Category Archives: Weekly Blogger Round-Up

Eastern Europe, Romania, Slovenia, Weekly Blogger Round-Up

Weekly Blogger Round-Up: All about Romanians – Mediaeval Slovenia – Travel Safety in Albania

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This week’s blogger round-up is focussed on Eastern Europe, a destination I find quite fascinating. To start off, Anda from Travel Notes & Beyond tells us what you should know about Romanians before you travel to the country where she was born. Next, Australian-born Jo Karnaghan from Frugal First Class Travel takes us to mediaeval Slovenia as part of an Adriatic sea cruise. To finish off,  Andrea from Rear View Mirror, an Australian married to an Albanian, answers a question she is often asked: “Is it safe to travel to Albania?” Enjoy!

What you should know about Romanians before you travel to Romania

by Anda from Travel Notes & Beyond, the Opinionated Travelogue of a Photo Maniac, is a Romanian-born citizen of Southern California who has never missed the opportunity to travel

travel_notes_romaniansAs a tourist in Romania, you may easily feel at home and forget that you are in a foreign country. But the welcoming and friendly spirit of the Romanian people will not help you bridge the cultural differences and understand their values. So in order to avoid a culture shock, there are some things you should know about Romanians before you travel to their country. Of course, Romanians are not all the same, but there are some cultural characteristics that most of them share. Read more

Explore Medieval Slovenia on an Adriatic Sea Cruise

by Jo Karnaghan from Frugal First Class Travel, an Australian who loves to travel – especially in Europe – and who has gradually learned how to have a First Class trip on an economy budget, without missing out on anything!

frugal_sloviniaSlovenia is a country famed for its Gothic architecture and medieval towns, the most fascinating of which is arguably the coastal city of Koper in the south-west. If you’re looking to go medieval in a big way then this city provides many old town historic sights as well as easy access to the country’s popular capital city.

Ports of call on an Adriatic Sea cruise will almost always include Croatia’s famous walled-city of Dubrovnik but if you’re looking to step back in time then ensure that Slovenia’s Koper is listed on your itinerary. Read more

Is it safe to travel in Albania?

by Andrea from Rear View Mirror (formerly Destination Europe), a fellow Australian who, after 6 years of living in France, has given up her Paris apartment to live a nomadic life slowing travelling around Europe, experiencing each destination like a local.

rearview_mirror_albaniaSince returning from an extended stay in Albania and publishing my guide to visiting the country, I’ve been receiving regular emails from readers wanting to know more.

Surprisingly, for me, one of the most common questions I’m asked is whether it’s safe to travel to Albania. I admit to finding this question a little perplexing. Aside from a brief period of unrest in 1997, Albania hasn’t been in a conflict since WWII.

Even during the Communist period when the country was mostly closed to outside visitors, it was still possible to safely travel around the country.

Random acts of violence are practically unheard of and even pickpocketing is uncommon. Read more

France, Italy, Poland, Sightseeing, Weekly Blogger Round-Up

Weekly Blogger Round-Up: Monumental Churches in Charente Maritime – Villa Romana del Casale – Malbork Castle in Poland

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My Weekly Blogger Round-Up hasn’t been very regular recently but I’m hoping things will start to return to normal soon. This week, it begins with a new blogger whom I discovered through Lou Messugo’s link-up last week. Susan from Our French Oasis introduces us to the huge churches that are monumental landmarks in Charente Maritime where she lives; Mary Kay from Out and About in Paris shares some some surprisingly modern photos of 4th century AD mosaics she took in Sicily, while Sara from Simply Sara Travel takes us to Malbork Castle which she visited during a day trip from Gdańsk in Poland. Enjoy!

