Wanderlusts of Travtar
Wallet-friendly adventure awaits!
Travtar.com is a marketplace where travelers can buy and sell their unused hotel reservations.
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Smart Traveler’s Guide to Nonrefundable Hotel Reservations
Murphy’s Law states that if something can go wrong it probably will. And how many of us haven’t had that happen? You book an awesome nonrefundable hotel deal only to find out later you won’t be able to use it.It’s bad enough that you can’t go, but now, on top of that, you end up losing some serious cash in the process.
First, let’s try to understand why hotels offer these nonrefundable rates in the first place.Well, hotels used to “sell” rooms that you would pay for when you arrived.But if you didn’t show up to claim the room, the hotel not only wouldn’t be paid but they also wouldn’t have time to find someone else to take your room.So to keep that from happening, hotels started offering nonrefundable rates so that they would get paid whether you show up or not.
Now, what do you do when you’ve made a nonrefundable booking that you can’t use anymore? Well you’ve got a few options:
Be really, really, really nice. Call the front desk at the hotel and ask if they’ll make an exception and cancel your hotel booking. Don’t be put out if they don’t; this is them doing you a favor and sometimes they just can’t.
Try changing the dates of the reservation. Call the hotel and ask them to change the dates on the reservation. Then cancel normally and you won’t be charged for anything. This usually works if you’ve made a hotel reservation that has a cancellation policy that allows you to cancel up to some number of days in advance of the check-in date. So if the cancellation policy says you can cancel up until 72 hours before the check-in date and you’re 48 hours away from the check-in date you can call and ask them to change the dates. Then you can cancel as you normally would.
Sell your unused hotel reservation to someone else. This is an interesting option because you can hedge the risk you took in booking a nonrefundable room and make back some of the money you would have otherwise lost. Basically, when someone buys an unused hotel reservation, the name on the booking is transferred from the seller’s name to the buyer’s name. If you decide to sell your hotel reservation consider using us. Travtar gives a lot of credibility to selling unused hotel reservations.
- Verified hotel reservations. We make sure every hotel reservation posted on Travtar is legitimate so that buyers feel safe and are a lot more interested in buying someone else’s hotel reservation.
- Complete information. Travtar provides all the information the buyer needs on the hotel and the reservation and that makes for a lot less work on the seller’s part.
- Transferring the reservation.Travtar takes care of transferring the reservation from the seller to the buyer so that’s one less thing the seller needs to worry about.
These are all methods you can use to try to avoid losing money on hotel reservations that can’t be cancelled.Do you have any other methods you use?
FYI, Travtar is a marketplace where travelers can buy and sell unused hotel reservations.
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Last Minute Hotel Deals for Superbowl 2013 in New Orleans, Louisiana
An epic Superbowl match up awaits only a few days away between the Baltimore Ravens and the San Francisco 49ers. Here’s some awesome last minute hotel deals by people who made a hotel booking but can’t go anymore.
How does that work? Well, reach out to us about the hotel deal you’re interested in and we’ll connect you to the seller. All you need to do is show up with a heart full of love for your team.
Hilton New Orleans Airport | 901 Airline Drive, Kenner, LA
Number of Nights: 2
Check-in: February 2, 2013 at 3 pm
Check-out: February 4, 2013 at 1 pm
Room: 2 Double Beds
Price: $1,000 USD total stay
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Hotel Kenner | 4535 Williams Blvd., Kenner, LA
Number of Nights: 3
Check-in: February 1, 2013 at 3 pm
Check-out: February 4, 2013 at Noon
Amenities: Complimentary Wi-Fi, Complimentary airport shuttle
Price: $1,077 total stay
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St. Vincent’s Guest House | 1507 Magazine St., New Orleans, LA
Number of Nights: 3Check-in: February 1, 2013
Check-out: February 4, 2013
Price: $897 total stay
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La Quinta Inn | 794 East I-10 Service Rd., Slidell, LA
Number of Nights: 4
Check-in: February 1, 2013 at 3 pm
Check-out: February 5, 2013 at Noon
Room: King-size Bed
Amenities: Free Wi-Fi, Free Parking, Free breakfast
Price: $1,370 total stay
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Travel Best Inn | 2240 Veterans Blvd., Kenner, LA
Number of Nights: 3
Check-in: February 1, 2013 at 3 pm
Check-out: February 4, 2013 at Noon
Room: 2 Double Beds
Amenities: Free Wi-Fi, Free Breakfast, Free Parking
Price: $750 total stay
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Comfort Suites Airport | 2710 Idaho Ave., Kenner, LA
Number of Nights: 3 nights
Check-in: February 1, 2013 at 3 pm
Check-out: February 4, 2013 at 11 am
Room: 2 Queen Beds
Amenities: Free Wi-Fi, Free Breakfast, Free Airport Shuttle
Price: $1,123 total stay
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Comfort Inn Marrero | 6751 Westbank Expressway, Marrero, LA
Number of Nights: 3
Check-in: February 1, 2013 at 3 pm
Check-out: Februrary 4, 2013 at Noon
Room: 2 Queen Beds
Amenities: Free Wi-Fi, Free Breakfast, Free Coffee
Price: $1,350 total stay
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Hampton Inn Slidell | 56460 Frank Pichon Rd., Slidell, LA
Number of Nights: 2
Check-in: February 2, 2013 at 3 pm
Check-out: February 4, 2013 at Noon
Room: King Suite (1 King bed + 1 Sofa bed)
Price: $1,500 total stay
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DoubleTree New Orleans Airport | 2150 Veterans Blvd., Kenner, LA
Number of Nights: 3
Check-in: February 1, 2013 at 3 pm
Check-out: February 4, 2013 at Noon
Amenities: Free Wi-Fi, Free Breakfast, Free Parking
Price: $1,000 total stay
Just contact us at info@travtar.com if you’re interested in any of these hotel reservations!
