Snobby Tours Travelblog

HERITAGE TOUR SPOTLIGHT: "In the Footsteps of the Tudor Monarchs"

2012-02-01T07:58:00.000-08:00

Who isn't fascinated by Henry VIII who changed wives almost as often as he changed his tunic. . . . . or Queen Elizabeth I who was known as "The Virgin Queen"?

Portrait of Henry VIII by C. Walker
©The Art Gallery, reprinted with permission

Their intrigues and manipulations -- sometimes seeming like a Greek tragedy -- have inspired Shakespeare and other writers to modern times.

Sudeley Castle
reprinted with permission

Our custom-created "In the Footsteps of the Tudor Monarchs©" Tour brings alive the story of the scandals and intrigues surrounding the Tudor monarchs from Henry VII, his son Henry VIII (and his six wives), Henry’s children, the sickly Edward VI who died so young, the tyrannical Mary I, Elizabeth I whose death in 1603 brought an end to the Tudor line, and Lady Jane Grey who reigned for just nine days.

You will ‘walk in the footsteps’ of these Tudor monarchs, visit the places associated with them, such as Hever Castle, Kenilworth Castle and Hatfield House, and experience what life would have been like in their times.

This particular Tudors Tour and post-Tour optional extension were created by Ambient Tours, a British tour company, at the request of Snobby Tours®, Inc.

It has been specifically scheduled from May 27- June 2, 2012 in order for you to have the option to extend your stay thru June 6, 2012 in the London area afterwards to enjoy the festivities surrounding the Diamond Jubilee Celebration of Queen Elizabeth II -- a "once-in-a-lifetime" experience!! This special "post-tour optional extension" for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Celebration gives you the opportunity to see first-hand the royal pagentry and celebratory events as the British know how to do so extraordinarily well. For details, a complete Itinerary and pricing, visit our Website by linking to: http://www.snobbytours.com/TudorTourQueensJubilee2012.html.

CULTURAL TOUR SPOTLIGHT: "Solvang and Santa Ynez Valley Wineries©"

2011-08-18T16:24:00.000-07:00

Napa and Sonoma Valleys in California get a LOT of publicity. They have literally become synonymous with wine touring in the USA and are often the first place people all over the world think of in this regard.

However, Central California's Santa Ynez Valley in the vast Santa Barbara County, bordered by the San Rafael mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west, has numerous well-established wineries which have also gained international attention, acclaim and awards.

There's a reason why the Santa Ynez Valley was chosen for the "wineries road trip" in the Boomers' movie, "Sideways".

AND, it's also one reason why Snobby Tours®, Inc. has designed a tour focusing on the Santa Ynez Valley -- its moderate climate, beautiful scenery, quaint towns, peaceful country living -- and outstanding wineries.

(The other reason is that the Solvang, the Santa Ynez Valley and Santa Barbara are personal favourites of Snobby Tours®' CEO, who has traveled to this part of California many times over the past 30+ years.)

The countryside is breath-taking, and the Valley is filled with unique and quaint places to visit. The village of Los Olivos has olive oil manufacturers, olive oil tastings, and lots of great dining. Strolling and grazing is a "must do."

Touring the many wineries of the Santa Ynez Valley, travelers will sample award-winning varietals, including Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Syrah and Merlot -- and others.

Solvang
_©Snobby Tours, Inc. All Rights Reserved

There's also the 100-year-old Danish town of Solvang -- often referred to as "Little Denmark, Danish capital of America". It was founded in 1911 by three Danish immigrants who were educators and pastors. The name Solvang means "sunny fields".

Today, Solvang still looks like a Danish village and is filled with shops and restaurants which capitalize on its heritage. Bakeries abound, too. Solvang has recently been named a "Preserve America Community" by the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation in Washington, D.C.

Santa Barbara
_©Snobby Tours, Inc. All Rights Reserved

Finally, but not least, is charming, sophisticated Santa Barbara -- often called the "American Riviera". It's a bedroom community to Los Angeles and is home to many of Hollywood's rich and famous. Strolling along State Street, sitting in sidewalk cafes, fine dining, and the superb Santa Barbara Museum of Art are all part of the ambiance of Downtown Santa Barbara.

Snobby Tours®' 2012 date for our Solvang and Santa Ynez Valley Wineries tour is August 6-11, 2012 (just before grape harvesting).

For more information and to book our fabulous hand-crafted "Solvang and Santa Ynez Valley Wineries©" cultural tour, visit our Website at: http://www.snobbytours.com/SolvangSantaYnezWineries.html

HERITAGE TOUR SPOTLIGHT: "Presidential Libraries and Fall Foliage of the Midwest"©

2011-08-12T14:13:00.000-07:00

Lately, many USA-based travelers have been re-thinking their annual travel plans and becoming increasing "budget-conscious".

We are listening to our travelers and hearing that they want a LOT of bang for their buck -- now more than ever.

Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library
reprinted with permission

Our "Presidential Libraries and Fall Foliage of the Midwest"© fits the bill perfectly -- a custom-designed road trip priced "ALL-INCLUSIVE" of all lodging, all land transportation, all meals every day, all venue admissions, all specialty tours and docent tour guides, and all taxes/fuel surcharges/gratuities.

Fall Foliage
_© Snobby Tours^®, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

It doesn't get any better than that -- PLUS visiting some historically-significant destinations in the US Midwest at the height of Fall Foliage in the Ozarks!

Presidential Libraries were the inspiration of President Franklin D. Roosevelt who had inventoried the vast quantities of papers and documents he had his staff had accumulated. (Up to that time, many Presidential papers were simply lost, destroyed or ruined by poor storage conditions.)

Roosevelt's solution was to establish a repository to preserve the evidence of a Presidency for future generations. Beginning a tradition which continues to the present day, Roosevelt raised funds for the first facility from private resources, and then designated its operation by the US government through the National Archives.

This Tour will immerse travelers in America's astounding beauty and rich heritage. Additional stops en route include the Hallmark Visitors Center, the WWI Museum, the Churchill Museum on the campus of Westminster College and the Church of St. Mary the Virgin of Aldermanbury (a 12th century church designed by Christopher Wren reconstructed at Westminster College following bomb-damage during WWII's London blitz.)

Travelers will also experience Kansas City's world-renown Bar-B-Q, and an iconic 1950's Diner along the "first leg" of the famous Route 66.

Stock photo of Biograph Theatre
where gangster
John Dillinger was killed.

Routed through Chicago, this memorable Road Trip also offers travelers a "post-Tour option" to remain in Chicago to take in a Broadway play and to visit some of Chicago's famous -- and infamous -- locales.

Fall is the PERFECT time to be there, too! The weather is generally crisp and brisk -- perfect for strolling, sitting in a sidewalk cafe, and visiting outdoor attractions.

Chicago has always been a personal favourite of Snobby Tours® because we think it has "East Coast sophistication" coupled with "Midwest friendliness" -- PLUS truly FABULOUS architecture and outstanding restaurants often in the heart of Chicago's many well-established ethnic neighborhoods.

For further details, a complete Itinerary, and pricing, visit Snobby Tours®' Website at: http://www.snobbytours.com/PrezLibMidwestFFChicago.html

Good News/Bad News about the Rising Cost of Gasoline: Forecasting its Impact upon Travel

2011-04-28T20:18:00.000-07:00

It's difficult to determine these days whether the global economic downturn (aka the "R" word) is improving, or whether the overall picture still looks rather bleak for the foreseeable future.

There are some indications that various sectors are showing signs of growth, but it seems to be two-steps forward, one step backward -- or vice versa, depending upon whether the travel industry analysts see the gas tank as being "half-full" or "half-empty".

The following commentary is excerpted from an article by David Wilkening which appeared in the April 27, 2011 online issue of Travelmole. We have included here because clearly, the access to and cost of, fuel is an issue relevant to forecasting travel trends and the overall health of the travel industry. Wilkening's full article may be read on Travelmole under "News", at http://www.travelmole.com

With gas prices above $4 in some states, some North American travelers are cancelling vacations and re-thinking summer travel plans, but on the other hand, the cost of gas could spur the growth of local tourism.

