Fourth of July
This Fourth of July is a special kind of holiday because it is unique to the United States and shows off its rich history.
The Fourth of July is a time to BBQ, reconnect with families and friends, and show your patriotic spirit in red, blue, and white. The most popular Fourth of July event is fireworks!
The tradition of fireworks began in the 12th century in China to cast away evil spirits because of the loud noise. They were also used for happiness and prosperity in such festivals as News Years.
In the United States, the tradition of fireworks started as the new settlers arrived from Europe. The first Fourth of July or Independence Day was in 1777 before the Americans knew the outcome of their independence. Now it is a symbol of almost every celebration!
A lot of people purchase fireworks or firecrackers for the Fourth of July or New Year’s Eve. While this can be great fun, make sure to check your local laws to see if fireworks are prohibited in your area.
Some information came from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fireworks#In_the_United_States
Tags: ancient China, celebration, firecrackers, fireworks, Fourth of JulyRelated posts
Paris On A Budget
You can spend years living in Paris and never see anything because there’s just so much to do, but that also means you can spend a lot of money. My friends and I went to Paris for three days and spent 250 euros on transportation, food, lodging, attractions, and gifts. I’m here to help you plan your own trip to Paris on a budget!
Tip One: Have a budget for Paris and keep to it.
For me, this means only taking out enough cash for the bare minimum. You can always take out more later, but knowing you only have x amount of cash means you will only spent that amount. Whenever you are evaluating if you want to spend money on something, you will have to think about how much you have to spend on hand. Just this tip alone will save you money
Tip Two: Book a hostel
With so many hostels now and such easy access to finding them, why would you ever waste money on a hotel. Hotels don’t offer much more than hostels do and hostels are a great way to meet people! Visit Hostel Bookers or Hostel World to find cheap places to stay in Paris. You don’t need to spend more than 25 euro on a place to stay if you look around.
Tip Three: Share meals and picnic lunches
Tasting local food is important to learning about a new culture, but going out three meals a day is expensive. If breakfast is included at your hostel then that is money saved and you could always wrap up some bread for a picnic later. For lunch, get a sandwich or make your own. Buy a baguette (under 1 euro), some cheese, and buy some local wine (France after all has some of the best wine in the world, and it can be cheap). There you go! A perfect Parisian lunch. For dinner, you might want to go out some place. Share a meal with a friend to save money. TIP: Cafes on a corner are usually more expensive than the others. Don’t go here to save money!! TIP: It costs more to drink at a cafe sitting down than it does at the bar.
Tip Four:The Louvre is free to students under 26 on Friday nights after 9pm!!
No trip to Paris would be complete without a trip to the Louvre. You just saved yourself 9 euros with this tip.
Tip Five: Ask about a student discount
Most museums have student discounts which will save you anywhere from a euro to five euros. If you are under 18, sometimes entrance into museums is free. It never hurts to ask. Always have your student ID ready!
Tip Six: Walk everywhere or buy bulk tickets
Buying 10 metro tickets will be cheaper than buying one at a time. Walking places doesn’t cost you anything and is a great way to get to know a city. Many of Paris’ most popular attractions are close together. You should concentrate on each zone so you will minimize the number of times you need to take the metro.
Tip Seven: Don’t take a taxi
Why take a taxi when you can walk or take the metro. Look at busses to/from the airport for cheaper rates.
Tags: budget hotels paris, cheap accommodation paris, cheap hotel paris, cheap hotels paris, discount hotel paris, discount hotels paris, hostel bookers, hostels, living in paris, louvre, Paris, paris accommodation, paris budget, paris cheap, paris discount, paris hostelsRelated posts
Neuschwanstein Castle From Sleeping Beauty
The Neuschwanstein Castle is probably the most famous castle in the world. The Neuschwanstein Castle is the castle they based the Sleeping Beauty Castle on in Disneyland. Nestled in the Bavarian countryside, this beautiful castle sits between high mountains and clear blue lakes. It takes about 2 hours by train to get to the Neuschwanstein Castle from Munich. There really isn’t a better starting point than Munich because many tour companies offer tours to the Neuschwanstein Castle either by coach or using public transportation. We went with a tour group, but this isn’t necessary.