A Pilgrim’s Skyline

by Susan from Our French Oasis, born in England and now living with her family in Charente Maritime, passionate about fishing, nature and food, eager to share the pleasures of living and eating through the Seasons and the simply beauty that surrounds us in everyday life.

french_oasis_pilgrimEvery day I take the same route to school. I leave our village and take the long straight road that cuts its way through open farmland, climbs a gentle sloping hill and then slithers down into the valley where in an ancient village a narrow bridge across a small river forces cars to cross alternately in single file.  Each morning the old lady who lives in the old stone house on the corner by the river-wall will open her shutters and upstairs windows to let the air in – come rain or shine; it is a route I am coming to learn well.

The seasons transform the landscape too, as it changes from fields of sunflowers in summer to bare ploughed soil in winter.  The light flickers moodily and the weather caresses and spits, depending on its whims.  But there is one thing that remains unchanged –  on a centuries-old skyline are the spires and towers of the area’s many churches. Read more

The Villa Romana del Casale and its captivating fourth century AD Roman mosaics

by Mary Kay from Out and About in Paris, an American by birth, Swiss by marriage, resident of Paris with a Navigo Pass for the metro that she feels compelled to use

out_and_about_casale

Wouldn’t it be incredible to unearth photographs from the fourth century AD imparting little-known details about ancient Roman life? We would learn about the clothes worn for an outdoor banquet, games that children played and revered mythological creatures.

Unique for their narrative style, vivid colors and range of subject matter, the Unesco-listed Roman floor mosaics at the Villa Romana del Casale also give a rare glimpse into the daily life of the man most scholars believe to be the former owner of the sumptuous villa, Marcus Aurelius Maximianus, Rome’s co-emperor during the reign of Diocletian (AD 286-305). Read more

Day Trip from Gdańsk: Malbork Castle

by Sara from Simply Sara Travel, a girl from New Jersey who traded in her bagels for baguettes and moved to Paris. The aim of her blog is to inspire readers to travel, embrace a new culture, and open their minds to new perspectives.

simply_sara_malborkI have to apologize. I’ve done a bait-and-switch of sorts. Here I was last week, giving a teaser of our time in Gdańsk, and the only thing I’ve revealed so far is one of the side-trips we took from Gdańsk to the beach town of Sopot. The Jersey Shore parallels excited me, what can I say? (If you missed it, read more in my post on how Sopot is the Atlantic City of the East.)

My apology is going to seem a bit empty in a moment though, because instead of getting to Gdańsk, I’m again going to divert over to our other day trip we took while in the area: to Malbork Castle. The truth is that as I try to grasp all we did in Gdansk, there are so many elements and facets to this city that I want to share, and it is overwhelming! But I will get to it soon, I really will.

Today though, it’s all about Malbork Castle. Read more

France, French customs, Weekly Blogger Round-Up

Weekly Blogger Round-Up – All About France with Lou Messugo

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You are all familiar with Phoebe from Lou Messugo who lives in Nice and has often been featured in this weekly blogger round-up.

Today, she is beginning a new monthly link-up focussing on posts about France from bloggers across the glob. I’ve contributed my post on the Ten Top Châteaux in the Loire Valley. As I’m writing she already has 16 other participants, including such diverse subjects as the 2CV, the tooth fairy, how to talk to your Muslim kids about Charlie Hebdo and the beautiful Alsatian village of Colmar. Enjoy!

All About France #1

by Phoebe from Lou Messugo, a traveller, francophile, expat, mum and foodie now living in Roquefort les Pins where she runs a gîte after many years of travelling and living in Asia, Eastern Europe and Australia.

AllAboutFranceBadge_bisWelcome to the first All About France blog linky (and my first time hosting a link-up).   I’ve been thinking about starting this for a few months now and keep getting side tracked, but there’s no time like the present….So if you write or have written about France in any shape or form then please join in.  You don’t have to write regularly about France, an old post about a holiday is perfectly appropriate, for example. Feel free to link old or new posts, as long as they’re about France or French they’re welcome. Read more.

