Balkan Odyssey: Or, What I Did on My Summer Vacation

by Neil Woodburn on

Today begins a short series on a long trip from which I’ve just returned. As you can tell from the title, my journey took my through the former Yugoslavia. Fifteen years ago, the majority of my trip would have been a visit to a single country. But today, after far too many years of horrific civil war, Yugoslavia has split into five separate countries. I was fortunate on this trip to have visited three of them as well as some of their neighbors. In the following weeks, this column will take you through Serbia & Montenegro, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Croatia, and Albania. Straying slightly from the Balkan theme, I ended my journey passing through Hungary and Austria.

I would have liked to send dispatches from the road, but part of the allure of where I visited was that internet bars were not on every corner.

The aim of this column is to hopefully introduce the reader to a handful of countries, rarely visited, that have much to offer. The column will be part travelogue, sharing my experiences and adventures, as well as part guidebook, where I hope to offer enough practical advice to help future travelers through a region covered very poorly by guidebooks.

Lastly, this column will temporarily replace Red Corner, seeing as everywhere I visited was once part of the old communist empire-except, of course, Austria. So, jump on board and join me on the Balkan Express. The trip exceeded all of my expectations and this column will hopefully exceed yours.

Tomorrow’s Post: Getting to Albania

Urban Adventures

by Erik Olsen on


Ah, city life. It definitely has its advantages and drawbacks. For me, living in New York City is a boon to one’s cultural experience, but when it comes to the outdoors, well, it’s a pain in the arse, frankly. But there are still places to go and things to do in the big metropolis, and each city has its own sportsy charms. Kayaking on the Hudson is a great thing, as is taking a mini-hike in the wooded parts of Central Park. But you can also bike over the George Washington Bridge and, well, there are things to do to get your heart beating. So that’s what New York is about…what bout other cities?

The Guardian has as fine a list of outdoor adventures in urban zones as I’ve seen in a while. Of course, they cover kayaking, as I mentioned here, and even give some props to our own Manhattan Kayak Company, the folks who probably do the beset job getting you out on the water. But they also talk about some of the more intense urban thrill. For example, how about Hang-gliding in Rio De Janeiro, Bungee-jumping in Vienna or tower scaling in Macao. You’re in luck: all are mentioned here.

So if you’re a city clicker looking for some local adventure give this a look-see.

Red Corner: The Blue Danube

by Neil Woodburn on

While I’m not a big fan of big ocean going cruises, there is something entirely different about boarding a much smaller boat and cruising down a river-especially when it’s the Danube.

David Wickers of The Sunday Times (UK) recently spent a week leisurely touring the majestic river aboard a 114 passenger boat with 75 cabins.

His trip started in the Bavarian town of Passau and made its way downriver to Budapest, Vienna and Bratislava with a few shorter stops in places such as Esztergon (Hungary) to see a cathedral and Melk (Austria) to visit a monastery.

Wickers paints a pleasant picture of what it’s like to travel by boat; the leisurely pace, the relaxed lifestyle, the comfort of never having to pack yet arriving in a different city every day. “Sightseeing doesn’t come much more easygoing than this,” he confesses.

This is both good and bad. Wickers clearly laments how such mode of travel attracts a much older core of travelers. In addition, the routine is regimented on board, and the daily excursions are too short with barely enough time “to sniff the air.” But if you want to take it easy and see some truly wonderful cities with almost no effort, than this is the trip for you. Want to delve even deeper into Eastern Europe? Try a ten-day cruise that continues through Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria and Romania before arriving at the Black Sea.

Roller Coasters, Theme Parks, Cultures & More

by Adrienne Wilson on

Call me out of touch with the whole
amusement park business, but "Dude! Where’s My
Passport?! 2005" doesn’t strike me as a likely film title for theme park reviews. Am I alone on this one?
The new DVD by Don Garrison and Monica Jack showcases 15 parks across Europe like Thrope Park in England, Vidampark in
Hungary and Alpine Coasters out of Austria. Thrill Network does an amazing job
describing each segment of the DVD
and as a whole offers this for any interested other, um, coaster ‘tools’ out there:

"These DVD’s
include amazing footage of not just roller coasters, but cities around Europe. From Thrope Park to Parc Asterix and
back again, these tools are in for a world of fun. From being crazy "gangsta" to touring Europe, Don has a
few run-ins with a certain trampoline that will have you laughing when the trampoline actually beats him!"

Wait  – crazy gangsta? Since when did ‘crazy gangsta’ and theme parks become almost one-in-one? Last time I
went to Disney World or Knotts
Berry Farm I don’t remember Mickey or Snoopy being crazy gangsta. Perhaps I was at the wrong park? If you’re a lover
of coasters worldwide I suggest checking out the DVD.
Furthermore, I welcome you to come back and make some sense of all this for me. I may not know which ride your passport
flew off on, but Dude, I’m sure feeling like I need to trade mine for a lesson in Roller Coaster Cool 101.

To
order the DVD or find out more visit Theme Park Review.

Too Much Mozart?

by Neil Woodburn on

In
the field of advertising, there is a common phenomenon known as “wear-out.”  We’ve all
experienced it; you see a commercial too many times and suddenly grow very sick of it.  The overexposure invokes a
negative association with the product itself, and the whole advertising campaign becomes self-defeating. 

Critics are beginning to argue that this is exactly what is happening with Mozart’s 250th Birthday Celebration in Austria.  Media overkill of the
Mozart brand, overzealous marketing, and far too many events celebrating his birth, has created a backlash that, among
other things, has resulted in at least one play being produced called, I
Hate Mozart.

George Brock of The Times (UK), who has a few choice words on the subject, ventures to Austria nonetheless and
experiences firsthand, the Mozart-in-your-face phenomenon.  Surprisingly, he overcomes his prejudices and enjoys
the celebrations immensely (and provides some excellent suggestions in the process).

Frankly, when you have a product as good as Mozart, it is going to take a whole lot more than overzealous Austrian
marketers to ruin it for the rest of us.