According to the Telegraph, the communications Minister of the UK has confirmed that his intentions are to end all FM broadcasts by the year 2015. This is similar to the way that digital transmissions replaced the analog television signals in the United States earlier this year. Apparently once digital radio accounts for 50% of the market, the official date will be released. Apparently the FM spectrum freed up is going to be dedicated to local networks only.

What does this mean for you on your next vacation in England? As of right, now, not a whole lot.  However over the next couple years you will probably start seeing more and more digital radios in the rental cars in the UK. No word on if this is going to be giving lawmakers here in the United States any ideas. What are your thoughts on the switch?

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Looks like we had some fans of Paris last week who correctly identified the building in last weeks photo as La Basilique du Sacre Coeur in Montmartre in the 18th district. Nice job Shell and Kat! For this weeks trivia, check out another man made structure below…

Q: What is the name/location of this castle?
Hint: It has stood for over 500 years, and appeared in the movie “Highlander.”
Good Luck!

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There are many things that motivate me to get to the gym pre-vacation.  Visions of Germany’s flowing beer and fancy Italian pasta dishes topped with the finest truffles are just a couple of examples.  Knowing I will be powerless against any and all delicious food in front of me whilst abroad, I am bound to stay on trail for the extra mile. This can ensure,  that when I arrive in Europe, I won’t feel too terrible chasing the most scrumptious of culinary delights.

I’m used to delicious drink, and the finest meals in all the land. What really gets me every time is the desserts. I pass on them 43 times out of 47, but in Europe this is my ultimate weakness.  From English pastries, to fine French chocolate covered bon-bon’s, to stuffed Italian Cannoli’s, I can not say no. Those are my favorites, what are your most sought after post dinner treats?

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Today marks the beginning of one of the most famous sporting events in history, The Wimbledon tennis tournament. Since 1877, the matches have been held at the All England Club in the London suburb of Wimbledon. It is currently the only tennis grand slam event held on a grass court.

There are many traditions for watching matches. Of course English manners play an important role, and hecklers are removed immediately. Other traditions include eating strawberries and cream, royal guests and celebrities in attendance and of course rain.

The clear local favorite in the men’s singles this year is Andy Murray. The Scottish player is currently ranked #3 in the world, and has the attention of the nation as he most likely would have to face Roger Federer who won the event from 2003-2007. If Murray could pull off a win, he would be the first Briton to win at Wimbledon since 1970, which would be quite an honor.

If you’ve made last minute plans and are heading over, it may not be too late to pick up a rental car in London to get to and from the matches!

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It looks like I picked a tough one last week, as no one guessed at all! The building was the Hofburg Palace in the city of Vienna, Austria! I’ll go easy on everyone this week.

Q: Paris is home to this impressive structure. What is it called and what district is it located in?

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It’s hard to believe that it’s been a year since the launch of the Auto Europe Blog! To celebrate we did some digging around in the archives here in Portland, Maine to take a look at our own heritage. These images were scanned in from a brochure dating all the way back to 1971.

One of the older Auto Europe Logos

Europe is Different!

How things have changed!(Click for larger image)

Do these images look familiar to you? How long have you been renting with Auto Europe?

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We get a lot of questions about car sizes, so here is some information that may be helpful to you when planning your next vacation in Europe. The cars you see on our website may not be as large as you are used to here in America. There are a couple of reasons for this. The first reason is that the streets in Europe are very small compared to our roads. In many European cities the roads were designed with horses and pedestrians in mind. These tiny streets and roads are barely large enough for two lanes, so having the smallest car possible is always advisable. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not impossible to drive a minivan if you need to. But in cases where there are only two passengers, having an economy or compact car will usually work out great.

The second reason a smaller car might not be a bad idea is due to the cost of fuel. While steps have been taken to already be more fuel efficient, Europe has some rather high gas prices. Use internet resources to find out average prices. This will at least give you an idea of what to expect on your next vacation in Europe.

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It looks like I managed to stump our most dedicated readers by distracting them with Star Trek quotes. The location was Besancon, France. If you don’t know, Picard was born in the village of La Barre. I’m glad everyone is engaged in travel trivia!

This Imperial Palace is most impressive, wouldn’t you agree?
Q: What city is it located in?

Good luck
-Hans

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I know it sounds like a tag-line from a terrible movie, but in this case there’s some truth behind it- just ask anyone in Sweden. Formed in 2006, the Pirates got 7.1% of the vote in the European Parliamentary elections in Sweden, enough to earn not one but two seats at the table if the Lisbon Treaty goes through (which it probably will). These pirates are determined not to get too organized, and mainly advertise by word of mouth and the internet (Yes, they are those kind of pirates in case you were wondering).

Think that the movement may be fruitless? Pirates got .5% of the vote in Germany as well, so there’s a good chance that in the next elections, we could see a stronger pirate presence in the European Parliament. Who said politics had to be boring?

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Last week we posted a customer question from Henry in Wisconsin, and it actually spawned two more customer questions.

Trudy Reen wanted to know about the cost of fuel in Madrid…
“How much does a liter of auto gasoline cost @ present in Madrid, Spain?
Is it the same in other cities and villages in the country?”

I thought that this would be an easy find, but it actually took me a while to find a properly updated fuel price chart for Europe. This chart http://www.energy.eu/#prices seems to be the most up to date, and you can even compare price history to see trends. It looks like the average price for fuel is around one euro per liter (Gas- €1.07/ Diesel-€0.95). As far as finding out how much gas was in the city versus the smaller towns, I couldn’t really find any conclusive evidence that prices were all that much different. Remember to check your rental agreement and save your gas receipts to avoid fees.

Richard Hornberger was curious about upper age restrictions…
“OVER 70 YEARS YOUNG — GREAT DRIVING RECORD — ANY PROBLEM ???”
Most people are familiar with the lower age restrictions when renting, and upper age restrictions are similar. In certain countries, our suppliers can charge a daily fee for drivers over the age of 70. The fee varies based on location and car type. Depending on where you are makes a difference. At this time there are only a handful of countries that have upper age restrictions, the most notorious being Ireland. This means that in most countries it is not a problem, but it’s something that you will want to always double check, regardless of where you are going.

Keep the questions coming, feel free to use me as a resource! If you need more immediate assistance, remember that we are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week!

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