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My Favorite and Most Surprising Beer Destinations
I would be lying if I said beer does not have any impact on my travels. Before I venture out to a new destination, I always check my Untappd app and do research on potential breweries and taprooms where I’ll be staying. I love finding places in town and trying local brews. When Jill and I travel, we are out all day on our feet walking 40,000 steps give or take. To break things up or at the end of the day we always find ourselves at a brewery and honestly it is usually a highlight of my day. There is something about the atmosphere of breweries/taprooms, the people there, and the excitement of trying new beers. Usually, if we walk by a local brewery we stop, it gives us a breather, chance to use the restroom and further plan the day, win-win for everybody!!! After visiting 32 countries and sampling beer from around the world, I found that beer styles and tastes are different from country to country, heck it’s different from state to state even town to town. There are some countries I go to mainly for the beer while other countries I might try a few brews just to log them into Untappd. On the other hand, some countries have completely blown me away with their beer scene. Let’s talk beer! I’ll rant on a bit of the little knowledge I have on beer and then share some of my favorite beer destinations! Beer has been brewed and enjoyed for thousands of years, there is even written history about it from the Ancient Egyptians (I wonder what their beer tasted like). Even before written records, archaeologists have found sites from Mesopotamia over 10,000 years old where they have found pieces of barley and bowls with fermented yeast and grains. Fast forward a bit and beer made its way all over Europe. As water was filthy during these periods, people resorted to drinking beer instead. Around the Middle Ages, beer became more then just a fermented drink. People began experimenting with this drink to offset the bitterness. They would add natural ingredients and spices to the brewing process to produce a more enjoyable drink. I read that around the 1100’s, monks would start adding hops to their recipes simply because it added a refreshing taste to the beer. Back then monasteries were the place to be if you enjoyed beer. Monks seemed to love brewing beer and almost every monastery had their own brewery. One historical beer event was when Germany established the Reinheitsgebot (Purity Law). In 1516, this law was created by the Duke of Bavaria, Wilhelm IV. In short, this law was created to ensure that only water, barley, and hops (yeast was unknown at the time), were used to brew beer. With the arrival of Europeans to the New World (The Americas), they to brought beer with them, and it has been loved all around the world to this day! Styles First things first, there are hundreds of styles of beer and it continues to grow as brewers are becoming more skilled, curious, and experimental. For now, I will stick to the more common styles that are widely found and enjoyed. For the most part, beers are generally lagers or ales and all beers will fall into one of these categories. Lager – The most popular style of beer with a light crisp taste. A lager is created using bottom fermenting yeasts at cooler temperatures. Some popular Lagers that everyone knows are of course Budweiser, Corona, Stella Artois, and Heineken. Ale – Ale’s are basically the opposite of a lager, they are made with top fermenting yeast at warmer temperatures. Popular styles of ale’s are IPA, Pale Ale’s, Stouts, and Belgian Quads. Pilsner – A type of lager, and named after Pilsen, a town in Czech Republic. Usually clear in beer terms with a thick head and the addition of hops. Pale Ale – Pale ales were first popular in the UK, when they used pale barley malts making a lighter colored beer. Today, a pale ale is an amber color with a fruity fresh taste. India Pale Ale (IPA) – One of my favorite styles, the IPA originated in the UK and is loaded with hops. In the late 1700’s ales were being shipped between the UK and India and adding more hops allowed the beer to survive the long voyage at sea. Today, IPA’s come in a variety of styles to include Double/Triple, West-Coast, and New England Style. Stout – We all know Guinness and it is a prime example of a stout. A stout is usually dark in color because of the roasted barley and dark malts and are known to have a smooth creamy taste. Belgian Double/Trippel/Quad – Another one of my favorites, these beers have a higher alcohol percentage and have a sweeter taste. These beers are Trappist ales, ales brewed by monks in Belgium for hundreds of years. Favorite and Most Surprising Beer destinations United States It’s a shame that the world still associates the USA with Budweiser and awful beer. This might have been the case 15 years ago, but in the last 10 years or so the craft beer scene has exploded! To be honest, most countries including most in Europe all have lagers that are similar to Budweiser and they love it, so no idea why they judge the beer in the US. This is no longer the case though and you can get an amazing beer in just about any town throughout the US. It’s hard to keep track of local breweries in cities because it seems every weekend a new one opens up. Normally, you can find breweries in industrial areas kind of tucked away which adds to the atmosphere. I feel when it comes to experimenting with flavors and trying new things, America is leaps and bounds ahead of everyone else. Every year a new style appears whether it be spicy beers, sours, hazy, etc. Some like the hazy style IPA’s I can definitely get behind and hope it sticks around. The USA is also home to many beer events but none is more popluar then the Great American Beer Festival that takes place in Denver, Colorado every year around the end of September and beginning of October. 3 days, 60,000 people, 4,000 beers, and 2,200 breweries. The concept is simple, walk in, grab a sample cup, and sip on as many beers as possible for 5 hours. It is a fantastic event and one of the best days of the year, something I always look forward to. The United States is home to many world famous breweries and here are some of my favorites I’ve been to. Boulevard Brewing Company – Kansas City, Missouri Stone Brewery – San Diego, California Ballast Point – San Diego, California New Belgium – Ft. Collins, Colorado Odell Brewing Company – Ft. Collins, Colorado Wicked Weed – Asheville, North Carolina Green Man Brewery – Asheville, North Carolina Tailgate Brewery – Nashville, Tennessee Germany I’ve been drinking German beer longer then any other place. Germany does not offer the variety that the US does, but what they have is done to perfection, they definitely focus of the quality of the beer. My favorite German beers are definitely a Heffeweizen, which is a wheat beer and a German Radler. A Radler meaning cyclist in German is a 50/50 mix of beer and lemonade and is incredibly refreshing. Another love of mine about German beer is the glassware. Each type of beer gets a specific type of glass and drinking beer out of a plastic cup is unheard of. The bier steins and Mass Krug are what Germany is most known for glass wise. The beer atmosphere in Germany cannot be beat. Most towns have small guest houses or restaurants with beautiful beer gardens sometimes overlooking giant cathedrals or castles. When I visit Germany, I spend most my time in Bavaria, here are some of my favorite Breweries. Kreuzberg Monastery – Bischofsheim an der Rhoen, Bavaria Schlenkerla – Bamber, Bavaria. Famous for their smoked beers. Hofbräuhaus – Munich, Bavaria Bayerische Lowenbrauerei – Passau, Bavaria Czech Republic I have been to the Czech Republic three times now. I don’t really know as much about their beer scene or culture like I do the US or Germany, but the times I’ve been here I ordered beers at restaurants and bars and liked what I drank. Their beers are similar to German Styles a lot of lagers and pilsners. I found the beer here to be very cheap, a few bucks for a pint if that. When going out to a restaurant in Prague and ordering a hardy dish, a good dark ale pairs very nicely with it. I found their beers pair nicely with food here more so then any other place. Cities like Prague are very medieval, so add that on to the whole experience. Drinking an ale or lager in the Old Town Square or overlooking Charles Bridge and Castle. One of my favorite meals here are the pop up food trucks in the Old Town Square. They have huge hunks of ham roasting over a fire, they cut a chunk off with some sauerkraut, order a beer and enjoy! There are some popular beers that have came from the Czech Republic. I would say Pilsner Urquell being the most famous. Pilsner Urquell is a brewery in the town of Pilsen that opened in 1842. According to sites, they were the first brewery in business to come up with a pale lager or pilsner. There is Budweiser Budvar, which I am still confused about since it is not related to the Budweiser we all know in the States. There have been legal battles over naming but when it comes down to it, they are two completely different breweries, brewing different beers with different backgrounds. Other beers from the Czech Republic that I enjoyed are Kozel Cerny/Dark, Primator Weizen, and the Master Altbier from Plzensky Prazdroj. Peru Peru, my most surprising beer destination. When I think of Central and South America, I think of light beers. You know, hot tropical locations, I need a refreshing light drink and not a dark stout or bitter. I stayed in Peru for about 2.5 weeks and spent about half that time in Lima, I had no idea they had a big craft beer scene. My first taste of craft beer here was in the historical center, I went to ChocoMuseo, a chocolate museum and they had beer in the freezer, a a Premium Triple from Cerverceria Nuevo Mundo, a Belgian Tripel, it was phenomenal. Right away, I knew I had to find the source (Nuevo Mundo). I did find a tap room from them near the Miraflores area and I ranked all their beers pretty high on my app. Wandering around Lima and Cusco as well, I found taprooms serving craft beer from all over Peru. I could go to a restaurant and order an IPA or Belgian, it was amazing. One of my favorite taprooms in all of Lima is called Mi Tercer Lugar Bar de Cervezas Artesanales. It seemed more like a cafe, serving cakes and pastries, but they also had a long list of craft beers to try and a cozy atmosphere. I came here twice just to relax after a long day and sample brews. Peru’s most popular beers are definitely, Cusquena from Union de Cervecerias Peru Backus y Johnston. Heck, you can even find Cusquena in the States. Cusquena is decent for a large Macro Brewery. I can’t wait to go back to Peru and explore their beer scene.
