The VW Bus is not just a car. It is sentimental, a part of the family. A way of life on wheels. That’s why most of them have names. And almost everyone has some sort of connection to the VW Bus. This book offers fascinating stories about one of the most popular automobiles of all time and the most successful camper van in the world – a kaleidoscope from the world of VW Buses. In 111 chapters, you will learn interesting, funny, surprising and emotional things about a vehicle that was originally intended as a simple delivery van and then made history as a multifunctional vehicle concept.
Author Christian Schlueter, himself a passionate fan of the car, tells endearing, detailed and exciting stories about these legendary vans. He presents models with their production history and special features, introduces visionaries and gives an insight into the car industry. He reports on world records and adventure trips, as well as freedom and nostalgia. A wonderful compendium with photos about the world’s fascination with the VW Bus – a must for every fan and lover of this cult car.
Northumberland is the ‘Land of the Far Horizon’ and England’s most northerly county. It was once a place of industrial innovation and manufacturing, literally fuelled by the coal brought up from its depths. Now Northumberland is a quieter place, loved by residents and visitors alike for its rolling hills and long, sandy beaches, as well as its charming towns and villages.
With this book in hand, meet Grace Darling, a Victorian heroine who took to storm-tossed seas to help rescue survivors of a terrible shipwreck; visit Amble, the ‘Friendliest Port’, and discover its connection to the Mauretania, once the fastest passenger ship to sail the Atlantic; and take in Turner’s View, an atmospheric stretch of coastline that was a lifelong inspiration to Britain’s greatest landscape painter.
You can also take a walk to the top of Cheviot, the county’s highest mountain and what was once a massive and very active volcano; and then top it off in the tranquil setting of St Cuthbert’s Island, where the eponymous saint went to get away from the strangely hectic whirl of monastic life.
Written by a proud northerner, this book will help you discover the more offbeat corners of Northumberland, and appreciate its many treasures.
Lancaster and Morecambe are like chalk and Lancashire cheese. So near, yet so far apart in what they offer. Morecambe, the traditional seaside resort, its ‘Bring me Sunshine’ favorite son Eric Morecambe and Victoria Wood’s ‘two soups’ cafe. Plus, its awesome 1930’s Art Deco Midland Hotel, haunt of Coco Chanel and Laurence Olivier.
Lancaster, with its Roman remains, its impregnable ‘John O’Gaunt’ castle and characterful Georgian buildings, built in part from slave-trade profits. Notorious Lancaster, known as the ‘Hanging Town’ for its use of the noose, with its fearsome castle cells that held Quaker maker George Fox.
Leave the crowds behind and embrace the true character of this story-filled region, one special place at a time.
Montreal is so much more than its old world architecture and love of wine and cheese. The Quebecois metropolis is bursting with enough joie de vivre to make just about anyone want to get out and explore its cobblestoned and pothole-ridden streets — and true Montrealers know that the city has its own unique identity and quirks that place it in a league all its own.
Spend a wine-fueled cinq à sept with a ghost at the city’s oldest bar. Get up close and personal with a life-like portrayal of Benito Mussolini. And go skating in the middle of the downtown core — any time of the year.
This guide comes as a love letter to Canada’s largest French-speaking city and everything it has to offer its residents and travelers. Visiting and full-time Montrealers alike will be pleasantly surprised by what can be discovered beyond the cobblestone and steeples if only you’re willing to take the side streets.
Welcome to Birmingham, a super-diverse city with an ever-shifting identity. This is the quiet medieval market town that overnight became the center of the industrial revolution, over the centuries rolling out leather wares, jewelry, steam engines, motor cars, fountain pens, gun smithery, toys, chocolate, heavy metal music and nanotechnology. The city’s drive to successively reinvent itself as motor city, conference capital and shopping destination reflects that initial burst of energy. The result is a city of many layers, bold planning experiments, overlapping fragments and pockets of creative endeavor which can be tough to navigate without a guide. However, its many treasures coruscate more brilliantly for being lost. This book tells the story many would miss through the art, places, buildings, people and the dynamic mix of cultures that reveal the Birmingham identity, from the smallest architectural details to epic civic structures. Only here can you chill on a bench with local heroes Black Sabbath, will you be greeted at the museum by the fallen angel Lucifer, chance upon a golden Burmese peace pagoda, time travel in the Shakespeare Library and find the world’s oldest surviving instance of railway architecture.
