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I am lucky to travel a lot as an agent of Totem Travel and when I do travel London is one of my favorite cities to visit. Since I’ve been a few times already I was looking for new and unusual things to see and do and I’ve listed them below.

From London Bridge to just past Tower Bridge, the Pool of London offers some of the more unusual and intriguing things to see and you don’t have to travel far to find them. This fascinating destination is one of London’s oldest neighborhoods with many maritime, historical, architectural and bloody connections with London’s history.

1. All Hallows, situated next to the Tower of London, is the oldest church in the City of London, with parts of the building dating from 675 AD. Beneath an original Saxon arch, a Roman pavement was discovered, evidence of city life on this site for over 2000 years. Open all year round, this wonderful church is steeped in history and continues to minister to a community of workers and visitors.

2. Join actors dressed in period costume aboard the Golden Hinde, berthed at St Mary Overie Dock to discover what life might have been like sailing around the world in a boat slightly bigger than a double-decker bus. The Golden Hinde is an exact scale, operational reconstruction of Sir Francis Drake’s 16th century galleon that sailed around the world 1577-80. This floating museum is open all year round.

3. If you thought you would have to travel to Arizona to see the original London Bridge, look no further than the magnificent church of St Magnus the Martyr. Inside, you can see a wooden model of the old London Bridge as well as the remnants of the foundation stones in the quiet churchyard outside.

4. Walk over the uniquely designed footbridge to see the unusual garden barges moored near St Saviours Dock, just downriver from the Design Museum on Shad Thames.

5. The yacht marina at St Katharine Docks, located beside the Tower of London and Tower Bridge offers visitors a haven from the frantic pace of the city. Once a working dock, it now boasts an attractive waterside retreat with a mixture of shops, restaurants, offices and luxury apartments as well as yachts and motorboats. When the sun is shining, you could be mistaken for thinking you aren’t in London.

If you’re ready to start planning your time in London, contact Jennefer at jennefer@totemtravel.com, I am the Europe Expert at Totem Travel and would love to help you make the most of your time in London.

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Last fall I was in France completing my travel agent France Specialist Certification. While there I was lucky enough to be ale to visit Chambord Castle in the Loire Valley. A favorite Chateau of many, it’s one of the most ornate and architecturally interesting castles I’ve seen, topped with all the spires and towers. 

Started in the early 1500′s it has been added to over and over by different owners, some using the Gothic theme others adding with a more Classical theme, some Romanesque others French or Italian. With some 32 apartments, life at Chambord consisted of periods of intense activity followed by long periods of total abandon. When occupied the whole court was installed with the Royal caravan bringing trunks, beds, tables and chairs, tapestries, works of art, book and trestles and all that was necessary for the comfort of the king, actually a whole village. While in residence one of the favorite activities was the royal hunts on the vast estate and then when the court departed again the immense castle would be abandoned until next time. 

The French government bought Chambord in 1930 and has fully renovated it, filing the moats and landscaping the grounds. The castle conservation organization keeps the building furnished and even carries on the tradition of the hunt. Today the crowds of tourists have replaced that of the court and Chambord is a place to stroll the grounds on a beautiful day, you can walk for hours on trails or spend your time exploring the inside the apartments for a glimpse of the early life at the castle and beautiful and unexpected views from the many towers and keeps. 

Chambord is also known for its famous Black Raspberry Liqueur and other culinary treats available from around the region.  

The Loire Valley is dotted with Chateaus such as Chambord, Chenonceau, Villandry, Cheverny and Chateau de Blois to name a few.  If you’d like more information on traveling in France and the Loire Valley call or email Jennefer our France Specialist at Totem Travel.

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Already seen London, Paris and Rome? Have you stretched yourself to see Prague and Budapest and wonder what’s next? Try Tallinn, Estonia, USA Today calls it one of the 10 up and coming cities of Europe where there is still a deals to be had.

