There are many reasons to love Europe. Free universal healthcare, six-hour dinners, siestas, bier gardens, quaint villages, and modern cities are some of the things to love about Europe. One aspect of life that separates our culture is Europe’s willingness to celebrate; and hold a festival for, pretty much anything. It’s such a part of the culture, you may not even realize it, but there are strange festivals that take place nearly every day of the year throughout Europe. From delicious deserts, to the downright bizarre, here are a couple of festivals that sound pretty neat.
Chocolate culture in Europe pretty much trumps anything we have here in America, with a few small exceptions. While most of America is okay consuming mass produced, prepackaged treats from corporations that also sell pharmaceutical products, Europeans have quite a different standard. Sure you can still buy gas station candy, but a walk into any of the many chocolate shops in France, Italy, or Germany will have you asking yourself how you ever lived without these hand crafted delights. Many shops are family owned and have secrets that are taught with patience and time, and not written down anywhere. One bite and you will be taken away to a world of chocolaty bliss. It remains a mystery how Europeans stay so fit with shops like these all over the place. It’s not like they don’t celebrate their love of the sweet treats. Take a look at the Eurochocolate Festival in Perugia, Italy. This year it runs from the 16-25th of October, and will feature conferences, exhibitions, hands on activities for adults and children, as well as a special chocolate show, which features more chocolate than most people can handle. It might be a good idea to skip Halloween this year and head go on the Italian vacation you have always wanted!
Generally, the wineries in La Rioja, Spain produce two kinds of wine. One is a distinct regional variety that is served on tables and with meals throughout the region. The other is essentially the “schwill” of wines, that serves one purpose: to be dumped onto as many people as it can at the annual Batalla del Vino, or Wine Battle! No one is really sure how the it started, but one thing is for sure, it has evolved into one of the most unique events in Europe. A week of celebration and festivities lead up to the main event, where a crowd of horsemen parade through the town and place a flag on top of a big hill. As the crowds ascend the slopes, some good natured chaos ensues, as the streets and spectators are covered with wine. This is of course followed by more eating, drinking and merriment. Sounds like an excellent Spanish vacation!
When searching for events online, remember that many festivals don’t give as much information on the internet as you would expect, simply because the purpose of their sites is only to inform dates, times and events, not necessarily to attract newcomers. Don’t let that stop you though, you wouldn’t want to miss out!
In case you hadn’t noticed, the Fall is officially here! Here in Maine, the leaves are changing color, the air is getting colder, and football season has begun. This year our favorite team, the New England Patriots travel to London to take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in an official NFL football game. This marks the third time that the NFL has ventured into Wembley Stadium, and the reviews are still coming in. On one hand, it has to be a fascinating experience to play in one of the world’s most famous arenas, filled with such a rich history. On the other hand, jet lag is probably a factor, as is trying to stay organized in a different country. It’s comical to think about the hundred or so professional football players attempting to navigate the city in tiny cars. I would imagine that some players love the opportunity, while others are not so keen on it. I’m sure Tom Brady and Giselle have already spent some time in London, as they seemed to be everywhere while he was nursing his knee back in shape last season.
The game is scheduled for week 7 (October, 25th), and both teams have a bye week right after to ensure there is enough time to recover. The best part for us Pats fans is that for the first time, the game is going to be broadcast on local networks at the usual 1pm kickoff time. It should prove to be an exciting time! If you’re thinking about heading over for the game, you might want to get your ticket soon as it will probably sell out in the coming weeks. Also, be sure to book your car rental in London in advance as well, to make sure you get reservation confirmed in advance.
Our prediction will be posted the week before the game!
Allison got the travel trivia correct this week. It’s crazy how she seems to know every location! Last week’s image was the city of Prague. Good guesses from everyone, keep it up! Now for this week’s trivia! If you haven’t been there, this should be a hard one!
Q. What is this European city?
Good luck everyone!
We have been getting reports from our friends in Munich that this year’s Oktoberfest is going smoothly. It’s great how so many people are on vacation in Munich this time of year! Wish I was there. Speaking of vacation, If you have any vacation stories, we would love to print them here! They could be about basically any element of your journey! Send us your best, your worst, your strange and unusual! Send us any kind of media, video, audio, etc. Tell us a story about how awesome German radio is this time of year, or how the only channel you got in your hotel was in French.
Here’s a list of 10 topics you could write about!
1. The Flight
2. The Car Rental
3. The Hotel
4. The Locals
5. The Food
6. Recreation
7. Museums
8. Interesting Events
9. Poems About Travel
10. Kids Reactions to Travel
Whatever you have, send it to hans@autoeurope.com for screening. Obviously there are some stories that I won’t be able to post, but hopefully we can work something out with some creative editing.
This may come as a surprise, but few people realize that Copenhagen is one of Europe’s most up and coming cities! In fact, FDi magazine recently ranked Copenhagen at #4 on its list of the Top 50 European Cities of the Future just behind London, Paris and Berlin! What makes the city so attractive to nearly 3 million residents living in the Copenhagen area? Lets take a look…
Copenhagen is repeatedly recognized as having a high quality of life. It is one of the world’s most environmentally friendly cities, which is obviously attractive. Much of the water that runs in the city is perfect for swimming and fishing, and over a million people ride bicycles to work each day! The city is packed with many beautiful parks of all sizes, and interestingly enough, many of the cities cemetery’s double as parks as well. It should come as no surprise that world leaders are meeting there this year to discuss climate change.
