It seems that many people knew the image in last week’s trivia, I’m guessing mainly because they work there! The image featured was none other than a photo of the Auto Europe HQ in Portland, Maine. Back to Europe for this week’s photo.

This city is home to less than a million people, and from what I’ve seen of it, it looks like a good place to live. Q: In what European city was this photo taken?

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Over the weekend I found myself thinking of German Beer. I was in the imported beer section of a specialty store, and I couldn’t decide which kind to get. Usually when I can’t make up my mind, I go for the one with the coolest label. The label I ended up going with had three images, one of which was a pretzel. It suddenly came to me, that I don’t know where to get a decent, fresh pretzel. This is a shame, as pretzels are undoubtedly one of the best snacks ever, and no one should be depraved of these delicious treats. This recipe is for anyone else that has no place to get a decent pretzel.

Here’s what you will need:
3.5 cups of flour
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon yeast
1 cup warm water
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 egg, beaten
Seasoning (bakers choice, see below)

Mix all the dry ingredients in a large bowl, slowly add water whole mixing. Once the dough is smooth take out and form 6 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a 30-35 inch long snake about the thickness of a nickel. Now if you’re crafty you can make all kinds of cool shapes with these. Take whatever shapes you make and put them on a cookie tray that has some kind of non stick surface. This can be achieved by using canola spray or cornmeal. Allow the pretzels to rise for about 30 min.

At this stage, make sure your oven is preheated to 400. Deciding what flavor you want your pretzels to have is a big part of the fun for me. For the traditional pretzel flavor, use a brush to coat each pretzel with the beaten egg. Add water if it’s too thick. You can also add other things to the egg for flavor. You can add butter, hot sauce, Italian salad dressing- it’s up to you. Then or course don’t forget to add a sprinkle of something, be it salt, pepper, garlic, or Parmesan cheese or even skittles. There has to be something. This is also another part where being creative can really be fun!

Bake pretzels for 12-15 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown. I prefer to eat them fresh, warm and soft, however you may wish to leave them out for a crunchier experience. Either way, they are sure to be a hit at the next family gathering. My personal favorite pretzel is the one eaten while on vacation in Germany, but I don’t get those too often! Enjoy!

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It’s that time of the year again, when waking up comes easy, sweaters are in, and people stay warm by the fireplace. Yes, the fall is here, and today is the first Monday I will arrive home to darkness. I shouldn’t complain however. Waking up and having it be sunny was nice, and there are much worse places to live as far as sunlight goes! If you’re looking to experience the most sunlight during the day, Try a vacation in Norway. In some locations during the summer, you can experience up to 23 days of consecutive sunlight! Get the suntan lotion!

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Nice job to everyone who knew that the location in last weeks photo was the Acropolis in Athens, Greece! I thought I would have fooled everyone with that image. This week, an image that is sure to stump even the keenest of minds!

Where was this photo taken?
Good luck!

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When overseas, you have many options on where to spend your time. People spend years planning trips to just one location, so one thing you should remember is that you can’t see everything in one trip! Here are some of the locations in Italy you may want to make time for, along with some of the reasons why.

Rome
Going to Rome can be one of the most exhilarating experiences for history buffs. The city is one of the oldest in history, and the culture is unique to Europe. Locations like the Vatican, the Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps are not only beautiful impressive structures to behold, but they are old as the day is long. The food one experiences in Rome is some of the finest in the world. Many restaurants share family recipes that have been handed down for generations. Even the street food is delicious!   This city is well known for a reason, and one visit here and you will understand why millions visit each year.

Florence
Ever hear the term Florence Syndrome? It is the term people get from having their senses overwhelmed by beautiful art. It can cause light-headedness and fainting in some people, so if you’re a fan of beautiful buildings and art, you may want to bring a friend to catch you! The city welcomes all, and is home to sites such as the Santa Maria Novella, and Florence Cathedral (known as the Duomo). You can also find one of the World’s finest museums, the Uffizi Gallery.

Venice
Who can resist the open water canals in the city of Venice? Catch a ride in one of the chartered gondolas, or walk along the cities many pathways and bridges to get to such locations as the Santa Maria della Salute, the Piazza San Marco and the Rialto Bridge.

Milan
Milan is another Italian city that is just packed with art and culture. Sights like the Milan Cathedral and the Milan Fountain keep visitors coming back year after year. From watching a local soccer match, to spending time a day at one of the many museums,  travel to Milan is something everyone will appreciate.

Wherever you decide to travel to Italy, or visit another part of Europe, you can be sure there is no shortage of sites, events and culture to take in!

