Niels in Austria :)

 

Yay! For those of you who have read my previous posts, you’ probably know that we have Niels as one of our contributors, right? Well, he shared another beautiful experience. And this time, it’s about AUSTRIA! 🙂

 

 

conventional long form: Republic of Austria

conventional short form: Austria

local long form: Republik Oesterreich

local short form: Oesterreich

etymology: the name Oesterreich means “eastern realm” or “eastern march” and dates to the 10th century; the designation refers to the fact that Austria was the easternmost extension of Bavaria, and in fact of all the Germans; the word Austria is a Latinization of the German name

AUSTRIA

Q:  Where are you from?

A:  I am from a beautiful small country called  Netherlands, a country between Germany and the UK. 

Q: When did you go to Austria? What do u like most about Austria? Elaborate or explain further.

A: I went to Austria in July 2015, first few days were extremely hot like 35 degrees, we also had much sun.  

What I like the most about Austria? The amazing and beautiful mountains of course! It all looks very pretty and I like the wild nature and high tops in the mountains… Also in Austria you see nice waterfalls and glaciers. 

Q: Can you tell us how far Austria is Netherlands? How long before you get there?

A:  Well we went there by car, we had to drive across Germany, I guess it is driving like 1200 km. 

Q:  What are the usual public transport in Austria?

A:  Mostly you’ll see bus and train as public transport, but we used the car. Also you’ll see mountain railways and cable cars to go up the mountain. 

Q: What is the most delicious Austrian food you have ever tasted?

A: I really like Apfelstrudel. This dish contains apple and raisins, it is nice warm and taste sweet, really delicious to eat after hiking in the mountains! 

 

Q: Where can we buy that food?

A: You can go restaurant, just try it at the Duisburger Hütte, all way up in the mountains.

It is also fantastic to eat a warm soup with fresh baked bread
Q: What are the estimated price of that food?

A: Not very cheap actually, I guess average plate prices are around the 6 or 7 euro.
Q: What are the cities you recommend?

A: Kalgenfurt is interesting place but not very special or giving a wow. When you really like romantic cities with nice churches and palaces go to Salzburg or Wien (Vienna) Austria is a country with many nice castles and palaces, so it is awesome to see this someday. And you know in palaces or castles everywhere you see details and designs. Like about every piece of the building has history and own unique design.

Q: What are the seasons in Austria?

A: You got 4 seasons in Austria. Winter, spring, autumn and summer. Most tourist go Austria in winter, just think about ski and ice skating.

 During the summer you can hike in the mountains. Spring and autumn are less popular because of the weather type.

 

Q: Please recommend festivals that tourists should experience.

A: Hmm maybe spot some folk dance in Austria? And yes during the winter sport you have après ski festivals.
Q: What’s your message to our friends who are considering to travel to Austria?

A: When you love nature so much go Austia, you will be surrounded by amazing mountains. You like to make nice mountain walks and see beautiful glaciers? Go to Austria because Austria has beautiful landscapes

 

Read more:

Top 10 Things to See and Do in Austria

Austrian Folk Dance

Food in Austria

Festivals in Vienna, Austria

Quote of the day! :) #1

Story of the Week: Greece

Hi everyone! So as you can see, this is our first article about Greece–thanks to my friend Yulia who has been really kind in sharing her experiences.  So for some of you who have read my posts, Yulia is from Russia and she works in Greece. And she gladly shared more about it for us guys. 🙂

You might be wondering why Yulia is working in Greece instead of Russia. Well, there are many reasons for that. She said, “I have to test myself being a tour guide. It has been my dream since I was young. Some of my friends are working in Turkey. I didn’t want to go there so I asked around and I found a company in Greece. I have now been working with them for 4 years.”

Moreover, “There’s also one in Russia but I have to pay for the flat, accommodation and transport. Unlike in Greece, they helped me out for everything, plane ticket, accommodation, food.”

It’s good to know that she’s having fun in Greece. But what does she like about Greece?