Würzburg, Germany: What to Do, See, and Eat
A city rich in history and culture, Würzburg, has always been a favorite city of mine in Germany. I lived here for three years and continue to come back time and time again. There is something about this city that makes me want to explore more. Würzburg has one of the most beautiful Residence’s in all of Europe, from here you can walk through the old district, cross the Old Main Bridge, and hike up to the Marienberg Fortress, a huge medieval castle perched on top of the hill overlooking all of Würzburg. Perhaps it’s the size of the city I love so much. With a population just a little over 126,000 it makes for the perfect sized city, not to overcrowded, yet big enough you will never get bored. Is drinking of interest to you? Perfect! Würzburg has a great brewery. Vineyards surround the city, so you know there is great wine to be found. Do you enjoy German food as much as I do? Würzburg all the good Bavarian food like Schweinehaxe, klöse suppe, bratwurst, on and on. I love Würzburg and it will always be among my favorite cities! **This post contains affiliate links. If you click on one of the links throughout the page, whether it be TripAdvisor, Booking.com. Agoda.com, or any other affiliate, I might receive commission at no extra cost to you. For more information, you can visit my affiliate link page here. Thanks for the support! Brief History of Würzburg Würzburg is known for the Residence, a UNESCO site and the Marienberg, the huge castle sitting on top a hill overlooking the city. Like most cities in Germany, Würzburg has a rich history that goes back over a thousand years. Where the Marienberg now stands, there was another castle there build by the Celts and then the Franks took over before the area became Christianized by missionaries from Ireland. One of Würzburg’s most popular Saints is St. Kilian. St. Kilian is well known throughout the city, there is a statue of him on the Old Main Brucke (bridge), there is the St. Kilian’s Abbey, and there is even a fest that takes place in Würzburg, known as Kiliani Fest. St. Kilian was an Irish bishop and apostle in Franconia. While on his way to Rome through Gaul territory, he stopped in Würzburg in hopes of converting the Duke here to Christianity who was a Pagan at the time. St. Kilian mentioned to the Duke that he violated his scripture by marrying the widow of his brother. She was not to happy about that and murdered St. Kilian. The Marienberg Fortress was built for the Prince Bishops, but over time, it became to small. One of the Prince Bishop’s had an idea and wanted to construct a second building something similar to Versailles. From here, the Residence was constructed. After years of war both the Fortress and Residence were continuously being rebuilt. The Prince Bishops reached their downfall after continuous war, Würzburg then became a member of Bavaria. Fast-Forward to WWII, Würzburg was almost completely destroyed, about 90% of the city was turned to rubble after bombing raids on March 16, 1945. Most cathedrals were destroyed as well as the Fortress and Residence. Thankfully, workers at the Residence had enough time to collect all the valuables and stash them in safe locations. Through photographs and descriptions, the city of Würzburg was able to rebuild itself after WWII. Like most cities in Germany, the cities were so well built according to historical records that you would never know they were almost entirely wiped out. The fortress still looks as if it is a thousand years old. Würzburg, Germany on a Map Würzburg lies in Lower Franconia in the state of Bavaria along the Main River. It is about a 1.5 hour car ride east of Frankfurt or 3 hours north of München (Munich). There is no real airport nearby, but they do have a great Hauptbahnhoff (main train station) 🚊. Things to Do and See in Würzburg There are countless things to do in Würzburg. Where do I start? If you only have 24 hours in Würzburg you have to check out the Residence (Residenz in German), Festung Marienberg (Würzburg Castle), churches, and wander around the city. But there is so much more to explore in Würzburg. Listed here are some of my favorite attractions and hidden gems in Würzburg. Don’t Miss the Käppele One hidden gem in Würzburg is the Käppele ⛪️. The Käppele can actually be seen almost anywhere you stand in Würzburg. It sits on a hill near the castle. I say hidden gem, because the entrance is difficult to find so most visitors will only enjoy it from a distance without actually visiting the Kappele itself. The Käppele is a very cute pilgrimage church. The inside is stunning as the interior is so decorative and unique. To get to the Käppele, Instead of going right after the bridge toward the fortress, you would turn left and pass a few residential areas before hiking up to the Käppele. On the way up there are several steps that zigzag past 14 stations of the cross that are represented by small chapels. From several viewpoints on the way to the Käppele there are gorgeous views of the Marienberg Fortress. Escape the City and go on a Nature Hike If you look at a map of Würzburg, there is a lot of nature surrounding the city🌳. There are vineyards on the outskirts of the city and many forested areas beyond that, not to mention you can walk along the Main river for hours on end. To really escape the city, just a few kilometers out are dense forests where you can hike for hours and hours. Last time we visited Germany back in October of 2022, my cousin took us to the Waldkugel (Natulehrpfad). We did a short hike, no more then an hour but the air was fresh and it felt great to discover something new, get some exercise, and enjoy nature. Exercise and Get Fresh Air Along the Main River The Main River flows directly through the city of Würzburg. Würzburg has done an incredible job at creating a path and parks along the river. The path is several kilometers long, even connecting to other smaller towns. Along the path and parks on the Main River, there are camp grounds, parks for children, exercise equipment, and even spots to get into the river for a nice swim. Jill and I usually end up walking about 2 kilometers along the trail every time from a bus station to downtown. It’s always an enjoyable walk and nice to see that many people use the trail. Get Lost in Würzburg’s Downtown Area When visiting Würzburg, I highly recommend knocking out the main attractions like the Residence and castle but some of my best discoveries of the city have been made simply by walking around random streets and alley ways. Würzburg is not a gridded city, there are roads and small streets branching in every direction. I’d recommend putting time aside and just walk, go inside some of the churches, sit down at some of the small hidden restaurants, you never know what you will find. Last time we were in Germany, we found a beautiful park with unique flowers and plants, we found an awesome German restaurant with an old timey theme, and found a great Döner Kebab place. Hike to Festung Marienberg and Enjoy the City Views Within walking distance from The Residence, is the Festung Marienberg (Marienberg Fortress or Würzburg Castle) 🏰. Upon entering Würzburg from the autobahn, you can’t help but notice the gigantic castle that sits on a hill overlooking the city. Like the Residence, the Marienberg Fortress is a symbol of Würzburg 🏰 and an important and historical landmark. On the current site where the Marienberg Fortress is today, there used to be an old Celtic Castle. In the 6th century the Franks dominated the area a placed a church at the current site. Over time, a castle was built around the church and expanded. Unfortunately, during WWII, the Würzburg Castle was almost entirely destroyed. The castle has been rebuilt since to the point you would still think it’s hundreds of years old. Today, the Marienberg Fortress is a popular tourist destination in Würzburg. Many visitors including myself choose to walk to the fortress from Würzburg’s altstadt. If parking at the Residence, you walk through town, cross the Old Main Bridge, and make your way up the hill to the entrance of the castle. For those that have difficulty walking or you’ve done this so many times already, conveniently there is a road and parking lot on the back side of the castle. If visiting the Würzburg Castle, I recommend walking the castle grounds, visit the castle gardens, and enjoy the views of Würzburg. Visitors can look inside the church and see the tombs of buried Saints and walk into the central tower. There are tours at specific times where you can go inside the well house. For more information on hours and prices for tours, I recommend viewing the Stadt Würzburg website. Sample Bavarian Food at the Markplatz Don’t forget to visit the Marktplatz or Market Square, right next to the beautiful Marienkapelle and City Library. There is always something going on, whether it be a wine festival, the Christmas Market, or just vendors selling local goods. I like to come here and just order a bratwurst 🌭 and beer 🍺 at one of the food stalls. Stroll the Gardens, Visit the Museum, and Admire the Würzburg Residence The Residence is probably the most notable building in all of Würzburg even more so then the prominent Würzburg castle. The Residence is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A giant parking space dominates the front of the Residence. It’s convenient and cheap to park here but I feel it takes a way a little bit of the beauty of the Residence itself. To make up for the parking lot, there are gorgeous gardens on one side and behind the Residence. These gardens change and are maintained throughout the year. Besides the beauty of the gardens, the best thing about the gardens is that they are entirely free to visit and walk around. Another free and highly recommended feature of the Residence in Würzburg is the Hofkirche der Residenz Würzburg (Court Church of the Residence). This is one of the most remarkable churches I’ve seen in Germany. The interior is elaborate with every inch of it covered in beautiful paintings, gold, and marble. If visiting Würzburg and the Residence, I highly recommend taking the tour to learn more about this magnificent building and learning more about the history of both the Residence and Würzburg. While attending the tour visitors learn a lot about the Prince-Bishops who called the Residence home, more about the city of Würzburg, and more on the destruction of the city during WWII. Thankfully, individuals working at the Residence during WWII were able to store most of the valuable artifacts and paintings. There were pictures of the building as well, so it was restored to its former glory after WWII ended. For more information on the Residence to include tour admission and hours, I recommend visiting the Residenz und Hofgarten Würzburg website. Facts about the Residence The Residence is huge and houses nearly 400 rooms. One of the most fascinating rooms is home to the Grand Baroque Staircase with a fascinating mural painting on the ceiling. The Residence was completed in 1744. During WWII, much of the Residence was destroyed. The central building remained, but other sections of the Residence to include the roofs were destroyed by fire. In 1981, The Residence was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visit the Churches, there are Many to See Würzburg is considered to have the most churches of a city of its size ⛪️. I believe there are over 70, so I can’t continue
