Looks like I managed to stump you last week as no one guessed the correct location. Looks like Tess, Roger and Ella all got the country right, but the building is actually Kufstein Fortress, in Kufstein, Austria. Good guesses though! Now for this week’s trivia…

Q: What body of water is featured behind the city in this photo?
Good luck?

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Denmark can be one of the most exciting places to visit on vacation, depending on what you’re into. Take a closer look at why Denmark is quickly becoming a top travel destination.

Denmark is really cool, literally. Because of it’s northern location it sports an average temperature of only 60 degrees Fahrenheit in August! This means that if you’re into being cold, it’s a good place to visit. The winters average around 32 degrees Fahrenheit in January, so the snow stays around for a long time. Cross-country skiing is a national pastime, due in part to the long cold winters. There is also a lot of ski jumping if you’re into that sort of thing.

Another interesting element of Denmark’s location is the amount of sunlight it receives. In summer, the sun can rise as early as 4:00 a.m. and stay up till 10:00 p.m., while in the winter, you may only see sun from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (unfortunate if those are your work hours!).

Denmark is one of the greenest countries in the world. The Danish government has made the preservation of the environment one of the most important issues. Because of these national policies, they have some of the cleanest cities in the world, and the air is fresh and crisp nearly everywhere. Denmark has also offered families tax exemption if they could generate their own electricity using wind turbines. Many people have elected to go this route, because it not only saves them money, it is good for the environment. Wind power also is used by many business as well.

Denmark is filled with all kinds of interesting small cities. Of the 20 largest cities in Denmark, only six cities have a population of over 100,000. This means that in almost any part of the country, you can find interesting cities that will have historical value, interesting attractions and a relaxed attitude towards visitors.

Still don’t have the urge to travel to Copenhagen? The last reason to visit Denmark is simple. The people who live there are the happiest in the world. It only takes one visit to find out why. Why not give it a chance on your next vacation. Who knows, you may travel to Denmark for a vacation, but end up staying longer than you had planned!

Ever have the desire to travel to Copenhagen? What is your favorite thing to do in Denmark?

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For many, nothing brings out the holiday cheer quite like a well placed snow globe. However, travelers may find it more difficult to spread the joy. The TSA has decided to ban snow globes from carry on luggage because they can’t tell how much liquid is in them. This is unfortunate for anyone wishing to bring one home, as liquid filled glass containers generally don’t fare too well against baggage handlers or cargo holds on planes. You have to wonder how this will effect the snow globe industry, as the globes from the airport are a great last minute gift idea for people you may have forgot about while on vacation.

While the specific origin of the snow globe is not entirely clear, they originated in France in the early 1800’s, and have been stuffing stockings of people ever since. Many snow globes now contain lights and music boxes. While they make great decor in the right setting, they also make an awful mess when they break in your luggage. While on vacation in Germany, or anywhere else for that matter, the best way to get the snow globes back home will be to ship them in lots of bubble wrap.

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Congratulations Ella who knew the correct answer to last week’s trivia! The mystery location featured was Trondheim, Norway. Now for this week…

Q. What is the name and location of this beautiful castle?

Hint: music is still alive within these castle walls, as part of it is still used for concerts.

Good Luck!

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Amsterdam is known for many things, but one thing you may not think of when dreaming of this Dutch city is Museums. Few people realize that Amsterdam is actually home to over 50 museums, many of which are interesting and thought provoking. Some of them are downright bizarre. Here is a list of some of the interesting you might want to check out (or avoid) next time you travel to Amsterdam.

Vodka Museum
One of the more recent museums to open in Amsterdam, The Vodka Museum continues to become more and more popular. Of course, I’m sure that the stylish Museum Bar gives you a whole new perception. Either way, it sounds like it would be worth checking out!

Tulip Museum
The tulip is often used as a symbol of the Netherlands, so this museum is quite popular with locals and tourists alike. If you love botany, history, or tulips in general, this is the museum for you.

Anne Frank House
The hiding place where Anne Frank wrote her famous diary during World War II is now a museum and is one of the biggest attractions in Amsterdam. See how hard it was and view the original diary on display while at this location.

NEMO
A hands on museum, NEMO is very popular among children. Science and technology are the themes here, so it’s a must visit if you’re with kids on vacation.

Torture Museum
This place brings out the macabre in everyone. View a collection and learn about some of the oldest cruelest torture methods of the past. Thankfully most of these methods are no longer in use. The fact that most of what’s on display are actual artifacts is particularly disturbing.

Museum of Bags and Purses
To me, being surrounded by this many handbags and purses seems like a scene from the previous museum!

Can you think of any interesting or strange museums that are in Amsterdam?

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It’s hard to believe that 20 years have passed since the fall of the Berlin Wall. For many of us, it seems impossible to imagine what it meant to live under the shadow of the wall. On November 9th, 1989, after weeks of civil unrest it was announced that all East Germans would be allowed to visit the West, and vice versa. The falling of the Berlin Wall was a defining moment in German history, and paved the way for the German unification that happened in March of 1990. Today, there are monuments all over the world commemorating the fall of the wall, including one right here in Portland, Maine which is actually made up of pieces of the Berlin wall.

One place you can visit next time you travel to Berlin is the Miesim Haus am Checkpoint Charlie, also known as the Berlin Wall Museum. This is a museum dedicated to showing the world what it was like to live in the shadow of the wall. There are documentaries and guest lecturers found daily from 9am to 11pm. It’s a chilling reminder that while most of the world has moved on, it’s important to not forget the lessons of the past.

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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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