(Seattle, WA) – More than 2,000 years ago, the great trade routes that linked Europe and China opened Central Asia to foreign cultures, customs and religions. Join a modern-day caravan on this epic 21-day journey to five of these exotic countries – Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan. Highlights include: seeing a traditional Kazakh musical performance, visiting a silk master’s workshop, observing one of the oldest Korans in the world, dining with locals, exploring the blue-tiled monuments of Samarkand, viewing one of the world’s largest collections of Russian avant-garde art, and visiting an array of UNESCO-listed sites. Slated for September 19-October 9, 2016, the tour starts at $7,795. For more information, visit http://www.mircorp.com/trip/journey-through-central-asia-the-five-stans/
Days 1-4: Almaty, Lake Issyk-Kul, Bishkek: Begin the tour in Almaty, the largest city in Kazakhstan, driving to the majestic Tien Shan mountain range. Cross into Kyrgyzstan and spend a night at beautiful alpine Lake Issyk-Kul before exploring Bishkek.
Days 5-7: Osh, Fergana, Margilan, Rishtan, Khujand: Fly to the lush Fergana Valley, divided among three of the five ‘Stans. Ascend to UNESCO-listed Sulaiman-Too Sacred Mountain, one of the holiest Islamic sites in Central Asia, rising from the outskirts of Osh, where you meet with a group of locals. In the Uzbek portion of the valley, visit Margilan and Rishtan, villages specializing in silks and ceramics. Cross the border into Tajikistan for an overnight in historic Khujand.
Days 8-16: Tashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva, Nukus: Journey overland to Tashkent and admire one of the oldest Korans in the world. Explore the blue-tiled monuments of Samarkand, Tamerlane’s UNESCO-listed Ak Saray Palace in Shakhrisabze, the interlocking brickwork of Bukhara and the winding alleys of Khiva. Drive through the Kyzyl Kum (Red Sands) desert to the astonishing Savitsky Museum of avant-garde Russian art in remote Nukus, capital of Karakalpakstan, for an overnight.
Days 17-21: Kunya Urgench, Tashauz, Ashkabad, Nisa, Merv: In Turkmenistan, explore three UNESCO Sites – the ruins of Khorezm’s Kunya Urgench, the Parthian city of Nisa and mythical Merv. In the modern capital of Ashkabad, discover the white marble monuments, so plentiful that they were awarded a Guinness World Record in 2013.
MIR Corporation (the name means “peace” and “world” in Russian) has specialized in Russia and neighboring countries since 1986. Offering scheduled and custom journeys to Russia, along the Trans-Siberian and across the Silk Route, MIR’s Seattle-based experts design imaginative trips that take travelers far from the familiar, and work closely with local affiliates in Western Russia, Siberia, Ukraine and Uzbekistan to carry them out. MIR has twice been named one of National Geographic Adventure’s “Best Adventure Travel Companies on Earth,” and is a preferred operator for museum, alumni and special interest organizations across the country. http://www.mircorp.com.
New York State’s Canal system has just opened for the 192ndconsecutive season of navigation. The April 27 opening date marks the earliest start to the navigation season since 1982 thanks to a mild winter which allowed staff to complete maintenance projects, and opening preparations, ahead of schedule. The Canal system includes the Erie, Champlain, Oswego, and Cayuga-Seneca Canals in upstate New York.
“New York’s Canal system is an engineering marvel of epic proportions and its construction demonstrated the sort of vision, determination and boldness that define us as New Yorkers,” Governor Andrew Cuomo said. “Nearly two centuries after its completion, the Canal system continues to be an important tourist destination, while also playing a vital role supporting industries throughout Upstate New York.”
The Erie Canal represents one of the most significant engineering achievements in New York’s history and along with its adjoining canals, it continues to play a pivotal role in supporting the state’s economy. According to a 2014 report, the system generates nearly $380 million in tourism spending annually across upstate New York, and more than $6.2 billion from non-tourism uses such as agricultural irrigation, commercial shipping, and renewable power generated at 27 hydroelectric facilities located along the Canal. The report also determined that the Canals support 26,472 jobs, $1.6 billion in personal income, and $702 million in tax revenue, both directly and indirectly.