Danube River Cruise from Germany to Hungary
Embark on a journey through several countries in Europe with a Danube River Cruise from Germany to Hungary. Relax along the Danube River on a luxurious ship. Enjoy the rich history, gorgeous landscape, and cute towns while floating down the Danube River. Each day brings new discoveries from picturesque towns like Dürnstein and Melk to world class cities like Vienna and Budapest. A Danube River Cruise from Germany to Hungary will certainly be a trip of a lifetime for many and hold forever memories. **This post contains affiliate links. If you click on one of the links throughout the page, whether it be TripAdvisor, Booking.com. Agoda.com, or any other affiliate, I might receive commission at no extra cost to you. For more information, you can visit my affiliate link page here. Thanks for the support! Welcome Aboard our Ship, the MS Amelia The MS Amelia is luxurious, a 5-Start resort floating above the water. As you enter the main entrance you are kindly greeted by professional staff. A chandelier hangs above the elegant staircase near the multi-level restaurant. Play Mini-Golf on deck, relax in the hot-tub or just lay down on a lawn chair as the MS Amelia takes you along the Danube River from Passau, Germany to Budapest, Hungary. To this day, the Danube River Cruise remains one of our favorite trips, thanks to the MS Amelia and its staff. MS Amelia Statistics Length – 135 Meters Number of Passengers – 216 Number of Crew Members – 42 Number of Decks – 4 Length of Time on Board – 8 Days Meals per Day – 3, which includes a breakfast buffet, light lunch, and 4 course meal for dinner. Desserts and late night snacks were also included. For booking and finding River Cruises, we used Phoenix Reisen. The site is in German, but very easy to navigate and find great deals! Our Crew and how we Decided on a River Cruise My mom was the ultimate decider on the cruise. A river cruise (specifically a Danube River Cruise) has been her dream for many years. 2019 just so happened to be the year everything fell into place and my mom, Jill, myself, and several of my mom’s friends all agreed upon dates and made it happen! In total, there were 8 of us, and we all just had a remarkable time. My mom’s friend Heidi was phenomenal and planned/booked the trip for all of us. Jill and I, flew to Germany and met up with my mom who was already there. We had friends from Colorado meet us in Passau a day prior to the journey. So began our Danube River Cruise. The Route and Locations There are so many River Cruise companies and routes throughout Germany, making it difficult to select what route to take and where to visit. For starters, I think we all kind of wanted the popular Passau to Budapest cruise. After picking the cruise and number of days, the next step was to select a cruise company. Myself and many people in the U.S. are familiar with Viking River Cruises, but who wants to pay $10,000 on a trip when you can get the same experience for $1,000? That is right, $1,000 for an 8 day cruise, everything included. The ship that was ultimately decided upon was the MS Amelia. The cruise started in Passau, Germany and ended in Budapest, Hungary. I don’t think I would ever do a Caribbean Cruise, I can’t see myself at sea for days sitting there drinking, and watching people stuff their face at the buffet daily, not my style. I guess, if I got a free vacation on a cruise I would take it, but that is it! The River Cruise is much different, you are on a smaller ship, surrounded by scenic towns and nature the entire time not to mention you port somewhere daily. Below are the stops the MS Amelia made port at along our Danube River Cruise. The Danube River Cruise left port from Passau, then stopped in Durnstein, Vienna, Budapest, Bratislava, Melk, before returning to port in Passau, 8 days later. Passau, Germany Passau, Germany – The start and end to one of the most wonderful trips we’ve had. I’ve been to Passau before, at a much younger age, so I was very excited to get a chance to see this beautiful city once again. Passau is located in Southern Bavaria not far from the Austrian border. It is known as the “City of Three Rivers” because the Danube is met here by two smaller rivers, the Inn and Ilz. I find Passau to be the perfect size city, it is not a big city by any means nor is it small. It is a University City, so there are a lot of young people here as well as great restaurants and bars/breweries. Passau is very walkable and most the attractions are within the Altstadt (Old town) area. The St. Stephan’s Cathedral is a must, I believe it has the world’s largest musical organs, they have daily concerts, which visitors can attend. There is also a castle on top of the hill that is worth exploring. After working up an appetite, go to the Löwen Brauhaus for a local beer and traditional Bavarian Food! Dürnstein, Austria After leaving port from Passau, Germany the first stop along the Danube River Cruise was Dürnstein, Austria. Dürnstein was a lovely town and their claim to fame was Dürnstein Castle which sits atop a hill overlooking the town and river. We had around 8 hours to explore Dürnstein. If fit, I recommend hiking to the castle right away. Rumor has it that King Richard I of England was imprisoned here. The hike was not to difficult, the views are absolutely worth it. You can explore the ruins for a bit before coming back to town. While in town, there is a cute cathedral that stands out. Unfortunately, it is part of a museum and there is an entrance fee, well worth it though. Whatever time there is left, I recommend walking the side streets and try some Marillen. Marillen is a fruit that grows in the area and of course they make it into Schnapps! Dürnstein and the surrounding area is part of a UNESCO site, known as the Wachau Cultural Landscape. I wrote more on the area in my Top UNESCO World Heritage Site Post. Vienna, Austria Vienna, Austria, probably my favorite city in the world. I’ve been here twice and just fell in love with it the first time around. I was amazed by the massive baroque style buildings here, the cathedrals and palaces, not to mention to food is world class! Our ship arrived at port in Vienna at night, so we have an evening to explore and the entire following day. You have to see Vienna at night, it is just as beautiful as during the day. Vienna is a massive city with an amazing transportation system and is very bike/pedestrian friendly. Just walking around historical Vienna I am always fascinated by the Baroque Buildings and how massive they are. After exploring at night, the following day we did a hop on/hop off bus. I highly recommend hop on/off buses, especially if visiting Vienna for the first time. The tickets are good for two days and the bus stops at all the “must see” locations. Be warned, you won’t see everything! Start the day off at Schönbrunn Palace, it gets crowded! From the Palace you can check out the Belvedere Palace, Hofburg Palace, the Prater (Biggest Ferris Wheel in the world), or just get back to the Altstadt and explore by foot. I think Vienna deserves its own post, one day. I can’t write a quick post on Vienna without mentioning food. Of course, try the apfelstrudel. You can find this anywhere although the best I had was at the Café Restaurant Residenz, in Schönbrunn Palace. You can’t leave Vienna, without trying their famous Sacher Torte at the famous Hotel Sacher. The Sacher Torte kind of gets mixed reviews, many people think it’s overrated. I found it to be very good, not the best cake I’ve had, but I am glad I tried it. Budapest, Hungary You could say Budapest, Hungary was the main event, as it was the farthest point before turning around. We arrived at Budapest in the afternoon, and had until the following afternoon to explore. No one in my crew has been to Budapest so we definitely did the hop on/off right away. Budapest is a huge city and two days does not give it justice. Most people are probably aware of this, but in case you are unfamiliar with Budapest, it consists of two cities Buda and Pest. Eventually the two cities merged into one to form Budapest. Both sides are very different, each worth minimum a day to see. As a reference the Parliament is on the Pest side and the Fisherman’s Bastion inside Buda Castle is on the Buda side. Besides the Parliament, the Vajdahunyad Castle (replica of Hunyadi Castle in Romania) was probably my favorite site in Budapest. The Castle reminded me of something you would see in Romania, very Dracula like! The Hungarian Parliament in Budapest is one of, if not the most beautiful buildings I’ve ever seen. According to our tour, it is the third biggest Parliament in the world after the Palace of Westminster in London and the Palace of the Argentine National Congress in Buenos Aires. You can tour the inside but must either go very early when they open or make reservations. Luckily, I went in the morning and managed to squeeze in the second tour of the day. Budapest is also known for their food and drinks! I had to find goulash at some point and had my first bowl at a small pub on the Buda side. Goulash is a hardy stew paired perfectly with a local brew. Beer wise, I tried Soproni, Bocskai Freedom, Stari Sor, Dreher Sorgyarak and they were all pretty average, not as good as I was hoping. Lastly, I heard getting shit on by a bird is good luck! Um, well that was a first for me, just so happened to be in Budapest. Bright and early, on my way to the parliament, a pigeon pooped on my shoulder :(. Although I cleaned most of it off, I had to walk around Budapest all day feeling defeated. Bratislava, Slovakia Bratislava, Slovakia was one of the biggest surprises along the cruise. I was excited to visit but really had no idea what to expect. Bratislava gets tourism but it seems Budapest and Vienna get all the love. Bratislava has a huge castle overlooking the town and a very nice and manageable historic center. Honestly, I think one day is good enough here. I recommend walking to the castle, but no need to go inside as I’ve heard it’s pretty bland. The exterior is very unique, it is not a medieval castle anymore, in fact it looks quite modern. The castle architecture is pretty boxy but there are a few remnants of older castles built within the wall that are shown, making it pretty unique. Once going downtown, I recommend just walking around. Bratislava is easy to familiarize yourself with. Many of the small narrow alley ways have restaurants and bars. There is an ice cream chain here called Arthur Ice Cream, they had some of the best I’ve ever had. Another recommendation I have is the Underground Tea Room. I am not a huge tea drinker, Jill is, but this place was well worth a visit. It is located in an old bomb shelter and the rooms are separated each having their own theme. I would love to come back to Bratislava to try some more cuisine and do some day trips. Melk, Austria Melk, Austria was the last stop before reaching Passau. Prior to our trip, I’ve never heard of Melk but now I
