European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 27, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Lets go the City of Rod Alben West Germany offers hikers a unique Opportunity to Quot Cliff Hope along the 271/2-mile-Longhiking route in the Pfalz Erwald palatinate Forest. The vacation package consists of fou Days lodgings with breakfast hiking a visit to two of the largest natural caves in the area and a tour through the Quot alte Burg a an old celtic settlement. Prices Start at 85 Marks $56 inclusive. For More information Contact the Freuden Vermehr Siiro Graf Steiner land am Rathaus 9, Rod Alben West Germany Tel. 06331 -15410. Nature Park la Van Oise in the French Alps offers a variety of outdoor activities until oct. 30,  fishing. The Park contains More than 300 Miles of hiking . Nature Park la Van Oise shares a common Border with an italian Park making the two of them part of the largest contiguous nature preserve in Western Europe. Nature Park la Van Oise is divided into two zones the Kern and the outer area. To keep the area relatively unspoiled there is no Hunting  Autora Ficor commercial activity allowed in the Kern zone. Because of this you can still see the elusive Steinbock in this area. Fishing hiking and shepherding Are allowed throughout the Park. Hiking passes can be obtained by contacting the federation Francaise de la ran Donnee Ped Estre at 0033 1-47236232. For other information about the Park Contact the direction Duparc National de la Van Oise 135 rued doctor Julliard . 705, f-73 007 Chambery Fedex France Tel. 0033 79-623054.Glass train Tours the German rail system has a special Quot Glass train that will operate until mid december in the area around Munich West Germany. The train has wraparound Glass windows that make sightseeing easy Fornall passengers. Here s a list of Quot Best bets Quot for the weekend of sept. 28-30, and one or two other trips that you might find especially interesting. England heart of England Craft Market University of Keele Stoke on Trent sept. 28-30. Craft workers from All Over the country will show their works ranging from jewelry and ceramics to textiles. Admission is 1.50 pounds about $2.95 for adults and 75 Pence about $1.50 for children. Information mrs. Beswick 0044 920-870040. West Germany stallion Parade and Quot friends of horses Quot fest Marbach sept. 29-30 and oct. 6-7. Breeders riders and just Plain fans of horses will gather atthe Haupt und  horse shows horse and buggy demonstrations Gypsy wagons and full blooded arabian stallions. The shows Start at noon entry Price is 10 Marks $6.50 if you stand and 20 Marks $13.15 fora reserved seat. Information Haupt und land Gestout Marbach d-7423 Goma Dingen Marbach West Germany. The onion fest and Market in Griesheim near Darmstadt runs sept. 28-oct. 1 and includes the crowning of the onion Queen and a ceremony making Wilkaus Hesslau East Germany its sister City. There will also be an Art exhibition by Griesheim artists that ends with viewers voting on whose artwork they like Best. And of course there will be oomph bands new wine and plenty of onions and onion cakes for Sale. The German rail service and the Baum older Uso Are offering special oktoberfest train trip oct. 6-7. Dining music and dancing will be available on the train which leaves from the Neu Briecke train station oct. 6. Per person Cost is 139 Marks about $91. Information Baum older Uso ets 4856155. Compiled by Marian Hamilton the 75-mile-Longtour covers the area around Munich and Down to the Alpine Foothills. It includes the olympic grounds Dachau the Isar River Banks and the Large forests South of the City. The Price of the trip is 32 Marks $21 for adults and 15 Marks about $10 for children. For More information Contact the Freuden  Sonne Strasse 10, d-8000 Munich West Germany Tel. 089-597347. A. A a a n a. A. A v. British heritage Tours has a new Way for visitors to get to know Britain. The program called Quot grand tour weekends a spotlights one major City each month. The first City to be highlighted is Leeds with a focus on the work of Thomas Chippendale oct. 6-8. The next is Nottingham where visitors can have Coffee with the sheriff of Nottingham. This trip will be nov. 3-5. The last trip of 1990 is to Manchester and is planned for dec. 1 -3. Other City Tours Are planned in Birmingham Bradford Cardiff Coventry Dundee Glasgow Hull Plymouth Portsmouth and Swansea. Prices Range from 22.50 pounds about $44 per nigh with no extras for the budget conscious to 137 pounds $268.50 for a deluxe package including two overnights and two meals per Day. For More information Contact the