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sagehaleyofficial · 2 years

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HERE’S WHAT YOU MISSED THIS WEEK (6.29-7.5.22):

NEW MUSIC:

Pale Waves shared another piece of their upcoming new album titled “Jealousy.” The new record Unwanted is set to drop on August 12 via Dirty Hit.

Yungblud released a new music video for his latest track “Don't Feel Like Feeling Sad Today.” The track is set to appear on his upcoming self-titled album, which will be released on September 2 via Locomotion/Polydor.

Bring Me the Horizon's Oli Sykes collaborated with Alice Longyu Gao on a new song titled “Believe the Hype.” The song follows on from a number of other collaborations from the singer.

Slowly Slowly revealed that they are going to be releasing a new full-length album later this year. The album, titled Daisy Chain, will be dropping on November 4 via UNFD.

MOD SUN teamed up with Two Friends for a new collaboration titled “Timebomb.” The former singer recently dropped a new song of his own in the form of “Perfectly Imperfect.”

Already having gone viral on TikTok, Loveless put out their own post-hardcore cover of Kate Bush’s song “Running Up That Hill.” The original song recently re-gained traction after being featured on the latest season of Stranger Things.

The Dangerous Summer shared another song from their upcoming new album. The song is titled “All I Ever Wanted Was a Chance to Know Myself,” which follows on from the band’s title track “Coming Home.”

Yours Truly released the latest song off their upcoming EP titled “Careless Kind.” The EP, Is This What I Look Like?, will be dropping next week on July 15 via UNFD.

TOUR ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Ice Nine Kills added another London date to their Wurst Vacation tour in the United Kingdom next March. They also announced that their Glasgow, Manchester and Bristol shows have been upgraded.

Yungblud revealed that he is bringing back his Intimate as F*ck tour to the United Kingdom and Europe. The tour kicks off in Paris on August 26 and ends in Madrid on November 15.

Badflower released footage from a session that they recorded at the famous Blackbird Studio. The band notably played their song “Family” off their 2021 record This is How the World Ends.

OTHER NEWS:

Linkin Park’s album Living Things celebrated its 10th anniversary. The anniversary comes with a trio of new certifications for tracks reaching new levels of certification in the United States.

Fall Out Boy’s song “Immortals” hit Platinum status in the United Kingdom. The song originally appeared on the soundtrack for the movie Big Hero 6.

Black Veil Brides’ Andy Biersack released an audiobook titled Andy Biersack Presents the Works of Edgar Allen Poe. The audiobook will also be released on vinyl and is available for pre-order.

My Chemical Romance's latest track “The Foundations of Decay” recently made it onto the Top 10 of Alternative Radio in the United States. The band played it for the very first time at their show in Cornwall, England back in May.

Frank Carter and the Rattlesnakes announced they are launching their own card game titled Halves via Kickstarter. The idea came to exist during a flight to Ireland on their first-ever tour back in 2016.

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Check in next Tuesday for more “Posi Talk with Sage Haley”!

#sage haley #posi talk #pale waves #yungblud #bring me the horizon #mod sun #ice nine kills #linkin park #fall out boy #black veil brides #my chemical romance #alice longyu gao #slowly slowly #two friends #loveless #the dangerous summer #yours truly #badflower #frank carter and the rattlesnakes

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makeit0utalive · 3 years

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Alright it’s been a week, time to review SS2 (minus Opening Night because well..it’s just 42 seconds of talking)

Welcome to Horrorwood: definitely one of my favorites. I feel like it could have gotten a music video but now I think it’s passed the appropriate time for it. It’s just so good, and that intro is gorgeous. I’ll be listening to this one a lot.

A Rash Decision: This one has really grown on me. Obsessed with the way he says “prayer” and the whispered “this is a fever” and “the truth hits like a truck *honk honk*”. I really want to watch Cabin Fever now.

Assault & Batteries: This song is good, but I’m not crazy about it. It just doesn’t hit the mark for me. Probably my least favorite on the album.

The Shower Scene: After reading reviews for this song and hearing that it was mostly singing, I got really excited for it because I prefer the softer songs over the heavy ones. I was a little disappointed, not entirely sure why, it just wasn’t as good as I was expecting it to be. With that said, I still enjoy it and I think it’s going to grow on me. (Edit: yeah it’s grown on me a bit)

Funeral Derangements: I wasn’t the biggest fan of this song on the first listen, but it’s been growing on me more and more with each listen. And knowing it was Spencer doing the young child voice makes it really funny and that’s all I can think about when I hear this song.

Rainy Day: I’ve loved this song since it came out. I’m obsessed with the chorus. Some of the lines like “become a soldier for the controller” feel a little tacky sometimes, but I can look over it.

Hip to be Scared: I was obsessed with this song when it first came out, and that hasn’t changed much. It’s really good, and I loved seeing Jacoby in the song & video because it gives me hope of another INK/HU collab because I love seeing them still collaborate after the tour got cancelled.

Take Your Pick: I wasn’t expecting to like this song as much as I do because I’m usually not big on the heavy songs, but I actually enjoy this song quite a bit. I also wonder if that’s Dan’s s.o. Sarah doing the “you’ll be mine”, because it really really sounds like her, and that would just make this song even cooler if it’s her. And that part with Spencer singing…I could listen to an entire album of just that.

The Box: I really like the chorus of this one. I’ll admit the rest of the song is a little forgettable, just a little, but it’s still really good.

F. L. Y. : I wasn’t super into this song at first, but it’s making its way into my favorites list. It’s a more “general” song in that it could pass for being not about a movie, kinda like Freak Flag, which I honestly like.

Wurst Vacation: This isn’t my favorite song, but I’ve started enjoying it the more I’ve listened to it. I’ll probably like it more after I’ve watched Hostel.

Ex-Mørtis: This might be my favorite on the album. It’s just so fun and funky, I can listen to it on repeat for a while without getting bored. Plus the fact Charlie Scene is a co-writer just makes it even better.

Farewell II Flesh: I’ve gotta admit…I’m not as obsessed with this song as many people seem to be. I really don’t vibe with all the bee references. It’s still good, and I enjoy it, but I’d love it so much more without all the bee-related lyrics. However, I haven’t seen Candyman yet so maybe I’ll enjoy it more after watching the movie.

Overall, this entire album has grown on me since my first listen. Now I have more movies to watch…

#Ice Nine Kills #I was hoping for something more like A Grave Mistake or Tess-Timony and the closest I got to that was Farewell II Flesh #which kinda sucks since I’m not a huge fan of it #but the album is really good so I won’t complain

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leoninapelliolovesconchitawurst · 4 years

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ENGLISH TRANSLATION ( Jeannette Nobbe)

VOLSKRANT.NL 31/01/20

by Mennon Pot

https://www.volkskrant.nl/cultuur-media/conchita-wurst-sorry-dat-ik-zo-n-wandelend-cliche-ben~b0477817/

(Conchita) Wurst: 'I'm sorry I'm a walking cliché'.

Above all we know Conchita Wurst as the bearded 'female 'singer who won the ESC in 2014. But we've moved on and are a bit wiser. It´s just Wurst now, but the beard is still there.

With light feathered steps, Thomas Neuwirth (31) enters the conference room of the hotel in Groningen where he is staying: black combat boots, black leather pants, tight black T-shirt, the black beard and the perfect short trimmed jet black hair..

He introduces himself as Tom. It's not difficult to recognise the bearded drag queen Conchita in him. (Kopenhagen, 2014, remember?) but the dress and wig are stowed away for a while. Conchita has a sort of sabbatical, so to speak.

Neuwirth is on tour as a man. Stage name: Wurst. Yesterday evening he performed in Groningen; the next concert will be 7 february at the Melkweg in Amsterdam. His new album 'Truth over Magnitude' also carries the artist´s name Wurst.

Let's get this straight: when the subject is Conchita Wurst, the word 'transgender' sometimes comes a long. Wrongly. Neuwirth is a man, ('but incredibly gay, of course'), who has a choice from now on: being on tour as a drag queen (Conchita) or as a man (Wurst) .

´a lot of fun, being a masculine stage persona', he says. Conchita will turn up again somewhere else.

Holland appreciated Conchita's 'Rise like a Phoenix' with the highest score, almost 6 years ago.

Neuwirth didn't forget: twelve points, douze points from Holland for the bearded diva from Austria.

Then hectic years followed. 'After the Song Contest I thought, I have to make the most of it now, build my fame and cash it in. So I surrounded myself with all kinds of experts, managers, stylists, make/up artists, the whole circus. After 3 years I was exhausted. I couldn´t do it anymore. I told my audience every nigh, be yourself, believe in yourself. But along the way, I forgot myself.´

He got rid of the experts’ circus and is having a relaxed tour now, with a small entourage. He feels good again, although in 2018 he had to announce he is infected with the HIV virus. His manager politely asks, almost in an humble manner, not to talk about that.

