I’m currently in the fourth week of my travel and journalism adventures in Berlin, and I must say that I’m already beginning to feel like a true Berliner—it seems as though I’ve lived here for much longer. Aside from getting to know the fellow students in my journalism internship program, shopping for my weekly meals at the local grocery store and experiencing Berlin’s exciting nightlife scene, one of my most memorable moments to date was taking a free Sandemans New Europe tour of some of Berlin’s major attractions.

Founded by Chris Sandeman in 2004, Sandemans is a city tour company based out of Berlin that offers free (tip-based) daily walking tours of 11 major European cities including Amsterdam, Hamburg, Munich, and Madrid in addition to Berlin. The tours, which are mainly offered in English and Spanish, last around three and a half hours and lead you past sites of historical significance within the city you are visiting.

The free tour of Berlin started at the Brandenburg Gate with a lively storytelling session of the early history of Berlin. Our guide continued to reveal interesting facts throughout the tour—the city was built on a swamp (Berlin means “swamp city” in Slavic), hence its light, looming stench.

Photo of the Brandenburg Gate: forki23

Smells and all, I got to see many of Berlin’s major attractions in a reasonable time frame, including Babel Platz (the famous site of the 1933 Nazi book burnings), Checkpoint Charlie, Museum Island and Gendarmenmarkt, which houses a French and German Cathedral. At one point, our tour guide led the group to an unpaved parking lot which houses the remnants of Hitler’s former bunker. Aside from a small plaque signifying the location, you wouldn’t think the area is anything more than an empty parking lot.

I found the Holocaust Memorial most impressive. Officially called Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, the Holocaust Memorial was designed by Peter Eisenman and consists of 2,711 concrete slabs of varying heights covering approximately 4.7 acres. The memorial, which was completed in 2005, doesn’t include any sort of description of what the solid concrete blocks symbolize—our guide explained that Eisenman left it open for interpretation. For me, walking through the memorial was like weaving through a maze of massive gravestones, each signifying the life, pain and story of a Holocaust victim.

Photo of the Holocaust Memorial: Andrea Pyka

Despite becoming familiar with the city’s history, transportation system, culture and quirky student traditions (instead of clapping, students in Germany knock on their table multiple times), I can’t claim that I’m a Berlin expert. I still have so much to see and do, including trying a döner kebab, a popular Turkish dish of vegetables and slices of lamb meat covered in yogurt dressing all stuffed into a pita bread. But that will be for a future post.

Ever been to Las Vegas? Step into the massive Gaylord Opryland Hotel in Nashville, Tenn., and you might find yourself asking, “Which way to the casino?” With 2,881 guest rooms, this hotel is grand— you could indeed get lost in there, just like the huge hotels in Vegas.

Don’t spend too much time looking for that casino, however. The hotel is the largest non-gaming facility in the continental United States, and wonderfully family friendly.

The last time my family visited Nashville to visit relatives, we had merely poked our heads into the Gaylord Opryland Hotel. This time, though, we decided to get a room, er, suite. We had a great corner room that opened up to a living room and kitchenette, with a sleeper sofa and extra cot for my two boys. What can I say? We like our sleep and my kids snore.

Pool Perks for Everyone

When we travel as a family we like to spend ample time at the pool. Gaylord Opryland has three pools, which were a huge hit with the kids.

The centrally located Magnolia outdoor pool area is surrounded by a gorgeous fountain and small waterfall with a brook winding toward the pool and a wading pool. There’s a bar and outdoor eating area located poolside, ensuring that the little ones and grown ups always have something to munch on.

The Relache indoor pool is adjacent to the full-service Relache Spa. It’s a beautiful pool that has a designated lap lane—which help to keep frolicking kids well separated from adults working out. On the deck you’ll find plush, padded chaise lounges throughout—perfect for cat naps. A large, heated whirlpool and outdoor sunning area are just outside the pool area.

Enjoying the Relache Indoor Pool – Creative Commons – Kevin Fliess 2009

Hints of Disneyland

With the hotel’s four-story waterfall, a boat ride through the property’s interior moat, more than 10,000 tropical plants in the atrium and fountains, we thought it was the Disneyland of the Bible Belt. Well, almost. But, we never felt the need to leave (though I think my parents may have been miffed if we didn’t visit them).

A morning stroll by the Cascades waterfall - Creative Commons – Kevin Fliess 2009

Walking through the Cascades section of the hotel, I was transported to Bourbon Street, New Orleans. Some walkways and footbridges tricked me into thinking I was inside Vegas’ New York New York Hotel and Casino; there was a hint of Paris, with Opryland’s lofty glass ceiling adorned with lights mimicking the night sky. Great restaurants and shops on property made it worth every penny for the suite. Despite the lack of slot machines, we’d hit the jackpot!

Kevin & Sue Fliess

I’m an awful trip-packer. I get caught up daydreaming about the destination until suddenly, it’s the day before my flight and I end up throwing everything I think I might need—or not enough—into my bag. This time, I’m making a packing list.

In one week, I’m flying to Guatemala to meet up with a couple of college girlfriends for a two-week backpacking trip. We won’t be schlepping through jungles and mountains for two solid weeks, but we do plan on exploring primarily by foot and hostel hopping. For that reason, I need to pack wisely and as lightly as possible—so that I have room to bring back handmade Mayan crafts, of course!

It occurred to me that others planning a light-backpacking trip to Central America (or to any mid-latitude developing nation) might benefit from a general packing list. I’ll give it a shot. And if any of you have suggestions on what I’m forgetting, please share your experiences and ideas.

