Berlin.

Posted by: Lirio100 at October 12, 2024 06:56 PM (izAv/)

85 69 As always, thanks for the considerable effort you put into composing this thread, TRex.

Posted by: Notorious BFD at October 12, 2024 06:42 PM
***
Thank you. Much appreciated. Thanks for being here.

Posted by: TRex at October 12, 2024 06:56 PM (AtJGJ)

86 I got to Octoberfest one evening when a guy on my crew's father was there on non military business. There was a big tent and thousand people drinking beer and the beer maids serving.

Posted by: Skip at October 12, 2024 06:57 PM (fwDg9)

87 A timely topic for me - very recently back from a trip Ireland and Scotland - County Donegal, getting to see life outside the big cities/big tourist places, and then 3 nights on Islay and 4 nights total in Edinburgh. Yes, we hit 6 of the Islay distilleries, plus Oban, and the expected stuff (castle, Royal Mile, Scott memorial , museums, etc) in Edinburgh. Second time in Edinburgh - so much to do and see. Despite the UK devolving into whatever it will end up as, had no problems or issues in Scotland. That said, I have no desire to visit England ever again . . .

Posted by: Patches at October 12, 2024 06:59 PM (8ma84)

88 Went to Keiserslautern twice and near Ulm once. Went to Munich by train one day

Posted by: Skip at October 12, 2024 07:00 PM (fwDg9)

89 68 ... "This morning I had a mix of Stokkebye's Luxury Twist Flake with Rattray's Stirling Flake, about 70/30, in the sandblast Savinelli I've had since the '80s and call my "Somerset Maugham" pipe. Last night it was some Edward G. Robinson in a Georg Jensen sandblast billiard. (EGR always burns hot for me; I need to mix it with something even milder.)"

Hi Wolfus,

Love the Stokkebye luxury blends: Twisted, Navy, and Bullseye flakes. (The Navy is my favorite.) Haven't tried the Rattray's yet. I like the EGR with its hint of licorice but liked it better blended with some black canvendish (BCA) or one of the codger blends. I believe that combination was Shelby Foote's preferred smoke.

Posted by: JTB at October 12, 2024 07:00 PM (yTvNw)

90 In Belgium, Trois-Ponts and vicinity, there are a number of monuments, plaques, museums, and memorials for various Battle of the Bulge/Ardennes events. It's where my grandfather and his combat engineers stopped Peiper and his SS panzers. Despite what the media darling paratroops would have you believe about the Bulge.

Posted by: goatexchange at October 12, 2024 07:04 PM (L7gdA)

91 64 Yes, I saw what was left of them in 1978. I don’t know anything about the making of the movie, but that is the historically correct site. The house I stayed in was requisitioned by the Germans during the Occupation and only returned to its owners (the family I stayed with) after the Germans had been pushed out.

Posted by: NemoMeImpuneLacessit at October 12, 2024 07:05 PM (ZVgZ4)

92 Have fond memories of England, shame what it soon will become. Maybe it will be after I am gone, who knows.

Posted by: Skip at October 12, 2024 07:07 PM (fwDg9)

93 I went to Germany on a business trip once. Darmstadt. Pleasant place.

I am going to Spain in April '25, Lord willing, to hike the Camino to Santiago de Compostola for a Pilgrimage. I am getting in shape by walking a lot around my general neighborhood. So far, I have a circuit that is about 3 miles. I have to double and triple that by April.

Posted by: no one of any consequence at October 12, 2024 07:08 PM (+H2BX)

94 88 Went to Keiserslautern twice and near Ulm once. Went to Munich by train one day

Posted by: Skip at October 12, 2024 07:00 PM
***
I have climbed to the top of Ulm cathedral. It is tall. The church is large but chilly - blankets stacked everywhere for those attending a service. Ulm has a nice Christmas market too.

Posted by: TRex at October 12, 2024 07:08 PM (AtJGJ)

95 The universe is 14.7 biiiiillllion years old. Give or take three hundred miiilllllion years

Posted by: Hokey Pokey at October 12, 2024 07:08 PM (QSrLX)

96 No wait, thirteen point seven. AI FTE!

Posted by: Hokey Pokey at October 12, 2024 07:09 PM (QSrLX)

97 76 ... "Only interesting pipe is a nice simple meerschaum, from Haym Pinhas in Istanbul, bought it via mail order in the early 80s. But I used to love a pipe with a book. Also, outside, in the bitter cold (no wind) on ski trips to New England and Quebec."