*FYI, Travtar.com is a marketplace where travelers can buy and sell their nonrefundable hotel reservations.* -
NYE in the NYC | Hotel rooms still available
New York City is a pretty fantastic place to be. New Year’s Eve is a pretty fantastic event. What do you get when you put them together? An unforgettable night (or, if you do your job really well, you won’t remember anything)!
New Year’s Eve in New York City is unlike any other NYE experience. There’s two reasons to celebrate New Year 2013: It’s the new year and, more importantly, WE SURVIVED THE END OF THE WORLD!
What better place to look forward to the upcoming year than in the “concrete jungle where dreams are made of”? And there’s nothing like standing in Times Square, rubbing shoulders with strangers and forgetting about the cold because of the body heat emanating from thousands of people as excited to be there as you.
For those of you worried about finding a place to crash on the biggest night of the year, worry not!
HERE ARE A FEW PEOPLE WHO BOOKED HOTELS AND CAN’T MAKE IT ANYMORE AND WANT TO GIVE THEIR RESERVATION TO SOMEONE ELSE WHO’D LIKE TO PARTY IN NEW YORK CITY FOR NYE.
*TO BUY ONE OF THESE RESERVATIONS FROM THE OWNER, EMAIL: INFO [AT] TRAVTAR [DOT] COM*
TIMES SQUARE
DoubleTree Guest Suites by Hilton | 1568 Broadway, New York, NY 10036
Number of Nights: 1
Check-in: December 31, 2012 at 3 pm EST
Check-out: January 1, 2013 at 12:00 pm (noon) EST
Room: Premium Suite, Living Room, Sofa Bed, Queen Bed, City View
Amenities: Complimentary Internet, complimentary breakfast for 2, complimentary upgrade (if available)
Price: $3000 USD ($1,084 USD less than hotel’s rate of $4,084 USD)
TripAdvisor Reviews:
- 2544 reviews of Doubletree Guest Suites Times Square in New York City
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Sheraton Times Square Hotel | 811 7th Avenue, New York, NY 10019
Number of Nights: 2
Check-in: December 30, 2012 at 3 pm EST
Check-out: January 1, 2013 at 12:00 pm (noon) EST
Room: King Bed
Amenities: Complimentary Internet, complimentary bottled water
Price: $1000 USD (No available rates on hotel website as it is sold out)
TripAdvisor Reviews:
- 415 reviews of Sheraton New York Times Square Hotel in New York City
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Flatotel Times Square | 135 West 52nd Street, New York, NY 10019
Number of Nights: 1
Check-in: December 31, 2012 at 4 pm EST
Check-out: January 1, 2013 at 11 am EST
Room: One Bedroom Suite, King Bed, Full-sized Kitchen, 2 Bathrooms (Full and Half Baths)
Price: $750 (No available rates on hotel website as it is sold out)
TripAdvisor Reviews:
- 823 reviews of Flatotel in New York City
CENTRAL PARK
Park 79 Hotel | 117 West 79th Street New York, NY 10024 (Upper West Side)
Number of Nights: 7
Check-in: December 29, 2012 at 4 pm EST
Check-out: January 5, 2013 at 11 am EST
Room: One Bedroom Suite
Price: Best Offer (No available rates on hotel website as it is sold out.)
TripAdvisor Reviews:
- 713 reviews of Park 79 Hotel in New York City
*TO BUY ONE OF THESE RESERVATIONS FROM THE OWNER,
EMAIL: INFO [AT] TRAVTAR [DOT] COM*
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Fun Guided Tours in the US & Europe
I like to do self-guided tours when I travel, but once in a while I’ll spring for a guided tour if it’s a good value and takes me further afield than I’m willing to go by myself. Here are a few tours that I particularly liked:
Salzburg Panorama “THE SOUND OF MUSIC” Tour
Salzburg, Austria
Wolfgangsee, “Salzkammergut” Lake District. Photo credit: Misun Kim
Yes, “The Sound of Music” with Julie Andrews. Some of the scenes were filmed at sites in Salzburg, such as The Mirabell Gardens (“Do-Re-Mi”), Nonnberg Abbey, and the cathedral in the town of Mondsee. This tour will drive you to all of the filming sites, along with most of the major cultural attractions in Salzburg. The real treat is taking the bus up to the Lake District in the Alps.