The Canal system plays host to several special events each season, including races, festivals, and other recreational activities which can be found by visiting the Canal’s Calendar of Events. New Yorkers are strongly encouraged to take part in these events that last throughout the duration of the navigation season.
Twenty-four hour service is available to commercial vessels such as tour boats, tugboats, charter boats, cruise ships, and hire-boats operating on the Canal system. Registered commercial operators should call (518) 471-5016 during regular business hours and (518) 499-1700 after hours to make arrangements for lock and lift bridge service outside of the Canal’s regular operating schedule.
“Each year, our iconic Canal system draws scores of visitors from all over the world to travel along America’s most storied manmade waterway and to enjoy walking, biking, and fishing along its banks. It is a historical marvel that has consistently fueled New York’s economy through recreation and tourism, and I look forward to seeing what this year’s Canal navigation season adds to that already-rich history,” New York State Canal Corporation Director Brian U. Stratton said,
The Canal navigation season is scheduled to end on November 20, weather permitting.
Self-Skipper a Canalboat
A fabulous way to experience the Erie Canal is to rent an easy-to-operate Lockmaster canalboat and really explore at your own pace. Mid-Lakes Navigation has a full fleet of boats – completely outfitted with galleys and showers and even bikes and BBQ gear – that range in size. You are given a complete orientation on how to drive the boat and navigate through the locks (the most fun) and the boats have excellent radio controls (which you need that to get the lift operators to raise the bridges). You feel like a real explorer.
This year, they have added a new boat, the Harriet H. Wiles, which offers a/c, a queen-size bed in master suite, large master bath, flat screen TV/DVD player, microwave and coffee maker among its amenities.
Mid-Lakes also offers Cruise and Dine programs on its own boats on the Erie Canal and on Skaneateles Lake.
Trek through remote rural regions of North Vietnam on this 10 day Adventure Life Vietnam tour. Start your trek in White Hmong villages and continue through Red Dao and Co Lao minority communities for 6 days and 5 nights. Stay in the villages in tents or small guest houses and interact with the locals who rarely see foreign visitors.
Bed n’ Breakfast and homestay accommodations like AirBnB has been garnering a lot of attention around the idea of living like a local when you travel, of experiencing a new place just as locals do. It’s a style of travel that engenders a sense of belonging rather than overshooting or just passing through. Being in a neighborhood, rather than a commercial district with other visitors also adds another special ingredient to the travel experience: authenticity.
In fact, several travel companies have been offering this form of culturally immersive travel for years. Here’s a geographically diverse sampling of 8 “Live Like a Local” Trips, provided by travel expert Steve Snyders:
Homestay with the Aymara people in Peru –
On this Adventure Life trip, you’ll explore Lake Titicaca, a geographic landmark at the crossroads of the Andes and the Andean plateau and the world’s highest navigable and South America’s largest lake. You will also have the opportunity to interact with the local community whose roots date back to ancient cultures that settled in this area. Their hospitality opens a door to share with their families and allows a homestay opportunity on Amantani Island. http://www.adventure-life.com/peru/tours/1556/lake-titicaca-with-homestay
Homestay with Amazon Tribe –
With Gondwana EcoTours, venture deep into the rarely accessed Amazon Rainforest to meet the indigenous Achuar tribe of the Ecuador. Contact with this tribe was only made in the 1970s, and their culture is more intact than most of the world’s tribes. Hike volcanoes, visit remote waterfalls, spot tropical birds and other exotic wildlife, learn about flora & fauna, kayak Amazon waters, and stay at one of the most remote, ecologically responsible ecolodges in the world. http://gondwanaecotours.com/tour/amazon-rainforest-ecotour/
Camp in a Village Campground en route to Machu Picchu –
Along a less traveler route to Machu Picchu, immerse yourself in the village life while overnight in the Cachiccata community’s village campground. Ths Adventure Life trip includes a group service project in the Cachiccata community combined with visit of Cusco, the Sacred Valley, and Machu Picchu. On this trip, you get to work, side-by-side with the family members cleaning, repairing, and restoring homes, planting native trees, and visiting school and supporting a healthy breakfast project. You will stay in the community campground each night to immerse ourselves in the village life.
