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Going to Copenhagen via a Train on a Boat

May 21, 2017 by Notourguideneeded 2 Comments

A few years ago we went to Berlin and were looking for a second place to go on this leg of the vacation. My husband wanted to go to Copenhagen and I was rather indifferent. Since that trip, Copenhagen has become one of my favorite cities and I cannot wait to return. Getting there was worth the trip itself. We took a train up to Hamburg. Then the train to Copenhagen. But wait – how did the train go over the water? The train got on a boat.

Logistics of the Train on the Boat

Well, it is actually a ferry.

Think about a ferry that one would take normally. You park your car and get out and the ferry takes you across. It is basically the same concept.

The cars and pedestrians are loaded first. Then on the next level the train follows tracks and boards the ferry too. Once the train comes to a stop, the passengers are asked to leave the train and go to the ferry.

A gentleman sitting next to us said that we need to remember which doors we go through because sometimes there is more than one train on the ferry and people get lost. I’m glad he gave us this tip, because there was in fact another train and coming back down was a bit confusing.

The Ferry to Copenhagen

The ferry seemed to be like a very small cruise ship. There were shops to buy clothes or random items. There was a duty free store with candy and liquors. The cafe sold food cafeteria style and it was a good stop for a snack.

The time on the ferry is about an hour, so just enough time to stretch your legs from the train ride.

The Route

The route from Hamburg to Copenhagen is roughly five hours. You will start in Hamburg and then take the ferry from Puttgarden in Germany to Rødby in Denmark. Once the train disembarks the ferry, you will then travel along to Copenhagen. Check the route for which stops there are between. This site here will give you some good information too. Also review what Seat61 has to say about the route.

I highly recommend taking this option if you have the chance. Anyone can ride a plane, but not many people can say they rode a train onto a boat!!

How to Peacefully Travel with your Partner

April 22, 2017 by Notourguideneeded 21 Comments

The popular saying of “You do not really know someone until you travel with them” is quite true. This is why many couples go on road trips together before deciding to get married. It is impossible to maintain any sort of falsehoods that you may have during extended travel. My husband and I have traveled to all sorts of remote areas of the world. The saying is true. You are missing out on a big part of your partner’s personality until you have your living conditions or safety compromised.

Before your trip, I recommend you spend some time discussing your pet-peeves and expectations. Learning them on the road is a waste of time and can lead to hard feelings. Here are some things I wish we would have worked through before heading out the first time:

The Order of Things

The biggest challenge that we have during travel is order. My husband is highly organized and very minimalist. I am in the process of working on my clutter. This can cause a lot of unnecessary stress if not discussed early on and with open dialogue.I thought that using the chair and desk for my things was a common practice. Unpacking my items and putting them in the dresser never crossed my mind. My disorganization was driving him crazy. On the flip side, it was stressing me out with his constant organizing and spending time putting things away. Let’s get out and see the world and unpack later! Over time, I have learned to appreciate the organization. When your temporary home has clutter, that creates unnecessary stress for everyone.

To keep organized in my own way, I bought myself a hanging packing cube set. Everything stays neat and organized. Packing is easier. He is in a better mood and the time in the room is much more enjoyable. I am also able to find things much easier so it is a win for me as well.

Eating

Our second biggest challenge is food. We have very different eating habits and they are noticeable when traveling. I do not eat meat or gluten. Meat makes me ill and gluten makes me bloated.

My husband’s favorite thing to eat anywhere is a baguette with ham. We will be walking around any city and both starving. He sees a sandwich shop (they seem to pop up when he is hungry) and inevitably that is what he will want to eat. Most sandwich shops in America will usually have a salad for me, but in Europe it is not always the case.

So, I will have a choice – make a fuss and have us both mad because we are hangry, or have a darn sandwich. I have eaten a ton of mozzarella sandwiches across Europe.

Perspective of Time

Another thing to consider is how you both perceive time. If a flight is boarding at 5pm, I would get there at 5pm. My husband would like to be the first to stand in the line and arrive at the gate at 4:30. So, I line up with him and then go to the bathroom, buy stuff from the shops etc., and meet him back in line. It drives him crazy.

If we have dinner reservations at 8pm, I feel we should arrive at 8pm. My husband likes to get there early, have drinks at the bar and mingle. On the road this conflict creates tension. His perspective is: we are in a foreign place, lots could go wrong. My perspective is: so what?

We have learned to work around this by coming up with a schedule before hand. We agree on what time we want to arrive, how much time to get there, and then agree on a “leave time”. That has helped us so much because that “how much time to get there” is very different for each of us.

Personal Space Invaded

Then there are the basic hygiene factors to consider. In our first trip to Paris, the hotel booked us a single rather than a double. A single room is only for one person. It has a twin bed and is so tiny. We were there for a holiday weekend and the hotel was completely sold out.