Fun Cat Destinations Around the World
We all love cats, I mean who doesn’t want to pet and love a cat when they instantly see them? Cats all have their own silly personalities. Some cats love us and want all the attention in the world and then there are other kitties who want nothing to do with us. Either way, Jill really loves cats! Basically, everyone knows Jill as the cat gal. She doesn’t hoard them or anything, she just likes the cuteness. Every cat we see on our travels, Jill must say Hi!! After a while I started taking photos of her greeting her feline friends and it has kind of become a thing. We always do our research on new locations to see if there are any cat attractions. If not, we usually see them roaming around and now I make Jill take photos with them!!! [envira-gallery id=”1816″] Meet Minnow and Biscuit Minnow and Biscuit are our two kitties, both rescues. Jill rescued Minnow before I was even in the picture, she is her baby! When Jill first got her, she was obsessed with playing in the bath tub like a little fish, hence the name…Minnow. After we moved in together, we decided it would be nice to adopt a second cat for Minnow, so she wouldn’t be so lonely. I always wanted a gray cat, but somehow we ended up with Biscuit (originally named Meow). Looking at his profile he was the perfect fit for us. He ended up at the humane society in bad shape. It was so bad, they thought he was hit by a car. Once they cleaned him up, it was determined that he in fact was suffering from some sort of virus, it took him 6 months to recover. When we brought him home, he was so relaxed that he wouldn’t stop kneading everything he touched. For some reason cat’s kneading is also known as making biscuits, so that is where he got his name! We love them both! Kennedy Park aka Kitty Park, Miraflores, Lima, Peru Kennedy Park (Kitty Park), is kind of where it all began. We were in Miraflores which is an upscale area in Lima. We were visiting a Pre-Inca Ruin and the tour guide mentioned something about a cat park. Did we hear that right, “Cat Park?” We quickly asked the guide if he really meant a cat park, and sure enough, it was true. We arrived at Kitty Park and saw cats everywhere, Jill was in Heaven! I read that there are about 100 cats here give or take, and they are all cared for by a group that spays, feeds, and takes care of them all. For the most part they were all in good health, a few had bandages and medicine on wounds, but it is good to know they are cared for. We spent close to a week in Lima, I believe we stopped here at least three times. The cats were all friendly and enjoyed pets and belly rubs. It was funny, you could look into the bushes and see 5-10 curled up taking a cat nap. They were literally everywhere, on benches, people’s laps, tree’s, trails, etc.. [envira-gallery id=”1841″] Save a Gato, San Juan, Puerto Rico This has got to be one of my favorite cat attractions/rescues to date! Save a Gato is a rescue organization in San Juan that traps, neuters, and releases cats in Old San Juan. I believe they also foster and adopt kitties out. But once the cats are taken care of at Save a Gato, they are released back to their colonies, more places need to do this!! The best thing about the cats of Old San Juan is the location. You can walk outside the walls around the Forts along the coast and you will see cats everywhere along the trail, sunning on the rocks, in bushes, etc..it was quite fantastic! Cats love soaking up the sunshine by the beach just like we do I guess! If you come here, you are guaranteed to see cats. They all looked well taken care of and seemed to be friendly. Once you exit the trail and get back into Old San Juan, don’t worry, there are cats all around town. Hemingway House, Key West, Florida Home of the six-toed cats! That’s right, a visit to the Hemingway House is not only famous to view Ernest Hemingway’s belongings and works as a writer, but also to see the popular polydactyl (six-toed) kitty cats. His home lies within Key West, Florida on Whitehead St and is home to about 50 cats that sleep around both inside and outside the house. The cats even have their own replica of the Hemingway House. Apparently six toed cats were popular among sailors in the early 1900’s, for several reasons. They were considered good luck, the extra toe allowed for better grip while at sea and made them better mousers. Hemingway received a six toed cat from a sailor named Snow White and that is where it all began! Now a days, you can tour the Hemingway House and visit the cats. During the day, you can catch them sleeping on the furniture, under tables, or outside relaxing in the shade. The grounds also includes a cemetery for the cats and there is a vet that takes care of them all! Bonus – Crazy Cat guy in Key West, Florida We were walking the Westin Pier in Key West and stumbled upon a crazy street performer. Ummm.. it was very odd, but it included cats jumping through hoops and performing acts. The strange part about it was the man. I looked up the street performer online and he’s very popular. Dominique and his flying house cats. He sets up at the pier right before sunset and sets up the stage for him and the cats. He was very weird yet entertaining and had a thick French accent, I think it was real? Either way, his cats were well trained, I mean we could never get Minnow or Biscuit to do any tricks. It’ really hard to explain, one of those things you have to see it to believe it. So if you find yourself in Key West, head over to the Westin Pier before sunset to catch the show. With the sun setting in the background, it does make for great photos! Cashnip Kitty, Tulsa, Ok Jill found out about this one, I can’t remember if it was from a video online, but it was meant to be, because a few days after her discovery, we planned a road trip down to Tulsa, OK, home of Cashnip Kitty. The story goes, there is a small business downtown and they have an office cat. For a few days, the employees would come to work and see a few dollar bills laying right by the door. This would be almost a daily occurrence and they finally found out that drunk people would walk by the business, see the cat in the window and play with it using a dollar bill. Eventually the dollar would fall into the office and the cat would claim victory over their money!!!! Since this occurred so often, the business made it into a thing and now they donate all the money to the local homeless shelter. Cats of Dubrovnik There was not really a “cat attraction” in Dubrovnik, but the whole city seemed to be a playground for cats, they were everywhere! Dubrovnik seems to be the best place for cats, inside the walls, there are no cars, small alley ways, and plenty of fun places for kitties to explore. Around every corner we would see a kitty, especially in the evening times, there would be groups of them. All the cats were well taken care of. Apparently the restaurants leave out their leftover food at night for the cats, primarily fish. We would see piles of cat food in random locations. At one of the main bus stops, we saw a rough looking kitty, he’s been through a lot. It was great to see that no one forgot about him as he had food in the mornings. People in Croatia seem to love their cats. Plus the weather is always nice there! Kotor, Montenegro and their Weird Cat Obsession Doing our research prior to visiting Kotor, we read that they are obsessed with cats in this small medieval town. We were very much looking forward to visiting Kotor because of this reason. Apparently, back in the day, during time of plague, the cats would eat the rats that spread the horrible disease. Because of this, it is likely cats saved hundreds if not thousands of people, so they are basically worshiped in Kotor. There were cats everywhere, but not as many as we saw in Split and Dubrovnik, Croatia, not sure why? Smaller town and crowds perhaps. There was a cat museum in Kotor, no way in hell we could pass that up, besides it was only a Euro (Montenegro uses Euro’s). Umm, it was not quite what I was expecting. I was expecting displays of cat toys, or famous cats from the area. In reality it was full of very odd paintings, postcards with cats, and photos of men during war with cats on their laps. I don’t think I would say this is a must do, but for a Euro it was fun. [envira-gallery id=”1871″] Cat Cafe’s in Seoul, South Korea We really enjoyed our time in Seoul, South Korea. Prior to visiting S. Korea for our first time we were well aware of cat cafe’s. Surprisingly we only ended up going to one, we did go to a puppy cafe as well which was cute, but this is about cats right? Not dogs! We’ve been to other cat cafe’s around the world, but the one in Seoul stood out and it was around the corner from where we stayed. Here is how it works. You come in, take off your shoes and pay, usually drinks are included. Once you enter you can sit there and pet the kitties, play with them, or just take photos with them. It is funny being in a small space with 10-20 cats at one time. Some of them don’t want to be bothered by anyone while others just love to play. Either way, it is great that the cats get attention and used to people before hopefully being adopted!