With Ciclismo Classico, join a family-run farm in the heart of Tuscany for an exciting cycling and epicurean adventure dedicated to the “Slow Food” movement. This exclusive six-day Tuscany tour includes some of the most beautiful bike rides in Italy and a complete cultural immersion into the Tuscan lifestyle on an energy-independent Italian agriturismo. http://www.ciclismoclassico.com/trips/tuscany-green-toscana-verde/
Homestay with Nomads in Siberia and Mongolia –
Beautiful and exotic, Siberia and Mongolia are worlds away from the traditional beaten path. On this trip with MIR Coporation, explore the Mongolian capital, Ulaanbaatar, then fly to the red sands of the Gobi Desert. Celebrate a country Naadam Festival, far from the glitz and ruckus of the capital. Wind your way through the remote Barguzin Valley to homestays in rural Ust-Barguzin. In Siberia, take to the waters of great Lake Baikal, the oldest and deepest lake on earth, and ride a section of the fabled Trans-Siberian Railway.
On this Adventure Life trip you get to explore a rarely-encountered slice of Southeast Asia on a circuit starting in Thailand and visiting Cambodia and southern Laos. Visit rural villages along the Mekong River, wander through jungle-covered ruins from the ancient Khmer Empire, and support local community-based tourism projects as you learn about rural lifestyles in northern Cambodia and southern Laos and the efforts to preserve national treasures and ruin sites. View wildlife in national parks, kayak through wetlands, and explore limestone caves as you visit lesser-known destinations in these heritage-rich countries during this Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos tour.http://www.adventurelife.com/cambodia/tours/9395/communities-conservation
Camp with Inuit Dogsledders in Greenland –
Travel to West Greenland with Big Chill Adventures and explore and photograph fantastic landscapes of pristine beauty, exotic, arctic wildlife and northern lights. This all-inclusive seven day, eight night adventure will be a splendid introduction to the highlights that Greenland has to offer: calving glaciers, palatial icebergs, dogsledding on sea ice after spending the night in a hut with Inuit family. The wildlife and access to the giant Greenland Ice Sheet in Kangerlussuaq is unmatched. http://bigchilladventure.com/trips/greenland-spring-in-the-arctic/
Homestay in rural villages of Vietnam –
Trek through remote rural regions of North Vietnam on this 10 day Adventure Life Vietnam tour. Start your trek in White Hmong villages and continue through Red Dao and Co Lao minority communities for 6 days and 5 nights. Stay in the villages in tents or small guest houses and interact with the locals who rarely see foreign visitors. Learn about the North Vietnam culture and see firsthand what daily life is like for so many in these rural mountain areas. Enjoy breathtaking scenery from rocky landscape to lush green jungle and rice paddy farmlands as you hike to the furthermost northern point in Vietnam. This active Vietnam trip was designed for those wishing to experience the off-the-beaten-track side of Vietnam.
At the Pageant of the Masters, audiences are enchanted by tableaux vivants (“living pictures”), incredibly faithful re-creations of classical and contemporary works of art, with real people posing to look exactly like their counterparts in the original pieces.
The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel is partnering with the Pageant of the Masters to present two extraordinary overnight experiences for the 2016 season. Both packages are available July 7 through August 31, 2016.
The Pageant of the Masters is arguably one of the most unique productions in the world. Audiences are amazed and enchanted by 90 minutes of tableaux vivants (“living pictures”), incredibly faithful re-creations of classical and contemporary works of art, with real people posing to look exactly like their counterparts in the original pieces. A live narrator guides patrons through the story of each living picture accompanied by a full orchestra. The Pageant of the Masters is produced by the Festival of Arts, a non-profit organization that also produces the Festival of Arts Fine Art Show. Proceeds support the arts in Orange County.
Ritz-Carlton’s Behind the Velvet Rope offers an exclusive opportunity for guests to see how this grand production comes together behind the curtain and offers a peek into the mystery of how art comes to life. The experience is available for Saturday night only and starts at $1,999 per couple.