I was only in Salzburg for two days, and I wasn’t willing to rent a car or venture up to the villages in the Lake District by myself. It was the first time I had ever seen the Alps, and it was breathtaking to see one snow-covered peak after another as far as I could see. This tour gave me the perfect snapshot of Salzburg and the Lake District in one afternoon during my short stay.
The tour mostly consisted of Americans, Britons, and Australians. The Austrians can’t understand why we Yanks/Brits/Aussies keep asking about “The Sound of Music”. The movie never caught on in Austria and the Austrians have their own (and more historically accurate) version. Our tour guide was British with a very British sense of humor.
Go if: You are only staying for a short while but would still like to see everything, and if you like “The Sound of Music” and don’t mind corny.
Don’t go if: You can’t stand corny or anything “The Sound of Music” stands for (i.e.: 1960s musical with rosy-cheeked children frolicking about in gardens). Yes, they play the music from the film during the bus ride.Tour Price: EUR 37 for adults. Children are free.
Duration: 4 hoursLondon Walks JACK THE RIPPER Walk
London, United Kingdom
London’s East End. Photo credit: Misun Kim
When embarking on your Jack the Ripper tour, make sure you go with this guy: Donald Rumbelow, author of The Complete Jack the Ripper. Rumbelow is Britain’s most distinguished crime historian, and he makes the walk through the East End at night a truly unique experience. He takes you to the sites of the murders, and what is most striking is that much of the architecture in London’s East End is considerably unchanged since the time of the gruesome killings. He’ll lead you through the same cobbled streets, dark corners, and tenement housing complexes that the victims traveled through back in 1888.
These tours are very popular, and even when I went on a Monday night there was a crowd. I didn’t think the tour would be able to keep its creepy element with such a throng, but Rumbelow somehow managed to do it.
Go if: You’d like to experience a different side of London, narrated by a master storyteller.
Don’t go if: I can’t really think of a reason why you shouldn’t, although I wouldn’t recommend very young children be present because some of the details are gruesome.Tour Price: £9 for adults, £7 for seniors, free for children under 15 if accompanied by a parent.
SANDEMANs New Europe Tours
Amsterdam, Berlin, Brussels, Copenhagen, Dublin, Edinburgh, Hamburg, London, Jerusalem, Madrid, Munich, Paris, Prague, Tel Aviv
The view of Prague from the Castle District, Czech Republic. Photo credit: Misun Kim
SANDEMANs offers FREE tours conducted by local experts. They’re committed to providing travelers with the best tours possible, no matter how small the budget. I took two of these tours in Prague and was very impressed by both sets of tours and guides. The first tour was free and took us through the streets of Old Prague and the Jewish Quarter. Our guide was a history expert and it was riveting to hear stories of how many times the city of Prague changed hands—from medieval Bohemia to the Holy Roman Empire, the Nazis and the Communists. You develop a strong sense of admiration for the city and its resilience.
The free tour was so good that the next day I took the Castle Tour for EUR 13 (EUR 10 if you’re a student). Our guide took us through the Castle District at the top of the hill and we got to tour Prague Castle and St. Vitus Cathedral. It was our guide’s first tour and he didn’t tell us until the end, but he was so good we couldn’t even tell.
At the end of the tour, you tip your guide however much you want (or you don’t, but I gave a generous tip both times because it’s a long tour and they work so hard). These tours tend to attract a lot of young solo travelers, and it’s a good way to make friends for the rest of your trip.
Go if: You want a good, comprehensive tour but don’t have a lot of money to spare.
Don’t go if: You don’t like free stuff.Duration: 3 hours
South Beach DUCK TOURS
South Beach, Miami
Mansions on Hibiscus Island in Biscayne Bay. Photo credit: Misun Kim
In some cities, duck tours and the like are regarded with various degrees of annoyance. What with their loud tour guides, the boatload of quacking tourists, and having to share the road with this monstrous amphibious vehicle, I suppose I can understand. I didn’t find that to be the case in South Beach where the locals are pretty much up for anything. They would wave to us, join in on the quacking, and shake their butts to the Cuban music blasting from the speakers. It was a fun time.
The tour takes you through South Beach and its Art Deco neighborhoods before splashing down in Biscayne Bay. You motor past Star, Palm, and Hibiscus Islands where the rich and fabulous have their mansions (think Rosie O’Donnell, P.Diddy, and the guy who invented the magnetic strip on the back of credit cards). If you catch the sunset tour, you get to see the sun set over the bay and it’s quite beautiful.
