Archive for the 'Germany' Category
Ride-makers roll out new thrills for 2010 at Las Vegas expo
November 19, 2009 5:34pm
Roller-coaster and thrill-ride manufacturers from around the world descended on Las Vegas this week for the annual amusement park convention, offering a sneak peek at what we can expect to see in 2010 and beyond.
In my conversations with show exhibitors, I came away with one overarching message as I toured the massive International Assn. of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) show floor: All the latest and greatest rides are heading to Asia and Europe in 2010. By and large, recession-weary American theme parks are sitting on their thin wallets.
Here’s a few of my favorite new rides and attractions on display at the expo:
> Twist N’ Splash from Germany’s Mack Rides combines a spinning teacup concept with a Splash Battle water ride. Riders squirt each other and landlubbers with water cannons. Two European parks will get the new ride, officials said.
German Rail Pass deal: 20% off, plus free Berlin tour
October 22, 2009 5:57am
To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall — it fell on Nov. 9, 1989 — Rail Europe is offering a special deal.
Deal: Buy a four-day German Rail Pass at a rate that is 20% less than regular pass prices. Plus, you’ll get a voucher, valid for 24 hours, for a Berlin City Sightseeing Tour thrown in free. Valued at $25 per adult, the tour is on a hop-on, hop-off, double-decker bus.
The rail pass, good for first- and second-class travel, is valid for four days (not necessarily consecutive) in a month. The discounted passes cost $301 per adult, $151 per child (6 to 11 years old; kids under 6 are free), for first-class seats, and $231 per adult, $116 per child, for second-class seats.
Ordering on the Rail Europe website is straightforward, and no extra fees are added to the above-mentioned prices. At time of writing, the website noted that shipping is free on all rail orders for an unspecified “limited time.” Read the rest of this entry »
Theme park news: Legoland water park, Real Madrid theme park, Wizarding World DVD extras, Neverland negotiations
September 12, 2009 5:58am
A roundup of my theme park Twitter updates for the last week:
* Legoland California to open a separate-admission, 5.5-acre water park by summer 2010. (L.A. Times)
* Built in 1927 and rebuilt in 1948 and 1994, Comet coaster at Great Escape in New York gets American Coaster Enthusiasts landmark designation. (Screamscape)
* DVD extras on “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” movie to include short feature on Wizarding World themed land at Universal Studios Orlando. (Orlando Sentinel)
* Report: Michael Jackson’s family negotiating to open Neverland as a Graceland-like amusement park by Christmas. (New York Post)
* Disney: No plans to use Marvel characters in Orlando parks, no concerns about brand confusion with Universal Studios. (Orlando Sentinel)
Under the Blue Flag: Clean beaches in 39 countries around the world
September 3, 2009 5:55am
Look for the blue flag before you take the plunge. That’s the sign that the beach or marina you’re visiting meets environmental standards established and monitored annually by the International Blue Flag Program, headquartered in Copenhagen.
The program, which originated in France in 1985, administers spot checks of candidate sites, ascertaining water quality and the absence of hazardous waste. A jury composed of environmentalists from groups such as the United Nations World Tourism Organization and the European Union for Coastal Conservation then makes the final selections.
The U.S. doesn’t participate in the program, but lots of other places do. This year more than 3,300 beaches and marinas in 39 countries have won blue flags, including Gdansk Marina in Poland, Bikini Beach in Cape Town, South Africa, and Sperlonga in Italy. A complete list is available at www.blueflag.org.
—Susan Spano, Los Angeles Times staff writer
Photo: Sperlonga, an Italian Blue Flag beach near Rome. Credit: Susan Spano/Los Angeles Times
American Airlines lowers free-bag limit for international flights
August 21, 2009 3:21pm
Well, that didn’t take long. Less than a month after British Airways announced it would limit economy-class fliers to one free checked bag, instead of two, on transatlantic flights, American Airlines said, “Me too,” with a few tweaks. And it did BA one better: American’s tougher policy will take effect Sept. 14, three weeks before BA’s will.
What about other airlines? From their websites, it looks as if Air New Zealand and United Airlines still allow those in the cheap seats to check two free bags across the pond. Delta Air Lines lowered the limit earlier this year. For travel starting on or after Sept. 23, Virgin Atlantic will lower weight limits from 70 pounds to 50 pounds per checked bag in first class but will still allow two bags per international coach passenger, said spokeswoman Emily Andariese.
Some details on American’s new bag policy, announced Friday, Aug. 21:
New York exhibit explores France under Nazi occupation
June 11, 2009 10:40am
A landmark exhibition on Vichy France has opened at the New York Public Library. “Between Collaboration and Resistance: French Literary Life under Nazi Occupation,” guest-curated by award-winning historian Robert O. Paxton, runs until July 25 at the library’s headquarters at Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street.
This rich and complex show explores one of the saddest chapters in the history of France, the period between 1940 and 1944 when France succumbed to the armies of the Third Reich.
Pasadena travel bookstore Distant Lands puts trains, ships at your fingertips
April 14, 2009 10:28am
Sure, you can buy books, maps, luggage and other travel gear at Distant Lands in Pasadena, but why stop at that? Now you can book your trip and get rail tickets for Europe too.
The travel bookstore recently began marketing Rail Europe tickets and passes and also added an American Express travel agency outlet, which sells tours, cruises and customized itinerary planning.
“We wanted to make a commitment to be a one-stop travel shop,” said Angel Castellanos, manager of the nearly 20-year-old store.
Ritz-Carlton Berlin marks 20th anniversary of wall’s fall
March 19, 2009 5:10pm
On Nov. 9, 1989, the wall that divided Germany for nearly three decades began its dismantling. That historic day, when East Germans were permitted to enter the West, marked the end of the Cold War, and, as crowds climbed and crossed their way to freedom, the world celebrated.
Now 20 years later, venues globally are marking the anniversary of the wall’s fall with various events. In fact, our very own Los Angeles County Museum of Art is running its exhibition, “Art of Two Germanys/Cold War Cultures,” through April 19.
But to commemorate this momentous turning point in history, there of course is no better place to go than Berlin itself. Read the rest of this entry »
Poland’s Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum in desperate need of funds
March 4, 2009 12:03pm
Visiting the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum in southern Poland is for most people an unforgettable experience. The 400-acre facility outside Krakow opened in 1940, originally for Polish political prisoners. In 1942, Auschwitz-Birkenau became the Nazis’ biggest death camp; more than a million Jews were murdered there.
But parts of the memorial and museum have fallen into disrepair, prompting Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk to issue an urgent appeal for help to leaders of the European Union, estimating that about $150 million is needed to preserve the memorial.
Late last month, the German government pledged $1.28 million to the effort, promising more in coming years. “Germany will not shirk its responsibility,” said Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier.
Individuals can make contributions also; check the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum website for more information.
Susan Spano/Times staff writer
[Photo: en.auschwitz.org]
Carnival celebrations around the world, from Rio to Warsaw
February 24, 2009 4:27pm
The Rose Parade it’s not!
It’s Carnival (spelled Carnaval in Portuguese), the tricked-out, peak-of-summer event (remember it’s summer in South America) that marks the beginning of Lent.
Above, vibrant colors, ribald pageantry (and strategically placed feathers) propel a Samba School Parade float through the Sambodrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Tuesday. Check out all the glam in photos of Rio and New Orleans.
And then there’s Carnival in … Poland?
