I will tell you all about it.
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PISA is Real
Tag: tourism
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Anyone For A Glass
Galeries Lafayette Berlin is having a bit of a celebration and all are invited, Festival of Wines. Harvest season ended recently, that means a lot of bottles to open. The French department in Berlin’s Mitte district is holding a festival. A great selection of reds, whites and sparkling were placed on the basement floor. Having a weakness for Bordeaux, I got two bottles.
If you happen to be in the German Capital City this October, drop by to get a bottle or two. The Festival ends October 31st.
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The Sites From Hamburg PT2
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It Happens In The Reeperbahn
“What Happens in the Reeperbahn Stays in the Reeperbahn.” The St. Pauli’s Red Light district is known for sin. Historically, sailors staying in the Hamburg would visit the Reeperbahn for “fun”. Today, while hit by the tourist overload, in the evening its true character comes out. I recommend a stroll after 18:00.
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Salerno On Tap
More to come on the undedapprecicated Amalfi city. I had a two day then loved the coastal resort.
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A GASP Upon Entering
Located near my hotel, it was an easy walk to the Royal Palace of Naples. The Baroque and Neo Classical palace sits in the Piazza Del Plebiscito in the center of Naples.
Many of the great rooms took my breath away. I made an audible Gasp on entering one chamber, one I have not made that sound since an encounter in London with a Slim Irish Guy. I was visually stunned both times, however, the 17thcentury Palazzo may have won the contest.
Stay tuned for details on Naples. The Italian city offers splendid historical records of human history.
For my first travel in the New Normal I decided on a staycation. As if I had a choice. Nothing is flying these days. Where to go? The city of Weimar, located in Thuringia, a 3 hour drive from Berlin. I knew little about the city.
Classy, compact, and elegant the former Grand Duchy Capital is a Unesco Heritage Site. A centre for culture for 2 centuries, many German intellectuals called Weimar home. The giants in the city mythology are writer Goethe, poet Schiller and composer Liszt. Each man contributed to the Artistic and Intellectual Movements of the 19thcentury. The Weimar Republic period of Germany started here with a 1918 Congress declaring the country a republic after World War 1.
The uproar the early 20th century produced the Bauhaus Art School headed by Gropius and Kandinsky. (Stay Tuned for the feature on the new Bauhaus Museum).
It is easy to fall for the charm of Weimar form its small square to strolling the parks and small cobblestone streets. Mercifully, the center was spared bombings during World War 2 and the cheap architecture of the Communist regime.
Arriving not expecting much. Sometimes it’s nice to be proven very wrong. Casual, not overloaded, take time to enjoy Weimar. There are many museums and exhibits. Or just take a stroll. On my stroll meter: 8.
More coverage coming.
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Is It Worth It?
As the Coronavirus takes a toll on travel. Global Tourism has crashed down around us. I could not decide if it is appropriate to post or encourage destinations. Accounting for in some cases up to 20% of countries GDP. Many livelihoods depend on the travel industry.
Boarders are still closed. Airlines on the brink of insolvency. Hotels remain vacant.
As a travel enthusiast, I started questioning over tourism After a trip to Prague, the whole system looked as if it had come off the rails. Too many people. Cheap. Little value. Overrun. At times Tacky.
Things changed fast. Lockdowns are being eased. I am not ready to get on a plane. Traveling involves risk from the time you purchase a ticket. Will the destination be virus free? A long weekend to a beach is not worth it in the “New Normal”. On return, a possible 14 day Quarantine. No Thanks!
I am keeping an eye on events. My fingers crossed. Meanwhile, I am at home like everyone.
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A New Concept
As the shopping experience changes, so must retail reinvent itself to stay relevant. On a recent visit to Paris I decided to pay a visit to the new Galeries Lafayette on Champs Elysee. The great boulevard’s stores have changed. In the 90’s this former Virgin Records Super Store offered every genre of music. I discovered Senegalese Jazz there. I remember popping listening to the new release wall.
In 2019, what is a record store? A question we will ask about department stores. As taste and consumer needs move forward, retailers need to respond. Galeries Lafayette’s new store borrows from the concept store in a bigger setting. The 3 floor layout features new brands as well as established labels. Concessions and inshore interior changes regularly while avoiding the shelf clutter of traditional stores. The obvious focus is to keep the buyer curious with a “What’s New” strategy.
Only in Paris!
Two Cafes and restaurants situated on the first floor and in the basement are designed for being seen as well as attracting the shared space working clientele. I bought a cafe and pastry then took a seat to check my schedule on my tablet.
As I have stayed a few times. Department stores continue to feel like a place where our Grandparents went to buy stocking after World War 2. Galeries Lafayette gets a good mark for bringing mass retail into the 21stcentury.
Galleries Lafayette is located at 60 Avenue des Champs Elysees, Paris