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The Crailo State Historical Site in Rensselaer, New York is an interactive museum that focuses on the experiences of the Colonial Dutch in the Hudson River Valley. 2009 bears a special significance to this part of the area's history as it is the 400th anniversary of Henry Hudson sailing his “Half Moon” ship up the Hudson River.
The Crailo site was originally the family home of the Van Rensselears, an influential New York family. The house was built in the early 18th century by Hendrick Van Rensselaer, grandson of Kilaen Van Rensselar, the First Patroon (a landholder with rights to large amounts of land in the Dutch colony of New Netherland). The home was later remodeled by his grandson and other descendants. Today the building is a brick home with Dutch doors situated directly on the Hudson. It houses various exhibits related to New York's Dutch heritage. Currently on exhibition is an extensive presentation that tells the story of the Dutch before the establishment of New Netherland and through later stages of Dutch-American history.
The exhibit is geared to a 21st century audience with several interactive components. The exhibit contains a large mural depicting Fort Orange, the first permanent Dutch settlement in New Netherland. Exhibit viewers may open doors and windows on the mural to reveal Dutch genre paintings from the 17th century.
As more and more documents are translated a greater amount of information related to this period of history comes to light. Visitors can partake in special programs and guided tours of the museum. Rensselaer is located directly across from Albany and is only a five minute drive from Albany's downtown.
Travelers411 Community Forums - This interview's thread
http://www.travelers411.com/forums/showthread.php?t=587
For more information visit www.nysparks.state.ny.us
The‘d' hotel, the sister property of the ‘g' hotel in Galway, is located on the east coast of Ireland just north of Dublin. It a great location for those wishing to tour significant areas in eastern Ireland. The hotel is approximately 25 minutes from Dublin Airport and is located on the banks of the River Boyne in the historic town of Drogheda. The hotel was designed by Douglas Wallace who was also the architect for the Morrison Hotel in Dublin.
Stephanie recommends that visitors driving north from Dublin first stop at Malahide Castle, an estate set on 250 acres of park land in the seaside town of Malahide. She recommends next stopping at Newgrange. Newgrange is a passage tomb that is one of the largest and most stunning prehistoric megalithic sites in the world. Stephanie says it is phenomenal and a great way to picture life 5,000 years ago.
The ‘d' is a contemporary hotel. It uses a lot of limestone and walnut in its design and has a lounge, bar and restaurant that all open out onto to river side terraces. Upstairs there is a small function room called the Gallery. Drogheda was an old industrial town and the hotel is built around an area of historic factories. The Gallery has high beams and is a fantastic setting for weddings.
The hotel has 104 guest rooms as well as two penthouse suites, the light room and the dark room respectively. Both penthouses have rooftop terraces that look out over the town. Guests can see eight church steeples and several bridges from the rooftop view. The remaining guest rooms are well-suited to families, each with a double and a single bed. There are sixteen balcony views available.
Travelers411 Community Forums - This interview's thread
http://www.travelers411.com/forums/showthread.php?t=580
For more information visit http://www.thedhotel.com
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Lord Alexander Burton Conyngham, the Earl of Mount Charles in County Meath, Ireland, joins “Travelers411” to discuss his family estate and several ongoing projects on the castle's grounds. The Conynghams, a noble Scottish family that settled in Ireland in 1611, have occupied Slane Castle since 1701. The building as it stands today was constructed in 1785. Lord Henry, Alex's father, began using the property as a concert venue in the early 80's. He subsequently earned the name “the rock and roll aristocrat”.
Today Alex also helps with the concerts run at the property on a regular basis. There is seating capacity for up to 100,000 people. Slane Castle hosts many overseas visitors for both weddings and concert events. Past performances include musical acts such as the Rolling Stones, Madonna, Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen.
The castle contains the renowned “Gothic Ballroom”, one the finest neo-Gothic designed rooms in all of north Western Europe. Alex states that “it has amazing light and great acoustics”. It was designed in the 18th century by English architect Thomas Hopper. The room was featured in the U2 video “Pride” (informally known as “In the Name of Love).
The Conyngham family's latest venture is the production of Slane Castle Irish Whiskey. The project started two years ago with Alex, his father and his grandfather who sadly passed away this past year. The whiskey launched in June 2009 in Ireland and is now available in Massachusetts, Florida and a few other states in the US. Alex states that “Irish whiskey is a source of Irish pride” and Slane Irish Whiskey “reflects the quality and heritage associated with the (Slane) property”.
The Slane distillery is open for tours. On occasion, the castle has been rented out for weeklong visitors who have been willing to pay a considerable cost for the rental. It is ideally located between Dublin and Belfast and is a stunning estate. Overnight visits are granted upon special request.
Travelers411 Community Forums - This interview's thread
http://www.travelers411.com/forums/showthread.php?t=588
For more information visit http://www.slanecastle.ie
The city of Outaouais, Quebec is in the south western part of the province near the Ontario boarder. It is only a short drive to Ottawa, Ontario, Canada's capital. Visitors who fly into Ottawa International Airport need to travel only another 20 minutes by car to get to Outaouais.
Outaouais is a beautiful destination that has a mix of both the English-speaking and French Canadian culture. It is approximately seven hours north of New York City and only two hours from Montreal. Jose Lafleur, Assistant Director of Communications and Public Relations for Outaouais Tourism, tells visitors to come during the fall. The weather is still temperate and the leaves change color. The off season is generally November through early December just as the snow starts to fall and also March through April when the weather is wet. Outaouais is a fabulous fall, winter and late spring/summer destination with something to offer in each part of the peak seasons.