French language, Italy, Loire Valley châteaux, Weekly Blogger Round-Up, Wine

Weekly Blogger Round-Up: Blois Castle – Marsala in Sicily – French Slang for Money

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I have three totally different subjects for this week’s blogger round-up. Susan from Days on the Claise gives us a lively and interesting history of Blois Castle, while Mary Kay from Out and About in Paris takes us to Sicily where she spent New Year in the snow, starting with Marsala. To finish off, Phoebe from Lou Messugo talks about French slang for money. Enjoy!

Things we never said: the château of Blois

by Susan from Days on the Claise, an Australian living in the south of the Loire Valley, writing about restoring an old house and the area and its history and running Loire Valley Time Travel.

Blois is somewhere we drove through many times before we moved to France, as it’s on the road to the Paris airports.

days_claise_salamander_blois

However, until March ’14 we had never visited the chateau, despite knowing that it is somewhere that really repays a visit with many treasures and some good renaissance architecture, both things of which we are particularly fond. So here are some highlights:

The chateau sits in the middle of town. It was purchased by Louis d’Orléans, brother of mad Charles VI, at the end of the 14th century under somewhat scandalous circumstances when he seduced the young wife of the previous owner. His son Charles inherited, but taken prisoner at the battle of Agincourt, he was held in captivity for 25 years. Finally in 1440 he was able to return to Blois, which became his favourite residence. He spent the next 30 years writing poetry and rebuilding the chateau, a reaction to the end of the Hundred Years War that was not untypical of his class. Then to everyone’s amazement, he fathered a son and heir at the age of 71. Read more

Marsala: Pantone’s 2015 Color of the Year, a fortified wine and a town in Sicily

by Mary Kay from Out and About in Paris, an American by birth, Swiss by marriage, resident of Paris with a Navigo Pass for the metro that she feels compelled to use

out_and_about_marsalaMarsala. It’s THE current buzz word among fashion and interior designers, make-up artists and graphic designers. Some love it and some hate it. Yet, chances are that you’ll see a lot of this terracotta red shade in 2015. It’s going to be on the catwalks of Paris, the wall of your trendy friend’s apartment and on fashionistas’ lips. Marsala is Pantone’s Color of the Year.

To kick off my series of posts about our recent vacation in Sicily, I thought I would start with a short one about Marsala. This charming town located on the island’s windswept western coast is famous for its glistening white marble streets, stately baroque buildings and fortified wine. Read more

Money, slang, synonyms and all that …

by Phoebe from Lou Messugo, a traveller, francophile, expat, mum and foodie now living in Roquefort les Pins where she runs a gîte after many years of travelling and living in Asia, Eastern Europe and Australia

lou_messugo_moneySomething my son said a few days ago got me thinking.  He said the word “argent” (money) has the most synonyms in the French language.  I can’t vouch that this is an absolute fact as it’s an incredibly hard thing to verify but it would appear to be highly likely from the research I’ve done. Using several dictionaries, Wikipedia and talking to my sons and French friends I’ve come up with a list of 102 words! So even if that’s not the most differences for one little word, it’s certainly a hellava lot. Read more

 

Blogging, French customs, Paris, Weekly Blogger Round-Up

Weekly Blogger Round-Up; Ice Skating on the Eiffel Tower – Blogger Highlights 2014 – French Holidays and Traditions

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I missed last week’s blogger round-up from lack of organisation and general post-move sluggishness but this week I have three great posts to share with you. First, Mary Kay from Out and About in Paris takes us ice skating on the Eiffel Tower and I’m very jealous not to be there myself! Next Anda from Travel Notes and Beyond has published her blogger highlights for 2014 (including my tips and tricks for cycling in Germany) so you’ll have lots of new blogs to discover, from stunning photos of Yellowstone National Park to surreal places you never knew existed. And to finish off, our gifted storyteller Margo Lestz from The Curious Rambler has just published a book on French holidays and traditions, month by month. Enjoy!