Tom doesn´t appear to be very worried about that. There has seldom been a star who starts an interview so cheerfully. ´A great photo shoot and after that talk about things I find beautiful and fun.

Terrific, I was already looking forward to it when I came out of bed.´

´Curriculum Vitae'

1988 – Born as Thomas Neuwirth in Gmunden, Austria

2007 – Candidate at the talentshow Starmania, and boyband Jetzt anders!

2011 – Debut as female persona Conchita Wurst, the debut single `I´ll be there´

2012 - Second place at the Austrian Songfestival

2014 – ESC winner with ´Rise like a Phoenix

2015 – First album ´Conchita´, co-presenter ESC

2018 – Second album ´From Vienna with Love´

2019 – Debut as male stage persona ´Wurst´, third album ´Truth over Magnitude´

2020 – Wurst ´Trust over Magnitude´ Sony Music

Wurst will be performing in the Melkweg in Amsterdam on February 7

SOUNDTRACK

Music from the Motion Picture Titanic ...1997

´My first CD. I was 9 years old when I bought it. `My heart will go on´’changed my life´. As it were, Céline Dion gave me permission to be utterly dramatic and to be over the top. When I came out of the closet, I heard that song in my head.

It was also a liberation for me as a singer. My mom always sang with a thin, high falsetto voice. I thought that was how it should be. Dion taught me, you may yell as hard as you can, with all the power you have in you. When you sing so loud, you can’t fake it. The sound you push out of your body, is the sound of your body, unique and by definition authentic. Céline Dion taught me that singing is something really physical.´

SERIES

The Crown ..Netflix..., 2016 until 2019

´For me it´s getting difficult to watch a movie to the end. I guess that´s because of all the series on Netflix and HBO. My favorite is `The Crown´.. ´the intro alone is so beautiful, that liquid gold that forms a crown, such art. I used to watch it twice. Ít says something about the fact that I can´t choose between the two women who play Elizabeth and the two men who play prince Philip. All the actors are great. The costumes, the stories, the palaces, it´s so delightful. The history also intrigues me, after every episode I checked on Wikipedia if it was really what had happened.

PARTIES

´At Christmas I always come back to Vienna. I love the lights, glitters and decorations, my inner Mariah Carey is looking forward to it every year. Christmas 2019 was extra special because it had been a long time since the whole family came together at my grandmother´s house.´

I would love it to be like that every year... A couple of days being together in one home. Talking, getting to really know my family. Maybe now you think, days on and on with uncles and aunts, such horror! It is easy to say that I don´t really have much in common with these people. But I do, Really. They all have a story and similarities with your stories. Ask them about your life and tell them about yours.´

That´s what Christmas is all about to me. To me, the birth of Jesus has not that much to do with it.´

ISLAND..

I have an agreement with my best friends to go on vacation at least once every two years. We have been to Mykonos a couple of times, THE especially gay island. I´m sorry I sound like a walking cliché.´

The sun, the sea, the beaches, the small streets, so cosy. We rent a house with a pool and for a week or two we live in our own little paradise, actually being a bit tipsy the whole time. Go shopping and cook.´

`What´s also very important, on Mykomos, the wind is always blowing the right way. I love to watch the women, because their dresses and their hair flutter so beautifully.´

STYLE ICON

Victoria Beckham

I was and still am a big Spice Girls fan and I especially admire Victoria Beckham, because she lives her life the way she wants. She appears in tabloids every day, but has survived a crisis in her relationship and has stayed happy with the love of her life and her family. I think that it´s really strong.´

In regard to her style, she can go from very classy to very trashy, I like that. One day she´s wearing a designer dress, the next she and David Beckham are walking in identical jogging suits. She couldn’t care less. I think that it´s inspiring.´

´I think she is utterly authentic, raging through the glamour. Although I have never met her, I´m sure that I could have a lot of fun with her. I´d love to drink some tequila with her for an afternoon or so.´

AGE

´I thought becoming 30 was really special, I lost my wild behaviour, came to be more restful. Some way or another I think a lot about some things my mother said: in my twenties, I ignored those lessons, but now I´m 30, I suddenly realised she was right for example how important family and friends are.

I´m 31 now, I have inner peace and my life in order, but I still feel young. I´m convinced that this the best period of my life´. My advise to everybody... be 30.´

ALBUM

Recomposed by Max Richter / The Four Seasons ..2012

I don´t play any instruments and until not too long ago, I didn´t really know much about music. I really found that a pity sometimes. Fortunately, my good friend Martin studies at the School of Musical Arts... !! He´s studying the history of music intensely and tells me about a lot of great composers. I learn a lot from that.´´I never understood classical music and didn´t really know anything about it, but thanks to the listening sessions with Martin I fell in love with Vivaldi..

The pop artist of the classical artists.

´Max Richter interpreted Vivaldi´s Four Seasons and composed it in a modern fashion. It´s a modern, post minimalistic piece, completely different from the original one, but you still recognise it. Greatly done, at the moment it´s my favorite album.´

BOOK

Friedrich Schiller « Ueber die aesthetische Erziehung des Menschen ». About the aesthetic upbringing of the people..´

´A good friend advised me to read the philosophical letters from Friedrich Schiller ..Letters, 1794-1795)

That´s a hard job to do. Because of the old fashioned German I had to read some sentences 5 times. You always have to wrestle yourself through a thick layer of 18th century sexism.

´But further on you´ll find something beautiful. Schiller writes a lot about finding your inner beauty and your own truth. Dare to be yourself. Embrace your darker sides. Those are important as well.´

´At the same time he preaches self-perspective.. don´t take yourself too seriously, you´re not the center of the universe. That is very worthy to me. Namely because I DO think I´m the center of the universe, haha.

`Still it´s very wise of him, to send a message from 1795 to a 21st century queen with a Mariah Carey complex.´

CLUB

Circus in Vienna

´The Arena is a huge complex in Vienna, a concert building with a mega discotheque. A couple of times a year they organize Circus, my favorite gay club night. I always go there with my group of closest friends, but it´s actually a bit of a rule that we lose each other and disappear into the crowd.´

´I roam around all night- Every room, every floor has its own musical theme and decoration. I love the types of people I meet there, their clothes, their fetishisms, everything.´

….Arena Vienna, Baumgasse 80, Vienna

CITY

Amsterdam

´I live in Vienna, I love Vienna and I will always come back there, but the greatest city I´ve been to is Amsterdam – since then I traveled all over the world so I know what I´m talking about.

´Of all the cities I visited, Amsterdam is the only one where I would want to live a period of time. So that´s what I´m gonna do, this summer, for a few months to begin with.´

´I can see that Amsterdam also has the flagship stores from all known store chains. And a lot of tourists, like every special city. But I see all these small jewelry shops where they sell their self-made jewelry. Little bakeries. Cosy streets. And a lot of water. I love water. I love cities with lots of water.´

#conchitawurst #wurst #tomneuwirth #artist #singer #esc2014 #escwinner #music #performer #lgbt #celebrity #interview #translation

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frankarcherhater · 1 year

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#PRETTYPEACEOFMEAT #ink #ice nine kills #frankarcherhater #concert #music #wurst vacation tour #welcome to horrorwood #horror #13.5.2023 #stuttgart #hostel 2005

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av-ryan · 3 years

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TEXTS; AV & GEORGIE

JULY

AV Ryan

What's that real fun German phrase you taught me? 'That's sausage to me.' or 'That's like sausage to me.' Or something?

Also hey George, glad you're here.

Georgie Ryan

The one that means you don't care, right? That's sausage to me. Das ist mir Wurst, if you wanna say it in German.

Hey AV. Glad to be here.

What's up with the strip club and stuff?

AV Ryan

Das ist mir Wurst, that's it. Lemme guess, Roe already told you all about it? It was fun, you came a day too late.

Georgie Ryan

Nah, I haven't asked Roe yet

I just know about the aliens story

Sadly, tbh

AV Ryan

Well that just means we need to go out again

Georgie Ryan

Not opposed

All for it, really

I heard it's a big island anyway

AV Ryan

From the looks of it it does look like there's a lot of shit we can do.

Georgie Ryan

Yeah. I saw some of it on the way to the grocery store. It's a cute town, very fancy Academy

AV Ryan

I mean it’s an old legacy school right? Makes sense that it’s fancy AF

Georgie Ryan

I guess

I just wasn't expecting having to brush my hair in the morning to fit in

AV Ryan

Fuck that, let your hair be wild

Georgie Ryan

For sure, I was joking

AV Ryan

Yeah I knew that. Okay so we have like a week before we go to Mexico start teaching me the Español por favor!