Go if: You’d like to see Millionaire’s Row and take a trip around Biscayne Bay without having to rent your own boat.
Don’t go if: You’re susceptible to sea sickness. The ride was relatively smooth, but the water was choppy at some parts. Or, take a half dose of Dramamine before you leave.
Tour price: Adults $32, Seniors $26, Children $18 (4-12 years), Children $5 (0-3 years)
Duration: 90 minutes
You must make reservations to secure a spot!Oceana Naval Air Station Tour
Virginia Beach, Virginia
Waiting for fighter jets to take off at Oceana Naval Base. Photo credit: Misun Kim
Nothing is cooler than watching Super Hornet fighter jets takeoff as you sit on the same tarmac. This tour will get you a close-up look into US Navy’s Master Jet Base, NAS Oceana, home to over 300 Hornet and Super Hornet fighter jets. A ticket includes a ride atop a vintage British double-decker bus (vintage=no air-conditioning), a hot lunch, and access to the base’s Aviation Historical Park (“The Petting Zoo”) where you can get up close to the retired Tomcats, Banshees, Panthers, and more. The tour is led by a retired navy officer who can handily answer any questions you may have.
Go if: You’d like to take a break from the beach and watch navy personnel go about their daily duties. Watching fighter jets zoom past you is a once-in-a-lifetime kind of experience.
Don’t go if: You are over 16 and don’t own a photo I.D. You won’t be able to get into the base without one.
Ticket Prices: Adults $13, Seniors $10, Children $10 (5-12), Children under 5 are free.
Duration: 2.5 hours-Misun Kim, Contributing Editor
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Free Things to do in London during the London Olympics
London plays proud host to the 2012 Olympics this July and August. While tourist business will be booming, visitors will be paying a premium for flights and hotels. Here’s a list of awesome free things to do that will help keep you on budget:
- Watch a live football (soccer) game at a pub on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon.
- Take a walk through Hampstead Heath and tour Kenwood House.
- Go art hunting in Canary Wharf.
Statues in Canary Wharf. Photo credits: Misun Kim
- Eat your way for free at Borough Market by trying samples of absolutely everything.
- Watch the street performers on Queen’s Walk.
- Visit the Museum of London, National Gallery, British Library, or British Museum (other free museums: Tate Modern, Victoria and Albert Museum, Tate Britain, Wallace Collection, Science Museum, Natural History Museum).
- Fly a kite on Primrose Hill.
London skyline from Primrose Hill. Photo credits: Misun Kim
- Take a Sandemans New Europe London tour.
- People-watch in Trafalgar Square.
- Frolic with sheep and llamas at Mudchute Farms.
- Whittle away an afternoon at Daunt Books and plan your next adventure (83 Marylebone High Street).
Daunt Books. Photo credits: Misun Kim
- Browse an outdoor market and soak in the bustling atmosphere with free entry into Camden Markets, Portobello Road Markets, and Petticoat Lane Markets (just to name a few).
Don’t forget to check out my previous post on Cheap Eats: London!-Misun Kim, Contributing Editor -
Sultry SoBe
South Beach, Miami. Photo credit: Misun Kim
STAY
Loews South Beach Hotel. Photo credit: Misun Kim.
Loews South Beach—South Beach’s largest luxury resort hotel in proper futuristic Art Deco style. It’s oceanfront with a huge pool, and very family-friendly. Only one block from shopping on Lincoln Road and at the end of Ocean Drive. Staff is extremely friendly and helpful, and even though there are hundreds of people staying at this hotel, they somehow manage to greet you by name when you walk in.
1601 Collins Avenue
Miami Beach, Florida, 33139
Phone: (305) 604-1601The Delano—An extremely sophisticated “Urban Resort” hotel that throws open its doors at night for the chic and fabulous to come and mingle (read: not family-friendly). The grounds are beautifully lit at night. If you reserve 21 days in advance you will receive 15% off their best available rate. On offer: penthouse, suites, rooms, apartments, and bungalows.
1685 Collins Avenue
Miami Beach, FL 33139
Phone: (305) 672-2000SEE
Ocean Drive, South Beach. Photo credit: Misun Kim.
Ocean Drive—South Beach’s main drag where activity #1 is people-watching. The sidewalk cafes and restaurants are generally good with lower prices earlier in the day. Palm trees and Art Deco hotels line this street, and the welcome center is located here as well.
Espanola Way—A very picturesque street with kitschy European-inspired architecture and more outdoor eateries.
Hibiscus and Palm Islands—Two of the few exclusive residential islands that dot Biscayne Bay and inhabited by the likes of P.Diddy, Enrique Iglesias, and Rosie O’Donnell. These islands are not private, and if you have a car you can drive over and marvel over the properties.
Villa Vizcaya. Photo credit: Misun Kim.
