European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - January 2, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Visitors 10 a face s wine Roar below shop in Hijii Wihr to Sample he local wares. At right Budapest s House of parliament on the Danube. Str Pei photo Gui Sci Tuetel or some of the imaginative guests of Germany s beaches decorate the area with Sand sculptures and seashells. The Cathedral of Segovia Spain. Is Wipfli photo Elbr Jaeger was served in he courtyard of the Cro Magnon Al Les . For drink the Best Beer in the world to my taste is a freshly drawn Pilsner or Quill at the Golden Tiger u Zlat Cho Tyg a in Prague. Bui the City has Many Fine Beer Halls which also serve substantial meals of the Blue plate special genre. Don t miss the u Kali Cha of Good Soldier Svejk Fame. It s silly but fun with the waiters doing slapstick comedy routines in Between serving the meals. Among the other Good Beer Halls Are u Schnelly u sva Teho Tomasc u Fleu u supa u Pinkasz and u Dou Kocek. For history Segovia where the roman Aqueduct rises like the Skeleton of a Dinosaur across streets clogged with traffic. No one is sure when the Aqueduct was built but it is one of the Best preserved roman remains in Europe. Us 118 Arches March along for almost half a mile and reach a height of 96 feet. Segovia is a walled City yet it has a feeling of spaciousness and invites wandering through the sweep of the Plaza mayor and Down along Velarde and Faoiz streets to Admire the Beautiful doorways. All streets eventually Lead Back to the Alcazar now a military Archive Worth exploring from Dungeon to towers. For fun the party of the year in Basel Switzerland happens one week after the regular carnival in Europe. For three Days starting on the monday at 4 . And continuing through wednesday this year feb. 17-19fife and drum corps and floats full of pranksters fill the streets. It s All a very in joke full of local spoofs and references but it s fun for the visitor just the same. The parades go on Day and night Wilh a few pauses while the locals go Back to work for a half Day or so and the visitor gets some rest. Don t miss the late night Early morning Meh Suppe flour soup at local restaurants and bars. For going places trains head my list. The Day of the Orient express is Over for All but those who can Fork Over several grand for a ride across Europe but the Classy trains Are still around. France has the super fast Tiv and the new luxury la Nouvelle premiere running Between Paris and Strasbourg with food prepared by a Michelin three Star chef. The tee trans Europe express trains Cross the continent Day and night with comfortable sleepers no need Stripe me Flolo the Spires of Vienna s is. Stephan Church. To go first class and passable dining cars. Corm and s Rhingold takes tourists past the Beauty spots from Amsterdam to Basel but its intercut system is faster and almost As deluxe. For me the real Beauty of trains is being Able to arrive two minutes to boarding time having the luxury of moving around during the journey or talking with interesting compartment mates and then being decanted directly in the Center of my destination. Perhaps All this is nostalgia for my childhood trips aboard the o by of new Orleans. But i will vote for trains As the most civilized method of travel any Day. The Only Competition would be a slow boat to China. Tourist traps there Are a few places that i do not like the tourist traps those postcard picturesque Little places that have a souvenir shop usually full of imported Kitsch on every Corner and three in the Middle of the Block. One is in constant danger of being run Down by a tour bus or trampled by a tourist who has Only 15 minutes free to spend All his Money. Rothenburg of Der Tauber and Heidelberg in Germany. Toledo in Spain. Volc dam in the Netherlands. They Are too consciously quaint and i found being there once is enough january 2,1986 stripes Magazine