Georgie Ryan

You wanna know the basic stuff? The stuff to avoid? Or the fun stuff?

AV Ryan

All of the above?

Georgie Ryan

Alright, gimme a moment

AV Ryan

As soon as I figure out my finances, I'll treat you to lunch as compensation

Georgie Ryan

Nah, it's fine AV! You know I'm happy to teach you this stuff

AV Ryan

Okay but like I still want to take advantage of us being here and take you out to lunch one of these days.

Georgie Ryan

Alright, deal

It's not compensation tho, we're hanging out

Okay, unidade 1. Very important sentence.

[ Voice message ] Yo solo estoy bromeando.

It means "I'm just kidding"

AV Ryan

Lol. No one can ever say you don't know me. That's probably exactly what I need before I go down there and offend someone on accident.

[ Voice Message ]: Yo solo estoy bromeando.

Like that?

Georgie Ryan

I love you, but we're trying not to cause an international accident down there

Mhm, yeah! Just add a little extra R

[ Voice message ]: Bro**meando

AV Ryan

I'll be careful. The last thing I want to do is get thrown in a Mexican jail.

[ Voice Message ]: Yo solo estoy bromeando. Better?

Georgie Ryan

That's perfect AV! Like, real good!

Alright, now also real important stuff. Is there anything you absolutely do not want in you food or drinks? Or is everything game?

AV Ryan

Bugs I absolutely want 0 bugs in any of my shit. Except tequila

Georgie Ryan

Alright, so you can go the easy route or the fancy route, up to you!

[ Voice message ] No insectos, correcto?

[ Voice message ] No hay insectos en su receta, correcto?

First one means "no bugs, right?" and the second one means "there are no bugs in your recipe, right?"

AV Ryan

Now you know imma pick the fancy way.

[ Voice message ] No hay insectos en su receta, correcto?

Georgie Ryan

And I love you for it

Sounds awesome!!! That's it!

AV Ryan

Awesome

okay last one for today: do you think aliens are real?

Georgie Ryan

Ohhh, good one!

[ Voice message ] Tú piensas que extraterrestres existen?

AV Ryan

Legit. Amazing actually.

[ Voice message ] Tú piensas que extraterrestres existen?

Georgie Ryan

Yep, that's it! Just go a bit slower on the extraterrestres and you'll be fine!

AV Ryan

Yer wonderful! What are you most excited about in Mexico?

Georgie Ryan

The vacation

Just kidding, the food too

And I kinda wanna know if it's like a stay at a hotel and do whatever you want school trip or if they have guided tours through the city and stuff, because I def wanna go in one of those

AV Ryan

This school seems like the place that would have one of those for us. And if not, you could make that happen easy.

Georgie Ryan

It does, right?

I feel like they're going to have all of our minutes planned out for us, no joke.

For sure! I could ask the people that actually live there for the real cool spots too

AV Ryan

Hey, it's free so I'm not complaining. Fuck yea. That's what I did when I was in Hawaii. The locals really made my three years there special.

Georgie Ryan

Neither am I! A whole planned vacation? Sign me up.

You got to know all the cool restaurants and hang out spots? If we ever end up there in one of these school trips, you gotta show us.

AV Ryan

Yuppers and even better the uncrowded local beaches. Oh you know I will

Georgie Ryan

That's golden info right there

AV Ryan

Hell yes

Georgie Ryan

Hey AV, you free anytime this week?

AV Ryan

I'm always free, what's up?

Georgie Ryan

These escorting rules and having to be paired up to go to town

I wanna check if the fancy hotel or the gallery have any job openings.

AV Ryan

I got you. Tell me when.

Georgie Ryan

Wednesday morninggg

AV Ryan

Yeah okay. While we're out nah nevermind What time?

Georgie Ryan

What? What is it

Like around 10?

AV Ryan

I had to look to see if there was a Veteran Affairs office on island and there isn't. So I'll just have to do it online which I hate but whatever

Yeah 10 works

Georgie Ryan

Want me to do it with you? I can offer words of encouragement or of distraction

Cool! Thanks AV!

AV Ryan

Maybe proof read all the applications and forms before I submit them?

Yeah, I'll come pick you up

Georgie Ryan

Yeah, sure! I can help with that

Cool cool cool, I'll be ready

AV Ryan

That way I can start getting my benefits again

Georgie Ryan

Got itttt! Important stuff then

I'll def help

We can do it before we head into town?

AV Ryan

Yeah okay

AV Ryan

Thanks for helping me this morning. Did you do everything you needed to do while we were in town?

Georgie Ryan

No problemmm. If you need more help with those, let me know!

I did, yeah! I'm leaning towards the gallery's job opening. Seems less... stuck up than the hotel. But I'll apply for both.

AV Ryan

Okay I will. Hopefully this worked and we won’t have to do it again but you know how the military is

Which positions did you apply for?

Georgie Ryan

Yeah

But it's totally fine, AV. I don't mind doing it again, as long as you get your stuff in the end

Soooo, at the hotel I applied for guest manager. And at the gallery for tourist receptionist.

AV Ryan

Yeah I know but it’s just annoying when you have to do all the paperwork again and again just because they can’t get their shit together. I really do appreciate you though, George. Oh you’ll definitely get it both of them, definitely. You have the whole I speak five languages thing going for you

Georgie Ryan

That is for sure, because they just come up with new weird rules all the time too

Yeah, I hope so! I'm leaning towards the gallery, seems a bit nicer. But whatever I get is cool, gotta pay for those pizzas somehow

AV Ryan

It honestly does and it fucking sucks Yeah, money does make the world go round

Georgie Ryan

Unfortunately

AV Ryan

Yeah fuck capitalism

Georgie Ryan

Yeah

You have any weekend plans?

AV Ryan

I’m hitting the outer town with El but that’s about it You?

Georgie Ryan

No plans yet

Probably gonna check some of this stuff out, these events they got going on

AV Ryan

How many events do they have going? It seems like it's been a lot already

Georgie Ryan

I think there's at least one a day? For this entire week at least

I saw something about exercises and silent disco and lasertag

AV Ryan

Is there a fun one tomorrow?

Georgie Ryan

It's lots of classes

Improv, gym, and communication

AV Ryan

They don’t sound like fun

Georgie Ryan

Right?

There's laser tag on Sunday though. That's promising

AV Ryan

We should all do that

Georgie Ryan

Right? I think so too

I can suggest it after we find Elisa her nightlight!

AV Ryan

Sounds good to me

Georgie Ryan

Awesome

Georgie Ryan

https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMdWL6equ/

AV Ryan

That’s awesome!

AUGUST

Georgie Ryan

Did you hear back from the forms, AV?

AV Ryan

Of course not

Georgie Ryan

Damn.

AV Ryan

Honestly, I’m not even surprised. It’s how they always do. Especially since I’ve been inactive for over a year.

Georgie Ryan

Doesn't sound very fair to me. If it's your right, then it's your right.

I'm sorry AV, I hope it works out

AV Ryan

It is what it is. The next step is a phone call I don’t want to make

Georgie Ryan

Want me to pretend to be you?

AV Ryan

Would you?

Georgie Ryan

Of course!

AV Ryan

Okay but next week, I’m sick of thinking about it right now

Georgie Ryan

No problemmm!

How's school then? And the classes you picked?

AV Ryan

I’ll be honest, I’m not paying much attention. You?

Georgie Ryan

I got notes

And one of the professors looks good

But that's it

#georgie #text: georgie

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themoneybuff-blog · 5 years

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A postcard from Europe: A mid-journey update on my travels

Greetings from Prague! I'm just over halfway through my European vacation, so I thought it'd be fun to share some of my adventures and to take a glimpse at the financial side of this journey. This trip is unusual for me because I'm traveling with a party of six. My cousin Duane has terminal cancer and wanted to see some more of the world while he still can. A few family members decided to join him. We're exploring Christmas markets as a group.

