Virtual Vacation with Guidester

For a different view of Europe, you might consider a river cruise. From Paris to Le Havre in Normandy and back is filled with unbelievable scenery, food, and history. Jack Baumann relates what you can expect on a river cruise in France.

[00:23] What do you see and expect on a river cruise from Paris to LeHavre?

[03:36] Food on the river cruise

[04:32] Stops on the river cruise

[07:38] Conflans-Sainte-Honorine

[07:59] Auvers-sur-Oise (Van Gogh)

[08:46] Normandy-cows, climate, language

[11:26] Rouen (Richard the Lion-Hearted, Joan of Arc)

[13:39] Jumièges Abbey

[15:20] Le Havre (historic harbor)

[16:48] Arromanches

[22:51] Vernon (Old Mill)

[24:14] Paris

Dream. Learn. Plan. Prepare. Go to Guidester/Virtual-Vacation

Season 1: Episode 19

#travel #europe #vacation #traveleurope #travelguide #tourguide #seineriver  #Normandy  #France  #joanofarc  #Paris  #lehavre  #vangogh  #cheese   #rouen    #omahabeach   #arromanches #vernonfrance # JumiègesAbbey

Ancient volcanoes that are now lakes form the basis for unbelievable scenery and a great winemaking region near Rome. While Castelli Romani is also known for being the summer residence of the Pope, the region boasts quiet villages, festival celebrations, a moderate summer climate, and succulent strawberries.

[00:39] Overview of the area

• Location
• Topography
• How to get there

[04:45] Why the area is famous

• Strawberries
• Papal vacation home
• Cooler summer climate
• Villages and festivals

[08:32] Don't be fooled by the name Roman Castles

[09:45] What is there to do?

• Eat (check out this view), drink, be merry, and enjoy Italian culture and hospitality
• Nemi
• Wine festival: Borgo diVino

[23:06] A tour with Castelli Romani on the itinerary

Dream. Learn. Plan. Prepare. Go to Guidester/Virtual-Vacation

Season 1: Episode 18

#travel #europe #vacation #traveleurope #travelguide #tourguide #Rome  #Vatican  #Pope  #wine  #CastelliRomani  #volacano  #papalsummerhome  #strawberries #BorgodiVino #Nemi

Rome is a destination full of excitement, history, and culture. There is so much to see in the eternal city where do you begin? Well, that's why there is Guidester! Jack Baumann relates what you can expect as an American tourist in Italy.

[01:10] Getting into Italy in a pandemic. What do you have to have and do?

[03:48] What do you do when your room reservations fall through? This is what Jack did.

• The Theater of Pompey
• Testaccio neighborhood-Velavevodetto

[11:19] Typical Italian Day

• Cafe
• Pantheon
• Piazza Navona

[13:20] Time for Lunch Interlude

[15:12] The Appian Way

• Catacombs of San Sebastiano

[20:24] Time for Dinner

• Don't forget the Aperitivo
• What time is dinner, I'm hungry!

[21:21] What's on the docket for tomorrow and the next several days?

• Coliseum
• Private tour of the Vatican
• Hadrian's Villa

[28:29] Exchange Rate

[31:06] Summing up the day/sites. DON"T MISS THE SUNSET at San Gianicolo!

Dream. Learn. Plan. Prepare. Go to Guidester/Virtual-Vacation

Season 1: Episode 4

#travel #europe #vacation #traveleurope #travelguide #tourguide #Rome  #Vatican  #Pope  #Coliseum  #StPetersBasilica  #basilica  #StPaul  #PopeJohnPaul   #PopeJohnPaulII   #VaticanII   #moped   #scooter   #Romanempire   #Constantine   #Caesar   #emperor   #cathedral   #mosaics   #VaticanCity   #Pantheon #Hadriansvilla #PiazzaNavona #TheaterofPompey #Velavevodetto

The Appian Way is the oldest road in Rome and one of the oldest continuously used roads in the entire world. What makes this road so special? What is the history that has captivated people for over 2500 years? Why is this one of Jack's favorite places to visit and eat dinner?

[00:43] The Pines of the Appian Way (music)

[02:33] All Roads Lead to Rome Especially this One!

• History
• Monuments
• Old Churches
• Catacombs of San Sebastian
• Cecilia Metella
• The Eternal City: imperium sine fine – an empire without end from Virgil's epic poem The Aeneid

[10:48] Dinner on the Appian Way

• Baci
• The 300 Year Old Villa
• Artifacts

Dream. Learn. Plan. Prepare. Go to Guidester/Virtual-Vacation

Season 1: Episode 16

#travel #europe #vacation #traveleurope #travelguide #tourguide #Rome  #Vatican  #Pope  #Coliseum  #StPetersBasilica  #basilica     #Romanempire   #Constantine   #Caesar   #emperor   #cathedral      #Pantheon #Appianway #Romanroad #Villa #PinesoftheAppianWay #Respighi #Augustus #Romulus #Remus #romulusandremus #CeciliaMetella #sansebastiancatacombs

The Rock. The name has been used in movies, as an actor's nickname, and even the destination as a logo for an insurance company. Gibraltar is the original rock in southern Spain and has a deep heritage and long-standing point of being a strategic location at the entrance to the Mediterranean Sea.

