france Travel for Kids

Travel for Kids: France fun things to do with kids in France France, famous for painters, food, medieval cathedrals and much more. You may have been to Paris before, but exploring Paris with your kids will be new and exciting, as they uncover unexpected delights like a boulangerie with the Eiffel tower as bread sculpture. (It was delicious!) As you travel into into the countryside, kids can see for themselves the landscapes immortalized by the Impressionists, and let your children soak up the French joie de vivre. Tip: Don't miss our top picks for children's books on France, recommended by the staff of Travel for Kids, see below. Paris Central Ile-de-France The Loire – Orleans, Amboise, Loire chateaux North Normandy West Brittany Southwest The Dordogne – Lascaux, Rocamadour Languedoc-Roussillon – Carcassonne Southeast Provence Marseilles Cote D'Azur Nice The Cat Who Walked Across France Kate Banks, Georg Hallensleben Irresistible journey of a cat through France, past chateaux and shaded canals, dodging cars in Paris, roaming across lavender fields, to return to his home – a stone house by the edge of the sea. Fabulous double-page illustrations. (Picture book) Katie's Sunday Afternoon James Mayhew Little Katie gets in the picture when she climbs into a Pointillist painting, and joins the swimmers in the cool river. When water pours back into the gallery, Katie fetches a rowboat from another painting to rescue the elegant people in Sunday clothes. A delightful book for summer and fun for little kids. (Picture book) Katie's other adventures with French paintings: Katie Meets the Impressionists Paris Renzo Rossi Illustrated history of Paris, from Roman times when it was called Lutetita Parisiorum, down through Middle Ages with its glorious Gothic cathedrals, 17th century reign of Louis XIV, revolutionary times, Napoleon and the transformation of Paris into the one of the most beautiful cities in the world. (Picture book, fun facts) Eleanor: Crown Jewel of Aquitaine, France, 1136 Kristiana Gregory Fictional diary of 13 year old Eleanor – in just one year, she became Duchess of Aquitaine, then she married Louis Capet, and one week later she was Queen of France! (Chapter book) The Three Musketeers Alexandre Dumas, Deborah Felder Classic swashbuckling, swords-flashing adventure of d'Artagnan and the musketeers, sworn to protect King Louis. The musketeers uncover a plot by the scheming Milady de Winter and Cardinal Richelieu to betray the queen. Fun for new readers. (Easy reader) Kids will also enjoy reading the illustrated abridged version for themselves and listening to the audio CD . Or read the complete version out loud (fun for everyone in the family). The Orange Trees of Versailles Annie Pietri A fabulous tale of intrigue at Versailles. Marion Dutilleul, the gardener's daughter, makes exquisite perfumes for the Marquise de Montespan, favorite of Louis XIV, but Marion discovers the beautiful marquise harbors a dark secret. (Chapter book) Stone Soup Marcia Brown Coming into a French village, three hungry soldiers, returning from the wars, cleverly trick the stingy peasants into sharing their food in a delicious "stone soup." (Picture book) Betsy and the Emperor Staton Rabin Captivating novel of Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte, in exile on St. Helena. Now a prisoner, living with a local family, Boney finds a kindred spirit in teenage Betsy Balcombe, an uncommon young lady, who plots his escape from the remote island. (Chapter book) The Magical Garden of Claude Monet Laurence Anholt Endearing story of a girl who thinks Monet is the gardener. Anholt's illustrations are seamlessly interwoven with Monet's paintings – you feel as if you're in the water garden, "where lilies sparkle bright as stars." (Picture book) The Impressionist Art Game Wenda O'Reilly Before you go to the museums, "Go Fish" for the Impressionists. The game is simple, but you really look at the paintings on the cards. The accompanying book is a readable, fun introduction to Manet, Pissarro, Degas, Morisot, Monet, Renoir, Cassatt and Caillebotte. Or, you can buy The Impressionist Art Book separately. Fun for all ages. (Activity pack) Sunday with Seurat Julie Merberg, Suzanne Bober "On a sunny Sunday in the park, families play until it's dark." Toddlers can touch Seurat's paintings in this charming board book, French family fun from the seaside to the circus. (Board book) And there's more in this delightful series: Sharing with Renoir , Dancing with Degas , A Picnic with Monet , A Magical Day with Matisse . The Truffle Hunter Inga Moore Adorable story of Martine, a truffle hunting pig who