For the most part, Duane's health has been fine over the past two weeks. He tells me that he's felt great lately, and he's hopeful he has more life left in him than the doctors say. (Who knows? Maybe he and I can squeeze in another trip before his time on this Earth expires.) That said, he did have to take a short rest yesterday because he became dizzy and disoriented as we strolled the cobblestone streets of Prague. He's obviously not feeling 100%. Our group doesn't have a set agenda. We're merely moving from city to city, exploring the Christmas markets and other touristy delights. Often when I travel, I'm a traveler not a tourist. Right now, I'm a tourist. I wouldn't want to do this every trip, but I'm fine with it at the moment. General Impressions So far, we've been we've been to Vienna, Budapest, and Prague. I liked Vienna. I loved Budapest. But after 24 hours here, I'm ambivalent about Prague. I didn't like it at first, but the city is growing on me. I think one problem is our location. In the first two cities, we were a mile or two outside the downtown core. We stayed in residential neighborhoods. (In both cases, we were relatively close to university areas too, but that was pure chance.) We were directly across from metro stations each time, so it was easy to get where we wanted to go. Here in Prague, however, we're staying in the downtown core, which means we're immersed in the tourists. (Yes, I realize that we ourselves are tourists and thus part of the problem.) There's no escaping the crowds and commercialism because of our location. This is an interesting lesson to learn for the future: Stay close to downtown in popular cities but not in the downtown. If you're close to a transit station, it's plenty convenient to get where you want. The Christmas markets have been festive and fun. They remind me of Portland's Saturday Market, a craft market held every weekend in my home city. Vendors erect small stalls where they sell either food or wares. A lot of the stuff being sold at the Christmas markets is the same from stall to stall ornaments, winter clothing, jewelry, souvenirs but occasionally there are vendors with unusual items, such as cookie stamps, wooden toys, and hand-forged knives.

I'm more interested in the food stalls. In each individual city, these huts are similar to each other. But the food offered varies from city to city. Vienna food stalls sold wieners (wiener literally means Viennese), wurst, spaetzle, baked potatoes, toast with cheese, and roasted chestnuts. The drink vendors sold hot punch and glhwein. (Glhwein is mulled wine. It's very popular in Vienna.)Budapest food stalls sold paprika sausages Hungarians love their paprika! and pig knuckles and delicious goulash. The drink vendors also sold mulled wine and a variety of punch.Prague food stalls sell chimney cakes, fire-roasted ham, toasted cheese (with jam), and a sort of potato-onion dumpling dish. Here they sell mulled wine too, but they also sell hot mead and cold pilsner. (Pilsner comes from Bavaria, and it's available everywhere. I like the Czech word for beer pivo and I enjoy asking for it at the market: Pivo, prosm.)

The one factor our group failed to consider was the cold. Actually, we considered itbut not enough. We prepared for Oregon cold, not central European cold. (It didn't help that Duane emailed us from Paris to say that the weather wasn't as cold as we'd feared.) We all brought warm clothes, but each of us has had a turn getting chilled to the bone. One night in Vienna, I was the coldest I've ever been in my life. While the rest of the crew enjoyed ice skating, I made a brisk one-mile walk back to the flat so that I could take a hot bath. Everyone else has been equally cold at some point. I'm a little worried about Switzerland. The forecast low for when Duane and I arrive in St Moritz tomorrow night is -25 celsius (-13 fahrenheit). Holy cats!

Financial Considerations While I'm not pinching pennies on this trip, I'm doing my best not to be profligate either. It's interesting to see how my travel habits have changed over the past decade. I used to spend a lot to buy a lot. Now, I buy very little. What I do buy is mostly food. During my first trips to Europe almost a decade ago, I was very much a tourist as opposed to a traveler. I wanted to go to the tourist spots and to buy tourist goods. I talked to every tout. My compulsion to buy was very very strong. Even in 2010, after writing Get Rich Slowly for nearly five years, I had some bad habits with money when I traveled. I remember when my ex-wife and I landed in Venice, the first stop on our three-week tour of Europe in autumn 2010, I found a funky used bookstore. I bought fifteen pounds of books on the first day of our trip. I had to carry that weight with me for the next twenty days. On this trip, I've bought little despite spending hours and hours and hours in markets. (If I had to hazard a guess, I'd say I've spent sixty hours in Christmas markets. I've bought nothing but food. And glhwein.) In Vienna, I bought a t-shirt as a souvenir, and I bought a Christmas gift for my niece.In Budapest, I bought some warmer clothes and a Christmas gift for my ex-wife.I've bought nothing so far in Prague, although I expect to purchase a gift for Kim before we move on. We're spending little on transportation (aside from connections to various cities). We walk a lot about ten miles per day and we take advantage of the fantastic transit systems in each city. We're on our feet over twelve hours each day. As a train nut, I enjoy riding the subway. I was particularly enamored with the Budapest metro system. The stations are beautiful, especially the old M1 (opened in 1896, it's the oldest electrified underground in Europe) and the new M4 (whose stations feel like sets from a science-fiction film). We're not paying much for lodging either. Instead of spending $150 or $200 per night per couple on hotels (for a total of $450 to $600 per night), we're renting rooms through Airbnb. This costs us between $75 and $150 per night for the group. That's a huge savings!

Plus, renting flats gives us a tiny taste of what it's like to live as a local. For instance, my cousins have had to adjust to the idea that Europeans don't use clothes dryers; they use drying racks. The light switches and outlets are different. The instructions on appliances aren't in English. And here in Prague, our shower sprung a leak so we couldn't use it for a couple of days. (And our internet connection doesn't work, so I'm currently eating breakfast in a coffee shop so I can publish this article.) Our food expenses are hit and miss. Left to my own devices, I'd eat restaurant meals now and then but not often. When I travel, I like to buy a few groceries bread, meat, cheese, fruit, juice to keep in my room for breakfast and snacks. I grab a quick lunch in the afternoon, then maybe eat a sit-down dinner featuring local cuisine. This is relatively cost-effective. My cousins like eggs for breakfast, though, and they need their coffee. We're frequently starting the day in restaurants. (They can't always find their eggs, though, because egg breakfasts are much less common in Europe.) We frequently snack or lunch at the Christmas markets, which is less expensive than visiting restaurants, but our dinners are always restaurant meals. One big factor in our finances is currency exchange. Most places took credit cards in Vienna but not the stalls in the Christmas markets. In Budapest, most places did not accept credit cards. In Prague, it seems to be variable. As a result, we have to carry cash. Not every source of cash is created equal. Here's an example: We landed in Prague late in the evening. We needed some cash to buy tickets for transit (and to grab some food), so I offered myself up as sacrificial lamb at the airport. I was carrying 137 U.S. dollars, which I exchanged for roughly 2340 Czech crowns. The exchange rate was something like 1 to 19.2. Yesterday morning, my cousins pulled money from a bank ATM. They got an exchange rate of roughly 1 to 22.4. In other words, the airport cash exchange milked me for an extra 10%, which is a terrible deal. Lesson: When possible, never exchange money at the airport. (To be fair, I knew this already. In this case, though, I didn't have a choice. We needed some cash, so I sacrificed about $14 to get it.)

Meeting the Money Bosses I've had a lot of fun on this trip so far. I'm traveling in a very different way because I'm not the one deciding where we go when. My cousins are directing the decisions, and that's fine. It allows me to see how other people travel and what their priorities are. All the same, I do hope to return to these cities in the future to do some J.D. travel. My favorite city of the three so far has been Budapest and by a wide margin. I loved the history, I loved the culture, I loved the food, I loved the people. I have no doubt that I'll return for a more leisurely visit in the future (possibly as soon as August or October, the next two times I'll visit Europe). I feel like every vacation offers certain highlights that become the core memories I carry with me. Midway through this trip, I've enjoyed three five-star highlights, each of which was in Budapest. The Labyrinth One day, we walked across the Cable Bridge from Pest (on the east side of the Danube) to Buda (on the west side). We boarded a bus to the top of the hill, where we visited Fisherman's Bastion, which offers a stunning view of the city. (Click this image to view a larger version.)

