Thoughts and Tips #43 - May 26, 2015

In this issue:

-BBC - Travel - Debunking foreign myths
-World's 10 Most Important Memorial Museums
-Christiania | Copenahgen's Enchanting Hippy World
-The Saturday City: Leon | Nomadic Matt's Travel Site
-The Best Hikes in the United States and Canada
-How To Order a Beer in Australia - state by state - Contented Traveller
-The Top 7 Cruise Planning Myths... Busted!
-6 Travel Tips to Help You Fly Through Airport Security

BBC - Travel - Debunking foreign myths

Mint Images/ArtWolfe/Getty

Whether it is the notion that Brits only drink tea or that all Argentineans dance tango, cultural stereotypes can overshadow a coutnry's true nuances.

For a more authentic take on the world, we turned to question-and-answer site Quora.com to ask locals: "What do you think every foreigner should know about your country?"...
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World's 10 Most Important Memorial Museums

Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum / Photo Michio Ide

While tragedy can strike unexpectedly and senselessly, commemoration is an essential part of dealing with its consequences. As these ten memorial museums and remembrance halls demonstrate, cultural awareness, public education and memory can at least in part, aid the recovery process.  From the infamous Auschwitz-Birkenau in Poland to the House of Slaves in Senegal, here are ten of the most important memorial museums in the world...
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Christiania | Copenahgen's Enchanting Hippy World

Mural in Christiania / Hannah Bergin

Copenhangen is a remarkably neat city, with flat-fronted building that line immaculate streets and a distinctively horizontal skyline broken only by an occasional church spire. But venture a little outside the centre, across the Knippelsbro Bridge and through a series of increasingly narrow streets. Nestles there, between what appears to be blocks of abandoned, vandalized buildings overgrown with wild foliage, is the beautiful chaos of a remarkably developed and decidedly content hippy community...
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The Saturday City: Leon | Nomadic Matt's Travel Site

Located in northwest Nicaragua, Leon is a college town often overlooked by tourists who stay south near Granada, Ometepe, and the beaches. However, given that the area has so much to do, I expected a lot of tourists but instead found mostly empty hostels and few gringos wandering the streets during my visit...
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The Best Hikes in the United States and Canada

Love hiking but don't fancy carrying your tent and other overnight stuff up that mountain? Then you'll love our upcoming posts about the best (half) day hikes in various countries all over the world. Most of them can be done by anyone who has a bit of stamina and a passion for the great outdoors! Today we're starting with the best hikes in the United States and Canada...
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How To Order a Beer in Australia - state by state - Contented Traveller

Ordering a beer in Australia is easy, but ordering a beer in every state (in) Australia is not so easy.

Sure, you can walk into any pub (hotel) and say, "I'll have a beer mate", and yes, you will get a beer. However, ordering a beer correctly in Australia is not that easy, as it varies from state to state or territory to territory, if you like...
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The Top 7 Cruise Planning Myths... Busted!

Frequent cruisers and travel agents mean well when they give you advice about when, where, and how to cruise. Everybody and their Uncle Larry has an opinion about cabin choices, itineraries, and ship choice...
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6 Travel Tips to Help You Fly Through Airport Security

Image copyright: Teri Verbickis

I'm a pretty patient person, but my tolerance is tested in a line at the Motor Vehicle Department, the grocery store (why do they have 15 registers and only open two when there are 75 people in line!) and airport security...
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Christmas Markets V - European Highlights

One way to get into the spirit of the season is to go to a Christmas Market.  The sights, sounds and smells of a market evoke thoughts of a Dickens' or old world Christmas.  A European tradition, they began in the 1400s in Germany.

For the last several weeks you have had the opportunity to read about Christmas Markets in North America.  As a final writing about markets for this year, here is a brief tour some of the highly recommended markets in Europe.

Nuremberg - The Nuremberg Christmas Market or Christkindlesmarkt is held from November 28 to December 24.  It is one of the largest German Christmas markets, and it is among the best known in the world.  Enjoy the sights and sounds of the market in the central square and streets surrounding it.

Nuremberg Christmas Market

Copenhagen - Tivoli Gardens is the setting for the Copenhagen Christmas Market.  The market allows you to experience some of the traditions of a Scandinavian Christmas.  As well as the Market, there are so many other events in the garden.  The Market runs from Novenber 15 to January 4.

