The French capital is a city heaped in history and tales of conspiracy, murder and even vampires! Rosie Khdir gets a fright on a Parisian ghost tour.

While the evenings are still cold and dark enough to set the scene, take a walk around Paris, a city haunted by its eerie and often violent past.

You will be surprised to learn that unlike in the capital cities of the UK, Paris does not have many ghost tours, but one that every fan of the paranormal should experience is the Mysteries of Paris Ghost Tour.

The tour group gathers every Friday and Saturday at 8pm in Black Dog Bar where you will meet one of two enthusiastic tour guides who will take you back in time, as they recant tales of Parisian horror.

These guides are like walking historical encyclopaedias, spouting interesting fact after gruesome tale as you huddle together on old cobbled streets. The tour is described as “The Dark Side of the City of Lights” and covers all things macabre including torture, executions, cannibalism, serial killings, Satanism and unexplained phenomena.

The guides are funny and engaging and make this a really unique and enjoyable way to spend an evening. You hear about the less romantic and darker side of Paris, which although at times is quite grim, is also an eye opener!

Previous visitors who have written on the Mysteries of Paris website have labelled the experience “a mix of rock & roll, urban legend and haunted history” but be warned it is not for the easily frightened!

The Black Dog Bar is situated at the 24 rue Lombards, Paris 75004 and the tour lasts about two hours. Some language can be explicit so it might not be the best family activity but for anyone who is up for a good scare and dose of gruesome French history this tour is ideal!

The Mysteries of Paris Ghost Tour is now a member of the Office du Tourisme in Paris you can get more information about the tour through them.

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Image credit: boklm

All aboard, as Tomas Mowlam experiences the delights of the grand age of steam trains at Utrecht’s Spoorwegmuseum.

The Spoorwegmuseum is an immersion into the world of trains from the very start, as you enter through the restored 19th Century Maliebaan station, and buy your entrance tickets at the old ticket booth.

The first ‘land’, The Great Discovery takes you back to 1800, to the coal mines and the birth of steam engines in 1829 with George Stevenson’s Rocket. There’s even a replica of the very first steam train in the Netherland’s the Arend.

The second ‘land’, Dream Journeys takes you onboard the Orient Express, the luxurious train route that whisked the great and the good of 19th Century Europe from Paris to Constantinople.

Steel Monsters is the third land, and takes you into amongst the smoke, dust and dirt of the railway yards. It also takes you into the lives of the men who worked with the trains, like the Gommers family, who for three generations worked the Dutch rail yards as signalman, pointsman, engine driver and chief engineer.

Finally in the workshops you can see how the trains were built, and marvel at the restored locomotives. The EduTRAINERS [terrible I know] are on hand to explain things to the kids, with interesting and informative displays and talks about the engineering behind the trains.

A Royal Exhibition

From 15 April the museum will hold Royal Class, Regal Journeys, an exhibition which promises to recreate the grandeur in which European royalty travelled, with carriages that once belonged to King Louis II of Bavaria, Tsar Alexander II, Franz Ferdinand, Carl Gustav of Sweden and King Albert I of Belgium amongst others.

I’m far from a fan of trains (they’re normally late and uncomfortable) but something about the lovingly restored metal monsters was breathtaking.

Getting There

The museum is open Mondays during the school holidays, rest of the year open Tuesdays to Sundays 10.00am to 5.00pm. Parking is limited to 200 vehicles but a shuttle train runs between Utrecht CS and the Railway Museum. Check it out at spoorwegmuseum.nl

Image Credit: Marcin Wichary

If you are sick of visiting museums where you have to be silent and constantly obey “do not touch” signs then you should try visiting NEMO. Rosie Khdir takes a look at the largest science centre in the Netherlands.

Just moments from the Amsterdam Centraal Station sits a bold, green building that looks like a ship that’s docked. Do not be fooled, for this is the famous NEMO science centre, design by Italian architect Renzo Piano.

The five floors of this museum are dedicated to science and technology, a place where people can use all their senses to discover how the world works. A trip to this museum is great for children and for the adults out there who are kids at heart.

