Eat, Sleep, Breathe, Travel

Taking in the views

What’s the best view you’ve ever seen? If you’re traveling this summer, what view are you most looking forward to?

I love views. Especially long-distance views.

For me, the one view that will stick with me more than any other was the view from my apartment when I lived in Prague. It was an amazing view. You could see Prague Castle in the distance up on Hradcany Hill. Closer was the dome of the National Museum in Wenceslas Square. And everywhere in between were the roofs and spires of all the other 19th-century buildings that fill the Prague skyline. I spent many hours looking out at that view.

Another favorite is the view from the Eiffel Tower in Paris. You can’t deny its greatness. Though I have to say, I might prefer the view from the top of the Arc de Triomphe, if only because you can see the Eiffel Tower.

So yes, city views are amazing. Equally amazing, in my opinion, are views of nature. The view from the top of an Alpine mountain, for example. Or the view looking out over the blue Mediterranean Sea. Another moment I will not forget is being on the Great Wall of China out in the countryside, up on the crest of a hill, looking down at the wall winding its way off into the distance. It's ingrained in my mind.

And of course, we can’t forget the view from the airplane on the way over to wherever it is you're going. I am—and always will be—a window person.

Photo: Me

Going to the zoo

I recently came across a zoo elephant who can play the harmonica. It got me thinking about going to the zoo when traveling abroad.

I like zoos. Though I do have mixed feelings about them ethically (I feel bad for caged animals), I have to say that I like zoos. I just like looking at animals. So I’ve been to a few zoos in my day, in various cities around the world.

Going to the zoo when you’re in a foreign city may strike some as odd, even a waste of time. After all, you can go to the zoo anywhere, so why spend an afternoon in a foreign city looking at animals when you could be marveling at the city’s monuments or visiting its famous museums. I won’t argue with that.

On the other hand, a zoo visit can be a unique way to immerse yourself in the local culture. You walk among the families, you see them in their leisure time, you eat local snacks. You also find out what they call the animals in another language.

Anyway, if you do like zoos, here are some notable ones in cities visited by EF College Break:

Berlin Zoo – Widely considered one of the world’s best zoos.

Barcelona Zoo – Popular zoo, about 7,500 living creatures.

Prague Zoological Garden – Great zoo, I’ve been here twice. Also rated among the best in the world.

Artis Zoo in Amsterdam – Oldest zoo on the European continent. Lots of ponds, statues and leafy walkways.

And if you want more info on zoos around the world than you could possibly ever read through, check out this thorough site.

Photo: marcus_and_sue via Flickr

What to do in Amsterdam

I thought I’d pass along this nice little mini-guide to Amsterdam that was just posted on one of my go-to travel sites (it’s the BBC Travel section, with content provided by Lonely Planet).

Amsterdam is one of my favorite cities, and there are some good recommendations in the article. Most notably, I wholeheartedly agree with their suggestion to go to the Van Gogh Museum. It’s one of my favorite places in Amsterdam. As the article says, the museum houses more than 200 paintings and 500 drawings by Van Gogh. If you like Van Gogh, you’ll love it. If you don’t like Van Gogh, you probably won’t. But if you don’t like Van Gogh, you probably shouldn’t go to a Van Gogh museum.

They also talk about the Anne Frank House, another definite must-see (it’s included on EF College Break trips to Amsterdam).

One thing not mentioned, which I’d like to add, is Vondelpark. This is just a city park. When I’m in big cities, I always like to spend a few hours in the park, just relaxing, maybe snacking, kicking a ball or throwing a frisbee, watching the locals being locals. Vondelpark is a nice one.

As for the Eat and Drink section, I don’t know the specific places named in the article, but they do mention my favorite Amsterdam snack: french fries (a.k.a. frites). I’ve written about frites before, because I love them so much. You can’t go wrong with a giant paper cone full of french fries. If you’re feeling cultural, you can drench them in mayonnaise.