It was early in our relationship and we thought it would be romantic to share a tiny room, so we went with what they gave us. I had not considered how well we were going to get to know each other using that tiny room. The bathroom was closet sized where you could shower while sitting on the toilet. That also meant the toilet was 3 feet away from the bed.

How was this going to work?? He also had the same concerns and would leave me to get ready and wait in the lobby and I the same for him. This started a thing we do now of giving each other privacy of the room. I highly recommend it.

We seem to work better if we each have our space and not rushed by the other person. While we are over modesty issues, giving each other space to prepare the day is a sign of respect.

Have a Plan

Traveling with a partner, spouse, or anyone else for that matter can be tough. Consider your differences before the trip, and work on plans around them to reduce the stress. Yet, it is those little nuggets that you had no idea about that you must handle as they happen.

It is also good to remember to tell your partner what is bothering you before it becomes an issue. Plan on things bothering you and have a plan on how to handle it.

And to quote my favorite priest: When things get stressful have a nap. You will make everyone happy.

Below are pictures of places we called home for a few nights.

camping in Venezuela jungle — You have to sleep like this in the jungle. Bugs, animals, etc.

Hotel in Venezuela — This was our hotel room in Canaima. That was it.

Hotel in South France — This is a hotel.

London Pubs

March 24, 2017 by Notourguideneeded 1 Comment

While in London, we visited quite a number of London pubs (for research of course). I talked to several people about the difference of a London pub to a bar anywhere else in the world. Here were some of the responses that are worth noting:

It started with the Romans

When the Romans brought public roadways to England, they also brought with them public inns that would serve wine and food. These were called tabernaes or “taverns”. However, ale was the king of England and these tabernaes were quickly replaced with Ale Houses.

A tavern and an Inn – What is a London Pub?

There are very different terms for the different drinking establishments. Some still mean things today but many date back to historical laws or culture.

A tavern is any place that is licensed to sell alcohol. There might be a meeting room or other things on the premise as well as a bar.

An ale house is someplace that is exclusive to selling ale. They now may have other things, but Ale will be served.

An Inn is an alehouse that also has a few rooms for rent. It may not be as large as a hotel (but it could be). However, quite a few places would call themselves an Inn even if that wasn’t their main (or ever) purpose because alehouses in many regions couldn’t sell beer on Sundays unless they were an Inn.

Alehouses, taverns, inns etc all make up what is called a Public House, aka Pub.

Beer in Public Houses

There are two types of Pubs: A Tied House and a Free House

A tied house is required to buy at least some of its beer from a certain brewery. A free house can serve any beer that it chooses.

Try to know a bit of beer before you go

The pub might be crowded and you will need to order quickly. If it isn’t the bar keep will help you if you tell them it is your first time in a pub.

One of the things I heard over and over in London from people was that beer tastes different depending on who serves it. It is true. No scientific basis but something like karma or attitude goes into the brew. The bar keep will keep you entertained with stories and information as long as they are not serving.

Read here on types of beer and what to expect.

Timing matters

I was told over and over that the pubs close at 11pm. At 11:30 I asked the door guy when they close and he said around 2am. He said you could not stand outside and drink after 11pm and technically the bar is closed, although they still served and let people in or out. So, no standing outside but inside was just fine.

and that is another thing to know….

You get your pint and then can stand outside if you are not wanting to have a seat. It is kind of like the smoking area but not everyone is smoking. It is just nice to stand out with your beer on the street and people watch.

What else do you know about London Pubs?

Top Places to Eat in Paris

March 23, 2017 by Notourguideneeded 4 Comments

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People are always asking me my favorite places to eat in Paris. These are my favorite, or reliable, ones as of March 2017. Please comment below if you have additional favorites to add!

La Trattoria di Bellagio

If you find yourself near Port Maillot, stop by this nice Italian place. They have a great pizza, good wine and if you are lucky someone will make you a Lemoncello as well. When we stay at the Meridian this is our go-to late night dinner place. One trip we ate there almost every night. Map it

Paris-London

This is a nice little place that I can spend (and have) hours just sitting there watching the world pass by. They have the best croque-monsieur and fries in all of Paris. The wait staff here is actually rather accommodating so you generally do not have to wait awhile like you would in other places. Map it

Cafe Di Roma

Near the Franklin Roosevelt station on the Champs Elysees, there are two pizza places next door to each other. They are both good. One usually has a line and I have never figured out why because I like both. Ask for the spicy oil and be prepared for a life changing event! Map it

Relais Enctrecote

You arrive and generally stand in a line for maybe an hour. You take your seat and are given a very basic menu. The only real option here is what type of wine to have. The waitress will come by and ask how you like your steak. Just say medium because that is probably what you are going to get. They bring you a simple salad. Then heaven arrives. It is a steak smothered in a sauce that will drive your taste buds wild. They will give you a second portion too so pace yourself. The deserts are good too so go slow.

