Category: Small Group Discoveries

EuropeSmall Group Discoveries

Immerse Yourself in Ireland’s Warm Culture

on March 15, 2017

You raise a pint to the uplifting sound of traditional music and listen as your pub-mate recounts how he tried to conquer the croagh just across the lough. He and his bird made it halfway up and it started bucketing brutal. Now he’s bushed and happy to sit here and blather with his Black Stuff and colcannon.
If you know everyday Irish slang, you know that you’ve been listening to “trad”itional Irish music and your friend and his girlfriend made it only halfway up that mountain that’s on the other side of the lake before it started pouring rain. Exhausted, he’s content to chatter endlessly, drink his Guinness, and eat his mashed potatoes and cabbage.

Colorful language comprises just a fraction of the fun that makes up Irish culture. When you journey to the Emerald Isle in a Discovery Tours small group, you’re sure to uncover more. And rest assured, it’ll be craic! (That’s pronounced “crack” and it means—we promise—you’ll have a great time!)

A Song in Their Hearts

When the Irish dance the night away, they’re summoning a tradition that stretches back generations. In many cities, it’s a nightly ritual to gather at rustic, relaxed pubs to catch up with neighbors over a pint or two. “Pub” is short for the old term for a watering hole, Public House, and the purpose of these original gathering spots was more to socialize than to drink. Today, if the band’s in the house to play some trad music, or traditional Irish music, there’s no telling when last call will be.

Trad music’s main instruments are harps, timpans (small stringed instruments played with a bow), fifes, buinnes (oboe or flute) and other winds, bagpipes, and fiddles. These ensembles and the folk music they play have survived into Ireland’s modern culture with more confidence than the traditional music of other European countries. For this, scholars thank Ireland’s remote location in relation to the European continent. Because it is situated so far west, it never became a battleground in the two world wars, so the oral traditions on which music thrives carried through the 20th century uninterrupted.

Irish dance has a similarly interesting background. The dance form that most Americans know today was popularized by Riverdance performances. This type of step-dancing has been influenced by the traveling performers of the 18th and 19th centuries. They showed up at fairgrounds or competitions and had to jockey for position in a crowded space, leaving them little room to perform. Some would hop onto a tabletop just to be seen. So it was by necessity that their dance style was so contained, with arms rigid at their sides. A more sedate dance is the ceili in which up to eight couples form a square and dance in formation, much like the square dancing of American culture.

A Rich Literary Tradition

For such a small country, Ireland’s literary influence on the world has been huge. It is proudly home to four Nobel Prize Laureates: William Butler Yeats, George Bernard Shaw, Samuel Beckett, and Seamus Heaney. The first three were all born in Dublin, which earns that city bragging rights as the birthplace of the most literary laureates in the world. To some, this disproportionate literary surge makes sense; after all, Irish literature is the third oldest in history so it’s had a lot of time to achieve perfection!

Of course, many others also contributed to the Irish literary canon, and to the cultural pantheon of the world. Who has not heard of Dracula, whose legend was first penned by Bram Stoker? What child has not delighted to the stories of Narnia, C.S. Lewis’s creation? And what lover of wit and social satire has not loved the plays of Oscar Wilde? All these beloved authors were Irish, despite that they lived much of their lives in London.

But perhaps Ireland’s most famous book is one of its very first. In the library of Trinity College in Dublin, four bound volumes are kept in a protected case. Together, these books comprise the four Gospels of the New Testament. The Book of Kells, as it is named (after the Abbey in which it was kept for centuries) is thought to have been created in 800 A.D. Each of its pages is elaborately and intricately illuminated with calligraphy, illustration, and geographic designs painted with ink that was imported to the “author” monks from exotic lands. It is one of Ireland’s most prized possessions.

Irish Cuisine: Beyond the Potato

The food of Ireland hasn’t traditionally been thought of as exciting or innovative. But that is changing as modern-day culinary awareness bolsters menus all around the world.

On the most basic level, Irish cuisine springs from the farm culture that has long defined the country. For centuries, it was a meat and vegetable culture until the potato arrived in the 16th century. No one could know then that this modest root vegetable would have dramatic effects on the Irish, their culture, and their politics. In fact, it’s fair to say that never before or since the Irish Potato Famine has a food altered the course of history so dramatically, instigating a mass exodus, changing the country’s birth rate and demographics for generations, and inciting political upheavals that would leave scars for decades.

Today, more than 150 years after the famine, the potato is plentiful. It appears in Irish stew, boxty (a kind of potato pancake), coddle (a stew of leftovers, which almost always includes potatoes), and colcannon (mashed potatoes with kale or cabbage).