Finally, they mention renting a bike to get around—another highly recommended activity for free time. They give the name of one place to rent a bike, but there are several to choose from all over the city. If you’re over there with EF College Break, your tour director can recommend a good one.

I miss Amsterdam.

Photo: Toni Escuder via Flickr

Ancient Rome theme park in Rome?

What do you think, is this stupid? Or would you like to see it happen?

They’re talking about building a huge Ancient Rome theme park just outside Rome. It would re-create a lot of the ancient sites, allowing visitors to hang out in Ancient Rome for a day. You could walk through the Forum, see a gladiator battle in the Colosseum, race chariots around the Circus Maximus, take a bath in the Baths of Caracalla.

They’re calling it the Disneyland of Ancient Rome.

I have mixed feelings about it. At first I thought it sounded cool. I like history, I like imagining myself in bygone times. Sure, I’d like to get a taste of life in Ancient Rome. On the other hand, once I started envisioning all the other elements that’d undoubtedly be involved (gelato stands, souvenir hats, restaurants, etc.), the idea quickly started to lose its luster.

I think I’ll stick with the actual ruins that still exist in actual Rome. It’s a whole lot more powerful to walk through the real Colosseum, the real Forum, the real streets. And beyond Rome, walking through the streets of Pompeii was one of the most mind-blowing things I’ve ever done. I can’t remember if they had gelato there.

Photo: tiseb via Flickr

How to avoid taboo behaviors abroad

I just read this good article about avoiding taboo behavior when traveling. I’m not talking about seriously bad behavior (getting in fights, committing crimes, going to jail). This is more about things you might do by accident that could offend people (like holding your fingers in a certain way that seems harmless but in fact is insulting people’s mothers).

The article is pretty short on specifics, but in general it gives some good practical advice. The main point is that you should just know you’re in a different culture, and you should try to be aware of what feels right and wrong. Feel free to ask a local if you’re not sure about something, and do a little research before your trip. It’s nice to know in advance if there are any things to keep in mind for the countries you’ll be visiting. For instance, it’s frowned upon to blow your nose in public in Japan, China and France—who knew?

As far as research, here's a nice detailed overview of the dos and don’ts of body language in various European countries (with links to other parts of the world). It’s written for businesspeople, but the tips seem pretty universal (don’t slap someone on the back in Belgium, definitely don’t give the “A-OK” sign in Spain).

That all said, I’m of the mind that people are generally forgiving when it comes to visitors. As long as you give the (hopefully genuine) impression that you’re in their country to experience their culture and broaden your perspective on the world, I think they can let a little nose-blow slide.

Photo: Mr. Mystery via Flickr

Asparagus-mania in Germany

Who likes asparagus? (I do.)

If you like asparagus, you should go to Germany during the next two months. That’s because Germany has just entered Spargelzeit, otherwise known as asparagus season.

This is the first I’ve ever heard of this, which kind of surprises me. (I like to think I’m in-the-know when it comes to food customs around the world, especially in Central Europe.) As it turns out, every year at this time, when asparagus is in season, Germany eats and celebrates all things asparagus (which they call the king of vegetables).

In Berlin it starts with a ceremonial tasting at Brandenburg Gate. From there the asparagus festivities reach epic levels. There is plenty of eating of course—asparagus sausage, asparagus soup, ham with asparagus embedded in it, asparagus ice cream. But it goes beyond food. There are asparagus festivals. There are heated debates about the best ways to cook asparagus. At least one town crowns an annual Asparagus Queen (with crowns of asparagus).

And yes, it does mean that toilets around Germany have a special smell this time of year.

Photo: Spree2010 via Flickr

The McBaguette hits France

I have mixed feelings about this one, but mostly amusement. McDonald’s restaurants across France have just unveiled a new sandwich: the McBaguette.

If you ask me, the sandwich itself looks a little on the terrible side. (This coming from a person who believes a simple baguette with cheese is the greatest snack in the world.) The McBaguette is a baguette with two burgers on it side by side, plus lettuce and some French mustard. Sort of like a horizontal double cheeseburger with a baguette instead of a bun.

