The plane was making crazy noises, and we got scared.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tj-l8DFwBsY&hl=en
02. Scary Flight Tuesday, November 30, 2010
XING - BMW Fahrertraining Monday, November 29, 2010
Die XING Community München und BMW veranstalteten diesen Top-Event. Produktion: watch-and-record.de Jürgen Sterlike
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEgwKMphkfs&hl=en
Guide to Famous Festivals Around the World Sunday, November 28, 2010
Image : http://www.flickr.com
Festivals have always been considered a symbolic representation of a society. They provide a unique insight into a society's traditions such as their historical roots and their culture, religion, music, customs, language, and more. Throughout the world, festivals have always been a popular tourist attraction. They are a great way to get an up close and personal look at a society. If you are going to include attending festivals in your vacation plans, below is a guide to a few famous festivals from around the world:
Munich, Germany - Oktoberfest: The Oktoberfest is held annually in Munich from late September to early October. Most of the breweries set up their own tent at the festival. As well as beer, there is plenty of delicious German food to eat. There is also the largest fair in the world with many festival performances and plenty of music. Nearly 6 million people a year visit Oktoberfest.
India - Holi Festival: Held at the end of February each year, the Holi festival celebrates the triumph of good over bad. The people gather in the streets to celebrate spring which symbolizes the emergence of new life. Festival participants cover one another with colored powder.
New Orleans, LA - Mardi Gras: Held in February each year, visitors come from all over the world to celebrate Mardi Gras in New Orleans. There are plenty of parties, parades, dancing in the streets, amazing costumes with beads, and great food. Mardi Gras is a great place to party and learn more about the culture.
Brazil - Rio de Janeiro Carnival: This carnival is one the of the largest costume parties in the world. It takes place 40 days before Easter each year. The Carnival consists of parades, floats, and masquerades. It is known as fun indulgence festival where people take part in activities prohibited during the 40 days of Lent.
Dublin, Ireland - St Patrick's Day March: This fun filled celebration is a major event in Dublin that is held each year in March. Celebrations include parades, green beer, costumes, shamrocks, parties, dancing, and meals of corned beef and cabbage.
France, Cannes - Cannes Film Festival: Held every spring in the enchanting city of Cannes, France, this famous film festival showcases the motion picture industry's best talent and an exciting red carpet. The Cannes Film Festival celebrates the best the film industry has to offer.
Pamplona, Spain - San Fermin Festival / Running of the Bulls: Held each year from July 6th to July 14th, the San Fermin Festival in Pamplona is a world famous festival. The most famous event during the week is the Running of the Bulls. As a visitor, it is possible to take part in the running of the bulls as long as you are sober and over 18.
The above list is just a small sample of the fantastic and world celebrated festivals across the globe. If you are a traveler who enjoys learning about a culture, including a big festival in your travel plans will make the trip more enjoyable and memorable.
Need information about flying, flight and airports? Our airline information pages tell everything you to need to know about booking cheap tickets online. Compare Toronto flights and find cheap tickets for your next trip at Cheapflights!
High Speed On Autobahn in 2007 BMW 335i Saturday, November 27, 2010
This is a beautiful Montego Blue 2007 BMW 335i. Took European Delivery and worked it to the max on the wide open autobahn. Here is a short bit of what it looks like going 150mph + on the autobahn. After a couple weeks of doing this, the thrill never dissipated.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HsCSEimBdMc&hl=en
Budget Rental Car Friday, November 26, 2010
Budget Rental Car is a car rental company with the budget-minded renter in mind. In 1958, it was founded in Los Angeles by Morris Mirkin. Mirkin founded the company with a $10,000 investment. In 1959, Jules Lederer, a distant relative of Mirkin, became enamored with the concept and created a leasing company to help Mirkin grow his business and increase his fleet. In 1960, Lederer and Mirkin formed the Budget Rental Car Corporation in Chicago. The company began to grow rapidly, both nationally and internationally.
As an industry leader, they offer quality vehicles and a rental experience that is rewarding. It has almost 1,900 locations throughout the world. This success is undoubtedly due to the company's ability to deliver a quality product on a consistent basis and provide the value and friendly service that keeps customers coming back.