A new Irish cuisine has taken hold in the last 30 years or so. Led largely by the graduating chefs from the Ballymaloe Cookery School in County Cork (which was founded by a local celebrity chef who embraces the slow food movement), new gastronomies—from pizza to curries to West African flavors—have been shaking things up in Irish kitchens. Salmon, trout, shellfish, fresh vegetables, and an array of cheeses now being produced throughout Ireland are raising the culinary bar in restaurants from Dublin to Galway. Perhaps this shift is an echo from Giuseppe Cervi, an Italian immigrant who brought a new dish to Ireland in the 1880s: fish and chips. His creation is now, of course, synonymous with Ireland and its British neighbors.

From language and song to literature and cuisine, it’s easy to lose yourself in the lovely and lilting culture of Ireland. Reserve our Irish Culture trip today, and you’ll soon be greeted with a hearty “Failte!”—the warm Irish welcome.

Small Group DiscoveriesUSA & Canada

The Grand Old Beacons of Newfoundland & Labrador

on February 22, 2017

Once European settlements were established in Northeastern Canada, ships transporting goods needed to be safely guided along the rocky coasts of Newfoundland & Labrador. So the province is home to many historic lighthouses that enrich the character and the coastal landscape of this pristine region, providing glimpses of its seafaring past. In a Discovery Tours small group, you’ll visit these national treasures, listed here by order of their appearance on the coast.

Cape Spear, Newfoundland (1836). Perched on a hill overlooking St. John’s harbor at the easternmost point of Canada, Cape Spear was the second lighthouse to be built on the island but is the oldest surviving one. During World War II, a gun battery was installed on the site to defend the harbor. Barracks were added for troops. Cape Spear National Historic Park was opened to great fanfare by Prince Charles and Princess Diana in 1983.

Cape Bonavista, Newfoundland (1843). Marking the entrances to Bonavista and Trinity Bays, this historic lighthouse is the fourth-oldest in Newfoundland. Its original lamps and reflectors were shipped here from Scotland. It operated for about 120 years until an electric light on a nearby skeleton tower was illuminated to serve the same purpose. Today, Cape Bonavista Lighthouse is a museum with period furnishings and whaling and ecological exhibits, and still boasts the vertical red and white stripes of the island’s original lighthouses.

Point Amour, Labrador (1857). The tallest in Atlantic Canada and the second tallest in the entire country, Point Amour Lighthouse was built of limestone from local quarries at a time when steamships sailed through the Strait of Belle Isle, the stretch of sea that separates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador. The cylindrical tower is a Provincial Historic Site and was one of a series of “Imperial Towers,” so named as they were financed by the British Empire.

Lobster Cove Head, Newfoundland (1898). Before construction of the Lobster Cove Head Lighthouse in Bonne Bay, a simple oil lamp burned in the private home of G.C. Fearn to alert ships to the perils of the rocky coast. The townspeople, convinced that a stronger light was needed, got together to arrange for this iron tower to be built. Signal flags were also used here to convey messages between ships and the shore.

Fox Point, Newfoundland (1906). This charming square tower on a rocky promontory is quite modern, completed in 2003. When a light was originally placed here, in 1906, it was a round iron tower just a couple stories tall. It was replaced by another around 1960, at which point the first tower was lowered down the cliff face, presumably to be disposed of in the sea. The structure jammed in a crevice until the continual lash of waves washed it away.

Cow Head, Newfoundland (1909). The Cow Head Peninsula was long a summer destination for families, but not for vacationing. Before roadways were modernized, many Newfoundlanders lived on the ocean in warm months and sheltered themselves inland during winter so they had easier access to fishing in summer. When the Cow Head Lighthouse was completed, it became a gathering place where locals enjoyed picnic lunches and gazed out to sea.

Small Group DiscoveriesUSA & Canada

A Riot of Puffins on Witless Bay

on February 20, 2017

Each year between April and September, roughly a half million Atlantic puffins descend on Witless Bay in Newfoundland to nest. It is the largest colony in the western Atlantic and it truly takes the breath away.

This odd looking bird (some would call it adorable) is marked by its black crown and back, white underbelly and cheeks, the bold red markings on its beak, and its orange webbed feet. It is often called the “clown of the sea” for its bright colors and clumsy gait. But this is no clown: The Atlantic puffin is as graceful a swimmer as it is a flier, using its wings to propel itself through water and deftly catch small fish.

Remarkably, the Atlantic puffin spends autumn and winter (October through March, roughly) in the open waters of the northern seas. It comes to Witless Bay to breed, burrowing into the cliffs of the Witless Bay Ecological Reserve, a quartet of small islands off the main island of Newfoundland. It lays a single white egg and, once the chick hatches, feeds it babies whole fish. It only takes six weeks for the chick to mature enough to set out on its own. Once it does, it flies the coop in the most dramatic fashion: In the dark of night, the fledgling swims out to sea and does not return to land for several years, following its instinct as it survives in a harsh marine environment.

