2016 European Vacation

So you have been here (in Europe) after 1995? No real changes since then with the mentioned borders. Just a bit more traffic, perhaps.

no, 1984 last time in Europe.

I meant the customs officers and such in regards to speaking English OK. I don't like to mess with those guys as they have a tough enough job already.

My favourite border crossing was from Italy into Slovenia near Trieste. Huge border station. No staff. No cars. We just drove through and waited for the ambush. It didn't happen. Whole country was closed ;-)

I remember my earliest trips to Europe when there were border controls. We were on a bus tour, and we had to show our passports. They all disappeared, but the one that survived is in Israel, although visitors aren't really stopped. Just cars with green plates.

Usually, we don't have border control stations anymore, just signs that you are leaving/entering a country and speed limits to 80 km/h.

Any speed limit on the autobahn?

Too many
France: 130km/h. Switzerland: 120 km/h; Italy 130 km/h. - Germany: none, but mostly it's 130 km/h [regulated by signs]

Everything fixed, tickets bought?

For the most part they are all set. All the hotels and transportation between major cities is complete. The only thing not booked is a hotel somewhere in Germany and one in Switzerland.

I am just not sure where we will be to stay over. I am thinking Mannheim might be best in Germany, but I am not sure how long we will be in Kaiserslautern. In Switzerland I want to stay in Lauterbrunnen, but there might be more to do in Interlaken. So those are still in the air.

I just got the lease on a car last night. Had to fight about the one way drop off fee of 800 Euro's... Who knew that was a thing? But, 800 quickly becomes 200 when you get companies fighting for your business.

sounds like the trip is really coming together

I swear this is the biggest moneymaker at Dulles in Washington



it's tricky to get cars back to the rental return location so people abandon their rental vehicles on roads around the airport (taxi and limo drivers have laughed about it when I commented on people leaving cars and taxis and running to the airport ). they might be able to see the return location but full one-way drop-off is charged if they don't make it all the way there.

It's an about 3/4 hrs drive (or more, depending on traffic and time of day)

If you want a close to Kaiserslautern accommodation, I think Bad Dürkheim would be nice - though quite a tourist place, it still has a lot of flair.
And I would try a guesthouse instead of a hotel, like this one for instance.

Most companies offer some specials - I think, even 100€ is enough. (You should get an additional rebate of 10% to the full sum when you're a member of the AAA.)

Walter, what do you know of Stuttgart? I am now thinking of just driving through K-town and looking around for like an hour and then driving to Stuttgart in an effort to see Hohenzollern Castle the next day before driving to Interlaken.

Opinions?

To catch up, that would be driving from Paris through Kaiserslautern to Stuttgart (or there abouts) with hopes to get up early Saturday morning see castle and carry on driving.

This is only leg of the trip not fully fleshed out yet. Every thing else is complete.

This looks amazing!

I see the original post is from a while ago, but seems like you haven't gone yet.

I can just speak to Amsterdam and the Anne Frank house. We went to Amsterdam a couple of summers ago, absolutely loved it.

We stayed right in the center of town and our favorite thing to do was just kind of wander around. As part of these wanderings we wound up at the Anne Frank house, but decided not to wait in the endless line to actually go in. I mean multiply around the block, 2-hour wait line. So that's something to consider (though I don't know how consistent that sort of crowd is).

Much good food! This was one of our favorite places: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g188590-d1232530-Reviews-De_Reiger-Amsterdam_North_Holland_Province.html

The canal tours are touristy but it's a really nice way to get a feel for the city; we did it on our first day and got us all oriented. Once you're in the central part of the city you can plan on getting pretty much everywhere interesting on foot.

The art museum has Rembrandt and van Gogh paintings that I would love to return to see. Also, the Art Gallery in London.

You must have landed now - hope your first breakfast will be a brilliant vacation start.

Not til July. Thanks for the well wishes though!

Picked out a small hovel between Stuttgart and Hohenzollern Castle. So, all planned out now. I even upgraded my cell phone to get a better camera. Will post pictures in the evening. Most likely an Imgur album and I will post links.

Can't say a lot about Stuttgart - just been there a couple of times, but only for a short break.
urs is living near the Hohenzollern castle, btw. (I personally don't like these revival architecture castles - but they do look nice.)

My daughter has a weird fixation on Prussia. Figured this would be a nice distraction half way through the trip.