My Favorite Food From Around the World!
Food is a major contributing factor as to why I travel. Food is regional and differs from state to state, country to country. In my lifetime of travel, I’ve never really had a bad food experience abroad. Sure some cuisines I like more then others, but sampling food excites me no matter where I am. I’ve been to some surprising locations, like Lima, Peru that had some of the most flavorful and authentic dishes. Other places like Guatemala where the food was not as exciting, but still can’t go wrong with basic tortillas, beans, and a side of meat. Regardless of the location, I do my research prior to visiting a country so I don’t miss out of any of the must eats! I love food, and trying new things, so I want to share some of my favorite dishes from around the World. Burek – Bosnia & Herzegovina I’ve never heard of a Burek before my trip to Bosnia and Herzegovina. Sure, I’ve had similar baked goods but the Burek might be my favorite savory pastry. A Burek is basically a flaky pastry filled with ingredients like meats, cheese, and/or vegetables. It is usually rolled up in a spiral or cooked in a large pan and cut into pieces for serving Jill and I took a day trip to Mostar, Bosnia from Split, Croatia and our tour guide stopped along the route and surprised us with a sampling of two types of Burek’s. One was filled with meat and the other with cheese, they were both phenomenal. This was our first encounter with Burek, so we instantly knew we had to find a bakery in Mostar that served fresh Burek. We did find Burek at a local bakery and it was ridiculously cheap, less then a dollar and oh so good! Cracked Conch – The Bahamas Conch, my favorite snail of the sea! They are found throughout the Caribbean, but the Bahamas in particular is known for them. In fact, many countries have Conch seasons, but not the Bahamas, you can eat them all year long. For being a Mollusk they are very cute and their shell is beautiful. There are many different recipes and styles to prepare the conch. You can have Conch Fritters as a snack, fresh conch salad, and cracked conch, which was my favorite. I ordered cracked conch at every restaurant I went to in both Nassau and Exuma. I know not very healthy, but oh so tasty! I mean conch is hard to come by in Kansas. Cracked Conch is a meal in itself where they take the conch meat and tenderize it, coat it in batter and fry it to perfection! In the end you get fried little conch pieces generally served with fries, beans, or some type of slaw. Most restaurants in the Bahamas have outdoor seating, so eating fresh seafood while starring at the waves in the picturesque setting of the Bahamas is Paradise! Döner Kebab – Germany Oh, the Döner Kebab. I literally have day dreams about it. It seems like such an easy creation, yet does not exist in the United States. It can be found in Europe, particularly Germany, on every street corner. The Döner Kebab is filling, flavorful, and just down right mouth watering. The closest thing to a Döner Kebab is a Gyros, but trust me, no comparison, the Döner is 100x better. The Döner is a German creation created my Turkish immigrants. It seems like many food creations start this way. You bring a traditional dish to a new area and realize everyone is on the go, so you wrap up the ingredients in a type of bread and Walla! you have a tasty meal on the go! So yes, the Döner was invented in Germany. So what is a Döner Kebab? The meat is layered and seasoned on a rotating spit, that way it gets evenly cooked. It is then shave off the spit and added to somewhat of a pita bread layered with cabbage, onion, tomato, and smothered in a white garlic sauce. Such a simple and quick meal and relatively cheap for the size of the kebab. The Döner Kebab dominates the late night and fast food industry in Europe, kind of like a fast food burger joint in the States. People, including myself crave these after a late night out, or after swimming, hiking, watching tv, you get the idea, I crave them 24/7. It’s weird, I love Döner so much, I have Döner stories, but that is a whole other topic! I absolutely love the Döner Kebab and lets be honest, I love most German Dishes. But I don’t want to make this post all about German food. Instead, if you want to learn more about popular German dishes or love them as much as I do then check out these 16 mouthwatering foods that are a must try. Fried Seafood – Lima, Peru and New Orleans, USA A mound of fried seafood on a plate might just be my favorite all time meal! I’ve had fried seafood in several states and countries but two places really stand out to me of having the best. The cities of New Orleans, LA and Lima, Peru. One city is in the northern hemisphere on the continent of North America while another cities lies in the southern hemisphere in South America. One thing they each have in common is their proximity to the ocean and fresh seafood. In New Orleans, you can order a mix of seafood and you will generally get crawdad tails, crab, and a variety of shrimp and fish. I am not entirely sure about the mariscos (seafood) platters in Lima, my best guess is a mixture of fish, shrimp, and clams. For sides in NOLA the seafood will usually come with slaw and fries. The mariscos platters I had came with yuca fries. Yuca is starchy like a potato, but it is a root and so delicious! The seafood platter in Lima is about a third of the cost as in the States. I paid anywhere from $7 to $12 for a gigantic portion along with a pisco sour! In the states you are looking anywhere from $15 to well over $30 for a platter of fried seafood. Price is not really an issue to me when it comes to seafood. Living in Kansas I am deprived from great/fresh seafood. Lomo Saltado – Lima, Peru Both Jill and I have never heard of Lomo Saltado and had no idea it was a staple in Peru even after doing research beforehand. After a day of traveling, we went to the nearest restaurant we could find near the Historic Center of Lima. The restaurant was named Tanta and we asked the waiter a recommendation and he referred us to Lomo Saltado. Lomo Saltado is pretty basic and some sort of dish is found throughout the world, but it was so good! The dishes we had were stir fried strips of steak mixed with onion, peppers, tomatoes usually served over rice or fries. The food in Lima is multi-cultural with a lot of Asian influences regarding rice and spices. Lomo Saltado comes in different varieties based on traditional Peruvian spices or Asian spices, or a mixture of the two. You get your veggies and protein all in one flavorful dish! Mofongo – Puerto Rico Mofongo is another dish we randomly stumbled upon while asking for local recommendations. We both love plantains in all variations. Mofongo is probably my favorite dish that consists of plantain. Basically, Mofongo is mashed plantain that is used as a base with a combination of chicken, pork, seafood, or any type of meat or anything you want really! I had mofongo at several restaurants and it is served in various forms whether it be as a side dish or crusted on the inside of a soup bowl, which happened to be my favorite. Poutine – Montreal, Canada Poutine is the weirdest name for a food item. I read that the names origin is not exactly known but possibly derived from the English word for pudding. What is poutine exactly? Well, it’s definitely not the healthiest dish. Canadians need a hearty meal to get through the brutal winters. Poutine is a Canadian dish that consists of french fries smothered in gravy and topped with cheese curds. I like the squeaky-ness of the curds, they have a fun texture! Poutine to me sounds like a great hangover cure. In fact restaurants in Canada don’t just have poutine listed on the menu as an appetizer. You can find restaurants that specialize in different variations of poutine. My first dish in Montreal was poutine served with pulled pork! They must have had at least 15 other combinations of poutine available. I wish poutine was more popular in the states, maybe it is in the northern US, but not where live. Schweinhaxe – Germany Picture a caveman with a huge hunk of meat and the bone is protruding out. That is the image I see when I think of a Schweinhaxe. These are a delicacy in Germany, at least in Bavaria and can be found on most menus. Beware! Come Hungry! The Schweinhaxe is basically a ham hock or pork knuckle where the meat is left on the bone. The Bavarian style is super crispy and slightly salted on the outside and beyond tender on the inside, usually served with gravy and knödels (knödels are dumplings typically made from flour, bread, or potatoes). The meat is so tender and flavorful it just falls off the bone. Schweinhaxe is one of my favorite cuts of meat served at restaurants especially when paired with a dark German bier! Torta, Mexico City Mexico City is a food mecca with everything imaginable. I would say traditional Mexican food is far different then Tex-Mex, I mean Burritos aren’t even widely served throughout Mexico. Tacos with a hard shell loaded with lettuce, onions and cheese don’t exist in Mexico, weird right? A traditional taco in Mexico consists of a smaller corn tortilla, with just meat and pico de gallo or something similiar. But I am not here to talk tacos or other dishes. My favorite food in Mexico City was the torta! In fact, we had a torta for the first time on our last night, it was so good we went to another restaurant to try one. While walking around Mexico City, we noticed a lot of restaurants with a spit out front with meat, similar to the Döner Kebab. The spit had a pineapple, onion, or orange on top allowing the juices to run down the meat, this is known as Al Pastor deriving from Lebanese immigrants. I was honestly surprised I walked by so many and didn’t stop to try until the last day. As I sat down at a restaurant, I wanted to try something new, I had a torta with al pastor. To me, a torta reminds me of a combination of a taco and sandwich, basically you have the taco fillings between two buns. The bread was fluffy and the fillings were phenomenal. Our tortas consisted of al pastor, beans, guacamole, and a variety of veggies. Now I know, next time I am in Mexico, I will live off of Street Tacos and Torta’s! Zapiekanka – Krakow, Poland Zapiekanka, or as I call it a Polish Baguette. Is a popular street/fast food item in Poland. I only spent a day in Krakow, but saw these all over the place. I don’t really know much about Zapiekanka or its origins but they make for a great quick bite to eat while on the go. Basically the Polish baguette is a baguette or some type of bread, with sauce, toppings and melted cheese. The toppings vary as you can decorate your own, I had one with mushrooms and prosciutto, such a delight! I love the zapiekanka so much, I make them at home all the