You can take a train to Fussen to see the Neuschwanstein Castle and then take a bus to the bottom of the hill. From there you buy your tickets to either The Neuschwanstein Castle or the Hohenschwangau Castle where Ludwig was raised. Once there you may either walk of the mountain for free (it took us about 20 minutes to reach Mary’s Bridge), take a bus (the second cheapest alternative), or take a horse drawn carriage ride. Neither will drop you off right at the main entrance so you may need to walk up hill or downhill one of those ways. No matter which method you use to get up to the Neuschwanstein Castl, you cannot miss Mary’s Bridge (see below).
The Neuschwanstein Castle was built in 1869 by Ludwig II. One of the most amazing views of the Neuschwanstein Castle is Mary’s Bridge. This is a must see for your trip to the castle. Mary’s Bridge is over 150 years old and you might wonder how they got a bridge across two mountains while standing on it. It also might make you a little queezy, but you shouldn’t let this prevent you from seeing one of the most amazing views you might ever see!
Tags: bavarian countryside, hohenschwangau castle, Mary's Bridge, Munich, munich to neuschwanstein castle, neuschwanstein, neuschwanstein castle, neuschwanstein castle bavaria germany, neuschwanstein castle tours, Sleeping BeautyRelated posts
Budget Airlines in Europe
You may have already seen my post about RyanAir, the most popular budget airline in Europe, but there are a few more key websites and key airlines you should be aware of. My favorite budget airline in Europe is EasyJet. Although the number of cities is limited, it offers a wider range of flights for those cities. You still have the limited baggage requirements and no complimentary services on board like the other budget airlines in Europe, but they are reliable and easy to find. Visit them at easyjet.com today!
The second site is Fly Cheapo. This website is ideal for searching for budget airlines. All you have to do is find the city you are flying out of and the comprehensive search lets you know all the destinations which have connections with that city via budget airlines. For instance, Brussels is connected with 25 different cities. Once I click the city is gives me some more information about the cities, a map of how far away it is, and then a link to the budget airline where I can book my ticket. Visit them at http://www.flycheapo.com!
This next website has saved me a lot of money on international flights. Sky Scanner is a comprehensive list of all flights going to and from a particular city. In addition to budget airlines, it gives you all airlines who may be cheaper than budget airlines. Visit them at http://www.skyscanner.net!
One of the things that helped me planning weekend vacations was being diligent in scanning these websites looking for good deals from budget airlines. Ryanair has deals all the time and the same with EasyJet. Get on these budget airlines’ email lists so you can be the first to know about their awesome deals. Also, some cities offer their own budget airlines. For me in Brussle it was Brussels Airlines. I was able to save a lot of money using these websites and I hope you will too!
Ryanair
EasyJet
http://www.eurocheapo.com/flights/
Tags: Brussels Airlines, budget airlines, Easyjet, Fly Cheapo, Ryanair, sky scannerRelated posts
Ryanair – The Airline For Cheap Flights
Ryanair has recently made headlines when it has stated it would like to charge people to use the toilets on their airplane. If you have ever been on a Ryanair flight you know this is just a small step up from selling cosmetics, bus tickets, and snacks on their plane rides.
If you are looking for a really cheap flight and aren’t really concerned that you might have to leave at 6am or 11pm, then Ryanair is a great airline. They are constantly offering low rates to over 500 cities all across Europe and even some in North Africa.
Ryanair flights come in on time 90% of the time. They don’t offer seat reservations, but for five euros you can get on the plane earlier. I have never been on a Ryanair flight that sold out so I have never had a problem sitting with friends.
One thing to note about Ryanair flights is that they often fly out of obsure airports so make sure you factor in the additional cost of getting to these airports. For example, our Ryanair flight out of charleroi airport in Brussels cost us an additional 13 euros one way for the bus to the airport that is located an hour outside the city center. Our tickets for this particular trip to Ireland was only about 15 dollars so it was worth it. Ryanair also only allows one piece of hand luggage and it absolutely MUST fit into their hand luggage container or else they charge you 15-20 dollars per bag. This includes any small items like a camera or purse!! Also be wary of online vs. airport checkin. Ryanair can no longer treat EU citizens any different so anyone is allowed to check in online. TIP: Check in online at Ryanair to save money!!
Tags: cheap flights to bodrum, cheap flights to egypt, cheap flights to heathrow, cheap flights to ibiza, cheap flights to israel, cheap flights to malta, cheap flights to morocco, Ryanair, ryanair flightsRelated posts
Belgian Beers – Have You Tried One?