They strive to provide great service at a great price. The company wishes to clearly demonstrate to its customers that they have received the best car rental value available. They promise to use new innovations and ideas in order to increase customer satisfaction and enhance service. It maintains focus on service and quality. The company has a strong focus on providing dependable and consistent service, and exceeding expectations, in order to foster loyalty amongst its customers.
They announced its initial public offering of 3.2 million shares in 1987. By 1992 Budget Rental Car moved its headquarters to Lisle, IL from its long-time downtown Chicago location. In 2003, they rolled out the "Budget Business Program". This program offers a corporate discount and provides businesses with low corporate rates, no additional driver fees and complimentary Fastbreak service. They also launched "Budget Pride" in 2003 as well. This is a comprehensive employee motivation program. The company also partnered with Mothers Against Drunk Drivers (MADD) in 2003 to help promote its "Tie One On For Safety" program.
In 2004, it completed its upgrade on the Amadeus Global Distribution Systems, an industry approved system which provides travel agents with real-time access to its reservation system.
Cendent Car Rental Group, their parent company, was named "One of America's Elite 11 Corporations for Women's Business Enterprises" in 2004 by the Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC).
Budget Rental Car is dedicated to being a great place to work. The company strives to create a friendly and fun car rental experience for customers as well as employees. Budget Rental Car maintains a work environment that is upbeat, respectful and welcoming to all customers and employees. Budget Rental Car is committed to providing a safe, presentable and well-maintained work environment. In addition to these great qualities, Budget Rental Car shows caring for its communities by encouraging employees to become involved in civic and charitable activities. Budget Rental Cars is dedicated to assisting other people throughout the company as well as the community.
For more great information on a Budget Rental Car visit our new website http://www.allmytraveltips.com.
U-Bahn Münchner Theresienwiese Oktoberfest - Sesam öffne Dich - wegen Überfüllung geschlossen Thursday, November 25, 2010
... bei der Heimfahrt am U-Bahnhof an der Theresienwiese mit einer Aufsichtskanzel nach dem Oktoberfest in München an Ali Baba's "Sesam öffne Dich" gedacht.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4snqA2GMV24&hl=en
How To Rent a Car Sunday, November 21, 2010
When traveling, often it is necessary to rent a car. But, sometimes the car rental process can be overwhelming if you are unfamiliar with the process. This article is designed to give you a brief overview of several options that you have to rent a car.
1. Check Online Rental Rates
Often, you can find discount rates by booking your car online ahead of time. Check the websites of some of the biggest car rental companies and compare prices, many of their websites offer quotes online-- all you need to do is enter in the information about the location where you will be staying, how long you will need the car, and what type of car you would like to rent. Comparing the prices between several large companies will allow you to choose the best deal and be sure that you have a car waiting for you when you arrive.
2. Contact a Travel Agency
Sometimes, you can get discount car rentals through a travel agency. If you are booking a flight, hotel, car rental, etc you may consider talking with a travel agent because they can get bulk discounts through their company. Also, they often offer discount rates when you bundle the different services together.
3. Airport Customer Service
If you find yourself at your destination and you are in need of an unexpected car rental, check the car rental customer service desks by the baggage claim. You can often walk up to the desk and book a rental right then, and your car will be ready to go within a few minutes. Sometimes the prices may be a little higher since you didn't book a discount rate ahead of time, but keep in mind that you may be able to negotiate the price. Also, take a few minutes to talk with all of the car rental companies that are available in the airport in order to see which one will give you the best deal.
Joleen has been an online writer for nearly 2 years now. Not only does this author specialize in health, travel, and product reviews, you can also check out her latest website on vacation rentals Honolulu which reviews and lists the best honolulu vacation rentals.
Germany's Oldest Hiking Trail - Rennsteig Thursday, November 18, 2010
The Trail
Rennsteig: 169 km along the ridge of the Thuringian Forest, from Hoerschel in the North to Blankenstein in the South.
