Changing of the Guard – One of the most popular spectacles related to royalty, this tradition takes place at Buckingham Palace and provides great photo opportunities of Guards in their bright red tunics and bearskin hats replacing the other Guards during a 45 minute ceremony.  The job of the Household Troops is to guard the Sovereign; they serve as soldiers in the British Army.

Palaces –Buckingham and Kensington Palaces are closely associated with royalty in recent times, iconic images of Diana and Charles kissing on the balcony at Buckingham Palace post wedding are etched into the memories of many and visitors still leave flowers occasionally at Kensington Palace, Diana’s office home.  However Hampton Court Palace has a much longer royal pedigree.   Hampton Court was the palace of King Henry VIII.

Tower of London – From the palaces where royals lived, to the place that became the final resting place of some, the Tower of London with its Beefeater guards  who tell visitors the stories of those unlucky enough to be sent to the Tower, make this attraction one of the most popular in London.   The Crown Jewels are on display at the Tower of London; the collection consists of over 23,000 gems.

Royal Parks – London’s Royal Parks evolved from land originally owned by the monarchy which functioned as hunting grounds to public parks when the Crown Lands Act passed.   The parks most visited by travelers include Hyde Park, Regent’s Park and Kensington Gardens.

Royal theaters – Many of London’s still popular theaters such as the Royal Court Theatre, Royal National Theatre, Theatre Royal Drury Lane, and others have a history tied to England’s royals.    The first theater in London was built in 1576, followed by the Rose and the Globe.  Many of London’s theaters were destroyed by Cromwell and the Puritans after ousting the ruling king.  When the monarchy was restored new theaters such as the Theatre Royal Drury Lane were built which hosted many of Shakespeare’s plays in the 1740’s and ended up being the home to one of the most famous musicals of all time, My Fair Lady.

Almost anywhere you roam in London you will come across sites that have a royal association, which is one of the things travelers love most about visiting this country with such a different history than our own.

In 1671, an Irishman named Colonel Blood came up with a plan.  Although Blood came from a respectable family, his grandfather was a Member of Parliament; he became embroiled in a series of incidents including attempting to kidnap two Dukes.   During the English Civil War, he originally fought on the side of the King, but switched his allegiance to Oliver Cromwell, who awarded him land and made him a justice of the peace.  When the King was returned to the throne, he lost his land grants and had to flee England.

Embittered Blood came back to England under an assumed name and hatched a plot to get his hands on the Crown Jewels.  The Colonel, disguised as a parson, became friendly with Talbot Edwards, The Keeper of the Jewels.  At the time the jewels were kept in a basement at the Tower and Edwards was allowed to show visitors the jewels for a free to supplement his wages.  One day the ‘Parson’ arrived with his nephew, whom he hinted was a wealthy landowner and a good match for Edward’s daughter, and two other men.   They expressed a desire to see the jewels.  Edwards led the way downstairs and Blood knocked him unconscious and stabbed him.  As Blood and his men were gathering the crown, scepter and jewels accounts vary that Edwards regained consciousness and shouted for help, or that his son returned and raised the alarm.  However it came to pass, the would-be robbers were arrested at the gate.   Colonel Blood counted on his Irish charm and King Charles’s fondness for bold adventurers to save him, and indeed Blood was not only pardoned, but given back his confiscated Irish lands.

After the incident, security was tightened and visitors were no longer allowed to touch the Crown Jewels.  Today visitors step onto moving walkways which move people past the well-lit display cases, which are made of two-inch thick shatter-proof glass.  And lest anyone get ideas from the story of Colonel Blood, the Beefeaters, highly trained former military men, mount sentries throughout the tower complex – every street and path is guarded 24 hours a day by the British Army and the exact technology used to guard the collection has never been advertised!