Hi rhomboid,

Meerschaum pipes are wonderful. I have a couple and they are cool smoking. Smoking a pipe on a calm cold day is so pleasant. It's a touch of warmth while enjoying the bracing cold. Sitting comfortably around a campfire or fire pit on a cool evening while smoking a pipe is a lovely experience.

Posted by: JTB at October 12, 2024 07:11 PM (yTvNw)

98 First time I went to France was when I went to work for a French Company in 1976, just outside of Paris. Since then I've been to Paris seven times, not counting the times I went to for business. We visited twice for a week with friends. We like to stay within walking distance of he Notre Dame. Last time we went was this last April.

We've visited Normandy and Brittany several times. I could live there.

Posted by: javems at October 12, 2024 07:11 PM (8I4hW)

99 I’ve been to Six Flags.

Posted by: Sebastian Melmoth at October 12, 2024 07:13 PM (D6PGr)

100 Have fond memories of England, shame what it soon will become. Maybe it will be after I am gone, who knows.

It was my Pop's (mentioned above) favorite place to visit. He loved London, back when it was legitimately British. Alas, no more.

Posted by: Notorious BFD at October 12, 2024 07:13 PM (mH6SG)

101 Ray van Dune, that’s incredible! What timing! The transfer of the U-boat to its current location is a story in itself, and you witnessed it.

Posted by: rhomboid at October 12, 2024 07:13 PM (QAa0/)

102 I have told story in 1981 hiked down the Grand Canyon and back with nothing but shorts and t-shirt

Posted by: Skip at October 12, 2024 07:15 PM (fwDg9)

103 I love London. My wife's a Brit, and she worked and lived in London, most of her early life. Alas.... it is no more. There are def pockets still holding out, with pubs and shops and parls and theatre and all that jolly olde stuffe. But its gone, or sinking fast. Wifey's in denial, and I don't blame her.

Posted by: goatexchange at October 12, 2024 07:16 PM (L7gdA)

104 In London went to castle, Imperial War Museum, saw changing of guard once.

Posted by: Skip at October 12, 2024 07:18 PM (fwDg9)

105 I took the train from Darmstadt to Heidelberg one day. Heidelberg is very charming too. I didn't pay to see the Castle.

Went into Frankfurt am Main the next day (Sunday). It was very early Spring and every bench at the park with a view of the river was taken. After Winter, I think that was the first nice weekend. I had a great meal at a restaurant on the city square (Both Lutheran and Catholic churches were there).

Posted by: no one of any consequence at October 12, 2024 07:18 PM (+H2BX)

106 95 96 I thought a little over 14 billion years was the current rough estimate of the universe base on z-shift of spectroscopic lines due to expansion of the universe (I think there is the rub, can you really get away with treating the universe as having uniform density, even averaging over galactic clusters?) There are some problems, like early galaxies being too much like recent, i.e., nearby galaxies, so some people argue about the right value.

Posted by: NemoMeImpuneLacessit at October 12, 2024 07:19 PM (ZVgZ4)

107 Posted by: MD_Mike at October 12, 2024 06:17 PM (BouEL)

We stayed in Bayeux or a few days. It's ideally located for touring Normandy and Brittany. One favorite place of ours is Dinan. There are still some 11th century buildings in use there. Heck of a Thursday market.

Posted by: javems at October 12, 2024 07:23 PM (8I4hW)

108 "I have told story in 1981 hiked down the Grand Canyon and back with nothing but shorts and t-shirt"

What else is needed for a day-trip?

Posted by: no one of any consequence at October 12, 2024 07:24 PM (+H2BX)

109 This is an odd mix (although it may be my second Kentucky Mule talking), what with on the one hand we're traveling around the world, and on the other, the universe is expanding in time and space.

How does one keep up?

Posted by: goatexchange at October 12, 2024 07:24 PM (L7gdA)

110 74 As a navy pilot I was able to fly all over North Africa and Europe...

Posted by: Esteve at October 12, 2024 06:47 PM (weH2K)
***
What bird(s) did you fly?

Posted by: TRex at October 12, 2024 07:24 PM (AtJGJ)

111 This time next week, the Horde will be gathered at the TX MoMe. Looking forward to seeing you. I am shy, so say hello if you see me.

Gid willing, TRex, we'll see you there!

