Banner Sponsors
For artists and collectors sponsored by Intercal...your mohair supplier and Johnna's Mohair Store
It meanders where it wants to, this thread. I'm getting about half awesome tips and about half fun reminiscences and funny stories. It's ALL good.
Keep it coming, off topic of otherwise.
Maria -- Excellent advice re: phoning cards and banks in advance of leaving. I've actually read/heard that even for some who do that, their accounts get frozen anyway. Luckily (??) I have a lot of credit cards to choose from! Or is that UNluckily... ???
Jeremy -- AWESOME reminders about Munich! I've been there but literally forgot every single thing you mentioned. You're better than a guidebook. Kisses and hugs your way for the smack to the head. I needed it.
People who mentioned hotel chains -- Thanks to ALL of you for the suggestions. VERY appreciated; we're still seeking rooms. We're about half booked at this point but dang, it's a pricey venture.
I love you guys. 
well, Shel, if you find yourself in a pinch and all else fails. . . bluster! - just put on your bold and bully your way through. . .
I used to do a wonderful little show in Bern. the first time we did the show, we knew nothing of Bern - or the promoter, only that her invited artist list was stellar and I was hugely flattered to be considered at all, much less invited. the other big incentive was that the promoter was paying for everything, including our hotel room. she kept telling us that the show was being held in the ballroom of the best hotel in the city, the Hotel Schwietzerhof (sp???). the only other instructions we received were that the hotel was directly across from the train station, and that we could find her there when we arrived in Bern.
so we came out of the station and sure enough, directly across the street was the hotel - a glorious old place with a small, intimate lobby that reeked money. we schlepped our way to the desk with our 18 suitcases, disheveled and bone-tired from our almost-24-hr trip and asked the desk clerk for our show host. the poor girl had no idea what we were talking about and after discussing it for a few frustrating minutes, my partner said 'look, we're exhausted. why don't we just check in and we'll find our host later". the clerk agreed that this was a good plan, asked our names and looked at her reservation list for a long time. she turned a little redder, looked up and said 'monsieurs, I'm afraid that I don't show you on my list. could you possibly be listed under another name?" we gave her all the possibilities, including my real surname, my parnters and our hosts. nothing.
we were beginning to feel more than a little frustrated when my partner drew himself up to full height, puffed out his chest like a pouter pigeon and declared loudly 'my dear woman, do you know who we are??? I'm the world-famous author so-and-so, and this is my partner, kelly dean, the world-famous teddy bear maker from the US! we have never been treated so poorly! I can't believe this is happing to us! you had better get your hotel manager out here on the double!!' I never!!!" and in a Swiss hotel! so much for Swiss efficiency. (I wasn't totally surprised - he was prone to this type of behavior, to my lasting embarrasment)
the poor girl blanched, ran for her manager, who came out of her office, shook our hands gravely and apologized for the horrible mix-up. she quickly snapped her fingers to summon a bevy of bellboys and we were escorted by the manager up a flight of stair to a set of double doors at the top of the stairs. she opened the doors with a flourish, and we stepped into the fanciest hotel suite I'd ever been in. 2 rooms, a huge poster bed, fireplace, oriental rugs, fresh flowers - and bathroom that had to be 30 ft long. my partner went wild over the bathroom and the spa tub, and while he went to shower, I started unpacking clothes into the armoire in the bedroom. there was a knock at the door and when I answered it, there stood a bellboy with a tray holding an ice bucket, bottled water, 2 rich, thick white terry robes and 2 pairs of slippers. I brought one set of them to the bathroom where my bf was splashing in the tub and said 'wow, can you believe this place? I could get to like this teddy bear business'
just then there was a few short rings from the telephone. I picked it up expecting to hear my show host, but it was the hotel manager instead. she informed me that they had located our host, and gave me directions to the ballroom where she could be found. I thanked her profusely, and then asked her if she could send someone up for my shirts (what the heck, eh?) there was a short, quiet pause, and then she cleared her throat and said 'monsieurs, I regret to inform you that there has been a mistake with your room. we talked to your host and she informed us that you are not staying in this hotel. she has booked accommodation for you elsewhere. I do not know where, but I'm sure she can help you with that. you will need to vacate the room immediately'.