Profile
The Rennsteig is the oldest of all German hiking trails. There is apparently a document from 1330 which mentions a Thuringian rynnestig, which, as anybody must admit, is indeed near enough.
Until the 19th century, the Rennsteig was the fastest connection between the various towns and villages that are scattered along its course. It was used by farmers, travelling folk and itinerant traders, which means that the route of the Rennsteig, unlike some hiking trails of more recent vintage was not created to satisfy the needs and requirements of the modern hiker. The people who laid out the trail were not interested in scenic views and picturesque detours. All they wanted was to get from A to B as quickly as possible. This also explains why much of the Rennsteig appears to shadow a near-by road. The Rennsteig was there first, and the road - following the same logic - was added much later.
Still, I must admit that we found the close proximity of the B4 Federal Road - even though traffic was anything but heavy - a bit annoying. You do not walk a lot on asphalt at the Rennsteig, but you can often see and, particularly, hear the cars vroom past. On the other hand, this proximity has also one big advantage: where the road is near, you can join the trail almost anywhere by bus, and leave almost anywhere, too. There are frequent bus stops (buy yourself a map that shows where these bus stops are located) and the buses take you, directly or indirectly (through a system of hubs and sub-hubs), generally within one hour to a town from where you can reach the next major city by train.
What we did
We walked from Oberhof, East Germany's foremost skiing resort and the home of many of her Olympic champions, to Neustadt, a distance of 25 km (stage 4 and the first part of stage 5 from the 8-stage version), for which we had allocated two days. It turned out that this was a somewhat easy hike even by easy hiking standards.
What we liked
Three times, we made the right decision: firstly, we took the bus from Oberhof station (which is 4 km away from Oberhof town and 2 km from the Rennsteig) to a stop called "Rondell" to join the trail, although we had to wait for 20 minutes (our train was late, and the buses from the station are synchronized with the arrival of the trains). I don't know how easy it would have been to find a footpath to the trail - the Rennsteig itself is excellently marked, but I am less sure about the feeder system - and the road the bus took would have been extremely unpleasant to hike.
Secondly, we took the alternative route over the top of the Groer Finsterberg mountain (marked with a blue "R") near kilometre 13 of stage 4. This was the most challenging part and the highlight of our day, with a long and - in the end - fairly steep ascent, rounded off with a magnificent view from the top. And finally, we took another bus for the last 2 km of the day to get to our stage-post of Schmiedefeld, even though it was still fairly early in the afternoon, sparing us the trouble of having to walk down what turned out to be a very unattractive and dangerous highway.
Generally, we found it surprisingly easy to get around and find a hotel. The Thuringian Forest may be remote and somewhat isolated, but winter sports appear to be very big here, and one can imagine that the place will be buzzing with the arrival of the first snow.
Schmiedefeld, for example, a village with under 2,000 inhabitants, has more than half a dozen hotels, and the tourism office is the biggest and shiniest building in town. The flip side of this is that neither hotels nor meals are exactly cheap. We paid more for our meal in Schmiedefeld than we had paid a few days earlier at a restaurant right next to Erfurt Cathedral, in the heart of the state capital.
It is always interesting to visit the old East Germany, if only to spot the differences with the West of which surprisingly many still exist, more than twenty years after reunification. (Bear in mind that Germany was only divided for twice the length of that period.) Even supermarkets appear to have different sortiments. (In Erfurt, they had no idea what we wanted when we asked for chorizo.)
Tne difference, however, seems to have vanished: even in Schmiedefeld, you can nowadays get a real espresso coffee.
What we liked less
The section of the Rennsteig we had selected turned out to be largely flat and a trifle uneventful. It would also have been nice if it had been just a little more athletically challenging. (Although the alternative route took care of that, up to a point.) The Rennsteig itself is fairly wide for most of its course and covered in gravel. Passages with narrow paths through the forest and steep mountain slopes are relatively rare. If I had to lead a large group on a hike - schoolchildren, say - or guide hikers past the first flush of youth, the Rennsteig would certainly be near the top of my list.