Tivoli Christmas Market

Budapest - The Christmas Market in Budapest is set up in Vorosmarty Square from November 28 to December 31 (closed December 25 and 26).  Over 100 wooden pavilions display Christmas decorations, crafts, and one-of-a-kind gifts.  Treat yourself to Hungarian treats and snacks as you stroll, and enjoy performances by children, and adults featuring choirs, dance, bands and orchestras.  A giant Advent Calendar is set up on the facade of a building facing onto the square and each day of Advent a new window is opened.

Budapest Christmas Market

Vienna - Vienna, home of the waltz, also hosts many Christmas Markets.  From November 15 to December 24 the Weiner Christkindlmarkt is on the square in front of City Hall.  The area surrounding City Hall is decorated for the season, along with pony rides, displays of scenes from fairy tales, and an opportunity to ride the Christkindl Express.

Vienna Christmas Market

For other Christmas Markets in Vienna - The Many Christmas Markets of Vienna

Dresden - Dresden's Christmas Market is Germany's oldest Christmas Market tracing its history back to 1434.  It is known locally as the Streitzelmarkt.  "Streitzel" refers to the name of the well known Christmas cake of the area the "stollen".  The Stollen Fest occurs on the second Sunday of Advent  A giant stollen is carried into the town square, cut and given out to visitors at the market.  Over 200 stalls display many items including arts and crafts unique to the region.  The market is open from November 27 to December 24.

Dresden Christmas Market (Streitzelmarkt)

Prague - The Christmas Market in the Old Town Square of Prague is considered the prettiest and the busiest in the city.  This market is open from November 29 to January 1.  Stalls are set up with traditional Czech foods such as barbecued pork, beer and mulled wine.  Others sell arts and crafts and other gift ideas.  Two highlights of the market are a manger scene with live animals for children to stroke, and a huge, real Christmas tree that dominates the square.

Prague Christmas Market

Strasbourg - Strasbourg is often referred to as the Capital of Christmas.  Its Christmas Market is the oldest in France dating back to 1570 and maintains many of the traditions.  The Market is located in front of Strasbourg Cathedral and runs from November 28 to December 31.  The market has over 300 stalls (chalets) selling foods and arts and crafts.  Other areas of the city also have markets for Christmas.  In all of the choices, at least one should appeal to you and to your senses.

Strasbourg Christmas Market

Munich - In the capital of Bavaria, Munich's Christmas Market gives you a Bavarian Christmas experience.  While there are many markets in the city, the traditional one in Marienplatz is the most well-known.  The town hall behind the square helps to give the market a fairy tale setting.  Stalls are set up to sell arts and crafts, and, foods and drink of the Bavarian region.  The Market is open from November 27 - December 24.  As well, nearby at Theresienwiese (the site of Oktoberfest) is another market (November 25 - December 31), the Tollwood Winter Festival.  Stalls display arts and crafts and foods with a more international flavour.  As well there are live shows and entertainment.

Munich Christmas Market

Tollwood Winter Festival

Salzburg - The Christmas Market in Salzburg, the city of Mozart, is open from November 14 - December 26.  The Market is set up around the cathedral and in the shadows of the Hohensalzburg Fortress.  Stalls selling foods and gift items are set up.  As might be expected in Salzburg music is a prominent feature of this market.   There are concerts by local choirs and  children's choirs.  Turmblasen, a brass concert is held in the square every Saturday evening.

Salzburg Christmas Market

One way to visit a number of Christmas Markets is by taking a river cruise.  There are a number of European river cruises in November and December.  Experience the romance of the Rhine, Danube, Main, or Seine, relaxing as you go.  Enjoy the scenery of the castle-lined rivers.  Visit cities along the way decorated for Christmas and go to their Christmas Markets.

Uniworld has three holiday market cruises:
 - Nuremberg to Frankfurt on the Main River;
 - Basel to Cologne on the Rhine;
 - Passau to Budapest on the Danube;
 - and Paris to Paris on the Seine;
 plus other holiday cruises.
Uniworld Christmas Market Cruises

Check out rivercruise.com for an overview of many cruises that are available during the Christmas Market season.

http://www.rivercruise.com/christmas_markets.cfm

http://www.vikingrivercruisescanada.com/holiday-cruises/2014/index.html

http://www.amawaterways.com/christmas-markets