Though the Atlantic puffin is a highly social bird during breeding season, taking over Witless Bay with a half million of its closest friends, it lives a solitary existence while at sea. Though it hasn’t been studied extensively in its open-water habitat, it seems to spend more time bobbing on the surface of the ocean than flying in the air. This helps to explain its plumage: Its black back makes it difficult for predator birds to spot it from the air, and its white belly can be easily mistaken by underwater predators for a bright sun spot or clouds in the sky. Once a year during winter, it becomes more vulnerable as it sheds its feathers to make way for new ones. This leaves it stranded on the water for up to two months.

Back on land during breeding season, the bird is monogamous. But their loyalty is to the burrow rather than their mate, as each male and female habitually return to the same nest year after year. Once they are settled in and their egg is laid, incubation duty is shared between partners. Incubation lasts about 45 days.

The Witless Bay Ecological Reserve plays a key role in the survival of the Atlantic puffin and in preserving the natural cycle of which they are a part. Witnessing some 500,000 of these incredible creatures at once makes for quite a spectacle, which our small group does during our new Newfoundland & Labrador trip. We hope you’ll join us to see one of nature’s greatest gatherings of sea birds!

Small Group DiscoveriesUSA & Canada

The UNESCO Sites of Newfoundland & Labrador

on February 17, 2017

The province of Newfoundland & Labrador takes the breath away with its astonishing natural beauty and fascinating history. Three of its landmarks stand out for their significance to the character of Eastern Canada and to the collective cultural identity of the world. Visit this remarkable corner of the globe with Discovery Tours, and you’ll experience these three important UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Gros Morne National Park

This magnificent landscape is the second largest national park in Atlantic Canada. It is named for its highest point, a misty-top mountain of barren rock that calls to mind the Scottish Highlands. But the park, of course, consists of much more. Vast Tablelands stretch out among the hilly orange-brown terrain; these rocky expanses are made more dramatic by their proximity to the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Bonne Bay, in particular, is a spectacular sight, formed when two glaciers converged here 10,000 years ago. Today, the deep ravines that guided those two glaciers are now a double-armed fjord, a 15-mile inlet lined with steep cliffs.

Why it’s important: Gros Morne National Park is sometimes referred to as the “Galapagos of Geology.” Just as those islands provided evidence for biological evolution, these coastal mountains offer proof of plate tectonics. Scientists with a trained eye value this unique landscape because it illustrates the process of continental drift. The earth here shows clear evidence of the geologic forces the occurred when the continental coast of North America was carved by oceanic plate movement.

Red Bay Basque Whaling Station

In the 16th century, Red Bay was buzzing with the comings and goings of the whaling industry. At this west-coast settlement established by the Basques, hunters set out on their chalupas, or whaling boats, so they could harvest the creature’s oil for light lamps back in Europe. Each season from 1530 to the beginning of the 1600s, about 15 whale ships and 600 men were sent here from Europe in search of the right whale and the bowhead whale. Today, the old whaling station is a museum of original Basque artifacts and ships recovered from the bottom of the ocean.

Why it’s important: Red Bay provides the most complete picture of the European whaling tradition. Every aspect of whaling was conducted here, from hunting to butchering to oil production for shipment back to Europe. The old station features remains of ovens, cooperages, living quarters and underwater remnants of ships and whale bones.

L’Anse aux Meadows

Around the year 1001, the renowned Viking Leif Eriksson and his crew landed on the coast of Newfoundland, the first Europeans to reach North America. He called it “Vinland,” and sent back word to Greenland that others could follow. The settlement did not last long, however. Scholars disagree whether it was the harsh winters or conflicts with indigenous people that drove the Vikings away. But they left behind a treasure trove that offers a snapshot of their culture, from the remains of their sod longhouses to iron tools. Since the discovery of the site in the 1960s, a longhouse has been reconstructed and many theories have pondered how Vikings spent their time here.

Why it’s important: L’Anse aux Meadows provides ironclad evidence that Norsemen were the first to set foot on North American shores. When the site was discovered, it generated a fair amount of controversy among those who gave the credit to Christopher Columbus. But as the timber-framed turf buildings here were identical to those found in Greenland and Iceland from the Viking Age, this fascinating place marks a milestone in the history of human migration and exploration.

Visit these captivating UNESCO World Heritage Sites during our Newfoundland & Labrador tour!

Small Group DiscoveriesUSA & Canada

Newfoundland & Labrador: A Rare and Undiscovered Treasure

on February 15, 2017

Newfoundland & Labrador, Canada’s most eastern province, has long danced to its own slow and lilting rhythm. Some 97% of its residents speak their own old-world language known as Newfoundland English. They also keep their own time zone (30 minutes ahead of the mainland). And as for that rhythm? Much of it is tinged with the fiddles, wooden flutes, banjos, Irish drums and accordions of Ireland, England and Scotland – part of a rich folk heritage that dates to the region’s immigrant population.

