boren@randvax.UUCP (Pat Boren) (06/03/85)
Planning on a European trip in September, and I'm hoping some of you have recommendations on B&Bs or small hotels in Edinburgh and Munich (yes, during Oktoberfest). Also, I'd like information about traveling the Normandy coast. I'll have a Eurail, but I'd like to know if the trains go near the WWII beaches and sites. Are there bus tours from, say, Paris or Calais? What's the best way to see this area? Thanks for your help. You may mail to me: -- Patricia Boren decvax!randvax!boren boren@rand-unix.arpa
wjhe@hlexa.UUCP (Bill Hery) (06/11/85)
> > Planning on a European trip in September, and I'm hoping some of > you have recommendations on B&Bs or small hotels in Edinburgh > and Munich (yes, during Oktoberfest). > While in Munich, be sure to spend a day or so at the Deutsche Museum. It's the German national museum of science and technology, and in many ways much more informative than our Smithsonian (which is more a collection of scientific artifacts than a place to gain understanding of technology). Bill Hery
debbiem@rruxe.UUCP (D. McBurnett) (06/12/85)
> Planning on a European trip in September, and I'm hoping some of > you have recommendations on B&Bs or small hotels in Edinburgh > and Munich (yes, during Oktoberfest). The British Tourist Authority distributes a guide published by the Automobile Association (AA), called "Guesthouses, Farmhouses and Inns in Britain", which may be helpful to you. BTA has an office in New York City with a bookshop, at 40 West 57th St., on the 3rd floor (zip 10019) where you should be able to get this and a lot of other information. (We have used this guide ourselves successfully in Wales and England, though not in Scotland. A guesthouse is not exactly the same as a B&B, but often in the same price range and frequently offers amenities a B&B won't have.) The guide costs about $10.00 but can save you a fortune. The descriptions of places are very accuracte and up-to-date, and the maps are excellent. All the places mentioned are small and we have never had a bad experience with any in Wales or England. BTA also has a book called "Where to Stay in Scotland (Bed and Breakfast)" for around $5.00, which we have not used, but if it is of the same caliber as the rest of their publications, should be helpful. The telephone number of the BTA in NYC (at least last year) is 212-581-4700. I hope you are aware that this year the Edinburgh Military Tattoo runs from AUGUST 9-31 (NOT SEPTEMBER). I assume you intend to attend the Braemar Royal Highland Gathering; please be aware that you must make reservations in advance (games date is September 7), BY LETTER. According to BTA's Events guide, "overseas payments not in sterling must include equivalent of 75p to cover bank charges plus return air postage". The contact for reservations is: Mr. W. A Meston, Bookings Secretary Balcriech, Ballater, Aberdeenshire (Tel: Braemar (033 83) 248) If you have not already done so, you should write straight away. I'd like to put in a plug for British inns -- try at least one during your trip. They are really delightful, and while some are expensive, many are not. One place I can recommend, though it is not a B&B, is Banchory Lodge, in Banchory, situated on the River Dee, on the A93 between Aberdeen and Braemar (~20 miles west of Aberdeen, ~40 miles east of Braemar). The site is lovely, and the lodge is most comfortable and charming. It is not cheap (unfortunately, I do not have current rate information, but in 1980 the price of a single room was around $22.50 and a double around $45.00 -- with inflation and the sinking pound taken into account, I would guess the current rate is about $30-40 for a single, $55-75 for a double) but we felt it was well worth the money. It is considered one of the best in its class by AA, and we agree. The service was very good, and the fresh fish (caught in the Dee, frequently) was also very good. Debbie McBurnett rruxe!debbiem
hollombe@ttidcc.UUCP (06/12/85)
In article <4207@hlexa.UUCP> wjhe@hlexa.UUCP writes: >While in Munich, be sure to spend a day or so at the Deutsche Museum. >It's the German national museum of science and technology, and in many >ways much more informative than our Smithsonian (which is more a collection >of scientific artifacts than a place to gain understanding of technology). My information is more than a decade out of date (~sigh~) but I did visit visit the Deutsche Museum when I was in Munich. Two points I remember: 1) All the placards explaining the displays are written in German _only_. If you don't read German you'll find some of the displays meaningless (eg: demonstrations of chemical reactions). 2) The floors are all parquet, so don't wear rubber soled shoes if you can avoid it. The squeaking as you walk along will annoy you as the atmosphere in the museum is rather like that of a library (quiet). (I found this a pleasant contrast to the London Science Museum where the atmosphere is that of a noisy school yard). -- -_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_- The Polymath (aka: Jerry Hollombe) Citicorp TTI "How goes the rat race?" 3100 Ocean Park Blvd. "The rats are winning." Santa Monica, CA 90405 -- Paul Lynde (213) 450-9111, ext. 2483 {philabs,randvax,trwrb,vortex}!ttidca!ttidcc!hollombe
wjhe@hlexa.UUCP (Bill Hery) (06/19/85)
> In article <4207@hlexa.UUCP> wjhe@hlexa.UUCP writes: > >While in Munich, be sure to spend a day or so at the Deutsche Museum. > >It's the German national museum of science and technology, and in many > >ways much more informative than our Smithsonian (which is more a collection > >of scientific artifacts than a place to gain understanding of technology). > > My information is more than a decade out of date (~sigh~) but I did visit > visit the Deutsche Museum when I was in Munich. Two points I remember: > > 1) All the placards explaining the displays are written in German > _only_. If you don't read German you'll find some of the > displays meaningless (eg: demonstrations of chemical > reactions). > As of 1982, the exhibit labels were multi-lingual, but the more detailed explanations were only in German; the guide book can be purchased in English. Although I don't read German, I found that in many cases, the exhibits were so well done that someone with a moderate understanding of technology could understand the exhibit anyway (evolution of automobile brakes, deepsea oil exploration, mining, bridge construction). I'm sure, however, that an undersanding of German would have made it even better. Go. Bill Hery
tonjon@fluke.UUCP (Tony Johnson) (07/02/85)
> > In article <4207@hlexa.UUCP> wjhe@hlexa.UUCP writes: > > >While in Munich, be sure to spend a day or so at the Deutsche Museum. > > >It's the German national museum of science and technology, and in many > > >ways much more informative than our Smithsonian (which is more a collection > > >of scientific artifacts than a place to gain understanding of technology). > > ETC. > As of 1982, the exhibit labels were multi-lingual, but the more detailed > explanations were only in German; the guide book can be purchased in > English. ETC. > > Bill Hery > I was there last week and loved it even though I couldn't read 95% of the displays. I've never been to the Smithsonian, so I couldn't really give you a comparison. If you like flight, it's wonderful even without english text. They have an Messerschmitt (sp?) Me 163 and 262, and a full-scale cutaway model of a V2, an F104, power plants, flight suits, etc., etc.... The electrical engineering section is concerned with power generation and transmission, so don't expect to see any micro electronics or computer stuff (although it looked like they were setting up a demon- stration of robotics using a mainframe mini and an industrial robot arm). This is not to say it isn't worthwhile to see (especially if you're interested in seeing 1-2 foot sparks with a lot of smoke and noise). I LIKED IT!!! Tony Johnson John Fluke Mfg. Co., Inc. Everett, WA .