Things to Consider

First, think about what the destination will be like once you’re there. Some important questions to ask:

• What will the weather be like? Rainy season or dry?
• Will you be hiking every day or traveling by bus from town to town?
• Are there any infectious diseases that are possible threats? How should you protect yourself?
• Will you have access to clean drinking water?

My List

Gear: Lightweight backpacking pack (REI Women’s Flash 65), Cocoon mummy liner (in lieu of sleeping bag and great for hostels), mini flashlight, small camera, water bottle, Sawyer Inline Water Filter, small journal and pen/pencil, umbrella (June is the rainy season in Guatemala), sunglasses.

Clothing: shorts (2), Capri pants (1), dress (1), skirts (2), socks (5 pair), tank tops (3), t-shirt (2), long-sleeved shirt (1), light fleece (1), rain jacket (1), waterproof Vasque hiking shoes (1), Chaco sandals (1), undies (enough for a week-ish) and swimsuit (1).

Health kit in a sealed plastic bag: sunscreen, lip balm with SPF, mosquito repellant, cholorquine prescription (Malaria is a potential threat in Guatemala), half-dozen Band-Aids, small tube of antibacterial ointment, travel toothbrush, small all-purpose soap (Dr. Bronner’s Magic All-One is the shizzle), small squirt tube of hand sanitizer (for gnarly hostel bathrooms), wet wipes (always handy).

Looks like a lot, huh? Let’s see:

And packed up:

With room to spare! (I used an Eagle Creek clothing compartment and a stuff sack to help organize and create more space.) Now, I’m pretty much set. Oh wait! I almost forgot: PASSPORT.

Am I missing something? Let me know what else I should consider taking along (or taking off my list).

I returned last week from the annual Association of Travel Marketing Executives (ATME) conference in blisteringly hot Las Vegas, Nevada. Here are my top 10 takeaways from a great event.

10. Imagini demonstrated some cool and useful technology that wowed everyone. The special sauce is something called “visual DNA” that profiles consumers based on their reaction to photos. Hotels.com in the United Kingdom has integrated it into its booking path—it’s called the Hotel Visualiser—and it’s driven a real uptick in conversions.

9. With great challenge comes great opportunity. Some of the most successful brands were born during the Great Depression. Today, in the midst of a “Great Recession,” new and interesting companies are hatching to define the next generation of online travel. Trazzler, for example, thrilled the audience with its deft integration of social media platforms—Twitter and Facebook.

8. It’s the economy, stupid. Every segment has felt the pinch from destination marketing organizations (DMOs), to online travel agencies (OTAs), to airlines and hotels. Henry Harteveldt of Forrester used the term “neo-frugal chic” to describe the new reality. We’ve seen the end of excess—flash is out, value is in. Absolutely.

7. Social media is inextricably linked to daily business. Case in point: Dan Comenduley, manager of communications marketing at United Airlines, says the airline has created a dedicated Web site for its top 500 travelers (Global Services customers, perhaps?), whereas JetBlue … has leveraged the “twittersphere” to connect with cost-conscious fliers. These two varied approaches work because they enhance the respective business model of each company.

6. ROE (return on engagement) is the new ROI (return on investment) is a hot topic. Jeff DeKorte of Travel Ad Network described the current online booking and shopping experience to be as interesting as withdrawing $20 from an ATM. I heard one person grumble, “If we (the travel industry) were marketing sushi, we’d call it ‘cold, dead fish.’”  Ouch. Several emerging companies—Imagini, Nileguide and TravelMuse—shared novel approaches for inspiring, engaging and building trust with users through compelling design.

5. Shorter trips are the norm. The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) is seeing “consumers more willing to take a break than a vacation.” Why? People are afraid to go away for more than a long weekend for fear of being laid off.

4. Despite the economic challenges of today, successful companies are building strategic plans for the future. The Orlando Convention and Visitors Bureau, for example, is planning conventions out to 2030. How does one even begin to imagine what life will look like 20+ years from now? This video helped get people thinking outside the box.

3. The great American road trip is alive and well. The industry is seeing much greater strength in road travel than in air travel as gas prices are down by 50 percent versus July 2008; airfare is down a more moderate 4.1 percent thru March 2009.

2. The number of people unsure of where to go has doubled in the last 12 months from 11 percent of the traveling public to 20 percent. The need for travel inspiration has never been greater.

1. Twitter has exploded. It was astonishing to see, since last year most attendees had no idea what Twitter was. This year, dozens of attendees tweeted away (read the stream here: #atmeconf) and lots of press, bloggers and industry insiders followed the posts remotely. Questions poured in from around the Web, making the Q&A sessions livelier. Wall Street 24×7 recently posted a story on 10 ways Twitter will permanently change American business.

Here’s an 11th: Meetings and events will never be the same again.

The North American Travel Journalists Association (NATJA) will hold its annual conference in Cleveland, Ohio, next week—June 2 to 5, 2009. As well as a great list of speakers, the conference features an evening at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame!

Featured speakers include:

• Keith Bellows, editor in chief, National Geographic Traveler

• Joe David, author of Gourmet Getaways

• Christopher Elliott, travel blogger and National Geographic Traveler’s reader advocate

• Kevin Fliess, CEO and co-founder, TravelMuse

• Fran Golden, travel editor, Gatehouse Media

• Jeffrey Lehmann, host of Emmy-winning PBS series Weekend Explorer

The schedule includes sessions on: getting your foot in the door with an editor, surviving new media, tips on workflow for editorial photography and how to grow your business. There is also the opportunity to tour the city and attend a destination shoot and critique.

NATJA is a professional association of writers, photographers, editors and tourism professionals dedicated to redefining professional development for the travel industry. Members can register for the conference for a special rate of $475.

Be sure to say hello to Kevin!