Food is the gateway into a country's culture. It's through eating traditional cuisines that we learn about the ingredients native to the part of the world we are visiting and the history that influenced the foods popular there today. Upon seeing poppy seeds on the menu everywhere in Slovakia I learned that the countries of... Continue Reading →
Czechia is the country with the highest per capita beer consumption in the world, known for its pilsners, and any country that holds that record has to have the cuisine to balance out all that beer drinking! Czech cuisine is full of hearty dishes rich in meats, breads, potatoes, and soups, with many dishes being... Continue Reading →
Vienna (Wien) is the capital of Austria and one time capital of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, which left it full of intricate palaces and Baroque and Romanesque architecture. It's a culturally significant city, having once been home to classical musicians such as Beethoven and Mozart, and renowned psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud. Vienna today is elegant and refined, with its central arteries lined with restaurants and high end shopping.
Budapest, Hungary is a city of many personalities, as a result of the unification of the towns of Buda, Óbuda and Pest in 1873, with Buda and Óbuda on the west side of the Danube River linked to Pest on the east side by several bridges including the famed Chain Bridge. The Buda side is quieter, with the Buda... Continue Reading →
Bratislava is the one city that when I was telling people about my trip, was often met with "Where the heck is that?" The small capital of Slovakia is often overshadowed by the popularity of nearby Vienna, Prague, and Budapest. Bratislava became the capital of the Slovak Republic in 1993 following the Velvet Divorce that... Continue Reading →
If you're a fan of the macabre, there is a church in Czechia that is decorated in human bones known as the Sedlec Ossuary. It had been on my bucket list ever since I got into all things paranormal and morbid as a teenager, and with my recent trip to Prague I finally had a... Continue Reading →
I couldn't even be upset about the weather being misty and overcast while I was in Prague. It's one of those cities that's just as beautiful, if not more beautiful, in the rain as when the sun's shining. With its Gothic spires, cobblestoned streets, hilltop castle, and statue-lined Charles Bridge, Prague is moody and magical.... Continue Reading →
Belgium is the holy land for a beer lover. It's hard to even put into words how much impact this country has had in the beer economy. The influence of Belgian styles of beer can be found in modern breweries all over the world. Beer is such an iconic part of Belgian culture that it... Continue Reading →
The Netherlands is often overshadowed when it comes to beer, being bordered by Belgium and Germany, but in recent years it's seen a craft beer boom. From historic giants like Heineken and Grolsch, to the more up-and-coming independent microbreweries, there's no shortage of good beer in the Netherlands. Here are all of the brews I... Continue Reading →
Nestled between France, Belgium, and Germany is the country of Luxembourg. It might be one of the smallest countries in Europe, but is known for its strong economy and as a headquarters for many business and finance operations. It is also known for its rich culture and heritage, heavily influenced by its French and German... Continue Reading →
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