The McBaguette just went on sale on April 18 and will be around for six weeks. If it’s popular, it will probably return. Not surprisingly, it’s getting mixed reactions from the French. Some like the idea of injecting French culinary culture into the local McDonald’s menu. Others think the baguette itself is too soft. Others probably think the McBaguette is a sign of the apocalypse.

Anyone traveling to France in the next six weeks? Though I'd hate to suggest using up a Paris meal at McDonald’s (there are too many other delicious traditional options available), I must admit that I am curious about the McBaguette. I’d like to hear how it is.

Photo: msnbcmedia.msn.com

A new bug-eating trend in the Netherlands?

This may surprise you. It surprised me. It may also make you gag. (It didn't quite make me gag.)

I just read about a new cookbook that came out Tuesday in the Netherlands. Some Dutch people hope the book's release will mark the start of a new culinary trend in the country: eating insects. (Here’s a video too.)

The cookbook (title translated as “The Insect Cookbook”) is full of recipes and ideas for cooking with bugs. For instance, sprinkle worms on your chocolate muffins. Or add grasshoppers to your mushroom risotto.

There are all kinds of reasons to eat insects. You’ve probably heard them before. The main one is bugs are a good source of protein. The cookbook's creators also talk about the future—as population levels continue to grow and food sources become more scarce, insects could provide necessary nutrition. So we should start getting used to it now.

The people behind the cookbook hope that insect dishes will start appearing more often at restaurants around the Netherlands and in Dutch people’s homes.

Unfortunately, the cookbook itself is in Dutch, so unless you speak the language you may not be able to follow the recipes yourself. But if you’re going to Amsterdam, who knows, maybe you’ll see some insect dishes on the menu.

Photo: MICHAEL KOOREN/Reuters

Plenty of surprises in Paris

I’m a big fan of Paris, having lived there for a few months many years ago. So I found this article pretty interesting. The main point is that Paris is evolving. It’s no longer just the city of world-class art museums, cheese, wine and the Eiffel Tower, though those things are thankfully still all there (I love cheese). Paris today has some surprises.

One of these unexpected bright spots are the “shared gardens” that have sprung up all over the city, making Paris greener and greener. There are now more than 70 of these communal green spaces. They’re a nice place to walk, hang out, relax, or buy some locally grown produce.

There’s also some off-the-beaten-path art to check out. I will say, if you’re only going to see a limited amount of art while in Paris, I do recommend the must-see museums like the Louvre and the Musée d’Orsay (they don’t disappoint). But if you have some extra time and are really into art, it may be worth checking out the galleries and studios in the Ménilmontant area, as the article describes.

Other unexpected highlights include absinthe drinks, eating a meal in someone’s home, and hearing live jazz music under a bridge. All sound good to me. At the end of the day, once you’ve checked the must-see sights off your list, Paris has plenty of hidden gems to find.

Photo: gelinh via Flickr

See secret Vatican Archives in Rome

This could be interesting for anyone who’s going to Rome this summer.

You will have the rare chance to look at 100 documents from centuries' worth of secret Vatican Archives. They’re going on display in a special exhibit at the Capitoline Museums. Normally only scholars who get special permission from the Vatican can look at this stuff. Now you can too. That's exciting.

The collection includes a number of cool historical documents from throughout the long history of the Vatican. You can see things like the papal order that excommunicated Martin Luther and the document that condemned Galileo for heresy. They also have documents relating to the Knights Templar, as well as letters from Michelangelo, French author Voltaire and even Abraham Lincoln.

All in all it sounds pretty cool, especially if you like history (or archives). Personally, I always get a little tingly feeling when I see actual relics from the ancient past, especially things with as much historical signifance as this stuff.

The exhibit is called “Lux in Arcana: The Vatican Secret Archive Reveals Itself” and will be around until early September.

Photo: su-lin via Flickr