Towns to explore
The only major town directly on the Rennsteig is Eisenach at the top of the trail. Take a fifteen minute bus ride from Eisenach Central Station to visit Wartburg Castle where Martin Luther, hiding away from his enemies under the protection of the Elector of Saxony, threw an ink pot at the devil (and missed), translated (in less than three months) the New Testament into a rather robust free-style German, much of which he made up on the fly, and more or less invented Protestantism.
The Wider Scene
Erfurt and Weimar, Thuringia's two main tourist towns, are just a short train ride (between one and two hours) away. Weimar was the place where the two most famous German poets and playwrights, Goethe and Schiller, established first their friendship and then, together, the "Classicist" movement (in the late 18th / early 19th century). Later, the constitution of Germany's ill-fated "Weimarer Republik" was drafted there,. The localBauhaus school became one of its internationally most celebrated flagships when it developed the intellectual foundations for modern design and architecture.
Weimar's historical buildings have always been well kept and preserved, even under the Communist government, while the rest of East Germany fell into a state of disrepair and dilapidation. This "rest of East Germany" also included the Old Town of Erfurt, which was in a sorry state when the Communist regime was overthrown, but has since been lovingly restored - to the point where Erfurt has become one of the most attractive towns in the whole of Germany.
And if that scene is not wide enough for you, you may want to know that Blankenstein, the southernmost point of the trail and its final destination, is only a short 1-hour bus ride away from Hof in Northern Bavaria. From here, you can either explore the rest of the Bavarian Free State (count 3 hours by train to Munich) or take a short hop across the near-by border into the Czech Republic.
Trains take about one hour to the medieval town of Cheb and a little over two hours to the even more picturesque spa town of Karlovy Vary, the former Carlsbad.
How to get there
High-speed trains from many German cities go to Eisenach, Erfurt and Weimar. Trains from Erfurt to Oberhof take just over 1 hour (departures roughly every two hours). Other stage-posts on the Rennsteig can be reached by bus through network hubs such as the towns of Ilmenau and Saalfeld. There is a small regional airport in Erfurt, but it is not regularly served by any major airline. If you are coming from overseas, best use the airport Leipzig/Halle and board the regional train to Leipzig Central Station (two departures every hour). From there, high-speed trains to Erfurt take app. one hour.
Michael Schuemann worked as a journalist in London and Paris since the mid 1980s. He was with the BBC World Service and as a sportscaster for a string of TV stations. More recently, he has written a book about his adopted home town ("Paris Movie Walks") for a US publisher. Recently, he has started blogging about hiking in Germany as Easy Hiker. If easy hiking tempts you for your next holiday, make sure to check out his blog at http://easy-hiker.eu
Welcome to Munich Hotels Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Being the state capital of Bavaria, Munich is among the most posh cities of Germany. Surrounded by craggy hills, Munich has an aura of harmony and tranquility. Full of attractive sights, this place is a great travel destination. The best time to visit Munich is during the months of May to September. This is the time when the weather is the most pleasant. High on events and festivals all through the year, Munich makes for the ideal holiday spot. The place offers whole lot of activities to indulge in. From surfing and basking on the beach to cycling on the roads, Munich promises all kinds of fun. Its electrifying nightlife is another highlight that visitor and tourist love to be a part of. Besides, Hotels in Munich offer brilliant service to everyone's delight. Given below are some of the places to visit and things to do.
Alte Pinakothek
This Italian design art palace is one of the many wonders of Munich. The palace of Alte Pinakothek that was specially made for King Ludwig I. Today it contains art works of eminent European masters of 14th and 18th century. The compilation includes the masterpiece works like Rogier van der Weyden's Adoration of the Magi; Botticelli's Pietà; Peter Paul Rubens' two-storey-high Judgement Day and Albrecht Dürer's Christ-like Self-Portrait and his Four Apostles. In the museum you will also find a complete range of the world famous Rubens collection.
BMW Museum
The Bayerische Motoren Werke (BMW) Museum is one of its own kinds. This is an ideal place to hit if you have a thing about cars and motorcycles. The museum has recently moved into its new building that is at the company's headquarters. This museum lets its visitors revel in its architectural attractions, the famous cloud-like BMW Welt among others.