“Despite high gas prices and increasing airfares, a new survey from HomeAway, Inc., finds the majority of Americans still plan to take a summer vacation, but will adjust their plans in light of rising costs,” says the group.

According to a special summer edition of the “HomeAway® Vacation Rental Marketplace Report,” 81 percent of respondents report they will take a vacation this summer. Of those who typically take a summer vacation each year, 38 percent will not change their vacation plans, saying increased gasoline prices and airfares will not affect their travel. The rest of those surveyed will alter travel plans in some way to counteract rising costs, including:

Short regional trip in Texas: San Antonio Riverwalk
_©Snobby Tours^®, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

---Vacationing closer to home (27 percent)

---Cutting back on other travel expenses such as lodging, entertainment and dining out (20 percent)

---Vacationing for fewer days (13 percent)

---Making other changes to their travel plans (3 percent)

“This survey shows that people still plan to take a summer vacation, but they also need to find ways to combat the high costs of traveling to a destination,” said Brian Sharples, chief executive officer of HomeAway.

Most travel observers envision travelers tending to stay closer to home this summer, particularly if gas prices continue to escalate, but not all agree with the findings.

If gas were to go to US$5 a gallon and stay there, some analysts think it could erase the gains the economy is making and tip the nation back into recession, because Americans would sharply curtail spending elsewhere.

Snobby Tours^®, Inc. and Americana Heritage Tours by Snobby Tours^®, Inc.™ invite your comments.

Accommodating Disabled and "Special Needs" Travelers -- Snobby Tours®' ongoing commitment

2011-04-22T09:54:00.000-07:00

Snobby Tours®, Inc. and Americana Heritage Tours by Snobby Tours®, Inc.™ was recently contacted by a wonderful group called Australia For All Alliance, Inc., asking us whether our custom heritage and cultural tours are suitable for disabled persons in wheelchairs.

Australia For All Alliance, Inc. is a non-funded, not-for-profit entity composed of people with disabilities and their caregivers.

We were thrilled to have been contacted by them -- and were even more pleased to tell them that ever since our inception almost 10 years ago, it has been a priority with us that our tours are accessible to everyone -- and including travelers with mobility issues and visual- and/or hearing-impairment.

Snobby Tours®, Inc. and Americana Heritage Tours by Snobby Tours®, Inc.™, have made it an ongoing practice to book our tours into hotels which have accessible accommodations -- especially heritage hotels which have re-done rooms to make them accessible for the disabled who have mobility issues, vision impairment and/or hearing loss.

Additionally, we require that our travelers let us know in advance of departure date if they have any "special needs" -- from food allergies to mobility issues -- so that we can in advance plan accordingly -- from our selection of menus for included meals to the land transportation/vehicles which we charter for sightseeing.

As "custom itinerary providers", Snobby Tours®, Inc. and Americana Heritage Tours by Snobby Tours®, Inc.™ have complete control over ALL of the touring elements in the tours which we create -- thereby ensuring that we provide personalized attention to details and superlative customer service.

Therefore, we do NOT offer "pre-packaged, one-size-fits-all travel" which has been designed for the masses, and therefore is more impersonal, not taking into consideration "special needs".

We are pleased to share Australia For All Alliance, Inc.'s Website with you, http://www.australiaforall.com/, which plays such an important role for travelers with physical, visual and hearing impairments.

HERITAGE & CULTURAL TOUR DESTINATION: PROVENCE

2011-04-14T20:23:00.000-07:00

One of our favourite destinations is the south of France -- and in particular, Provence.

Medieval fortified town of Gordes
Reprinted with permission of Food & Wine Vacations

It's no wonder the Impressionist painters were drawn to it. Cezanne was born in and had his studio in Aix-en-Provence. Van Gogh immortalized the olive groves in St. Remy. Monet painted Provençal landscapes bathed in the soft, pink-gold afternoon light.

Travelers to this region of France can literally walk in the footsteps of the great Impressionists and see what captivated their hearts and appeared in their paintings.

Abbaye de Senanque
Reprinted with permission of Food & Wine Vacations

There is no bad time of the year to visit Provence -- which is why Snobby Tours®, Inc. has collaborated with Food & Wine Vacations to offer our "BEST OF PROVENCE": A CULTURAL AND CULINARY EXPERIENCE"© custom-created tour of "authentic Provence" on various dates in 2011 and 2012, as well as on additional dates by special group request.

L'Isle sur la Sorgue canals
Reprinted with permission of Food & Wine Vacations

To familiarize prospective travelers with our unique "BEST of PROVENCE" itinerary, we have also created a Webinar presentation which is scheduled for Saturday, April 16, 2011, at 1:00 pm EDT/10:00 am PDT.

To attend this Webinar, you may register on Snobby Tours®' Website by submitting the Registration Form at http://www.snobbytours.com

Oh, and lest anyone think we've overlooked the world renown Provençal regional cuisine -- not to worry!!

There's a reason why our "BEST OF PROVENCE": A CULTURAL AND CULINARY EXPERIENCE"© is a tour of "authentic Provence".

On our Itinerary, our travelers will be immersed in the culture and cuisine of Provence -- spending time sampling, cooking and dining with Provençal chefs, wine-makers, chocolate-makers, local farmers, and olive-growers.

AND, lodging will be in a B&B (with modern conveniences) converted from an authentic centuries-old farmhouse located in the beautiful countryside of the Luberon Region of Provence, near Gordes and Avignon.

(It might be a good idea to shed a few pounds before the Tour, because you won't be able to resist the fabulous culinary delights which are included.)

For Itinerary details, please link to the following: BEST OF PROVENCE": A CULTURAL AND CULINARY EXPERIENCE"©

CULTURAL TOUR DESTINATION: COLOURFUL ROUSSILLON in PROVENCE

2011-03-31T20:54:00.000-07:00

When I first visited Provence in 2000 on a heritage and cultural tour hosted by the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, I expected to find quaint towns with shutters and flowerboxes painted in traditional Provençal yellow and blue and cafes with Provençal rooster-printed tablecloths.

Roussillon Buildings and Sidewalk Cafe
© Snobby Tours^® Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Not so with the colourful Medieval town of Roussillon in the Luberon region of Provence.

The entire town is a myriad of colours, due primarily to the ochre pigments mined from the nearby clay quarries which have been used for the paints and cement stucco on the buildings.

Mining of the ochre pigments intensified in the mid-1800's because the demand rose for the pigments to be used in the textile industry. The extraction of the ochre pigments continued up to 1930, when it was prohibited in order to protect the sites from complete exhaustion. Some of the original quarries and ochre factories which were situated near Roussillon can still be seen today.

This accounts for why the façades of Roussillon's buildings range from peach-coloured to rust, from light yellow to dark gold, from orange to deep red, and everything in between. What a "feast for the eyes" and the camera. There is beauty everywhere in this delightful Medieval town.

I was enchanted, just as was the author Samuel Beckett, who spent time in Roussillon writing one of his novels. He also mentioned Roussillon in his famous play, Waiting for Godot.

Roussillon Doorway
© Snobby Tours^® Inc. All Rights Reserved.

I spent a memorable October Sunday afternoon strolling through Roussillon's narrow Medieval streets which gradually wind uphill so that there are views of the gorgeous surrounding vistas of the Luberon. At every turn was a "Kodak moment".

All afternoon I soaked in and photographed Roussillon's architecture and scenery with two couples from Germany. I even made friends at one of the sidewalk cafes with a Roussillon cat -- who, I might add, was visibly quite insulted and snooty when I originally spoke to it "dans l'Anglais au lieu d'en Français". How rude of me to expect "Monsieur Chat" to understand English!!

I can't be more thrilled that we have Roussillon included in our custom-created itinerary for 2011 and 2012, "Best of Provence: A Cultural and Culinary Experience"©. We'll be spending an entire morning there, and I can hardly wait to see it again.

I'll make sure I have plenty of film -- and have brushed up better on my French, in case I encounter my friend "Monsieur Chat" again in the cafe!

More information about our "Best of Provence: A Cultural and Culinary Experience"© custom tour, including a Daily Itinerary, is featured on the Snobby Tours®, Inc. Website at http://www.snobbytours.com/BESTofPROVENCE2011-2012.html.