The package includes:
The Ritz-Carlton Club Level Ocean View Accommodations
Behind the Scenes Tour of the Pageant of the Masters
Two Premier Loge Center tickets to the Pageant of the Masters performance
Admission for Two to Festival of Arts, one of the nation’s oldest and most highly acclaimed juried fine art shows
Private Docent Tour of Festival of Arts
Welcome Amenity and Pageant of the Masters Program
Two Premier Loge Center tickets to the Pageant of the Masters stage performance
Admission for Two to Festival of Arts, one of the nation’s oldest and most highly acclaimed juried fine art shows
Welcome Amenity and Pageant of the Masters Program
The history of art is filled with stories of solitary artists abandoning society to pursue their creative expression. The 2016 Pageant of the Masters sets out in search of stories of compelling collaborations that led to the creation of unforgettable artworks in this summer’s presentation of “Partners.” Filled with provocative and passionate tales of some of art’s dynamic duos – artists and patrons, models, muses, even dance partners, be sure to bring someone special with you, as “Partners” pulls back the curtain to reveal the significant others without whom the creation of great masterpieces might not have been possible.
Ritz-Carlton Laguna Nigel
The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel is a Five Diamond seaside resort exuding the spirit of Southern California. A playful approach to true California luxury fills the air at this distinguished Dana Point address, resting atop a 150-foot bluff along the coastline. Travelers seeking a personal journey can rejuvenate in the hotel’s ocean-inspired spa or tee off on the greens. Adventure seekers can choose from one of 15 eco-excursions or set out for a day of surfing on the Pacific.
The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel, One Ritz-Carlton Drive, Dana Point, California 92629, 949-240-2000, www.ritzcarlton.com.
World Spree Travel’s 12-day Incredible India tour includes the colorful Holi Festival (photo courtesy of World Spree Travel).
Bellevue, WA— Spring brings India’s famous Holi Festival, the most colorful celebration imaginable and World Spree Travel has organized a trip to take in the festival on a 12-day tour that visits India’s Golden Triangle: the capital, Delhi; the city of the Taj Mahal, Agra; and the famous “pink city,” Jaipur, plus two days and two overnights in Ranthambhore National Park to see the elusive royal Bengal tiger. The tour, including air fare from San Francisco, Los Angeles and New York, departs March 5, 2017.
For good reason, Holi is also called the Festival of Colors. Friends, family and even strangers paint the town and its inhabitants, rubbing colored powder on each other’s faces. Some celebrants get really carried away and throw the powder and colored water at each other in a true explosion of color. Though it is a Hindu religious festival, it is also a Technicolor feast for photographers.
Based on ancient Hindu legends, the festival starts with huge bonfires that symbolize the victory of good over evil (and also burn away the remains of winter). The following day begins with the throwing of colors, then singing and dancing, eating and drinking and exchanging gifts in a great joyous spectacle. The celebration on the streets even bridges the usual social barriers and rich and poor, high and low, everyone tosses colors, hugs and wishes the other “Happy Holi.”
World Spree Travel’s India Holi trip, departing March 5, 2017, starts at $1,999 and includes round-trip flights from San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York and Houston, luxury hotels, daily buffet breakfast, six other meals, sightseeing with entrance fees, wonderful guides and baggage handling. The 12-day tour visits India’s Golden Triangle: the capital, Delhi; the city of the Taj Mahal, Agra; and the famous “pink city,” Jaipur, plus two days and two overnights in Ranthambhore National Park to see the elusive royal Bengal tiger. Joining in Jaipur’s Holi Festival, World Spree tour participants are given special white clothing to face the riot of colors, while they enjoy special drinks, snacks and local performers who sing, dance and make merry.
For more information about World Spree’s Incredible India Holi tour, visit www.worldspree.com and click “Tour Packages” and then “India,” or call 866-652-5656.
STOCKBRIDGE, MA – Widely recognized as a Northeast hub for culture and music, the Berkshires are enticing travelers to find artistic inspiration this winter during Art Appreciation Season. Three renowned properties under the Main Street Hospitality Group umbrella, Porches at MASS MoCA in North Adams, Hotel on North in Pittsfield and the Red Lion Inn in Stockbridge, have banded together to offer visitors value-added stays and access to the region’s leading museums.
“Art has a year-round home in the Berkshires with more than 30 museums and several renowned theater companies in the region. We’ve coined this Art Appreciation Season to help visitors find creative ways to enjoy the quieter winter months in the Berkshires,” says Janet Eason, vice president of marketing at Main Street Hospitality Group. “Each of the three properties are conveniently located with an array of cultural events and inventive regional cuisine nearby for guests to enjoy.”