Travelers411 Community Forums - This interview's thread
http://www.travelers411.com/forums/showthread.php?t=591
For more information visit http://www.outaouaistourism.com
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Fun Facts:
The Van Rensselaer's Crailo Farm was named after the family's estate in the Netherlands. It was also spelled Crayloo or Cralo in the 17th century, and means "crows' wood" in Dutch.
The site of Newgrange in eastern Ireland predates the pyramids.
The Hill of Slane, which overlooks Slane Castle, is where St. Patrick lit his paschal fire. He was later summoned by the High King to Tara, and Ireland was subsequently converted to Christianity.
Alex the Earl of Mount Charles' great, great, great grandmother was the first Marchioness Conyngham. She was involved romantically with King George IV of England. The two carried out a romance on the castle grounds in 1821.
Guests Include:
Heidi Hall, Director, Crailo State Historical Site, Rensselaer, New York.
www.nysparks.state.ny.us
Rory Scott, General Manager, the ‘d' hotel, Drogheda, County Louth, Ireland.
www.thedhotel.com
Alex, Earl of Mount Charles, Slane Castle, County Meath, Ireland.
www.slanecastle.ie
Jose Lafleur, Assistant Director- Communications and Public Relations, Outaouais Tourism, Outaouais, Quebec.
www.outaouaistourism.com
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The “Travelers411” radio show and “Travel with Stephanie Abrams!” radio show will be broadcast live October 31 and November 1, 2009 from the Riviera Nayarit, Mexico. Show host Stephanie will also be broadcasting “Travel with Stephanie Abrams!” from the Ritz-Carlton Cancun then she will head to England and will fly with British Airways on their Airbus Model # A318. The craft normally holds one hundred and twenty three seats but all seats have been removed and the plane reconfigured to hold only thirty two seats that lie flat.
In November Stephanie will be broadcasting live from the Cranley Hotel in London before traveling to Ireland and then on to France. While en route to the south of France Stephanie will stop at the Sir Christopher Wrens House in London. She will be in Cong, Ireland for the Luxury Travel Expo and back in the Berkshires mid-December.
Stephanie recommends returning to Ireland in early December. The Belvedere House Gardens and Park in County Westmeath, Ireland has a Chronicle of Narnia event. Doors of a wardrobe at the property open up and guests can step into a Narnia recreation.
For more information visit http://www.belvedere-house.ie
Jarrod Lyman, Director of Media for Yosemite Sierra Visitors Bureau joins the “Travelers411” radio show. It is currently off-season for visitors to Yosemite National Park which means fewer crowds and more opportunity to purchase economical travel packages. Lyman recommend visitors take Highway 41 to the southern entrance into Yosemite. There are great attractions along the way and it is an opportunity to see the Californian side of the park.
There is much to do in Yosemite during the month of October. The park is included in lists of “haunted destinations” in the US and also has the annual Coarsegold Tarantula Festival October 24, 2009. Ghost hunters are leading tours in some of the haunted attractions in the surrounding region and Jarrod Lyman suggests contacting the website for more information about the events.
The park has beautiful scenery year round. Lyman recommends visiting Mariposa Grove which has a series of giant sequoias. He describes them as “beautiful, immense and ancient”. The Visitors Center is located 14 miles south of the gateway into Yosemite. Tourists can drive through Yosemite or make use of the many tour companies that will take you through the park. Guests are given the history that goes along with the incredible beauty of the area. Lyman also mentions the nearby Tin Lizzy Inn Bed and Breakfast. The B&B has a Ford Model T and Ford Model A which they use to drive guests through Yosemite Park.
There are options for guests who want to stay within the park as well. The Wawona Hotel is a historic property within the Yosemite national park with a nine-hole golf course. It is not quite as old as the Ahwahnee Hotel. The latter was built in the 1920's for the purpose of attracting wealthy philanthropists who would support the park system. The Ahwanhnee is located directly beneath a series of granite cliffs. It is arguably one of the park's most stunning images.
Another spectacular and iconic image is of Tunnel View, a site which includes the granite crest Half Dome to its right, and the El Capiton rock formation to its left. It is breathtaking and is what is most commonly associated with Yosemite. When leaving the park by way of the southern exit Lyman recommends pulling off to an area on the Merced River where you can see El Capiton on the left and Bridalveil Falls on the right. Lyman says “to me it is one of the most beautiful spots on this planet”. There is excellent signage within the park but Lyman suggests to not be restricted by a scheduled itinerary. “It's when you truly discover things”.
Travelers411 Community Forums - This interview's thread
http://www.travelers411.com/forums/showthread.php?t=678
For more information visit http://www.yosemitethisyear.com or call 559-683-4636.
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The Golden Chain Theatre is a community theater located on Highway 41 in Oakhurst, California. It is on the main road twenty minutes from the gateway to Yosemite. The theater puts on several productions a year in the standard melodrama formula. The organization is run by people who volunteer their time to keep it open. The theater holds three hundred and sixty five people.
The theater has recently become involved in paranormal investigations. Ghost hunters became interested because of the history of the building. Recently the theater hosted a seminar with people who produce television series related to paranormal phenomena.
Travelers411 Community Forums - This interview's thread
http://www.travelers411.com/forums/showthread.php?t=765
For more information visit http://www.goldenchaintheatre.org
Stephanie recently attended the memorial service for author Frank McCourt. She comments that people who have achieved great things often come from difficult or humble beginnings. What she took away from the service: “Be present in your life and pay attention”.
Guests Include:
Jarrod Lyman, Director of Media, Yosemite Sierra Visitors Bureau, Oakhurst, California.
www.yosemitethisyear.com
Mary Lou Finley, President, Golden Chain Theatre, Oakhurst, California.
www.goldenchaintheatre.org