Can Travel Agents afford NOT to be PRO-ACTIVE? Industry experts emphasize Travel Agents' developing "consistent and persistent" PR to meet the challenge!

2011-03-24T17:04:00.000-07:00

In the not-so-distant past, when the overall USA and global economy was "healthier", and people could not research or book their travel online themselves, travel agents were in an enviable position.

People literally flooded their offices looking for pre-packaged tours. Travel agents didn't really need to pro-actively acquire new clients, or pro-actively go the extra mile to retain their existing clients, because prospective and existing clients came to them -- in droves.

Not so, any longer.

Today's traveler is increasingly comprised of a "different profile". "Boomers" are the ever-increasing market. They are retiring early, with the health and resources to travel.

However, Boomers are "not your parents' type of traveler". After all, many Boomers marched for Civil Rights, hung out at Woodstock and Monterey, opposed the Viet Nam War, and supported the Equal Pay Act.

Heritage and cultural travel group
dining in Aix-en-Provence, France
_©Snobby Tours, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

They don't want "pre-packaged, one-size-fits-all, if it's Tuesday it must be Belgium" travel, according to travel industry experts.

They don't want to be stuck on a cruise ship for days or weeks, stopping occasionally for 1/2 a day at some port which doesn't give them the time nor the opportunity to immerse themselves in the heritage, culture and cuisine of that locale.

Instead, they want personalized, unique, customized destination travel experiences which will give them a lifetime of wonderful memories.

The challenge for travel agents is in adapting to meet this challenge of a changing market!!

Some encouragement by travel agency industry leaders who emphasized the importance of travel agents becoming consistently AND persistently pro-active, appeared in an article published on March 7, 2011 in Travel Age West entitled "Public Relations Basics for Travel Agents: Learning the basics of effective PR can help travel agents benefit themselves, as well as their industry" written by Kenneth Shapiro:

"There is definitely a need for travel agents to engage in public relations and to view it not as a one-time thing but as a long-term effort," said Kristina Rundquist, vice president of communications for ASTA (American Society of Travel Agents -- an association of travel professionals and the companies whose products they sell).

"[t]here are two different kinds of public relations for travel advisors", said Jason Coleman, President of SoCalASTA. "There is PR that is focused on the individual advisor and his/her business; then, there is PR that is focused on the industry and promoting travel in general.

"Right now, there is very little PR that is focused on promoting travel advisors and our industry.

"These days, being a public relations expert is simply another important skill a travel agent needs to master."

"Today, PR and branding are inexorably linked", said Dr. Marc Mancini, an industry consultant and educator. "Being really competent isn't enough, especially if you want to grow your business beyond the typical."

Private Tea Ceremony for Tour Group in
San Francisco's Chinatown
_©Snobby Tours, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

In a recent travel industry seminar attended by our CEO at Snobby Tours®, Inc. and Americana Heritage Tours by Snobby Tours®, Inc.™, several representatives from various tour companies both within and outside of the USA who specialize in "escorted tours" stressed the importance of travel agents "extending their options" by becoming PRO-active in their promotion/selling of "unique, customized, personalized destination travel experiences" for individuals and small groups.

Here's how the various travel industry expert panelists defined "travel agents' extending their options":
1) pro-actively finding and suggesting to prospective and existing clients some travel alternatives which are "beyond what the client asks for";
2) pro-actively finding and suggesting to clients "all-inclusive" travel packages where different types of special interest niche touring and activities are encompassed in the itinerary;
3) pro-actively seeking out and suggesting to clients unique, customized travel packages which include personalized tours of the history and culture of the destination(s);
4) pro-actively seeking out and suggesting to clients travel packages which offer more leisurely yet "in-depth" destination travel experiences, with plenty of time to explore the destination with other members of the group; AND
5) pro-actively creating smaller groups of "like-minded" people from all over the world who are interested in the particular "niche travel focus" of the itinerary.

"I'm seeing a new generation of professionals who are eager to be involved with the changes in our industry", said Coleman. "We can sit around a table and bemoan all of the challenges and ills, or we can take action."

We at Snobby Tours®, Inc. and Americana Heritage Tours by Snobby Tours®, Inc.™ have over the past decade been committed to assisting travel agents in their meeting the challenge of a changing market by our providing them with the types of unique, personalized, custom heritage and cultural travel experiences which they are seeking out and offering to their prospective and existing clients.

Also in the furtherance of our commitment to assist pro-active travel agents, Snobby Tours®, Inc. and Americana Heritage Tours by Snobby Tours®, Inc.™ have created our "Preferred Travel Agents" program for travel agents who actively promote and sell our custom heritage and cultural travel itineraries.

In appreciation of the special relationship we have with our "Preferred Travel Agents", we reward their efforts by giving them exclusive travel incentives and very generous commissions on their sales of our custom heritage and cultural itineraries -- with commissions on bookings starting at 12%!

Our "Preferred Travel Agents" program is open to all pro-active travel agents who are eager to consistently and persistently take action to "extend their options".

Travel agents who are interested in becoming part of Snobby Tours®, Inc. and Americana Heritage Tours by Snobby Tours®, Inc.™' "Preferred Travel Agents" program are invited to send us their queries by E-mail by linking here to: snobbytours@yahoo.com

St. Patrick's Day - A Boost for Ireland Tourism and the Consumption of Pints of Guinness, the Chicago River Runs Green, and "Bogus Shamrocks"

2011-03-17T12:10:00.000-07:00

Reprint of article by John Roach, for National Geographic News

Updated March 16, 2011

On St. Patrick's Day—Thursday, March 17—millions of people will don green and celebrate the Irish with parades, good cheer, and perhaps a pint of beer.

But few St. Patrick's Day revelers have a clue about St. Patrick, the historical figure, according to the author of St. Patrick of Ireland: A Biography.

"The modern celebration of St. Patrick's Day really has almost nothing to do with the real man," said classics professor Philip Freeman of Luther College in Iowa. (Take an Ireland quiz.)

A man dressed as a leprechaun

grins for the camera in New Orleans.

Photograph by Taylor S. Kennedy, National Geographic

Pint of Guinness on St. Patrick's Day

On any given day 5.5 million pints of Guinness, the famous Irish stout brand, are consumed around the world.

But on St. Patrick's Day, that number more than doubles to 13 million pints, said Beth Davies Ryan, global corporate-relations director of Guinness.

"Historically speaking, a lot of Irish immigrants came to the United States and brought with them lots of customs and traditions, one of them being Guinness," she said.

Today, the U.S. tradition of St. Patrick's Day parades, packed pubs, and green silliness has invaded Ireland with full force, said Freeman, the classics professor.

The country, he noted, figured out that the popularity of St. Patrick's Day was a good way to boost spring tourism.

"Like anybody else," he said, "they can take advantage of a good opportunity."

Who Was the Man Behind St. Patrick's Day?

For starters, the real St. Patrick wasn't even Irish. He was born in Britain
around A.D. 390 to an aristocratic Christian family with a townhouse, a country villa, and plenty of slaves. What's more, Patrick professed no interest in Christianity as a young boy, Freeman noted.

At 16, Patrick's world turned: He was kidnapped and sent overseas to tend sheep as a slave in the chilly, mountainous countryside of Ireland for seven years. (See Ireland pictures.)

"It was just horrible for him," Freeman said. "But he got a religious conversion while he was there and became a very deeply believing Christian."

St. Patrick's Disembodied Voices

According to folklore, a voice came to Patrick in his dreams, telling him to escape. He found passage on a pirate ship back to Britain, where he was reunited with his family.

The voice then told him to go back to Ireland.

"He gets ordained as a priest from a bishop, and goes back and spends the rest of his life trying to convert the Irish to Christianity," Freeman said.

Patrick's work in Ireland was tough—he was constantly beaten by thugs, harassed by the Irish royalty, and admonished by his British superiors. After he died on March 17, 461, Patrick was largely forgotten.

But slowly, mythology grew around Patrick, and centuries later he was honored as the patron saint of Ireland, Freeman noted.

St. Patrick's Day Shamrock Shortage

According to St. Patrick's Day lore, Patrick used the three leaves of a shamrock to explain the Christian holy trinity: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Today, St. Patrick's Day revelers wear a shamrock out of tradition. But people in Ireland hoping to wear an authentic shamrock are running low on luck.

