Just when you thought fast food couldn’t get any more efficient: the Dutch chain Febo offers burgers, croquettes, chicken wings and more… all out of vending machines. There are over 20 Febo locations in Amsterdam, and over 50 in the Netherlands.
Photo source: personal collection
This charming town in the Alsace region of France is so cute it might make you weep.
Photo source: personal collection
As I’ve mentioned before, I sometimes like to match my leisure reading to my travel destination. If you’re a fan of John Irving, you might be interested in A Widow for One Year, which is partially set in Amsterdam.
There’s also his classic The World According to Garp, which has several scenes in Vienna. As one reviewer explained, reading Garp before heading to the Austrian capital might lead to fits of laughter at everyday scenes in your pension.
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I’m mean. Every time I take someone to Berlin, I make them try a Berliner Weisse mit Schuss. This is basically bad beer with a shot of fruity syrup, and can be ordered rot (red) or grün (green). The red syrup is usually raspberry flavored, while the green is Waldmeister, or woodruff (not that I have ever heard of woodruff in English), a flavorful herb.
To add insult to injury, this sweet, colorful beer is consumed through a straw. When someone orders one of these, the appropriate response is to point and laugh. But if you’re a first-time tourist in Berlin, …read more
Every day at 11:00 and 12:00, tourists gather in Munich’s Marienplatz and gaze upwards at the Glockenspiel. This mechanical puppet show features life-sized figures dancing, jousting, and milling about with no discernable purpose.
While I’ve never gone out of my way to see it, I have coincidently found myself at Marienplatz just as the show was beginning on more than one occasion. While it’s mildly amusing, I wouldn’t place it high on my to-do list if I only had a few days in Munich. For example, you could be drinking beer instead (11:00am beers are completely acceptable here)…
Photo source: personal collection
Mmmmmm… cheese. I love it. Check out any food market in Europe and you’re likely to discover dozens of varieties you’ve never tried before.
This was definitely true for me on my first trip to Amsterdam’s famous Noordermarkt. This organic farmer’s market is located in the Jordaan quarter of Amsterdam and takes place rain or shine every Saturday. The friendly vendors were happy to give me a taste of various cheeses to help me choose which ones to buy.
Even if your accommodations don’t include a kitchen, the Noordermarkt organic market is definitely worth a visit for foodies visiting Amsterdam. The experience …read more
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Amongst the girls in the windows of Amsterdam’s red light district, visitors can make an unexpected discovery. The Amstelkring Museum is a preserved 17th-century home with a most unusual upstairs. A Catholic church, aptly named Our Lord in the Attic, is hidden inside this unassuming house. The church dates to the Reformation, when Catholics were forbidden to practice in Amsterdam.
I enjoyed learning a bit about Amsterdam’s interesting history while visiting the Amstelkring Museum. The museum is open daily and costs €7 for adults. Entry is free with an I amsterdam card.
Don’t you just love it when you stumble across a great travel value? That’s how I felt while we were staying at the Hotel Austria Wien in central Vienna – what a find! The staff was welcoming and helpful, the rooms were modern, clean, and quiet, and even breakfast was included in the completely reasonable rate we paid. And the location was great, too, in a neighborhood full of restaurants and shops, and just a short walk to the central pedestrian area.
A double room with private bath goes for EUR 109 – 150. You can pay less if you stay …read more
Super Bowl XLII is coming up – on February 3rd, 2008, to be exact. You don’t hear much about this American game over here in Europe, but all is not lost if you’re a fan who finds yourself on this side of the pond for the big day (assuming you’re willing to stay up late).
The game is actually broadcast live on free TV in many European countries, minus most of the pre-game shows, and, sadly, without all those fancy commercials. Broadcasts start at around midnight CET; check the local listings for the country you’re in to find out whether …read more
I was browsing books on Amazon (I do this a lot, given that I live in a place without easy access to giant English-language bookstores) and noticed that Rough Guide is about to come out with The Rough Guide to Europe on a Budget. I want! I’m a huge fan of Rough Guides, so this sounds fabulous to me.
But then I noticed that it’s not coming out until April 2008. Hmmmm. I guess you could pre-order it for someone as a Christmas present? But that would be a lot of delayed gratification. OK, I’ll let you know if I come …read more
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