Christmas Time in Scandanavia
Sep 10th, 2004, 11:43 PM
#21
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Hi HollyFrances,
You certainly make the trip sound really inviting and gorgeous!!! Thankyou for the warmth tips and of course I will have a really thick beanie, scarf, gloves and boots, although I don't know what gortex boots are, but the main thing is to have my feet covered well and water-proofed I love the idea of the whole trip and I am sure if kept warm it will be a great experience. It says in the brochure Stockholm sightseeing and Xmas Markets is this where the Skansen and Gamla Stan markets you say not to be missed are situated? They sound great so I hope we will go there and try that glogg. Here in Australia you have to go up into the mountains to see anything like that.
Thanks again,
aussieR
You certainly make the trip sound really inviting and gorgeous!!! Thankyou for the warmth tips and of course I will have a really thick beanie, scarf, gloves and boots, although I don't know what gortex boots are, but the main thing is to have my feet covered well and water-proofed I love the idea of the whole trip and I am sure if kept warm it will be a great experience. It says in the brochure Stockholm sightseeing and Xmas Markets is this where the Skansen and Gamla Stan markets you say not to be missed are situated? They sound great so I hope we will go there and try that glogg. Here in Australia you have to go up into the mountains to see anything like that.
Thanks again,
aussieR
Sep 11th, 2004, 04:38 AM
#22
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Hi aussie R,
have you booked your trip? Which company are you going with? I am keen to do Scandanavia but not over winter, did that last year in other parts of europe and never again. was thinking more of going autumn time.
have you booked your trip? Which company are you going with? I am keen to do Scandanavia but not over winter, did that last year in other parts of europe and never again. was thinking more of going autumn time.
Sep 11th, 2004, 11:25 PM
#23
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Hi salzburglover,
No I have not yet booked the trip seeing as it is not till December there is plenty of time and I am still giving it some thought, but I love to find out as much as I can before I decide. That particular one is with Trafalgar and I have only done C***** tours up till now and other independent travel. I am also really keen to do Scandanavia as I have covered a lot of Europe but not there. Please elaborate of never doing Europe in winter again I am really interested in hearing different views, some have been negative, others say wow, that would be beautiful and I have received some really good posts here on Talk, but in the long run your idea of autumn is also an option and do you prefer any particular company to travel with?, if I do not do it this year I most certainly will in another season next year.
Regards,
aussieR
No I have not yet booked the trip seeing as it is not till December there is plenty of time and I am still giving it some thought, but I love to find out as much as I can before I decide. That particular one is with Trafalgar and I have only done C***** tours up till now and other independent travel. I am also really keen to do Scandanavia as I have covered a lot of Europe but not there. Please elaborate of never doing Europe in winter again I am really interested in hearing different views, some have been negative, others say wow, that would be beautiful and I have received some really good posts here on Talk, but in the long run your idea of autumn is also an option and do you prefer any particular company to travel with?, if I do not do it this year I most certainly will in another season next year.
Regards,
aussieR
Sep 12th, 2004, 12:59 AM
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It was wonderful to do Europe in winter as I wanted a white christmas, but I would never do it again. It was just far to cold to be pleasant. that said i do not regret going in winter as I did achieve my ambition of a white christmas. I have done one 4 cosmos and one trafalgar tour. I found going at that time of year compared with say autumn/spring that is was just tooo cold to be out doing things. when we were in a town for a couple of hours free time I would head to the nearest mc donalds for a hot drink rather than exploring the lovely parks, buildings etc. also if you arent a smoker it is extremely difficult in europe as they smoke in all restaurants, cafes etc whereas at other times of the year often smokers will sit outside, and if not you can sit outside and enjoy people watching. go enjoy yourself but rug up with as many layers of thermals as you can manage, also i used one of those motorbike helmet things that only exposed my eyes. my glasses did fog up but anything to stop the nose freezing off!!