can't find truffles (a French delicacy), until she meets a wild boar in the forest. Charming illustrations. (Picture book) Monsieur Saguette and his Baguette Frank Asch Monsieur Saguette's trip to the bakery is full of adventure, in this whimsical tale of a delicious baguette. With the baguette, Monsieur rescues at cat in a tree, wedges it into an alligator's jaws, disarms a robber and saves himself from a flooding sewer. Playfully illustrated. (Picture book) Hot Air Marjorie Priceman It's September, 1783, and everyone's gathered at Versailles to see a new hot-air balloon with three passengers on board – a duck, a sheep, and a rooster. Hilarious and unexpected adventures of the animals on their flight over the French countryside. Exuberant illustrations, a delight for little ones. (Picture book) The House from Morning to Night Daniele Bour Peek inside a French apartment building, like a doll house. Each page is a different time of day – the baker bakes bread early in the morning, the family comes home for lunch, in the afternoon the concierge sweeps the sidewalk, the mother puts the baby to bed at night. (Picture book, reinforced pages) Let's Learn French Coloring Book Anne-Francoise Pattis Loads of fun pictures to color – from les animaux to le bateau (boat), le chat (cat), la fleu r (flower), seasons of the year, days of the week, animals and food. (Coloring book) (More children's books on other France pages) travel for kids | france Travel for Kids Your best choice for family travel 2000-2005 Globetracks, Inc. disclaimers and limitation of liability

Switzerland Travel

Switzerland Travel Information | Lonely Planet Destination Guide worldguide | shop | thorn tree forum | travel services | travel ticker | theme guides | on the road | postcards | travel links : Explore Switzerland Switzerland Leave the lederhosen at home and get in line with the stylish Swiss. At a Glance Fast Facts WORLDGUIDE Introduction Background Info See Image Gallery Events Transport Money RELATED Thorn Tree Forum Postcards Travel Links More Places Check out our other destinations: Within Switzerland Geneva Interlaken Zurich View Map Click here Feature Attraction Great St Bernard Pass Hospice Museum Perhaps the Great St Bernard Pass should be renamed the Great Alsation Pass. It might save the local rescue dogs at the local hospice some embarrassment. ... more Switzerland may be neutral but it is certainly not flavourless. The fusion of German, French and Italian ingredients has formed a robust national culture, and the country's alpine landscapes have enough zing to reinvigorate the most jaded traveller. Goethe summed up Switzerland succinctly as a combination of 'the colossal and the well-ordered'. You can be sure that your trains and letters will be on time. The tidy, just-so precision of Swiss towns is tempered by the lofty splendour of the landscapes that surround them. Factoid You Fondue? Most of the world left fondue back in the 70s, but in Switzerland it's always in style. The classic fondue is bread dunked in Emmental and Gruyere cheeses mixed with white wine and flour - consumed, of course, on shag-pile carpet. SPONSORED LINKS Enquire Accomodation Reviews Find Lonely Planet author reviewed places to stay * Required Fields Country * Please select Argentina Australia Austria Belgium Brazil Canada China Cuba Czech Republic Denmark Egypt England Estonia Finland France Germany Hungary Iceland India Ireland Israel & the Palestinian Territories Italy Japan Malaysia Mexico Morocco Netherlands New Zealand Poland Portugal Russia Scotland South Africa South Korea Spain Sweden Taiwan Thailand Turkey USA United Arab Emirates Vietnam City * Please select Travel Services · Flights · Hostels · Hotels · Travel Insurance More Services › Disclaimer: We've tried to make theinformation on this web site as accurate as possible, but it isprovided 'as is' and we accept no responsibility for any loss, injuryor inconvenience sustained by anyone resulting from this information.You should verify critical information (like visas, health and safety,customs and transportation) with the relevant authorities before youtravel. text & images © lonely planet 2005 about us | privacy | feedback | advertising FAQs worldguide | shop | thorn tree forum | travel services | travel ticker | theme guides | on the road | postcards | travel links

Cheap Travel Insurance, where

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Argentina Travel Info: General

