Your travel guide to the Robert Burns celebrations

They’ll be singing “Auld Lang Syne” throughout Scotland
Your travel guide to the Robert Burns celebrations

Robert Burns only lived to be 37, but what he contributed to the heritage of his homeland in those years is still revered and celebrated in Scotland, where the 250th anniversary of his birth, Jan. 25, 1759, will be commemorated throughout 2009.

Burns wrote the poem “Auld Lang Syne” in 1788 and it became immortalized as a New Year’s Eve party icon when the words were put to music, sung to the melody of traditional folk tune. It is one of the more universally known works of Burns that will be relived during numerous festivities in Scotland, starting in January and running through November in 2009.

The bard is so entrenched in the culture and history of Scotland that any guide will tell you that, whether you have Scottish roots or not, now is the time to make travel plans to Scotland. Burns’ 250th birthday is being promoted nationwide as a “Homecoming’” with the description of more than 300 official events packed into a 48-page guide.

The guide chronicles the events tied to the “Homecoming” theme, which highlights Scotland traditions, including staples such as Burns, whiskey and golf, as well as its historic culture, ancestry and heritage.
The tribute to Burns will kick off with artists and performers participating in “Iconic Burns,” part of the opening celebrations scheduled to take place outdoors in Alloway, Ayr, where Burns was born.  Another unique Burns promotion to mark on your calendar is the Spirit of the West, a two-day whiskey festival that will be held at Inveraray Castle.

Burns was inspired to write his poems and songs in his forays throughout Scotland. An excellent way to experience the country’s rich history is to travel in the path forged by Burns centuries ago. One such stop is “Souter Johnnie’s Cottage” in South Ayrshire, where Burns’ visit to the thatched shoemaker’s cottage, built in 1785, led to his poem “Tam o’Shanter.”

One of the best ways to experience Scotland is through CIE Tours and its “2009 Taste of Scotland’’ tours. One such package starts in Glasgow and ends in Edinburgh.
Cie Tours offers various travel options that can be tailored to your liking, but any guide to Scotland in 2009 will encourage all to experience a “Burns Supper,” a tribute to Burns started by a group of his friends after his death in his honor and commemorated every Jan. 25.

Your travel guide to a “Burns Supper”

1-Haggis – the national dish of Scotland, served with Tatties and Neeps.

2-The Selkirk Grace

The meal commences with the recital of Selkirk Grace, which is  read aloud before the meal and goes like this:

“Some hae meat and cannot eat.
Some cannot eat that want it:
But we hae meat and we can eat,
Sae let the Lord be thankit.”

3-Whiskey

4-Songs

5-Celebration of friendship

A travel guide to Italy’s own “Mardi Gras”

Looking for the ultimate “Mardi Gras” experience? Try this: Travel to Venice Italy for the 2009 Carnival of Venice, which runs from Feb. 13 through Feb. 24, and then take in the American version that starts in New Orleans on Feb. 24.  It is not likely to be an itinerary offered in the typical travel guide.

The origins of the Mardi Gras popularized in New Orleans can certainly be traced in part to the Romans and the carnival held in Venice. It was declared an official pre-Lent celebration by the city of Venice in 1296, but was on the decline in Italy during the 18th century. The revival began nearly 30 years ago and transformed into an international event in the 1980s. The obvious similarities between the celebrations held in Venice and New Orleans are the colorful masks, parades, parties and street performers.

The fringe benefits associated with the Carnival of Venice are many. Any guide will note that “Piazza San Marco” also known as “St. Mark’s Square” is the backdrop for the carnival and a must-see place to visit, no matter what time of year you travel there.

But if you plan your travel with the carnival in mind, then you can experience both the culture and traditions of Venice. One event that has become an attraction is “The Flight of the Angel,” which made a comeback as an annual carnival performance in 2001.

Initially, a man walked a tightrope to the San Marco bell tower to mark the last day before Lent began. Then in 1680, a man climbed the same tower riding a horse, with the help of ropes, and, the next year, the same person received stage help as he acted as though he were rowing a boat up to the tower.
The name the “Flight of the Angel” began to stick after a man wearing wings was made to look as though he were flying by using a system of suspended rings. Later, a mechanical bird did the flying for the annual show.

But the “Flight of the Angel” returned to aesthetic prominence with the participation of live actors. In 2002, it was Italian actress Antonella Elia, followed by fencing champion Frida Scarpa, who played the part of the angel in 2003, followed by Carlotta Montovan in 2004. It has become a key part of the carnival festivities.

In Venice, locals and visitors wear costumes and masks for “Fat Tuesday” also known as Mardi Gras, where Venetian pastries such as “fritelle” and “zaibbaione” are available for your pleasure.

