All posts tagged: Germany

Karlsruhe Zoo – Is It A Park With A Zoo Or A Zoo With A Park?

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After driving around in circles for what seemed hours (but was only a few minutes), we found a parking garage and parked. Phew! Glad that was over..We’d been following our friend through the modern and very clean city of Karlsruhe – trying not to lose him, while at the same time making sure we were not running red lights or breaking the law! (Karlsruhe is located 50km south of Heidelberg) For a city this large it was strange to see plenty of parked cars by the side of the road but few people actually walking about. Street after street of parked cars, but there was no inclination that there could possibly be a park – let alone a zoo in this neighbourhood. Once we’d parked the car, we came out of the underground garage into a large open plaza surrounded by buildings. On the far side were a few trees and off we went towards them – still wondering how they’ve managed to hide a zoo in the middle of the city. We got to …

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Dress for the Fest – Oktoberfest!

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A few months back, Gail and I were telling her BFF about our trip to Germany and our Oktoberfest experience when she said: “Let’s get dressed in the German outfits and go to Oktoberfest in Kitchener this year!” Having gone to Oktoberfest in Stuttgart, it was seeming kind of odd that we’d travelled some 5,000+ kilometres to Germany, but had never bothered to drive an hour up the highway to visit Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario for Oktoberfest – especially since it’s said to be Canada’s best Bavarian Festival! Gail & I looked at each other…and thought, hmmm not a bad idea, but we’re not German – wouldn’t we be insulting them if we bought authentic Bavarian outfits and went to Oktoberfest as frauds? What to do!? … Google it (of course)! After a bit of quick research we found that there’s absolutely nothing wrong with dressing up as Bavarians – quite the opposite in fact! Information we found indicated that lots of people get in the spirit and “fake it ‘til they make it” at Oktoberfest – …

Eight Cities To Visit – Where You Can Live Like A Local Without Breaking The Bank

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TORONTO, May 9, 2013 /CNW Telbec/ – Travelling ain’t cheap. After flights, hotels and food, there is little left in the wallet for attractions and excursions. This is why so many Canadians travelling on a budget turn to all-inclusive packages where one payment can take care of it all. While this is great for some, the downside is that staying within resort grounds may mean missing out authentic experiences and culture the destination has to offer. The Hotel Price Index can help travellers find affordable destinations, like Hanoi, to gain authentic cultural experiences. So what’s a world explorer – on a budget – to do? Well, turns out you can have the best of both worlds. The travel experts at Hotels.com® have sorted through their Hotel Price Index™ (HPI™) to find eight interesting destinations where you can have an authentic cultural experience without going broke.

European Visitors Flock To Central America

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Central America was a big hit with European visitors in 2012 according to new figures released by the ministries of tourism of the seven Central American countries. In total Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama – received 832,567 European visitors last year, an increase of nearly 16 per cent when compared to the previous year. The German and British markets experienced the biggest growth last year, and were up by nine per cent and seven per cent respectively. Spain continues to be the main European outbound market for Central America with 151,202 visitors in 2012, followed by Germany (120,911 visitors) and the UK in third place (107,101 visitors). While Costa Rica continues to be the most popular destination for British visitors, a growing interest in the Maya culture and the celebration of the start of a new era according to the Maya calendar resulted in a huge surge in visitors to Guatemala, which received 31,286 British visitors in 2012, 27 per cent more than in 2011. Honduras, another destination with a …

Oktoberfest Comes Alive At Night – Wunderbar!

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Stuttgart, Germany – Last year we sampled Oktoberfest during the day [here] and it was a family-friendly atmosphere with beer, dancing on the benches  and singing thrown in for good measure, but what about at night when the adults come out to play? We made a special trip to Stuttgart in the evening to sample the bright lights and the full beer halls in all their glory and I can honestly tell you….. it ain’t nothin’ like the daytime!!! We arrived just in time to have some dinner – around 5:30pm and the halls were filled already. Which one do you choose? We tried a couple during the day, but settled on spending our entire evening in the Dinkelacker beer hall. You have to book months in advance to get in the front section by the band, but we were quite happy to go the back of the hall to watch as the party unfolded before us. The tables seat 30-40 people, but sitting isn’t what you’re there for – standing on the long benches …

Global Travellers Want to Keep Connected

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– Wi-Fi and creature comforts are hotel amenity must- haves LONDON, Feb. 20, 2013 /CNW/ –  Global travellers are looking for a home-from-home experience when they stay in a hotel according to the latest research from leading online accommodation booking service, Hotels.com®. Topping the list of must-have hotel amenities are free Wi-Fi and free food and beverages, with caffeine being a must. All the rest is just well… extra.   Staying Connected…for Free 34 per cent say free Wi-Fi is the number one factor in choosing a hotel even on leisure stays. 56 per cent of respondents said free Wi-Fi was their number one must-have when travelling for business. 66 per cent indicated free Wi-Fi is the amenity they most wish would become standard at all hotels in 2013. Free Wi-Fi trumps both free parking and complimentary breakfast when it comes to choosing a hotel for both leisure and business travel, showing that access to the online world is a necessity for modern-day travellers with over a third still looking to stay connected whilst on their …

Beer, Dirndl, Germany, Mercedes-Benz Museum, Oktoberfest, Stuttgart, Volksfest, Travelbloggers.ca

Oktoberfest Isn’t Just For Beer Drinkers – Stuttgart, Germany

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If you are ever in the Stuttgart area of Germany around the end of September/beginning of October, you owe it to yourself to visit the second-largest Oktoberfest in the world – the Volksfest (September 28 – October 14). If you think Oktoberfest is just for beer drinkers, you’re wrong, there’s something for everyone! There are craft displays, lots of food vendors, huge beer tents and midway rides like you’ve never seen before! They are so elaborate it’s hard to imagine they aren’t permanent structures. Entire families – Germans of all ages (including teenagers!) – get into the Oktoberfest spirit by coming out in traditional garb, it’s truly a sight to see. Entry is free for everyone and parking is very reasonable at just €5 for the day and night (if you can last that long!). We arrived at opening (11am) and spent all day, but were simply too exhausted to stay around to enjoy what we understand to be the very “spirited” evening atmosphere – but for us, that’s a good excuse to go back …