European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - July 21, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Let s go sporting with the train if you like outdoor activities like parasailing White water ratting or Mountain biking the German rail system has vacation packages to Tirol Austria that Are designed for you. If parasailing is your Choice Atlas sport aim in Hippach has a five Day course covering Basic gliding instructions plus eight flights. Accommodations Range from very Basic to a room with Shower and toilet. A swimming Pool and Sauna Are available. Prices Start at he 9 Marks about $388 Tor five clays 754 Marks about $418 for seven Days. While water raft trips begin in the mild Waters of the inn River at the inst train station and continue Over stronger rapids to the Mouth of the ache in Otz Tal. 1 lie Price of 70 Marks about $38 includes the use of the raft helmet life Vest wetsuit and shoes. Package deals with lodging Are available. For Mountain bikers the tyrolean villages of Al Bachtal Wil Schonau and Ziller Tal Are offering three and five Day guided trips through the mountains with prices ranging from 360 Marks to 639 Marks about $200 to $368accommodations included. To Book any one or a combination of these trips Contact the German rail office or a travel Bureau that handles Amerosa programs. Rhine on fire on the second saturday in August fortresses and half timbered houses will be on fire along an 1 2 mile stretch of the Rhine River Between Koblenz and spay West Germany. The festivities Start at 9 30 . Aug. 1 3, with the launching of the first cruise ships from spay. As the ships travel upriver towns along the Banks will be illuminated. There will be fireworks at eight places along the Way ending with a finale display from the fortress Ehre Breitstein in Koblenz at about 11 . Other fireworks shows will be staged in spay Braubach hens Lahnstein and Konigsbach. Spectators will be Able to see the illuminations and fireworks from both Banks of the Rhine. Also several cruise ships will be offering Rhine Tours that evening. For information on the festivities or on cruise ships  \  Rheinland Pfalz Loh Strasse 105-105, d-5400 Koblenz Rhein. Scrap regatta on Bode see Ubl Dinger s annual Harbor fest takes place july 30 and 31, and this year s will feature one of the strangest races Ever to take place on the water the scrap regatta. Using any material they want contestants build a water Craft capable of staying afloat for the 400-meter stretch through the West German town s Harbor. Prizes will be awarded not to the Craft with the Best time but to the one with the most original design. Several clubs in the area will be staging programs at the Harbor during the two Days wine Beer Coffee As Well As Bode see specialities will be offered. And on saturday evening the Bode see will be illuminated with Bengal lights and a fireworks display. Entrance to the fest is free. Information is available from the  Uhl Inden Mii Alhofen Tel. 07556-8020. More about Tirol still looking for something different the austrian vacation spot Altur in Paz Mauntal Tirol is offering Rock climbing courses for beginners. For 70 austrian schillings about $5new climbers Are taught proper rope handling foot and handhold techniques and How to overcome most climbing obstacles for a Safe ascent. For More information Contact the  a-6563 Altur Austria. Passion play the West German town of Sommersdorf in Schweinfurt hosts a passion play every sunday now through sept. 4, at its 2,000-seat Amphitheater. More than 300 of the town s 560 residents take part in the 1 6-scene, three hour reenact nent of the Way of the Cross. Tickets for the performance Cost Between 9 and 18 Marks about $5 to $10. Information is available from the Fra Kische passion Spiele Fuerbacher Strasse 5, d-8721 Sommersdorf West Germany Tel. 09726-3868. Limit on rail offer the july 7 notice in this column regarding rail arrangements for the Starlight express show in bochum West Germany should be clarified As follows transportation by train to and from the show is free with the show ticket within a specified area around bochum. For details Contact the Starlight Hall in bochum Tel. 0234-507070. Note to readers when writing for information to organizations that have european Economy addresses use your own Economy address rather than your Apo. It speeds up the process considerably. When telephoning outside your country be sure to add the International dealing codes applicable to the country where you Are living. Exchange rates fluctuate so rapidly that the rates used Here can be Only approximate. Compiled by Michelle Ray adventures in Rock climbing and parasailing Are available in the Tirol Region of Austria tipping not too much not too Little country France Greece Italy Yugoslavia Austria Switzerland Spain Germany taxi about 10% about 10% not necessary about 1 0% about 10% round off total round off total round off total 26 stripes Magazine july 21, restaurant 5-10% 5-10% 5% 5-10% 1 0% round off total 5-10% round off total 1988 maid 2-3 francs Day 100-500 drachmas 5000-1 0,000 lire $3-6/week 5% of room Bill about 1 franc Day 200-500 pesetas 10% Porter 5 10 francs piece 100-200 drachmas 2000-4000 lire 2000 dinars bag 10 schillings bag 1 franc bag 100-200 pesetas about 2 do total beautician 5 10 francs 10% 5% about 1000 dinars 5-10% about 3 francs 100-200 pesetas 5-10% thanks for the service. Travellers to foreign countries Are often unsure about How to tip for particular services. For that reason the German automobile club adar has consulted its representatives in eight countries and put together a reference Chart for tipping. The Chart at left gives travellers an idea of the gratuity that should be offered. In some countries the tip is considered part of the worker s. You should leave one unless the service is entirely unsatisfactory or the person is rude in which Case you should be talking to the manager. A Normal tip should be Given for Good service a More generous tip is naturally Welcome but not required for excellence. Too much of a tip however tends to raise the Standard expected from tourists. For tourists who Are staying at one hotel for an extended period of time the adar also recommends giving the larger part of the total gratuity to the service person at the beginning of the stay and waiting until departure to give the rest. This generally guarantees Good service throughout the stay