It’s easy to feel like you’ve left the rest of the world behind here, perhaps thanks to the island’s historic isolation, or perhaps because as its fishing villages grew into towns and cities, the locals had no intention of yielding their traditional ways and warm folksiness to modernity. This desire to preserve the unspoiled province extends beyond the cherished culture. The natural beauty of Newfoundland & Labrador is also well guarded – and rightly so, as it is among the most magnificent wilderness in North America.

From its remarkable history to its soaring and spectacular landscapes, this is a land like no other.

Witness a Maritime Culture Born from the Old World

The first Europeans to set foot on the island of Newfoundland were the Vikings. Leif Eriksson landed here at L’Anse aux Meadows around the year 1001, but their stay was short-lived. It was almost 500 years later, in 1497, that John Cabot received a charter from King Henry VII to “set up our banner on any new-found-land.” And so he did, at Cape Bonavista. Meanwhile, the Basque set up camps for fishing and the Portuguese arrived and claimed much of Labrador, after exploration by Joao Fernandes Lavrador. By 1583, Sir Humphrey Gilbert claimed Newfoundland as England’s first possession in North America. As for the other European settlers, they gave in to the Crown.

It wasn’t long before settlers saw how thick the Atlantic waters were with cod and so fishing villages appeared all along the coast, many of which remain. The French returned to set up their own colonies and over the centuries fought the British for land and sea rights. As the island prospered, more immigrants arrived from Ireland and Scotland, infusing Newfoundland with their unique cultures. As for the French, they eventually acquired land on the island’s west coast, but gave it up in the early 20th century.

This brief bit of history goes to show precisely why there’s so much of the United Kingdom in Newfoundland & Labrador. Nations of the UK worked hard to establish themselves here and so the people of this remote province hold fast to ancestral traditions. For instance, relaxed and welcoming pubs are prominent fixtures, from the capital of St. Johns to the tiniest villages like Quidi Vidi. Locals, like generations before them, are obsessed with the weather and will gladly engage you in a discussion about the soft morning mist or the brilliant blue skies that cast the rugged terrain in a sharp light. And everywhere, you will experience the beauty of gentle rolling hills, sharply contoured mountains carved by glaciers and a deeply rooted connection to the sea.

Marvel at an Unspoiled Beauty, from Rocky Coasts to Soaring Peaks

You might suspect, upon witnessing it all for yourself, that this latter point is no small matter. The landscapes of Newfoundland & Labrador evoke a local nostalgia for the Old World. In Gros Morne National Park, the wide green plains rising up to rust-colored slopes may bring the Scottish Highlands to mind. In Witless Bay – the ecological reserve of four islands that is home to the largest Atlantic puffin colony in North America – the magnificent rocky headlands plummeting to roiling surf conjure images of the Emerald Isle. And tiny seaside fishing hamlets from Trinity to Bonavista, with their multi-colored huts and bobbing boats in snug harbors, may make you think that England has misplaced its Cornwall. You may not be surprised, then, that the Long Range Mountains that you’ll see here form part of a mountain range that was split millennia ago whose other half, like a long-separated twin, rises from Atlantic shores in Scotland.

But make no mistake: the beauty of Newfoundland & Labrador is singular and staggering. Deep-cut fjords wind their way inland through cliff-lined glacial valleys. Flat-topped and stalwart Tableland mountains, thousands of feet tall, afford stunning panoramas. Coastal lowlands are blanketed with boreal forest and fertile bog. And everywhere, generous amounts of pure, fresh air fill wide open spaces.

Such a quiet corner of the world steeped in authenticity is best explored in a small group, which is why Discovery Tours is so eager for you to join us. With so few of us traveling together, you can linger a while at a pretty cove, delve more deeply into the sights that interest you and take some time to chat with some of the most welcoming people you’re ever likely to meet.

Discover the rare beauty and rich culture of Canada’s easternmost province for yourself during a Gate 1 Travel tour!

EuropeSmall Group Discoveries

Normandy to Catalonia: A Feast of Farm-Fresh Cuisine and Stellar Wines

on January 25, 2017

The Pyrenees Mountains, their snow-capped peaks soaring into the skies, divide France and Spain like a colossal wall torn from larger-then-life mythologies. Historically and culturally, this natural border has allowed the two nations to evolve quite distinctly. It is remarkable how life is steeped in France’s typical joie de vivre on one side of the mountains and how particularly robust and rustic everything feels on the Spanish side.

But one thing the French and Spanish share is their love of their unique cuisines and wines. Are they different? Absolutely … and deliciously so! But each is rooted in an agricultural tradition that spans centuries, from generations-old farms to prolific vineyards that date back to ancient Rome. Here’s our survey of some of our favorite culinary pleasures, from the sweeping plains of Normandy to the tapas bars of Barcelona.

