Travel Tips: Large European Cities Edition

I've posted before about stuff for specific cities I've visited, and I've posted about my favorite stuff to have with me. Today I'd like to focus on what so many people would find useful when visiting Europe's major cities like Paris, London, Rome, Madrid and Amsterdam. Oftentimes those lucky enough to travel to Europe from the US only hit the big cities and it can be quite stressful. They're bustling cities with a lot going on, whether it be people, attractions, bicycles and/or multiple languages.

Here are some things to do in preparation for your trip so you can enjoy more and stress less.

• Bring earbuds. Totally random or genius? If you're going to a bunch of museums, they might have audio guides, many of which work when you hold the item up to your ear and listen as you walk around. I don't know about you, but that sounds super gross since I have no idea how clean these are. My solution is to bring earbuds, as these same devices have headphone jacks. That way, you can just hang the audio guide around your neck and still listen along. Bonus: they hardly take up any room in a bag, and you won't fatigue your arm by holding it up to your face all day.
• Research public transportation options before your trip. I say before because as any Washingtonian will tell you, tourists look ridiculous and freaked out at the Metro stations and waste valuable time for locals by not knowing what is going on. Don't be a hypocrite - get on the internet and check out how metro works. Study the maps, determine where you're supposed to go, etc. I found a really great app for the Paris metro that lets you plug in your route to show you how to go - which is a thousand times easier than looking on a metro map in a station (they have over 300 stations so it's pretty overwhelming).
• Make at least one dinner reservation somewhere. Inevitably, you're going to be so engrossed in sightseeing that you end up too exhausted to find a decent place to eat, or worse, miss out on some totally delicious looking place only to show up and be refused service without a reservation. By checking out some places, reviews, menus and prices online beforehand, you'll have a good handle on what to expect. Many places allow you to email them for a reservation with the info found on their websites. By doing this, you'll have a meal you're really looking forward to without all the hassle of trying to find something when you're already starving.
• Bring good shoes - not flip flops, not sneakers - good, neutral walking shoes. Not only are both flip flops and sneakers total giveaways that you're a tourist, but they don't make much sense. Flip flops offer no support and it's dangerous to walk around all day not knowing what you're going to step in. Sneakers take up a ton of room in suitcases, and don't go with many outfits. Maximize your luggage space (and wardrobe) by having shoes that do it all - look fine for walking around during the day, and for a respectable restaurant in the evening.
• Just plan - read reviews, check out maps, and get acclimated to the layout of a city. What insider tips would you offer to your best friend visiting your city? Take those tips and seek out the same information for where you'll be traveling.

One of a million Paris metro stations

Best practices:

• Don't take up half the sidewalk with your group. Move out of the way of other pedestrians (and bike riders!).
• Have change for restrooms, and/or take advantage of facilities when you're almost done with that museum. Maybe even keep it separate in your bag so you aren't digging through a bunch of coins you aren't familiar with (there are SO many coin denominations!).
• Go into each city knowing how to say the following things: Yes, No, Please, Thank you, I'm sorry, and I don't speak [local language], do you speak English? Not only is it respectful to do this in other countries, it will make you feel more at ease when someone starts rattling off to you in a language you don't understand. (For restroom purposes, you might want to also know what "men" and "women" are, as sometimes the doors won't have those convenient pictures). Learning these phrases is so much better than standing there confused, walking away, or saying something rude in English. Don't perpetuate the nasty American stereotype that we are ignorant - just learn it.
• Know where your stuff is - get a great bag and a pocket scarf. Don't carry a bunch of random stuff that's going to bog you down all day, because your shoulder will get sore. Look for something that can be slung across the body for maximum security. When you're in crowds if something doesn't feel right, take a step back and get some distance.
• Find a grocery store nearby for water (and snacks). If you haven't researched this ahead of time, ask at the hotel where you'd find one. The bottled water is so much cheaper there than at the tourist attractions, and you can find delicious snacks...

A good rule of thumb to follow: think of visiting big cities as a trip rather than a vacation. Vacations tend to evoke images of sandy beaches, pools, and lounging with not a care in the world. When you're in a large city in Europe, though, you have to get out of that mindset. You have to think a little bit more, be practical and definitely self-aware.

I know I'm missing more tips, but I think these are the big ones. Keep them in mind and you're bound to have a great time!

European habits.

Here's what I've picked up and will likely take with me when we move back to the U.S....

-Sparkling water. Although I wish there were more reasonably priced varieties in the U.S. I'm also a fan of these 1-liter bottles.

-Mayo instead of ketchup for french fries. Delish.

-Nutella obsession. Although to be fair it may not be the same since they adjust the formula slightly depending on the country. I don't think I've tried American-import Nutella yet. (Side note: delicious discovery of the day: homemade Nutella latte.)

-Ritter Sport bars. My favorite is the peppermint.