Villa Vizcaya & Gardens—It’s a bit further afield but well worth the trip to this National Historic Landmark. Built in 1916 by a wealthy agriculturalist named James Deering, his mansion is now a museum and you can wander his ten acres of beautifully cultivated gardens. Check the calendar to catch their Moonlight Garden Tours and screenings of silent films in the villa’s courtyard.
EAT
News Café ($)—One of the many cafes that line Ocean Drive, but this one is open 24 hours. Patrons sit and people-watch all hours of the day while sipping coffee or digging into entrees of generous proportions. Breakfast is standard fare but good and served in a jiffy. 800 Ocean Drive.
Puerto Sagua ($)—The décor is unimpressive and the service is indifferent, but the food is some of the best Cuban food around and heralded by locals and tourists alike. Try the shredded beef “Cuban style” and you’ll be dreaming about it for days after. 700 Collins Avenue.
Yuca ($$)—An acronym for Young Urban Cuban-Americans, Yuca is a standout amongst the many restaurants that line Lincoln Road for its upscale Latino cuisine (they call it “Nuevo Latino”). The menu is indeed innovative and we loved the “Saquitos de Hongo”, or mushrooms stuffed with spinach ricotta and goat cheese. After dinner, head upstairs to the bar and learn how to Salsa. After the Salsa lesson, they open up the floor so you can put to use what you just learned. Even if you don’t dance, it’s fun to see South Beach’s best salsa the night away. We came back the next night. 501 Lincoln Road.
Nobu ($$$)—If you’re willing to drop some major cash on food, we recommend you do it here. Chef Nobu Matsuhisa has outdone himself again at his Miami establishment. Even if you don’t eat sushi, the palm salad and beef toban-yaki will not disappoint. You must make reservations, and if you break or cancel your reservation you will be charged $50 for every member of your party. 1901 Collins Avenue.
SHOPPING
Lincoln Road—South Beach’s main shopping road with plenty of outdoor cafes and restaurants. Walk west from Collins Avenue and Lincoln Road becomes a pedestrian thoroughfare with stores like Anthropologie, French Connection, and Taschen. Visit this website for a full list of stores and eateries.
Collins Avenue—You can find upscale shopping on Collins Avenue between 6th and 9th streets, including DASH, the Kardashian family’s South Beach outpost.
THINGS TO DO
Bike rentals—Bike stands are located throughout South Beach and you can borrow one for $4 for 30 minutes or $5 for an hour. There is a wide bike path that runs parallel to Ocean Drive. People in South Beach live very active lifestyles and you’ll enjoy being part of the scene.
Duck Tours—Tacky and loud, yet nobody seems to mind in this laid back city. An amphibious vehicle takes you around the Art Deco district before splashing down in Biscayne Bay and motoring past the homes of the rich and famous. Each tour is 90 minutes with a highly enthusiastic tour guide who encourages you to shake and shimmy along to Cuban music. We recommend the evening tour so you can experience sunset over Biscayne Bay and to purchase tickets well in advance. Adults: $34.24, Children: $19.26.
Biscayne Bay at sunset. Photo credit: Misun Kim
Beach!—Even if you’re not going to swim (and why not?) it’s fun to just sit, soak in the rays, and watch all the beautiful people go by.
THINGS TO REMEMBER
Cab drivers in Miami are notorious for ripping off their customers. Before you get in a cab, ask them approximately how much it should cost to get to where you’re going. If you’re going to the airport, there is normally a flat fee in place depending on what zone you’re in. You will be charged an additional $2 for fuel along with your fare.
Sitting in traffic is the second most time-consuming activity for people in Miami. If you are in Downtown Miami you can bypass traffic by taking the train or the Metro Mover lightrail which travels in a loop (it’s free!). Be forewarned that public transportation in Miami, while cheap, is not widely connected and it can easily take you over an hour to get from one side of the city to the other.
Restaurants automatically add gratuity to your bill. If you feel that the service warranted a higher or lower tip, you can adjust the rate accordingly.
Sun in Miami is very strong. Be sure to pack a lot of sunscreen with a high SPF and to reapply often. I never thought it was possible to get sunburned through clothing, but it happened.
People in South Beach like to dress down during the day, but at night everyone is looking glamorous. Men, make sure you pack a nice pair of shoes and a button-down shirt. For women, a dress and a smart pair of heels is a must.
-Misun Kim, Contributing Editor
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36 hours in Bremen
Marktplatz and Statue of Roland. Photo credit: Misun Kim
The Free Hanseatic City of Bremen lies 60 miles south of the Weser River and is the second most populous city in northern Germany. It’s a port city and a major commercial and industrial hub, but it’s also a place that was shaped heavily by the rule of Charlemagne and rich with history. The Marktplatz (town square) is home to two UNESCO World Heritage Sites!
Bremen is not as large or metropolitan as Frankfurt, Munich, or Berlin, and therefore doesn’t see a major influx of foreign tourists. Many of the tourists in Bremen are Germans from other areas of the country. Since it is not large, Bremen is the perfect place to spend a day or two if you are in the area. Ryanair flies here from other points in Europe for cheap. Everything within the Old Town and City Center is walkable, and the sites listed here can be easily mapped out for a day and a half of moseying around.