Ice skating on the Eiffel Tower! One of the coolest experiences in Paris

by Mary Kay from Out and About in Paris, an American by birth, Swiss by marriage, resident of Paris with a Navigo Pass for the metro that she feels compelled to use

out_and_about_eiffel_tower_skatingOne of the coolest winter activities has returned to Paris — ice skating on the first floor of the Eiffel Tower! In between your camel spins and double Axels, warm up with a cup of hot chocolate or sip a glass of champagne while admiring the view of the Champ de Mars and the golden dome of Les Invalides. For an extra special evening, time your visit to coincide with the twinkling of the Eiffel Tower’s lights. This magical sight happens every hour on the hour, for five minutes.

If you’re in shape, take the stairs to the first floor 57 meters (187 feet) above the city of Paris. Admission to the rink and the use of skates is included in the 5 euro ticket price. Otherwise, you can take the elevator to the second floor and walk back down to the first floor. Read more

Travel Blogger Round-Up: Highlights for 2014

by Anda from Travel Notes & Beyond, the Opinionated Travelogue of a Photo Maniac, is a Romanian-born citizen of Southern California who has never missed the opportunity to travel.

rhein_radweg_2_mapHello everyone and welcome to my 2014 Travel Blogger Round-Up. Another year has passed in tumultuous and competitive world of travel blogging. While there are thousands of wonderful posts out there that stimulate your curiosity and spur your desire to travel, I’ll introduce you to some that have caught my eye in 2014. Read more

French Holidays & Traditions

curious_rambler_new_bookby Margo Lestz from The Curious Rambler, who lives in Nice, France where she likes to bask in the sunshine, study the French language and blog

If you are intrigued by French culture and curious about the history behind French traditions, this book is for you. In it, you’ll find a selection of short stories, written in a lively style, which often reveal little-known, but always fascinating facts about French customs. If you have ever wondered how French Easter eggs are delivered, or why the French walk around with paper fish taped to their backs on the 1st of April, you can find the answers to these questions plus much more in this book. Read more

citadel of Alba iulia, Life in France, Romania, Sightseeing, Weekly Blogger Round-Up, Wine

Weekly Blogger Round-Up: Fête des vendanges on the French Riviera – October events in France – Alba Iulia in Romania

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This week’s Blogger Round-Up starts with a great discovery. Every month, well in advance, The Good Life France gives a list of national events in France. I know we’re already halfway through October, but you can take a look at November while you are over at their website. Next, Chrissie from Riviera Grapevine invites us to participate in the annual grape harvest festival at Saint-Paul-de-Vence. To finish up, Anda from Travel Notes and Beyond shares her trip to the Citadel of Alba Iulia in Romania. Enjoy!

Major Events France October 2014

by The Good Life France, an independent on-line magazine about France and all things French, covering all aspects of daily life including healthcare, finance, utilities, education, property and a whole lot more

goodlifefrance_events-in-france-october-2014National Event in Paris – Nuit Blanche 4th October 2014. Held annually on the first Saturday night in October when museums, public buildings, monuments, swimming pools, cinemas, parks, universities  and historic sites are open to the public all night – an art an culture party!

National Event: Semaine du Gout – Taste Week: 13-19 October.  In Paris and throughout France, a foodie event featuring original and varied cuisines. Taste Week is an opportunity to learn more about the art of gastronomy, taste and learn to appreciate the diversity of flavours, and it also aims to increase public awareness of a healthy lifestyle. As part of the event, workshops for the public include cooking classes, tastings and entertainment. Website for details: www.legout.com. Read more

EVENT 06: Fête des Vendanges et des Châtaignes

by Chrissie from Riviera Grapevine, a Sydney girl living in Nice with an insatiable thirst for the wines of the Var, Alpes Maritimes and Liguria. She happily sells, drinks and blogs about wine.

riviera_grapevine_wine_festivalWhat have you got planned for Sunday?

If you happen to be in the area, and fancy a chance to sample some of the unique wines of the Alpes-Maritimes, why not pop into the annual Fête des Vendanges et des Châtaignes in Saint-Paul de Vence?