New Yorkers love their museums. It’s an obsession. From Gauguin to gangsters, finance to food, New York City has the richest museum culture in the world. Only here, can a former run down tenement, be transformed to one of the most beloved museums in the city. And for New Yorkers, simply finding the best museums is an urban sport itself; a personal quest to seek out the cool, the curious and the uncanny.
Consider this book your little cheat sheet. A treasure guide to the secret corners of the iconic museums, a field guide to the little museums you never dreamed existed. Dive in. Press pause from the world and discover a curated reality. We learn, we grow, we are amused and inspired. And when we leave, we feel a little more connected to the city around us, and to ourselves. And that’s what being a New Yorker is all about.
London offers a plethora of fun, interesting things for locals and visitors to do. Aside from the obvious tourist attractions, did you know there’s a man stuck in a clock? Or that dancing on a certain grave can make a beautiful tune? Do you know the best place for making sandcastles along the Thames? Or where to have breakfast with real London bus drivers? Have you ever seen the talking cat?
Covering all 32 boroughs of inner and outer London, this book offers an eclectic mix of fun facts with unique things to do; leading you to rediscover London. You may have walked down the same street a hundred times and never noticed a certain something. This book will tell you why it’s there and that just around the corner there is something great for kids! The book will introduce children to art, history, science and much more, which will inspire them and create great family talking points all whilst making invaluable memories. So, whether you are an ‘inny’ or an ‘outy’ Londoner, or visitor to this great city, grab the kids and get exploring!
What does Swansea and Gower mean to you? Is it a place of learning? A hub of industry? A city of sporting excellence? Or perhaps, a gateway to exploration and adventure? Do you picture endless days on pristine beaches, leisurely walks along rugged clifftops or a vibrant cultural tapestry? Swansea and Gower in Wales weave all these facets together, offering a captivating mosaic of experiences.
Meet sporting legends and trailblazing women who defied societal norms in an era dominated by men. Venture into the world of Ancient Egyptians, unraveling their lives – and deaths. Marvel at the grandeur of Norman lords’ ambitious creations and the fripperies of Victorian industrialists. Indulge your palate with the savory allure of lamb raised on Atlantic salt meadows. Feel the adrenaline rush as you hurtle downhill on a mountain board, crocodiles snap food from your grip, or you ride a wave.
Stroll around the coast and lakes, and meander through fields of fragrant lavender or golden sunflowers. Immerse yourself in nature’s symphony, from pounding waterfalls to the serene serenades of insects. Unearth a world brimming with wonder, right on your doorstep, here in Swansea and Gower.
The Scottish Highlands are at the most northerly extreme of mainland Britain. The region was once a place of turmoil and bloodshed, of clan warfare and royal misadventure. Now the Highlands are somewhere to explore at leisure. It is a place rich in history, a land of hills and craggy mountains, of secluded coves and sandy beaches, and appealing towns and villages.
With this book as your guide, meet Felicity, a large and friendly puma; learn the rules of Shinty, a unique and popular Highland sport; sit in the shade of Europe’s oldest living tree; take a turn around the Devil’s Elbow, if you dare; find yourself at the very center of Scotland; visit a fairy village; take a stroll around an impossible garden; and shake it all about at the Earthquake House.
Written by someone who loves the Scottish Highlands whatever the weather, this book will help you explore this wonderfully beautiful region.
Sheffield is yet to be discovered. Were you aware that football’s first professional rule book was written in Sheffield, and that it is home to the oldest ground in professional use? Did you know that climbers the world over come to Stanage Edge for the challenges offered by one of the world’s most fearsome millstone grit escarpments? Did you know that the Arctic Monkeys grew up in Sheffield, and that you can see the room at Yellow Arch Studios where they rehearsed as schoolboys and cut their first album? Did you know that the steepest hill in the entire 2012 Tour de France is in Sheffield? Did you know that Sheffield’s craft breweries produce some of the finest beers in the world? Did you know that you can walk out of the center of Sheffield, through parkland, and directly into open countryside? You need this book fast then, don’t you, you soft ‘aporth!