Before I came to Brussels I hated beer. People told me I just needed to taste the right kind or get used to it, but then I went to brussels and everything changed. Belgian beer is delicious. Belgian beer is diverse. There are over 100 kinds of Belgian beers.
Lambic beer has been fermented with fruits like strawbarries ( Fraise) , cherries (Kriek), raspberry (framboise), or sugar (Faro).
Trappist beer is made by Monks, but each style can vary according to the monastary it’s produced at. There are currently only 7 monstaries that produce this kind of beer, 6 of which are in Belgium.
Tags: Belgian Beer, belgian beers, belgium, Brussels, Lambic beer, Trappist BeerRelated posts
Bars in Brussels – Don’t Miss These!
Drink
The Grand Place of Brussels has many unique restaurants and bars surrounding it. One such bar is ‘Cercueil’ which is the French word for Coffin. It is located on Rue harengs 10 which is a little side street off the Grand Place. If you are staring at the City Hall (Hotel d’ville) than turn around and walk the other direction. It is a bit expensive and there is an admission price, but the decor and creativity is worth it. You can drink beer out of skulls and the tables are coffins.
Another place you must hit up in Brussels is A la Mort Subite which means ‘Sudden Death’. It is located at Warmoesberg/Rue Montagne-aux-Herbes-Potagères 7. Many people find the beautiful interior worth it alone, but they also have my favorite beers on tap. Lambic beer! Lambic beer has been fermented with fruits like strawbarries (Framboise), cherries (Kriek), or sugar (Faro). Even if you don’t like beer, these are much sweeter and tastier.
Delirium is another bar that is on the checklist for anyone who loves beer. This place boasts more than 2000 different kinds of beer from Duvel (Devil) with 8.5% alcohol to the labic beer we talked about earlier. If you can’t find a beer you like here, your probably not going to find a beer you like anywhere! Lots of tourists hang out here, but the place is huge! It is right off of Rue des Bouchers which I will talk about next. Right across from it is the Absynthe Bar which serves a lot of different kinds of absynthe. Located in the middle of them is the Mannekin Pis’ sister Jannekin Pis.
Zebra Bar is a place for people who are looking for cocktails, live music, and a cool clientale. For some reason whenever we went we missed live music by being too early or too late so I would check Zebra bar’s website for details. It’s a smaller place. It is located on St Gery where you will find good Indian and Thai food.
Tags: A la Mort Subite, Absynthe Bar, brussels bar, Cercueil, Delirium, Duvel, Grand Place, Hotel d'ville, Lambic beer, Mannekin Pis' sister Jannekin Pis, Zebra BarRelated posts
Brussels Things To Do
There are many fun things to do in Brussels. One of the nicest things to do in Brussels is have a picnic in a park.
Parc Cinquantenaire
Brussels has many green spaces where you will often find teens and adults alike hanging out after school or work. My favorite park is Parc Cinquantenaire. The main feature of this park is the Trimphal Arch. This Arch was supposed to be completed in 1880 in time for Belgium’s 50th aniversary of independence, but it wasn’t actually finished until 1905 where Brussels celebrated 75 years of Independence. Throughout the park there are statues, many trees with nice shade, and open, grassy areas. I would recommend stopping at a local shop and creating a picnic to enjoy by the fountain in the front area of the park.
Grand Place
The Grand Place is the main focal place of Brussels and has many things to do in the area. Probably one of the most beautiful squares in Europe. You may have seen pictures of the Grand Place when the giant flower carpet is laid out, but this only occurs every other August. All other times you might find special events going on, flower sales, and painters trying to sell their work. One time we visited there was a giant cartoon of Tin Tin taking up much of the square and another time there were hundreds of brides and grooms of Wallonia (French-speaking part of Belgium) and Flanders (the Flemish/Dutch speaking part of Belgium). The mayor was giving them a special ceremony to celebrate the coming together of both sides of the country.
Atonium
The Atonium is about 30 minutes outside of the city on tram and in my opinion isn’t really worth it. Unless you want to make a day of going into the Atonium (it’s only worth it on a clear day), going to Mini Europe, and wandering around the Chinese Park than I wouldn’t suggest taking the tram ride out there. It’s not a very good thing to do.