-Fresh fruit and veggies all the freaking time! I'm going to have to be one of those farmers market people, I guess.

-Water kettle. How did I get by without this for so long?

What I won't miss:

-Lack of ice, lack of free water at restaurants

-Creatively hooking up an AC unit (and all the dust and dirt that comes with no central air)

(Yes, that is just a piece of cardboard held to my door with masking tape. Super fancy, I know).

-This stupid little vacuum cleaner that accomplishes very little and continuously bumps into me as I move it around. I want to use my Dyson soo bad....

-My ridiculously small kitchen sink that fits hardly anything at all.

I don't know how many glasses I've broken from bumping into the sides. Oh - there's also no garbage disposal, so it's a total pain.

And with that - back to homework! My professor has his doctorate in English, and had lots of comments and deductions on my first paper, so yeah....

Grad School Update: Exciting stuff!

I started my next class last week, called Contemporary Business Writing and Communication. I'm hoping it's okay, but it's definitely a departure from more of the academic classes I've had recently. This one seems to be geared more towards the "real world" and all that. That's fine and all - I think the topics are super important in businesses today. However, one of the items in my textbook included a checklist to prepare for a meeting, and suggested using a calendaring program.....

Uh, duh?

...so I hope it gets better.

But anyway, here's the actual exciting stuff to share!!

As I was meeting Kasey and Evan at the train station last month, I opened my email on my phone to see a message from my professor from my latest class, Leadership and Decision Theory. I had just submitted my final project for the course (so I could focus on our guests), which was a power point presentation. The assignment was to analyze a business decision that didn't go how it was supposed to - like a product that failed, or a decision that adversely affected the consumer. I selected the New Coke debacle of 1985.

Anyway, I submitted it and my professor emailed me because he loved it. He wants to collaborate and re-work it into an academic paper and submit it for publication.

!!!

How cool is that?!

I spoke to him briefly last week and he said that he will start looking into upcoming conferences where we could meet a deadline for submission. He will present it for publication at said conference, all I have to do is re-work the paper. The project was pretty meaty to start with, so it shouldn't take too long to get completed.

I've already been published in an industry publication and also in the Washington Post (as long as the county section counts - because I got three articles in that beauty during high school!), but to have an academic credit sounds great to me! It will be something else to add to my resume, so yay!

In other news, Matt and I have been trying out some new recipes. This weekend we made a baked mac and cheese.....

...but it didn't come out quite right.

We also did from-scratch blueberry oatmeal muffins....

...and they were completely delicious. We used fresh blueberries and they were great. (Side note: I had the most amazing strawberries of my entire life last week. I love Germany).

We also had some crazy wild thunder and lightening storms, which isn't really common in this area, making it all the cooler.

Woo hoo!

Have a great week, everyone!

Weekend in Amsterdam

For the 4th of July holiday weekend, Matt and I did something very un-American: we went to another country.

Yes, yes, yes - we were already in a different country, but that just wasn't enough. So we went to the Netherlands. Also known as Holland. Amsterdam was the final destination.

In actuality, Amsterdam was more American than Germany. We ate burgers, spoke English (do YOU know Dutch?!), and were surrounded by a ton of English-speaking pricks. And youths.

And bikes - holy cow. At first I wondered why I didn't see any souvenir T-shirts that read "I went to Amsterdam and DIDN'T get run over by a bike" - until I realized they probably wouldn't sell that many. More on that later.

After driving a little over four hours from home we arrived at our hotel. We stayed at the Doubletree Hilton close to the central train station. I had some issues with the hotel, but our view wasn't one of them.

Our first order of business was going to Burger Bar, a place I had previewed online that looked super delicious. Here's Matt with our beers. I've never been a Heineken person, but the tap indicated it was "extra cold" and since we were in the country where it's made... why not? It was actually really good... I believe the extra cold helped the taste. And then I had to go and ruin it by knocking Matt's glass over and spilling a good chunk. I obviously shared the rest of mine with him. I maintain I was saving him as the extra-cold-ness of the beer began to wear off.

He's so cute!

When the burgers came, I was happy. This one is mine - angus beef, cheddar, grilled onions, and fried egg. The fries were Belgian-style and despite the numerous sauce choices, we only ended up with blue cheese. Still a good decision.

After lunch we headed over to where a walking tour was meeting. Matt and I go on the New Europe tours when we can if they're available, and they're usually pretty good. The company advertises that they are "free," when really they don't charge participants and everyone pays what they think it's worth at the end. They are usually around three hours long and you get a little history, a rundown of all the hotspots, and local recommendations for stuff. Although we decided we'd had better tours in other cities, our guide was friendly and took us around town. It was full of plenty of history - including that of the red light district - and ended with some cheese tasting and a look at the line to the Anne Frank House.

We also saw some neato street art.

