Ok, it is set. Some alterations were done, well it is a big change. It will still be “Kirsty” but with a twist and that is going from Aviemore to Aberdeen and taking the night boat North to the Shetland Islands. From the Shetland Islands South to the Orkney Islands and in Thurso taking the Kirsty route again.
To my opinion could be as interesting as New Zealand and my last trip to Alaska. Now hope I will manage to travel in June.
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Yesterday evening I got me a new proposal for Scotland/Ireland from the travel agency, which was almost 10% more expensive. They state because I did not answer them within 48 hours. Be aware they send me the proposal Friday evening. Normal people are away in the weekend or are at least not reading the mail, so I answered them rather early Monday morning on the previous proposal. But as written they say the answer was too late so now it is much more expensive ... I think bad behavior, most probably resulting in not organizing with this company. I will reveal the name in the entry when they do not come up with a better proposal.
What? Yeah no Holiday, not possible to go business wise, some important clients to take care off. I have had months of pre-fun ... but now it's over.
Well next year new chances to go to Canada.
It took me some days, but found me a B&B for my first 2 days after arrival. It seems Calgary is rather busy that weekend and many hotels and B&B did not have a room available, or were to expensive or not nice enough.
Just today I agreed on going to the Pathway Cottage. It is a bit further from the center, looks very nice and got a recommendation from another B&B, and of course I am also not here to just go/see to Calgary. Being in the outer part seems to be even a better place to check the area.
Well that takes time ... The last Bed and Breakfast in Vancouver was no problem to reschedule, great cooperation I got. To reschedule the first hotel was a longer process. I have sent numerous e-mail, had some calls and even sent a fax and every time they said that is not possible due to the special you had from the website. Just yesterday (a few days before my targeted arrival) I was able to contact the right person. Also he said at first "not possible", but after some mail with writing about the not so nice behaviour (he could reschedule but for almost 500$ for 2 nights) he proposed to refund all. As result I do not have a accommodation yet so I am trying many alternatives. And I have to say that is not so easy, hotels are rather expensive or do not have rooms. B&B are difficult to find and several I check do not have rooms available (any other date the do ...). Will update later.
Maybe even more difficult ....
Today I was at home and watched the travel channel and some of the programs were about where I have been in the past. It made me think about making a top 10 of hot spots where I was. These are just (some of) my personal favorits, if you want to add yours please do.
Most beautiful views / sceneries
OK, I am missing many of course, and it is very difficult to make such a list.
Next week I will be at Onlin Educa in Berlin. I have been there now 6 times in the last 8 years and beside the conference itself is very interesting business-wise, Berlin is a great city to go to, especially i December. In December many Chrsitmass markets are taking place giving Berlin (and many other German cities) a very relaxing atmosphere.
From a Christmas market website:
Anyone who wants to experience the incomparable charm of “WinterMagic” has to come to Berlin! Berlin is the capital city of the German Christmas Markets. Whether you prefer a contemplative and magical Christmas market or a lively and urban one, this year Berlin offers you a choice of sixty Christmas Markets.
Allow yourself to discover the vendor booths’ magic, charm, and unique items along the large boulevards and squares as well as on the small side streets and even in several museums.
This year marks the second time a Christmas market will be held in front of Charlottenburg Castle. The Christmas Market will feature the Biedermeier period. Historic carriage rides, theme exhibits in the palace itself, and specialized lighting will feature the fascinating era between 1815 and 1848.
WeihnachtsZauber on Gendarmenmarkt is another classic Christmas Market that deserves a mention. The Gendarmenmarkt is one of the most beautiful squares in Europe and is the exquisite setting for one of Berlin's many Christmas markets - the historical Berlin Christmas market - which will whisk you away to a magical Christmas world full of scrumptious treats and fairy lights.
A new Christmas market, in which the nearby embassies of Great Britain, France, and the United States will be featuring their Christmas customs, will be opening again between the two Christmas markets at the Brandenburg Gate.
The heart of “WinterMagic” beats particularly strongly on the Potsdamer Platz and in the Sony Centre, where there is a Christmas Market on the Sony Centre’s 4,000 square metre event area. “Boccia on Ice,” in an area protected from inclement weather, is another new attraction for the adults, while the kids can enjoy themselves in the neighboring Legoland Discovery Centre.
