Heavily destroyed by allied bombing raids during the Second World War and its following 40 years as a Eastern Block city controlled by the Soviets Dresden has bounced back to become one of the most vibrant cities in Germany. Situated on the banks of the beautiful Elbe river this city has rebuilt much of its splendorous Baroque Style archetecture and has blended it well with the steel and glass designs of the current age. The city is beautifully layed out with some of Europe’s finest gardens, malls and wide streets. The city also hosts a world class arts and entertainment calendar which is the envy of many cities. Read the rest of this entry »
When you think of Scotland you think of lovely rolling hills, bagpipes, tartan and a bit of haggis well there’s so much more, have you ever thought of extreme adventure. Biking, hiking, skiing and wind surfing well take a look at our You Tube of the week and you will see there is some great fun to be had. Read the rest of this entry »
Paris is one of the more expensive cities in the world but not on the first Sunday of the month when many of the cities museums are free- yes free. And we are not talkin B grade museums, the most popular ones are in on the act too, including the Louvre, home to the Mona Lisa and the Musee d’Orsay and even the Musee National Picasso. Now if museums are not your stuff, why not visit one of the Arc de Triomphe, or Notre Dame they are free too between October the 1st and March on the first Sunday.
On the banks of the River Thames The Tower of London is one of London’s most popular tourist attractions. The history of the tower dates back to 1078 and has had dozens of rebuilds and extensions and just as many uses. For most of it’s life it has been a fortress but has also been a prison and home of torture and execution. The fortress has also been an armory, a mint, somewhere to house public records, even an observatory and a zoo. Today it is the home of the Crown Jewels which have been kept in the tower since they were stolen from Westminster Abbey in 1303. The burly Beefeaters guard the tower along with ravens which have been kept at the tower for over 100 years. Legend says that if the ravens ever leave the tower the British Monarchy will fall- Good Old Lizzie better hope they don’t find a better place to live.
To celebrate the bicentenary of the French Revolution in 1989 La Grande Arche was commissioned as a modern interpretation of the Arc De Triomph which is Paris’s most important war monument. The Grande Arch was designed by Danish Architect Johann Otto Von Spreckelsen and is a nearly perfect cube with a height of 108m a depth of 112m and width of 108m. The huge concrete structure is covered in marble from Italy and glass. Inside the arch houses an exhibition centre, government offices and viewing platform with views across Paris. Visitors rise in a glass lift which runs along a very impressive scaffolding like structure in the centre of the structure.
With so many budget flight operators in Europe ,Dublin is easily accessible for as little as 100 Euro return from some cities so it’s a popular spot for a day trip or a fun weekend. Today we take a look at a lovely little slideshow on YouTube showing some of Dublin’s popular sites. Dublin has a rich history and has plenty to offer – don’t forget to try a Guinness Beer they are delicious.
Stuttgart is not only the home of Mercedes Benz and Porsche it’s home to the annual Cannastatter Volksfest- the second largest beer festival in Germany (or the world for that matter) after Munich. The centerpiece of the festival is the huge Ferris Wheel and 24 metre basket of fruit. The festival dates back to 1818 and now attracts over 3 million people to its two weeks of celebration. There are huge beer tents but they are not as big as that found in Munich, but its much easier to find a beer here as things are not quiet as busy.
We know what it’s like when you go on holidays, the diet goes out the window, you have a few extra beers and large meals. Well, Check out this restaurant in Hofheim, just outside Frankfurt Germany. Called Waldgeist this restaurant specializes in XXXL meals all washed down with the German favorite a supersized beer. The snitzels here don’t even fit on the plate correctly and 4 people could eat the one burger and still be full! Hit the next page for their website, its in German but the pictures and all the XXXL’s across the menu should give you an idea if you cant be bothered translating it via bablefish. If you are near Hofheim make sure you detour to Waldgeist and if you are on a diet just have one beer, a 2 litre sized beer.
Got a few Euro spare change kicking around in your pocket and got the munchies in Amsterdam, well a croquette shop will do the trick. Scattered through the Dutch city are great croquette shops full of stainless steel vending machines. Choose the tasty croquette you want to eat, whether it be meat, curry, vegetable cheese or some other tasty morsel, pop your Euro in the slot and simply open the door to a hot and steaming crumbed croquette. They are delicious! The staff works behind the vending wall of vending machines and all the service is automatic, that is unless you want to try the tasty Dutch version of potato chips, Pommes- complete with mayonnaise which can be bought from a staff member and is usually served in a clever paper cone.
At this restaurant known as ‘s Baggers in Nurnberg Germany you wont find any waiters to take your order or to bring drinks to the table, instead you will find a touch screen computer and something that looks like a food rollercoaster that bring food directly to your table. When you get a table at this futuristic restaurant you make your order via the computer at your table, your meals is then prepared by humans (not robots) in the upstairs kitchen and sent on a ride to your table. The restaurant claims that the system cuts costs and improves efficiency making for an overall better dining experience. The food served is called Franconian Style which is an old German style of cooking the name baggers comes from a potato fritter style dish. Read the rest of this entry »
