Europe String

Back when I was recommending this cool little airplane headphone adapter, I wanted to recommend some noise-canceling headphones as well. Given that this is a budget-conscious travel blog, I stopped short of singing the praises of my husband’s fabulous but pricey Bose headphones. But then I came across these iceTECH noise-canceling headphones that go for a mere $30. That seems like a small price to pay for some deliciously silent time on a long flight. I love being able to escape from the plane’s engine noise!

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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

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Here at the b5 Travel & Culture channel, we occasionally have theme days. This month’s theme is photos, and here’s Mary Jo’s great round-up of the posts. Go check out the lovely views!

Here at Europe String, I submitted my Back from Italy photo.
From Grace at Filipina Soul, we have photos of Malacanang of the North, the “White House” of the North, and home to exiled formed President Marcos and his family.  And Grace offers Photos of Manila Ocean Park, a new oceanarium in the Philippines.
Mary Jo at Flyaway Cafe is still bragging about her recent vacation with Fog Rolls in …read more

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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

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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

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One of the items that I never leave home without is my metal water bottle. I love that I no longer buy overpriced plastic bottles of water on my travels – it’s better for the environment and my health to drink out of this reusable metal container. Plus it leaves me with more cash to spend on other things.
Don’t let the European penchant for bottled water fool you – tap water is not only potable but delicious in most parts of this continent. This bottle travels with me even when I fly – I just have to remember to empty …read more

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I love reading books during my travels that are somehow connected to my destination. I’m not talking about travel guides, but rather pleasure reading to entertain me on planes, trains, or simply while soaking in the atmosphere at a local cafe. Fiction or non-fiction, books set in the city I’m exploring can help enhance my experiences of the location and the book.
One great city-and-leisure-reading combination is the book When in Rome, you guessed it, while vacationing in the Eternal City. When in Rome is actually primarily a history of the Vatican, written in a charming and entertaining voice. The author, …read more

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A glimpse of Venice, complete with tour guide narration.

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Absolutely nothing. You can stop telling people that you heard about how one hoof raised means the guy died in battle and that four hooves raised means the horse had magical flying powers. This urban legend is persistent (I’ve heard it from multiple tour guides in various countries), but it’s just not true.
Photo source: personal collection

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