There is another small and subdued Christmas market along the Alte Potsdamer Strasse, but the main attraction in the middle of Potsdamer Platz is Winterwelt, featuring Europe’s largest mobile toboggan run.
This weekend I was in Mannheim again to work on something we need to party my Dad's 80th Birthday this week. The Sunday we did some Red Wine tasting. In the Pfalz most wine is white, as it generally is in Germany, but more and more interesting red wines are coming from Germany. We tasted at 2 wineries; ... and the Niederkircher Weinmacher.
At ... we tasted several and liked especially the "expensive" ones:
- xxx
- xxx
- xxx
At the Niederkircher Weinmacher we also tasted several and although rather different I liked especially the Pinot Noir trocken. Here I also tasted a white one, the Rivaner Q.b.A. trocken.
If you are able to read German:
Geschichte
Beginn des 19. Jahrhunderts befanden sich die deutschen Weinbauern in
einer misslichen Lage, denn sie litten unter Absatzschwierigkeiten und
niedrigen Preisen. Um dauerhaft überleben zu können, schlossen sich die
Winzer in vielen Orten zu Genossenschaften und Verbänden zusammen. Und
so haben 36 wagemutige Winzer aus Niederkirchen am 15. Juli 1901
unseren Winzer-Verein gegründet. Am 26. September des Jahres war es
dann soweit: Der Winzerverein startete die erste gemeinsame Weinlese,
in neun Tagen wurden rund 79.000 Liter Most geerntet. Bereits im Jahr
1902 wurde das erste gemeinsame Kellerhaus samt Wirtschaftsgebäude
erstellt. In den folgenden Jahrzehnten investierte der Verein stets in
guten Zeiten, sodass der Verein kontinuierlich wuchs.
Neuer Zusammenschluss
den Kriegswirren wurde im Jahr 1950 mit dem Bau eines Flaschenkellers
begonnen, außerdem wurden erste gemeinsame Weinversteigerungen in
Niederkirchen durchgeführt. Um weiterhin erfolgreich zu bleiben, wurden
in den folgenden Jahren Erweiterungen wie der Bau einer neuen
Traubenannahmestation realisiert. 1968 kam es zu einer wegweisenden
Entscheidung: der Winzerverein Niederkirchen und die Ortsgenossenschaft
Kathrinenbild mit Sitz in Deidesheim schlossen sich zur
"Niederkirchener Winzer-Verein e.G." zusammen. Anfang der 70er Jahre
waren bereits über 360 Weinbauern in der Genossenschaft organisiert,
dieangelieferte Traubenmenge betrug damals rund fünf Millionen
Kilogramm jährlich. Der erfolgreiche Expansionskurs des Winzervereins,
im Jahr 1980 waren 457 Mitglieder zu verzeichnen, machte weitere
Investitionen unumgänglich.
Jahr 1985 konnte das neue Betriebsgebäude eingeweiht werden -
Produktion, Verwaltung und Vertrieb arbeiten hier seitdem zentral an
einem Ort zusammen. Moderne Mostkühleinrichtungen, Edelstahltanks,
Traubenannahme und Traubenpresse stehen stellvertretend für die
erfolgten Investitionen in den vergangenen zwei Jahrzehnten. Inzwischen
ist die jährlich angelieferte Traubenmenge auf rund 8 Millionen
Kilogramm angewachsen.
Bewährte Tradition, neuer Name
Weinmacher - diesen neuen Namen hat sich der Niederkirchener
Winzerverein im Jahr 2003 gegeben. Der passt zu uns: Schließlich
verfügen wir über großes Können, umfassendes Wissen und innovative
Ideen. Das gemeinsame Ziel: hervorragende Weine rund um Niederkirchen
anzubauen. Mit Leidenschaft pflegen unsere Mitglieder ihre Weinberge
und veredeln mit Liebe ihre Ernte zu Qualitätsweinen. Die
Niederkirchener gelten deshalb seit über einem Jahrhundert als eine der
besten Adressen für Weine aus der Pfalz - und sind zur größten
Genossenschaft der Region geworden.