What do movable dolls’ eyes have to do with a Catholic church? Where could you meet Plain Bob Maximus and Surprise Major? Why does just one person know where Oliver Cromwell’s head is buried? And where is a dog a very large cat?
The answers to all these questions lie in Cambridge, which combines the magnificence of a medieval university with the dynamism of a high-technology hub. Tens of thousands of visitors flock to Cambridge every year to see the colleges, go punting on the river, and shop. But there is much more to Cambridge than its university and Silicon Fen. Over the centuries, town and gown together have transformed this city, which was an inland port until the 17th century. Eccentricity is something of a Cambridge tradition, and the town seems to delight in taking its visitors by surprise, whether that’s with a huge metal time-eating grasshopper, May Balls held in June, sculptures that dive into the ground feet first, or a museum that makes a feature of broken pottery. You will find these and many more curiosities in this book.
London is full of strange and beautiful sights. It is a place for traditions and rebels, for the establishment and every alternative subculture. This book celebrates the diversity of the city. It invites you to see Little Ben or the fake 10 Downing Street, and answers both conventional and unusual questions. What, apart from Rolling Scones, will you see at God’s Own Junkyard? Where does an old-school gentleman buy his wine and umbrellas? Why did Robbie Williams feud with his next-door neighbor? How has the city commemorated the Queen Mother and Princess Diana? In which park do 100-year-old naked ladies cavort on the banks of the Thames? Where did Lenin and Julian Assange campaign for their beliefs? And which bridge rolls itself up?
Step away from the traditional highlights of the city of innovators, great benefactors, artists, presidents and hucksters to discover innumerable interesting and unknown sites, artifacts and other treats in Washington, DC. Visit places hiding in plain sight, that may go unnoticed or simply be unknown to long-time residents and visitors alike. Play a round of miniature golf among the cherry trees. Buy original art works out of a vintage cigarette machine. Catch a show at one of the refurbished theatres where Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington used to gig. Commune with the Godfather of Go-Go music in his memorial park. Get away from the tourists and peace out by walking a labyrinth alongside the Potomac River. Try a salad made of indigenous root vegetables at a Native American café.
Step away from the traditional highlights of the city of innovators, great benefactors, artists, presidents and hucksters to discover innumerable interesting and unknown sites, artifacts and other treats in Washington, DC. Visit places hiding in plain sight, that may go unnoticed or simply be unknown to long-time residents and visitors alike. Play a round of miniature golf among the cherry trees. Buy original art works out of a vintage cigarette machine. Catch a show at one of the refurbished theaters where Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington used to gig. Commune with the Godfather of Go-Go music in his memorial park. Get away from the tourists and peace out by walking a labyrinth alongside the Potomac River. Try a salad made of indigenous root vegetables at a Native American café.
With non-stop entertainment, endless gambling opportunities, and world-class dining, there’s no shortage of things to do in Las Vegas. But beyond the neon lights, buffets, and slot machines is a city with a unique history, extraordinary natural wonders, rich culture, and close-knit communities. As the fastest growing city established in the 20th-century, Las Vegas is continuously evolving, gaining new attractions each day and revitalizing cultural gems.
111 Places in Las Vegas offers a chance to rediscover familiar haunts or unearth new favorites to better understand this sensational city. Grab a drink at the oldest freestanding bar in the city or check out the only operating casino named to the National Register of Historic Places. Explore Vegas’s quirky themed street names or drive along the starry-est route in America. Search for centuries old petroglyphs or learn about the city’s modest origins. Whatever your personal tastes and travel style, this neon-lit entertainment capital has it in spades. And then some.