Parc de Bruxelles + Royal Palace
By the metro stop ‘Parc’ you will find the Park of Brussels and right across from it the Royal Palace. The park has many statues and green areas to lounge around and relax in the Brussels sunshine. The Royal Palace is no longer in use by the royal family, but there are still guards and a perfectly trimmed garden in front of it. Another thing to do in this area is go to the Belvue museum which is the museum of Brussels – Belgium history.
Musuem of Musical Instruments
A very popular thing to do is go to the Museum of Musical Intruments. If you go around the corner from the Royal Palace (to the right of it), you will run into a cute square with cobblestone streets and a museum on each street. The Museum of Musical Instruments will stand out to you on one of the side streets because it is an old iron and gold building and at the top says ‘The Old England’ building. The museum is a really cool thing to do because you get headphones and when you step on certain parts of the floor, you can hear the musical instrument you are looking at.
Tags: Atonium, Belgium history, Brussels, Brussels Things To Do, Grand Place, Museum of Musical Intruments, parc cinquantenaire, Parc de Bruxelles, Royal Palace, Trimphal Arch, WalloniaRelated posts
European Quarter in Brussels – Location of European Parliament
European Quarter
Brussels is nicknamed the capital of Europe because of the location of the Park Leopold and NATO. While NATO is located about 30 minutes outside of the city, the European quarter is a substantial area of the city. Housing the European Parliament, Commission, and Council, on any given week day the European Quarter is crowded with politicians and staffers rushing around.
The area known as the European Quarter is the area between Parc Cinquantinaire, Brussels Park, and Leopold Park.
In particular, Luxembourg Place (within the European Quarter and right outside the European Parliament) offers a few restaurants and many bars which cater to the staff after work. Places like Ralph’s and the American bar Fat Boys offer happy hour specials and good company. To get to the European quarter in Brussels, use the metro stop Shuman or Maelbeek. You can’t miss the EU’s buildings for most of the time they are posting large signs asking you to vote for something or encouraging you to become more involved in the political process. *Insider’s tip: Park Leopold is very pretty and offers some unique views of the European Parliament building.
Tags: Brussels Park, european parliament, european quarter, Leopold Park, Luxembourg Place, NATO, Parc Cinquantinaire, Park Leopold, parliament commissionRelated posts
Brussels Airports Guide
TO/FROM the AIRPORT
Brussels Airport (BRU): This is the main Brussels airport.
The cheapest way to get to/from the Brussels airport is the BUS. The line is number 12 on weekdays and 21 on weekends and nights. A one way ticket to and from the Brusels airport is 4 euro. At peak times, the bus comes about every 30 minutes, but always make sure to check the schedule - http://www.stib.be/index.htm?l=en
The second cheapest way to get to/from the Brussels airport is to take a train. Trains go to all the major train stations in Brussels.
Finally, you can always take a taxi to town, but I would always use this as a last resort or if you are traveling by yourself and have a hundred pounds of luggage like me on my first day of Brussels. It will cost you about 40-50 euros plus a small tip (usually just round up). Always use registered taxis and don’t listen to people trying to solicit you out of line.
Charleroi Airport
This is the second Brussels airport. To get to this Brussels Airport, you can either drive or take the shuttle bus. I would not recommend taking a taxi to this Brussels Airport because it is about an hour away from Brussels and could cost you 100 euros to get there.
The Charleroi shuttle bus starts and ends at Brussels Midi (the south train station). It is by the Thalys terminal. It costs 13 euro one way to get to the Brussels airport (Charleroi).
This Brussels airport is primarily for cheap airlines like Ryanair and while you can save a lot of money on these flights, keep in mind the extra transportation costs to get to/from the airport. It might just be worth it to pay 20 euro more and fly out of the main Brussels Airport (BRU)
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Transportation in Brussels – How To Get Around
Transportation in Brussels
The city of Brussels is connected by a great metro/bus/tram system. This system starts working at about 6am and goes until midnight. On the weekends, night busses run until 3am and it’s always worth it to have a schedule/map just in case you are having too much fun to be at home by midnight.