great British cities press office co English tourist Board thames Tower Black s Road London w6 9el, England Tel. 0044 81-8469000, Extension 4154.rhine wine weekends two weekends in october have been Seaside for visitors Bogetto Knothe Rhine wines of West Germany. The first wine weekend is oct. 5-7 and the second is oct. 12-14. One package is in Petersberg where the focus is on red wine and the other is in Dorscheid. Both packages include two Days lodgings All meals a Choice of 50 different wines to try a hike of the vineyards and visits to the Blische museum and the 1,000-year-old town of Kaub. For More information Contact the Vermehr Verein Loreley Gurgen Strasse Postrach 15, d-5422 Stein Goar Hausen West Germany Tel. 06771 -80115.Austria for children Many hotels in Austria have special services for visitors . For instance one hotel in Millstadt has hired two kindergarten teachers to watch the children and even has an in House petting zoo. Another has a heated swimming Pool with a giant slide and artificial wave machine. In Kotschack Cauthen one of the hotels has a Quot pretend Alpine pasture for the children to play in and a Quot Grandfather in residence. Baby hotels in Lieser Taland Malta Al even  baby carriages. For More information about family vacations in Austria Contact the . M.b.h., Hall Egger Strasse 1, a-9201 Kru Pendorf Austria Tel. 0043 42292224.schnappsacademy cherries raspberries apples and peaches make a great dessert but they can also be used in another form of Quot nourishment Quot one of the Black Forest tourist offices in West Germany has found a Way for you to Combine these ingredients and learn something new and fun atthe same time. The Quot Academy of schnapps Quot offers a weekend vacation package oct. 26-28 that includes two Days lodgings with breakfast in addition you will be Able to take classes on How to make and even Cook with schnapps. Prices Start at 146 Marks $96. For More information about the Academy Contact the Verk Ehrsam d-7602 Oberkirch West Germany Tel. 07802-82241.activities in Belgium the belgian rail system has a variety of programs designed to introduce the visitor to the Venn area of Belgium. The company even provides a free bus at the Sou Brodt Trai n station to take vacationers to different locations. A amps photo new wine and onion cake Are the focus of the onion fest in Griesheim West Germany this weekend. One of these is the signal de Bot Range which is the highest Point in Belgium. There Are Many nature paths for hikers Art i a slide show for those who want to learn More about the area before starting out. You can also walk or take a bus to the top of Rei Hardstein Mountain Nea Robertsville. Second Stop is at the Leshaure Stagnes entertainment Center. Min Golf and Bowling Are available for a Small fee and there Are jogging paths a ski Trail and hiking paths to the Bayhon Waterfall the Marche Vallevand the Roberts ill it dam. There you can rent a paddle boat and explore the dam from close up. Free transportation to a Lake with swimming and boating near Robe Tsvi i be is a Iso Ava i i a Hie. For More information about train trips to Belgium Contact Ven Bahn Voe Bohnhof b-4730 Maeren Belgium Tel. 0032 87-852487. For More information about vac Atic. Activities in Eastern Belgium Contact the Verk Ehrsam Der Ost Antone Muhlenback Strasse 2, b-4780 St. Vital i Belgium Tel. 0032 80-227664.bargain vacations vacationers who like to take Spur of the moment trips or have limited budgets May be interested in a new brochure. The Holiday regions of the Schwa Bische alb Odenwald. Tau Bertal Hohenlohe and Schwa Bische Wald have banded together and produced a Booklet list ing Low priced vacation packages. Prices  breakfast Start at 15 Marks $9.75 at private Homes and 20 Marks $13 at inn.-. For More information Contact the Freuden  Neckar and schwaben Lottor Strasse 21, d-7100heilbronn, West Germany Tel.071 31629061.pottery weekend More than 100 potters from around the world Wir meet for the annual Westerwald pottery and ceramics Market in Mansbach Baumbach West Germany oct. 6-7. To encourage visitors to visit the Market the Westerwald tourist office has put together an economical package for that weekend. The program includes two Days accommodations Ai i meals visits to the pottery and ceramics Market a folklore evening and a hike. The Cost for accommodations and activities starts at 103 Marks about $67 per person. For More information about vacation packages in the Westerwald and about the pottery Market Contact the  Westerwald Kirch Strasse 48a, d-5430 Monta Baur West Germany Tel. 02602-3001. September27,1990 stripes Magazine 17