I gave her a totally embarrassed 'um, ok, sorry. . . ', hung up the phone and went to tell my partner what had happened. it took me about 10 minutes to convince him that I wasn't kidding, and then we quickly threw everything back into the suitcases and made our way to the ballroom, where we fond our host. when we told her what had happened, she burst out laughing and said 'like I could ever afford to stay here myself! you silly Americans! I booked you at a hotel a block away. here are your directions - go check in and clean up"
so we headed for the lobby, me going as fast as possible to avoid the desk clerks eye, when suddenly she called out to us
'monsieurs, monsieurs, is there a problem? was your room not satisfactory?'
I kept going, red-faced, but my partner turned and harumpffed 'well, we've been thrown out of better hotels than this one, we're going to stay at the movenpick.'
then I heard a snort of derision that made me turn around. the desk clerk was struggling to hold her composure and she replied 'I'm sure you gentlemen will enjoy your stay there' in a tone that said perhaps the movenpick might be only a block down the street, but it was waaaaaaay down the rungs on the social ladder.
I just blushed and ran. . .
Creative Design Studio (RKR4CDS)LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL
I can picture this exact scenario, knowing the personalities of you & X.
Too perfect! I doubt many beart artists could top this one.
(It wasn't with the owner of the Puppenhaus Museum, was it?)
:crackup: :crackup: :crackup:
hey bobbie! not the puppenhousen (I've never worked small enough for them) it was a shop owner* from a small village outside of Bern. I believe she's gone out of business, as I haven't heard from her in a few years. as for my 'ex', he firmly believed that fame was a self-fulfilling prophecy and was constantly blowing his own horn. bank tellers, drug store clerks, and captive audience. I usually blushed and found something really interesting with my shoes. the best retort he ever got was from my nephew, who, after a few hours of nonstop drivel, finally said 'well, if you're so famous, how come I've never heard of you???"
one thing I constantly forget when traveling in the EU, esp. in Switzerland & Germany, is that most shops and shopping districts are totally closed on Sundays, even in really big cities like Munich - although we did go inside some fabulous churches and spent a long time watching the big clock. Bern rolls up it's sidewalks at 4pm on Saturday, making a weekend stay over rather monotonous. and once, some clients from London invited me to join them on the ferry from Dover to Calais, for a drive up the french coast. we found a lovely little village there - that was totally closed down on Saturday afternoon - until 4PM!
* - I try to leave names other than my own out of the conversation. I haven't seen any collectors on here yet, but I know there are lurkers. I'd hate to get caught out telling tales:pray:
The last time I went to those cities was in 2001 so not sure if my hotel recommendations are out of date. Plus, this was before the euro. Here are ones we liked.
Rome: Residenza Farnese
It was pretty new when we stayed there, and our bathroom was huge. Our room was a good size too. Very clean. Close to everything - we walked everywhere. This place is across from the French embassy.
Venice: Locanda Ovidius
Next to Rialto Bridge so it was easy to find your way back to the hotel (b/c Venice can be confusing). Not that many rooms. Clean. Staff very nice.
Didn't care for our hotels in Munich and Paris (both didn't have A/C and we were up on a higher floor; it was summer; and I live in South Florida; so if I couldn't stand the heat, .... 
). I think it was Hotel Uhland in Munich but not sure; couldn't find all my old notes. In Florence we stayed outside the city at a chain, forget which one, b/c something happened with our hotel when we arrived so they booked us somewhere else. Stayed in the Mercure chain in 2 different cities, Avignon and outside Paris, and liked this chain.
Took the train to Neuschwanstein for the day from Munich. I can't remember exactly, but I think we had booked the return trip on the train (or maybe we didn't) but it was packed and could barely find a seat so get to the station early b/c everyone else seemed to be doing the same thing. This castle is popular so I would think earlier in the day you go, the better. Also, we walked up to the castle, and it was a pretty steep hike. I can't believe how much the castle looks like Disneyworld (ok, I know it's the other way around, but I've been to Disney more times).
Don't forget travel toilet paper - my best friend in Italy - and Purell. 
Hope this helps.
So a new question - which airline is best? The prices seem very similar, so which is the nicest? Plus when is the best time to go - weather and busy wise?
working on my plans....