It is a fun and educational experience to learn how bridge become so strong in the Amazing Constructions exhibit, find out how the brain works with the Journey through the mind display; you can even discover the language behind computers at the Bits & Co exhibit.

People who are more hands-on can blow soap bubbles big enough to fit a whole person inside, experiment in the Wonder Lab and find out how to make glue from potatoes. In the summer you can splash about on NEMO’s roof in the Splashing Water Wonder.

The latest exhibition to be introduced to NEMO is “The search for new life”. This interactive exhibit questions the difference between lifeless objects and living things and whether there is life beyond Earth.

The museum has workshops, games and theatre shows are held during almost every school holiday. There are cafes inside the museum but if you prefer to bring your own food, you can snack in the assigned places.

NEMO is not only a fun and educational day out for the whole family it’s also a great sight to behold for fans of great modern architecture.

Image credit: o palsson

Think of Belgium – jazz, moules e frites and chocolate. Well the stereotype isn’t that far off and Belgium is embracing its potato based heritage with a whole museum. Tomas Mowlam investigates Bruges’ Frietmuseum.

The Frietmuseum aims to show the entire world of the humble fry, broken down into three sections: the history of the potato, the history of the fry and then when you’ve had your fill of starchy information you can then taste some traditional Belgian fries.

Humans eating and enjoying the tuber dates back over 10,000 years, and wild potatoes have been found in tombs in Peru and Chile, the Frietmuseum itself even has Inca vases representing the potato (above).

The museum goes onto detail how the snack made it from the wilds of America to Europe, potato recipes, and how it goes from the ground to your plate.

The main attraction is the final section where you can sample fries with traditional Belgian food such as stews, moules and other delights.

If fries seems bit of an esoteric subject for a museum then check the lighting museum, Lumina Domestica, and chocolate museum, Choco Story, all created by Cédric and Eddy Van Belle.

The museum is also housed in a surprisingly grand building, the Saailhalle built in 1399, and a second building built a few years later as a centre for the Genoan consul and trade in medieval Bruges.

On the museum website Eddy explains why they chose the Saailhalle, calling it a “one of the masterpieces of Bruges.”

“This house certainly deserves to escape from the major building work which would very likely have been needed had it been converted into anything other than a museum.

“It is one of the great advantages of our project that we can show off this magnificent building to the many people who visit it, not only from the outside, but the inside as well.”

The museum is open daily from 10 am – 5 pm and for prices and more information check out the website, frietmuseum.be.

Image Credit: Friet Musuem

This stunning building was once home to the royals of the Netherlands and now stands as an icon of their luxurious and artistic lifestyle. Rosie Khdir takes a tour around the Royal Palace Het Loo.

Paleis Het Loo, meaning “The Woods Palace”, was bought by Stadholder King William III of Orange in 1684 with the intension of building upon its medieval structure.

By 1692 the symmetrical Dutch Baroque style royal residence was completed and in 1693 the gardens were embellished further by famous French designer Claude Desgotz.

This palace was inhabited by the Royal family of the Netherlands, the House of Orange-Nassau, from 1686 until 1975 and even though they no longer walk the halls, the beautiful and decadent furnishings, paintings and sculptures still decorate its rooms.

In 1960 Queen Wilhelmina, the last inhabitant of the palace, declared that the property would be passed on to the state after her death and has since been turned into a wonderful museum for the public.

Various rooms of the palace are laid out as if the royal family still lived there, with tapestries covering the walls, chandeliers hanging from the ceilings and elaborate fabrics decorating the four poster beds.

The wings of the palace hold museum exhibitions such as the current “Through the lens of Professor Pieter Van Vollenhoven”, which is a presentation of beautiful photographs taken by Van Vollenhoven around the palace in the last five years. This show runs from now until 5th September 2010.

The splendour of the palace itself is no doubt a sight to behold but the real beauty of the Royal Palace Het Loo lies in its gardens. The palace is surrounded by woodlands (hence its name) and contains pergolas, terraces, statues and fountains, which are always in motion. These stunning seventeenth century grounds are completely unique, and are even more breathtaking in spring or summer.

The Palace Het Loo and its gardens are open from Tuesday to Sunday from 10.00am to 5.00pm. Visit the official site for more information.

