Europe String

Guestblogger: Abby Yao is a Filipina postgraduate student in London. Though more of a musical theatre fan than a classical music lover, she believes that music is the universal language and finds no inconsistency in listening to both indie and mainstream, world music and bubblegum pop, rock and electronica.
The BBC Proms, the “world’s greatest classical music festival”, ends its two-month run on 8th September by bringing classical music to the people. The five Proms in the Park concerts in London, Carrickfergus (Northern Ireland), Glasgow (Scotland), Swansea (Wales), and Tees Valley (England) will be broadcast live on TV and …read more

1 Comment

Well, not really…
Based on the characters they have played and/or their interview personalities, I have chosen 10 celebrities who I think would have probably gone backpacking – budget travel style, of course – in Europe had they not become famous:

Lauren Graham – she’ll be that easygoing girl who likes to talk
Owen Wilson – he’d be that good-looking guy at the bar who all the other backpackers (girls, of course) have a crush on
Amy Winehouse – Amsterdam “coffee house” regular, perhaps?
Jennifer Garner – that all-around American girl who is really into it
Cameron Diaz – the roomie you probably would like to …read more

Comments Off

Will the Colts quarterback Peyton Manning break his own NFL record this season? If he does, could this do the trick for the Super Bowl Champion Indianapolis Colts to be able to defend their title? Very unlikely, I suppose.
I guess, all we can do now is to speculate. And wait. But while you are at it, you could check out ESPN’s NFL predictions and compare it to your own speculations.
Interested in everything else that is NFL? Well, today, is your lucky day.

Jon of the DC Traveler lets you in on the secret of how to …read more

7 Comments

Guest Blogger: Abby Yao is a Filipina postgraduate student in London preparing her dissertation on women and diaspora. Diagnosed with travel addiction, she also exhibits symptoms such as the persistent urge to blog about everything from pop culture to fine art, for which there is no cure.
On the last Bank Holiday weekend of the year, hundreds of thousands of Londoners flock to the streets of Notting Hill for Europe’s largest street party. West London is transported to the West Indies by parades of Mas bands and samba schools, splashing colour on the rows of white flats in the area. Sound …read more

1 Comment

Some tourists are stupid. Some of them (okay, okay, I could probably write WE hehe) pay for twice or even thrice the usual amount. Others are easily tricked into paying to see an insignificant establishment that not a single soul who know any better would even pay a centavo for.
Of course, unsuspecting tourists only realize that they have been had only in the end… after the money has disappeared into someone else’s pockets and they become part of a stupid-tourist-stories exchanged between dubious characters who are out there to pry on, well, stupid tourists.
Some are kinda obvious …read more

2 Comments

Do you always read the fine print before you make your booking? Honestly?
I didn’t think so.
It’s that part written in very small letters or in light grey (as opposed to the black print everything else are written with). It’s where companies write the exclusions, reductions, exemptions and limitations of coverage. When booking online, these are under terms and conditions which most of us (admit it!) just skip because well, who would want to read all those which only lawyers would probably be interested to read?
Well, if you see an offer that is too cheap to be true, it …read more

Comments Off

For the past month, I have been commuting between London and Frankfurt, with a couple of short trips to Barcelona. And guess where I am now… in transit to Tokyo. In a week, I will be heading back to Frankfurt and then, off to London once again.
It’s been a crazy month and I was told that it will get even crazier next month. I will still manage to go online but to make sure that everything is covered (should Murphy’s Law get the upper hand during my travels), I am looking for guest bloggers to help me …read more

3 Comments

Paris started it all back in 2002 with Nuit Blanche. Its success led to the organization of Operation “European Notti Bianche“. And now, 4 other cities are organizing their own White Nights in Europe: Rome, Riga, Brussels and Madrid.
What exactly can you expect during these White Night festivals?
It’s mainly a cultural event held between the end of summer and the beginning of Autumn. It starts at sunset and the party continues on until the sun rises the next day. Yes, it’s a whole night affair!
You can expect art exhibitions, music, theatre and performances. Restaurants, museums and shops …read more

Comments Off

Here’s an option for travelers which Al Gore would definitely approve of… carpooling!
Not only will you be able to share the cost and meet interesting new people by riding in a carpool, you will also help reduce the emission of carbon dioxide and aide in protecting our environment.
Within the continent of Europe, there are several services which could help you find someone to share the cost, whether as a driver or as a passenger.  Here are a couple of services which you might want to consider:

Autostopp brings Europe together by helping drivers and passengers find each other online to organize …read more

1 Comment

Bed bugs are small nocturnal insects that feed on humans. They want blood. They are often found in beds — in the seams of the mattress or within the mattress itself.
Infestations are, more often than not, due to poor housekeeping. And since this is one of the problems with some very cheap hostels or B&B, it will do you a lot of good if you do your homework first.

Before booking that cheap hostel, make sure that you check TripAdvisor and see if anyone has already complained about the presence of bedbugs.
OR, when you get …read more

4 Comments