Trifolium dubium, the wild-growing, three-leaf clover that some botanists consider the official shamrock, is an annual plant that germinates in the spring. Recently, Ireland has had two harsh winters, affecting the plant's growth.

"The growing season this year is at least as delayed as it was last year, and therefore there is the potential for shortage of home-grown material," John Parnell, a botanist at Trinity College Dublin, said in an email.

"We have had frost and snow showers in parts of Ireland within the past week," he added.

Other experts pin the shortage of the traditional plant as much on modern farming methods and loss of traditional hay meadows.

"The cold winters we are having here lately are just another nail in the coffin,"Carsten Krieger, a landscape and nature photographer whose books include The Wildflowers of Ireland, said via email.

To make up for the shortfall, many sellers are resorting to other three-leaf clovers, such as the perennials Trifolium repens and Medicago lupulina. According to theIrish Times, these plants are "bogus shamrocks."

Trinity College's Parnell agreed that Trifolium dubium is the most commonly used shamrock today, which lends credence to the claims of authenticity.

However, he added, the custom of wearing a shamrock dates back to the 17th and 18th centuries, and "I know of no evidence to say what people then used. I think the argument on authenticity is purely academic—basically I'd guess they used anything cloverlike then."

What's more, botanists say there's nothing uniquely Irish about shamrocks. Most clover species can be found throughout Europe.

No Snakes in Ireland

Another St. Patrick myth is the claim that he banished snakes from Ireland. It's true no snakes exist on the island today, Freeman said—but they never did.

Ireland, after all, is surrounded by icy ocean waters—much too cold to allow snakes to migrate from Britain or anywhere else.

Since snakes often represent evil in literature, "when Patrick drives the snakes out of Ireland, it is symbolically saying he drove the old, evil, pagan ways out of Ireland [and] brought in a new age," Freeman said.

The snake myth, the shamrock story, and other tales were likely spread by well-meaning monks centuries after St. Patrick's death, Freeman said.

St. Patrick's Day: Made in America?

Until the 1970s, St. Patrick's Day in Ireland was a minor religious holiday. A priest would acknowledge the feast day, and families would celebrate with a big meal, but that was about it.

"St. Patrick's Day was basically invented in America by Irish-Americans," Freeman said.

Irish-American history expert Timothy Meagher said Irish charitable organizations originally celebrated St. Patrick's Day with banquets in places such as Boston, Massachusetts; Savannah, Georgia; and Charleston, South Carolina.

Eighteenth-century Irish soldiers fighting with the British in the U.S. Revolutionary War held the first St. Patrick's Day parades. Some soldiers, for example, marched through New York City in 1762 to reconnect with their Irish roots.

Other parades followed in the years and decades after, including well-known celebrations in Boston, Philadelphia, and Chicago, primarily in flourishing Irish immigrant communities.

"It becomes a way to honor the saint but also to confirm ethnic identity and to create bonds of solidarity," said Meagher, of Catholic University in Washington, D.C..

Dyeing the River Green for St. Patrick's Day

Sometime in the 19th century, as St. Patrick's Day parades were flourishing, wearing the color green became a show of commitment to Ireland, Meagher said.

In 1962 the show of solidarity took a spectacular turn in Chicago when the city decided to dye a portion of the Chicago River green.

The tradition started when parade organizer Steve Bailey, head of a plumbers' union, noticed how a dye used to trace possible sources of river pollution had stained a colleague's overalls a brilliant green, according togreenchicagoriver.com.

Why not use the dye to turn the whole river green on St. Patrick's Day, Bailey thought. So began the tradition.

The environmental impact of the dye is minimal compared with pollution such as bacteria from sewage-treatment plants, said Margaret Frisbie, the executive director of the advocacy group Friends of the Chicago River.

Rather than advising against the dye, her group focuses on turning the Chicago River into a welcoming habitat full of fish, herons, turtles, and beavers. If the river becomes a wildlife haven, the thinking goes, Chicagoans won't want to dye their river green.

"Our hope is that, as the river continues to improve, ultimately people can get excited about celebrating St. Patrick's Day different ways," she said.

How does one become well-known as an "expert" in one's profession?

2011-03-02T13:46:00.000-08:00

We've all heard the phrase "Jack of all trades, master of none".

This phrase, which can be traced back to the 17th Century guilds in Europe, still has application today.

Whenever anyone starts out in a profession or career, there is always a "learning curve".

The challenge, however, is finding one's "passion" and acquiring the knowledge, skills and abilities eventually to be considered an "expert".

This process definitely does NOT happen overnight, and there are NO shortcuts. As Orson Welles was famous for saying in a well-known commercial, "No wine is ready before its time".

When it comes to the travel industry, how do you distinguish yourself from among all the other special niche travel experts in the same "niche"?

With Snobby Tours^®, Inc. and Americana Heritage Tours by Snobby Tours^®, Inc.™, our passion is heritage and cultural travel. Over the years, we've published articles, been interviewed in print and electronic media, spoken to various civic and professional organizations, accepted leadership positions on corporate and non-profit Boards, hosted travel-related seminars and presentations, and have been frequently called by travel publications and travel writers asking us to assist them with articles and in connecting with various travel-related resources.

From our perspective, by "being out there in the public eye" -- publishing articles, having articles written about Snobby Tours®, Inc. and Americana Heritage Tours by Snobby Tours®, Inc.™, and by doing presentations about one's travel niche to, and travel seminars for, various groups -- is especially easy if one's travel niche is truly a "personal passion".

Guest speakers at presentation
to heritage travel group at National Cowgirl Museum
_©Snobby Tours^®, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

SIDE NOTE: We also think it's very important to surround ourselves with experts who will complement and enhance our areas of expertise and niche travel offerings. Recognizing when we lack sufficient "inside knowledge" about a destination and need to consult with a destination expert in order to maintain our high standards of client service, is critical -- and we are not too proud to admit that we often DO that.

Travel Protection Insurance -- No longer an "option"-- It's a "necessity"!

2011-03-02T10:46:00.000-08:00

Obtaining Travel Protection Insurance has, until recently, primarily been an "option" which travelers could choose to purchase or not to purchase when planning an extended trip either within the USA or abroad.

Reprinted with permission

However, the recent civil unrest in several countries, as well as labor strikes halting air and train transportation, inclement weather, and natural disasters such as tsunamis and earthquakes, for example, have caused travelers to become acutely aware that obtaining insurance protection against trip interruption/trip cancellation for ANY reason, now may be a necessity -- especially when traveling to international destinations far from home.

Several years ago, as part of our commitment to providing superlative client service to our tour participants, Snobby Tours®, Inc. became licensed to sell Travel Insurance to our travelers so that they could have "peace of mind" when touring both within and outside of the USA.

We thoroughly research and compare the A.M. Best A+ rated travel protection insurance carriers and select the most comprehensive coverage -- at the most competitive rates -- for our clients.

Reprinted with permission

Because there are any number of unforeseen possibilities which can occur which could cause one's travel to be interrupted -- or even cancelled prior to or during a trip -- Snobby Tours®, Inc. has always recommended that our tour participants have Travel Protection Insurance on our extended heritage and cultural custom Itineraries -- whether inside the USA or to international destinations.

If there is one thing that IS certain, it's that "things happen we don't expect". Even the most careful person can twist an ankle while walking on unfamiliar cobblestone streets, or slip in the bathtub while staying in a hotel halfway around the world.

Here are some helpful points for you to think about when you are considering the purchase of Travel Protection Insurance:

1) As a general rule, it's best to purchase Travel Protection Insurance from a licensed travel insurance provider or directly from an insurance carrier which specializes in travel protection insurance.

2) Ask if the insurance company is rated by A.M. Best, which is the resource for checking the insurance carrier's credentials. (Snobby Tours®, Inc. always uses highly-rated A.M. Best insurance carriers such as Travelex, TravelGuard, for example. These companies adhere to strict rules and ethics standards.)

3) Is the insurance policy understandable? Is it written in plain, concise terms? Do you know exactly what coverage is being provided to you before and after your trip departure date? What are all "included" events? Are there any "exclusions"?