A quick note. There are many places like this in Paris. Only go to the ones on this site. I can’t speak for the others.

Allard

Once I was in love with Allard. It was my go-to french cuisine. I still recommend it to everyone and like to go back once in awhile. However, now that I have been to Paris many times to not be intimated, I do not need a menu in English. The place caters to tourist but is not touristy/fake. The food is good, especially if you want to try something new for the first time. Here is their site.

Renault

Yes, the car place. Go upstairs and have a coffee. The view of the Champs Elysees is fabulous. The cars are cool to see too! Check it out.

Rue De Buci – Street

I have several restaurants that are really good all along this street. Just wander in the area and you will find something that satisfies you. I can say that I had a memorable cheese plate at L’Atlas that was so good that I want to fly 10 hours back just to have that cheese. Go here.

I’ll add more as more suggested arrive. What are your favorite places to eat in Paris?

7 Reasons to Visit South America

February 9, 2017 by Notourguideneeded 15 Comments

I have caught myself talking about South America a lot this week. It is my favorite continent for a variety of reasons and I wish more people, especially more Americans would visit it. Below I have compiled a list of “7 reasons you should visit South America”.

The Reasons:

1. The Food

Eating in most countries in South America is pretty similar. The best thing for me is they eat late dinner. Depending where you are that is between 8pm and 11pm. And when you eat dinner with the family or friends, you linger. This is not an eat and run culture.

The food is also not Mexican food. You will not find tortillas in South America. Dinner is served with arepas in Venezuela and bread everywhere else (and sometimes in Venezuela too).

Street food is big for lunch, which is generally an afternoon affair. While a lot of major stores are open, many smaller ones break for lunch from 1-3 or 2-4 (or some variation of that). So, you must plan ahead and make sure what you want to eat is open.

Montevideo Sandich — Montevideo Sandwich

2. If they do it, they do it right. For example:

The Amazon River has the largest water volume of any river in the world.
The Atacama Desert in Chile is considered the driest place in the world.
Angel Falls in Venezuela is the highest uninterrupted waterfall in the world.
The Amazon Forest is the largest natural rainforest forest in the world.
The Andes Mountains is the longest mountain range in the world.
The Anaconda of the Amazon is the largest snake in the world.
The Brazilian Amazon is home to the largest native populations in the world.

3. The Festivals

There seems to always be some sort of parade or festival anytime we are in a city in South America. Sometimes we understand them, like the night before a football match in Cuzco there was a massive parade. Sometimes it isn’t as clear. Like one time we were in Buenos Aires and a huge parade was happening. People lined up many many blocks and there were several marching bands. We asked various people what the parade was for but never got a clear answer. The best we got was one woman flat out said “who knows!”.

4. The Colors!

When putting this post together I did a little research on what others thought were their top reasons to visit South America. VenturCo in this post reminded me that colors are a big deal. If there isn’t graffitti, it is the colors of the landscape and sky.

5. Street Art

When I think of South America, I think of street art almost as much as Berlin. Yep, I said it. The world’s longest mural painted by Alfredo Segatori is in Buenos Aires measuring at more than 2000 meters.

There are also some famous street murals you may be familiar with such as Evita. Check out this collection as well. Again, the colors will amaze you.

6. The inability to answer a question

I am fascinated by this. I wish I could have the ability to just talk without really a reason and totally avoid what was asked. If you ask “where is the market?” the answer will be something like “you know, if you are looking for some good fish, you could go down to the pier, but when you get there you have to stop at a bakery and ask for Maria and she will give you the best cup of coffee you have ever had. You know she and I are cousins. Well, maybe not real cousins but her mom and my mom were best friends, probably just like sisters and she was from the islands. Have you been to the islands?”

South American Snack Plate - Those olives were delish!! — South American Snack Plate – Those olives were delish!!

7. Catholicism Everywhere

When you go to a church many places in the world, it is sometimes hard to tell if a church is Catholic or not. In South America, it is a good bet it is Catholic. HOWEVER…

Some of the churches have mixed ancient / Indian culture with Catholicism, so there are variations from what you might be used to seeing.

For example, the Cathedral in Cuzco, Peru has a “black Jesus” named Senor de los Temblores (Lord of Earthquake) and is considered the patron saint of Cuzco. I still don’t understand it. I even found the priest there to try and understand it. There is a good photo here.

I hope I have inspired you to check the continent out a bit. Don’t worry about the language as most people speak English. If you need ideas, find me on social media! Good luck!