If you’ve flown into Frankfurt, a short drive to the Rhine River will ease you into a trip to Germany.  You could spend a couple of days in Frankfurt, but if you are more into seeing the countryside, the wine regions, the villages… get a rental car and head straight to the Rhine River Valley.

While the Rhine is hundreds of miles long, it is the short stretch between Koblenz and Bingen that you really want to see.  This stretch is only 36 miles long (58 km).

There are Rhine River Cruises.  You can take a two hour cruise from Bacharach to St. Goar and see the most scenic part of the river. (more…)

A home pre-departure checklist is just as important as a checklist for your packing.  You’ve made all the plans for your holiday, but while you’re gone, you want your home to be safe too.

If you have pets, you will have to make arrangements for a pet sitter or find a place to board your furry friends.

Did you arrange for someone to water the house plants?  Will someone mow the lawn and take care of outdoor plants?  If you’re lawn grows long and shaggy, it could be a give away that you’re not home.

Did you stop the mail and the newspaper or arrange for a neighbor to pick them up?  How about any flyers or packages left at the door.  Again, a pile of newspapers weathering in the driveway signals the house is empty. (more…)

Avebury is an impressive stone circle.  It is a true henge with a huge circular bank and ditch.  Huge as in the bank is a mile around… and even though the ditch is impressive, it is only half its original depth.

It is the largest stone circle in Europe.  We’ve read that it is approximately 14 times larger and 500 years older than the more famous Stonehenge.  More stats if you want them… there are about 650 massive stones arranged in circles and avenues.

It’s one of our favorites not because of its great size, but because we felt like we discovered it all by ourselves the first time we went.  It doesn’t get the publicity that Stonehenge does.

Its stones are not as finely sculpted and finished, but you can wander among the stones and somehow feel the ancient power of the place. (more…)

There are other Standing Stones and Henge Monuments besides Stonehenge you know.  They are dotted all over the south of England.

You can even find them north into Scotland and Northern Ireland.  Were they burial grounds, or astronomical instruments, or sacred areas to the Neolithic cultures that built them?

We’ve heard all kinds of theories about their origin, but we don’t think you need to get too caught up in the theories to enjoy visiting them.

Stonehenge is the most famous of the stone circles.  One interesting little fact is that it is not, however, a henge.  Let’s get the boring technical stuff over with… Henges are, strictly speaking, circular or oval spaces that are defined by a bank with an internal ditch… so the dirt bank probably came from the inner ditch… right? (more…)

OK, you’ve made your holiday plans.  You’re ready to pack.  Let’s look at a pre-departure checklist for things other than clothes.

The very first thing to check is your passport.  If you’re traveling out of your home country, is it current?  Did you get any visas that are necessary?  This is your responsibility whether you are on your own or on a tour.  Make copies of your passport to take with you and to leave with relatives or friends.

It never hurts to check to see if there are any travel advisories for the countries you will be visiting.  (Many governments issue travel advisories… check with your own government and another one or two for a rounded view.) (more…)

If you want to dive into ancient history in England, Stonehenge is certainly a place to start.  I think it can be argued that it is Europe’s most famous prehistoric monument.

You’ve seen the pictures… of a “mysterious” circle of upright stones in Southern England on the Salisbury Plain… pictures of modern day Druids holding ceremonies as the sun come up during the Summer Solstice.

Maybe you’ve read accounts of Merlin moving the stones by magic.  Whether it’s fact or fiction you’ve been reading… doesn’t it make you want to go?

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Should you drink only bottled water when you’re traveling?  Is it safe to drink tap water?  Is it safe to brush your teeth with it?

These questions come up no matter where you’re traveling.  In most developed countries, you don’t need to drink bottled water all the time.  Tap water will be safe to drink.  The water you need to be most concerned about is water that might contain microorganisms that will make you sick.

Some people have a problem no matter where they go.  If you have a particularly sensitive stomach, even small changes in mineral content might upset you for a few days.  U.S. citizens traveling to Mexico often complain of getting “tourista” or “Montezuma’s Revenge”, but sometimes Mexican citizens traveling to the U.S. get tourista too…  In most of these cases, it’s just the change in the water that causes minor problems, and it goes away in just a day or so. (more…)