The Lake District delights its visitors with a series of superlatives: England’s largest national park, highest mountain, deepest lakes and now a new World Heritage status. One of Britain’s best-loved and most visited locations unveils its secrets. This unusual guidebook explores 111 of the area’s most interesting places, it leaves the well-trodden paths to find the unknown: marvel at a stained glass window which inspired the American flag, let others flock to Hill Top while you explore Beatrix Potter’s holiday home, walk through ancient forest to talk to fairies and swim with immortal fish. Pause to wonder at a stunning lake where a President proposed, view a constellation of stars like nowhere else, find out why exotic spices are used in local cuisine.
New York, New York – a crazy quilt of evolving neighborhoods, trends, and tastes, and home to natives and newcomers of every nationality, ethnicity, and outlook. New York City’s history and grand ambitions live in every street, park, and hidden alleyway. This unusual guidebook invites the adventurous and curious to explore a wildly diverse selection of little-known places, including: a trapeze school, a giant Buddha in a former porno theater, a Coney Island sideshow, Louis Armstrong’s home, a Central Park croquet court, a Gatsby-era speakeasy, and a secret balcony where slaves worshiped 200 years ago. Play chess with the masters on a Midtown office-tower wall; have a pint at a legendary prizefighter’s hangout in Soho; whisper messages across a crowded train station. Unexpected and quirky, most of these destinations are so under-the-radar they will astound even longtime New Yorkers who thought they knew it all!
Revised and updated edition.
Our memories define our lives. So we owe it ourselves to create as many wonderful memories as we can. Travel is great at creating memories and travel adventures create the most ‘memorable’ of memories. As they say: ‘travel is the only thing we pay for that makes us richer’. The world is a big and fascinating place and affordable airfares have made it accessible for all of us. But what will you do when you get there? Will you sit on a beach or will you embark on an adventure that will enrich your life? If you prefer the latter then this book is for you. It took more than 20 years to assemble these adventures. They are not the result of online search; they were discovered the old fashioned way: by trial and error and by luck and happenstance. The one thing they all have in common is that the author has personally experienced each adventure so there is a reliable consistency to these 111 adventures as much as there is an exotic variety.
Paris is known as the City of Lights, but it is really the City of Museums. Explore iconic centers of fine art with fresh eyes and dig deeper to uncover a world of museums dedicated to art and artists, science and industry, literature and film and curiosities both unusual and fascinating.
Can you identify all the great artists of French impressionism? Do you know about French contributions to early automobiles and airplanes? Are you fascinated by haute couture? Would you like to visit the ateliers of great painters and sculptors? Do you love music and film? Are you an obsessive collector of something truly peculiar? Or do you simply want to learn about new and compelling things in the world around you?
111 Museums in Paris That You Shouldn’t Miss highlights destinations, both well-known and obscure, where you will discover new treasures throughout this magnificent city.
Paris, souvent désignée comme la Ville Lumière, mérite aussi le titre de Ville des Musées. Plongez dans les trésors emblématiques des musées dédiés aux beaux-arts et explorez ces joyaux de la culture avec un regard renouvelé. Vos visites vous plongeront dans un univers captivant de musées où l’art et les artistes, la science et l’industrie, la littérature et le cinéma ont une place de choix, un monde fait de curiosités à la fois insolites et fascinantes. Pouvez-vous citer tous les grands artistes de l’impressionnisme français? Connaissez-vous les contributions majeures de la France aux premiers pas de l’automobile et de l’aviation? Êtes-vous passionné par la haute couture? Envisagez-vous une visite des ateliers des grands peintres et sculpteurs? Appréciez-vous la musique et le cinéma? Êtes-vous un collectionneur passionné, obsédé par quelque chose de véritablement unique? Ou aspirez-vous simplement à découvrir des éléments nouveaux et fascinants dans le monde qui vous entoure?
111 Musées à Paris à ne pas manquer dévoilent des musées, qu’ils soient célèbres ou méconnus, où vous pourrez dénicher de nouveaux trésors dans cette magnifique cité.
Text in French.
Mixing Roman and medieval roots, Chichester sits at the heart of a storied landscape where South Down hills dotted with idyllic hamlets ripple back from a shoreline mixing wild dune-backed beaches with old-school seaside resorts. Reminders of smuggling and war add spice.
