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Tickets to Karlovy Vary International Film Festival

There are some tips that can help you to buy tickets to films at Karlovy Vary Film Festival:

• It was possible to reserve tickets via Internet, but this possibility was available only for 1 day and now it is closed. But consider it for your future visit.
• Buy tickets for tomorrow, the best option, but again, most tickets are sold out.
• Try visiting ticket office 1 hour before the film, they are releasing reservations, so you have a chance.

The best option is to use ticket-offices inside the hotel Thermal, usually it won’t take more that 5 minutes to get to the desk.

admin Art, Other events Film Festival, Karlovy Vary, Tickets

Film Festival in Karlovy Vary

Karlovy Vary International Film Festival – July 2-10,2010

• Official web-site
• Book hotel in Karlovy Vary

One of the most popular film festival is held from 2nd to 10th July 2010 in Karlovy Vary. Be sure when you book hotel there take hotel with parking as it is hard to park there in center.

Some impressions from the 2009 Film Festival in Karlovy Vary.

admin Art, Travel tips 2010, Film Festival, Karlovy Vary

Luxembourg – small, but really nice country with just 500,000 population. If you travel by car it will take just 2-3 days to see major sights of interest. Their official languages are German and French, but as it always happens people speak there at most French.

1. Adolphe Bridge

Actually, you can use the bridge if you drive or walk, but you can also go down and walk in the park above the bridge – it is really nice and calm.

Adolphe Bridge - unofficial national symbol - total length 153 meters, clearance below 42 meters

Park under the Adolphe bridge

2. Casino that is not a casino

Probably the most popular phrase about this casino – “this is not a casino”. It’s actually small exhibition of contemporary art.

Center for contemporary art exhibitions.

Contemporary art exhibition few steps from Adolphe bridge, must visit as it is a chance to see some really unusual piece of art, like this billiard table.

3. Catacombs

Catacombs that supposed to be protection during war and now one of the tourists attraction. Normally, you will not need ward clothes there.

Luxembourg. Catacombs. 200 years back this place was visited by Napoleon as well as other famous persons.

4. Um Tunnel – another unusual art place

Um Tunnel is actually a long tunnel, which is located on the -4 floor level.

Am Tunnel - Tunnel with contemporary art and photo exhibitions

5. Mudam

The combination of old castle and modern buildings

Mudam - Old castle and modern buildings - in the east part of the city

6. Grund Part of Luxembourg

If walk from the Adolphe Bridge by the park to the east you will get to the really nice part of the city with historical museum and really nice streets with small cafes.

Grund part of Luxembourg

7. Vianden

Vianden is one of Luxembourg’s main tourist center with hilly, historic streets. Really beautiful place, probably the reason why Victor Hugo spend some time in Viaden.

Vianden is one of Luxembourg's main tourist center with hilly, historic streets

Hope it will be a tradition to exhibit winners of international contest of caricature and cartoon in the Castle in Vianden

8. Esch-sur-Sure – beautiful “village” in Luxembourg.

Other tourists attraction, differently worth visiting if driving from Clervaux

Another small, quite and beautiful "village" in Luxembourg. One of the other tourists attractions, differently worth visiting if driving from Clervaux

9. Clervaux – photo exposition – The Family of Man

Besides the nice countryside you will find in Clevraux really interesting photo exposition - The Family of Man

Clervaux's Cathedral

10. Echternach

The final or the start point of the journey may be Echternach!

Echtenach - green and beautiful. Just few kilometers from highway to Germany.

admin Travel tips Adolphe Bridge, casino, catacombs, Clervaux, Echternach, Esch-sur-Sure, Luxembourg, Mudam, The Family of Man, Um Tunnel, Vianden

9th of November 2009, they are breaking the Wall again, this time just to celebrate the 20th anniversary. Now when you walk in Berlin you can feel what it was like… sometime it is hard get to the “other” side, because of the wall. The the Wall contains of plastic domino blocks, that are painted by different companies and organizations, if you are interested in details you can get the book with detailed catalog of this blocks for 5 Euro in information office.

They are breaking the Wall again, tomorrow is the 20th anniversary celebrated in Berlin with domino effect out of plastic blocks

Actually, while the preparing to breaking the wall there were some free space left, to allow people to cross the Wall, in about each 200-300 meters. Hope to add some video from YouTube after the celebration.

P.S. This event is widely covered, even Google have a special logo for this “Fall der Berliner Mauer” day!

admin Art, Other events 2009, Berlin, Germany, Wall

In this post you will find useful information about Hamburg – port-city in Germany.

Hamburg center - by Alster and Rathaus

Hamburg is “Hafen-city” (Port-city) so you will find there storehouses made out of red brick and port itself, with huge number of tourist ships and huge cargo ship.

Cargo ship in Hamburg Port

Storehouses of red brick

Every night at 22 p.m. there is a colorful fountain show in Planten un Blomen park.

In Marine Museum you will find everything from marine art to some fancy ships, like Nautilus submarine

Hamburg Planetarium is also worth visiting, there is a projection device that creates a great show sharing the history and nowadays ideas about space and space research.

Open-air u434 submarine museum - great experience inside u-boot

Great auto museum placed on 3 floors - it is not focused on certain brand, but shows the most famous cars produced in Germany.

Few tips about driving

• There is Elbtunel the tunnel under Elbe, and there are always traffic jams in the weekends, so if possible, choose another road.
• If you need a long-term parking, check the Vinci Parking

Dinner in Hamburg

• Check the “Colonnaden” street (Stephansplatz or Gansemarkt U-bahn stations) – you will find there a number of inexpensive Italian restaurants (10-12 Euro per person) and there is also a sushi-restaurant with “All you can eat” option for 16 (?) Euro.