FROM FARM TO PLATE

Normandy: Land of Cheese and Apples

Normande cows and apple orchards dot the rolling countryside of Normandy. This is one of France’s most dairy-rich regions, home to working farms that produce creamy Camembert and Boursin cheeses, among many others. The butter and cream made here is celebrated as the most delicious in Europe. Apple cider, too, is pressed from the region’s abundant apple groves. But perhaps the fruit is best appreciated in the popular calvados, or apple brandy. In many households and restaurants, the French drink a glass between courses in order to improve the appetite. And who can blame them? When your next plate is piled high with fresh oysters or mussels from Brittany’s shores or a freshly baked apple tart, you’ll want to eat all you can!

Périgord: Duck, Duck, Goose

It’s not safe to be a waterfowl in the Périgord, where life on the wing often ends on the plate. One of the region’s signature dishes is magret de canard. The fattier (and more intensely flavorful) French Moulard duck breast is pan seared and then served with a sauce of wine enriched with rendered fat. Found on the vast majority of local restaurant menus, it’s a true comfort food. Confit de canard—which uses the legs instead of the breasts—is even more indulgent. Slow cooked so that they render fat, the legs are softened and then fried, often with potatoes. The result is melt-in-your-mouth meat. But the ultimate indulgence is Foie gras, the rich liver of a goose or duck. Sliced into tender slivers, pressed into a paté, or wrapped in puff pastry, it is a delicacy known worldwide.

Northern Spain: Where Fresh Cuisine Is a Social Event

One of the great pleasures of visiting Spain is participating in its lively food culture. Throughout the Basque region and Catalonia, vast farmlands raise livestock and grow produce that makes its way into the restaurant kitchens of Bilbao, Madrid and Barcelona. Then the chefs get to work creating the artful small plates for which Spain is known.

In Barcelona, tapas bars draw huge crowds of foodies every evening. These sophisticated small plates can be hot or cold – from simply presented olives and cheeses to more complex, richly flavored dishes that may be battered and fried or swimming in olive oil or delicious sauce. In the most authentic tapas bars, dishes may be on display in a glass case. Salted cod loin, meatballs, pickled vegetables, battered squid, sausages, croquettes and dozens of other items might grace a menu – reflecting the endless bounty of Northern Spain.

In Bilbao and throughout the Basque region, tapas go by a different name: pintxos or pinchos. Dry cured ham (or jamon serrano), anchovies, stuffed peppers and other often elaborate preparations are served on small slices of bread. These mouthwatering appetizers are named for the toothpick that secures the topping to the bread (a “pincho”).

Of course, to fully appreciate the incredible cuisine of France and Spain, it is best to pair your dish with one of the region’s wines. In France, vintners have been perfecting the art of wine-making for some 2,000 years, creating the largest wine economy in the world. Spain may have a younger viticulture, but it boasts the highest percentage of land dedicated solely to vineyards of any nation on earth. And both countries are passionate about the wines they make.

PERFECTION IN A GLASS

French Bordeaux & St. Emilion

As Bordeaux, known as “Little Paris” for the grandeur of its architecture, became a major port city, merchants ferried France’s finest wines to the Netherlands and Great Britain, creating a global demand. Still the epicenter of the wine industry to this day, Bordeaux’s 13,000 grape growers and 10,000 châteaux together produce nearly a billion bottles of wine every year.

The wines of Bordeaux vary by color, though the region is best known for its array of deep, rich reds. Bordeaux reds blend two wines—Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot—and each vineyard determines the proportions. Vineyards on the left bank of the Gironde River are Cabernet heavy, while those across the water favor the Merlot. Both yield earthy reds, good with lamb, beef, truffles, and tomatoes. The whites here, drier than the reds, are excellent with seafood, including the sweeter varieties, which also shine with cheese.

Older than Bordeaux and further north, St. Emilion is one of the most romantic cities in France. Settled since prehistoric times, it is best known for its medieval architecture, with steep, narrow streets winding between limestone buildings. Some of the streets continue below ground into tunnels and catacombs, once home to the hermetic monk for whom the city is named.

Soon after its founding, St. Emilion was making wines commercially, expanding private vineyards that were planted a good 700 years before. When the Santiago de Compostela through France became a major pilgrimage route in the 11th century, a robust wine industry tempted visitors to stop here. Today, it is known for its reds, which most often blend Merlot and Cabernet Franc, with a few wineries adding Cabernet Sauvignon to the mix. Reaching maturity—and your table—faster than Bordeaux vintages, St. Emilion wines stand up well to game birds, salmon, and nutty cheeses like tomme de savoie or reblochon.