While seasonal favorites like Tanglewood and Jacob’s Pillow “take five” for the winter, visitors can tour numerous indoor galleries at places like the Clark Art Institute and Williams College Museum of Art in Williamstown or MASS MoCA, one of the country’s largest contemporary art museums, in North Adams. and the Norman Rockwell Museum (9 Route 183 Stockbridge , MA 01262, www.nrm.org). In Pittsfield, the 10×10 Upstreet Festival draws a crowd each February with ten 10-minute plays by 10 playwrights at the Barrington Stage Company and “10 Days of Play” at the Berkshire Museum.
Main Street Hospitality Group welcomes Art Appreciation Season with three value-added packages, including:
“Museum Mania!” at Porches Inn at MASS MoCA in North Adams, MA
Located across from MASS MoCA in North Adams, Porches Inn offers guests overnight accommodations with the “Museum Mania!” package. Also included are breakfast and two passes for two to MASS MoCA and the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute. Rates start at $219 on weekdays and $275 on weekends, per night. Offer valid now through May 19, 2016, based on availability. Blackout dates may apply. For more information, call 413-664-0400 or visit http://www.porches.com/.
“Museum Break” at Hotel on North in Pittsfield, MA
In celebration of the fifth annual 10×10 Upstreet Festival, Hotel on North invites guests to make winter break a true work of art with the “Museum Break” package, available from February 12 through 21, 2016. The package includes overnight accommodations and two adult passes to the Berkshire Museum. Children’s tickets can be purchased at the hotel’s front desk. Kids also eat for free when ordering from designated kids menu and receive a special Lego toy upon check-in (10 years and under). Prices start at $270 per night, based on double occupancy. Blackout dates may apply. For more information, call 413-358-4741 or visit http://hotelonnorth.com/.
“The Norman Rockwell Experience” at Red Lion Inn in Stockbridge, MA
A living museum in its own right, Stockbridge’s Red Lion Inn offers guests overnight accommodations, breakfast for two and two passes to the treasured Norman Rockwell Museum. Rates begin at $235 on weekdays and $305 on weekends, per night, inclusive of taxes and meal gratuities. Offer valid for booking now through May 26, 2016, based on availability. Blackout dates may apply. The Red Lion, made famous in Norman Rockwell’s painting, is a member of Historic Hotels of America. For more information, call 413-298-5545 or visit http://www.redlioninn.com/.
Formed in 2013, Main Street Hospitality Group is a hotel management company founded originally at The Red Lion Inn in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, with a long tradition of excellence in preservation, innovation, sustainability and operations. As owners and operators of some of the most distinctive hotels in the Berkshires, the company’s mission is to deliver unparalleled experiences for guests, employees and owners through an authentic approach to hospitality, service, and management. Main Street’s management hotel portfolio includes The Red Lion Inn, The Porches Inn at MASS MoCA, North Adams, MA, The Williams Inn, Williamstown, MA, and Hotel on North, Pittsfield, MA. For more information, visit www.mainstreethospitalitygroup.com or call 413-298-1610.
Jame Mosque in Yazd is a 12th c mosque still in use today (c) Joe Staiano, Meaningful Trip
“My god, Iran is one of the most magical places I’ve ever traveled to, with some of the friendliest people on the planet,” says Joe Staiano, founder of Meaningful Trip, a Seattle-based tour company, after visiting Iran last May.
His experience motivated him to organize this year’s “Founder’s Trip” around a single departure of a 13-day tour through Iran, May 3-15, 2015.
“Iran offers 17 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the history of Persepolis, amazing museums, world-famous gardens such as Eram Gardens, tantalizing Persian cuisine, and some of the warmest and most hospitable people on the planet,” he says.
The tour visits Shiraz, Presepolis, Esfahan, Yazd, Kerman and Tehran, and features a village homestay, cooking class and a unique overnight in a desert caravanserai.
“As founder, I personally vet all local tour operator partners. I check for safety, safety of routes and locations along the itinerary, quality of transport, cleanliness of hotels, I was in Iran in May of 2014. I found it to be one of the safest countries I have ever visited. (and I have been to 80 countries).”
About 2,500 Americans visit Iran in a year, but all have to be part of an authorized tour. Two other US tour companies include MIR Corp and Caravan Serai, which offer two-week tours for around $4,500 – 6,000.
