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Category Archives: Tips
A few observations on The French and Food
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This is a guest post by James Cave.
France is a country famed for its food and any trip here is going to be centred on food, food and more food. Well, for me that’s how trips to France have always been anyway!
A few months ago I decided to go and live in France for a few months, having been lucky enough to read about a house that needed looking after on a pet minding website. I applied, was accepted and moved out here, ready to stuff myself with frog legs, baguettes and escargots. I still haven’t eaten any frog legs or escargots, but I’ve eaten plenty of baguettes. In the meantime I’ve picked up on a few quirks about food in France that I thought might amuse someone else.
Love for McDonalds
You might find it strange that in a country so well-regarded for its love of food, and in particular stodgy, rustic country dishes, McDonalds would be so popular. I did anyway, but outside of the US, the French are one of the biggest consumers of Big Macs and Happy Meals (pronounced ‘Appy Meals’) according to the NY Times.
Of course you can still pick up your baguette, croissants and pains au chocolat just about anywhere, but head to McDonalds (Or McDo’s as it’s known in France) at lunchtime and you’ll be lucky to get in the door. Well, ‘lucky’ may not be the right word.
Rigorous Cheese Laws
“How can you govern a country which has two hundred and forty-six varieties of cheese?” once asked Charles de Gaulle. Things were easier when he was in power; now France has anywhere between 350 and 400 different types of cheeses depending on your source.
Regardless of the number of cheeses France has, the government has been very successful in getting some governing in place. Epoisse for example, an incredibly pungent French cheese that’s so smelly it’s illegal to carry it on public transport in France. It’s not the world’s smelliest cheese however, that’s Vieux-Boulogne. No laws have been passed about Vieux-Boulogne in France, but the cheese has been declared illegal in the U.S. I’m hoping to pick up some in time for my French cheese board this Christmas.
The Toughest Marathon in the World
When you think of the toughest marathon in the world, you’ll probably think of something put together by the people behind triathlons like Alcatraz or Iron Man but in fact, unknown to most of us, the French have the toughest marathon in the world.
You won’t have to run through deserts or scale any walls here though; the Medoc Wine Marathon takes place in the beautiful French countryside in the warm, but bearable month of September. While the idea of drinking a glass of wine and enjoying a piece of cheese every mile sounds quite pleasant and leisurely, try doing it at every mile of the marathon as is encouraged by the marathon officials.
France is a fun country to visit, especially for its food. Stay here for long enough and you’ll start to uncover a few funny quirks and surprises.
Thanks to: 1, 2, 3, 4
Playtime for Kids in Paris
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Don’t even think about leaving your kids at home when you visit Europe this season. While Paris may seem like an adult-oriented city at first glance, the “City of Lights” offers a plethora of activities for children of all ages. Take in one or more of the top kids attractions in the city or sign up for one of the organized children’s program that proliferate in Paris and let him explore on his own.
Kilimanjaro, a Mountain You Need to Climb in a Lifetime
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This is a guest post by Irina Kirilov, blogger for Thrifty Romania, a car rental agency in Eastern Europe.
Few people have ever had the experience of climbing some of the highest mountains in the world, even though it’s obvious that the moments when you are standing up there, simply looking around, being surrounded by white thick clouds, are unique, memorable experiences. Our planet has been blessed with breathtaking beauties when it comes to landforms, and the highest mountain peaks are no exception to this rule.
Five days in Madrid – by Melda Eren
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Do you remember, way back in September, we ran an awesome +1 competition on our Google Plus page? We offered you a unique opportunity to win a €500 travel voucher and all you had to do was tell us who your +1 was. Many, maaany of you did, but as with most competitions, there could only be one winner. The lucky one was Melda Eren. Melda and her +1 went to visit a place that had been on their travel list for a long time – Madrid. You can read all about her Spanish adventures right here.