Posted by: RedMindBlueState at October 12, 2024 07:28 PM (Wnv9h)

112 God. Stupid fat fingers.

Posted by: RedMindBlueState at October 12, 2024 07:29 PM (Wnv9h)

113 I missed another great hobby thread! Oh well I will stay here and read while everybody else talks movies...

Posted by: screaming in digital at October 12, 2024 07:29 PM (EaPW0)

114 Time to say thank you before the next AoS act takes the stage. Thanks for being here and contributing to the hobby thread.

Look forward to seeing many of you next week in TX. The Hobby Thread will be active during the shenanigans!

Posted by: TRex at October 12, 2024 07:32 PM (AtJGJ)

115 Two Army buddies and I stayed on one of the islands in the Rhine in Frankfort for two nights. Walked out and climbed down the bridge and camped.
We did 3 days in Frankfort for less than 400 DM. About $300.
And that included the trip down the Rhine on an open bar party boat while the castles set off fireworks as we came by.
And my two buddies getting stung by a "by me a drink" girl.
Hobo-ing on the Rhine is a fun trip.

Posted by: Reforger at October 12, 2024 07:49 PM (xcIvR)

116 - @106 Nemo

If interested and can hang out for a few I can put you on a vid that is a real problem for that expanding universe (Std Model) theory.
The paper has been peer reviewed and published.

Posted by: TeeJ at October 12, 2024 07:53 PM (/vvA5)

117 Ah well, just in case...

https://tinyurl.com/5n94a6ms

Posted by: TeeJ at October 12, 2024 08:00 PM (/vvA5)

118 Is off-grid solar power a hobby?

I recently cobbled up an off-grid solar system. It cost one-tenth of one-eighth of 3 millionths of a government solar project, and I get to control production.

The first load I plugged in was a stand fan. I now have solar-powered wind.

No, seriously, it works. It can run an average load of about 200W, 24/7, forever. It's not cheap. It doesn't save the planet. But it's reliable, and it's mine.

Posted by: Tom Perry at October 12, 2024 08:01 PM (MX0bI)

119 Had the pleasure, many years ago, to visit London and later southern England. First trip was a long, 10-11 hours, layover in London on my way to Kenya. Wandered around and saw the British museum, Buckingham Palace, some time at the Imperial War Museum, very interesting. A couple of years later went specifically to the England to see the air show in Duxford. Was during the first Gulf War. Huge and amazing so many aircraft, except those called to duty. And I spent 2 weeks driving about south England doing b&b's met some wonderful people, friendly wanted to know about the states. Had a great time. Also took time to visit the American cemeteries. There is, for me at least, a very powerful, poignant feeling, sensation standing and seeing all of those white markers. Crosses, star of David, cannot help but be moved at the level of sacrifice that happened, had to happen and all of those brave souls who made that sacrifice. You cannot but be moved. All those brave, brave men. That trip was amazing, but, that experience is what most sticks with me even today.

Posted by: Edward at October 12, 2024 08:03 PM (93DJn)

120 Local traditional festivals in towns and small cities are delightful and provide a lot of insight. However, the most hair-raising legal event I have ever experienced was St. John's night in Barcelona. Living up in the hills meant a 24- hour echoing bombardment, full emergency rooms by midnight the first evening, and something with firecrackers thrown, fireworks multiple times, etc. that would never, ever, occur here in the US.

Posted by: sharon at October 12, 2024 08:13 PM (WKNzA)

121 We are in Edinburgh as I write. Sunday we board Belmond’s Royal Scotsman train for a distillery tour of the Highlands. Been planning this trip for years.
Next year we will take the Dunkirk and Battle of Britain tour with Stephen Ambrose Historical Tours. (Dropping the company names for those who want to do the tours.) I will take more SAHT trips as I am a military history buff.

Posted by: Bruce at October 12, 2024 08:48 PM (KT469)

122 :::looks in:::

Wish I had caught this thread earlier...visited Europe in the summer of '78 (East and West Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and a brief hop to Copenhagen) for 6 weeks, and spent almost 3 in England in '07. Highlights of the first trip involved an awe-inducing visit to the Kaiserwilhelm Gedächtneskirche, several lovely train trips, and a youth hostel set in a castle. (Also, two of the boys getting so drunk they tried stealing a wine dispenser from an Apfelweingarten. Teenage guys, oy.) The second had long walks and bus tours through London and Ascot, including Portobello Road, Spamalot at the Palace Theater with Sanjeev Baskar as Arthur, then discovering an ad in the program for a Doctor Who exhibition in Earls Court! We made that the next day's trip, and then sat by the front window in a lovely little pizza place nearby afterwards, watching people stroll by in a soft English drizzle. So glad we got there when we did....