“Americans must first get an ‘Authorization Number’ issues from the tour agency. Then, they can apply for visitor Visa. Meaningful Trip will help facilitate this ‘Authorization Number’,” Staiano says.
This is Meaningful Trip’s first organized program into Iran, and is limited to 14 participants.
The tour price of $2,595 includes accommodations in four-star lodging, most meals, English-speaking female guide, entry fees.
Meaningful Trip is a pioneer in responsible travel with 20 years experience – operating trips to India, Nepal, Colombia, Baja Mexico, Vietnam, Turkey. A portion of each trip goes to support women’s empowerment, poverty, health, education and hunger programs. Meaningful Trip is one of only six USA tour operators to sign ECPAT’s Code of Conduct to help fight trafficking and exploitation of children.
A sense of timelessness shrouds the land of Myanmar. Pacific Delight has introduced a 7-night tour showcasing the Buddhist culture-steeped destination.
With demand for Myanmar growing exponentially, Pacific Delight Tours is launching a seven-night package showcasing the Buddhist culture-steeped destination formerly known as Burma. Rates start at $1,599 (land portion) per person, based on double occupancy, for travel April through September 2015.
A sense of timelessness shrouds the land of Myanmar with its tropical plains, Himalayan foothills, teak-filled jungles and the mangrove-lined Ayeyarwady River. Participants will experience Myanmar’s culture firsthand with visits to Amarapura, Mandalay, Sae Ma Village, Bagan, Yangon and a boat excursion on Inle Lake. Travelers will enjoy sights such as the Mahagandayon Monastery, a pagoda sunset visit and tours of each city included in the itinerary.
The rate, from $1,599 per person, based on double occupancy (single supplements start at $599) includes deluxe accommodations at Hotel Amazing in Mandalay, Inle Resort in Lake Inle, Bagan Thiripyitsaya Sanctuary Resort in Bagan and the Rose Garden Hotel in Yangon.
For an enhanced experience, participants can upgrade to luxury hotel accommodations at Sedona Hotel in Mandalay, Pristine Lotus Spa Resort in Inle Lake, The Hotel Tharabar Gate in Bagan and Sule Shangri-La Hotel in Yangon. The luxury upgrade starts at $1,799 per person, based on double occupancy (single supplements start at $769).
Each itinerary includes initial arrival and departure airport transfers, ground transportation, domestic intra-Myanmar flights, daily breakfast, English-speaking guides, sightseeing and admission fees and the USTOA $1 Million Travelers Assistance Program.
International airfare is not included, but can be purchased from Pacific Delight Tours at competitive rates at the time of booking.
Cambodia Extension: Travelers visiting Myanmar with Pacific Delight Tours can extend their stay in Southeast Asia with a three-day visit to Cambodia to view Angkor Wat, the crown jewel of Khmer architecture, with accommodations at Royal Angkor Resort in Siem Reap. The add-on is available from an additional $249 per person, based on double occupancy (single supplements from $109). Airfare between Myanmar and Cambodia is not included, but can be arranged via Pacific Delight Tours.
Contact Pacific Delight Tours at 800-221-7179 or visit www.pacificdelighttours.com for more information or to book or contact a travel agent.
Throughout 2015, special exhibits and events will celebrate Van Gogh’s life and work in Holland.
July 29 2015 marks exactly 125 years since Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890) died. The Van Gogh Europe Foundation, a collaboration of around 30 organizations, is using the occasion to honor the Dutch artist under the theme ‘125 Years of Inspiration’, because the artist still inspires and is still very much ‘alive,’ even 125 years after his death.
Activities are being organized throughout the year in various towns in Holland, Belgium, France and England that figured in the life and work of the artist. Never before has there been cooperation on this scale between the organizations, museums and heritage sites which are actively engaged in preserving and promoting Van Gogh’s heritage.
From January 24 to 17 May 17, 2015 the Mons 2015 Foundation, in its role as European Capital of Culture will stage the exhibition Van Gogh in the Borinage, the birth of an artist in the BAM Museum (Museum of Fine Arts). During his stay of almost two years in the Borinage (1878-1880) Vincent van Gogh ended his career as a preacher and made the choice to become an artist. In Belgium, he quickly developed a love of the aspects of everyday life of peasants and workers. About 70 paintings and drawings from various international collections will be on display in this exhibition, including major loans from the Van Gogh Museum and the Kröller-Müller Museum.