Of course, travel to Italy is hardly limited to Venice and its carnival. CIE Tours can guide your travel in Italy. Once trip being offered is the “2009 Italian Classic“  vacation that starts in Venice and takes you to Verona, the setting for Shakespeare’s love story “Romeo and Juliet,” as well as to beautiful Florence, wine tasting in the countryside and the many historic sites of Rome.

WHY TRAVEL OVERSEAS? THE FOOD, OF COURSE!

Sure, it’s great to see the historic sites and majestic architecture when you travel to Europe. But often when the stories of your travel are retold to friends and family, some of most vivid memories of the vacation will include the time spent experiencing local cuisine.

A travel guide should point out that Germany is suddenly rising to new heights when it comes to restaurants and top-rated chefs. According to the “Michelin Guide,” Germany trails only France when it comes to the most three-star (the top ranking) restaurants in the world.

And the competition is bringing out the best in those creating the dishes in Germany. The recently released 2009 Michelin Guide elevated Wolfsburg chef Sven Elverfeld to three-star status, moving him ahead in the rankings over Bavarian chef Heinz Winkler, who dropped to two stars. Elverfeld gives Germany nine chefs with three-star ratings in the Michelin Guide.

If your travel plans include a cruise of the Danube River, a guide could point you to check out the local fare while visiting the medieval metropolis of Regensburg, historic sites in Nuremburg or St. Stephen’s Cathedral in charming Passau. Practically any travel destination in Germany will give you a chance to taste the local fare.

In Nuremburg, the Helig-Geist-Spital is just one place a guide might recommend. What used to be a hospital in the middle ages, makes it a great place to check out the classic architecture while tasting local Bavarian beer.

There is a plethora of wine choices in the city’s largest wine house. The more adventurous might want to try “pig knuckles” or “leg of venison with noodles.”  There is a reason it’s been in existence for more than 600 years.

If you’re looking for a more unusual ambience, check out Weinhuse Steichele, known for its Franconian and Bavarian fare in Nuremburg. The walls are adorned with copper pots and the ceiling is decorated by hanging chandeliers, which take the shape of mythical creatures. A seasoned travel guide might suggest the roast shoulder of pork on the menu or the baked ham, spiced with paprika and complemented by an onion sauce. And it comes with French fries and a salad.

In Passau, the Heilig-Geist-Stift-Schenke offers wood-paneled rooms, where specialties such as Spiessbraten (a marinated meat dish) and fresh fish can be enjoyed, along with wine from its own vineyard. The garden also nurtures an apricot tree, used to make jam that is included in its recipe for Marilllenknodel (a fruit-filled dumpling).

Regensburg has a number of eateries that serve liver-dumpling soup or dumplings with sauerkraut, which can be washed down with a large variety of local beers. But if you just want something simple, like pizza, L’Osteria is one place that is sure to please. Also, there is Gansbauer, known for its lighter Bavarian fare, a cuisine that is helping German chefs earn top-ratings in the Michelin Guide.

A great way to taste some of the best in Germany and Europe is the Danube River Cruise offered by CIE Tours that starts in Regensburg and ends in Budapest. The nine-day trip is just one of many cruises offered by CIE Tours.
For more information go to: http://www.cietours.com/affiliate/cietours/summary.rvlx?tourID=2528

“GO WEST YOUNG MAN” DISCOVER WESTERN IRELAND

A newspaper editorial in the 1800s proclaimed, “Go West Young Man,” in heralding the exciting opportunities that could be found in the western expansion of the American landscape. Those words still ring true today when the subject is travel and Western Ireland.

Any discussion of the old West in America conjures up images of cowboys on horses and those who guide travelers to Western Ireland are likely to mention Celtic warriors and the Connemara Pony, the only native Irish equine breed.

The Connemara Pony, which can be traced back to the arrival of the Celtic warriors on the Emerald Island nearly 2,500 years ago, is named after the rugged terrain the breed populates in Western Ireland. Over the years, the Connemara Pony took on the characteristics essential for survival in the unforgiving mountainous terrain, developing stamina, agility and an amazing jumping ability that has made it popular for equine dressage events.

Today, it is also known as a sport pony that can be ridden by adults or children and is often used in competition such as show jumping and dressage. The pony has earned a reputation for its ability to handle long rides because of its endurance.

Every year, the Connemara Pony Show is held in Clifden, where more than 400 Conemara ponies from around the world are gathered. A guide will tell you that the show’s history dates back to 1924. Still known as an Irish pony, the Conemara is also bred in places like the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.

While the Wild West of the United States is long gone, any guide familiar with the area known as Connemara will tell you that the unspoiled terrain of Western Ireland is still the same in County Galway. Those who like hiking will surely be attracted to the “Twelve Bens,’” a group of small mountains located in the Connemara countryside. Climbers have been known to traverse all 12 “Bens” during a single day.