“Everything! It’s good to live there. Maybe the best country. People, food, climate. They have mountains, sea and nice culture. It’s really close to Russia. They also have the same religion with us, Russians. It’s easy to get used to it. It is also very safe, especially in Crete. You can go out anytime you wish, afternoon, evening. You won’t be in danger.”

Wow! Who doesn’t want safety, right? I think having that feeling of security is very important. Good places that show spectacular views and awesome people can be really exciting, but without security, it can be a disaster.  

Now, let’s have a look at some places.

This is in Chania, Crete [khan-nya]

“Chania is the second largest city of Crete and the capital of the Chania regional unit. It lies along the north coast of the island, about 70 km west of Rethymno and 145 km west of Heraklion” ~ Wikipedia

Anyway, let’s go talk about the people. “Greeks are talkative and handsome (at least for me). They are very open-minded, and they look after you.”Of course, there are differences between every nationality. Russian and Greeks per se; “Russians are somewhat cold, maybe because of the weather. I guess it affects the mood when it’s cold. Meanwhile, Greeks are really talkative. They  have a phrase, “Siga siga” it means Slowly slowly. They are not in a hurry, always relaxed.”

“Cretan dances traditional dances everywhere. You cannot find any celebration without this. They can easily find someone who can play traditional instruments. If you don’t know how to dance, everyone will say something about you. hahahaa.”

That’s very interesting Yulia! I guess it’s the same here, we like to dance and join festivals, but not the traditional dances though. It’s nice to know about this kind of practice. 

For the readers out there, as you know, in the Philippines, there are only two seasons; Rainy and Sunny. So how about in Greece? 

“Crete is a Southern Island. So seasons last longer there. There are some areas where it can be really snowy. May to November – high season, swim on Sunny Days.But in October, to November, it can be rainy. I left on the 29th of October, it rain stared to pour out but the day before that, it was sunny. So it depends.”

Is it cheaper to live in Greece than in Russia? 

No, it’s not. Recently, the currency in Russia is very low. My friend stays in Russia and it’s a bit difficult for him to sustain the lifestyle. For Russian travelers, it is expensive.

That’s tough. Well, I don’t know about you guys, but I surely want to explore the world, but if it is expensive for the natives and the ones who are already staying there, then it will be a challenge. 

Hmm, in that case, let’s talk about food instead. Thinking about the expenses make me hungry. 

In Greece, they eat a lot of meat, different kinds of cheese, and Greek salad.
They usually eat lamb or goats’ meat and they use a lot of vegetables. Surprisingly, they don’t eat fish, (at least for Cretans)

http://www.epicurious.com

How much is a regular meal in Crete, Greek?

From 7 to 10 Euros. It can be more expensive but of course, it depends on the ingredients or the meal.

Yes, you’re right! I think depending on the sources of those ingredients and its uniqueness, even popularity, it can make a huge impact on the prices. 

What cities do you recommend?

Meteora. I really recommend this. It is between Athens and Thessalonica.

http://www.getyourguide.com

Any tips for new travelers going to Greece?

Travel there! Visit this beautiful country to experience ancient history. It’s very unique. You can always find something interesting for you. 🙂

So there you have the Story of the Week. I hope you enjoyed reading and I look forward to hearing from you. 🙂

Enjoy your trips! 🙂

Read more:

*The Real Greek Salad 

 

Story of the Week: Greece!!

 

Hi everyone! So as you can see, this is our first article about Greece–thanks to my friend Yulia who has been really kind in sharing her experiences.  So for some of you who have read my posts, Yulia is from Russia and she works in Greece. And she gladly shared more about it for us guys. 🙂

 

 

 

 

You might be wondering why Yulia is working in Greece instead of Russia. Well, there are many reasons for that. She said, “I have to test myself being a tour guide. It has been my dream since I was young. Some of my friends are working in Turkey. I didn’t want to go there so I asked around and I found a company in Greece. I have now been working with them for 4 years.”

Moreover, “There’s also one in Russia but I have to pay for the flat, accommodation and transport. Unlike in Greece, they helped me out for everything, plane ticket, accommodation, food.”