There is also much culture to be found in the city. Copenhagen is home to many world class museums. The National Museum and The National Gallery are just two examples of great places to see some of the worlds finest art, while the Cisternerne is a museum that is totally dedicated to the medium of glass art. If you’re looking for music, there is a brand new concert hall that opened up this year, and the Royal Danish Theater is home to some excellent performances. Most people probably don’t associate jazz with Copenhagen, but take a stroll into some of the nightclubs and bars throughout the city, and you will be singing a different tune. You will also find some of the finest dining in Europe when you travel to Copenhagen, as the city is home to 13 Michelin star restaurants. Of course, you can always find many local establishments serving delicious traditional Danish food, as well as the obligatory pint of Carlsberg Beer! All in all, Copenhagen may be the best kept secret in Europe. Don’t expect it to stay like that for long!
Next time you travel to Europe, be sure to spend some of your vacation in Denmark! You won’t be disappointed.
Allison is just on fire with the Travel Trivia! She knew the correct answer to last weeks question, which I thought was pretty hard. The location featured was in fact the Visovac Franciscan Monatery in Krka National Park, Croatia.
Here’s this week’s trivia!
Q: In what European city was this beautiful photograph taken?
When talking about ways in which we enjoy sharing culture, what comes to mind? Many people would say the use of universal interests, like food and music are one of the most important ways to do it. I agree with this, but today I stumbled across some rather interesting information.
If you’ve ever watched The Office on NBC, you may be aware that the show is actually a remake of the critically acclaimed BBC series of the same name. Created by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, The Office was first broadcast in the UK in 2001. The original show consists only of two seasons and a Christmas Special, totaling 12 episodes. The shows success has made it possible for different versions of it to be produced. The American version is quite a bit different than the original, but with an open mind, you may end up appreciating it more for it’s subtlety.
While you’re at it, check out these other versions if you’re interested: Le Bureau – France Stromberg – Germany
La Job – French-Canada La Ofis – Chile
The Office Season 6 premieres Thursday, September 17th on NBC.
When planning my last vacation, I had to ask myself, how much do I really need to communicate when I’m trying to get away from it all? The answer as it turned out, was a lot. Planning on not using my cell phone in a major city was not a good idea, and I ran out of battery life before the trip was through.
When traveling, there are many ways to stay connected. Cell phone technology has changed so much in the past few years, it’s hard to keep up. Netbooks will show you that computers have also gotten smaller, and far more convenient for your next vacation. I remember a time not so long ago, when if you wanted travel information, you had to actually bring along a book. Not so much anymore. How important are these things to you? Is having a smart phone a priority for you on a vacation, or would you just assume leave it at home in lieu of a digital camera?
Speaking of digital cameras, we are always taking submissions for our Travel Trivia photo series! If you have any landmarks, feedback, or other stories, feel free to email me at hans@autoeurope.com
Congratulations to the three individuals (Allison, Peggy and Charlie) who were correct last week with their answer of Florence,Italy! Nice work everyone!
Q: This monastery is inhabited by 10 monks, who run the museum, give tours, and tend the gardens. Where is it located?
Good luck everyone!
In honor of the day (09/09/09), here’s a list of my top 9 favorite rock acts to come out of the UK (in no particular order). The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin get a free pass on this one, because really, it just wouldn’t be fair to take up these coveted spots.
Queen – Watch any live performance and try to tell me Freddie Mercury was not the most talented male rock vocalist ever. It doesn’t hurt that the band’s guitarist is a genius- literally. In October 2007 Brian May completed his Ph.D. thesis in astrophysics.
The Who – Come on, how could they not be on this list? The Who not only rocked (and still rock) harder than any band out there, but smashed gear and blew up drums with more efficiency than most small armies.
The Kinks – Recently, I discovered the great album We Are The Village Green. If you haven’t heard it, you should go get it right now.
Pink Floyd – Ever heard Piper at the Gates of Dawn, Meddle, Darkside of the Moon, Wish You Were Here or The Wall? Don’t tell anyone if the answer is no! Run to the nearest music collection of anyone that isn’t you and listen to any/all these albums.
The Clash – London Calling is one of the best albums ever recorded, and it’s a great way to get turned on to the sweet mix of reggae, punk, ska that is the politically charged rock band, The Clash.
David Bowie – From Ziggy Stardust to Aladdin Sane- whatever you want to call him, there’s no denying his presence, humor and genius. Who doesn’t love the Labyrinth?
Elvis Costello – Aside from being a smart, talented songwriter, few people know he produced some of the Pogues’ best albums.
Elton John – We forgive him for all his Disney soundtracks, because Goodbye Yellow Brick Road is so good.
Radiohead – Having grown up in the 90’s, I am obligated to include them on this list, and to own a copy of OK Computer.
Okay, I know I probably left off your favorite band, so let’s hear it. Who did I not put on this list that deserved it? Who should I have left off? When you travel to London, or anywhere else in the UK for that matter, what bands do you hope to see live?