Argentina Travel Guide - Argentina Golfing Guide Home Sports Activities Argentina Golfing Guide Argentina Golfing Guide Argentina is a premier golf destination. The country is beautiful, the people are civilized, and there are dozens of great golf courses, in many scenic regions of Argentina. Argentina has more golf courses than any other South American country. Immigrants from Europe brought the sport to Argentina in the last part of the 19th century. Ever since, exclusive clubs and luxury resorts have built some of the most interesting and challenging golf courses in the world. When planning a trip to Argentina, the most important thing to remember is that the seasons are opposite of what they are in the Northern hemisphere. Summer in Argentina is between the months of December and March while winter is from June to October. Golfing Regions in Argentina: Most destinations in Argentina have golfing facilities. Buenos Aires , the capital of Argentina, and Bariloche , in majestic Patagonia, offer the most interesting golfing experiences for the visitor. Iguazu and Tierra del Fuego are also excellent locations to enjoy Argentina on and off the golf course. Travel Information for Argentina: Argentina General Information Argentina Weather and Temperatures Get the most from your Argentine vacation. Let the travel professionals at AR Tourism arrange the perfect vacation for you, while saving you money and eliminating the inconvenience of handling overseas arrangements. AR Tourism - Argentina Vacation Travel Agency Argentina Regions | Patagonia | Iguazu Falls | Perito Moreno, Calafate Buenos Aires Guide | Side-Trips | Recoleta | City Center Argentina Golfing Guide | Argentina Skiing Guide Sitemap © 2005 AR Tourism, LLC FOR MORE INFO: eMail: info@allaboutar.com Golfing Guide Buenos Aires Golf Bariloche Golf Iguazu Golf Carmelo Golf Tierra del Fuego Golf Golf Links Golf in Argentina Explore fabulous regions and golf in the most amazing surroundings. Combine golf and travel into an amazing vacation. More Introduction to Argentina Travel Info: General Information Transportation Travel Facts Safety Planning a Trip Argentina: Buenos Aires Regions in Argentina Sports Activities People & Culture Argentine Tango History of Argentina Other Stuff: About Us Links

European Vacation MyAccount |

Travel Stories - My European Vacation Home Hostels Tours InfoZone Community Home » Community » Travel Stories » My European Vacation MyAccount | Support Centre | Site Map In the Community... Community Home Travel Diaries Start a new Diary Travel Stories Travel Gurus Message Boards Log In Log in to your account to review past bookings, change your profile, become a travel guru and much more. Email: Password: Forgot your password? Not a member? Sign up here The ULTIMATE backpacker information exchange Travel Stories • Backpackers! Adventure Calling.. • The Shrimp Tax • Sleeping in Pamplona • Chile, the country and Santiag.. • Road to No Man's Land • Run Through the Jungle: • Andorra's Box • Mexico - 48 hours in Puerto Es.. • More Travel Stories Our Price Promise We offer you the best internet rate made available by the hostel. We do not mark up this rate so you can be confident that booking here is as cheap as it gets! close window lowest prices guaranteed Read Our Price Promise We accept the following cards Travel Stories My European Vacation By Denise Cassino I finally finished reading the last page of Micheners novel The Drifters, a story about six young people traveling through Europe in the late sixties. I closed the book and bit my bottom lip. I simply had to find a way to go to Europe. My heart ached with a yearning to see the world. I had been an English major/history minor in college and had studied the continent for years. Now I was determined to see them first hand. I contacted my old college roommate, Ellen, and set a plan I quit my job, borrowed $500 to supplement my savings and flew off to Europe for a six-week sojourn. We were nearing the end of a near perfect trip with only a week or so remaining before I would head for home. We had driven The Romantic Road through Germany, partaken in the revelry of Oktoberfest in Munich, woven our way through the high peaks of the Alps in a VW bus, ridden a Gondola across the Grand Canal in Venice, stared at the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel and even had a brief romance with two American brothers. Ellen had been forced by the powers that ruled her pocketbook to return home two weeks earlier than me, and now I was traveling with an affable Australian girl named Robyn who we had met in Venice and had previously been a solo traveler. Now, the two of us stood on the port side of the huge ship and gazed out from the top deck at the starlit sky above the Port of Barcelona and the Mediterranean Sea. A statue of Cristobal Columbo (Christopher Columbus) peered