• Room with a View –.  The beauty of Florence and Rome set the mood for this tale of an Englishwoman who leaves strict British society and finds a freer life and romance in Italy.
• Memoirs of a Geisha  – The beautiful cinematography in this film awakened an interest in me to travel to Japan, a place I hadn’t really thought to visit until I watched this film and saw a different side to what I thought was mainly a modern high tech place.
• Into the West – This movie gives an interesting peek into the culture of Irish gypsies, known as travelers.   The action scenes of two young boys and their horse being chased, accompanied by Irish instruments and singers, show off the Irish mountains and cliffs in the western part of the country.
• Gigi – All the elegance and glamour of Paris can be summed up in this film where Maurice Chevalier portrays the quintessential elegant Frenchman who narrates the film about a young French girl who rebels against the path set for her.   Elegant Paris serves as the backdrop of this romantic story.
• Hideous Kinky – A British mother, Kate Winslet, takes her two daughters to Morocco in the 1960’s.  Exotic Marrakesh attracts the young mother to leave the conventions of British life for the sights, sounds and smells of a country so different than the conventions of her own.
• Before Sunrise – Julie Delpy (Céline) and Ethan Hawke (Jesse) discuss relationships, religion and life in front of backdrops which include the Danube canal, a Viennese coffeehouse, and the giant Ferris wheel in the Prater amusement park.  As Céline and Jesse fall in love, we fall in love with the enchanting imperial city of Vienna, Austria.   In the sequel to the film, “After Sunset” viewers experience the complications of life and love amidst the backdrop of Paris.

What films have inspired you to take a trip?

Beer gardens extend far beyond the beer served.  They are a community where people can enjoy the outdoors and relax with family and friends or make new friends.  The long wooden benches which are a staple at beer gardens encourage strangers to strike up conversations.  The beer gardens are even family friendly as many have playgrounds to keep kids entertained while parents chat.

In Munich the beer gardens typically serve only one brand of beer from the city’s main breweries.  The standard serving size is one liter, so for those wanting to take it easy on the alcohol, Helles, a combination of beer and sweet lemonade, can be ordered.  For those not old enough, or who choose not to drink, Spezi, a type of soda is popular and still allows anyone to enjoy the ‘gemütlichkeit’ atmosphere of the beer gardens.  Since the decree is no longer in force, many beer gardens do serve food today, typically grilled chicken and potato salad, though many locals still enjoy bringing their own food, such as bread, obatzda (a cheese and onion spread), radishes, sliced meats and pretzels.

This year, 2012, marks the 200^th anniversary of the beer garden edict being passed and the tourist boards of Germany are planning numerous events to celebrate.    Take advantage of the opportunity to enjoy this German tradition courtesy of King Ludwig.

The Great Potato Famine was named after the time period during which a potato blight severely affected the potato harvest, a main food source for most Irish families.  The Irish government’s ‘solution’ to this problem was to charge landowners new taxes to raise money for work relief programs for poor families, rather than providing the families directly with food.  The landowners believed that these would become lasting, not temporary taxes, so they decided that it would cost them less to ship their tenant families to North America.  During this time, hundreds of thousands of Irish people were evicted from their homes.  Sometimes the landlords even paid such families to go to North America to be rid of them.  However, it was not an act of altruism because the food, clothing and money that were promised upon arrival in the new country never materialized.

Sea voyages of any kind had never been without its challenges and dangers, but the ships of this period were especially notorious.  There were some differences for these emigrants based on whether they traveled on an American or British ship.   American ships were held to higher standards than the British ships on which families were packed into overcrowded ships for journeys lasting from one to three months.  Many families arrived ill from diseases contracted in tight quarters.  Another issue with the British ships is that they were only required to provide 7 lbs. of food weekly per passenger and most of the Irish emigrants were too poor to have brought a supply of their own food on board with them.