Posted by: barkingmad59, wandering lurkette at October 12, 2024 08:48 PM (Cu0iA)

123 And after Scotland we will attend the Winston Churchill Society conference in London. Also a day trip on the British Pullman train to Oxford with British friends.
Seeing some of Europe before it becomes Eurabia.

Posted by: Bruce at October 12, 2024 09:01 PM (KT469)

124 Bruce, that sounds wonderful.

Posted by: barkingmad59, wandering lurkette at October 12, 2024 09:51 PM (Cu0iA)

125 I somehow have visited Europe 6 times, the last time living in the Franconian region of Bavaria. That's when I started drinking beer. (When in Germany...)

Favorite city: Been to London, Rome, Munich, Berlin, Amsterdam, Cologne, Nuremberg, Kharkov, Dublin, Lausanne, Bern, Paris, Salzburg, Copenhagan, and Geneva, and countless smaller cities and towns. My favorite of all was our "home" city, Bamberg, Germany. It almost entirely escaped the destruction of WWII, a truly medieval city. Plus, beer capital of Germany!

Favorite festival: Fasching (the celebration right before Lent) was a hoot (oh my GOSH the jelly-filled donuts!). Fond memories of freezing my bum during St. Martin's Fest while the kids paraded their lanterns. One year the kindergarten picked my son--the American Protestant kid--to be St. Martin. Magnanimous of them.

Best Christmas Market: Forchheim. Like out of a Hallmark movie, but real.

Most serendipitous moment: Trying to hire a gondola to carry us across the river in Venice, and they were ALL closed. We finally gave up just as we were noticing all the people gathering along the river--to watch the Regata Storica parade! We'd had no idea!

Posted by: CCC at October 12, 2024 10:07 PM (Ejjd8)

126 I went to the DDR (East Germany) got the passport stamp. Brother and I flew over between USAR drill weekends. The wall had just opened and we wanted to see it before it was torn down.
Rented a car and drove through East Germany. Chain Link fencing, guard towers, and nowhere to stop all the way to Berlin

Gypsies were renting hammer and chisel to collect our own souvenirs

Stole "toilet paper" from the men's room in the Pergamon Museum (Ishtar Gate, statue of Nefertiti, Pergamon Alter)

Posted by: Hobbiehawk at October 12, 2024 10:19 PM (MliOx)

127 Good for mentioning Prague: I was there last month for a scientific meeting, and got to do a bit of sightseeing. I was interested in the history of the country, but what I really enjoyed was the exhibition at the National Gallery called "Get on the Ice": art relating to skating and hockey. They mounted the exhibition in connection with the IIHF world championships in May and the NHL games there last week. Great hockey country, great beer country (they still have a ways to go for their wine to catch up).

Posted by: Otto Zilch at October 12, 2024 10:43 PM (74Zjo)

128 Castelrotto, Italy in the Dolomite Mountains near the Austrian border. Looks like something out of The Sound of Music. I was expecting to see Julie Andrews singing in the hills. We were there in 2019. Wonderful place.

Posted by: pchaz at October 13, 2024 12:25 AM (KspwL)

129 I'm an American living in eastern Germany. My family and I drove from Germany, all the way down to the island of Crete. We took the Balkan Route there over 6 days, driving through the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, North Macedonia, Greece (met my brother and sister-in-law in Piraeus) and spent 8 days in a beautiful, old stone house with pool in s a small village. The drive back we went through Albania, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Hungary, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and on back to home.
We slept in campgrounds in tents on the journey there and back in come incredibly unique and beautiful campgrounds. All in all, it was one of the best road trips / vacations I've ever been on and my wife, three kids and I had a blast.

Posted by: ChicagoExPat at October 13, 2024 03:39 AM (Rd+XT)

130 Sorry for being late to the thread, I plead "2 AM" Central European Time.

Thanks for the thread, TRex! Upper Bavaria is my backyard (or maybe it's better put the other way around?).

This seems like a good time to pitch a Moron Meet-up at next year's Oktoberfest. Anyone interested?

Posted by: SPinRH_F-16 at October 13, 2024 07:50 AM (5CEo8)

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