I know there's graffiti everywhere in Europe, but here it's especially artsy.

Later as we headed to dinner we saw this old (but in really good condition) bike.

Speaking of bikes.... I felt afraid for my life the entire time I was in the city. They are the silent killers. There are more bikes than residents in Amsterdam. I lived in constant fear, having to not only observe cars, street cars, scooters, people, birds (stupid Euro-birds!) but also highly uppity bike drivers who always had the right of way. It didn't matter if they were in their designated bike lanes or not - they went where they wanted.

There were, however, more walkers than bikes in the red light district, especially on a Friday night. No pictures to share though - sorry. Apparently sex workers don't like their picture taken. (It was all fairly tame stuff - lots of ladies in full length windows sashaying around in skimpy underwear. All shapes, all sizes, all ages. Something for everyone.)

With the smell of pot in the air around us, we wiggled our way around all the bachelor parties and made our way back to the hotel for the evening after dinner.

OH! Yes, dinner - it was a Dutch restaurant where Matt got lamb and I got a tomato, ricotta, and spinach pancake with veggies. Pretty good - and good beef carpaccio too.

Back at the hotel we watched a little TV on our.... Apple computer. The room had an iMac, complete with keyboard, mouse and remote, and you could go back and forth between computer and TV. Pretty clever, Doubletree, pretty clever....

On the second day we ventured out in the rain to the Amsterdam Museum, which was bigger and more detailed than I would think for a museum about a city's history. I found some of the artwork to be comedic gold. Just look at these stick figures - I can really feel their angst about the fires of their homes.

These elephant tusks were a gift. I don't remember for whom, though....I want to say Indonesia, since the Dutch East Trading Company was a really big deal.

We decided to fend off our hunger with a quick bite before our next stop, so we shared a snack of meat croquettes served with bread and mustard. The croquettes were more like a meat and mashed potato combo that really hit the spot.

Anyway, Matt wanted to do a brewery tour somewhere that was a good 30-40 minute walk. After realizing we couldn't take a tram without a card that we'd have to get somewhere else, we decided to walk. It was, what I would call a mistake: it was POURING down rain and windy and I only brought my small and insufficient umbrella. Matt was soaked, I was soaked - not super fun times.

We did arrive just as the rain was stopping and just in time for the tour - only to find out it was booked and we couldn't join. Ugh.

This is the picture of the brewery windmill. After the sunshine had returned, of course. Stupid Amsterdam weather. (Did I mention it was in the 60s and it's July?)

After sticking around to try one of the beers, we walked back to the center of the city, passing by the zoo. Apparently they have dinosaurs there....

The city is much better when it's sunny....

...and when I'm not fearful that a bicycle is going to run into me.

After our long and arduous walk, we decided to reward ourselves with some comfort food. Amsterdam is a foodie paradise, I'm guessing because it caters to many individuals who have pot-induced "munchies." While neither one of us could partake in that part of Amsterdam culture, we were more than happy to chow down on the food. There's something for everyone, too - burgers, pizza, Belgian fries, steak and ale pies for the Brits, Mexican, Italian, Chinese, Thai - you name it, they have it.

We walked by this place and had to stop. Matt and I shared an oh-so-creamy steak and ale pie atop mashed potatoes with gravy.

I wish I could have gotten some mashed peas, too. Maybe next time.

On the walk to our next restaurant, we also got a slice of pizza.... because we're pizza fanatics and on vacation, have bottomless pits for stomachs.

We had plenty of room left for what I had been looking forward to, upon a friend's recommendation - Pancakes!

Dutch-style pancakes are kind of in the middle between American pancakes in density, and French crepes in width. Like crepes, they can take on both sweet and savory. This is evident in the photo below, where I elected to get the simple chocolate pancake and Matt got a ham and cheese pancake. We shared. Paired with their fresh lemonade, it was a perfect dinner.

Here's a picture of our hotel from the outside.

My main issue was that although most Doubletrees don't have executive lounges (that's more of a regular Hilton thing), this one did, but they did it all kinds of wrong. It was way too small for the space and the amount of people utilizing it. Executive lounges usually have a happy hour component with beer, wine, spirits and snacks and the place was packed on our first night. People were impatiently clamoring for the person setting everything up (and doing it all with SUCH a great attitude and smile) and seriously pouncing once he was out of the way. There was not enough seating and they had a World Cup game on so people were clustering. Breakfast on Saturday was much the same, and it was actually really unpleasant. Quite the opposite of the goal of an executive lounge, and certainly not a good place to relax and unwind. (I'm talking screaming children and all - which is a big reason why we value the peace and quiet that typically comes with an executive lounge).

So... yeah, they missed the mark on that one. Luckily on Sunday morning we got up earlier and didn't have a crowd for breakfast. And the breakfast was really good - including warm Belgian waffles, oh drool.....

