European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 12, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 24 stars and stripes thursday april 12 2007 raise a Glass to a tradition that has deep roots in Europe stars and stripes we has been a part of Orolean life for a a time its roots according to a professional friends of wine web site can be traced to be tween 4000 by and 6000 by when wine was discovered and first developed in the Middle East by 1000 by the romans were cultivating grapes classify ing varieties charting their characteristics and identifying diseases As the roman Empire expanded across Western Europe its wine did too not certain whether the local water was Safe to drink the romans made and drank wine wine became an important trading commodity and helped fuel the continents economic growth and when harvests were done or there was a special reason to celebrate you can bet wine was present much of that has not changed while the water is Safe to drink Many still prefer wine with their meals wine continues to play a major role in Many National economies and when it conies time to celebrate or relax it is hard to beat a local wine festival inside this weeks annual wine Contact travel travel editor Jolene Carpenter features editor Brian Bowers european editor John Taylor  in Germany unit 29480 Apo a 09211 Post fact 133064347 Griesheim Dan 3498380 Civ phone 448 0 6155601 380 events Mech tid Snippen Send Reader stories and photos for publication to vol Smarch Bob and Lorraine Huffaker advertise in travel n Europe contacted Kesin by phone at 0 6155601309 or via email at in the United states Contact Gerard Kelly by phone at 202 7610910 or via email at on the cover a visitor at a wine festival in Katte Nheim Germany looks Over a list of available wines to make his next Choice As he finishes the Glass in his hand photo by Peter and stripes Issue we introduce readers to a former us government worker who now runs a Little Vineyard near Rota Spain they can learn about the unusual yellow wines of the Jura Region of France and about Schilcher Rose produced Only in one Section of Austria but the heart of the Section is the list of wine festivals in a half dozen countries attending one is a great Opportunity to Sample european culture learn More about its wines relax with friends and possibly make some new ones the list is compiled from a variety of sources and is As up Odate As possible however please notify us of any errors or additions by emailing them to wed also like to know about our readers favorite festivals so please email with your recommendations whether if s one youve stumbled upon in the past one you go to each year or one youve just discovered Well include your accounts along with the updated wine festival list in a later Issue in the meantime cheers Michael and stripes a sign on a House in Gunter Blum Germany can be translated life is too Short to drink bad wine the wine Village in the Rhein Hessen growing area celebrates its famed Keller Egrest this year from aug 1719 and aug 2425 lets go by Jayne traendly stars and stripes marking slavery end this year Britain commemorates the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the slave Trade with several events and exhibitions according to the British tourist Board the country merchants transported almost 3 million africans across the Atlantic the practice helped Britain become one of the worlds greatest pow ers in the 17th and 18th centuries it officially ended with the 1807 abolition of the slave Trade act some of the exhibitions in London include the Atlantic Trade and identity season a varied pro Gram at the British museum through Jan 10  portraits people and the abolition of the slave Trade a varied program at the National portrait gallery through july 22 understanding slavery collection handling session a Handson session with slavery related material in the National maritime museum on the last sunday of the month through november the British slave Trade abolition parliament and the people at the houses of Parlia ment May 23 to sept 23 to Honor abolitionists who worked to end the slave Trade a walk is planned june 4 to july 11 the 470mile Sani Ofa walk will take 40 Days and will visit tiie major slave ports of London Bristol and Liverpool find de tails on the web at at wow horse musical if youre a horse Lover Bern Switzerland has a double treat for you the 56th Bern exhibition for Commerce agriculture and Industry takes place from april 27 to May 6 among its livestock events Are four Large horse shows at the same time the musical be Prince is being performed if s the Story of Louis Henri de Bourbon the seventh Prince de Conde in Chantilly France the Prince loved horses so much that he wanted to come Back As one in his next life he hired architect Jean Aubert to design and build the Grandes curies grand Casti Miike stables that could House More than 300 horses the web site for visitors is wow the colourful musical Story includes 51 actors and 72 horses in two hours of special acts the show is at the Bea horse fair april 2728 and at the Berne Arena May 35 depending on seating tickets Range from 38 euros to 248 euros in the princes Box with Cham the show will move to Zurich to be staged dec 1316 for More information see  Send announcements of Tours or other special travel deals to of Mil Best bets Italy Venice hosts a noncompetitive walk and run sunday that crosses Many of the cites Bridges the event called us e to per i Ponti and Down the is open to everyone it has two routes both begin Ning at Piazza san Marco St Marks Square and winding through the narrow streets and squares of the City the 5mile route crosses 42 Bridges while the by Amine one crosses 28 Bridges the event begins at am with a mass at 10 am All participants gather in the Square for opening ceremonies and then begin the race which officially ends at pm participants can run or walk either route registration costs 4 euros a ticket with return water bus ride costs 6 euros details on the web at  Switzerland on sunday and monday the people of Zurich Welcome Spring with the annual secs Lauten or six Chimes festival on sunday there is a Chil Drens Parade on monday the cites guilds take to the streets in a procession with up to 7000 participants in historical cos Tumes plus horses bands and floats they end up at the secs Lauten plate where the Booge or old Man Winter Waits the Booge is filled with firecrackers and sits on a Bon fire at 6 pm Hes lit and the mounted guilds men race around the burning effigy to say goodbye to Winter the Zurich tourist Board offers More information at  Jayne traendly