4) If you will be traveling outside of the USA, does the insurance carrier have a "global" presence with a staff that will be available to assist you 24/7, especially if you are in a country which speaks a language other than English?

5) Should you also purchase medical coverage even though you have private medical insurance -- especially if you are traveling outside of the USA? What services and staff at your destination will your travel insurance carrier be able to provide regarding checking out the medical facilities, hospitals, physicians, clinics, etc. to which you may be sent at the destination?

For more information about obtaining travel protection insurance for any of our extended USA and International heritage and cultural custom Itineraries, please visit our Website at: http://www.snobbytours.com/TRAVELINSURANCE.html

Top Issues and the Latest Trends in 2011 in the Tourism Industry

2011-02-09T21:52:00.000-08:00

Tourism professionals are frequently asked at the beginning of a new year what we predict will be the "hot travel trends" for the coming year.

This year, that's a tough question, particularly during the current global economic downturn, and with such countries as Greece, Ireland and Germany experiencing fiscal crises as never before. Travelers to several international destinations during the past year experienced labor strikes and other shut-downs of essential services and infrastructure -- causing them to be "stuck" at their destinations.

There does, however, seem to be a light at the end of the tunnel in some travel sectors such as heritage and cultural touring, spas and resorts, and luxury travel, all of which continue to remain popular -- giving rise to a certain degree of optimism about where travel is "headed" in 2011.

The following article appeared in the UK's issue of Hotel & Resort Insider, on February 9, 2011:

"For the last few years, the tourism industry is witnessing some emerging trends and issues among bulk of tourists which is resulting in some new developments in the industry itself. It is expected that these upcoming trends will influence the strategy development, business, marketing policies and the tourism planning in the year ahead.

"Here we provide you with the key issues and the forthcoming trends in the tourism industry:

Memories and experiences

"It has been observed that contemporary travelers being bored by the sedentary lifestyle and mounting work pressure are yearning for leisurely activities, and they are more eager in having new and unique experiences. Travelers are willing to utilize their vacations to the utmost to rejuvenate. Traditional travel sectors which include adventure travel, nature tourism, heritage and cultural tourism, and vacationing with family are still popular with the tourists. In addition to this, tourists are also admiring several non-traditional activities such as bird watching, mountain biking, cruise travel, festivals and special occasions, the thrilling experiences of which will offer them splendid memories to treasure.

Technology

"The internet has modernized the face of travel industry, with its massive impact among the tourists. Travelers are seeking information about different destinations via internet, which is influencing their decision-making and is the fundamental force behind personalization and customization. Travelers also prefer online bookings and reservations nowadays. These immense changes brought about by technology in the travel and tourism industry also highlight other modifications, such as airlines, travel agencies and other travel professionals which are merging with each other with the objective that bigger is better.

"The smaller establishments are mostly affected by this development and in order to compete, they should tailor their strategies according to the needs of the specific target audience.

Changing face of tourists

"A large number of financially potent elderly people across the globe with enough time are looking forward to enjoy their dream vacations and are planning to travel. Moreover, minority groups including African-Americans, Asian Americans and Hispanics will constitute an increasing percentage of all travelers.
The growing competition among the airlines has resulted in opening up of new routes, and most of the new routes to the US are more focused to the West (Las Vegas, Phoenix, Denver, San Diego and Salt Lake City.)

"Therefore, all these upcoming trends and issues will surely cause a sea of change in the tourism industry."

Do you agree or disagree? Snobby Tours^®, Inc. is interested in your feedback, so please comment and share your opinion on this topic.

Victor Bravo, Flamenco Artist in Spain - Interview by Meg Pier

2011-02-07T10:14:00.000-08:00

Snobby Tours®' friend and professional travel writer, Meg Pier, has published a series of articles and interviews from Spain -- one of our upcoming International heritage and cultural tour destinations.

We were particularly engaged by her interview with Victor Bravo, Dance Director of the Museum of Flamenco Dance in Seville, Spain.

Flamenco's roots come from the Andalucian region of Spain, where Gypsies, Jews and other non-Catholics fled during the Spanish Inquisition to live in hiding and in fear of death. As an outlet for their feelings and emotions, they created the music of lamentation and the dances of passion from which Flamenco is derived.

Meg quotes the esteemed Spanish writer, Lorca, in describing Flamenco:

"Let not the intellectuals tire themselves out searching for it in the old trunks of erudition,
because flamenco is something alive with its feet buried in the hot mud of the street
and its head in the cool fleece of the driven clouds.”

Federico García Lorca, 1898 – 1936

Bravo shares his thoughts and observations with Meg about the part which Flamenco has played in Andalucian history and culture, and about his own personal journey expressed through his lifetime of Flamenco study and dance.

To read Meg's complete article and interview which is published in "View from the Pier", link on the following: Victor Bravo/Flamenco Artist

HERITAGE TOUR DESTINATION: MONTEREY, CARMEL and SALINAS, CALIFORNIA - Review: 5 stars

2011-02-02T12:37:00.000-08:00

Monterey, Carmel and Salinas, California -- generally referred to collectively as the "Monterey Bay area" -- are favourite Central California destinations for Snobby Tours®' heritage and cultural tours. Each has a different history and ambiance. Our Review: 5-stars!

Monterey at one time was the original Spanish capital of "Old California". Long before Salinas-born Pulitzer Prize winning author John Steinbeck immortalized Monterey's Cannery Row, beautiful Monterey Bay was claimed for Spain by a Portuguese navigator in 1542. It was colonized by missionaries, soldiers and mercenaries, as well as Russians, Mexicans and Americans at different points in time.

Sea creatures in Monterey Bay Aquarium
_©Snobby Tours^®, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Over the years, some of the most historic Old California buildings were constructed, including Mission San Carlos, the Presidio and California's first theatre. Monterey has also provided inspiration for writers such as Steinbeck and Robert Louis Stevenson.

Today, visitors flock to Monterey to experience its heritage and culture, shopping and fine dining -- and especially to visit the world-famous Monterey Bay Aquarium.

Carmel, less than four miles south of Monterey, is known as an "artists' haven". Situated along some of California's most picturesque coastline, the word which most describes Carmel is "quaint". It is filled with unique shops and art galleries featuring the work of many local artists, cobblestone courtyards, great restaurants for California cuisine, and cute B&Bs. The scent of wood-burning fireplaces waifs thru the air all year round because the fog generally rolls in and temperatures drop as the sun sets each day. Even Summers are relatively cool, requiring layered clothing.

Carmel Winter Sunset
_©Snobby Tours^®, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Practically everything is within walking distance in Carmel -- or within a short drive if one wants to to visit nearby wineries or Mission Carmel. The internationally famous Pebble Beach golf course along the scenic "17-mile Drive" attracts golf enthusiasts from all over the world for informal games and competitive tournaments.

And, on any given day, both locals and visitors flock to the rocky beach at the foot of Ocean Avenue to photograph the famous Carmel sunset -- spectacular all year round.

Carmel is very "pet-friendly". The movie icon Doris Day has lived in Carmel for years, and thru her efforts, lodging, retail shops, and even some restaurants have become receptive to pets -- especially dogs -- accompanying their owners.

Salinas -- about 30-minutes drive east from Carmel -- is part of the Salinas Valley - famous for its production of fruit and vegetables. It was immortalized in John Steinbeck's "East of Eden". Steinbeck's childhood home, a restored Queen Anne-style Victorian which can be toured, is near Downtown Salinas.

"Doc's Lab" in Steinbeck Institute
_©Snobby Tours^®, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

In recent years, with the opening of the Steinbeck Institute, new life has been infused into Salinas. The Steinbeck Institute is a "must see" when visiting Salinas. It is a living history museum of Steinbeck's books where visitors can stroll from room to room hearing excerpts from books, viewing archival films, and getting close to the Trask 1920's motorcar ("East of Eden"), the Joad house ("Grapes of Wrath"), Doc's Lab ("Cannery Row"), and even the Gypsy wagon which Steinbeck took on a trip along with his poodle ("Travels with Charley").

Any time of the year is the right time to visit Monterey, Carmel and Salinas because seasonal and annual heritage and cultural events are abundant -- from evening art walks thru the galleries sampling local wines to antique car shows. Just remember to bring a jacket, even in July.