But a thrilling thread of modernity runs through this slice of West Sussex too. Chichester’s modernist Festival Theatre provided the foundation for London’s National Theatre, while masterpieces of contemporary architecture that draw admirers from around the world include Sea Lane House in East Preston and The White Tower in Bognor Regis.
Evocative ancient memorials abound. Chichester is blessed with the only English cathedral visible from the sea, while England’s largest castle rises above the ravishing – and cosmopolitan – riverside town of Arundel. Ancient yew trees mark the burial spots of Viking warriors in an idyllic Downland spot. And it’s a land vibrant with creative imprints: poets, painters, composers, from Blake and Keats to Joyce and Chagall.
This guidebook takes you exploring through Chichester and its surroundings to find incomparable natural beauty, hidden secrets, astonishing history, art of all kinds, and much more.
Cornwall is known for its spectacular scenery, tiny fishing harbors, sandy beaches and surfing. Outside the tourist hot spots it has an intricate landscape full of life, where the ancient meets the modern. This guide takes you deep into this landscape, to old forgotten places and new exciting venues, from Land’s End to the Rame Peninsula, from Lizard Point to Bude.
Come with us from the old – to where Excalibur was thrown into the lake hundreds of years ago – to the modern – to the settings for the Poldark TV series. Come with us from the tiny – the tombstone of Alfred Wallis – to the huge – the intricate folded rocks on Millook beach. Join us from the noisy – Trevithick’s Puffing Devil – to the quiet – the tranquil Japanese garden.
Cornwall has changed. It is an intriguing mix of modern gastronomy, mining heritage, ancient ruins, literary festivals, traditional dances and brand-new technology. This guide is a personal selection of the best places, a mix to cover all tastes; please join us on our journey.
London is full of strange and beautiful sights. It is a place for traditions and rebels, for the establishment and every alternative subculture. This book celebrates the diversity of the city. It invites you to see Little Ben or the fake 10 Downing Street, and answers both conventional and unusual questions. What, apart from Rolling Scones, will you see at God’s Own Junkyard? Where does an old-school gentleman buy his wine and umbrellas? Why did Robbie Williams feud with his next-door neighbor? How has the city commemorated the Queen Mother and Princess Diana? In which park do 100-year-old naked ladies cavort on the banks of the Thames? Where did Lenin and Julian Assange campaign for their beliefs? And which bridge rolls itself up?
Experience the less explored nooks and pockets of Britain’s capital through the eyes of a passionate local. With its labyrinth of characterful streets and alleys, charming squares, open green spaces, monuments and museums, public artworks, bustling markets, and tempting boutiques and restaurants, London is a walker’s paradise. Whether you’re a first time visitor or longtime local, the city offers endless surprises – fascinating sights and stories, both ancient and modern, hidden in plain view. London insider and native Nicola Perry leads you away from the famed attractions on 33 strolls through the city’s most interesting enclaves, sharing entertaining insights, historical anecdotes, and engaging tips at every cobblestoned turn. Each walk burrows its way into the heart of a neighborhood, crafting and curating a path that reveals its individual essence and personality. Also available: 111 Coffee Shops in London That You Must Not Miss ISBN 9783954516148 111 Places in London That You Shouldn’t Miss ISBN 9783740816445 111 Shops in London That You Shouldn’t Miss ISBN 9783954513413
If you really want to get to know Washington, DC, you have to go out and get walking. Beyond the bounty of the National Mall and well-known historic sites, DC is a vibrant city full of unusual places, stories, and experiences that both avid and casual urban explorers will want to seek out.
DC insiders and adventurers Paige Muller and Andrea Seiger take you on 22 self-guided walks that blend the city’s rich history and vibrant culture, with some dishy tidbits thrown in for good measure. You’ll discover lesser-known facts behind popular icons and uncover wonderful spots, often hiding in plain sight.
There is a secret royal connection that lurks in an upper Northwest neighborhood, and a historic building that stands in for the White House in multiple Hollywood movies. See if you can spot the hidden graffiti on a well-known memorial. Discover what inspired Kate Winslet’s famous pose on the Titanic’s bow. And find out all about the Civil War officer whose missing leg is allegedly entombed in a wall.