Spanish Rioja

Since at least the 9th century, when monks began tending vines, winemaking has been part of the local culture here, but it wasn’t until 1902 that Rioja was formally recognized as a wine variety, and not till the end of the 20th century that it was both awarded a certificate of origin (which guarantees its provenance) and given the highest classification Spain allows.

Though best known for its reds, white and rose Riojas are also produced here. Experts describe classic Rioja wines as bold and complex, with unmistakable cherry and vanilla notes. What makes a Rioja so full-bodied is the use of oak barrel-aging techniques inspired by the wineries of Bordeaux. Some Riojas are aged up to five years in barrel and bottle before their release. The result is a wine hardy enough to stand up to meat and strong cheeses, and, if you ask a Spaniard, to challenge any wine France can produce.

In a Discovery Tours small group, you’ll have time to indulge in every morsel on your plate and linger over every glass during our enriching itineraries to France and Spain, whether during included meals and tastings or during time on your own. We do hope you’ll join us to savor the culinary pleasures of these remarkable countries.

EuropeSmall Group Discoveries

Secrets of Loire Castles

on January 23, 2017

Exploring the Loire Valley is very much like exploring a fairy-tale land. Castles – at once elegant and extravagant, refined and flamboyant – appear around every bend in this pristine corner of France. It was the pastoral and natural terrain that drew royalty to build their “country homes” here. Forests made for good hunting during a weekend retreat or while hosting a diplomatic visit. And the valley produced some of the country’s best wines. Today the Loire Valley boasts the highest concentration of castles in the world, each one an example of the excess of royals. And every castle has its secrets, legends, and histories.

Chateau de Blois

  • Perhaps the most famous visitor of the Chateau de Blois was Joan of Arc, who traveled here with her army in 1429 to receive the blessing of the Archbishop of Reims en route to battle the English at Orleans.
  • Catherine de Medici kept a “chamber of secrets” at Chateau de Blois. Her wall of cabinets was rumored to conceal a collection of poisons that she might have kept to do away with those who plotted against her or her husband King Henry II. Today, historians know with more certainty that it served as an elegant curio cabinet in which she displayed precious objects.
  • At the Chateau de Blois in 1588, King Henry III ordered that his bodyguards assassinate his arch-enemy, Henry I, Duke of Guise. The move was bold, considering he had his orders carried out during a convention of diplomats being held here. The king’s audacity did not end there, however: He had the Duke’s brother Louis II, the Cardinal of Guise, murdered the very next day.

Chateau de Chambord

  • The designer of the Chateau de Chambord is uncertain, but some believe Leonardo da Vinci was responsible because the Italian artist had an interest in double helix staircases, a prominent feature of the castle.
  • In the days of Francis I, Chateau de Chambord was impractical to use as a long-term residence. For all its opulence, there were no villages nearby to stock it with everyday necessities. So whenever Francis and his entourage visited, all their provisions were transported by long caravans of carriages. As visiting parties could number up to 2,000 people, this was quite an endeavor!
  • As Nazi troops spread throughout Europe, curators of the Louvre shipped priceless artwork to the Chateau de Chambord for safekeeping. The Mona Lisa and the Venus de Milo were among the treasures secretly stored here. Toward war’s end, an American B-24 bomber crash landed on the chateau’s vast lawn.

Chateau de Chenonceau

  • King Henry II scandalously gave Chateau de Chenonceau to his mistress, Diane de Poitiers, in 1547. She was enamored with the property and oversaw the construction of its gardens and the span that now crosses the River Cher. Upon Henry’s death, his widow Catherine de Medici essentially tossed Diane out, but not without a consolation: Catherine gave her husband’s mistress the Chateau Chaumont, which overlooks the Loire River.
  • After Catherine’s death in 1589, the castle was bequeathed to King Henry III’s wife, Louise de Lorraine-Vaudemont. Within a year, Henry was assassinated, sending Louise into a spiral of despair that saw her aimlessly wandering the castle’s chambers and corridors dressed in black amid dark tapestries stitched with skulls and crossbones.
  • The Chateau Chenonceau straddles the River Cher which, during World War II, served as the natural boundary between German-occupied France and the “free zone” of Vichy. The castle thus served as a bridge to freedom for many French seeking to escape Nazi rule.

Chateau d’Amboise

  • In 1431, one of the castle’s first owners, Louis d’Amboise, was convicted of treason against Louis XI, the son of King Charles VII. The criminal faced execution, but the king pardoned him on condition that he give his castle to the royal family.
  • You would be well advised to watch your head as you explore the rooms of Chateau d’Amboise. Though he was not necessarily known for his clumsiness, King Charles VIII died here after giving himself a concussion on the top of a door frame.
  • The castle’s most famous interment is not a Frenchman at all, but an Italian. Leonardo da Vinci lived the final days of his life in Amboise working for King Francis I. Upon his death, he was buried in a small chapel on the castle grounds.