Asamkirche
Next to the 14th century gate- Sendlinger Tor is a small church called Asamkirche. Designed and built as a personal Chapel by the Asam brothers in the 18th century, Asamkirche is an architectural wonder. The interior of this small wonder is decked with startling sculptures and paintings.
Besides these, the city of Munich is verdant with innumerable parks. The Englischer Garten located nearby the city centre is spread over an area of 3.7 km² is among the biggest public parks in the world. Besides these, the Olympic Park, Westpark and parks of the Nymphenburg Palace and Schleissheim Palace are also very well known. Near the Residenz, you will come across city's oldest parks still retaining its quaintness. The majestic Hirschgarten was founded in 1780 and is best known as the largest beer garden in the city. Located near the Flaucher Island in Isar is town's famous zoo called Tierpark Hellabrunn. Ostpark is yet another remarkable park situated in the Perlach-Ramersdorf area.
Accommodations can be found in plenty and very easily in Munich. And in particular, Hotels in Munich are available in all ranges. Munich Hotels have a class of their own and simply standout in their excellent hospitality. To meet all your needs, the hotels are well equipped with all the necessary facilities to make your vacation all the more interesting.
For more info please visit:- http://www.stayresgermany.com
Top 5 Reasons to Visit Germany
Once a strong empire and one of the world's most fearsome governments, Germany today is an economic force with a remarkable wealth of culture and attractions - magnificent old churches, world-class museums and a breathtaking countryside dotted with charming medieval villages and fairy-tale castles. If you're still not convinced, here are the top five reasons for you to visit Germany.
1. World War II Landmarks and Memorials
Many countries in the world have their share of World War II landmarks and memorials. None, however, has as many as those of Germany. Indeed, when you visit Germany, you will notice that many towns and villages have a memorial to honor their dead. The most poignant memorials, though, are the memorials in honor of the millions of Jews who died during World War II, such as the Holocaust Memorial in Berlin and the memorials in the German concentration camps, like Buchenwald and Dachau. The Jewish Museum, showcasing the history of the Jews in Germany since the Middle Ages, is also a memorial in itself.
Aside from these Jewish memorials, you can also visit other World War II landmarks during your holidays in Germany, such as the Nazi party rally grounds and the Palace of Justice in Nuremberg where the war trials were held, and the Eagle's Nest in the German Alps, near which you can find an information centre about Hitler's regime. You can also visit the Military Museum in Dresden, the most heavily bombed city during the war, to learn more about the German army.
2. Beer
Beer is the oldest alcoholic beverage in the world, and though it did not originate in Germany, it is closely associated with the Germans. In fact, beer is the national drink of Germany, with over 1,300 breweries scattered all over the country, particularly in the northern regions. There are over 5000 brands and many varieties of German beer, too, though all are made exclusively from water, barley, hops, yeast, and sometimes, sugar according to the Purity Law, which ensures their high quality.
Therefore, you should spend your holidays in Germany and try to sample as many types of beer as you can, or simply drop by during the annual Oktoberfest in Munich, the largest beer festival in the world and one of the most famous events in Germany. During this time, you can go from one tent to another and drink as much beer as you like, although you'll want to hold your liquor unless you want to get arrested for causing trouble or wake up with a bad headache in the medical tent.
3. Christmas Markets
Christmas is a magical season all over the world, but it is especially festive and enchanting in Germany. After all, Germany is where the Tannenbaum or Christmas Tree originated, as well as the less popular but equally significant Advent Wreath. You will see these, along with other German yuletide symbols like the Nativity Scene, gingerbread cookies and carved nutcrackers, in the Christmas Markets held in many parts of the country, with the largest ones held in Stuttgart, Dresden, Nuremberg, Augsburg and Erfurt, so visit Germany in December and fall under the spell of the season.
4. Car Country
For auto enthusiasts, it is a dream come true to visit Germany, where the automobile originated and where the headquarters of top car manufacturers are located. Stuttgart, in particular, is where Gottlieb Daimler invented the first four-wheel automobile with Karl Benz, which is why it is where you will find the Gottlieb Daimler Museum, as well as the Mercedez Benz Museum. If you want to take a closer look at how cars are made, you can tour the factories of BMW, Volkswagen and Porsche in different cities. You can also drive a Trabi along the streets of Dresden or stop by Germany's most famous race track at Nurburgring.