On Sunday we went to the Rijksmuseum, the biggie of Amsterdam. It re-opened last spring after being shuttered for TEN YEARS! Geesh! We saw some art, and also saw tourists taking pictures of art on their phones, pricey cameras that I'm sure they can't operate properly, and of course, iPads.

The museum was pretty nice though, and it didn't feel overly crowded in most of the exhibits. I even got to see one of Van Gogh's self portraits! Neat!

Matt found a cute little sandwich place for lunch with tasty toasted sandwiches. He got some kind of club sandwich with brie, and I got this, which has Dutch sausage, sauerkraut, Dutch gouda, and mustard. We tried each others - both really good.

We made sure we had room to have some Dutch apple pie, which was heavenly.

Despite the bikes, crowds, and rain, we had a pretty good weekend. We also got hit with a crazy storm on the drive home, but we made it back safe - and with cheese.

Until next time, pretty pretty Amsterdam!

Belgium Excursion, Part 2 of 2: Bastogne & History Edition

Part of why I wanted to do the Belgian trip with Matt, Kasey, and Evan was so we could go to the Bastogne War Museum, aka the Battle of the Bulge Museum. The Battle of the Bulge centered around keeping the Germans out of Bastogne, and they essentially ended up surrounding it but never actually getting it. The poor winter weather didn't help, either, as there were days and days with snow and low visibility, so troops couldn't receive badly needed supplies. It wasn't until a break in the weather that everything changed, and the troops squeaked by against the Germans when reinforcements arrived.

The museum did a great job of explaining everything (much better than I just did), and even started with the state of Europe after WWI to set the stage for what would happen later.

Anyway, we saw this tank in the center of town as we were grabbing some dinner when we arrived. The area has lots of war memorabilia, and a favorable opinion of Americans.

Here's Matt posing with the back of the tank, which seems to have gotten a gaping hole in it somehow....

This is the front of the museum - not much to look at, which made it all the more impressive when we got inside. At first we scoffed at the 12 Euro charge, but we soon realized how much of a bargain it really was.

The museum concept was incredibly well thought out: You get an audio guide and as you approach certain points, the guide picks up where you are and begins to audi-o. There are four distinct voices you hear - a German soldier, an American soldier, a female French/Belgian teacher, and a young male French/Belgian student. It's through their accounts that pulls everything in the museum together.

At three different points, there are also multimedia presentations. The first one was in 3-D so we all wore fancy glasses as we watched a video of planes flying, among other things. And yes - a plane came right at us and surprised everyone watching.

The second was a room that was set in the woods outside of Bastogne. We all sat on wooden tree trunks to watch the fighting action (they even had a fog machine to simulate the conditions!).

Finally, the third presentation took place in a cafe in the center of Bastogne, where people were hiding in the basement to protect themselves from the air raids. We sat in cafe chairs at tables for that one, watching some of the individuals walk through the cafe doors and down to the basement shelter - the stage floor even raised so we could see the basement where everyone was taking shelter.

Of course there were plenty of tanks - here's a German one, with accompanying explanation.

German infirmary setup. Matt and I could make out a few words here and there.

This book got pretty ruined.

There's Kasey!

Broken helmets.

At the end of the tour, you have to walk through a mini cemetery hallway with headstones of people who died. It was all very moving. It was especially amazing to learn at the end that all four of the characters - the two soldiers, teacher, and student - were actual people who were recalling firsthand events. That little boy student? He still lives in Bastogne!

Outside it was pretty rainy and yucky, but we decided to check out the American war memorial. All the states are listed around the inside or outside, and it's in the shape of a star. You can climb to the top and in each of the five directions it orients you which way the other nearby cities are located.

The four of us agreed that it was one of the best museums we'd ever been to - so I would really encourage everyone to get there if they can.

Also of note: When you go here, I would 100% recommend staying at Le Merceny Motel. I've never stayed in such a nice "motel" before. It's really small with only 8 rooms, but it cost 59 Euro (approx. $82) per night. Oh - and it's above a gas station, but there's a hidden side entrance with a gigantic door- you see where the logo is on the picture below? On the side of the building is the door!


(I didn't take this picture - got it on TripAdvisor)

The rooms were gorgeous and modern, had a waterfall shower, and complimentary water. Since it faced the opposite side of the building, it was incredibly quiet as well. Parking is available in the front and is free - it's a really great deal all around. They offered a small breakfast for an additional fee, but since they had a fairly large convenience market, we opted to just get stuff there (like yummy donuts, ham and cheese pastry pockets, and packaged waffles).

We only spent one evening there and were coming from having a large meal so we didn't get to take advantage of all the really great looking restaurants, so if you go, save room!

In summary: go to Belgium, go to Bastogne, go to the museum in Bastogne, and stay at Le Merceny Motel.