It’s almost time for winter and many of us here in New England are excited for yet another ski season! I for one can’t wait for some powder days in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, and the Green Mountains of Vermont. In searching for information, I came a story about a man whom I did not know, but felt compelled to write about.

Kevin Alderton is one of the world’s fastest men on skis. In 2006 he set a record of over 100 miles per hour on a downhill course in France. He’s also blind. An Ex-Soldier, Kevin was blinded in a violent street attack in 1998, trying to come to the aid of a woman who was getting beaten.

He was inspired to achieve this goal by someone he met after his accident, a blind ex-soldier named Billy Baxter. Baxter holds the world record for fastest blind motorcyclist (a whopping 165 mph!), and could directly relate to what Alderton was going through. One year later, Kevin was on one of the world’s best speed skiing courses, the Flying Kilometer, in Les Arcs, France. He fell before he reached the timing zone, and even on his back was clocked at 100.54 mph. He estimates he was doing 120mph before the fall, and is trying to get another chance to break his own record.

He occasionally trains at an indoor facility near Milton Keynes and is currently hoping to help make London’s trains more accessible to blind people by painting lines on the ground in the train stations, known as the Rainbow Route. For more on Kevin and his inspiring story, check out this more in depth article.

Bookmark to

Paris is a world class city when it comes to many things, but what it may be known best for is it’s love of art. In 1997, a Dutch publisher named Rik Gadella created Paris Photo, the world’s first photography fair. Since then, it has grown and turned into one of the largest most prestigious photo events in the world. From November 19th through the 22nd, visitors can head over to the Carousel du Louvre and check out some of the world’s best photos. 87 galleries from 12 different countries will be on display, which should keep you entertained. This year, the spotlight turns to Arab and Iranian photography, which should be impressive. Admission to the event is 15 € for adults, 7.50 € for students and free for children under 10. Don’t miss out on this fantastic photography extravaganza! Of course if you’re looking to see more of the country, a rental car in France is always a great way to get around!

Bookmark to

Congratulations go out to Wes this week for submitting the first correct answer to last week’s trivia! King Leopold II was the person who laid the first stone of the Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Belgium. Allison was right behind you though, so let’s see what happens this week!

This location attracts over a half a million visitors each year, and has a patio that would be fit for kings!
Q. What is the building pictured above and where is it located?

Good luck everyone!

Bookmark to

This past Monday, hundreds of dairy farmers gathered in Brussels to apply pressure on the agriculture ministers meeting there to discuss low milk prices. Farmers have been dumping milk stocks and withholding product, as the price of milk has fallen across Europe. The reason for the falling price is the simple rule of supply and demand. Looking to make an impression and be heard, many farmers rode in their tractors, threw eggs, dumped milk into the streets, and many even brought cows! The end result that the farmers are hoping for is more regulation of the market, which would ensure that when times get tough, things abundance’s don’t happen to them. There was a notable police presence, and judging by this photo, it looks like the farmers have no shortage of creativity when it comes to finding methods of protest.

Bookmark to

Somewhere, there is a flock of flying pigs soaring majestically through the streets of Paris, as it has been announced that one of the world’s most famous museums will soon be selling Happy Meals. Yes, the Louvre has announced plans to open up a McDonald’s franchise. I for one, find this not only appalling, but against everything that real art stands for. Maybe I shouldn’t be so harsh. I’m sure they will make uncanny amounts of money after all, perhaps some of it will trickle down into a French charity that feeds homeless artists. Read the full story here.

What are your thoughts on this? Would you eat at the McLourve during your next vacation in Paris?

Bookmark to

Wow. I don’t know how Allison gets these correct every week! I may just have to declare her an honorary winner of the year to give some other people a shot! The city featured in last weeks trivia was in fact Zurich! And I thought I was making it difficult… Onto a new question!


Q. Who laid the first stone of this structure?

Good luck!

Bookmark to

There are many reasons to love Europe. Free universal healthcare, six-hour dinners, siestas, bier gardens, quaint villages, and modern cities are some of the things to love about Europe. One aspect of life that separates our culture is Europe’s willingness to celebrate; and hold a festival for, pretty much anything. It’s such a part of the culture, you may not even realize it, but there are strange festivals that take place nearly every day of the year throughout Europe. From delicious deserts, to the downright bizarre, here are a couple of festivals that sound pretty neat.