Short distance travel from Hamburg

• Bremen - you will find there the statue of famous Bremen musicians
• Stade – old city near Hamburg

Long distance trips from Hamburg

• Amsterdam (Netherlands)
• Copenhagen (Denmark)

admin Guides, Travel tips auto museum, fountain, Germany, Hamburg, Marine Museum, Planetarium, Port, submarine museum

Copenhagen is another port-city. The first thing is how to get there. I was driving from Hamburg (Germany), so I have two options:

• Drive and use ferry service (about 60 Euro per car, ferry is every hour)
• Drive and use paid bridge (30 Euro, as far as I can remember)

I’ve taked “bridge” route – it is 30 minutes longer, but the country side is really beautiful, more over, if drive to Copenhagen to the west, you can Visit viking ships museum.

I've taked "bridge" route - it is 30 minutes longer, but the country side is really beautiful

Now few words about visiting interesting museums and places:

The “Belive it or not” – the branch for the Ripley’s museum. The most interesting experience was with the tube, where walls were rotating, if you get in, you start thinking the actually, not the walls, but floor is swinging. Very interesting, very unusual.

If you get in, you start thinking that actually, not the walls, but floor is swinging. Very interesting, very unusual.

Design museum – it another “must visit” place – the exposition was devoted to light – a lot of information about light physics with examples that you can see and touch.

Learn light physics - with examples that you can see and touch

The Mermain is the symbol of Copenhagen, don’t use public transportation to get to it – walk by the park instead.

The Mermain is the symbol of Copenhagen, don't use public transportation to get to it - walk by the park instead.

Classical museum are also very interesting, in Glyptotek you will find many sculptures by Roden. National museum is near – good structured and well represented information about Denmark, there are no audio-guides in museum, but it is really interesting, for instance, this check this kviz-picture.

For sure, Copenhagen is a port-city – so things like “self-made U-Boat” seems to be usuall there:

Copenhagen is a port-city - so things like "self-made U-Boat" seems to be usuall there:

Viking Boats Museum is located in the Roskilde town (Vindeboder 12, Copenhagen, Denmark), but it worths visiting it.

You will find there copies (free to visit under open-air) and originals of Vikings ships:

A lot of copies (free to visit under open-air) of Vikings Ships

Also, the process of viking-ship-building is covered in details, starting the tree selection and processing ending the discussion of sailing experience.

The process of viking-ship-building is covered in details

admin Guides, Travel tips Copenhagen, Denmark

Amsterdam is known not only for large number of Coffeeshops, but there are also some interesting places to visit, like great Van Gogh museum. Also, you will . face there many, probably too many, bicycles:

If you think there too many bicycles in Amsterdam - you are right. 3-level parking for bicycles near main train station.

One of the most unusual place to visit is a very small Boat Houses Museum. If you like the idea about living in the boat-house, you’ll find it really interesting.

There are more than 2000 boat-houses in Amsterdam, building new is not a problem, but all possible parking places are now occupied, so it is not possible to build a new house, but one can buy existent one.

There are more than 2000 boat-houses in Amsterdam

The price is typically lower (200000 Euro) than for the normal house, but yearly maintain is higher (500-1000 Euro).

Get inside on of the boat-houses - now it is a museum

It is good located – check visitors information here.

admin Guides, Travel tips Amsterdam, Boat, Boat House, Netherlands

Nürnberg – nice place in Germany. Take a good map in Tourist Center and follow major sights, as for the most interesting and unique – it is probably Train museum (near Main Train station) and very large (3 floors) toys museum.

Very Big Train Museum in Nürnberg, just near train station - must visit place!

Nürnberg Old City - is beautiful, just to walk it would take about 1 hour

Guess what is it? It is metro station - pay attention to the U sign

admin Guides, Travel tips Germany, Nürnberg, Toys, Train

It seems we need a new category – gadgets – software and tools that help to make your trip better.

The service to be reviewed today is TripIt, in short what they do:

• You send to special email address all reservations you have (including hotel, plane reservation, car rent);
• The service automatically parse that information and get it into your online account;
• What benefits? I have not tried it myself yet, but at glance: they are putting all the data on one page, they will show you weather conditions for the places you go, they will show you some important information (not sure what exactly), the service will allow to share this travel plan with your friends or family and finally, using their system you can collaborate with colleagues and plan trip together.

For those who like IT gadgets – you should try it! Some reviews are in PC Words and NY Times. Po

admin Gadgets Gadget, planning trip, software, TripIt

Visiting Venice is probably on the most exiting experience in Italy. To these who have never been there:

• Venice is of the most beautiful and romantic places in the worlds, that is probably one of the reasons, why hotels in Venice are VERY expensive

Venice is of the most beautiful and romantic places in the worlds, that is probably one of the reasons, why hotels in Venice are VERY expensive

• there are just two big parking in the beginning of the Venice island, people move there only by boats

There are just two big parking in the beginning of the Venice island, people move there only by boats

So the logical thing to do would be stay in some town near Venice and combine – visiting sights of interest in Venice with swimming and taking sun bases on the beach.

Staying in Hotel Excelsior in Lido di Jesolo:

PROs:

• hotel is located near Venice;
• large and secure parking;
• direct access to sea sandy beach; or swimming pool (about 25 m) in case of bad weather;
• they have cook (even two, I think) who prepares delicious food!

CONs:

• actually, there was only good experience from the hotel itself
• people in Lido di Jesolo, as in any Italian city, have a “siesta”, so from 14-00 to 16-00 it is hard to find place to have a dinner, so better have dinner at the hotel

admin Guides, Hotels, Travel tips Hotel Excelsior, Italy, Lido di Jesolo, Venice