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A friend of mine recently got back from a sweet honeymoon vacation in Europe. He and his new wife started their trip off in style, spending several days in the Italian Capital of Rome. They saw many of the famous sites the city has to offer, and I’m sure they enjoyed the food as well. From there they went to Interlaken, Switzerland where they only stayed for a night before heading over to Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany! I remember thinking to myself as I was reading his facebook updates, what are they going to do to top this? I knew he had a week left, and Oktoberfest was ending, what would they do? They decided to make the most of the week, and headed up to Paris, where they spent countless hours in museums, and then to Amsterdam, where I’m sure they consumed countless pints of fresh Heineken. I spoke to him once he got back, and he was pretty much still floored by the experience. We should all be so lucky to be able to experience a trip like that!

Remember, nothing says I love you like a car rental in Europe! What would your European honeymoon entail?

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Congrats to Allison, Kat and Wynn who knew the answer to last weeks trivia! The red and white on the Eiffel Tower do in fact represent the nation of Turkey! Now here’s a really hard one for this week!

This looks like a construction site, but is actually the ruins of something that is over a thousand years old.
Q. Where was this photo Taken?
Good Luck!

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Today, I was going to write about travel to Hungary, but I’m too hungry. I forgot my lunch, and I already know what I’m going to have when I get home. Delicious homemade stuffed Manicotti. Living with someone who celebrates Italian heritage by having pasta on a regular basis, I have come to enjoy the not so subtle flavor of fresh herbs with garlic. My favorite part of these huge meals however is the Bruschetta! Here’s my secret recipe:

Sehr Gut Bruschetta! Serves 2-4

1 baguette
1 large tomato, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
6 fresh basil leaves, chopped
1 scallion, diced
2 tbsp Parmesan cheese shredded
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
provolone or mozzarella cheese, sliced uber thin
paprika shaker

Preheat oven to 350.

Mix the vinegar and oil into a nice dressing.
Add tomato, garlic, Parmesan cheese, scallion and basil.
Mix creating a relish.
Cut your baguette into whatever shape you want to eat it. I like to make kind of an open face sandwich with it. Most people do rounds about 3/4 inch thick.
Spread your tomato relish onto bread, cover with cheese slices (one of each on every piece of bread).
Place on cookie sheet – Place cookie sheet into oven for 8-12 minutes, or until the cheese has melted into a gooey delicious delight.

Take out of oven, garnish with freshly cut basil leaves, pretend you are on vacation in Italy and enjoy with a pint of heffeweissen.

Making this for someone not only gives off the impression that you actually know what you’re doing in the kitchen, but that you’re well versed with international cuisine! Feel free to mix it the ingredients, too! I have successfully made this using onion, corn, beets and pepperoni!

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One of the things I like about the Olympics is getting the chance to see the sports that aren’t ever broadcast on mainstream television. It’s strange to see the country shift, and all of a sudden appear to care deeply about sports like the bobsled, luge, and speed skating. Of course skiing and snowboarding are the heavy hitters that make us watch, and there’s nothing wrong with that. Have you ever found yourself watching the pre-taped segments explaining what curling is only to realize you yourself have no idea what the rules are? In honor of these less popular events, here’s are my favorite non-mainstream sports in the Winter Olympics.

Bobsled
Thanks to the movie Cool Runnings, there will always be a special place in my heart reserved for the bobsled races. Seriously though, the world record for fastest bobsled is 201 kilometers per hour. I don’t feel comfortable driving that fast, let alone flying down an ice covered concrete track on a 400 pound metal sled with 4 other guys.

Luge/Skeleton
For the athletes who feel that bobsleds offer just too much protection, there’s the luge. This sport would be really easy, except for the fact that it’s insanely difficult to control. These athletes fly on their backs while laying on sleds reaching speeds of over 80 miles per hour. If that isn’t scary enough, there’s the skeleton, which is just like the regular luge, except you lay on your stomach and go down head first. The first person to do this was either the world’s greatest thrill seeker, or had recently escaped from an insane asylum. Now that I think about it, probably both.

Biathlon
You have to respect any sport that has origins in military exercises. Norwegians love cross country skiing, so it was only a matter of time before this training exercise evolved into a sport. In 1861, governing officials saw it as a great way to practice national defense at a local level. Most people think of cross-country skiing as being relaxed and tranquil, but this sport is far from that. Imagine pushing yourself as hard as you physically can. Your heart rate is up, the air is filling your lungs, and your legs are burning. Now imagine, all of a sudden you have to stop, lay down on the snow and shoot a target that is 150 meters away with a .22 caliber rifle. If that doesn’t sound almost impossible to you, you’re either in incredible shape, or not imagining correctly.

What’s your favorite non mainstream or canceled Olympic Sport?

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Allison got last weeks question correct. The location was the San Lorenzo Monastery in Spain. Now for this weeks trivia.

You should recognize the image below. The Photo was taken by a friend of mine who just returned from Europe.

Q. What do the colors on the tower represent?.
Good Luck!

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