In the Kröller-Müller Museum Van Gogh & Co will take place from April 25 to September 27. The exhibition will concentrate on the traditional genres at the end of the 19th century: still life, vista/perspective, nature, cityscape and portrait. More than 50 works by Van Gogh, including paintings and drawings from various periods will be combined with those of his contemporaries from the museum’s own collection. Visitors will have the chance to draw parallels and discover how Van Gogh dealt with the various genres.
The North Brabant Museum (Het Noordbrabants Museum) is in discussion with the internationally acclaimed artist, designer, entrepreneur and pioneer Daan Roosegaarde (b.1979) about an exhibition (June to August 2015) inspired by Van Gogh. Studio Roosegaarde has previously developed a 600 metre innovative cycle track for the Eindhoven region inspired by the famous painting ‘Starry Night’ (Museum of Modern Art, New York), as part of the Van Gogh cycle route which was opened in May 2013. It is expected that the interactive cycle track will be completed by autumn 2014.
The Van Gogh Museum will unveil its ambitious exhibition Munch : Van Gogh (September 25 2015 to January 17, 2016). Both Vincent van Gogh and Edvard Munch (1863-1946) are renowned for their emotionally charged paintings and drawings, their personal and innovative styles and lives filled with hardship. Both strove to modernize art by portraying existential and universal themes in expressive visual language. Despite the many striking parallels in their works and artistic ambitions, plus the fact that they are regarded as each other’s counterparts, these great masters have never before been brought together in one exhibition.
Apart from these larger museum projects numerous activities are being prepared at the various heritage sites. The 2014 cultural season (April 5 to August 31) in Auvers-sur-Oise where Van Gogh died and was buried already has a Van Gogh theme under the name ‘In the footsteps of Van Gogh’ and this theme will continue into 2015 and 2016. Also throughout 2015 activities inspired by Van Gogh’s life and work will be organized at locations in Brabant where Van Gogh lived and worked. These programme details will be announced later this year.
Four organizations form the basis of the Van Gogh Europe Foundation: the Van Gogh Museum, the Kröller-Müller Museum, Van Gogh Brabant and Mons 2015, European Capital of Culture. Under the collective name of Van Gogh Europe they form the core of collaboration between about 30 organizations in Holland, Belgium, France and England which are actively engaged in promoting Van Gogh’s heritage.
Van Gogh 2015 European Tours Launched
Holland’s largest coach operator, Oad Bus, and the Van Gogh Europe Foundation are supporting the 125th anniversary of the death of Vincent van Gogh next July with a program of specially themed group tours that combine ‘fast-track’ admission to the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam with visits to related museums, galleries and cultural events across Holland, Belgium and France.
Oad Bus, is a full-service destination marketing company for mainland Europe and it has developed these special group itineraries in partnership with the Van Gogh Museum, the Kröller-Müller Museum, Van Gogh Brabant, the Keukenhof Museum and the Netherlands Board of Tourism and Conventions.
All of the ‘Van Gogh 2015’ itineraries are based on a core program of two-, three- and four-day tours within Holland that visit Amsterdam’s Van Gogh Museum, the Kröller-Müller Museum, the Van Gogh Theme Garden, the Taste of Van Gogh, the Noordbrabants Museum, the Van Gogh Village in Nuenen, and the Vincent van Gogh house in Zundert.
Longer itineraries, of between five and eight days in duration, include visits to Van Gogh Brabant and the city of Mons (the 2015 European Capital of Culture) in Belgium; the Musee d’Orsay and Auvers-sur-Oise, where Vincent van Gogh is buried, in Paris; and Arles in France where Van Gogh painted his famous sunflowers.
All of these programs start and end in Amsterdam, close to where Oad Bus keeps its ultra-modern fleet of luxury coaches and where coach groups arrive in the Netherlands from the UK via the ferry ports of Harwich, Newcastle and Hull and from most major airports.
There’s even a potential English element to these itineraries comprising historic properties in Ramsgate in Kent and Isleworth in West London where Vincent van Gogh lived and taught in 1876 and as identified by Blue plaques in both locations.