Stay:
RAMADA Ueberseehotel Bremen
Wachtstrasse 27-29 Am Markt, Bremen, 28195 DEThe Ramada website boasts 4-star comfort and service for their Bremen establishment, and while comfy (but not overly fancy) nothing can beat its location. The hotel is only steps away from Marktplatz and other Old Town sites such as the art galleries on Böttcherstrasse and the Weser River Promenade. You can easily pop in and out during the day if you need to. Much of Old Town is pedestrian, but taxis pull right up to the front door.
Points of Interest:
Bremer Rathaus. Photo credit: Misun Kim
Rathaus—The Town Hall of Bremen houses the Bremen Senate. It was built in 1405 in the Gothic style, with the façade completed in 1609 in the Renaissance Style. In July 2004 it was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Schütting—Traditional hall of all commercial activity in Bremen also built in the Renaissance style.
Statue of Roland—This statue is Bremen’s hallmark and a symbol of Bremen’s love of freedom. Erected in 1404 to replace a wooden statue that was burned down by an archbishop in 1366, this statue has also been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and was heavily protected by Bremen citizens during the air bombings of WWII.
Town Musicians Statue. Photo credit: Misun Kim
Town Musicians Statue—Every German child knows the story of “The Town Musicians” based in Bremen where animals stand on each other’s backs and frighten away a band of robbers.
St. Peter’s Cathedral—This was my favorite attraction in Bremen. The oldest parts of the church were built in the 11th century which makes this cathedral almost 1,000 years old! The cathedral houses two crypts and a museum of artifacts that describes Bremen’s turbulent history.
Böttcherstrasse—The entrance to this passage is near the Schütting building and marked by a gilded plaque. This passage used to channel goods that were loaded onto ships on the Weser River, but now the red brick buildings house art galleries.
Weser Promenade “Schlachte”—The promenade along the Weser River is alive during the summer where outdoor cafes and street performers line the banks. In winter and early spring, there isn’t a soul in sight.
Schnoor. Photo credit: Misun Kim
Schnoor—Every visitor to Bremen should wander through the narrow passageways and peer through the windows of these colorful houses that make up this neighborhood of former sailors and fishermen. “Schnoor” means “string” in German and it looks like the houses are literally strung along.
Wallanlagen Park—The gardens that border the city center are beautiful in any season, and the mill located at the top of the hill is well worth the walk.
Shopping:
Lloyd Passage—Roofed-in shopping street in the city center.Sögestrasse—“Sows’ Street” located in the city center with popular European clothing brands.
Schnoor—The colorful houses are home to artisans and craftsmen who make authentic and unique items.
Eating:
Bremer Ratskeller—This wine cellar houses the world’s oldest collection of wines, some dating back to the 1600s. The food is German fare in generous portions, and their mulled wine will warm you up on a chilly day. They also have daily lunch specials for as little as 6 Euros.The Classico—Also located at the edge of the Marktplatz, this café serves great breakfasts. Whether you’re hankering after a typical German breakfast (croissants, cheese, coffee), a full English breakfast, or a healthy “Fitness Frühstück” of yogurt and fruit, this place has it all.
Hachez Chocolatier—Bremen’s very own chocolatier and a great place to shop for gifts.
Tips for Your Stay:
Bremen has extensive bus and tram lines and the “Bremer Kärtchen” is transferable and can be purchased in advance or onboard for the same price.Central Tourist Information Office: Findorffstrasse 105 near Marktplatz. They sell city guides in a variety of languages and organize walking tours.
The crowd is a bit older in Bremen. Young people do not tend to hang out in Old Town.
In German restaurants it is rude to leave tip for your server on the table. Servers will usually wear a pouch around their waists and if you pay your bill with cash, they will hand change back to you right away. It is good manners to hand your tip directly to your waiter.
When it comes to tap water, Germans consider it to be water for washing cars or flushing toilets with, and never for drinking. Don’t commit a major taboo and order tap water at a restaurant or at your host’s house.
There are many people in Bremen who do not speak English. Come armed with a few memorized German phrases or a handy guidebook.
Misun Kim
Contributing Editor -
A Travel Surprise in Virginia
I plan my vacations down to the very last detail, but it’s often the things that pop up unexpectedly that are the most memorable.
In 2008, my family and I were taking a summer road trip through Virginia to visit Natural Bridge, a National Historic Landmark in Rockbridge County. We spent the day walking the trails and learning about the Native Americans who once considered the site to be sacred. We even found the carved initials of George Washington that is rumored to have been left when he was surveying the land in 1750. It was quite an enjoyable day and Natural Bridge was well worth the visit.