Sep 12th, 2004, 10:46 PM
#26
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Hi salzburglover,
Thankyou again for the info, may I ask which of the four Cosmos Tours you did, and would recommend? I have only done two, 'European Masterpiece' in '99 and 'Central Europe' in 2001, both were excellent. I absolutely hate cigarette smoke and cannot bear to be inside with it because I really suffer, it is the same in China and other parts of Asia they all smoke I cannot handle it.
aussieR
Thankyou again for the info, may I ask which of the four Cosmos Tours you did, and would recommend? I have only done two, 'European Masterpiece' in '99 and 'Central Europe' in 2001, both were excellent. I absolutely hate cigarette smoke and cannot bear to be inside with it because I really suffer, it is the same in China and other parts of Asia they all smoke I cannot handle it.
aussieR
Sep 13th, 2004, 12:25 AM
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In that case you will love Oslo... As of 1st of June or July (can't remember) it is now illegal to smoke inside cafes, bars, restaurants etc. We haven't been through our first winter yet with the new law, so I'm not sure how they will handle that. But there will probably be lots of smokers hudled outside the door in the cold 
But the way they maintain the law is that inspectors check any place that sells food and for every instance of a smoker they fine the owner of the place NOT the smoker, so that means they owners make sure their places are smoke-free...
Cobos
But the way they maintain the law is that inspectors check any place that sells food and for every instance of a smoker they fine the owner of the place NOT the smoker, so that means they owners make sure their places are smoke-free...
Cobos
Sep 13th, 2004, 12:39 AM
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I did cosmos grand european and alpine adventure and glacier express in 2002 and prague, vienna and budapest and western wonders USA last year. also trafalgar christmas markets of germany and france. i hope to do scandanavian highlights and scenic europe and bernina express next year. if you seriously struggle with smoking i think you will find it difficult in europe in winter. i havent been to china but have been to japan and singapore and found smoking in europe far exceeded japan and singapore.
Sep 13th, 2004, 10:36 PM
#29
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cobos,
I am sure I will love Oslo in any case, but that is very good news about the smoking and it is happening right here in Melbourne and eventually it will be the same rule everywhere. I go out to dinner and theatre a lot and I am seeing less people standing outside smoking although that is at night and believe me it is really cold here at the moment, I am sure a lot of working people are still standing outside buildings during the day. As far as I am concerned food and smoke are no go combination. Thanks again.
aussieR
I am sure I will love Oslo in any case, but that is very good news about the smoking and it is happening right here in Melbourne and eventually it will be the same rule everywhere. I go out to dinner and theatre a lot and I am seeing less people standing outside smoking although that is at night and believe me it is really cold here at the moment, I am sure a lot of working people are still standing outside buildings during the day. As far as I am concerned food and smoke are no go combination. Thanks again.
aussieR
Sep 13th, 2004, 10:56 PM
#30
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salzburglover,
It is good to hear that you are enjoying organised tours there seems to be more favourable opinion toward independent travel, I personally do not like to be away from home too long and I find the tours much more convenient, although I must say if I were free to do it longer I would. I have been looking at that Scenic Europe and Bernina Express tour for some time I love trains and I found a website with really lovely photo's of the Bernina Express, I have not been drawn to Japan, but have visited India,Thailand and Nepal they are really into the smoking too, but that was back in 1991 so they could be changing now too. Strangely enough while travelling through Europe in June and October when the weather was pleasant I did not notice too much smoking then. I think, you are right, because of the cold weather in Europe in December the smoking would be much more obvious because it is too cold to step outside, good news re smoking from cobos in Oslo.
aussieR
It is good to hear that you are enjoying organised tours there seems to be more favourable opinion toward independent travel, I personally do not like to be away from home too long and I find the tours much more convenient, although I must say if I were free to do it longer I would. I have been looking at that Scenic Europe and Bernina Express tour for some time I love trains and I found a website with really lovely photo's of the Bernina Express, I have not been drawn to Japan, but have visited India,Thailand and Nepal they are really into the smoking too, but that was back in 1991 so they could be changing now too. Strangely enough while travelling through Europe in June and October when the weather was pleasant I did not notice too much smoking then. I think, you are right, because of the cold weather in Europe in December the smoking would be much more obvious because it is too cold to step outside, good news re smoking from cobos in Oslo.
aussieR
