Category: Europe

Austria, EgyptLeave a comment

European Football Tournaments.

Rich McClear

Yesterday I posted about the World Cup.  Today I am posting excerpts of two letters on European tournaments.  I watched Euro 98 games Austria and Egypt.   During Euro 96 we lived in Tirana.  I’ll start with Euro 2008. A cartoon in one of the local Cairo papers shows two Egyptians looking at the European football tournament, Euro 2008, on TV.  One says to the other “The difference is, with us, football is just a game.”  It is a madness that takes over Europe every fourth June. The roof of the Cairo Marriott is turned into a big screen outdoor football … Continue reading European Football Tournaments.

Austria, Easter Markets, Lent and EasterLeave a comment

Altwiener Ostermarkt, Freyung (Old Vienna Easter market at Freyung)

Rich McClear

Around the perimeter of the Altwiener Ostermarkt, Freyung (Old Vienna Easter market at Freyung Square) booths sell handicrafts, I bought an olive wood egg.  One sold live rabbits.  The food market and the wine tasting booths were across the street.  … Continue reading Altwiener Ostermarkt, Freyung (Old Vienna Easter market at Freyung)

Austria, Trains3 Comments

Railjet, Austria’s High Speed Train.

Rich McClear

Railjet is Austria’s high speed train.  While not as fast as Germany’s ICE (Suzi’s train from Brussels to Munich topped out at 275) or France’s TGV, we clocked a respectable 232 km per hour  (144 MPH) on the route between Munich and Vienna.  The train is comfortable with wi-fi (I took a picture when the speedometer tipped 200 and sent it out on FaceBook), a dining car, a cart that brings food to you and nice seats.  Taking pictures out of the windows at the alpine meadows at that speed was a challenge for my camera.  You don’t really feel … Continue reading Railjet, Austria’s High Speed Train.

Germany1 Comment

Freising, Bavaria, redux

Rich McClear

Freising is a town near the Munich Airport where the airport hotels are located.  But it is an old city.  It had a cathedral before Munich, a brewery too.  It is a place I lay over on trips to and from Tbilisi for jet lagging.  I have posted from this delightful town before, including a post about the oldest continuously operating brewery in the world.  These pictures are from an afternoon stroll around town.  Suzi had never been here and I wanted her to see it. Continue reading Freising, Bavaria, redux

GermanyLeave a comment

Domberg, The Cathedral Church in Freising

Rich McClear

Domberg is dedicated to the Virgin Mary.  The current structure is a Romanesque building from the 13th century.  When you go in, however, it is a shock, because the interior had been redone in Baroque style in the 17th century.  It almost seems like a disconnect.  I once had an architecture professor who called the Baroque “Eclectic clutter.”  My reaction was “majestically bizarre.”  Elaborate frescoes, pink stucco, gilt and an alter piece originally painted by Rubens (The one there now is a reproduction, the original was carted off somewhere.)  The organ is really a baroque organ, the decoration is so … Continue reading Domberg, The Cathedral Church in Freising

Isle of Man1 Comment

Isle of Man

Rich McClear

This is the first post from the Isle of Man.  It has several shots from around the island, including the route of the TT motorcycle race.  Other posts will deal with the Manx Steam Railroad, Douglas, Peel, Castletown and Port Erin.       There‘s a sign when you leave the arrivals area of the Isle of Man Airport that reads “Travelers who are not citizens of the EU or the EEA and are arriving from the Republic of Ireland are required to register with the Isle of Man immigration and passport office.” It gives an address in Douglas, the … Continue reading Isle of Man

GermanyLeave a comment

Sometimes flying becomes the theatre of the absurd.

Rich McClear

The taxi driver from Clontarf to the airport offered to take me a different route, around Dublin Bay, along the coast pass the fishing village of Howth and then into the airport.  “It’s more miles but with school getting out it now may be less time.  At Howth he said “You’ll be flying right over that when you take off.”  (We did.)  I think he wanted the longer ride so he could ask me what I “really” felt about Sarah Palin.  He rather likes the idea of a governor named Sean Parnell. Aer Lingus charges bags by weight.  15 kg … Continue reading Sometimes flying becomes the theatre of the absurd.