Die Rhön, Deutschland – Nature and Villages
Die Rhön is a vast area of low mountains located in the central region of Germany. The mountains here are a result of volcanic activity, although no active volcanoes remain today, the hills are remnants of old volcanoes. Die Rhön is a fairly large area and can be found where the three German States of Bavaria, Hesse, and Thuringia meet. The Wasserkuppe is the highest point in Die Rhön at 950 meters. Not only is Die Rhön popular for its hills and volcanic landscape, but there are beautiful meadows, large forests, and even marshes. Because of the unique landscape, Die Rhön was listed as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 1991. This area is popular amongst locals for its tremendous hiking trails, hütten (huts), and many other activities. **This post contains affiliate links. If you click on one of the links or banners throughout the page, whether it be TripAdvisor, Booking.com. Agoda.com, or any other affiliate, I might receive commission at no extra cost to you. For more information, you can visit my affiliate link page here. Thanks for the support! Why Visit Die Rhön, Deutschland? Simple, Die Rhön is just beautiful! The area is full of nature and small German villages. People come to this area to enjoy nature and hiking. There are several areas in Die Rhön to include the Wasserkuppe, Kreuzberg, and Schwarzes Moore to name a few. Most of these areas have trails that are anywhere from a few kilometers to several days of hiking. Many of the hikes you can go to the Guesthouses where you can find a traditional German meal and a good German Bier! Germans enjoy hiking as a past time and Die Rhön in my opinion, offers some of the most scenic trails around. Interested in learning more about Die Rhön then check out their official site at rhoen.de Popular Hiking and Sightseeing Destinations Die Rhön is a vast area. Many travelers who come here for only a day or two might have trouble figuring out where to start or which area to discover. Do you want to go for a days hike or simply sit down at one of the guesthouses and enjoy a beer? The places listed below are some of the recommended sites and attractions that I revisit time and time again and absolutely love. Kreuzberg Kreuzberg is one of my favorite places not just in Die Rhön, but all of Germany! Not far from Wildflecken, you can drive or bike to the Kloster (monastery) and Church. The church has been active since 1681 by the Franciscans. In my opinion, Kreuzberg gets its fame because of their Kloster Bier! The bier (German spelling) has been brewed at the same spot since 1731. Honestly, it is some of the best and strongest bier I’ve ever had. Picture this, you order a bier in a ,5L or 1L stein, sit among the monastery, and watch monks with huge St. Bernard’s walk by, meanwhile you are enjoying a bratwurst or Schweinhaxe (my favorite) sitting next to friendly Germans! There is so much more to Kreuzberg then just enjoying their Kloster Bier. Afterwards or beforehand you can hike the miles upon miles of rolling hills here. You can walk to the Neustädter Haus for lunch, or walk the stairs to the Drei Golgota Kreuze or Three Crosses. Wasserkuppe Wasserkuppe lies in my home-state of Hesse and is the tallest mountain in Die Rhön. One of the most noticeable attractions here is the gliders. You can see them all lined up on the runway, being set for take off, and flying around. Paragliding is pretty popular around here as well. One other thing that is hard to miss is the big radar dome that was left standing by the Air Force. Out of all the places to visit, Wasserkuppe has the most activities for both the young and adults. Other fun activities at Wasserkuppe include a climbing forest, which is like an obstacle course, and my favorite Rodelbahn, or Rhönbob in the area. Rodelbahn is German for Alpine Sledding. There are two different courses here, I recommend doing both as they are different, but so much fun! Wasserkuppe is also known as a great place for hiking and mountain biking! Schwarzes Moor The Schwarzes Moor or Black Moor, is another destination recommended by me in Die Rhön. The Schwarzes Moor is mainly a hiking destination. The name is derived from the fauna that grows in the area, when dense it looks rather “blackish.” Hiking here is quite nice, there is a wooden board walk covering the entire trail, which makes walking easy and protects the delicate ecosystem. All together the hike is about 2.2 km round trip. After walking the Moor, there is some interesting historical sites to check out. There are remnants of a border from The German Democratic Republic (GDR). There is a watch tower and wall still standing. Near the entrance to the Moor is a stone gate from the Reich Labor Service (RAD). After exploring the Moor and the historical sites, there is a small café here where you can get a Bionade which is a fermented organic drink from the area, Thuringian Bratwurst, and a slice of cake! Sandberg Another destination in Die Rhön, Deutschland that offers endless hiking is Sandberg. I’ve been here often to hike with my oma (grandma) and usually the goal is to start early and make our way to the Kissinger Hütte for lunch. Along the route you hike through pine forests and open meadows before getting to the hütte. After hiking several kilometers meals and bier are necessary. The Kissinger Hütte offers great traditional cuisine like kase spaetzle, bratwürste and currywürste with pommes (fries), don’t forget to wash the food down with a refreshing radler or bier aus dem fass (from the tap). After lunch, explore the top of the hill, you get a great 360 degree view of the area and surrounding mountains. You can either back track the same route or try a different trail to see where you end up! Towns in Die Rhön Not only is Die Rhön a great place to unwind and enjoy nature. There are also many beautiful small towns scattered throughout the area that are worth exploring. Many of these towns have a few attractions, pretty downtown area, and restaurants. Here are a few of my favorite towns in Die Rhön. Bad Brückenau Bad Brückenau is a beautiful spa town located in Die Rhön. Not a whole lot of people visit or even know about Bad Brückenau. My oma, aunt, and several friends live here, so I’ve been traveling to this region since I was born and still go back every other year. Bad Brückenau will always hold a special place in my heart. For visitors, Bad Brückenau has a lot to offer. When driving by the town the most notable feature is the beige/orange colored church surrounded by beautiful hills. Bad Brückenau has a town square surrounded by traditional Bavarian houses and buildings. Restaurants and shops can be found throughout the town square. There is a phenomenal swimming pool called Sinnflut that I’ve spent countless summers days here. Bad Brückenau has an amazing stadtfest (town fest), usually held in June where the whole town gets together to celebrate their city and enjoy themselves. Stadtsbad Stadtsbad is a part of Bad Brückenau but is a ways from town. Stadtsbad is a place for locals and tourists alike to visit, relax, and enjoy a slower pace of life. Stadtsbad is rich in history, King Ludwig I spent a lot of time here to escape the crowded city life of Munich. There is a large tree here in Stadtsbad that is said to be a thousand years old and King Ludwig I used to rest under its shade. Today, visitors can slowly walk the trails within the park, attend a concert, participate in health and wellness treatments, or sample their world-famous mineral water. Bad Kissingen Another spa town in Die Rhön, Bad Kissingen is the largest city in the area. Bad Kissingen has a rich history, even Kings and Emperors have stayed here to relax in the spas. Now, you don’t have to be either a King nor an Emperor to enjoy Bad Kissingen. Every time I come here in the summer, I am reminded of a tropical paradise. The river is lined with palm trees, flowers are decoratively planted throughout the town, there are fountains, and beautiful historical buildings. After relaxing in the park, stroll through the old town, sit at a café and enjoy an ice cream. Fladungen Fladungen is a small dorf (village) located in the Bavarian side of Die Rhön. Fladungen is a cute little village that is well worth a visit. The most notable attraction here is the Freiland Museum (open-air museum). After visiting the museum, stroll the village and view the medieval wall, the old mill, and grab a bite to eat at a local restaurant. Enjoying my photos and want to see more? Check out my Picfair Store. 📸 Plan Your Trip: 🗺️✈️🇩🇪 Booking Accommodations ⛺️🛖 For booking recommendations on the best deals and locations, check out Agoda or Booking.com Activities and Tours 🏖️🚁 Find fun activities and things to do through Tripadvisor. If you are looking for tours and day trips, Viator and Get Your Guide have a lot of great options. In need of a car rental? 🚗🚘 I recommend checking with Rental Cars.
