Sculptural surprises at the Postal Museum

FRANKFURT FACTFILE

GETTING THERE

Frankfurt is Germany's transport centre. so there's no problem finding flights. Lufthansa (wwwlufthansacom) and British Airways

high life in Germany’s financial centre, Of museums instead. Words: Louisa Pearson

Disneyworld's Sleeping Beauty castle was based on). For scenery the Bavarian Alps are within reach. and you could try a cruise on the Bhein or else visit the cities of Munich. Bonn or Dusseldorf.

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Excess baggage Festivals, flights and fabulous fares

IF YOU NEED TIME OUT and fanCy getting in touch with your spiritual side. you might be interested to know that Kagyu Samye Ling, the Buddhist retreat in Dumfriesshire has launched its Summer programme. Weekend breaks cover topics like yoga, garden design and meditation, and longer retreats are available. For dates and prices check out wwwsamyelingorg or call 01387 373232. CLUBBERS LOOKING for a holiday with a difference might want to head out to Norway next month when Agia Napa favourites Oi Oi tour these slightly cooler climes. From 26-28 April Vivien Marky and the 2- Faced Collective will be doing their house and trance thing at clubs in Trondheim, Mould and Oslo, for full details check out their website, www.badtaste.co.uk MINISTRY OF SOUND is also getting into the travel scene. Its Clubbers Guide. . .

TRAVEL GUIDE DR NICK JONES

The Rough Guide To Travel Health (Rough Guides

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Everyone knows

Holiday 2001 includes ‘1

www.ryanair.com

Travel

the Bahia hotel in San Antonio. Ibiza. which Claims to be the world's first digital audio hotel. Each room has an MP3 player. sound system, internet access. and Galaxy Radio Will be broadcasting live from the hotel throughout the Summer. Need we mention the 24-hour bar? The brochure is available from travel agents or call 0870 727 0457 for a copy.

THE SEASON MIGHT drawing to an end in Scotland, but snow- boarders have a new website to help them pursue their activity of choice. www.world snowboardcom is written by Aviemore- based veteran snowboarder Tony Brown, and features news, links to big events and the largest searchable snowboard database on the web.

RYANAIR IS KEEPING the pressure on its low- cost rivals with seven new destinations being launched in April from Stansted. including Brussels. Salzburg and Stockholm from $379. Full details of routes and fares on

.r » (www.british-ain/vays.com) both fly direct from someone who’s had a 3' / ,- Edinburgh with several flights a day; if you SPECIAL EVENTS holiday health nightmare, , / "I want to fly from Glasgow you'll have to make r” l a stop en-route. Frankfurt Airport's website is than any other in Europe, so you're i plain old toothache. This 1,- ' Qi

a valuable source of information, listing all Current flight schedules (www.frankfurt- airportde).

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guaranteed theatre. music and art events all new guide aims to help year round. and there are also several festivals wonh seeing. Discover the city's i traditional side at the Spring Dippemess I (6—29 April) where you'll find an extensive ' pottery market, fairground and entertainment. ; A folk festival that has been running for l centuries is Waldchestag (2—5 June) which features live performances. fairground and numerous beer tents in the city woods. Possibly the city's biggest cultural event, the Museumsuferfest (24—26 August) sees the banks of the River Main filled with stages for performers of all kinds from classical to pop music. with open-air art exhibitions and lots more. The ideal time of year to visit the city is late November or December when the Christmas Markets take over. Virtually every corner you turn brings you to an array of wooden stalls, Christmas trees and sparkling lights. Sample the local Gluhwein. an incredibly sweet mulled wine which everyone stands around drinking out of festive mugs. and choose between hand-crafted toys. candles and culinary delights. Guaranteed to get you in the Christmas spirit.

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coping. It starts with Travel H88 lth Being Prepared, detailing what immunisations ' ~- . you’ll need, the perils of travelling by air, food and drink advice and what to put in a medical kit, traditional or alternative. Dotted through the sections are ‘real life stories’ such as ‘jungle fever in Nepal’ which are both entertaining and informative.

Hypochondriacs will love the A-Z guide to diseases and hazards. This covers everything from cholera, contraception and culture shock to freshwater hazards like crocodiles (‘never approach one, even if it appears to be asleep’). There’s a country by country guide detailing what risks you’re likely to encounter there, and the whole package ends with a directory of * useful websites, books and organisations. The I] only thing missing is advice on dealing with l doctors and hospitals in foreign locations, but i that aside, this pocket-sized book could prove l

BACKGROUND INFO

The German Tourist Board, the regional tourist board (Hesse) and Frankfurt's own tourist board can all supply you with information and advice. The latter can be reached at Tourism & Congress. GmbH Frankfurt am Main. Kaiserstrasse 56. D- 60329 Frankfurt am Main, tel + 49 (0) 69/21 23 08 08. Its website is extensive. detailing hotels. sightseeing, histOry. transport and pretty much anything else you need to know (www.frankfurtde). For general info on Germany, the website is wwwgermany- t0urism.de

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PLACES TO VISIT

An excellent transpon network means it's easy to get to other parts of Germany. or even Belgium, Switzerland and France. Close to Frankfurt is the medieval town of Rothenburg. or if you're into fairytale castles. Heidelberg is the place to go (it's the one

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invaluable. (Louisa Pearson)

15-29 Mar 2001 TH. LIOT 1 18