Connemara, however, is not limited to ponies and unblemished mountainous countryside. There are many other attractions that make travel to this part of Ireland unique and CIE Tours can guide you through an unforgettable experience with its “Ireland Spectacular West” package.

The Aran Islands – Inishmore, Inismaan and Inisheer – can be reached by ferry boat from Galway City. And, no matter where you travel in Ireland, even to the most remote places on the West Coast, you are never far from the country’s historical sites. A trip to Galway will most likely guide you Athenry, a medieval town founded in the 13th century, located outside of Galway City. You’ll recognize it when you arrive since it is surrounded by a wall with towers and a moat. It is the only walled town in Ireland.

You can also travel back to 1691 if you choose to visit the “Battle of Aughrim” Interpretative Center, where you can relive the bloodiest battle in Irish history, where 7,000 reportedly died.

Click here and find out more about the Irish West and the Irish Spirit
http://www.cietours.com/affiliate/cietours/summary.rvlx?tourID=2234

Tree Throwing and Violent Hugging - Here Come the Highlanders.

There are cultures on this wide world of ours so alien to us as to seem nearly extraterrestrial. There are cultures that are so familiar that we never doubt our common ancestry. Then there are those cultures so deceptively familiar that they belie their absolute strangeness. As an example, read this Scottish Travel Guide.

The Scottish – friendly, wholesome, down-to-earth folks responsible for redheads, fine whisky and some of the most bizarre sports ever conceived. Take, for instance, Cumberland Style Wrestling. Cumberland Style is really just violent hugging. Forget finesse, forget complex moves – if your hands become unlocked from behind your opponent, you lose. You win if they fall backwards. This was most likely invented by drunks traveling home when they realized they needed to prop one another up, and the fellow who was on top when they tumbled into the bog was the one who would be less apt to drown.

Then there’s the king daddy of all strange European sports. As odd as curling (or, as I call it, ’synchronized sweeping’) is, the Caber Toss. While the dwarf toss seems somewhat logical – who doesn’t want to throw things smaller than them? – the Caber Toss is the epitome of counter-intuitive activity. Caber Tossing is throwing trees. Yes, trees.

Well, nowadays, the Caber is more often than not a telephone poll, but that’s no less impressive. I’ve no idea how the Caber Toss was invented but it seems that all Scottish sports were created by enormous people and promoted by greedy chiropractors. The Caber is held any way you want, you run as long as you want – or can run, while holding a freaking telephone poll – and tossed end over end. You get three tries, providing you survive the first two, and the best of three counts. The Caber has to turn end over end for the toss to count, and you thought it was just going to be a piece of cake.

If there are any Scots reading this, please educate me as to the origin of this sport. I mean, I’m no drooping violet but it’s never occurred to me to attempt to throw a tree end over end. If I did happen to be strolling home one day and thought, “Hey, Eli, why don’t we go ahead and try to throw one of these fine Maples,” I would only consider doing so javelin style, in the interest of Aerodynamics.

Other Scottish sports have found their way into the mainstream, or perhaps vice versa, and are here to stay. Putting the Stone is essentially a shot put, Throwing the Hammer is the Olympic style hammer toss but others are a bit … fringe. Tossing a 56lb weight for height, not distance, will likely never catch on. And, rounding out the list of things the Scots love to toss is the… Haggis. If you want to know why that’s odd, you really need to Google “Haggis.”

Have your own Scottish Dream and click here for a tour with CIE.

For more information on the highland games:
http://www.nhscot.org/ - highland games new hampshire
http://www.gmhg.org/ - Highland games north carolina
http://www.highlandgames.net/ - an all around great resource

Golf can bring couples together in Ireland

THE LINKS MAKE FOR A PERFECT EXCUSE TO TRAVEL

Couples might disagree on how golf fits into their lives while their free time is at a premium during a normal, busy week. But that perspective can change drastically when the travel destination is Ireland.
Imagine taking in breathtaking views of Ireland that happen to be in the same location of a unique golf course. Two people might be smiling for different reasons at the sight, but they’ll both be smiling. Any guide will tell you that kind of satisfaction is the ultimate goal when you travel abroad.

Couples, male or female, can make this work to their advantage if they take the advice of the right guide. Wives longing for travel to Ireland can mesmerize their husbands with tales of golf courses such as the Ardglass Golf Club in Northern Ireland. Husbands can show their wives pictures of the location and she might not even realize that it’s a golf course. And when she gets there, she’ll be glad she saw it, even if she isn’t there to whack and chase a little white ball.

A guide familiar with travel in Northern Ireland can tell you about the more famous golf courses, Royal County Down or the site of the 1951 British Open, Royal Portrush. But a more remote treasure located a short distance from the more renowned clubs is Ardglass, which overlooks the Irish Sea, providing a panoramic setting at almost every turn.