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Image courtesy of Holland.com

When spring returns and the weather takes a turn for the better it’s time to start planning your first caravan trip. And where better to start than with a caravan trip to France, says John Hillman

As we turn into the home straight and race towards the finish line, I think it’s safe to say that even the most diehard fan, of these dark and frosty months, will be glad to reach the welcoming arms of spring after this particular winter.

And of all the people in the UK to rejoice the return of warmer climes, there are perhaps none more eager and more grateful than the nation’s caravan owners.

March marks the beginning of the caravanning season. Any of you toying with the idea of joining this troupe of intrepid roadsters can now begin registering with the Camping and Caravanning Club, who run courses from March to September.

The short course will teach you everything you need to know about towing, loading, hitching and unhitching, reversing with safety, and any legal issues surrounding caravans and the roads.

Once you’re ready to hit the open road there really is an endless list of possible destination for you to consider. P&O Ferries has been transporting caravanners over to France on the Dover to Calais route for many decades now. This is because the French have a very strong tradition of camping holidays, in their culture, so as a result they have the excellent facilities to match.

Whether you wish to explore the foothills of the Alps, the rugged coastline of Normandy or the rural charms of Provence, you’ll find an endless supply of excellent locations to hook up your pitch, open your deckchairs and fire up the barbeque. Then sit back and marvel at the scenery.

Image Credit: MGspiller

For one enchanting evening in March some of the most famous museums in Brussels will be opening their doors to the public for some after hour’s, art filled entertainment. Rosie Khdir takes a look at what’s in store…

On the 6th March 2010, twenty museums in Brussels will open from 8pm to 1am for the Night of the Brussels Museums. This, the second edition of the event will include exhibitions of music, dance, workshops, DJs and of course the art.

Museums included in this artful extravaganza are the BELvue Museum, the Museum of Musical Instruments, the Belgian Centre for Comic Strip Art, the Museum of Costume and Lace and the Museum of the City of Brussels.

This rather unusual and delightful event has been organised in cooperation with youth organisations and students and can be enjoyed by people of all ages.

It will be a night of spontaneous performance, electro-architectural exhibitions, dancing and guided tours. The best part is that those of you who come alive at night can party on until 3am at Bozar, where the event’s after-party will be held.

This truly is an extraordinary event that should not be missed by any art lover. Advanced tickets can be bought on the official Museum Night Fever website up until the 5th March but be aware that children up the age of 12 must be accompanied by an adult.

For more a program of events, places, transport information and ticket prices visit the official event website.

In 2010 we will say goodbye to the Year of the Ox and welcome in the Tiger! Rosie Khdir explores the Chinese New Year celebrations across Europe.…

This weekend Chinese communities all over the world will be celebrating the start of a new year. The Year of the Ox will end on Sunday 14th of February so for those of you, who don’t fancy celebrating St. Valentine’s Day, why not join the Chinese in celebrating the Year of the Tiger?

Celebrations will kick off all over Europe for this major event in the Chinese calendar. In Paris’ 13th arrrondissement, where the largest Asian community lives, a party will begin with the traditional procession of the dragon. A colourful parade featuring firecrackers, music, dancing and this giant serpent will take place in the heart of the Chinatown in the French capital.

In the Netherlands the festivities will begin on Saturday 13th February in the city hall in The Hague. A one kilometre log red carpet will connect the city hall to Chinatown and at 1pm a firework show and dragon parade will mark the start of the party.

For the last few months Brussels has been the host for the Europalia a festival celebrating Chinese culture. This event will end on the 14th February as the new Chinese year begins. The Hong Kong Economic Trade Office, along with various other organisations in the country, is putting on a celebration on Friday 19th February at the Concert Noble in the Belgian capital, complete with delicious Chinese cuisine, performances and prizes!

A person’s Chinese zodiac sign is based on the lunar year in which they were born. The Tiger is the third animal in the zodiac which is the sign for people born in 2010, 1998, 1986, 1974, 1962 and 1950 and is characterised by its courage, optimism, rebelliousness and vigour.

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Image credit: Dalliano0925翹鬍子周末