[01:47] Significance of Gibraltar

[03:40] Fortifications

[04:51] Thumbnail Sketch of the History-The Rock Changes Hands

[07:47] The town at the bottom of Gibraltar

[08:48] Climate

[09:51] The Barbary Macaque or Barbary Apes

[10:18] Sights to See

• Top via cable car
• Gibraltar Nature Reserve
• St. Michael's Cave
• Moorish Castle
• Mediterranean Steps

Dream. Learn. Plan. Prepare. Go to Guidester/Virtual-Vacation

Season 1: Episode 15

#travel #europe #vacation #traveleurope #travelguide #tourguide #Gibraltar #VacationEurope #British #monkeys #Spain #isthmus #mediterranean #BarbaryApes #stmichaelscave #moorishcastle #MediterraneanSteps #wwII

We take travel for granted in today's world. Way back in the day (a.k.a. The Ancient World), weekend getaways, day trips, and to a degree business trips did not even cross the minds of the people. Who did travel? Why did they travel? How did they travel? These are all questions that are answered in this episode.

[00:20] Introduction

[04:12] What did travel actually mean and who was traveling?

• wealthy elites
• merchant class
• common people (rare)
• military

[05:35] Importance of the Roman Road System

[07:57] Why did people travel?

• Diplomacy
• Trade
• Settling/Starting Disputes or Wars
• Pilgrimage

[12:29] Connection of Modern and Ancient Road Systems

[14:46] Example of Travel

[20:24] Insurance Coverage for Ancient Travel

[23:27] When did people travel?

[23:58] Where people traveled?

[25:57] Back-Up the Chariot: What's the Nitty Gritty on the Roads and the Sites Along the Way?

• Construction
• Funerary Guilds & Burial Mounds

[32:58] Final Thoughts

Dream. Learn. Plan. Prepare. Go to Guidester/Virtual-Vacation

#travel #europe #vacation #traveleurope #travelguide #tourguide #ancientworld #romans #romanroads #alexanderthegreat #caesar #Appianway #juliuscaesar #augustuscaesar #Alexandria #Carthage #London #Gibraltor #punicwars

Season 1: Episode 14

This isn't your Hot Springs, Arkansas thermal bath area. Budapest is known as the city spas as it boasts more hot springs and medicinal baths than any capital city in the world!

[02:46] Bath Crazy "Budapesht" not Budapest.

[05:39] The Skinny on Thermal Baths

• 120 Hot Springs
• Romans and the Turks

[09:10] These are spas, but this isn't a Vic Tanney Health Spa - it's much much better!

• Sparties
• Rooftop Communal Hot Tub
• Széchenyi Baths-18 pools, 15 of which are spring-fed thermal pools
• Gellért Baths-most photographed spa in Hungary
• Király Baths-officially the oldest, built in the second half of the 16th century
• Rudas Baths-Turkish dome and octagonal pool

[16:11] How to bath in a culturally correct way

• Shower, don't soak too long, shower, mineral baths, shower, sauna, shower, steam rooms, ice-cold pool, shower, do it again!

[22:15] Favorite Bath and the Cost $

[25:54] Family Friendly?

Dream. Learn. Plan. Prepare. Go to Guidester/Virtual-Vacation

Season 1: Episode 13

#travel #europe #vacation #traveleurope #travelguide #tourguide #Turkishbaths #Hungary #Budapest #Mineralbaths #Rudasbaths #GellertBaths #SzéchenyiBaths #KirályBaths #Romans #hottubs #architecture #parisoftheeast #cityofspas #thermalbaths #aquatherapy #sauna #steamroom #Brahms #Hungariandances

Istria is not a country but probably could be. It is part of three countries and offers a merging of cultures, food, history, language, and style. Michael Cross is our guest from Istria where his mother was born. He is part of the Italian Community of St. Louis and provides an understanding of the richness of this often-overlooked peninsula in the Adriatic Sea with a climate like San Diego.

Dream. Learn. Plan. Prepare. Go to Guidester/Virtual-Vacation

Season 1: Episode 12

#Istira #Italy #Croatia #Slovenia #Beaches #Pula #Rovinj #Trieste #AdriaticSea #Romanruins #Colosseum #Truffleoil #Muggia #Dalmatia #Vineyards #Venice #Italian #Croatian #Venice #Umag #Labin #Romans #Rovigno #Rovinj #Parenzo #Porec #Calamari #Bacalao #Fish #Pasta #Mediterranian #TreatyofParis #travel #europe #vacation #traveleurope #travelguide #tourguide

The Isle of Skye is Scotland's top bucket list destination. One thing about Skye that will leave a lasting impression on you is the scenery. Just driving around, you can see many of Skye’s most majestic geological features, such as the Quiraing and Cuillin.  But be sure to take your sturdiest of boots and explore these unique sights on foot for real rewards.

[01:13] Isle of Skye Overview-Where is it and what is there to see

• Hebrides
• Cuillin Hills
• Cairngorms National Park

[06:47] What's so important about the Isle of Skye

[08:52] The Must Sees

• Quiraing
• Dunvegan Castle
• Black Cuillins
• Fairy Pools
• Eilean Donan Castle

[14:42] Historical & Cultural Aspects

• Picts and Caledonians
• Clans
• Use of Mac
• Bonnie Prince Charlie
• Skye Boat Song
• Kilt

[21:51] Pop Culture Connection

• Jessica Brockmole’s ‘Letters from Skye'
• Virginia Woolf’s ‘To the Lighthouse'
• Outlander Television Program
• Highlander Movie

Dream. Learn. Plan. Prepare. Go to Guidester/Virtual-Vacation

#travel #europe #vacation #traveleurope #travelguide #tourguide #hebrides #Isleofskye #Highlander #VirginiaWoolf #Bonnieprincecharlie #Skyeboatsong #Cuillin Hills #CairngormsNationalPark #Quiraing #DunveganCastle #BlackCuillins #FairyPools #EileanDonanCastle

Season 1: Episode 11