down at us as we swore to sate our wanderlust ever after and reveled in our high adventure. We were on our way to the Balearic Islands, the island of Ibiza, to be exact, (pronounced Ibitha to the well-traveled tourist) and had secured a cabin on the ship for the nights trip. The ship and cabin were Spartan, and at first light, we disembarked and set foot on terra firma. The island, which had been touted as the happening spot for young people, was tiny and, aside from the ancient fortress and village around a small seaport, was mainly dry, brushy and agricultural. We wandered down the narrow, cobblestone streets amidst the tourists and the locals who were going about the business of daily living, baskets on their shoulders and bicycles laden with goods. The smiling proprietors of small cafes beckoned weary wayfarers like us to partake of their fine wine and vittles Hola, Senoritas! As the day wore on, our backpacks grew heavy and we stopped at a hand-painted sign offering a room. A dark Spanish woman, swarthy and a bit thick through the middle, took us through a door that opened directly off the street and then up a steep staircase. At the top was a small, Spartan foyer with four or five doors presumably leading to guest rooms. She opened a set of flimsy double doors, which didnt quite meet in the middle due to some sort of chopping at the space between them. The gap was now about three quarters of an inch wide and would have revealed to anyone who chose to look, the entire contents and characters within (along with the content of their characters, perhaps). To prevent just such chicanery a faded piece of cloth was hung on the inside of the door - a curtain, as it were. We surveyed the room with a jaded eye having already experienced the drill of expecting more from a room than we ever got during our extended tour of Europe. This one was a bargain at a buck and a half per night and was worth every peseta. The plaster was chipping and the chenille bedspreads were mismatched and worn. The curtains on the door that led to a small balcony overlooking the main street had seen better days, but we paid the small sum and dropped our packs to rest our travel-weary bodies while we sipped some local red wine. As evening approached our tummies rumbled so we changed into our other set of clothing and headed for the nearest restaurant for some more vino and una comida. Robin had discovered an interesting spot in Europe on $5 a day, so we located it and ventured in for dinner. A loaf of hot, homemade bread and a steaming bowl of succulent Paella filled with sumptuous shrimp, clams and rice were placed before us by a smiling Spanish waiter, and we ate with gusto, juice dripping down our chins. Soon after dinner, our explorations led us to an American style discotheque complete with black lights and flashing neon. We worked our way through the crowd looking for a seat and managed to squeeze into a spot near the bar to watch the tourists mingle with the locals. Scantily clad bodies gyrated to the beat of the outdated American tunes that blasted from the rickety jukebox. We Americans tourists stood out in a crowd with our sturdy walking shoes and nondescript clothing. I had packed two pairs of trousers, two sweaters, two tee-shirts, five pair of underpants, three pairs of socks and a down coat. My hair was cut as short as it had ever been for the ease of sink shampoos in cold water. Robyn looked like a Spaniard with thick, dark hair and tawny skin and a Rubenesque figure. Our apparel only seemed to draw attention to us, and we moved uneasily away from the gaze of more than one dark stranger who seemed to be assessing his prey. We mingled as only young twenty-something girls can do meeting an array of people ranging from strange to fascinating and by 2am or so my body begged for sleep. I said goodnight and left Robyn in the company of several young men and wandered back the short distance to the room (okay, maybe I staggered a little) and flopped into the lumpy bed for a deep doze enhanced by the abundance of red wine I had imbibed. Not long after, I was awakened suddenly by Robyns harsh Aussie whisper in my ear. Wake up! Wake up! Someones trying to break into our room! I jumped up rather unsteadily and approached the door with my heart pounding wildly in my chest. I beat against the door with my fist and hollered, Go away, get out of here! Who knows, in the heat of the moment, I may even have shouted Vamoose! Silence. We looked at one another and reluctantly crawled back into bed leaving the light on, hoping the would-be intruder had vanished into the night. But soon, I awoke to bloodcurdling screams coming from