Science History Tour 2005

map We intend to continue the journey from where we finished last year's trip, so will explore some more of eastern Germany, then continue into the Czech Republic and Prague, and end the trip in Vienna.  Our theme this time will be Science Behind the Iron [Fe!] Curtain.  We will all meet in Leipzig to start the trip on June 22 2005, and will begin with a welcome lunch.  The tour will end in Vienna after breakfast on July 6. Tour members frequently choose to arrive at the starting point a few days early, or else to stay on for a few days after the trip ends. Yvonne can give you advice on this, as she can often help with ideas or hotel suggestions.

 

The itinerary includes Dresden and the marvelous collection of the Zwinger museums.  Dresden is also of great interest for its architecture - wonderfully restored after almost complete destruction in WWII.  A visit to the fabulous Meissen factory will enable you to see early examples produced in Europe's first porcelain factory and also to see present day Meissen porcelain being manufactured. The composition of porcelain was a secret, manufacture being a monopoly in the Orient, until the secret was re-discovered by an alchemist in the employ of Augustus the Strong of Saxony.  Other visits will take place in the Saxony region (whose wealth was based on silver-mining) where there are lovely castles and gardens and small towns that most tourists have not yet found.  There are also a number of very old collections of scientific interest, just emerging from obscurity.

 

We will then travel throughout the length of the Czech Republic exploring its wealth of science history.  Prague, with its connections with Tycho Brahe and Kepler, and Brno, the place where Mendel founded the science of genetics, will be two of the places we will stay. Visits to the other towns now coming to life after years under Communist domination, but as yet largely undiscovered by tourists, will be a delight.  The tour will end with a couple of days in Vienna, a lovely city with connections to many scientists and famous Naturalischeshistorisches Museum.

 

Walking tours of many cities, lectures from local experts and visits to the homes of scientists will be included in the tour. Those who wish can explore the cultural offerings of the cities of Dresden and Prague and Vienna, where concerts and operas abound.  Along the way we will take a short cruise of the Elbe from Dresden to the Castle at Pillnitz.  Evidence of the stultifying and in some cases perverse influence of the Soviet regime on science will be found in many places and will provide a strong contrast to the degree of scientific freedom seen in the United States.    

 

Accommodation will be in comfortable welcoming hotels where all rooms have private bathrooms.  Room-sharing arrangements can be coordinated for those persons who are traveling alone, but would like to share a room to save single room supplements.  We will travel either by luxury coach that will stay with us while we are touring, or sometimes by train.  Inexperienced international travelers will be given as much help as they need.  Those traveling alone will find a warm welcome from this congenial and interesting group where it is easy to make friends.

 

During the tour all land transportation, hotels and breakfasts, at least (on average) one other meal per day - often with a glass of wine, all admissions to museums, lecture fees, and taxes are included.  Your additional expenditure will be for the few meals when the group does not eat together, incidentals such as theater or concert tickets, and personal expenditures.  TRANSATLANTIC AIRFARE IS NOT INCLUDED.   The cost of the 2005 tour will be $2975 per person, double occupancy.  We regret the necessity to increase the price over last year's, but the large decline in the value of the dollar makes this inevitable.  You will find that you receive excellent value for money.

 

Graduate credit is available.   CPDUs are also available for teachers.

 

For registration materials, further information and/or to be put on the mailing list, contact:

Yvonne Twomey, 841 Kinston Court, Naperville, IL 60540 Tel: 630-961-9811

E-mail: ytwomey@mindspring.com

Or Lee Marek, Tel: 630-420-7516 E-mail: LMarek@aol.com

See the following pages for a web presentation on our past trips.

http://www.chem.uic.edu/marek