Driving Iceland’s Golden Circle
Iceland is obviously a hot destination right now, with good reason! Jill and I flew to Germany and took advantage of WOW‘s (RIP) stop over on our way back to the United States. We ended up staying in Iceland for four days and absolutely loved it, we plan on coming back to drive the Ring Road, at some point. We wanted to be realistic with the minimal time we had, yet still cover a lot of ground. While doing online research it seemed the Golden Circle was a great option to get out of Reykjavik (Iceland’s capital city) and see some of the more natural features Iceland is known for. From a lot of reviews, several people said to skip the Golden Circle for odd reasons, but I highly disagree. Iceland’s Golden Circle was full of majestic scenery, waterfalls (foss in Icelandic), geysers, craters, on and on! The Golden Circle starts right outside of Reykjavik and was not as long as originally expected. Once we got to one of the last known sites, we had enough time to drive the southern road to Skogafoss and even enjoy a Pylsa (Icelandic Hot Dog). Continuing on in the post, I share our journey and experiences along Iceland’s Golden Circle. Our Experience Driving Iceland’s Golden Circle We rented a car at Keflavik Airport (Iceland’s main airport). Prior to the trip we made an auto reservation using rentalcars.com. The rental process was easy and surprisingly cheap, under $400 for 4 days. We got a nice white 4-door Renault. Navigating around Reykjavik and then driving the Golden Circle was quite easy. Don’t worry driving here is some of the easiest around. There is basically one road you follow, speed limits are low, but do watch out for sheep. Pay attention to signs that have a looped square on them, kind of looks like a clover leaf, because these refer to attractions. I recommend driving the Golden Circle on your own and not with a tour. This way you can stop whenever and wherever you want. The freedom is nice especially compared to tour buses that are cramped and only give you a certain amount of time per attraction. Having said all of this, lets leave Reykjavik and explore Iceland’s Golden Circle! From Reykjavik to Thingvellir Iceland’s Golden Circle in total is about 140 miles (230 km), we recommend starting early and get to Thingvellir before the tours start coming. The entire route is paved, so a 4×4 is not really necessary for this trip. Like I stated above, the roads are easy driving, little traffic, just watch out for sheep. You will most likely come across sheep and see the famous Icelandic ponies! The first attraction on our list was a visit to Þingvellir, or Thingvellir for us that can’t spell Icelandic words. This national park is fascinating due to its geological significance and history. The park lies between two plates, the North American and European tectonic plates. You can literally walk between two continents. The history here fascinates me, because it was settled by the Norse in 874 AD and was frequently visited by chieftains during times of establishing laws. There were a few parking areas around Thingvellir, which were relatively cheap and there is no entrance fee to the park. You can simply walk and explore. The walking trails were nicely maintained, a mixture of boardwalks and loose gravel trails. The surrounding views especially of the lake and crystal clear water was just spectacular. We hiked to Thingvellir Church and explored the small cemetery reading historical markers as we went. If you are brave enough you can snorkel Silfra here which is a well known snorkel and dive site. We opted not to and enjoyed looking through the crystal clear and probably frigid water. You can spend as much or as little time here at Thingvellir, I do recommend bringing hiking shoes as the weather can be unpredictable and you might encounter some terrain! There was a small gift shop near the parking lot but after about an hour or so here we set forth to the next attraction, Geysir! Off to Geysir, but First, Ice Cream!!! Even though Iceland is known for its brutal climate and cold weather, ice cream is just as popular as anywhere else. Jill and I absolutely love ice cream, and well hey, priorities! Before visiting the geysir thermal activities we were made aware of a local farm en-route that has some of the best ice cream in the whole country. That’s right, we were headed to Efstidalur. This farm was slightly away from the road, but there were signs pointing to it’s location. We parked, walked inside and were fascinated by this place! There were glass walls where you could see the cows behind you literally making your ice cream, not really but damn close, definitely the freshest ice cream I’ve ever had! The ice cream is all made right there organically. I had caramel and Jill had mint, and it was definitely up there with some of the best ice cream we’ve had. There was a restaurant upstairs serving fresh food, we will have to come back for a burger! You can view the Efstidalur website and see their menu and learn a bit about the farm. Efstidalur was definitely worth a stop, where were we? Oh yeah, Geysir! Geysir is actually an Icelandic word. There is a huge parking spot across the street and a gift shop. Once we got to the geysir area, we simply walked around and looked at the bubbling pools and geothermal activity within the area. The main attraction here is Strokkur which is an active geyser, erupting every ten minutes on average. We actually saw it erupt a few times before making our way back to the car, Gulfoss waterfall was next on the list along Iceland’s Golden Circle. Gullfoss Just a short drive from Geysir, is Gullfoss. Gullfoss is a massive waterfall fed by the Hvita River. Gullfoss is a powerful waterfall, and to me it looked to be multiple stages of waterfalls carving out the canyon below. There are two access points and parking lots here, an upper and lower view point. We parked at the upper parking lot and walked down below which is easily do-able and the stairs are safe to walk. You will most likely get wet especially as you get closer to the falls, so be cautious about clothes or expensive camera equipment. The hikes near the waterfall are not far, so I figure an hours at Gullfoss is sufficient. Kerið Our last stop along Iceland’s Golden Circle was Kerið or Kerid which is a crater lake. Kerid is unique because the crater was not formed by a volcanic explosion, instead the cone of the volcano collapsed because of the empty magma chambers, cool! There was an entrance fee of about $4 to access the trail. The crater is not huge, we walked a complete 360° and then took the trail to the bottom of the crater, which was not as impressive as looking down from above. We Completed Iceland’s Famous Golden Circle, Now What? Well, there is an abundance of options. The Golden Circle did not take us all day, in fact we had plenty of time left to drive a portion of the Ring Road to some of the other famous waterfalls like Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss. You can use the extra time to move slower between attractions, head back to Reykjavik, or just explore on your own! Below are a few more photos from our trip along Iceland’s Golden Circle.