‘Van Gogh 2015’ luxury coach was recently launched in the Kröller Müller Museum in Holland where Oad Bus unveiled a brand new and specially artworked ‘Vincent Van Gogh’ 48 seat coach, (illustrated). This stunning coach will be used, wherever possible, for all Van Gogh 2015 itineraries, adding to the status and attractiveness of these unique tours (www.oad.nl/vakantie-type/van-gogh).
Cycling Through Van Gogh’s Life
At the Holland.com website, there are marvelous cycling itineraries that link important sites connected with Van Gogh’s life.
For example, a 335 kilometer cycling route takes you through five towns and cities of the Brabant landscape loved by Vincent van Gogh, discovering the sites that were so important in his life and shaped Van Gogh as an artist. The Van Gogh cycling route follows the bicycle junction system and is marked with Van Gogh route signs. It runs for a total length of 335 kilometres, but you can also pick one of the shorter partial routes.
The route starts in Zundert, where Van Gogh was born. Today this is the site of the Van GoghHuis museum, where you can view beautiful presentations about his life and work. You will also visit Tilburg, where Van Gogh first attended drawing classes in secondary school. You will have the opportunity to visit Vincents Tekenlokaal, where the drawing classes took place.
Other interesting sites are Etten-Leur, where you can visit the Vincent van Gogh Information Centre at the old sexton’s house and explore how Van Gogh adjusted to his new life as an artist. In Nuenen, 21 sites that influenced Van Gogh await your visit at Van Gogh Village. The final destination is Den Bosch, where the Noordbrabants Museum has original works by Van Gogh on display.
Key addresses in the route: Opwetten Watermill, Opwettenseweg 203, Nuenen; Home of the Potato Eaters, Gerwenseweg 3, Nuenen; Former rectory, Berg 26, Nuenen; and Vincent’s drawing class, Stadhuisplein 128, Tilburg (See: http://www.holland.com/global/tourism/interests/van-gogh-2015/van-gogh-cycling-route-brabant.htm).
Tara Tours’ Discover the Inka Empire features a visit to Machu Picchu.
Tara Tours is promoting a six-night “Discover the Inka Empire” itinerary that features private guides and services for six nights, priced from $2175 per person/double occupancy, including local airfare, hotels, and sightseeing.
This program lands in Lima where you stay for 2 nights with private transfers, private city tour and 2 nights of hotel accommodation.
Then on to Cuzco. A quiet morning is spent here in order to get used to the high altitude and to allow time to explore the surroundings. During the stay in Cuzco, once known as the Capital of the Inka Empire, there is a private city tour and visit to the nearby ruins of Sacsayhuaman, Kenko, Puca-Pucara, Tambomachay and other archeological sites nearby.
The next day you travel by bus and train to one of the most exciting places on earth “Machu Picchu”. Temples, palaces, towers and staircases are built into the side of the mountain. Here a private local tour guide takes you from site to site explaining the advanced world of the Inkas.
The group overnights in the village of Aguas Calientes/Machu Picchu Town, just at bottom of Machu Picchu ruins.
The next day is at leisure, so you can go back to explore “The Lost City of Inkas” or visit the Inka Thermal Baths of Aguas Calientes and visit the local market. Mid-afternoon return to Cuzco.
On the way back, there is an opportunity to enjoy incredible views of the Andean peaks, the Urubamba Valley and the powerful Vilcanota River.
The itinerary departs daily from the United States.
The cost per person including domestic airfare Lima-Cuzco-Lima via local airlines and all private ground arrangements with daily breakfast, entrance fees, Vistadome train tickets, private tours, private transfers, room taxes-service charge, is $2175 based on double occupancy at 3-star properties; $2590 pp/dbl using 4-star properties or $3706 using 5-star hotels.
These rates are in effect from Dec.1, 2014 to Nov.30, 2015
Airfare is available from Miami from US$650-850, New York $750-950, Los Angeles $900-1100 and add-ons from other major cities are available upon request.
Tara Tours Inc., which has been operating tours to Latin America since 1980, is based at 12002 SW 128 CT, Suite 209, Miami, Fla.33186, 305-278-4464 or 800-327-0080, www.taratours.com.