The weather was sunny, clear, and cold. We ducked inside a coffee shop for a few minutes. When we emerged, it was pouring rain. There had been no indication (or forecast) that rain was imminent, so we were unprepared as was everyone else, tourist and local alike. We took refuge in the nearby labyrinth, a network of natural underground caves that, over the centuries, had been expanded by local residents. We toured the labyrinth for nearly an hour while we waited for the rain to subside. It was amazing! (But take my rave review with a grain of salt. I love caves. I visit them whenever I can. Others in our group were less impressed. Online reviews are mixed.) I enjoyed the caves themselves, of course, but also the history. The real-life Dracula Vlad the Impaler was supposedly imprisoned in the labyrinth for an entire year. Also, there's a section of the tunnels that's completely dark. It's pitch black. For maybe 50 meters, you make your way by feel. (There's a rope attached to the wall, if you want it.) So fun! Fun with Ferenc When we arrived in Budapest, we walked a mile from the train station to our flat. As we were puzzling out the intercom system, a man stepped up to me. Are you J.D. Roth? he asked. I was surprised. Yes, I said. He handed me a bottle of wine and an envelope with my name on it. My name is Ferenc. I read your blog, he said. Turns out, he had determined where we'd be staying based on an Airbnb screencap I shared a few weeks ago. He'd spent two hours parked in front of the flat, waiting for us to arrive. He gave us a warm welcome and some tips about his city. Here's a photo of me and Ferenc. I like this because it shows me carrying all of my luggage at the end of our walk. (You can't really see my backpack, though.) This is how I travel:

Later, I wrote to thank Ferenc. Thanks for greeting us. Do you want to grab coffee or beer? I asked. Sure! he said. I have to work all day today. Later, my son has a soccer game, then I have dinner with friends. But I could meet you at 23:30. I'm no longer a night owl plus I've had bad jet lag on this trip so this normally would be a no-go. But hey! This was a once in a lifetime experience, right? Ferenc picked me up in his Mini Cooper at 23:30. As we sped through the streets of Budapest looking at the beautiful lights, he told me about the history of Hungary and about daily life in Budapest. He drove me to his favorite viewpoints so that I could snap photographs. Then, when we were finished sightseeing, he took me to a ruin bar named Szimpla Kert, which was started by one of his friends from high school. Ruin bars are exactly what they sound like. They're pubs that have been built in hollow, decaying buildings. Instead of remodeling these spaces, as we would in the U.S., the Hungarians have left them in a state of decay. Inside, they've added bars and stages and dance floors and other pub amenities. They are very, very popular among Europeans.

Ferenc and I stayed out until nearly 03:00, drinking beer and chatting about life in our respective countries. (Naturally, much our talk revolved around personal finance.) To me, this experience is what travel is all about. It's not the Christmas markets that I love (although those are fun), nor the cathedrals nor the castles. It's connecting with real people and real life. A Morning with Vica

The next morning, I was up early. At 09:30, I met another GRS reader for coffee. Vica is a landscape architect who lives near Budapest's main train station. She is warm and funny and engaging. As we sat in the basement coffeehouse, she told me about life in Hungary and about her goals for the future. She shared the places she loves to travel around Budapest. When I complained about how cold I was, she volunteered to take me to a shop where I could buy a couple of quality items at reasonable prices. As we walked to our destination, she gave me a tour of the city. As a landscape architect, Vica seems fascinated by urban design. It was interesting to see things through her eyes. While we talked, she helped me understand more about the Hungarian language, which is quite difficult for native English speakers. Vica and I spent more than four hours walking across Budapest, and I enjoyed every minute of it. As I said, when I remember this trip in the future, it's my time with her and Ferenc that will come to mind first and foremost. I'm eager to meet up with other readers on this adventure. On Sunday, Matthias will join me and Duane for our ride on the Glacier Express across the Swiss Alps. I also have invitations to visit readers in Cologne and Luxembourg, although I'm still uncertain whether I'll be able to make those connections work. I hope to! Final Thoughts I've been in Europe for eleven days now, and I have nine days left on this trip. Four of my cousins fly home tomorrow morning. At that time, Duane and I branch off for adventures of our own. First, we'll fly to Switzerland to take the train ride through the Alps. All told, it'll take us three days of travel just to enjoy that eight hour trip. We'll spend very little time actually seeing Switzerland. On the surface, that's ludicrous. But because Duane and I both enjoy the process of travel, it's actually a worthwhile excursion. Plus, Matthias will join us with a bottle of whisky!Next, we'll spend a couple of days in Strasbourg, France, the ancestral homeland of the Roth family. Yes, we know there was just a shooting in Strasbourg that left three people dead. No, we're not worried. We were aware of the potential for terrorist attacks before we left for this journey and it didn't dissuade us. (I refuse to make fear-based decisions.) If anything, we feel that Strasbourg will now be safer than before. (True story: During the precise moment of the 2017 London Bridge attack, I was traveling on a subway train underneath the site. People were confused why the train bypassed the station. It became very clear later.)Finally, Duane will branch off to Munich and I willI don't know. I have three days and no plans. I have those invitations to visit GRS readers in both Cologne and Luxembourg. The offers are tempting. But I haven't yet seen anything of Germany, so I might simply make my way to Berlin (from which my final flight departs early on the 23rd). We'll see. As always, this travel has given me perspective on my life back home at Portland. It's made me more mindful of my daily habits and routines, made me think about the things I need to change in order to become a better version of me. I always find it fascinating the way comparing how I normally live to how others live in different countries can be such a transformative experience. Until I get home, this site will continue to host guest articles from some of my favorite people. I hope that you're finding them worthwhile. After Christmas, things will return to normal around here. Until then, I hope you're all staying healthy and growing wealthy. Happy holidays!

My biggest mistake on this trip? I grew a beard because I thought it would keep me warm. I always have a mustache and goatee, but I keep them relatively short. Now I have a full beard and I hate it. It itches. It makes me appear 69 instead of 49. And it gets in the way of my food and beer. There's a barber just outside our flat here in Prague. Once I publish this article, I may ask them to shave me.

Author: J.D. Roth In 2006, J.D. founded Get Rich Slowly to document his quest to get out of debt. Over time, he learned how to save and how to invest. Today, he's managed to reach early retirement! He wants to help you master your money and your life. No scams. No gimmicks. Just smart money advice to help you reach your goals. https://www.getrichslowly.org/postcard-from-europe/

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backroadblues · 7 years

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May 29, 2017 - Bavaria & Tyrol

Today was primarily a transit day. We would be making our way from Venice to Grainau - a small town just outside of Garmish-Partenkirchen. We will be spending 3 days in the heart of Bavaria, but first we must get there. The first challenge is to get from our apartment near St. Marks to the parking garages at Tronchetto. To do this we must catch the water taxi. Our objective is to arrive in Grainau by 4:30 in the afternoon. It will be about a 5 hour drive depending on traffic going over the German Alps through the Brenner Pass. We want to have enough time to stop in Innsbruck, Austria for lunch. Our target is to leave our apartment in Venice by no later than 9:00 am. We are actually early. Our plan was to catch the Vaporetto (water bus) at Arsenale and catch the number 2 line that goes to the Tronchetto. We purchased our tickets the night before so that we would be have minimal delay in the morning. It is a good thing that Trent got up early again because he want for his 6:00 am walk and determined that the number 2 line does not pick-up at Arsenale. We will need to walk a little farther to the St. Marks - Zachariah stop. We are at the stop by 9:00 am and are able to walk directly onto a bus. So far, great timing. We arrive at Tronchetto by 9:45 and now we need to find our car in the massive garage and pay for the parking before we head to our car. Once again great fortune, we come across the payment machine right off the bat, pay for our parking and then head up to our car. We find it and we are on the road by about 10:15AM. We are exhibiting military like precision with our timing.

The traffic out of Venice is a little heavy. We will be taking the A4 back to Verona where we will take the A12 north toward Trento and Bolzano. Traffic moves fairly well. As we begin to head up the mountains toward Brenner Pass, we stop for a bio-break and some diesel fuel. We would like to hit Innsbruck by 1:00pm. Our first snag arises. They are working on the roads leading up to the Brenner pass and traffic is very slow. It take us an extra hour to get to Innsbruck. We stop near the Altstadt (or Old City), where we are determined to eat in a Rathskeller - or beer hall. We have selected Stiftskeller based on some of the reviews we’ve read. I come away a little disappointed. We are arriving a bit late for lunch. Our waitress, whom we immediately nickname Helga reminds us a lot of the immigration people we met in Rome. Meaning she has zero personality. She actually seems a bit put out that we have arrived and want to order some food. I promptly ask for a table for 4 in my finest Italian - I have forgotten that I’m not in Italy anymore. I’m not sure why, since Helga is wearing leather britches and traditional Tyrollean apparel. Helga answers me back in perfect English and points us to a table and tosses menus down to us. She comes back and takes our drink orders and is waiting to take our food orders. She seem a bit put out that we actually want to look at the menus she has given us. She goes to get our drinks. While she is gone we look at the menu and are thankful that there is a section in English. Trent orders the “traditional Tyrollean party sampler”, a tray of cold meats and cheeses that we will share. He orders a couple of different wursts (sausages, one beef and the other pork) which are accompanied with a large pretzel. Carolyn and I order the Schnitzel and Elisa orders the pork cutlets with boiled potatoes. As we order, I’m doing my best to dust my German speaking skills so I can try to get a smile out of Helga, but everything keeps coming out in Italian. That is what happens after 16 days in Italy. it wouldn’t have mattered, Frau Helga is determined to be Miss Grumpy Pants. At one point I ask for some oil and vinegar for the salad and her look at me was like daggers. From that point forward the ladies were official scared of Frau Helga. Undeterred, I ask her for some Salt and Pepper and she grudgingly complies. I’m sure, if I could speak German and if I could have asked her why she is so unhappy, I’m certain that she would have told me that this is what she is like when she is very happy. It just goes to show you that we are culturally different from the folks in Austria. We had been joking about how non-existent the concept of “customer service” was in Italy. After Austria, we all agree that maybe it’s not so bad in Italy. We finish our meal and pay our bill. I make one more attempt to get a smile out of Helga, I hand her a reasonable tip - she does say, “Danke” but no smile. Oh well.