Natural Bridge Viriginia. Photo credit: Misun Kim
I’m not one for long car rides and the expanse of Virginia countryside can be tiresome to get through. As I was packed in the car and lamenting the home journey, a sign popped up on the side of the road, seemingly out of nowhere and in the middle of nowhere:
Foamhenge sign, Viriginia. Photo credit: Misun Kim.
It was so bizarre and out of place that we actually turned around and drove back to investigate, only to park our car at the bottom of a big hill and stare up at this:
Foamhenge in all its glory. Photo credit: Misun Kim.
It was Stonehenge, made out of Styrofoam and to exact specifications. In the middle of rural Virginia. It was too ridiculous to be true, and yet there it was, and we were delighted.
Foamhenge was created by Mark Cline of Enchanted Studio Creations on April Fool’s Day 2004. A sign instructed us that while the real Stonehenge took 1500 years and almost 1000 men to complete, Foamhenge was constructed in six weeks by “4-5 Mexicans and one crazy white man”. Another sign warned us that defacing the foam blocks would result in a $10,000 fine and Cline personally chipping the paint off our car (apparently he lurks around and his studio isn’t too far away). After about twenty minutes of gleefully romping around the massive foam blocks, we climbed back into the car and continued our journey. We were in a much better mood and the outlook was considerably brighter.
When I think back on this trip, I don’t know which stands out more in my mind—the bridge that took hundreds of years of running creek water to create, or the Styrofoam blocks that were planted into the Virginia countryside for art and entertainment’s sake. I suppose each site is profound in its own way, and it just goes to show how surprises can literally crop up anywhere and change the tone of a trip.
Have you any travel surprises to share? Post them here!
-Misun Kim, Contributing Editor
If you’d like to learn more about Natural Bridge or Foamhenge, please visit:
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Cheap Eats: London
You don’t usually see the words “cheap” and “London” used together (unless it’s to say that London isn’t cheap) but food in this global city can be cheap-er if you take advantage of its amazing ethnic food scene. Make sure you pack your appetite—some of these places have a huge cult following!
Mooli’s (Indian)—known for its “zingy roti wraps”, nothing at this eatery is over £5.50 ($8.50 USD). They serve pork, beef, paneer, chickpea, chicken, and goat with a number of veggie side dishes to compliment your order. We especially loved the aloo papdi chaat (a tangy, spicy, and crunchy Indian street food delicacy) for a mere £3.00 ($4.60 USD). Gulp it down with a mango lassi and you’re good to go. It’s close to the theaters on Shaftesbury Avenue if you need a quick and cheap pre-show meal. 50 Frith Street, SOHO.
Aloo papdi chaat at Mooli’s. Photo credit: Misun Kim
Busaba Eathai (Thai)—With seven locations in London, this Thai establishment is easy to find and also kind to your wallet. Dining rooms tend to be loud, with multiple parties sharing benches around large square tables. The food is generously spiced and is more flavorful than the ubiquitous pan-Asian Wagamama restaurant chain. Most items on their menu are under £9 ($14 USD), so there’s no need to feel guilty when ordering one of their specialty juices to go along with your meal (try the guava collins—guava, thyme, coconut, Thai lime leaf). Visit their website for locations and menus.
Me Me (Vietnamese) — This Vietnamese restaurant is a stone’s throw away from Chelsea Football Club’s home base at Stamford Bridge. When there’s no hope of scoring a meal at one of the packed pubs on Fulham Road, head here for a steaming bowl of Phở for £5 ($7.70 USD) and some change (rice noodles in a savory chicken or beef broth). If you need to warm up after a chilly game, this is the perfect place to go post-match. Dump the fresh red chilies into your soup if you’re feeling brave. 565 Fulham Road, London SW6 1ES.
Lahore Kebab House (Pakistani)—There’s fierce debate as to who rules the desi food scene in this East London neighborhood—Lahore Kebab House or its rival Mirch Masala across the street. I’ll throw my hat in for Lahore Kebab House because they have an amazing Lamb Nihari (lamb curry on the bone) for £7 ($10.80 USD). Eat it with their chili naan and you’ll want to come every week just to eat the exact same thing. Don’t forget the pistachio kulfi for dessert! 2-10 Umberton Street, London E1 1PY.
Camden Markets (Every ethnicity you can think of)—Whether you’re hankering after French crepes, Korean bbq beef, Japanese takoyaki, Spanish chorizo, or even ostrich burgers, this market has something for everyone. The most impressive are the massive iron skillets of West Indian curry bubbling in the center of the market. You can buy a generous helping of West Indian potato curry for around £3.50 ($5.40 USD). Meals are served up in tin carry-out bowls, but the no-frills atmosphere of this market is half the fun. Food vendors start setting up around 11am, and the crowds start to form around 12pm. If you’re still moseying around the market near closing time (4-5pm), food vendors will slash prices to sell their last remaining bits before heading home. Take the tube to Camden Town and follow the crowds.