October 19th marks the 2014 edition of this annual harvest festival for theVins des Baous et des Collines. Translated into normal speak, this term refers to the three vineyards found high in the hills behind the Riviera coastline, near the imposing cliff face above Saint-Jeannet. Read more

Reborn From Its Ashes – The Citadel of Alba Iulia

by Anda from Travel Notes & Beyond, the Opinionated Travelogue of a Photo Maniac, is a Romanian-born citizen of Southern California who has never missed the opportunity to travel.

travelnotes_iulia_albaAlthough a land of natural beauty, Romania wasn’t exactly the ideal tourist destination until after the fall of Communism in 1989. The country was struggling badly with poverty and the tourism industry was almost inexistent. The historic sites were badly neglected, the roads poorly maintained, food was scarce and lodging was primitive. So in spite of its great history and beautiful scenery, Romania remained in the often overlooked chunk of Balkan countries.

Although things have improved considerably lately, Romania is still largely unknown to the western traveler. Such is the case of the beautiful Citadel of Alba Iulia (also known as Alba Carolina), one of the biggest fortresses in Eastern Europe. Read more

Accommodation, Travelling, Weekly Blogger Round-Up

Weekly Blogger Round-Up: Safe Solo Travel Tips for Women – Supplements for Single Travellers – Family Travel Tips for Iceland

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We have an all-Australian line-up for this week’s Blogger Round-Up, starting with some excellent tips from Jo Karnaghan from Frugal First Class Travel on safe travel for solo women. Carolyn from Holidays to Europe  then discusses another aspect of solo travel – why single travellers have to pay a supplement. And to end up on a completely different note, Phoebe from Lou Messugo tells us how you can take your family to Iceland on a budget. Enjoy!

Brilliant Readers’ Safety Tips for Solo Women Travellers

by Jo Karnaghan from Frugal First Class Travel, an Australian who loves to travel – especially in Europe – and who has gradually learned how to have a First Class trip on an economy budget, without missing out on anything!

frugal_solo_travellersIf you follow me on Facebook or Pinterest you will know that, like many bloggers, I repost old content periodically. It’s a good opportunity to connect new followers to some of my older content, and to share old content that is still valid and timely. Recently I re-shared a post on tips for safe solo female travellers. While I was very pleased with the content of my post, I was blown away by the comments from other women travellers. What started out as a small post on my perspective as a female solo traveller turned into a fantastic community of great ideas. Re-reading the post and the comments I’ve been inspired to create a new post – this time curated by me, but with brilliant content provided by real frugalfirstclasstravel readers. Read more

Why Do Single Travellers Have to Pay a Supplement

by Carolyn from Holidays to Europe, an Australian based business passionate about sharing their European travel expertise and helping travellers to experience the holiday in Europe they have always dreamed of

Positive smiling woman wearing sunglasses planning her vacationOne question I was asked many times over the years I worked as a travel consultant was ‘why do single travellers have to pay a supplement?’ Firstly, let me assure you that it’s not because tour companies don’t like single travellers! The reason that solo travellers have to pay a supplement on the price of their tour or cruise comes down to the accommodation component of their trip.

Let’s say a hotel room costs the equivalent of $250 per night and a tour lasts for seven nights. That’s a total room cost of $1750. If two people are sharing the room, they would pay $875 each but if the room is only occupied by one person then that person has to cover the entire room cost of $1750. In this case, a tour company would generally charge a single supplement of $875 or thereabouts in addition to the tour or cruise fare so that the full cost of the hotel room is covered. Read more

8 Tips for a Family Holiday in Iceland on a Budget

by Phoebe from Lou Messugo, a traveller, francophile, expat, mum and foodie now living in Roquefort les Pins where she runs a gîte after many years of travelling and living in Asia, Eastern Europe and Australia.