Robyn who sat bolt upright in her bed. I sat up and began screaming too, and saw a dark man turn and flee from the room leaving the two doors wide open and the curtain inside flapping between them. We continued to scream for a few more rounds until an Englishman arrived at our door dressed only in thin, cotton pants. What is the problem? he asked in his clipped British accent while rubbing his eyes. We saw . . . there was . . . someone tried . . . we panted breathlessly as we managed to reveal our plight and cause for such abject terror. He listened patiently and then said, It was probably just some Spaniard trying to rape you. Is that so terrible? We were stunned by his stiff upper lip approach to this whole scenario, but were deeply grateful when he offered to leave his two huge dogs with us for the remainder of the night. Stay, he said and they curled up between the two beds and went to sleep. However, we lay awake, eyes wide, contemplating who, why, when and where, terrified that the stranger would return to rape and pillage. We couldnt wait for morning when we quickly packed our belongings and departed. We ventured warily into the street, scanning each face wondering about the stranger who might recognize and be following us, but whom we would not recognize if we fell over him. We found some good American fellows we had met the night before and told them of our intruder. They quickly offered to share their room until the ship returned two days later, and we slept on the floor of their room, honest! Thoughts ran wildly through our minds as we relived the horrifying experience, but the only viable answer we found was that perhaps the man had followed Robyn from the disco thinking she was alone. When he burst into the room, hit the curtain and was assailed by two screaming banshees, he likely panicked and fled, forgetting his original intent. By the time the ship was ready to depart, we were exhausted and more than ready to say goodbye to the little island that had become little more than a frightening place. As I lay in my berth aboard ship that night chasing sleep, a tiny gnawing pain had begun to grow in the pit of my stomach. When we arrived in Barcelona, chills and fever had replaced the pain, but I persevered. We were anxious to board the overnight train to Paris but soon found ourselves sharing a small sleeping compartment with four other people of mixed race and gender. I was in the middle berth with my head near the door. As passengers entered the compartment, their faces were at my eyelevel, and I could smell their body odor and garlic breath, which only worsened my condition. I rotated from one end of the bed to the other where I could open the window and breathe a bit of fresh air. As the chills shook me, I donned all my clothing from my backpack only to quickly remove them as the fever and sweats returned. By the time we reached Paris, I had a full- blown case of the touristas, otherwise known as amoebic dysentery. Well, I wont go into the sordid details of the last few days of my trip. Lets just say, given the quality and texture of Parisian toilet paper, I was very glad when the morning came for me to board a train to Luxembourg for my flight home. I said goodbye to Robyn, descended the five flights of stairs at the Hotel Cluny on the left bank of the Seine and ventured out to hail a cab. I hailed and waved and shouted, but none stopped. Finally, I returned to the room where Robyn informed me that I must go to a cabstand, but now I had missed my train and, possibly, my flight home. My only choice was a plane. Low on funds, I borrowed the necessary amount for airfare from Robyn. Once aboard the transatlantic flight, I watched with empathy and pity a poor girl lying across three seats, literally green from her trip across the English Channel in a boat. With problems of my own, I dozed and dreamed of all the foods I couldnt wait to indulge in when I got back to the States, dysentery be damned. We played the food game with many of the Americans we met on our trip. Some wanted a grilled beefsteak with French fries; others craved bacon and eggs. I longed for my mothers juicy meatloaf and a crispy baked potato with butter. When my 8-hour flight finally landed, I was met by my mother and step-dad to whom I must have written at least two postcards during my six-week adventure. As we climbed in the car, my mom turned to me and said, I hope youre hungry. Ive got meatloaf and baked potatoes for dinner. I sighed with pleasure and snuggled happily into the back seat, wondering if it was just a fluke or a classic case of mothers intuition. 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