West Indian curry stall at Camden Markets. Photo credit: Misun Kim
Borough Market (Produce and freshly prepared food)—This market is a favorite with London chefs who often come here to score the freshest produce. Many of the vendors are wholesalers who also cater to shoppers who flock to this market from Thursdays to Sundays. You can have anything from made-to-order burgers, freshly pressed juices, oysters to slurp on the spot, or even meringues the size of your head. Vendors are also happy to let you sample their wares. It’s quite possible to eat your fill for free after a few turns around the market. If not, head to Mrs. King’s Award Winning Pies for a warm chicken and leek pie for £3 ($4.60 USD). And stop by The Fresh Olive Company’s stand to bring home a container of chalkidiki olives stuffed with flaming hot chili. Take the tube to London Bridge and follow the signs.
Mrs. King’s award-winning pies at Borough Market. Photo credit: Misun Kim
Know of some more? Tell us in the comments!
-Misun Kim, Contributing Editor
All GBP to USD conversions calculated by xe.com on January 6, 2012.
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Christmas in Vienna
Graben, a popular shopping street. Photo credit: Misun Kim
I grew up in the metroburbs of New Jersey. Christmas decorations were relegated to wreaths hanging precariously from street lamps, and any kind of Christmas cheer was obliterated by crazed shoppers fighting over parking at gray strip malls. It was always my dream to experience the kind of Christmas atmosphere that you hear in carols over the radio. So last year I booked a ticket to Vienna for the week before Christmas and finally found what I was looking for.
If you come to Vienna, you will probably stay in or in the vicinity of Central Vienna (Innere Stadt). This is where most of the museums, opera houses, and palaces are concentrated, and it is the prettiest place to be during the Christmas season. Every street is strung with fairy lights and twinkling chandeliers. Every store window is gorgeous enough to press your nose against. The entire city smells like gingerbread and hot punch.
Wiener Christkindlmarkt at Rathausplatz. Photo credit: Misun Kim
The Austrians know how to do Christmas right, and the beauty of Vienna is that it’s a major European cultural hub with hundreds of festive things to do. This means you don’t have to exile yourself to some obscure German village in the Alps to really experience a storybook Christmas. The main Christmas attractions in Vienna are the open-air Christmas markets that are scattered around the city. The largest markets are the Wiener Christkindlmarkt at Rathausplatz, and Weihnachtsmarkt am Spittelberg. These markets sell a wide range of goods, from hand-painted Christmas ornaments and other giftables to freshly prepared cookies, cakes, and other nibbles. The wurst (sausage) stands are ubiquitous, as are the hot punch and mulled wine vendors. There are crowds of people standing around and sipping out of steaming mugs on every street corner. The atmosphere is warm and jovial despite the cold. My most favorite memory is of peeling freshly roasted chestnuts with numb fingers and squinting through the snow on my eyelashes up at the brightly-lit Rathaus building. There are faint sounds of Christmas carols being sung at the Burg Theater across the street, and the air smells like cinnamon and cloves. You can’t imagine anything more perfect.
The best part about Vienna is that it’s fairly small, with a resident population of about 1.7 million (compared to London’s 7.8 mil). There is a sense that residents here all know each other, or else there’s a very easy familiarity and camaraderie among them. They congregate together over mulled wine at the markets on their way home from work, or they talk across tables to one another at the cafes. It all adds perfectly to the warm Christmas atmosphere here. Everyone is in a good mood (the wine helps, too).
If you haven’t booked your trip yet, you definitely should. You’ll remember it forever.
QUICK GUIDE
List of Vienna’s Christmas markets, hours, and locations: http://www.vienna4u.at/christmasmarket.html
Keep in mind that everything within Central Vienna and “The Ring” is walkable, but there is an extensive tram and underground service if you need to travel further afield.
- Hotel de France on Schottenring. There are trams and entrances to the underground only steps away. Popular shopping streets like Freyung are nearby.
If you want to be directly near the Staats Oper, Hofburg Palace, or other major shopping streets (Graben, Kärntner Strasse):
- Hotel Sacher (the most famous hotel in Vienna, and frequently home to celebrities and diplomats)
- Le Meridien Opernring
- Ambassador
Other Notable Attractions:
- The heated mulled wine stations at Museumsplatz.
- Café Schwarzenberg. Cozy café serving up coffees and seasonal teas. Address: Kärntner Ring 17.
- Naschmarkt. Open-air food market with small ethnic eateries.
- Schonbrunn Palace. Take U4 train from Central Vienna. There are Christmas markets here as well.
- Karlskirche. Climb the scaffolding to the top of the dome to see its beautiful frescoes.
- Staats Oper. If you’re not an opera fanatic but would still like to experience the theater, there are standing-room only tickets available on the day of each show for €3.50. Go early to score a good view of the stage. Last year I saw Don Giovanni for €3.50!
- Figlmüller. They make wiener schnitzels that overlap your plate! Address: Wollzeile 5.
-Misun Kim, Contributing Editor