Meeting the Challenge of Incorporating "Regional Cuisine" into Group Tours

2011-01-31T20:15:00.000-08:00

Because Snobby Tours^®, Inc. specializes in custom-creating unique heritage and cultural touring experiences for our travelers, we always include local, often iconic, restaurants at the destination(s) which specialize in the cuisine(s) of the region in each of our Itineraries.

Wine-pairing Lunch at a Texas Winery
_©Snobby Tours^®, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

How do we approach dining options and meal selection for our groups? Generally, breakfast at the Hotel plus one other meal during the day, either lunch or dinner, is included in the Tour Package price. Prior to any tour, we pre-select restaurants at our destinations and make arrangements with the various restaurants which will allow us to create a menu with appetizer, entree, dessert and beverage selections within the designated budgetary range. (Alcoholic beverages are not included unless the meal is a wine-pairing event, for example.)

Selecting Sweets in a Mexican Bakery
_©Snobby Tours^®, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Do we try to incorporate local cuisine? Absolutely! We consider this to be part of "experiencing the heritage and culture" of our Itinerary destinations. For example: Chicago is filled with wonderful ethnic neighborhoods each having restaurants featuring that area's cuisine. In Chicago, we took a culinary tour one day and "grazed" in Greektown, Little Italy, and in the German area just north of the Gold Coast area. We also dined in iconic restaurants in several of Chicago's ethnic neighborhoods.

Lunch in Aix-en-Provence, France
_©Snobby Tours^®, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

What are our favourite dining options? We prefer to pre-select from the restaurant's menu in advance of trip departure so that the menu selections are narrowed down for the kitchen and the restaurant can easily accommodate a large group seated, or alternatively, we prefer to be served "family style".

What tips can we pass on with regards to feeding a group over a one week trip? Create a realistic "Trip Budget" which includes a budget line item for meals each day. This will allow the Itinerary to be flexible enough over the week to include some fine dining as well as casual, lighter fare.

Winspear Opera House and Wyly Theatre - Dallas' newest "state of the art" performing arts venues

2011-01-30T09:55:00.000-08:00

Texas Monthly magazine consults Snobby Tours® for local history -- the facts and the folklore

2011-01-24T14:56:00.000-08:00

Over the past year, Snobby Tours®, Inc. has been contacted several times about Waco history by Texas Monthly, Texas' premier magazine about what's happening culturally, politically, historically, and in entertainment venues all over the State.

We've done so much research into Waco's colourful past that it seems some folks think we are experts about the place and the people who have been pivotal in Waco's creation and evolution -- from its being an outpost for the venerable Texas Rangers in the early 1800's to a "player" on a global scale having three institutions of higher education and numerous corporations doing international business -- including us!

Our love of our local history led Snobby Tours®, Inc. in 2003 to create our "Living History Tours of Waco" -- seven (7) city heritage tours focusing upon various periods in Waco's history, guided by costumed "historical re-enactors" who portray real people from Waco's past. (More info on each of these tours can be found at www.snobbytours.com/wacotours.html)

Mollie Adams' gravestone in Oakwood Cemetery
©Snobby Tours®, Inc., All Rights Reserved.

For example: Did you know that the Waco Suspension Bridge was one of four prototypes created by the Roebling company which were the predecessors of the Brooklyn Bridge?

. . . or that Waco, TX and Omaha, NE were the ONLY two cities in the US in the late 1800's which had legalized prostitution? Mollie Adams was THE Waco "madam", who owned a diamond necklace worth (at that time) $20,000 -- given to her by a "prominent Wacoan".

"Texas" Guinan
(reprinted with permission)

And, Wacoan "Texas" Guinan -- who, as a teenager, won a singing contest sponsored by Chicago department store magnate Marshall Field -- and who later went on to be a famous vaudeville star and the FIRST female cowgirl in Hollywood silent films -- learned her "sharpshooting" skills while riding her horse and firing her 6-shooter at cans on the fence by the Waco's old train depot as she galloped by.

Ever heard the phrase "Hello, Suckers!" ? It was coined by "Texas" Guinan at her speakeasy in NYC during Prohibition.

We've uncovered so much about Waco's history so far -- both famous and infamous -- that we're becoming rather fond of saying that "we're discovering where all of the bodies are buried and where the skeletons in the closets are".

TX Hill Country Wineries to celebrate 20th Anniversary in 2011 with "Road Show Tastings"

2011-01-20T10:11:00.000-08:00

Hard to believe, but the Texas Hill Country AVA celebrates its 20th year in 2011.

To commemorate this achievement -- and 20 years of winemaking in the Texas Hill Country and Texas wines receiving accolades and awards all over the world -- Texas Hill Country Wineries are "hitting the road" all over Texas in 2011 with a series of wine-related special events focusing on Texas' wine heritage, culture and cuisine.

Snobby Tours® thinks this is a great idea, and an excellent way to showcase and introduce Texas wines and restaurants featuring our "regional cuisine" -- especially to travelers visiting Texas in 2011 who are interested in Texas heritage tours, cultural tours, or culinary tours.

Excerpted from Texas Wine Trails News, January 20, 2011:

"In celebration of the 20^th Anniversary of the Texas Hill Country AVA and 20 years of winemaking in the Hill Country, Texas Hill Country Wineries is hitting the road and bringing the wines to you for our first ever Road Show in 2011.

"We will be visiting four great cities Texas starting with Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio and ending in Austin. We invite you to join us in your city for winemaker dinners, seminars and Twitter-tastings for everyone from sommeliers to the discerning consumer.

"You will meet owners, producers and winemakers from at least 15 of our member wineries, 30 wines will be available for tasting, and you will learn about the 400 year old wine industry in Texas."

The "Road Show" destinations are:

Fort Worth, Texas- February 23 and 24, 2011

Houston, Texas- April 2011

San Antonio, Texas- July 2011

Austin, Texas- October/November 2011

Further details about upcoming dates and venues will be published shortly. Snobby Tours' will post this information on our Website at www.snobbytours.com/TXDayandOverniteTrips.html as this info becomes available.

Wok Wiz Chinatown walking tour is a "must do" when visiting San Francisco

2011-01-18T19:57:00.000-08:00

Shirley Fong-Torres' Wok Wiz walking tour in San Francisco's Chinatown has been a favourite of ours for over 20 years because it is a heritage tour, a cultural tour, and a culinary tour all rolled into one fantastic and memorable experience.

We first met Shirley back in the late 1980's when we took her Chinatown walking tour, and we've been good friends ever since.

On that tour she showed us how to make fortune cookies, introduced us to the wonders of Chinese herbs, and enchanted us with a Chinese tea ceremony where we learned that it is important to serve from the right side and with the right hand only.

(These photos are from that first Wok Wiz Chinatown heritage and cultural walking tour with Shirley.)

We recently created a heritage tour of San Francisco for a group from Texas. They took Shirley's "I Can't Believe I Ate My Way Through Chinatown" cultural and culinary tour, which was a highlight of that trip. Our travelers are still talking about what a great time they had -- AND all the fabulous food they ate at a family-owned Chinese restaurant!

In addition to walking up, down and along the back streets and main streets of San Francisco's Chinatown and going inside a Chinese temple, our travelers visited fabulous stores featuring exquisitely carved jade, colourful silks, beautiful watercolour prints, and exotic teas. Our group was totally enthralled. They even saw a traditional funeral procession and the ceremonial opening of a new business, complete with a "fire-breathing dragon".

Shirley now is a San Francisco "icon" -- a celebrity chef and published author who runs a cooking school and appears frequently on national and international cooking shows on television. Some of the accolades she has received are:

Voted “Best Chinatown Walking Tour”Best of San Francisco, 2007, SF Weekly

“One of the best tours in San Francisco!”The New York Times

“One of the top 100 things about San Francisco.”Gourmet Magazine, 2002

“‘Not to Miss’ while in San Francisco, Wok Wiz is among the ‘top ten.’”Cooking Light Magazine, 2002

It's no wonder Snobby Tours® always includes a Wok Wiz Chinatown walking tour whenever we create a heritage tour to San Francisco!