It’s good to know that she’s having fun in Greece. But what does she like about Greece?

“Everything! It’s good to live there. Maybe the best country. People, food, climate. They have mountains, sea and nice culture. It’s really close to Russia. They also have the same religion with us, Russians. It’s easy to get used to it. It is also very safe, especially in Crete. You can go out anytime you wish, afternoon, evening. You won’t be in danger.”

Wow! Who doesn’t want safety, right? I think having that feeling of security is very important. Good places that show spectacular views and awesome people can be really exciting, but without security, it can be a disaster.  

Now, let’s have a look at some places.

This is in Chania, Crete [khan-nya]

“Chania is the second largest city of Crete and the capital of the Chania regional unit. It lies along the north coast of the island, about 70 km west of Rethymno and 145 km west of Heraklion” ~ Wikipedia

Anyway, let’s go talk about the people. “Greeks are talkative and handsome (at least for me). They are very open-minded, and they look after you.”Of course, there are differences between every nationality. Russian and Greeks per se; “Russians are somewhat cold, maybe because of the weather. I guess it affects the mood when it’s cold. Meanwhile, Greeks are really talkative. They  have a phrase, “Siga siga” it means Slowly slowly. They are not in a hurry, always relaxed.”

“Cretan dances traditional dances everywhere. You cannot find any celebration without this. They can easily find someone who can play traditional instruments. If you don’t know how to dance, everyone will say something about you. hahahaa.”

That’s very interesting Yulia! I guess it’s the same here, we like to dance and join festivals, but not the traditional dances though. It’s nice to know about this kind of practice. 

For the readers out there, as you know, in the Philippines, there are only two seasons; Rainy and Sunny. So how about in Greece? 

“Crete is a Southern Island. So seasons last longer there. There are some areas where it can be really snowy. May to November – high season, swim on Sunny Days.But in October, to November, it can be rainy. I left on the 29th of October, it rain stared to pour out but the day before that, it was sunny. So it depends.”

Is it cheaper to live in Greece than in Russia? 

No, it’s not. Recently, the currency in Russia is very low. My friend stays in Russia and it’s a bit difficult for him to sustain the lifestyle. For Russian travelers, it is expensive.

That’s tough. Well, I don’t know about you guys, but I surely want to explore the world, but if it is expensive for the natives and the ones who are already staying there, then it will be a challenge. 

Hmm, in that case, let’s talk about food instead. Thinking about the expenses make me hungry. 

In Greece, they eat a lot of meat, different kinds of cheese, and Greek salad.
They usually eat lamb or goats’ meat and they use a lot of vegetables. Surprisingly, they don’t eat fish, (at least for Cretans)

http://www.epicurious.com

How much is a regular meal in Crete, Greek?

From 7 to 10 Euros. It can be more expensive but of course, it depends on the ingredients or the meal.

Yes, you’re right! I think depending on the sources of those ingredients and its uniqueness, even popularity, it can make a huge impact on the prices. 

What cities do you recommend?

Meteora. I really recommend this. It is between Athens and Thessalonica.

http://www.getyourguide.com

Any tips for new travelers going to Greece?

Travel there! Visit this beautiful country to experience ancient history. It’s very unique. You can always find something interesting for you. 🙂

 

So there you have the Story of the Week. I hope you enjoyed reading and I look forward to hearing from you. 🙂

 

Enjoy your trips! 🙂

Read more:

*The Real Greek Salad 

 

Fabio Goes to Ukraine!

Buon giorno! My friend Fabio have recently gone to Ukraine and here’s his story.

conventional short form: Ukraine

local long form: none

local short form: Ukrayina

former: Ukrainian National Republic, Ukrainian State, Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic

etymology: name derives from the Old East Slavic word “ukraina” meaning “borderland or march (militarized border region)” and began to be used extensively in the 19th century; originally Ukrainians referred to themselves as Rusyny (Rusyns, Ruthenians, or Ruthenes), an endonym derived from the medieval Rus state (Kyivan Rus)

Q: Where are you from?