After lunch we have just enough time for a quick walk around the old town square. Elisa and Carolyn do a little shopping and we take pictures and we are all in awe at how clean this town is and how well preserved the buildings are. But alas, we must say farewell to Innsbruck and head on to Garmisch. It should only take an hour, but again the traffic is problematic.

We make our way down the mountains into Garmisch. The little town of Grainau, where we will be staying is a little past Garmisch by a couple of miles. Siri is leading us to our destination via my iPhone, but she lets us down. She tells us we have arrived, but our accommodations are nowhere to be found. After studying the street numbers on the buildings we determine we need to proceed further down the street by about a mile and we finally fine our apartment. We have booked this location via VRBO and after our less than ideal experience in Venice, we aren’t sure what to expect. We find the building, it is a traditional Tyrollean chalet style home. It is very large and has been converted to have 3 or 4 large apartments. There are also 3 smaller separate cabins on the property. We called our host earlier in the day to let her know we were coming and hoped to arrive by 4:30pm. Our host Carolin speaks very good English and she tells us not to worry, she will leave the key in the door in case we want to arrive a bit late.

When we pull in at about 5:45PM, we find the apartment with the key in the door and we are promptly amazed at what a beautiful apartment it is. The main part of the apartment is on the ground floor and it includes a spacious bedroom with king-size bed, a large kitchen, bathroom and living room. The windows on the ground floor include a French Door and all that glass looks out upon the majestic Zugspitze mountain. It is sitting right there looking every bit like a painting. The French door leads out to a nice patio and lawn. There is also a lower level that sits in a basement that still has some light from casement windows. the bedroom is again large and has its own bathroom. In addition to the spaciousness of the apartment and the wonderful view, it is appointed very beautifully and it is extremely well equipped. The host has gone out of her way to make this feel every bit like a vacation home of our own. Right down the the bottle of Proseco, water, coffee, tea and nicely equipped kitchen with spices and condiments. This place is the best we’ve been in so far and it may actually exceed our lodging in Positano.

By the time we are done cleaning up and getting settled and making phone calls to loved ones back in the states, it is now going on 7:45. We decide we had better go to the grocery store and get some groceries since we have an early start tomorrow. We get to the Aldi supermarket at 8:00PM and are surprised that they are closed. We try a couple of other grocery stores and all of them close at 8:00. So we stop at a gas station to at least pick up some water and a few other things. We then start to get a little worried about dinner and wonder if they all close early. Once again, a cultural difference between Italy and Germany. The Italians don’t think twice about having dinner late in the evening. We find a restaurant here in Grainau and fortunately at 8:30 they are still open and serving dinner. The restaurant is called Spatzenhaus and it offers typical German cuisine with emphasis on traditional Bavarian fare. We struggle with the menu that is entirely in German and our host speaks only a little English. By the time we order, we think we know what we are getting. Elisa has ordered a traditional Bavarian meal of roast turkey with a brown gravy. It would usually be served with dumplings but since she is gluten intolerant, the host suggest potatoes. Elisa opts for the boiled potatoes. Carolyn and I opt for steaks. I the steak with green pepper corns and Carolyn a steak with herb butter. Trent decides to try the Jager Schnitzel (Hunter’s schnitzel). It is cooked with mushrooms. Trent and I accompany our meals with local German beer and Carolyn a house red wine. When our meals come we are not disappointed. Elisa has 1/3 of a turkey - it includes much of the breast, the drumstick and a thigh. It is covered in a savory brown gray that is delicious. The turkey is a bit different than what we are accustomed to in the States. All the meat is dark, including the breast. Perhaps it due to the way they prepared it. In any case it is delicious and moist and the gravy that goes with it is also very good - though a tad salty. Carolyn are also impressed with our steaks. They filets are very large and well cooked. The fried potatoes are also good. Their German’s sure do French fries well. Trent’s schnitzel is also very good. He is surprised that it is not breaded and fried. Instead it has been sautéed in a wonderful sauce of mushrooms. As is often the case, in Europe, our meals are somewhat bereft of cooked vegetables and we only have green salads to go with our meals.

Our host was very friendly, unlike “Helga” in Innsbruck, the service was very good by comparison.

Thus, ended our day. Tomorrow we have a tour of castles and Oberammergau. We must get up and leave early to meet up with our guide. It will be about a 45 minute drive to nearby Fussen. It is probably only 15 miles away, but to get there we must drive around a mountain.

Aufwiedersehn - for now.

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tripstations · 4 years

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You Can’t Miss the Finest Christmas Markets in Europe 2019

Boughs of prickled inexperienced holly adorns the highest of cabined huts. Bratwursts sizzle within the crisp night time air. Mitten-hands maintain cups of heat mulled wine. The jingling sounds of All I Need for Christmas may be heard from far and extensive. It will possibly solely imply one factor – the Christmas markets are on their means and your presents is required!

Amsterdam Christmas Markets

It’s not a well-kept secret that Amsterdam is likely one of the prettiest cities in Europe, particularly when the winter climate hits and the canals are glossed over with a transparent sheen of ice, prepared for the courageous souls that skate throughout them. However for those who’re new to this Dutch gem, and desirous to keep away from the areas which can be bustling with bicycles, Contiki is readily available to indicate you the magic of Christmas. Suppose fairy-lights, holly and ivy above quaint cafes, mulled wine steaming from outdoors teapots and sufficient Christmas bushes to be rockin’ round till the brand new yr – yuletide be sorry to overlook it!

Paris Christmas Markets

Paris for Christmas? The town might be the romantic capital of the world however the annual Christmas markets take it to the dizzying heights of romance that you just solely see within the films.

If you happen to’re spending your day as a vacationer and lapping up the Parisian tradition, climbing to the 2nd ground of the Eiffel Tower or catching a glimpse of the Mona Lisa on the Louvre, then the Magic of Christmas (or La Magie de Noel for all of the fluent French audio system) is subsequent to this world-famous museum. Right here, you’ll get to stroll by way of the miniature village of cabined picket huts, selecting up selfmade pastries or warming the cockles with a French wine tipple or three.

Escape the hustle and bustle of the Paris metropolis centre and enterprise into the cultural hub of Montemartre. Residence to the Sacre-Couer, that means the Sacred Coronary heart of Paris, this pleasant spot provides you Instagram-worthy views of the town (spot the Eiffel Tower within the distance!) and genuine Parisian cafes stuffed with heat croissants and ache au chocolat. This Christmas market is a traditional selection for anybody into the humanities and crafts, with many individuals of the humanities utilizing Montemartre as inspiration for his or her work and showcasing them on the market!

Barcelona Christmas Markets

The thriving Spanish metropolis of Barcelona units the usual excessive for the magic of Christmas with a sleigh-full of Christmas markets with all Santa’s most interesting goodies.

A Christmas market in opposition to the backdrop of Gaudi’s most interesting buildings? Sure please. Fira de Nadal de la Sagrada Familia sits in entrance of one of the well-known buildings on the earth – La Sagrada Familia. With over 100 stalls to get pleasure from and the person in purple himself doing his rounds, it’s the proper place to take the household for a stroll in a winter wonderland.

There’s snow means that you just’ll run out of Christmas markets in Barca although, particularly with its oldest Christmas truthful, Fira de Santa Llucia bringing the North Pole to this European hotspot. Suppose Nativity scenes, arts and crafts, Christmas bushes aplenty and sufficient tapas to feed a nation – we’re reserving our tickets already…

Rome Christmas Markets

There’s no higher time to go to Rome than when it’s dusted with a wintery layer of white snow and your Contiki tour can take you there. The romance, the historical past, the magic of Christmas cloaking the Coliseum; it’s sufficient to make you need it to be Christmas day-after-day!

