BY CLAY LARROY
Traveling can
be an important part of your life, whether for business or for pleasure. Take
time each day to alleviate stress while traveling or
vacationing and you will thank yourself for it when you get back home. With all
the chaos, jet-lag, partying and other excitement of travel comes a whole lot of
stress on your mind and body. By the time most vacations are over, another one
is needed to recover so taking a few minutes each day to rejuvenate will make
it easier for you to resume your normal life when it's all over. When you want to
plan a vacation contact me!
Many
cities in Europe have organized "pub crawls" ("pub" being a
shortened form of the term "public house", indicating a tavern
licensed to sell alcohol) that use the atmosphere of the pubs as a way to meet
new friends and introduce patrons to new bars. Examples include the Funky Paris
pub crawl in Paris and the Funky Riviera pub crawl in Nice. Amsterdam sports
the Ultimate Party pub crawl. Not to be outdone, the Germans have their New
Berlin and New Munich Pub Crawls. But the most famous of all the pub crawls may
be the Dublin Literary Pub Crawl, themed around the haunts of James Joyce,
Samuel Beckett and Brendan Behan. These highly festive occasions are led by
professional actors performing the works of the writers in various pub venues
around the city.
If
you are looking for something with a bit more information regarding the history
of beer itself, then taking a brewery tour is a great option. Tours of
breweries can be found across the world, providing a behind the scenes look at
the beer making process. Whether you want to see how your favorite beer is made
or want to try great beer straight from the source, then a brewery tour is the
perfect answer. From tours of the massive Anheuser-Busch brewery in St. Louis
USA to tiny independent breweries in the UK, Europe or Sydney, much can be
learned - and tasted!
One
of the best examples of a brewery tour is in Belgium, at the Brasserie
d"Achouffe. This brewery is one of the finest in the world and is best
known for its La Chouffe beer, which was once named "Best Beer of the 20th
Century". While not all breweries offer beer tours, most of the famous
names in the world of beer will offer some sort of tour, usually with a
historical briefing on the making of the product followed by a tasting session.
Many tours also provide food in the form of a special restaurant or buffet,
often with a beer-themed menu. Organizing these tours is relatively simple, and
your travel consultant can provide you with information on which brewers offer
the tours.
If
these tours are not enough to quench your curiosity, one way to combine a
holiday with beer is to go to one of the numerous beer festivals around the
world. These festivals are a celebration of all things to do with beer and run
for days or even weeks. You can soak up the city atmosphere while trying beers
from all around the world. You have some really amazing beer festivals to
choose from, including the Great British Beer Festival and the Oregon Brewer’s
festival. However, the best and largest of all the festivals has to be the
ultra-famous Oktoberfest in Munich. This beer extravaganza is truly heaven for
all lovers of beer, and with Munich as a backdrop, it doesn’t get much better.
The first Oktoberfest occurred in 1810 to honor the marriage of Prince Ludgwig
to Princess Therese. If you missed that one, no fear, the celebration is held
each year and is one of the premier beer events anywhere.
If
you really want to make beer part of your holiday, then take a trip to one of
many historic cities that are famous for their beer. These cities not only
offer some of the best beer and pubs around, but also give you the opportunity
to see wonderful architecture and absorb the city’s culture. One of the best
cities to visit is London, with over 6,000 pubs serving a variety of local real
ales, plus beers from all around the world. Combine this with stunning
architecture and world-class attractions and you have a heady mix for any
beer-loving culture vulture.
Other
great cities to visit include the Guinness-filled city of Dublin and the
historic beer meccas of Prague, Munich, and Boston.
Deciding
on when and where to go can be a difficult decision, and your decisions will
focus on how much of your vacation you want to be centered around beer. If you
simply want to go on a few brewery tours or are curious about beer, then
negotiating the crowds of Munich during Oktoberfest might not be the best idea.
Instead, go where you can experience as little or as much beer culture as you
want. Destinations like Dublin, London or Brussels are ideal and permit others
in your party to indulge in plenty of other activities like shopping or
sightseeing. Ask your travel consultant about "shoulder" and
"low season" rates. During off-peak travel times, rates are almost
always available at a sizeable discount over high season. The crowds are fewer,
the prices better and the atmosphere in many destinations is much more
intimate. However, the trade-off in weather and climate may be more than enough
for you to decide to do your beer and pub studies during peak travel times.
Although
many beer tours will allow younger people on tours of their facilities, there
are often prohibitions on the consumption of any alcohol by persons under the
age of 18. Also, be aware that while the US has a higher drinking age than most
of Europe, this is not universally the case. Generally, holidays centered on
beer festivals are only suitable for adults. If you intend on visiting
breweries and pubs and you have children, definitely ask your travel agent to
help you consider the proper logistics for your visit.
Need
we suggest to a worldly person such as yourself that one of the first
considerations of a beer and pub tour is that you drink in moderation?
Overdoing it on the first day will only reduce your enjoyment of the holiday,
as well as damage your health and potentially your relationship with any
non-drinking traveling companion. Beer outside the United States often contains
a higher alcohol concentration, so enjoy in moderation or suffer the
consequences! But with that in mind...
So
many beers, so little time.
REFERENCE SITES:
http://www.travelresearchonline.com/
“Traveling – it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a
storyteller.” – Ibn Battuta
Travel to experience life!
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