A: I’m from Italy. 

 

Q: Why did you go to Ukraine?

A: I went there to meet a friend. 

 

Q: Can you tell us how you traveled from Italy to Ukraine? How many hours was the trip?

A: By plane and once in Kiev, by train to reach the city I had to go to. I left home at 10:30am and I arrived in Kiev at around 17:35 (16:35 in Italy). But I arrived in that city only the morning after.

 

Q: What do you like most about Ukraine?

A: I like having the pride of freedom. By the way, here’s the Independence Square. 

 

Q: What is the most delicious Ukranian food you have ever tasted?

A: Borsht (борщ) is a really delicious soup!

Q: Where can we buy that food?

A: I think you can find it in restaurants and at your friends’ home. (And by that, Fabio meant in Ukraine and other nearby countries that offer this as their famous soup, ’cause I am sure that we don’t have this in my house.  😀 )

 

Q: What are the cities you recommend?

A:  Kiev seems really cool. They even told me about Leopoli/Lviv. Kharkiv is really pretty too! 

 

Q: What are the seasons in Ukraine?

A: It’s now winter, same as the countries in the boral hemisphere. 

 

 

Q: What is your message to our friends who would like to travel?

A: Go, maybe in late spring/summer if you don’t like cold. But it really deserves to be visited. I stayed just a few days, but I am sure I’ll go again. 

 

Well, Fabio says he’s coming back so I am sure that some of you are also looking for places to see and cultures to learn more about. Put Ukraine in your list and enjoy the city and the food. 🙂

 

Read more about:

* Borscht Soup Recipe 1

*Classic Ukrainian Borscht Recipe

*Things to do in Kiev, Ukraine

*10 Most Romantic Places to Visit in Ukraine

*Weather in Ukraine

 

Travel Journal: Laos – Back to Vientiane

I was very excited to go back to Vientiane.

          

          Here I was when I checked the bus number.  It departed at 8am. 

We arrived there at around 7PM.Unlike other ports, we can’t sleep there. The area closes at 8PM or 9PM.  We had to look for a place to stay. The experience from Luang Prabang wasn’t as exciting as Thailand. The travel time was so exhausting and a bit frightening. I am not sure how many times I wished I wasn’t there.Although, the good thing about Laos is, you can truly relax with its ambiance. It has its benefits especially to those who wishes to escape quick-paced living.See this pink paper below? These are our tickets going back to Vientiane Capital.

I never thought I would ever walk 1.5 km just to buy a bus ticket.

But I and my friend had to.

We walked continuously under a very warm weather.

I remember how I frequently had to apply sunblock. It was funny but truly uncomfortable.

The sun is fine, it was refreshingly new for both of us. Besides, we had no choice. We also had to bear getting sprayed-at numerous times! Imagine how awful we looked like before we got to the train station.

We finally got to the Bus Station where we bought the tickets. Getting there was very challenging.. So if you have plans of going to Vientiane or just anywhere in Laos, you have to make sure that you have “Useful Expressions in Lao” handy. Most of them do not speak English so you really have to get your useful expressions working immediately.

The pink ticket above costs more each in comparison to the ticket coming here. Going back costs 20,000 kip higher. But wait—along the bus trip, all of the bus passengers will have a chance to eat their famous Lao Noodle. 🙂

FLASHBACK: Laos – Back to Vientiane

I was very excited to go back to Vientiane.

          

          Here I was when I checked the bus number.  It departed at 8am. 

The view from the bus

We arrived there at around 7PM.Unlike other ports, we can’t sleep there. The area closes at 8PM or 9PM.  We had to look for a place to stay. The experience from Luang Prabang wasn’t as exciting as Thailand. The travel time was so exhausting and a bit frightening. I am not sure how many times I wished I wasn’t there.Although, the good thing about Laos is, you can truly relax with its ambiance. It has its benefits especially to those who wishes to escape quick-paced living.See this pink paper below? These are our tickets going back to Vientiane Capital.

I never thought I would ever walk 1.5 km just to buy a bus ticket.