Wrap your self up in opposition to the winter chill and benefit from the smells of chestnuts roasting on an open fireplace on the Piazza Navona Christmas market by Bernini’s Quattro Fiumi. Whether or not you’ve been naughty or good this yr, you’ll nonetheless be handled to festive rides on the nostalgic carousel, get pleasure from stay Christmas acts and distinctive arty presents that you just received’t discover wherever else on the earth. Bought a starvation pang that chestnuts simply can’t fill? Give your candy tooth precisely what it’s searching for with some scrumptious Roman sweets. Properly, what they are saying, when in Rome…

Venice Christmas Markets

Venice wants little in the best way of introduction however what you may not know is that this Italian metropolis is a festive gem come December time. Main as much as the massive day, the entire of Camp Santo Stefano turns into dwelling to a live-singing, all-dancing, food-offering, present-buying Christmas Village. Sure you learn this proper, not a market however an entire village awaits you. This traditional Christmas expertise provides you all of the genuine Italian traditions that you just dream of – selfmade breads, buttered pastries, olive oils, balsamic vinegars, pastas and naturally, flavour-filled panettone freshly baked and prepared on your Christmas Day dinner desk. The meals isn’t the one factor that ought to be setting your coronary heart racing, there’s so many great present concepts that you just received’t must go for an Amazon present card late Christmas Eve. This might stop an entire load of arguments on 25th December morning…

Vienna Christmas Markets

Ah Austria, you absolute magnificence. With its rolling hills and breath-taking landscapes, it’s nearly inconceivable to not fall immediately in love with this nation and least not, it’s capital metropolis Vienna. Famed for its unforgettable festive markets, Vienna has develop into a trending Christmas vacation spot over latest years, with each Instagram story inside a 12-country radius giving us FOMO for opting out of the Vienna-life and staying put within the flu-infested workplace.

However this yr, it may very well be you displaying off in your Insta story with panoramic pictures of the Viennese Dream Christmas Market, sat in entrance of the Metropolis Corridor and illuminated by hundreds of gold twinkling lights. Right here, you’ll be taught easy methods to take advantage of scrumptious festive cookies this aspect of Europe, prepared so that you can showcase your culinary expertise on Christmas Day. While you’re tackling the chunky chocolate dough, you possibly can singalong to the Christmas carols, carried out stay by choirs from throughout the nation, earlier than exploring the impartial stalls for handmade jewelry, scented candles and soaps, and chocolate. Heaps and LOTS of chocolate. Mmmm.

Berlin Christmas Markets

There’s no Christmas market extra genuine than in its authentic birthplace – Germany. The Germans know easy methods to delight company of their nation and it’s with Christmas Markets bursting on the seams with Bratwursts, Currywursts and mainly, any large, deliciously meaty sausage ending in ‘wurst’.

If you happen to’re within the capital having fun with selfies by the Brandenburg Gate or Checkpoint Charlie, then it’s nearly Grinch-like to not take a sneak peek into the festive markets. We all know it’s not all about dimension however for those who’re searching for a giant one (market that’s), then head to Spandau – it’s big. Embellished with hundreds of fairy lights and an entire host of great twinkling decorations illuminating the town far and extensive, it’s secure to say that they positively do comprehend it’s Christmas. Right here’s our tip although, ensure you attempt some conventional Stollen, Spritzgebäck and Lebkuchen washed down with a cup of piping German mulled wine.

London Christmas Markets

Don’t overlook Contiki excursions begin in London and London does massive nicely. Massive Ferris wheels. Massive bridges. Massive skyscrapers. And most significantly, they sleigh it with BIG Christmas markets.

The preferred Christmas market that this cosmopolitan metropolis has to supply is the aptly dubbed – Winter Wonderland. Located in the course of London’s Hyde Park, Winter Wonderland welcomes over 1,000,000 guests each December to have fun the festive season with heart-stopping rides, stay leisure (suppose Cinderella on skates – like actually) and a Christmas market crammed with trinkets, sizzling chocolate, handmade jewelry, personalised Christmas playing cards and an entire host of different festive delights so that you can get pleasure from.

If the busyness of Winter Wonderland places you off, you possibly can have a calmer festive expertise at London’s Southbank. Though on a a lot smaller scale, the Southbank Christmas market provides you the house to see every cabin’s choices at your individual leisure while tucking right into a roasted marshmallow or cup of eggnog as you browse!

There’s a lot to see and uncover in Europe in winter time, least not when Contiki supply excursions that take you to those Christmassy-decorated cities. We’ve received the excursions, have you ever received your passport?

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andrewdburton · 5 years

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A postcard from Europe: A mid-journey update on my travels

Greetings from Prague! I'm just over halfway through my European vacation, so I thought it'd be fun to share some of my adventures and to take a glimpse at the financial side of this journey.

This trip is unusual for me because I'm traveling with a party of six. My cousin Duane has terminal cancer and wanted to see some more of the world while he still can. A few family members decided to join him. We're exploring Christmas markets as a group.

Our group doesn't have a set agenda. We're merely moving from city to city, exploring the Christmas markets and other touristy delights. Often when I travel, I'm a traveler not a tourist. Right now, I'm a tourist. I wouldn't want to do this every trip, but I'm fine with it at the moment.

General Impressions

So far, we've been we've been to Vienna, Budapest, and Prague. I liked Vienna. I loved Budapest. But after 24 hours here, I'm ambivalent about Prague. I didn't like it at first, but the city is growing on me. I think one problem is our location.

In the first two cities, we were a mile or two outside the downtown core. We stayed in residential neighborhoods. (In both cases, we were relatively close to university areas too, but that was pure chance.) We were directly across from metro stations each time, so it was easy to get where we wanted to go.

Here in Prague, however, we're staying in the downtown core, which means we're immersed in the tourists. (Yes, I realize that we ourselves are tourists and thus part of the problem.) There's no escaping the crowds and commercialism because of our location. This is an interesting lesson to learn for the future: Stay close to downtown in popular cities but not in the downtown. If you're close to a transit station, it's plenty convenient to get where you want.

The Christmas markets have been festive and fun. They remind me of Portland's Saturday Market, a craft market held every weekend in my home city. Vendors erect small stalls where they sell either food or wares.

A lot of the stuff being sold at the Christmas markets is the same from stall to stall — ornaments, winter clothing, jewelry, souvenirs — but occasionally there are vendors with unusual items, such as cookie stamps, wooden toys, and hand-forged knives.

I'm more interested in the food stalls. In each individual city, these “huts” are similar to each other. But the food offered varies from city to city.

Vienna food stalls sold wieners (“wiener” literally means “Viennese”), wurst, spaetzle, baked potatoes, toast with cheese, and roasted chestnuts. The drink vendors sold hot punch and glühwein. (Glühwein is mulled wine. It's very popular in Vienna.)

Budapest food stalls sold paprika sausages — Hungarians love their paprika! — and pig knuckles and delicious goulash. The drink vendors also sold mulled wine and a variety of punch.

Prague food stalls sell chimney cakes, fire-roasted ham, toasted cheese (with jam), and a sort of potato-onion dumpling dish. Here they sell mulled wine too, but they also sell hot mead and cold pilsner. (Pilsner comes from Bavaria, and it's available everywhere. I like the Czech word for beer — “pivo” — and I enjoy asking for it at the market: “Pivo, prosím.”)

The one factor our group failed to consider was the cold. Actually, we considered it…but not enough. We prepared for Oregon cold, not central European cold. (It didn't help that Duane emailed us from Paris to say that the weather wasn't as cold as we'd feared.)

We all brought warm clothes, but each of us has had a turn getting chilled to the bone. One night in Vienna, I was the coldest I've ever been in my life. While the rest of the crew enjoyed ice skating, I made a brisk one-mile walk back to the flat so that I could take a hot bath. Everyone else has been equally cold at some point.

I'm a little worried about Switzerland. The forecast low for when Duane and I arrive in St Moritz tomorrow night is -25 celsius (-13 fahrenheit). Holy cats!

Financial Considerations

While I'm not pinching pennies on this trip, I'm doing my best not to be profligate either. It's interesting to see how my travel habits have changed over the past decade. I used to spend a lot to buy a lot. Now, I buy very little. What I do buy is mostly food.

During my first trips to Europe almost a decade ago, I was very much a tourist as opposed to a traveler. I wanted to go to the tourist spots and to buy tourist goods. I talked to every tout. My compulsion to buy was very very strong.

Even in 2010, after writing Get Rich Slowly for nearly five years, I had some bad habits with money when I traveled. I remember when my ex-wife and I landed in Venice, the first stop on our three-week tour of Europe in autumn 2010, I found a funky used bookstore. I bought fifteen pounds of books on the first day of our trip. I had to carry that weight with me for the next twenty days.

On this trip, I've bought little despite spending hours and hours and hours in markets.

In Vienna, I bought a t-shirt as a souvenir, and I bought a Christmas gift for my niece.

In Budapest, I bought some warmer clothes and a Christmas gift for my ex-wife.

I've bought nothing so far in Prague, although I expect to purchase a gift for Kim before we move on.

We're spending little on transportation (aside from connections to various cities). We walk a lot — about ten miles per day — and we take advantage of the fantastic transit systems in each city. We're on our feet over twelve hours each day.

