Blogs from Alsace, France, Europe - page 27

PROMPT: What have you learned about vineyards and wine tasting today? What wine stood out for you? Were the vineyards tourist ready? Today I learned that the vineyards that we passed are not all owned by just one person. Instead a few rows are owned by one person and then the next rows by a different person. The name of the wine also depends on the region the grapes grow in. The sparkling wine that we were served today can not be called Champagne because the grapes do not come from the champagne region in France. Before coming in to the wine tasting, my dad had already taught me how to sample wines. I knew that you smell, swirl, sip, and savor the wine and not just down the whole glass. I had also been told ... read more

Today we got a taste of the Alsatian region of France by “storming” a castle and partaking in a wine tasting. The castle was very interesting; however, it was a holiday, so it was very crowded. I have issues with being in a very large group of people, so I had a hard time enjoying this activity. After successfully taking over the castle we were off to our wine tasting. This was my first time to be around a wine vineyard, and I immediately knew I wanted to take my picture in one. I just assumed that our wine tasting would take place near one, but to my surprise, our wine tasting took place in the town in a wine cellar, beneath a building. This was okay, but I was still determined to get my picture ... read more

Today we had a really relaxed tour on the bus. We had a tour guide Vivianne Beller gave us a really nice tour. She was born in Massachusetts and moved to France and has lived here for 32 years. She has 3 children and one lives in Pars, China, and America. She goes to America probably twice a year. We traveled around as she informed us of the plantations, and what things are grown. We are in the Alsace and we stopped by the "Haut-Koenigsbourg Castle". The castle was built in the 12th century and was the residence of the several different eminent proprietors including members of the Habsburg dynasty and German emperor Wilhelm II. As we went through the tour, it was like we were fighting to get through and we got a real sense ... read more

Today was a back of the house tour of Hotel Traube Tonbach, according to Arabella site of Germany's best restaurant, and with 3 Michelin stars, 12 chefs and 12 tables only I'd say its got to be pretty damn close! The work and effort that must go into al aspects of the Hotel is just absolutely stunning, even from the Children's center, cooking classes for guests, there always seems to be something to prevent boredom. The Black Forest region of Germany is an absolutely stunning region, I've not seen anything else like it ever and to be honest, this hotel captured the region, fit into it's surroundings perfectly. That is what every hotel aims for, but not all manage to succedd. In my opinion, the level of service was on par with what was experienced throughout ... read more

PROMPT: Is French hospitality delivery different than what you experienced in Switzerland? Discuss a recent customer service encounter that you had. Yes the French hospitality delivery is different than what I experienced in Switzerland. To me Switzerland and the people there were extending their hospitality to our group as if we were just a part of their extended family. For example, the family that owns Blatter was always welcoming and willing to talk about topics from the city to our trip. Mrs. Bradley even had a conversation about New Zealand with the family. Another example of Swiss hospitality was when we visited Hans IV’s dairy farm. His family helped Nate out after he got sick, something that they did not have to do. The fact that all of this happened even before the tour started just ... read more