The appeal begins on the very first hole with the waves cascading the coast below the rocky cliffs on your left, a picturesque scene that will surely be marked as one of the highlights of your travel on the isle. The first eight holes of the course, at least partially, touch up against the rocky cliffs on the shoreline. At the second hole, the tee is closer to the edge of the black cliffs, a perfect spot to stop and take some pictures before pulling out your driver.

If your swing often directs your ball toward water during a normal day on the golf course, you might want to include extra golf balls as part of your travel preparation, keeping Ardglass and its cliffs in mind. Chances are, you’ll be enjoying the view so much that you won’t mind watching balls disappear into the waves.
The course might classify as a historic site on its own. It opened as a nine-hole layout in 1901 and was expanded to 18 holes some 60 years later.

The clubhouse is built into the ruins of a 13th-century castle. One good way to plan such a vacation is to check out cietours.com, where a travel guide can direct you to numerous offers, including leisure tours that can accommodate flexible schedules that mix in shopping, sightseeing and even golf.

See Ireland on your own schedule

Let CIE tours be your travel guide

There are many advantages to taking a guided tour, especially if you want to maximize your travel time. But there is another way that is becoming just as popular when vacationing in Ireland: Independent travel. CIE Tours has been providing visitors with their personalized guide to Ireland for the past 76-plus years, so you know they have the contacts to make this a once-in-a-lifetime travel experience.

If you want to drive through the countryside and take in all the beautiful sights without being on a time schedule, then you’ll want to check out the “Go-As-You-Please Ireland” packages that can be found at cietours.com. In October, you can stay for six days for  only $76 per person. The package includes a rental car with unlimited mileage, pickup and drop-off in Shannon or Dublin, and your choice of more than 1,700 Bed & Breakfast accommodations that accept the provided open vouchers.

This travel package also includes a daily full Irish breakfast and rooms with private bath/shower. The town & country home guide offers 1,400 B & B listings and there are 300 more farmhouse locations to choose from.
Just mark your Ireland map and plan to visit the major attractions at your own pace, including the Waterford Crystal Factory, where you will receive a 10 percent discount in their retail shop.

Millions have come from all parts of the world to visit Blarney, about five miles northwest of Cork, Ireland, to kiss the “Blarney Stone.” Approximately 300,000 per year actually perform the physical task of kissing the bluestone built into the Blarney Castle, which is said to give you the gift of gab, or flattering, eloquent speech.

There are many stories about the origin of the “Blarney Stone,” but the accepted version says that in gratitude to the Irish for their help in the battle of Bannockburn in 1314, when the Scottish turned back the English, Robert the Bruce gave the stone to Cormac McCarthy, the King of Munster. In 1446, King Dermot McCarthy installed the stone in the expanded Blarney Castle.

While Dermot McCarthy ruled the castle, he was required to hand it over to Queen Elizabeth I as a sign of his loyalty. McCarthy always agreed to do so, but every time the Queen sent someone to claim it, he offered an eloquent excuse. McCarthy was so good at making these excuses, it became known as “Blarney talk.”
Of course, Blarney is just one of the staples of the travel itineraries offered at cietours.com. The Bunratty Castle, the Cliffs of Moher, the Merry Ploughboy Pub, the Skellig Experience, a personal guide through Dublin and countless other sights are all there for the choosing.

Kissing The Blarney Stone

Dublin - At Peace With The Past, In Love With The Future

At once contemporary and historic, Dublin is a shining example of a city at peace with her past and in love with her future.  Recently rated one of the best places to live based on factors such as quality of life, poverty rates, gender equality and more, Dublin is also a city absolutely perfect to visit.  Where else in the world could you run your fingers through revolutionary bullet holes in the misty morning and groove to the latest jams in evening?

Dublin’s appearance can, at times, give one the impression that it is fitfully trying to claw itself out of a James Joyce novel.  If this is the case, stop thinking ‘depressing as Angela’s Ashes’ and start thinking ‘incomprehensibly joyous as Finnegan’s Wake.’  For most Americans the juxtaposition of glowing neon and a medieval castle is enough of a shock, but for a really interesting contrast visit the Collins Barracks.  Once the home garrison of the British armed forces and then handed of to the Irish army in 1922, the great grey edifice is not the most likely choice for an art museum.  While the rest of the world is trying to outdo itself with the most avante-garde museum design, leave it to the Irish to house some of the most delicate and beautiful treasures of artistic invention in a building meant to inspire martial discipline in the loyal and fear in the dissident.

If you’re looking for the best deal on two or more days in Dublin look no further than CIE Tours.  Specializing in Ireland and Britain, CIE’s packages ensure you the best quality, price and advice with that personal touch that sets Ireland apart from the rest of the world even more than the Irish Sea does.