Travelling to Madrid has been on our list for a long time. Especially, since I have never been to Spain before. The trip was planned and the flight was booked when we came across the Easytobook competition. Thanks to Easytobook our five days in Madrid were a lot fancier than expected…
The Best Honeymoon Destinations In The UK
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This is a guest post by Wayne Barker. When not planning his own second honeymoon, Wayne writes for ladies wedding rings and beautiful engagement rings specialists, Portfolio of Fine Diamonds.
The honeymoon phase of marriage is one of the most memorable experiences of a lifetime. New couples enjoy this wonderful experience in a vast array of unique places. The UK has some of the most romantic settings for honeymooners to enjoy one of their most intimate times together. Below are some of the best honeymoon destinations in the United Kingdom.
St. Ives, Cornwall
St. Ives is a seaside town that has everything for a short break and a long holiday. Honeymooners can enjoy great food, drinks and superb coastal walks along the beach. St. Ives is known the world over as one of the best places to holiday, and was voted ‘Best United Kingdom Seaside Town’ from the British Travel Awards in both 2010 and 2011. St. Ives presents the perfect love nest for honeymooners. Here, you can look forward to long dreamy days of relaxation with your new spouse. Choose from a variety of romantic housing options from beach huts to converted ale wagons. This wildly romantic setting lets new couples take in the wilderness of sea, sands and the picturesque cliffs of the north coast. The heavenly days in this idyllic paradise are often spent enjoying candlelit dinners and stargazing on decking, and guests are wafted to sleep by the soothing sound of the sea.
5 Things Not To Do On a Plane
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This is a guest post by Chase Fleming of Wherever Worker.
We all know that flying isn’t easy. Well, actually, it is – there’s really nothing easier, unless you have a tough time sitting in a chair and reading a book for a few hours.
Unfortunately, some people can’t even get that right. They end up frustrating and annoying their fellow passengers by picking up one of these annoying behaviors, usually within the first five minutes of a seven-hour flight.
Berlin’s Nightlife: The 48-Hour Challenge
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This is a guest post by Party Earth
So you saw the neoclassical architecture. You took pictures of the shining metal chariot atop the Brandenburg Gate. You stood at the end of the Berlin Wall and did that weird East-West dance where you hop back and forth between each side. Well now it’s time to remember that you’re on vacation and really let loose, and we at Party Earth want to help.
If you think spending time boozing and schmoozing is a distraction from experiencing what a city is all about, then you don’t know Berlin. Its beers are the stuff of legend. It’s the capital of techno and insane warehouse clubs. And the bars in Berlin, fueled by the city’s alternative youth culture, are some of the hippest and coolest in the world.
But anyone serious about making the most out of the city’s wild side needs to dedicate more than just their evenings. The nightlife here never stops, with beach bars and beer gardens opening around the same time that the craziest clubs in Berlin are kicking everyone out. Nightlife in Berlin should really just be shortened to “life”, because it goes day and night. So put two days of your visit aside and check out our sample itinerary for a taste of everything on offer – drinking, dancing, live music, and even a little bit of history – and if you can’t remember much by the time you’re done, then you know you’ve done it well.
Fall in Myrtle Beach
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This is a guest post by Gina Vasselli
Summer brings millions of people to Myrtle Beach so they can escape the heat with cool ocean water and breezes on their vacation.
But, you know, Myrtle Beach doesn’t close down during the Fall, Winter and Spring. There are three other seasons you can enjoy in Myrtle Beach, and each of those seasons have a different attraction to offer those on a Myrtle Beach vacation. But my favorite is honestly a fall trip to the beach for a few different reasons.
Great Midwestern Fall Get-Away Spots
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This is a guest post by Drew James
Each autumn we witness a curious human social phenomenon. Millions of people flock from one part of the country to another to look at…trees! There’s no better excuse to get outdoors than the arrival of the fall foliage season, when perfect weather and gorgeous colors combine with festivals, flea markets and cookouts for great getaways to bid farewell to summer and brace for the long cold winter to come. Depending on where you live, peak fall foliage dates, when the leaves are at the height of color, generally arrive in October, just in time for Fall Break. Of course some places are better than others when it comes to enjoying the pageantry of fall in the Midwest. Here are a few of the best destinations to celebrate the beauty of autumn.