I traveled there and fell in love with the Old Town. Lastly occupied by Russia, is still has some of the Eastern feel and is just waking up form it’s communist past. The Old Town is a World Heritage Site due to the fact that it has been invaded numerous times but has never been bombed and the Old Town stands today much as it has for centuries, of course the city has built up around it and things are modernized but the old world charm can be felt as you enter the city gates and walk the cobbles streets winding their way past stone churches and private residences dating back to the 13th century. The walled city has something like 31 towers that are still fully intact, starting with at Margaret at one end and Tall Hermann at the other. Some house museums others are under repair simply from age.

Being part of the Soviet Union for many years left it’s influence on Tallinn, there are many Russian style churches with the onion top spires as the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, you can visit Alexander the Greats cottage where he stayed until he built his palace or you can visit the cities infamous KGB headquarters. You still hear Russian spoken frequently, in fact they only gained independence from Russia in the 1990’s.

While dropping in for refreshment at a local bar we met a boy named Pritt, I believe he was about 10 years old but he spoke Estonian, Russian and Finnish as well as English. We bumped into him over and over in the old town and he finally took us to meet his father who owned a shop where he imported goods from all over the world. I am always amazed by young people in Europe who can speak so many languages and seem much older than their years.

If you’d like more information about traveling to Tallinn, call Jennefer the Europe Expert at Totem Travel, or shoot an email to jennefer@totemtravel.com.

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If you’re a student, a young couple or a professional between the ages of 18 and 35 I can help you with a tour that’s made just for you, you can choose your own adventure, get some culture, party with people your own age and save bank while doing it!

Hey honeymooners, you’re married, not old, get out there and see the world!

If you are a parent or grandparent, make your kids day by sending them away……. On a Contiki tour with people their own age! Great for a graduation present from high school or college.

What’s different about Contiki is that not only do you have to be between 18-35 years of age to travel and believe me there are lots of you from all over the world traveling,  but also because of the experiences offered at each stop along the way. You certainly won’t fit into the old adage that ‘it’s Thursday, it must be Munich’. All you 18-35 year olds want to explore and see the world in a new way and with a new perspective; with Contiki you can do that.

Let’s start with the planning… and the question is… what planning? Contiki does it for you! They have tours starting at just 9 days long and stretching up to 35 days. You could focus on a single country, like Italy, explore a region such as Scandinavia or go for the 35 day tour and see 18 countries, including all of Western Europe and adding in Croatia, Bosnia, Albania, Montenegro and a Greek Island cruise and of course there are all kinds of options in between. Contiki also offers itineraries to see and explore Australia, New Zealand, Russia, Egypt, Canada and the USA.

As an experienced Contiki agent, they call us their Rock Stars, I am here to help you choose the tour that’s best for you. Once on tour you will meet other people in your own age group from all over the world, how cool is that? Kick it with some Aussies or check out the local scene with your new friends from Canada. Even your guides will be 18-35 years old, so they’ll really ‘get you’. You could dance until dawn in Barcelona, climb the Eiffel Tower in Paris, snorkel the Great Barrier Reef, toast in the beer halls of Munich, island hop in Greece or skydive in New Zealand, it’s not just the destination, its all about what you do once you’re there.

I can help you choose a tour that will include some of the legendary festivals in Europe such as Germany‘s Oktoberfest, Scotland‘s Military Tattoo in Edinburgh, the Cannes Film Festival in France or the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona, Spain.

The Superior tours start at just $108 per day. You’ll sleep in comfy hotels that are centrally located with easy access to all the sights you want to see. And since you paid in advance for your tour, saving bank at such great rates with no currency exchange, you’ll have more money for shopping and spending on your holiday!

Whether you’re bringing your best friend, traveling as a couple or heading out solo, you’ll undoubtedly make friends with people from around the world; travel connections you’ll have long after the trip has ended, so call Jennefer at Totem Travel, remember, I’m a Rock Star and I’ll hook you up to the best Contiki tour for you, you’ll save money AND see the world!!

Call me at (425) 821-4100 or email Linda and we’ll be your new Rock Star travel agents!