Interesting Food Around the World that We’ve Tried
Exploring a cultures culinary traditions has become one of the motivating factors and reasons we travel. Plain and simple, it is fun to try authentic, new, and down-right weird food. I always say, I am willing to try everything at least once! Living by that rule, the two of us have become adventurous when it comes to local cuisine. What may seem bizarre in our culture can be a daily diet in others. I mean here in the United States we eat beef right? While the cow is sacred in some states in India. Did you know that over 80% of the world’s population eats insects, yet the sound of that disgusts most Westerners. Lets face it, they are rich in protein, low in fat, and there is an abundance of them. ** This post contains affiliate links. If you click on one of the links or widgets throughout the page, whether it be Viator, Booking.com, Agoda, or any other affiliate, I might receive commission at no extra cost to you. For more information, you can visit my affiliate link page here. Thanks for the support! Interesting Food Around the World that We’ve Tried I grew up watching Andrew Zimmern’s Bizarre Foods and Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations and have always shared a fascination with foods from around the world no matter how weird, interesting, or unique the food is. I believe you should try everything once. How else are you going to know if it’s a good dish or not! I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the taste of some of the more bizarre foods I’ve tried and have disliked some foods that are standard to so many people. I say it is all part of the experience, and it is fun to say, “I’ve tried that!” Here are some of the most interesting food dishes I’ve had throughout my travels. Asia Cambodia Tarantula: Siem Reap Eating tarantula in Cambodia is a well known and definitely an adventurous dish to try for any traveler. During the Khmer Rouge, when food was scarce, people had to eat what they could to survive and that included tarantulas. Since then, it has kind of stuck around as a delicacy and fun thing for tourists to try, including myself! I found a place that sold tarantula and brought it back to my hotel room, hence the fancy plate! I ate the tarantula starting with the legs as they were the least threatening looking spider part. I then worked my way to the body. Overall, taste wise, it was not great! Tasted a bit like dry cardboard even with the chili lime seasoning. But hey, Tarantula is an excellent source of protein and mierals. Japan Natto Natto is a Japanese dish that consists of fermented soy beans. This is definitely an interesting dish that I’ve had twice, once as an appetizer over rice with a raw egg and the second time at a sushi go round where it was wrapped in seaweed. Honestly, I think I would rather eat Hákarl again then eat Natto. Natto has a distinctive smell and a slimy gooey texture. It is definitely an acquired taste, people here love it! It just wasn’t for me. The benefit of Natto is that it is very healthy to eat, it is said to help against strokes and is great for people on diets and helps manage stress, so that is a plus, it just isn’t for me! Irabu (Sea Snake) Soup: Okinawa Irabu (Sea Snake) soup, probably the most nerve-racking food I’ve had in my life. I’m seen so many sea snakes while diving and snorkeling around Okinawa, I’d never think I’d actually eat one! In a way, I felt bad eating Irabu soup, I’ve grown quite fond of these snakes. Yes, they are deadly. Yes, they can be terrifying to swim with. But at the same time, they are peaceful to watch as they glide through the water. I love watching them swim up to get air and see their tiny heads pop out of the water. At the same time, I love trying local cuisine. Irabu Soup is found in restaurants around Okinawa and it is a local delicacy, especially on Kudaka Island. I found a restaurant on the island that specializes in Irabu Soup, so I had to try it for myself. On Kudaka Island, the sea snakes are caught bare-handed. Keep in mind, these are highly venomous snakes and are deadly. But they are shy and gentle creatures unless harmed. Once caught the snakes are killed, boiled and then smoked before being turned into soup. The soup generally consists of broth, pork, konbu (which is a type of kelp), and a piece of snake. I placed my order, once finished the waiter called me up to pick up my soup. I double checked with him that Irabu was in fact safe to eat. He assured me it was safe. Not only is Irabu safe to eat but it is full of nutrients, protein, and vitamins. The soup was fantastic! I ate the snake, skin and all and it tasted nothing like chicken! It had its own distinct taste, it was a bit chewy but had a nice flavor. If given the opportunity to try Irabu soup again, I would eat it without question. Torisashi (Raw Chicken): Okinawa Usually, I’d never recommend eating raw poultry of any kind. But if I were to eat raw chicken, it would be in Japan, and I did. The dish is called Torisashi and it is thinly sliced raw chicken. It’s basically chicken sashimi and it is often served in Izakaya’s in the Japanese Prefectures of Kagoshima, Miyazaki, and Okinawa. I’ve tried Torisashi in Okinawa at several different Izakaya’s and honestly, I like the flavor and texture. Some Izakaya’s will slightly sear the outside, the inside is pink and slightly chewy. Yagi Sashi (Raw Goat): Okinawa Yagi Sashi is the Okinawan word for the raw goat dish that can be found throughout the island of Okinawa. In Okinawa, many Izakaya’s and specialty restaurants serve Yagi Sashi. It’s usually served chilled and thinly sliced with ginger and soy sauce on the side. The raw goat has a gamey feel to it and a very distinct taste. I really enjoy the flavor and texture of it. Philippines Balut: Cebu I’ve been wanting to try Balut for a while now and in July of 2024, I took a trip to Cebu, The Philippines and finally got a chance to try it. Balut is a fertilized duck egg. The embryo of the duck develops for several days usually between 14 and 21 days. Most people are put off by the look of the egg once opened. It’s not your typical hard boiled egg that is white on the outside and yellow on the inside. No, instead, Balut is layered, there is a juice you suck out first, followed by a hardened white piece, yolk, and the unlucky duckling. I found a street vendor selling Balut on the side near Carbon Market. I cracked the egg, sucked out the juices and began to disassemble the egg, biting off one layer at a time. I’ll be honest, it was not easy on the eye, looking down at what I was eating, but taste wise, Balut was actually good and I really enjoyed it! It tasted just like a hard boiled egg with a little more texture to it. I would definitely eat Balut again. South Korea Beondegi: Busan Next stop while trying interesting food around the world is Busan, South Korea. While in Busan, we visited the Haedong Yonggung Temple right outside the city. The temple lies along the coast and is considered to be one of the most well known in all of South Korea. To our surprise, there was a small food market right before the entrance to the temple. Several vendors had huge steaming pans full of something we’ve never seen before. Turns out, these pans were full to the top of a popular snack item known as Beondegi, otherwise known as Silkworm pupae. You get a cup full of them, at a cheap price! In the images below you can see what Jill’s reaction was to eating Beondegi. I found the flavor to be a little nutty and very juicy, almost to juicy. Unfortunately, a cup was a little much, so we decided to share our Beondegi with the local wildlife! Taiwan Stinky Tofu You know how some cities have that bad city smell once in a while? You’ll walk around and smell sewage here and there. In Taiwan you’ll sense that same smell here and there and turn the corner and it’s just someone cooking Stinky Tofu. Stinky Tofu lives up to its name. The smell can be horrid! Rest assured, stinky tofu tastes better then it smells. Locals in Taiwan, love it. You’ll find stinky tofu in restaurants, at night markets, and from people selling it at a food stall. Stinky tofu comes in many different forms. I’ve personally tried it a few times, once as a block with onion and sweet sauce, the second time in Hualien where it was advertised as Stinky Tofu Fries. Trust me, no matter how you try it, it is going to be stinky. So, what makes stinky tofu, stinky? It’s all about the fermentation process! It’s soaked in a brine that is made from a mix of vegetables, meats, milk, and other ingredients. The tofu will ferment anywhere from a couple hours to several months. Europe Iceland Hákarl: Reykjavik Our next interesting food around the world takes us to Iceland. We’ve all heard of Hákarl (Fermented Shark). Based on stories and the media I’ve heard that Hákarl is potent and has a very unique flavor. After trying Hákarl I came to the conclusion that it was not as bad as I was expecting. Not that I’ve ever tasted smelly feet, but I kind of describe the flavor that way, mixed with a little ammonia, still not terrible tasting! It’s not found all over Iceland, but I did my research and saw that Kaffi Loki served it as an appetizer. You get a few cubes served in a small dish with an Icelandic Flag toothpick! Would I try it again? Sure! North America Mexico Ant Larvae, Crickets, and Maguey Worm at Mercado de San Juan: Mexico city Mercado de San Juan in Mexico City is paradise, that is if you are looking for unordinary food to try. This market is full of fresh meat, fish, and produce. I read about this market while researching and came here to explore the unique and interesting foods. There is a vendor here that even sold rare tiger and lion meat along with tarantulas and other creepy critters. You have to start somewhere, my plan was to start small and work my way up. I found a vendor selling a variety of insects that included grasshopper, crickets, and ant larvae. I wanted to try a few of each, there was a slight translation mix-up and I ended up with a mixed sack full. Thankfully there was a bar next to this vendor, I washed the bugs down with a local beer and even shared them with the bartender, he loved them. To be honest, the bugs were dry, salty, and not that great! On a side note, Mercado de San Juan had some other great restaurants and normal eats. We went to a small Italian vendor and ordered a delicious bocadillo. Scorpion: Mexico City At Mercado de San Juan, I wanted to try something I knew would be tough to come by in the states, so I was torn between trying a tarantula or a scorpion. Both choices were very intimidating, I opted for the scorpion. I thought to myself, “how the hell am I going to eat this thing!” For starters, remove the stinger not because it is poisonous, but because it is sharp and can get lodged in your throat! After a