Versailles Palace to have luxury hotel on grounds; overnight guests will stroll in gardens for first time in 300 years.

2011-01-18T09:06:00.000-08:00

The following news article was reported on by Eleanor Beardsley on National Public Radio, January 4, 2011:

"If you've ever dreamed of spending the night at the Palace of Versailles, you might get your chance. A building at France's cherished cultural landmark will soon be turned into a luxury hotel.

"Home to the French monarchy since Louis XIV, Versailles is a monument to royal grandeur. Soon, the palace may also become known for its five-star hotel.

"Mikael Hautchamp is the deputy administrator for the Palace of Versailles. He opens the front doors to the future luxury lodging, a grand, but dilapidated mansion about a hundred yards from the main palace.

"Known as the Hotel du Grand Controle, the mansion was built in the 1680s to serve as the offices and home of the king's treasurer, where he lived with his family and servants. The Hotel du Grand Control was evacuated, along with the rest of Versailles, during the French Revolution. In the 19th and 20th centuries it fell into further disrepair.

" 'The wall here, it's completely crumbling in parts,' Hautchamp points out.' Many parts of this building are in this very damaged situation. It's very difficult for us because our mission is to save the heritage.'

"Hautchamp says Versailles doesn't have the $7 million it will take to restore the building, which is why it turned to Belgian hotel company Ivy International. The company will renovate the mansion and turn its 23 bedrooms into a luxury hotel.

"A percentage of the profits will be paid back to the Palace of Versailles in rent. The restoration is the first in a series of commercial projects aimed at saving French monuments.

"Visitors will have chance to see what it felt like to live at Versailles.

" 'When you're here in the bedroom, you open the window, you have this view,' Hautchamps says. 'We can see here the Orangerie. And here you can see the castle.'

"The Orangerie is the greenhouse where Louis XIV stored his 1,700 orange and palm trees throughout the winter months. The restoration of the Hotel du Grand Controle will take place in 2011 and be overseen by France's top historical architect.

" 'It's quite a pioneering initiative in France for somebody to be able to have the right to take on a project like this in such a historic momentum and transform it into an economic project,' says Louise Grether, who manages the project for Ivy International.

"Some have been critical about handing over a national treasure to a private operator. But on the streets of Versailles, people seem fine with the idea.

"Near the palace, bookshop owner Serge Bessiere says he thinks the new hotel will be a fabulous place to stay, and celebrate any occasion. 'Louis XIV never stopped throwing sumptuous feasts and parties to show he was the Sun King . . ' Bessiere says.

"In January 2012, when the Hotel de l'Orangerie is completed, overnight guests will be able to drink champagne and stroll in the gardens of Versailles for the first time in 300 years."

Snobby Tours®, Inc. is looking forward to checking this out the next time we bring a tour group to Paris. We have mixed feelings about turning over historic national treasures and monuments -- and even antiquities like Pompeii -- to private/corporate operators; however, we recognize that the cost of maintaining these sites for posterity is often too prohibitive to rely solely upon governmental resources.

Calling all "foodies" and "history junkies" - European river cruises can provide the ideal "mix"

2011-01-15T17:54:00.000-08:00

We are quite enchanted by a recent post on the Tasteful Journeys Blog at http://www.blog.tastefuljourneys.com highlighting the benefits of European river cruises.

If you're a lover of food and wine who also likes to travel, then sampling the local cuisine prepared by celebrity chefs and visiting Medieval seaports and historic cities while you are taking a European river cruise can be the ideal "mix" for you.

We agree wholeheartedly. We like the fact that you only have to unpack once and have one "lodging base" for the duration of your trip -- which is how Snobby Tours®, Inc. plans most of its custom itineraries as well. We've found that many travelers prefer to settle in and not have to check in/check out frequently during a trip.

We also like the fact that there is a "backup plan" which makes European river cruising virtually "weather-proof". If there is a drought and the rivers are too low for cruising, then motorcoaches can still take you to the sights on the itinerary.

According to the Tasteful Journeys Blog, generally the best time of year to take a European river cruise is between April and October.

Ancient winery dating back 6,000 years discovered in Armenian cave by UCLA scientists

2011-01-14T23:40:00.000-08:00

From the CNN International Edition and the Los Angeles Times, January 12, 2011:

"Forget France. It turns out, the real birthplace of wine may be in a cave in Armenia.

"An international research team says it has found the world's oldest winery in a paper published Tuesday in the peer-reviewed Journal of Archaeological Science.

" 'It's the oldest proven case of documented and dedicated wine production, stretching back the horizons of this important development by thousands of years,' said Gregory Areshian, co-director of the excavation and assistant director of UCLA's Cotsen Institute of Archaeology.

"Areshian says that clay pots and vats discovered at a sprawling cave system in southern Armenia near the border with Iran shows signs of an organized effort to press and distill grapes during the Copper Age, about 6,000 years ago.

Ancient grape press and wine fermentation vat

_{(reprinted in Los Angeles Times)}

"The roof of the cave had collapsed long ago, sealing in the rudimentary winery and preserving the remnants under an airtight layer of rock and other debris, leading to the remarkable find.

"The team, led by Hans Barnard from UCLA, found a simple wine press, vats with residue, remnants of grape vines and seeds, and a small cup that might have been used to sample the goods.

"The press and wide shallow vat are similar to foot-stomping type equipment used by people throughout the region even up into the 19th century.

"The wine might have tasted similar to modern vintages as well. Botanists examining the find say it was the species Vitis vinifera, the same one used to produce the vast majority of wine today.

"Areshian says the wine would be comparable to a modern unfiltered red wine, and may have had a similar taste to a merlot.

" ‘The find is an important link in the development of wine culture throughout the region’, says Dr. Patrick McGovern, a senior research scientist at the University of Pennsylvania Museum. ‘It fits with the first evidence of grape domestication a thousand years earlier, and the later widespread wine distribution and consumption across the Caucasus and Mediterranean.’

"The oldest previously known evidence of wine dates to about 5400 BC and was discovered at a site called Hajji Firuz in the northern Zagros mountains, where McGovern has found jars with traces of tartaric acid crystals, a chemical marker for wine.

"The oldest previous evidence of grape seeds and other organic materials dates to around 3150 BC and was found in the tomb of the Egyptian king Scorpion I.

"The oldest wine press is much younger, found in the West Bank and dating to about 1650 BC.

" '99% of the wine we drink today stems from that earliest grapevine domestication event that now seems clearly to have taken place in that region,’ says McGovern, author of Uncorking the Past, a history of ancient wine-making.

"Not much is known about the people who distilled and drank the wine. But the study's authors say it's clear that it was probably meant for ceremonial purposes, and not for getting drunk on.

" ‘This find shows that there was a high degree of agriculture and horticultural skill even back in 4,000 BC,’ says Areshian. ‘Producing this wine would have been high technology of the time incorporating detailed knowledge of watering cycles, pruning the vines, how to deal with pests and the fermentation process itself, which is more complex than brewing beer.’ "

This research was sponsored by UCLA and the National Geographic Society.

Killing of Zebras from Hearst Castle Ranch stirs controversy

2011-01-12T19:19:00.000-08:00

"When William Randolph Hearst commissioned San Francisco architect Julia Morgan to build an opulent home for him above central California's coastline on part of the vast Hearst family land holdings, he not only created a castle befitting a "king" of newspaper publishing, he also imported exotic wildlife from all over the world to inhabit the wildlife preserve he created on the property.

Hearst's hilltop retreat, Hearst Castle, a weekend getaway for famous Hollywood movie stars and world leaders especially in the 1930's amd 1940's, has always been a favourite stop on our "California itineraries". Traveling up the winding road to the Castle, our travelers can occasionally catch a glimpse of some of the remaining wildlife.

Therefore, Snobby Tours® was shocked at the L.A. Times articles reporting that zebras from "the ranch" were being killed as they grazed. They are what is left of what was at one time the world's largest private zoo -- a menagerie of camels, kangaroos, emus and giraffes that roamed the sprawling estate of the newspaper magnate.

The following is excerpted from the L.A. Times articles dated January 12 and 13, 2011:

"Last week three zebras -- a buck, a mare and a yearling -- escaped from the 128-square mile ranch and wandered down California Highway 46.