Explore the Loire Valley & its beautiful chateaux on our Discover Northern France small group tour.

EuropeSmall Group Discoveries

Gaudi & Dali: Spain’s Modern Masters

on January 20, 2017

Among the many pleasures of visiting Spain, art lovers especially revel in the ability to witness a millennium’s worth of the world’s greatest masterpieces as they explore the treasures of Museo del Prado in Madrid and the Guggenheim Bilbao. When you explore Spain with Discovery Tours, you’ll be in the lands of Picasso, Goya, and Velazquez, native sons whose fame reached well beyond their home country.

But two other masters stand out—Antoni Gaudi and Salvador Dali—and complete our list of Spain’s Top 5 acclaimed artists. One was an architect and one a painter, and their work seems dissimilar at a glance. But Gaudi’s influence on Dali, and the fact that both created work that broke the mold, link them in art history as Spain’s rebellious faces of modernity.

Gaudi: The Singular Saint

Born in 1852, Gaudi was part of the Modernistas, Catalan modernists who believed art played two roles: it was a way to defy bourgeois conformity and it was an outlet for creating change in society. Gaudi created works that elevated the influence of nature in the man-made, reflected his faith, and defied rules of symmetry and restraint that had previously defined good taste.

He studied architecture but never managed to impress his teachers. He had the last laugh, as he designed the otherworldly Sagrada Familia Cathedral (a work still in progress!), the vividly tiled Parc Guell, countless mansions, and even the ornate signature streetlamps of Barcelona. Seven of his creations are now UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Unfortunately, his face was not as easily recognized as his buildings. In 1926, after he was struck by a streetcar, he was mistaken for a beggar, and couldn’t convince a taxi to take him to the hospital. When a policeman finally removed him from the scene, he was left at the pauper’s ward, and his friends couldn’t find him till the next day—when he refused to be moved to better conditions, as a display of solidarity with the poor.

He died there a few days later, and the outpouring of grief was profound: it was reported that half of Barcelona’s citizenry donned black and took to the streets on the day of his funeral.

Dali: The Surreal View

Salvador Dali was born a half century after Gaudi, and by the time he was studying art, the influence of the modernistas was waning. Expelled from art school, he threw himself into experimenting with Cubism and Dadaism, and met kindred spirits in Miro and Picasso. It was in Surrealism, a movement which revived and reframed the values of the modernistas, that he found his visual language.

With the melting clocks of his most famous work, “The Persistence of Memory,” he put surrealism on the global map, joining the pantheon of Spanish masters. He was exhibited in Paris and New York and beyond, and held a special affinity for the US, living in the states during World War II, working on a scene for Albert Hitchcock, and even appearing in a US film commercial.

His time away from his native Spain allowed him to escape controversy at home. Dali was a staunch supporter of fascist leader General Francisco Franco, who he said brought “clarity, truth and order” to Spain. Despite the limited success of his painting in the final decades of his life, he was indeed seen as one of the most important artists of the century.

A few years before he died, Dali was asked to write the foreword to a biography of Gaudi. In doing so, he paid tribute not only to his predecessor but to his own work, and he wasn’t a bit modest in his assessment. He wrote, “Gaudi is a genius; so am I.”

EuropeSmall Group Discoveries

Capturing the Stunning Beauty of Normandy

on January 13, 2017

Normandy is forever etched in the mind of the world as the site of the largest military invasion by sea in history. It all unfolded during World War II along 50 miles of beaches code-named Omaha, Utah, Gold, Juno and Sword. The plan was for the Allies to overwhelm occupying German forces with a barrage from the ocean the likes of which they could never imagine, then push them back to their border. The events of that heroic day and the months that followed have been well chronicled. But no amount of reading can prepare the visitor for the impact of gazing upon the 9,000 crosses and Stars of David at the American Cemetery, spread on a bluff overlooking Omaha Beach.

There is, of course, more to Normandy than its role in this heroic chapter. In fact, its military past stretches back centuries. Named for the Vikings who conquered it in the ninth century (the “northmen”), it was later the launching pad for William the Conqueror’s incursion into Britain in 1066. The fantastically preserved Bayeaux Tapestry depicts his successful invasion. Eventually the Brits fought back and gained control during the Hundred Years War, bringing Joan of Arc to a fiery end after she famously inspired her French army to rise up against the British Crown.

Today, Normandy is unarguably one of France’s prettiest corners. Its green pastures and dramatic chalk hills guide the Seine River on its sinewy course. Black-spotted Norman cows graze wide fields and help produce some of the world’s most distinctive cheeses, including soft and earthy Camembert. Groves of apple trees blanket the countryside, providing some of the purest cider you’ll ever taste, as well as the famous Calvados, a delicious apple brandy served as an aperitif throughout the province.