lou_messugo_hiking_in_IcelandIceland is notorious as an expensive destination and probably doesn’t spring to mind as a place to go with children, but it’s totally possible and heaps of fun for families, if you follow my Top Tips for adventure on a budget.  I spent 2 weeks in Iceland in the summer of 2014 with my husband and 2 children (aged 9 and 14) and didn’t spend a fortune, and yet we had the best holiday in a long time. This is how we did it. Read more

Art, Italy, Photography, Travelling, Weekly Blogger Round-Up

Weekly Blogger Round-Up: A Florentine Pig – An Australian in Paris and Provence – Snapshots of Europe

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 I’m back from Lisbon (but there will still be more posts) so am resuming my weekly blogger round-up, beginning with a wonderful story about a Florentine pig from Margot from The Curious Rambler.  Next, Andrea from Rear View Mirror, is celebrating her second anniversary on the road with a wonderful photo giveaway that I’m sure you won’t want to miss. And to end up, The Good Life France tells us the story of an Australian from Queensland who finally saw her dream come true with a visit to Paris and Provence. Enjoy!

The Bronze Pig of Florence

by Margo Lestz from The Curious Rambler, who lives in Nice, France where she likes to bask in the sunshine, study the French language and blog

closeup-of-pigI’m back in Florence studying Italian and my courses seems to be going better this time. I’m not confusing Italian and French anymore (at least during the first week). We rented a beautiful little apartment in a 15th century palazzo which has painted ceilings, huge windows, and terracotta floors. Florence is full of these wonderful old buildings and it’s such a pleasure to stay in one of them.

While I’m in Florence, I thought I’d take a break from writing about France and write about some of the curiosities of this city. Hope you enjoy the story of the Bronze Pig. Read more

Snapshots of Europe

by Andrea from Rear View Mirror (formerly Destination Europe), a fellow Australian who, after 6 years of living in France, has given up her Paris apartment to live a nomadic life slowing travelling around Europe, experiencing each destination like a local.

budapest-parliament-1-300x200It’s coming up to the two year anniversary of me handing in the keys to my Parisian apartment and hitting the road to travel full time. Two years of living out of suitcases, countless hotels, Airbnb apartments and one barely habitable hostel.

I’ve been fortunate to visit most of Europe’s capitals, wander quaint villages, swim in turquoise waters, go zip lining in a national park and hiking through gorges. I’ve found my way to the top of mountains and dipped my toes in glacial lakes. My hard drive is at capacity with sunset photos and even the occasional sunrise. Read more

Visit to Paris and Provence

Written by The Good Life France, an independent on-line magazine about France and all things French, covering all aspects of daily life including healthcare, finance, utilities, education, property and a whole lot more.

Les-Baux-de-Provence-CC-Carolyn-AnskyMany of us dream of visiting France, especially Paris, the most visited tourist destination in the world, and Provence, high on the wish list of places to visit for so many, we talk to a lady whose dream came true…

We meet Carolyn Ansky from Queensland, Australia who says “for years I played the Marianne Faithful song ‘At the age of 37… she realised she’d never been to Paris”. I felt that at the age of 54 it was now or never for me. Read more

Cycling, Paris, Sightseeing, Travelling, Weekly Blogger Round-Up

Weekly Blogger Round-Up: What travelling teaches you – Best SIM card for France – Twiztour cars in Paris

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I didn’t have much time to read other blogs when cycling in Germany, but now I’m home, I’m catching up! I’m starting with a very interesting post by Anda from Travel Notes and Beyond about what she has learned from travelling the world. It certainly got me thinking. Next comes some excellent advice from Maggie at Experience France by Bike about the best SIM card to use in France. And to finish off, a fun post by Mary Kay from Out and About in Paris who tested the self-guided Twiztour cars in Paris. Would you be game? Enjoy!