"On Wednesday two of them turned up in a pasture on David Fiscalini's cattle ranch, where, he told the San Luis Obispo Tribune, they spooked his horses.

"So he raised his shotgun and killed them. The same day, another rancher shot the third zebra at a ranch nearby.

"Many people in rural communities believe a rancher has a right to defend his livestock against intruders -- no matter how rare the animals are. But Fiscalini's actions the next day raised eyebrows. On Thursday he called a local taxidermist and asked him to come out to the ranch. He said he needed someone to skin the zebra and tan the hide so he could make a rug.

" 'You can't believe the controversy,' said Rosemary Anderson, whose husband is the taxidermist that handled the zebras.

" 'It breaks my heart to see it killed, because it's wanton waste,' she said. 'It's very sad that it wasn't handled in a different manner, but this rancher felt that was he taking care of his property and getting rid of a predator.'

"Eleanor Seavey, who owns a Cambria bed and breakfast, said she and her friends were disturbed by news of the killings: 'They're such beautiful animals — why would anyone kill them?'

"They are also, she said, loved by visitors.

" 'Whenever the zebras are out, tourists stop to take their pictures,' she said. 'It just delights them.'

"Each year about 1 million people visit Hearst Castle, which has been maintained as a state historic park since the family donated it to the state several years after Hearst died in 1951.

"The Hearst Corp. still owns the 128-square-mile ranch that surrounds the castle. It was once home to more than 300 animals but most were sold off in the 1930s, said William Randolph Hearst's great-grandson, Stephen Hearst. But some sheep, deer and 65 zebras continue to graze there, he said. He was shocked to learn about the killings.

"Hearst said the zebras rarely venture outside the fence that surrounds the Hearst Ranch, 'but from time to time they do, and neighbors give us a call and we retrieve them'."

" 'Was the threat so imminent that his first thought was to make a rug out of them?' Hearst asked. "It's just a shame, and it's a little bit rude in my book. You know, neighbors are supposed to help other neighbors.'

"Fiscalini, who was out branding Wednesday and could not be reached for comment."

It seems to Snobby Tours® that since Hearst Ranch's wildlife -- especially the beloved zebras -- have been on the Ranch for decades -- and continue to enchant visitors to Hearst Castle, including our own tour groups -- that perhaps this situation could have been handled differently and in the "kinder, gentler" way in which the wandering zebras have been retrieved in the past according to Stephen Hearst.

HERITAGE TOUR DESTINATION: ENIGMATIC CHICAGO - GOTTA LOVE IT!! - Review: 4 stars

2011-01-12T16:29:00.000-08:00

Snobby Tours^®, absolutely LOVES Chicago. It's been romanticized for its colourful past and notorious 1920's and 1930's "Prohibition Era" when its South Side was frequented by gangsters and bootleggers like Al Capone, John Dillinger and "Bugs" Moran.

Robie House designed by Frank Lloyd Wright
(reprinted with permission)

Chicago is also known as "an architect's city". It was first determined during the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition to be one of the world's great centers for culture, architecture and commerce. Some of the most outstanding architectural masterpieces from the late 19th/early 20th centuries built by Frank Lloyd Wright, Mies van der Rohe, Louis Sullivan, Daniel Burnham and others grace Chicago's urban landscape and surrounding area.

Tiffany Dome at Chicago Cultural Center
(reprinted with permission)

The Chicago Architecture Foundation and the Frank Lloyd Wright Preservation Trust provide many of the architectural tours around town. One of our favourites is the "Tiffany Tour", a guided walking tour of Chicago's most magnificent art glass and mosaic installations in the downtown area, including the breathtaking lapis dome in Macy's on State Street.

And we can't overlook the restaurants! Chicago is definitely a "restaurant town". Chicago’s inclusive environment encouraged ethnic groups including Germans, Italians, Greeks, Irish and Polish to gravitate toward the city in the early part of the 20th century. These groups are strongly integrated into the city’s fabric today, providing countless ethnic, culinary and cultural experiences for travelers.

There are several "foodie" tours, too. We particularly enjoy starting in the morning at a German bakery, continuing on to an Italian deli for sandwiches on freshly baked breads, and finishing off at a Greek market for sweets -- stopping at a "spice house" along the way, where just walking in the door and inhaling the aroma of spices and herbs is intoxicating. We had no idea there were so many varieties of cinnamon, vanilla or paprika!

One of our all-time favourite Chicago tours is "The Untouchables Tour" -- complete with "gangster guides" and taken in an old bus with "bullet holes" in the glass. The tour goes to all of Al Capone's Prohibition Era "haunts" both famous and infamous. It's especially fun in the evening -- more exciting! We started the evening with Chicago-style pizza at a family-owned Italian restaurant on the South Side, where we were met by our "gangster guide". What a hoot -- and such a crowd pleaser with our travelers!

Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio
(reprinted with permission)

We can't come to Chicago without visiting Oak Park, a nearby community. It's filled with Frank Lloyd Wright-designed homes, particularly down the street from Wright's Home and Studio, which can be toured with guides from the Frank Lloyd Wright Preservation Trust. Oak Park also has the birthhome of Ernest Hemingway and the Hemingway Museum located in an old municipal building, and the home of Edgar Rice Burroughs, author of Tarzan. Oak Park definitely spawned a lot of remarkable creativity.

Lobby of The Palmer House
(reprinted with permission)

We love Chicago so much that we are going back in October, 2011 -- at the height of Fall Foliage in the Midwest -- and staying at one of its great historic hotels, The Palmer House.

The only "downside" we've experienced in Chicago has been regarding chartered land transportation for Chicago-area sightseeing. There haven't been many choices for tour groups requiring 15-29 passenger charters -- either in availability or in pricing. We're at a loss as to why this might be because Chicago is a "convention town". However, for larger tour groups, City cabs and "The EL" are not options.

More info about our upcoming Fall, 2012 custom-created Chicago itinerary is featured at http://www.snobbytours.com/EnigmaticChicago.html

Guided tour inside Dallas' new Wyly Theatre, recipient of 2011 AIA Honor Award for Architecture, included on our Dallas Arts District Day Trip on 01/28/11

2011-01-09T10:58:00.000-08:00

We're taking a guided tour inside the Wyly Theatre on our Dallas Arts District Day Trip on Friday, January 28th. The Wyly Theatre recently received the 2011 AIA Institute Honor Award for Architecture, and is the home of the Dallas Theatre Center. Join us! Reservation deadline: 01/20/11. Reservations may be made online at www.snobbytours.com/TXDayandOvernightTrips.html

The following "Notes of Interest" were published by The American Institute of Architects:

"The AT&T Performing Arts Center is an 80,300 square-foot, 575-seat 'multi-form' theater with the ability to transform between proscenium, thrust, traverse, and flat floor configurations with only a small crew in a few hours and opens the performance chamber to its urban surroundings. Additional program elements include a lobby, large rehearsal room, small rehearsal room/black box theater, patron’s lounge/black box lobby, dressing rooms, green room, costume shop, scene assembly, theater equipment storage, administrative offices, meeting/education spaces, staff lounge, and two terraces.

"The Dallas Theater Center (DTC) is known for its innovative work, the result of its leadership’s constant experimentation and the provisional nature of its former, long-time home. The DTC’s previous accommodation—a makeshift metal shed—freed its users from the limitations imposed by a fixed-stage configuration and the need to protect expensive interior finishes.

Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre
(reprinted with permission)

"The Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre overcame these challenges by positioning back-of-house and front-of-house facilities above and beneath the auditorium, instead of encircling it. This unprecedented stacked design transforms the building into a "theater machine" that extends the technologies of the fly tower and stage into the auditorium to provide an almost infinite variety of stage-audience configurations; liberates the performance hall's perimeter to allow fantasy and reality to mix when and where desired; and manifests a strong presence in the Dallas Arts District despite its relatively modest size."

Comments from the 2011 AIA Honor Awards for Architecture Jury:

"This building is an expression of a totally new way to investigate the potential of performance experimentation – completely re-choreographed the way in which one experiences a theater."

"The flexibility of this building redefines theater in a way that is unique – curtains open, light comes in."