Europe

Where are the Aluminum Cans in Europe?

The other day I was looking around and it dawned on me that something was strange. All of the soft drinks and beer in the super market were in bottles. In fact everything was in either bottles with only a few items in plastic. The only exception was milk and[…]

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Nazi Salute Illegal in Germany

I had absolutely no idea that anyone caught doing the Nazi salute (or Hitler salute) in Germany would be fined and thrown in jail. At the time of the Nazis it was common to hold the right arm at an upward straight angle and utter the words “Heil Hitler!” and[…]

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Döner Kebap, My Favorite Sandwich

When I landed in Copenhagen, Denmark, I stayed at the amazing Generator Hostel there and met some amazing people from Dresden, Germany. They told me I absolutely MUST try two things while in Germany: currywurst and döners. Once I arrived in Berlin I tried both. I wasn’t so impressed with[…]

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Missing Two Eggs

I just returned from my short trip to the super market to buy some food for my new flat in Berlin. I was so excited to finally be able to cook my own meals and save some money. Don’t get me wrong, I love to eat out, but it can[…]

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German Nude Beaches

I was told we were going to a normal German beach, but I had no idea a normal beach was about 60% nude and if you were wearing a swim suit you were in the minority. Shortly after arriving in Berlin I learned that expats like myself find most of[…]

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German Dogs in Businesses

I looked up from my laptop in the coffee shop to see two dogs sniffing each other as the owners of each pet talked about their pets. One was a big brown Lab and the other some small mix dog, clearly this was not the ideal physical ratio for a[…]

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German Newspaper Holder (Zeitunghalter)

I have no idea of other parts of the US have this gadget I am seeing everywhere in Europe, but this newspaper holder is simple and brilliant! I can’t even remember how many times a newspaper has become separated or disorganized while I was trying to read it. In Germany[…]

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German Bike Paths 101

I honestly had no idea I was in the way when someone on a bike started ringing their little bell and yelling at me. Darn it! I was walking on the side walk–or so I thought. After the biker wizzed past, giving me the European equivalent of the finger, I[…]

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Alternatives to Car Ownership

After spending some time here in Berlin, I’m wondering why Americans don’t walk or ride bikes more. Why are we so addicted to our cars? I’ve been without a car now for two months and I’m really enjoying it. Everyday I load up a small computer backpack and walk to[…]

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European Travel Tips

There are a lot of things I’ve learned while traveling in Europe that I wish someone would have told me before I started. I’m passing these along to readers to save you some time in the learning curve. Ticket Validation: Every country I’ve been to so far sells tram or[…]

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The Best and Worst of Prague Czech Republic

Prague was on my list of the top seven cities to see in Europe, so when I was in Dresden I discovered that Prague was only a few hours away by bus. So, although I had not planned on going to Prague so soon in my trip, it financially made[…]

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The Best of Dresden Germany

I’d put Dresden on my list of must see places in Germany. Below are some of the things I love about Dresden. Beauty: If you like old, beautiful buildings, Dresden will be a amazing experience. The city is divided north and south into two zones called the old city and[…]

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