Impressionist artist Claude Monet captured Normandy’s beautiful countryside en plein air. After the loss of his wife in 1879, he discovered Giverny along the Seine while traveling by train. Monet first rented a barn there and transformed it into his studio; he later purchased it and expanded the property. His famous gardens blossomed from the artist’s desire to paint “controlled nature.” In fact, he and his gardeners even re-routed part of the Seine River to form the lagoon that would become the subject of many of his paintings, including the famed Water Lilies.

Monet contributed to the idea that France’s light was distinct and special. The artist was obsessed with capturing the way sunlight illuminated a space. He was known to paint the same subject many times in different shades: full sunlight, overcast, rain and snow clouds, dawn and dusk. With his tireless examination of light, he transformed the world of art.

He – and other painters of his day – also transformed the way we see Normandy. Pastoral scenes along the Seine comprise many works of his contemporaries. Downriver from Giverny, where the Seine widens to form a pristine estuary, the fishing village of Honfleur became a favorite subject of artists, and remains so today. This is a quintessential picturesque fishing village of France: fishing boats bob along the quay, multi-hued gabled houses hug the shore, and yes, even today, painters lean into their easels, carefully dabbing bright colors on their canvases in an attempt to capture that famous light just so.

Experience Normandy with Gate 1 Travel and see the beauty and history for yourself!

MediterraneanSmall Group Discoveries

The Magnificent Creatures of the UAE

on December 28, 2016

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is world-renowned for its ultra-modern cities rising from desert sands. But long before glittering buildings pierced these skies, humans enjoyed productive and mutually-beneficial relationships with the region’s natural world – specifically, with some of the animals that have played an integral part in the desert ecosystem. A Discovery Tours small group lets you witness firsthand how these relationships have evolved into the 21st century.

A Breed Apart: The Arabian Horse

Dubai is renowned as one of the wealthiest cities in the world. Its sports facilities, too, are world-class, as you’ll discover at the Meydan Stables. This private club is home to some of the finest Arabian horses in the world. Though the finely chiseled breed can now be found all over the world, it evolved in this desert climate and has long been treasured by the Bedouin people. Their quick reflexes, high spiritedness and eagerness to please their trainers once made them ideal for sand-strewn battlefields. Today, their temperament makes Dubai’s equestrian sporting world a thrill to witness.

Our small group size gains us behind-the-scenes access to the Meydan Stables, the host of Dubai’s $10 million World Cup, the world’s riches horse race. Fortunes of sultans and oil tycoons are made and lost here and during your visit you’ll see the stables, grandstand and racecourse behind all the action. Our morning visit affords you a glimpse of the beautiful horses as they are put through their paces. You’ll also stroll through the stables where they are groomed and witness how trainers use a swimming pool to increase the horses’ strength. Then imagine the thrill of the race when you visit the jockeys’ rooms, saddling paddock and parade ring.

Majestic Dromedary: The Camel

Arabian horses are not the only four-legged wonders of the UAE. A visit to this desert region would not be complete without learning more about the legendary “ship of the desert,” the camel. But we won’t be riding these beasts of burden; instead, we’ll visit Camelicious, the first and only camel dairy farm in the UAE and the largest in the world.

Camels have long been heralded for their ability to travel great distances without water. But there’s another reason they are the perfect means of desert transport: Camel milk is highly nutritious and helps to nourish their fellow human travelers on long treks where food is scarce. In fact, camel shepherds still today might rely solely on the milk of their herd when traveling long distances. The milk has also been found to enhance the human immune system. For their part, the local Bedouins on the Arabian Peninsula believe it has curative powers.

Like any dairy farm, Camelicious produces more than just milk. Cheese, too, is made here, and you’ll witness the process – and meet some of the herd – during your visit.

Greatest Hunter: The Falcon

There’s no denying the nobility of horses and camels in Arabian culture. Another creature garners similar respect, so much in fact that its care is financed by His Highness the Crown Prince. We’re talking about the high-flying falcon and the Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital.

Falconry, the art of hunting small game using a highly trained and fearsome winged hunter, has been part of the fabric of the UAE culture for centuries. In the Middle Ages, it was both a status symbol of the royal elite and a means of hunting for food among the nomadic Bedouin. Regardless of a falconer’s class and station in life, those who could tame the powerful talons, robust strength, and laser-like reflexes of this raptor drew utmost respect

So central is the falcon to the cultural identity of the UAE that the bird has its very own hospital. Abu Dhabi’s Falcon Hospital, the first of its kind and one of the world’s largest avian medical centers, is a pioneer in the rescue and treatment of these birds. Since its opening in 1999, it has seen more than 75,000 patients and expanded its attention to all manner of birdlife. You’ll visit this remarkable place, gaining insight into the tradition of falconry and seeing the facilities where majestic birds are nursed back to health.

Explore Dubai and Oman with Discovery Tours and enjoy an experience with some of these amazing creatures.

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