Ten Things I Learned from Traveling the World

by Anda from Travel Notes & Beyond, the Opinionated Travelogue of a Photo Maniac, is a Romanian-born citizen of Southern California who has never missed the opportunity to travel.

anda_travel_teachingsIf you type “things learned from traveling” into the Google search, you’ll come up with enough reading material for an entire week. Before I sat down to write this post I was curios about other people’s approach to this popular subject. I noticed that in spite of the broad range of opinions, there is one common thread: people who travel don’t remain stuck in their own ideas. They change, they evolve and learn something from their travel experiences. So, with this in mind, here is my rendition of this subject:

1. High expectations may ruin your trip

      We all have expectations, lots of expectations. It’s our human nature, whether we are aware of it or not. And when it comes to our vacation we feel entitled to have them. Read more

Using a Sim Data Card to Stay Connected When Bicycling in France

by Maggie LaCoste from Experience France by Bike, an American who loves biking anywhere in Europe, but especially France, which has the perfect combination of safe bike routes, great food, great weather and history.

sim_card_experience_france_bikeWe’re spoiled by how easy and affordable it is to communicate, text and tweet to family and friends, post to Facebook, get the latest news and restaurant recommendations and get directions when we get lost.  Until we go overseas.  Unless you have a European phone or SIM card, communication overseas can be difficult and very expensive.  A Google search of anything having to do with saving money communicating overseas yields pages and pages of articles and advice.  Regardless of how many of these you read, there really isn’t a simple solution. For phone calls, you can use one of several internet apps like Skype.  But for me, the problem has always been data.  If ever there was a time you needed data it’s traveling overseas. Read more

Whizzing around Paris in Twiztour cars: #EmbraceParis ice-breaker

by Mary Kay from Out and About in Paris, an American by birth, Swiss by marriage, resident of Paris with a Navigo Pass for the metro that she feels compelled to use

twiztoursLadies, start your engines! Or, in this case, turn on your electric, ecologically friendly Twiztour car for one of the most thrilling tours of Paris.

Only hours after meeting each other over a lovely afternoon tea at Le Meurice last Sunday afternoon, taxis whisked the #EmbraceParis ladies to the foot of the Eiffel Tower for our first activity — a Twiztour GPS guided tour of some of the most impressive monuments of Paris. 

Assuring Brooke, who’s from Australia, that I had complete confidence in her ability to navigate the streets of Paris on the right side of the road, I squeezed into the back seat of the car with the walkee-talkee. True to their names, “Leader of the Pack” and “Jessica Rabbit” set off at a brisk pace. The four other Twiztour cars made their way across pont de Bir-Hakeim, one of my favorite Parisian bridges, behind them. Read more

Slovenia, Travelling, Weekly Blogger Round-Up

Weekly Blogger Round-Up: Food shopping in Europe – Bridges of Ljubljana

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In this week’s round-up, Carolyn from Holidays to Europe takes us on a quick food shopping tour of Europe while Adelina from Pack Me To provides an excellent explanation of the beautiful and fastastic bridges of Ljubljana in Slovenia, one of my favourite cities. Enjoy!

A Quick Guide to Shopping Etiquette in Europe

by Carolyn from Holidays to Europe, an Australian based business passionate about sharing their European travel expertise and helping travellers to experience the holiday in Europe they have always dreamed of

french-boulangerieWhether you are on an escorted coach tour or travelling around Europe independently, at some point during your holiday you are going to need to buy something from a shop. It might just be a snack at a convenience store, a gift for a someone back home, or you might even need to stock up on groceries. Whatever it is you’re buying, it’s good to know some basic shopping etiquette and what to expect in stores and at the markets in Europe. Read more

The Beautiful and Fantastic Bridges of Ljubljana

by Adelina from Pack Me To, a Chinese American who’s been traveling for as long as she can remember and has lived in the Netherlands and Hungary. She loves telling stories, and eating and exploring her way around the world

adelinawong.caWandering about Ljubljana, you’d be immediately struck by how many bridges there are connecting parts of the inner city. You’d probably think that there is nothing special about the bridges – they just connect medieval Ljubljana to modern Ljubljana, more a means to an end. However, if you look closely, you can easily tell them apart. Each of them have unique features and have their own stories to tell. Read more

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