Hungry and confined in close quarters with passengers who contracted various illnesses, the conditions of ship life were quite horrific.  These ships came to be known as coffin ships due to the number of passengers who died while waiting in quarantine to see doctors at the port medical facilities in North America.   With so many deaths, many bodies were simply dumped overboard.  Those who had survived the boats often didn’t fare better in the makeshift hospitals on land which were severely understaffed, dying in huge numbers.    It is estimated that as high as 1 out of 5 arrivals died from malnutrition and disease.

If you have Irish ancestors who immigrated to the United States, you can be proud of the survival skills of your forefathers who had the will, determination and courage to survive the famine ships and start new lives in this country.

• Palace of Versailles, France – Originally a modest hunting lodge, after its expansion by Louis XIV the French court and government were moved there in 1682.   The flamboyant Hall of Mirrors was designed as a symbol of the absolute power of the royals.  The garden, so precise and formal, reflects the strict etiquette of the French court.
• Neuschwanstein Castle, Germany – People who have visited Disneyland will have a sense of déjà vu when they approach this castle as the Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disney was modeled after it.  Built in the Gothic Romantic style by Louis II, who was sometimes called Mad King Ludwig, the inside of the castle had conveniences which were cutting edge for the time.  These include running water on all floors and an air heating system for the whole building.
• Eilean Donan Castle, Scotland – This iconic castle is on an island where three lochs meet creating an enigmatic atmosphere that attracted the filmmakers of the movie “Highlander.”   Crossing the footbridge gives visitors the sense of journeying into another age where brawny men in kilts roamed the heather covered hills.
• Schönbrunn Palace, Austria – Built in the Baroque style this palace’s name means ‘beautiful spring.’ It was the home of the Habsburgs and the childhood home of Marie Antoinette before she moved to France to become Queen.   Visitors also enjoy the formal gardens and getting lost in the Maze originally created in the 1600’s and since recreated. 
• Pena National Palace, Portugal – The palace perches dramatically on a rocky peak above the town of Sintra.  Site of a former monastery, the ruins were absorbed into a palace built in the Romantic style, with touches of Moorish and Gothic influences.  Constructed to serve as the summer residence for the Portuguese royal family, the forested park surrounding the palace is also popular with visitors.
• Windsor Castle, England – A medieval castle, Windsor is also the largest occupied castle in the world.   The flag is hoisted when the Queen is in residence, usually on the weekends.  The Queen’s guard chamber hosts state banquets where 162 people can fit at the 175 foot dining table.  Ten British monarchs are buried in the chapel.
• Queluz Palace, Portugal – What other European country can boast that it has a pink palace?  Constructed in the Rococo style it’s hard to believe that this exquisite confection of a palace was once filled with the shrieks of Queen Maria of Portugal.  Having lost many members of her family and advisors in short succession she went mad from grief.  In happier times the family went boating along the nearby canal which is lined with azulejos, the iconic Portuguese ceramic tiles which can also be admired in many of the interior rooms of the palace.

Originally created in stone and designed by Jerome Duquesnoy in 1619, the Mannekin Pis is a small bronze fountain of a little boy, well, urinating.   A statue as unusual as this must have a meaning!  There are several different legends associated with the statue and which one is the real story is unknown.  About half the legends are associated with the boy rescuing the city through the act of urinating.  The other legends tell versions of the little boy becoming lost and when searchers found him he was urinating on the street.  Whatever the truth, the sculpture is extremely popular and was stolen several times.  The current version of the sculpture was created in 1965.