Chocolate culture in Europe pretty much trumps anything we have here in America, with a few small exceptions. While most of America is okay consuming mass produced, prepackaged treats from corporations that also sell pharmaceutical products, Europeans have quite a different standard. Sure you can still buy gas station candy, but a walk into any of the many chocolate shops in France, Italy, or Germany will have you asking yourself how you ever lived without these hand crafted delights. Many shops are family owned and have secrets that are taught with patience and time, and not written down anywhere. One bite and you will be taken away to a world of chocolaty bliss. It remains a mystery how Europeans stay so fit with shops like these all over the place. It’s not like they don’t celebrate their love of the sweet treats. Take a look at the Eurochocolate Festival in Perugia, Italy. This year it runs from the 16-25th of October, and will feature conferences, exhibitions, hands on activities for adults and children, as well as a special chocolate show, which features more chocolate than most people can handle. It might be a good idea to skip Halloween this year and head go on the Italian vacation you have always wanted!

Generally, the wineries in La Rioja, Spain produce two kinds of wine. One is a distinct regional variety that is served on tables and with meals throughout the region. The other is essentially the “schwill” of wines, that serves one purpose: to be dumped onto as many people as it can at the annual Batalla del Vino, or Wine Battle! No one is really sure how the it started, but one thing is for sure, it has evolved into one of the most unique events in Europe. A week of celebration and festivities lead up to the main event, where a crowd of horsemen parade through the town and place a flag on top of a big hill. As the crowds ascend the slopes, some good natured chaos ensues, as the streets and spectators are covered with wine. This is of course followed by more eating, drinking and merriment. Sounds like an excellent Spanish vacation!

When searching for events online, remember that many festivals don’t give as much information on the internet as you would expect, simply because the purpose of their sites is only to inform dates, times and events, not necessarily to attract newcomers. Don’t let that stop you though, you wouldn’t want to miss out!

Bookmark to

In case you hadn’t noticed, the Fall is officially here! Here in Maine, the leaves are changing color, the air is getting colder, and football season has begun. This year our favorite team, the New England Patriots travel to London to take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in an official NFL football game. This marks the third time that the NFL has ventured into Wembley Stadium, and the reviews are still coming in. On one hand, it has to be a fascinating experience to play in one of the world’s most famous arenas, filled with such a rich history. On the other hand, jet lag is probably a factor, as is trying to stay organized in a different country. It’s comical to think about the hundred or so professional football players attempting to navigate the city in tiny cars. I would imagine that some players love the opportunity, while others are not so keen on it. I’m sure Tom Brady and Giselle have already spent some time in London, as they seemed to be everywhere while he was nursing his knee back in shape last season.

The game is scheduled for week 7 (October, 25th), and both teams have a bye week right after to ensure there is enough time to recover. The best part for us Pats fans is that for the first time, the game is going to be broadcast on local networks at the usual 1pm kickoff time. It should prove to be an exciting time! If you’re thinking about heading over for the game, you might want to get your ticket soon as it will probably sell out in the coming weeks. Also, be sure to book your car rental in London in advance as well, to make sure you get reservation confirmed in advance.

Our prediction will be posted the week before the game!

Bookmark to

Allison got the travel trivia correct this week. It’s crazy how she seems to know every location! Last week’s image was the city of Prague. Good guesses from everyone, keep it up! Now for this week’s trivia! If you haven’t been there, this should be a hard one!

Q. What is this European city?
Good luck everyone!

Bookmark to

We have been getting reports from our friends in Munich that this year’s Oktoberfest is going smoothly. It’s great how so many people are on vacation in Munich this time of year! Wish I was there. Speaking of vacation, If you have any vacation stories, we would love to print them here! They could be about basically any element of your journey! Send us your best,  your worst, your strange and unusual! Send us any kind of media, video, audio, etc. Tell us a story about how awesome German radio is this time of year, or how the only channel you got in your hotel was in French.

Here’s a list of 10 topics you could write about!
1. The Flight
2. The Car Rental
3. The Hotel
4. The Locals
5. The Food
6. Recreation
7. Museums
8. Interesting Events
9. Poems About Travel
10. Kids Reactions to Travel

Whatever you have, send it to hans@autoeurope.com for screening. Obviously there are some stories that I won’t be able to post, but hopefully we can work something out with some creative editing.

Bookmark to