5. Classical Music
Aside from being the birthplace of the automobile and the Christmas Tree, Germany is the birthplace of many classical composers such as Bach, Wagner, Beethoven and Handel. You can hear their compositions at many opera houses, such as those of Frankfurt and Berlin, and even some churches when you visit Germany, as well as in their own individual festivals, like the Beethoven Festival in Bonn or the Bach Festival in Leipzig. If you want to hear all of their best pieces, you should come to the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival, the largest in Germany, or the Heidelberg Festival.
Isabella Olsen writes for various travel magazines and has traveled to many global tourist destinations including Germany by car. To book your car hire Germany or learn more about cheap car hire worldwide, visit Zencarhire.com.
BMW Welt European Delivery Rotating Car Sunday, November 14, 2010
This is a video of my wife's car when we picked it up from the Welt. You come down a staircase and as you turn the corner, your car is on a rotating platform waiting for you.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGvIygOSjvE&hl=en
BMW 120d (E87) 200 km/h von Nürnberg nach München (M89 & A.) Thursday, November 11, 2010
Wir auf dem Weg von Nürnberg nach München. Hatten bisschen langeweile im Auto, also dachte ich, ich nimm bissel auf... hehe... Aber nicht vergessen, immer anschnallen und nur dort soviel fahren wo es auch erlaubt ist ;-)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvjbHpvBNu0&hl=en
Local Hotels in Gurgaon and Delhi, India Sunday, November 7, 2010
If you are thinking of vacationing in North India, there are a number of local hotels that would gladly provide you with comfortable lodging. The North India tour is popular among retired Americans who have saved for years to be able to travel the world. There is so much to see in this vast and rich subcontinent. The tour of the north part of India includes such beauties as Corbet National Park, the palaces of Rajasthan, and of course the world famous Taj Mahal.
The Oberoi Hotel in New Delhi, is a family owned five star hotel group that has hotels in the major cities of India. You will find their hotels extravagantly designed to match the traditional Indian culture. There is no doubt that the hotel is viably one of the best five star hotels in India, and a terrific place to stay. The Oberoi in New Delhi is decorated after the manner of the rich Mugal rulers who used to occupy the Delhi Region. With hints of rajasthani art, rich carpets, and spacious lounges, the Oberoi in Delhi is an experience in itself.
Apart from the decor and beauty of the hotel, you will find the staff courteous, helpful, and polite. The staff are highly trained and happy to be of service. Places to eat within the hotel include a large coffee house, a lounge bar, Indian, Thai, and Chinese restaurants, as well as a pastry corner. Relaxation spots include a massage and beauty parlor, indoor lap pool, gym, and outdoor swimming pool. Needless to say, the prices are not cheap. Rooms start at 300 to 400 dollars a night, but the food is reasonably priced.
The Courtyard Marriott, Gurgaon, is among the local hotels that provide rooms to low budget travelers. The courtyard holds five stars and is one of the best hotels in Gurgaon as far as service goes. With over 150 rooms, a gym, three restaurants, Sunday brunch, and roof top swimming pool, the Courtyard is a lovely place to spend a week enjoying the modern nightlife of India's fastest growing city. Twenty minutes by car into the heart of Delhi, the Courtyard provides an affordable lodging for business travelers as well as tourists.
Among the local hotels in the National Capitol Region are the many small lodges that are found on the highway near the New Delhi Airport. Hotels with as few as 15 rooms are not uncommon. For travelers who only want to spend one night and move on, these are not a bad option.
The author has spent a lot of time learning about local hotels in London and other related topics. Read more about Travelling Everywhere at Mel Davey's website.
BMW Motorrad Zentrum München Tuesday, November 2, 2010
The used bikes in the basement of the BMW Motorrad center in Munich. In spring there are about three or four times as many bikes to be found there.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bp_A_ZJaDbI&hl=en
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