But I and my friend had to.

We walked continuously under a very warm weather.

I remember how I frequently had to apply sunblock. It was funny but truly uncomfortable.

The sun is fine, it was refreshingly new for both of us. Besides, we had no choice. We also had to bear getting sprayed-at numerous times! Imagine how awful we looked like before we got to the train station.

We finally got to the Bus Station where we bought the tickets. Getting there was very challenging.. So if you have plans of going to Vientiane or just anywhere in Laos, you have to make sure that you have “Useful Expressions in Lao” handy. Most of them do not speak English so you really have to get your useful expressions working immediately.

The pink ticket above costs more each in comparison to the ticket coming here. Going back costs 20,000 kip higher. But wait—along the bus trip, all of the bus passengers will have a chance to eat their famous Lao Noodle. 🙂

Juanan Says Hola España!

conventional long form: Kingdom of Spain

conventional short form: Spain

local long form: Reino de Espana

local short form: Espana

etymology: derivation of the name “Espana” is uncertain, but may come from the Phoenician term “span,” related to the word “spy,” meaning “to forge metals,” so, “i-spn-ya” would mean “place where metals are forged”; the ancient Phoenicians long exploited the Iberian Peninsula for its mineral wealth

SPAIN

 

 

“Para mi España es un orgullo, me siento orgulloso de ser de un pais lleno de gente buena, simpatica y agradable, donde nos encanta recibir turistas y gente que aprecie nuestra cultura y nuestros lugares. España es un pais lleno de bonitos paisajes, de una magnifica arquitectura y de tantos y tantos lugares por ver. Ademas de contar con la mejor gastronomia que podras encontrar!! Sencillamente me encanta ser español!”

— Juanan

Q: Where are you from?

A: I am from Albacete, Spain!  
Q: What do u like about your city? Elaborate or explain further.

A: I love Albacete because its a quiet and calm city: you can do all what you want, and you can go walking quietly for everyplace! I like that we have beautiful montain villages at the south with nice landscapes! And if you like sport you can watch our local football team, or practice a lot of sports like tennis, football, paddel, etc! If you want to visit an amazing village you have to go to Alcala del Jucar which its one of the most beautiful villages of Spain! Albacete its very popular because we have interesting and very tasty wines and cheeses! Here we cultivate grapes so you can find amazing wines here! so if you want to do something different and to have a nice experience come here! A quiet, beauty and with good food city!

 

Q: Can you tell us how far Albacete is from the very popular Barcelona?

A: Albacete its very far from Albacete, 5 hours by car!

 

Q: What are the usual public transport in your city?

A:  Bus and train! we have a good connection with the most important cities by car or train.

 

Q: What is the most delicious Spanish food you have ever tasted?

A: Paella jajajaja I love Paella

Read more from:

* Traditional Spanish Paella

*How to make the Best Paella

 

Q: Where can we buy that food?

A You can find it in every restaurant.

 

Q: What are the estimated price of that food?

A: mmmm maybe 10-12 euros

 

Q: What are the cities you recommend? Explain.

A:  I recommend Granada, Cordoba, Sevilla, Madrid, Toledo and Barcelona. I like them! But you can go to other beautiful cities too! Spain its very interesting!! 

Granada, Spain 

 

~I like Cordoba because they have amazing architecture like La Mezquita de Cordoba.

La Mezquita de Cordoba

 

~Sevilla because there you can find a lot of spanish culture and you can see there beautiful monuments like the Cathedral or Plaza España.

~ Madrid because its the capital and for me one of the most amazing capitals around the world!

~ Toledo its the capital of my region. I like spending my time there.

 

~ Barcelona its very popular because Gaudi´s architecture

Q: What are the seasons in Spain? What activities can you do during summer that other nationalities don’t usually do?

A: We normally have 2 seasons: summer and winter, extreme weather here !! You can go to the beach. Here, it’s the most popular activity because we love sunbathing and go to the beach for eating something, drinking some cold drink! You can go to crowded beaches and if you want to prove something different you can go to our nudist and beautiful beaches for relaxing and try something different.