Strangely enough the statue has a variety of costumes which are managed by the non-profit association, The Friends of Mannkin Pis.  Everyone from kings to celebrities, government officials and members of the public has donated costumes for the little statue.  On special occasions during the year the statue is dressed in costume, at other times visitors can see some of his wardrobe items on display at the Museum of the City of Brussels, which include a variety of athletic costumes, a samurai warrior costume and a Mozart costume.  http://www.brussels.be/artdet.cfm?id=4960&function=PICTUREBOOK

• Julie Andrews - It’s hard to imagine any other actress in the part of Maria.  Already a theatre and film star, indeed she had just starred in Mary Poppins the year before, she was nominated for an Oscar for her work in the film.   Julie’s rare four octave range was shown off in “Do-Re-Mi” though it wasn’t just her perfect pitch that captivated viewers, but also her comedic timing in the movie.
• The songs – Interestingly, the play that predated the film was originally not going to be a musical.  Then it was decided that the famous duo Rodgers and Hammerstein should create music for it.  After writing most of the songs, sadly Hammerstein fell ill and the poignant ballad “Edelweiss” was the last song for which he ever wrote lyrics.   The songs are accessible to all, as the words are easy to remember, and the melodies are infectious – anyone can hum or sing them.  The musical Chicago was made into a film, but I can’t sing one song from it, but I know every song from The Sound of Music.
• The family you always wanted – Who wouldn’t want to be part of a close-knit family that sings, dances and enjoys each other’s company while biking, rowing on a lake and running through fountains in Salzburg?    Watching the movie together is also a family activity as people of all ages can enjoy it together, which often is not the case with modern movies.
• Good triumphs over evil – The film references the Anschluss, the event when Austria was annexed into the Third Reich.   The country was under enormous pressure by the Nazis, and German troops marched into the country to crush opposition to the unpopular annexation.  References to the tensions and dark days ahead for the nation are reflected throughout the film such as when the Captain scolds Rolf for greeting him with ‘Heil’ and the party scene where the Captain’s guests argue over the Anschluss.
  The sadness of the times are reflected when Captain Von Trapp sings “Edelweiss” at the festival as declaration of loyalty to Austria.  Audiences cheer when the nuns foil the Nazis and protect the fleeing family who are last seen hiking over the mountains to freedom in Switzerland.
• The romance – What can be more romantic than an orphan and former nun catching the eye of a dashing Captain?  The scene where Maria and the Captain sing “Something Good” is incredibly tender.
• The scenery – The opening sequence of The Sound of Music is set against the background of an alpine meadow.  There isn’t a little girl alive who at some point hasn’t twirled around reenacting the scene where Maria swings her arms wide.  Viewers who may have had little interest in Austria before the film are always charmed by scenes of various Salzburg locations such as the Mirabell gardens, Mondsee Cathedral, Leopoldskron Lake, and Nonnberg Abbey.

Interestingly enough, Austrians themselves are not very familiar with the movie, as it never became the phenomenon there that it has become in the rest of the world.  The movie is so beloved in other countries, that it has given rise to popular Sound of Music sing-alongs, audience participation events where filmgoers interact with the movie by singing with the film with some participants dressing as their favorite characters.

For all of us who have seen the film, it remains one of our “Favorite Things.”

A common mistake made by travelers is they don’t realize that how the wai is performed is determined by the social status of the people who are greeting each other.  The Thai people take social status very seriously.  The person of higher social status is the one who should be wai’d by the other party.  Higher status can be related to age or it can be related to social position or business status.

A wai with fingertips raised to the forehead is only given to monks or the Thai King, who is highly revered by the Thai people.  The recipient of the wai may wai back, but they will either not bow, or not bow as deeply due to their higher status.  If the two parties are equals the wai is performed with the fingertips reaching neck level but not above the chin.  A guest in the country should not wai anyone whom they are paying to provide a service such as a taxi driver, waiter or shopkeeper.

To add to the complicated nature of the rules of the wai, the wai is sometimes used to greet objects rather than people.  Travelers may notice taxi drivers or people in buses performing a wai when passing an image of a Buddha or a temple.  The wai is used for more than greeting people; it can also be used to say ‘goodbye’, ‘thank you’ or ‘sorry.’

Learning all the subtleties of the wai can be confusing; the Thais have been trained in the art since birth and do not expect visitors to always respond correctly.  If uncertain what to do, a warm smile often goes a long way.