The Brussels Metro system is fairly easy to use. There are only 6 lines and there are maps everywhere. If you are living in the city for a month or more, it is worth it to pay 30 euro for the unlimited monthly metro pass. It works on all public transportation within the city! The next best option for people who are staying just for a few days is a 5 ticket pass or 10 ticket pass. The 5 ticket pass is about 8 euro and the 10 ticket pass is about 12 euro. A single ticket is about 1.75 euro, but if you buy a ticket from the bus driver than it is 2 euro. IMPORTANT: Those of you not used to European transit, most places require you to VALIDATE your ticket before getting on the metro. There are orange ticket machines before getting on the Brussels metro. Stick your ticket in and it stamps the time on it. You then have an hour to go anywhere on the network without having to use another stamp. *On busses/trams you will find the machine inside the cars.
Tags: Brussels Bus, Brussels Metro, Brussels Train, Brussels Tram, city of brusselsRelated posts
Travel Brussels Belgium W/ Lori
Many people overlook Brussels as well as Belgium in considering places to travel, however Brussels and Belgium should not be overlooked. While you won’t have a checklist of big name things to do in Brussels, it does offer some good culinary treats and a diverse crowd.
The Basics
How long should you spend in Brussels? I would suggest spending two days in Brussels and one day in Brugges as a day trip. One of your two nights should be spent at one of the many cool Brussels’ bars.
In Brussels, the majority of Belgians speak French, but it is helpful that about 20% of the population speaks Flemish (a dialect of Dutch). Because Brussels is such an international city, many people also speak at least a little bit of English. The only place I had trouble communicating was the post office, but they were able to find someone who spoke English. At times a language barrier can be hard, but in Brussels people are willing to help you out. Don’t be afraid to look a little foolish, the results are usually worth it.
Most people know about the chocolate and ‘French Fries’ Brussels is famous for, but there is also a lot of other cool stuff Brussels is famous for. Belgians practically worship the Mannekin Pis, a statue of a little boy peeing. Belgians also love their beer and you will find many bars in Brussels serving the standard Belgian beers. Enjoy learning about Brussels in blog.
Tags: bars in brussels, belgian beers, Brussels Belgium, mannekin pis, things to do in brussels, Travel BrusselsRelated posts
Gluten Free Recipes
There is much talk about gluten-free recipes and its impact on health. Gluten-free diets are recommended for those with celiac disease and wheat allergies. Here we will talk about some tasty gluten-free recipes to have you feeling better and healthier.
Let’s start with breakfast. One gluten-free recipe is oatmeal. The ingredients are: 1/2 C oil, 3/4 C sugar, 2 eggs, beaten, 3 C Gluten-free oatmeal, 1 tsp. baking powder, 1 tsp. salt, 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, 1 C milk, 1 tsp. vanilla. The directions are to first Mix oil, sugar and eggs. Second, add oatmeal, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, milk and vanilla. Finally pour in to a 9X9 pan and bake 350 for 30 minutes. This gluten-free recipes website came from http://www.gluten.net/recipes/.
A lunch or dinner option from the same gluten-free recipes website is chicken alfredo. The ingredients are 1 cup cooked, shredded chicken, 1/2 cup cooked broccoli, 2 tbsp. butter, 2 tbsp. cornstarch, 1 cup milk, 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese, Garlic powder, salt & pepper to taste, and Cooked rice pasta. First, in a medium saucepan, melt butter.
Second, whisk in cornstarch, milk, garlic powder, salt & pepper. Bring to a boil and cook until thickened. Finally, stir in cheese and stir until cheese is melted. This meal is versatile and you can cook it over and over again!
As always with cooking gluten-free recipes it is important to read food labels and be aware of products secretly made with gluten. If products contain such things as modified food starch, natural flavorings, spices, and caramel coloring, then they are not gluten-free. Gluten comes from the following grains barley, spelt, rye, and wheat.
Some foods you may eat without worrying if they contain gluten are potatoes, rice, eggs, fresh fruit, and fresh vegetables. In restaurants, gluten-free recipes are not common so you will want to be aware of such things as cross-contamination due to the oil chefs use to cook grilled foods. Also be aware of store clerks telling you a product if gluten-free, they might just be trying you to buy the food or are just unaware of its harms.
Whenever you are not entirely sure if the products you want for a gluten-free recipe contains gluten, it is best to check with the manufacturers. It’s always best to error on the side of caution.
Now it is time to try out your gluten-free recipes and enjoy them! Bon appetite!
Tags: Gluten Free Recipes