The Eagle’s Nest, or as it is known in German, the Kehlsteinhaus, was commissioned in 1937 by one of Adolf Hitler’s closest lieutenants, Martin Bormann. It was built as a fiftieth birthday present for Hitler. The spectacular mountain eyrie, perched at the summit of the Kehlstein mountain in the Berchtesgaden Alps, has become one of the most […]
The Eagle’s Nest: Visit Bavaria’s Most Beautiful Eyrie Read More »
As a university student, I lived in nearby Fribourg and often visited this city and returned a few months ago. The Bernese are proud, enlightened and open-minded. Bern is the de facto capital city, political seat and gateway to the Alps. The city is built around a bend in the Aare River and traces its
Really Unique Sights Not to Miss in Bern Switzerland Read More »
You’ll never open another bottle of wine or champagne again without thinking of this. Cork is one of Portugal’s biggest and most important exports. In fact, Portugal is the biggest cork producer in the world and produces more than 50% of the world’s cork supply. The vast majority of this is made into those forgettable
It’s Fun to Pop A Cork in Azaruja Portugal! Read More »
What if I lose my phone? Yep, this is a biggie. But first… Before departing for a trip, it’s important to take necessary precautions should the unexpected occur. “Only bring devices you need during travel and remove any unnecessary data,” said Bahman Hayat, a cybersecurity expert. “I highly recommend signing out of or deleting apps
What To Do Immediately If You Lose Your Phone While Traveling Read More »
Meet my friend Natasha. She hosted a lunch at her dacha for me a few years ago. This was formerly her great grandparents’ vacation home but is now permanent residence for her family… her husband and son. What is a Dacha? The noun “dacha”, coming from verb “davat” (to give), originally referred to land allotted
Welcome to My Dacha: Lunch With a Russian Friend Read More »
This city is PACKED with drama: visual, architectural, historical, literary, culinary. It’s easy to visit, (less than a 2 hour drive from both Seville and Malaga ), to navigate on foot and has great restaurants and tapas bars. In one day you can see many of its major attractions, take pics, wander the streets and
Birthplace of Bullfighting and Hemingway Haunt: You’ll Love Ronda, Spain Read More »
Sachertorte has a sweet secret. In 1832, the Austrian State Chancellor challenged his kitchen staff to prepare a “dessert to impress” special guests. With the Head Chef taken to his bed, his 16-year old apprentice, Franz Sacher performed the original culinary magic creating a chocolate cake which soon gained a cult following. From the imperial
Sachertorte, Schloss Mirabell and St. Nicholas Market: Sweet Secrets of Salzburg Read More »
As an American tourist traveling abroad, there aren’t many things more embarrassing than listening to a fellow citizen complain, in loud, rude disbelief, when someone in a service position in the destination country, doesn’t speak English. It happens far more often than you think. If you’re planning to travel abroad, please take the time to
Easy Ways to Learn Another Language and Why You Should Read More »
Here are a few pics of Grasse on that summer morning… A little about Fragonard. It’s not just a luxury French perfume. It’s a French treasure. Eugene Fuchs, a former Parisien notary with a fondness for fragrance founded the company in 1926 in one of the oldest factories in Grasse. Perfume as Art Monsieur Fuchs
For Beautiful Scents of France, Visit Fragonard… Read More »
This highly visited African attraction is the world’s largest inactive, unbroken and unfilled volcanic caldera. So what’s a caldera? A caldera is a large depression formed when a volcano erupts and collapses. During a volcanic eruption, magma present in the magma chamber underneath the volcano is expelled, often forcefully. National Geographic One of the Seven And more
The Earth’s Largest and Most Perfect: Visit Tanzania’s Ngorongoro Crater Read More »