 

Q: Please recommend festivals that tourists should experience.

A: La Tomatina de Buñol, Las Fallas de Valencia, La Feria de Sevilla, La Feria de Albacete

Las Fallas de Valencia

La Feria de Albacete

 

Q:  What’s your message to our friends who are considering to travel to Spain?

A:  If you can to Spain you will enjoy a lot, its an amazing country and I am sure that you will come back lots of times!

 

Thank you very much Juanan! We really appreciate your effort to share the beauty of Spain. I will surely update this blog. So watch out for my posts soon.

 

If you have suggestions of the next place I should feature, please send me a message.

Or if you want to be a contributor, send me a message.

All photos in this blog are connected to its original source, don’t worry. 😉

To check out the contributor for this post, please check “Contributors” Page.

 

Read More:

 

*Best Restaurants in Spain

*Festivals in Spain

*La Feria de Albacete

*Las Fallas de Valencia

 

FLASHBACK: Laos ~ Tsoo tsoo: Train Travel!

Next Stop: LAOS

Laos is still part of Southeast Asia. Although the ambiance here and culture is more laid-back. I didn’t know what to expect. Me and my friend simply chose those countries close to each other. So the cheapest way, although not the fastest and easiest, is to do it by train. 

Courtesy of: Seat61.com. So this is the train we rode on our way to Nong Khai.

Sunrise in Nong Khai

I’d say we got bored since it’s a 12-hour train trip but it’s fine. Nothing beats experience. I constantly look at the map and eventually decided not to. The announcer was speaking in Tai-Kadai which was obviously derived from Thailand. I was a bit worried but since I am here, I have to take it and just wait.   Yay! We finally reached Laos. Now we have to ride the famous tuktuk and go to Vientiane! 😀 It looks like a tricycle of course but this is bigger.

Upon arrival,  People were talking to us and we’re just left in awe. Until they thought, “Ah maybe they aren’t Thai or Lao.” Yes you got that right! 🙂 “Sorry, we don’t speak Thai or Lao.”. Which they responded with: “Ah, are you from Myanmar?” 

Anyway, we finally arrived in Vientiane and we’re getting ready for another 12-hour ride. This time, by bus. A bus to Luang Prabang.

~~WELCOME TO LUANGPRABANG~~

Seung Jae explores Toronto, Canada

Annyeonghaseyo! How are you guys? Have you ever been to Canada?

Well, I haven’t. In today’s article, I will share with you Seung Jae’s experience. He answered some of our questions about his recent trip in Canada.

Conventional short form: Canada

Etymology: the country name derives from the St. Lawrence Iroquoian word “kanata” meaning village or settlement

Q: Where are you from?

A: I’m from Korea. 

Q: Why did you go to Canada?

A: I just want to see a snow mountain.

Q: Which city in Canada did you visit?

A: Toronto, Montreal 

Q: What do you like most about that city?

A: Best thing is people’s kindness.

Q: What is the most delicious food you have ever tasted there?

A:  Sandwich? I don’t know. Haha.

Q: Where can we buy that food?What are the estimated price of that food?

A: Actually I only ate food for survival…. sorry.

(Oh, don’t be sorry 승재. It’s totally fine. I believe that our budget shouldn’t stop us from traveling and if you only ate food for survival, then that’s great. The most important thing is you have experienced something new. Cheer up! 😀 )

Q: What is your message to our friends who would like to travel?

A: For me, language is a big barrier but when you go to other countries, you feel many things, so go now! 🙂 

Niagara Falls

Wow! Thank you Seung Jae for your message.
Fellow travelers, what are you waiting for? Even Seung Jae is taking risks and enjoying the time of his life. His answers may not be detailed but he is filled with enthusiasm. So my message to you guys is to just set a new challenge for yourselves and explore the world like Seung Jae.

So there you have it. Here are some details that could be helpful in your search for places to visit in Toronto, Canada.

References:

Wondering where to go in Toronto? Check this out!

>>Things to do in Toronto

>> When to Visit