I visited the Alsace region of France for a quick weekend over the American Thanksgiving holiday. I flew into Geneva, Switzerland and then took a train to Basel before transferring to a local train to Colmar, France. On quick trips such as this, I avoid car rentals. I prefer to take advantage of public transportation and the deluge of culture that accompanies it. On this particular trip, I was really looking forward to trying the food and … [Read more...]
A Guide to Discovering the Beaches of Gozo
The island of Gozo is known for having some of the best beaches in the Mediterranean while offering a less crowded environment than the neighbouring island of Malta. The weather is temperate most of the year and the waters are usually calm and clear, so it's a perfect destination for swimming, snorkeling, watersports, photography, sunbathing, and sheer relaxation. Of course, being an island that’s literally surrounded by beaches makes choosing … [Read more...]
Verona’s Vaunted Valpolicella Wines
The Valpolicella in Italy's Verona province is renowned for ancient palaces, fabled villas, architectural jewels like Stelle Hypogeum Church, and Valpolicella wines that inspired Ernest Hemingway to write Across the River and Into the Trees. Preserving the region's longstanding collaborative wine making traditions, Consorzio Tutela Vini Valpolicella (Valpolicella Wine Board) was founded in 1924 and now brings together over 80% of the grape … [Read more...]
Best Beer Cities In Europe
Beer. We love it. Drink it. Cook with it... we do everything with it. Our infatuation with beer goes back thousands of year, as a curative against common illnesses, a celebratory beverages, and even a centerpiece of religious ceremony, beer has been central to societies across the world for millennia. Perhaps there's no beer, however, like the best beer in Europe. There are some cities, in fact, where beer continues to be the draw for tourists … [Read more...]
Camino de Santiago
The air in the waiting room at the Bilbao International Airport pressed against us, dank and heavy. A greasy stench rose from a counter loaded with plastic containers of Spanish omelets. “Where are they?” My voice sounded edgy. “I thought Brad told us he would be right under that Celular sign.” We scanned the room. In the far corner, a group of young men, all wearing identical yellow and black T-shirts displaying an image of a large soccer … [Read more...]
Victoria and Albert: A Saxe-Coburg Love Story
The television series “Victoria” about the younger years of England's Queen Victoria is in its second season with more turmoil below stairs at Buckingham Palace and a new child upstairs for Victoria and Albert. The historic love story between the young queen of England and her German noble husband continues. This season also brings the Saxe-Coburgs into more focus with the death of Albert’s father and his return home to Coburg for a … [Read more...]
People I met on the Romanian train ride – Part 2
After a fun-filled day of exploring the historic and scenic sights of Sighisoara, I made my way back to the train station. The earlier encounter with the eccentric Romanian family was still vivid in my mind. I wonder what the next train ride back to Brasov had in store for me. The train back to Brasov was a couchette car. It was old, stuffy and reeked of cigarette smoke, a far cry from the train I took earlier with a modern and air-conditioned … [Read more...]
People I met on the Romanian train ride – Part 1
Travelling by train is an easy and affordable way to see Romania as the country offers an extensive rail network connecting all major cities and towns. Its official website https://www.cfrcalatori.ro/ provides comprehensive train timetables and fare information. During my visit to Romania, I chose train as my means of transportation to whisk me from one city to the other. The experience was both exhilarating and intimidating to me. Why does it … [Read more...]
Escaping to La Brenne National Parc, France
Sipping my coffee by the lake, I could just make out a tiny dark speck in the water. Eagerly grabbing my friend’s binoculars I trained them onto the black dot, and as it slowly came into focus, resembling a small beaver with a rat like tail, I realised that I was looking at a coypu… We were in La Brenne National Parc, in the Indres Department of Central France, named after the river Indre that flows through the region. Seeking a taste of rural … [Read more...]
The Oltrepo Pavese – Milan’s Secret Wine Region
Though frequently called the Tuscany of the North of Italy, the Oltrepò Pavese in Lombardy, only 40 miles south of Milan, is fairly unknown abroad. Tourists pass the area closely when travelling to the real Tuscany, to Umbria or further south. This is a pity as the Oltrepò really offers something worthwhile for almost every tourist, especially food and wine lovers. The area offers smooth hills, medieval villages and castles, panoramic views, … [Read more...]
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