As a train nut, I enjoy riding the subway. I was particularly enamored with the Budapest metro system. The stations are beautiful, especially the old M1 (opened in 1896, it's the oldest electrified underground in Europe) and the new M4 (whose stations feel like sets from a science-fiction film).

We're not paying much for lodging either. Instead of spending $150 or $200 per night per couple on hotels (for a total of $450 to $600 per night), we're renting rooms through Airbnb. This costs us between $75 and $150 per night for the group. That's a huge savings!

Plus, renting flats gives us a tiny taste of what it's like to live as a local.

For instance, my cousins have had to adjust to the idea that Europeans don't use clothes dryers; they use drying racks. The light switches and outlets are different. The instructions on appliances aren't in English. And here in Prague, our shower sprung a leak so we couldn't use it for a couple of days. (And our internet connection doesn't work, so I'm currently eating breakfast in a coffee shop so I can publish this article.)

Our food expenses are hit and miss. Left to my own devices, I'd eat restaurant meals now and then but not often. When I travel, I like to buy a few groceries — bread, meat, cheese, fruit, juice — to keep in my room for breakfast and snacks. I grab a quick lunch in the afternoon, then maybe eat a sit-down dinner featuring local cuisine. This is relatively cost-effective.

My cousins like eggs for breakfast, though, and they need their coffee. We're frequently starting the day in restaurants. (They can't always find their eggs, though, because egg breakfasts are much less common in Europe.) We frequently snack or lunch at the Christmas markets, which is less expensive than visiting restaurants, but our dinners are always restaurant meals.

One big factor in our finances is currency exchange. Most places took credit cards in Vienna but not the stalls in the Christmas markets. In Budapest, most places did not accept credit cards. In Prague, it seems to be variable. As a result, we have to carry cash.

Not every source of cash is created equal.

Here's an example: We landed in Prague late in the evening. We needed some cash to buy tickets for transit (and to grab some food), so I offered myself up as sacrificial lamb at the airport. I was carrying 137 U.S. dollars, which I exchanged for roughly 2340 Czech crowns. The exchange rate was something like 1 to 19.2.

Yesterday morning, my cousins pulled money from a bank ATM. They got an exchange rate of roughly 1 to 22.4.

In other words, the airport cash exchange milked me for an extra 10%, which is a terrible deal. Lesson: When possible, never exchange money at the airport. (To be fair, I knew this already. In this case, though, I didn't have a choice. We needed some cash, so I sacrificed about $14 to get it.)

Meeting the Money Bosses

I've had a lot of fun on this trip so far. I'm traveling in a very different way because I'm not the one deciding where we go when. My cousins are directing the decisions, and that's fine. It allows me to see how other people travel and what their priorities are. All the same, I do hope to return to these cities in the future to do some “J.D. travel”.

My favorite city of the three so far has been Budapest — and by a wide margin. I loved the history, I loved the culture, I loved the food, I loved the people. I have no doubt that I'll return for a more leisurely visit in the future (possibly as soon as August or October, the next two times I'll visit Europe).

I feel like every vacation offers certain highlights that become the core memories I carry with me. Midway through this trip, I've enjoyed three five-star highlights, each of which was in Budapest.

The Labyrinth

One day, we walked across the Cable Bridge from Pest (on the east side of the Danube) to Buda (on the west side). We boarded a bus to the top of the hill, where we visited Fisherman's Bastion, which offers a stunning view of the city. (Click this image to view a larger version.)

We took refuge in the nearby labyrinth, a network of natural underground caves that, over the centuries, had been expanded by local residents. We toured the labyrinth for nearly an hour while we waited for the rain to subside. It was amazing! (But take my rave review with a grain of salt. I love caves. I visit them whenever I can. Others in our group were less impressed. Online reviews are mixed.)

I enjoyed the caves themselves, of course, but also the history. The real-life Dracula — Vlad the Impaler — was supposedly imprisoned in the labyrinth for an entire year. Also, there's a section of the tunnels that's completely dark. It's pitch black. For maybe 50 meters, you make your way by feel. (There's a rope attached to the wall, if you want it.) So fun!

Fun with Ferenc

When we arrived in Budapest, we walked a mile from the train station to our flat. As we were puzzling out the intercom system, a man stepped up to me. “Are you J.D. Roth?” he asked.

I was surprised. “Yes,” I said. He handed me a bottle of wine and an envelope with my name on it.

“My name is Ferenc. I read your blog,” he said. Turns out, he had determined where we'd be staying based on an Airbnb screencap I shared a few weeks ago. He'd spent two hours parked in front of the flat, waiting for us to arrive. He gave us a warm welcome and some tips about his city.

Here's a photo of me and Ferenc. I like this because it shows me carrying all of my luggage at the end of our walk. (You can't really see my backpack, though.) This is how I travel:

Later, I wrote to thank Ferenc. “Thanks for greeting us. Do you want to grab coffee or beer?” I asked.

“Sure!” he said. “I have to work all day today. Later, my son has a soccer game, then I have dinner with friends. But I could meet you at 23:30.” I'm no longer a night owl — plus I've had bad jet lag on this trip — so this normally would be a no-go. But hey! This was a once in a lifetime experience, right?

Ferenc picked me up in his Mini Cooper at 23:30. As we sped through the streets of Budapest looking at the beautiful lights, he told me about the history of Hungary and about daily life in Budapest. He drove me to his favorite viewpoints so that I could snap photographs. Then, when we were finished sightseeing, he took me to a “ruin bar” named Szimpla Kert, which was started by one of his friends from high school.

Ruin bars are exactly what they sound like. They're pubs that have been built in hollow, decaying buildings. Instead of remodeling these spaces, as we would in the U.S., the Hungarians have left them in a state of decay. Inside, they've added bars and stages and dance floors and other pub amenities. They are very, very popular among Europeans.

A Morning with Vica

The next morning, I was up early. At 09:30, I met another GRS reader for coffee.

Vica is a landscape architect who lives near Budapest's main train station. She is warm and funny and engaging. As we sat in the basement coffeehouse, she told me about life in Hungary and about her goals for the future. She shared the places she loves to travel around Budapest.

When I complained about how cold I was, she volunteered to take me to a shop where I could buy a couple of quality items at reasonable prices. As we walked to our destination, she gave me a tour of the city. As a landscape architect, Vica seems fascinated by urban design. It was interesting to see things through her eyes. While we talked, she helped me understand more about the Hungarian language, which is quite difficult for native English speakers.

Vica and I spent more than four hours walking across Budapest, and I enjoyed every minute of it. As I said, when I remember this trip in the future, it's my time with her and Ferenc that will come to mind first and foremost.

I'm eager to meet up with other readers on this adventure. On Sunday, Matthias will join me and Duane for our ride on the Glacier Express across the Swiss Alps. I also have invitations to visit readers in Cologne and Luxembourg, although I'm still uncertain whether I'll be able to make those connections work. I hope to!

Final Thoughts

I've been in Europe for eleven days now, and I have nine days left on this trip. Four of my cousins fly home tomorrow morning. At that time, Duane and I branch off for adventures of our own.

First, we'll fly to Switzerland to take the train ride through the Alps. All told, it'll take us three days of travel just to enjoy that eight hour trip. We'll spend very little time actually seeing Switzerland. On the surface, that's ludicrous. But because Duane and I both enjoy the process of travel, it's actually a worthwhile excursion. Plus, Matthias will join us with a bottle of whisky!

Next, we'll spend a couple of days in Strasbourg, France, the ancestral homeland of the Roth family. Yes, we know there was just a shooting in Strasbourg that left three people dead. No, we're not worried. We were aware of the potential for terrorist attacks before we left for this journey and it didn't dissuade us. (I refuse to make fear-based decisions.) If anything, we feel that Strasbourg will now be safer than before. (True story: During the precise moment of the 2017 London Bridge attack, I was traveling on a subway train underneath the site. People were confused why the train bypassed the station. It became very clear later.)

Finally, Duane will branch off to Munich and I will…I don't know. I have three days and no plans. I have those invitations to visit GRS readers in both Cologne and Luxembourg. The offers are tempting. But I haven't yet seen anything of Germany, so I might simply make my way to Berlin (from which my final flight departs early on the 23rd). We'll see.

As always, this travel has given me perspective on my life back home at Portland. It's made me more mindful of my daily habits and routines, made me think about the things I need to change in order to become a better version of me. I always find it fascinating the way comparing how I normally live to how others live in different countries can be such a transformative experience.

Until I get home, this site will continue to host guest articles from some of my favorite people. I hope that you're finding them worthwhile. After Christmas, things will return to normal around here. Until then, I hope you're all staying healthy and growing wealthy. Happy holidays!

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