No need to fly: three European trips easier by train

No Need to Fly: Two European Trips Easier by Train

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No need to fly: three European trips easier by trainDid you just land in Berlin and need to get to a hotel soon? While flying allows us to travel to both popular and not so popular destinations in Europe, Asia and everywhere else in the world, there is no excuse not to explore the countryside.

From Matching in the United Kingdom, to the French countryside and Balkan nature parks and SPA centers, there are many destinations in the countryside that planes do not connectto. We listed some of the most beautiful European countryside castles, inspired by The Guardian’s “European Trips Easier by Train” article.

Opening new routes, or taking an advantage of train prices in the last days before Brexit with newly launched Interrail four-day pass (€ 185), can be an advantageous feauture of train travel.  Going through the mountainous Europe – Alps, Pyrenees and Tatras – Europe offers one of the best opportunities for anyone traveling by train. . We looked at Burgundy, the Austrian Alps, and the Dutch Coast among other amazing destinations only reachable by European trail tracks. No flights here, keeping it green in 2020!

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A Taste of Burgundy

Taste and smell the famous Burgundy wine region. Along with amazing wine and views to the green yards,  the main winemaking villages can also be reached by stopping at Gevrey-Chambertin, Meursault and other Burgundian wine regions. For more wine travel in Europe, go to this article on Hungarian wine history and travel tips.

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The Austrian Alps

Austrian Alps can not only be the place to live through The Sound of Music scenes, but it can also be easily visited on your way from Brussels to Vienna on the newly opened railway. From the nearest Vienna airport, hop onto the Vienna – Brussels line and take bus 172. After a  27-mile journey over the Seeberg Saddle, you’ll arrive in Bruck-an-der-Mur where the Unesco-listed Semmering Railway can take you back to Vienna by night.

Away from Airports and Still in Reach

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Eltz Castle, Moselle Valley, Italy

Trains from Koblenz in Germany where Moselle flows into the Rhine, can connect you to Trier in Italy. Sit back and enjoy the view with some perfectly roasted espresso.

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Falkenstein Castle, Savoy, Jura route

Since the Handbook for Travellers in Switzerland and the Alps of Savoy was written by John Murray in 1846, the Savoy was one of the main European destinations on the Jura route to visit for nobleman taking their European journey. Drop by Waldenburg, or

Heinfels Castle in Rhine Valley, Italy

Taking a train from Koblenz towards Cologne along the Rhine valley will allow you to relax. Visit the Rheinfels Castle on your way!

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Black Forest, Germany

The Black Forest and Eifel in Germany? May sound like a mix of France and Germany, but the southwestern North Rhine-Westphalia has it all. Visit the Cochem Castle in the meantime!

 

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Plane passenger gives first-class seat to 88-year-old woman, makes her 'dream' come true: 'No one asked him to'

Plane passenger makes an 88-year old woman’s ‘dream’ come true: Be Kind During Your Travels in 2020

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Plane passenger gives first-class seat to 88-year-old woman, makes her 'dream' come true: 'No one asked him to'

However hard it may be to imagine, the new year – new you could become a new type of approach to travel. Make the world a better place and when possible choose the train over plane If you can’t avoid flying across oceans, you may as well be a better person by giving your seat to the elderly. Extra legroom, in the end, is not the reason why you travel to new places.

There are some tips you can take from viral acts of kindness. From heartwarming Christmas stories like “the passenger trading his upper-class cabin ticket with a traveler seated next to the economy toilets“, the “kindness of his own heart” articles have been overflowing the internet during the holiday season.”

There are some tips you can take from viral acts of kindness. From heartwarming Christmas stories like “the passenger trading his upper-class cabin ticket with a traveler seated next to the economy toilets“, the “kindness of his own heart” articles have been overflowing the internet during the holiday season.”

However, as Roy T. Bennett once wrote, “Be the reason someone smiles. Be the reason someone feels loved and believes in the goodness in people.” After all, life becomes easier not only for people but for the planet and peoples to come, as we live with the right attitude, respecting and choosing optimism for people around us.

Here are 3 simple tips on how to make your holiday more enjoyable not only for yourself but also for those around you.

Give the Seat to the Elderly

Next time you’re traveling with a priority train ticket through South East Asia via train and the next cabin over is overcrowded with rural vendor workers, switch your ticket with an elderly local and make their day! You’ll have a more authentic experience and might make friendly connections with the locals.

Always Ask before Taking Photographs – and then Send it Back

So, you just snapped a beautiful street portrait of a craftsman in a market – but what about taking it another step and sending him a digital version of it? You never know when it may become useful

Keep it to the Trains

We already wrote about it, but once again: choose train, or share a ride. Flying should always stay a last resort option for short-distance travel.

 

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Plane passenger gives first-class seat to 88-year-old woman, makes her 'dream' come true: 'No one asked him to'

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Houston Ranked Number 5 on List of Top Places to Visit in 2020

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Houston travel scene is full of adventure and new ideas for those who are tired of the same old Texas attractions. Apart from Parque Nacional de Big Bend and Alamo museum, as well as Palo Duro Canyon State Park, there is much more Texas visitors can get by visiting Houston for a weekend.

Houston has scored the 5th place on Harper’s Bazaar’s list of top 20 places to travel in 2020. No wonder the fact – after Sydney, Australia; Botswana; and Paris, France, Houston has a refreshing food and art scene to watch out for in 2020.

What to Do in Houston in 2020

No wonder the city is among the top-tier tourism destinations. Houston, TX Texas has a lot to see and do at – and most part of it is for free, competeing with Chicago’s art getting more and more out of pocket for most travellers.

Space Center Houston

Houston’s Museum District

The Museum of Fine Arts is getting an expansion, and

Walk Bike or paddle – Buffalo Bayou Park

Houston street art

Go and see some of the most amazing Houston street art

Shop vintage stores on 19th street in the Heights

Visit Houston’s Farmer Market

This year, the market is expanding across 18 acres.

Visit Houston Botanic Garden

.. which will be completed this year!

Top Countries to Visit in 2020 for Food and Arts Scene

Uzbekistan

Botswana

Sydney

Australia

Senegal

Houston, Texas

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7 Travel Destinations That are Actually Economic Ideas

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Whether you have tried going to Moscow to see the Swan Lake, or just visited Stockholm for the Christmas carols at Skansen, there are travel destinations that will make you rethink – and think about your travel not only in budget-saving terms, but also in terms of getting the travel value right.

Lucas Islands, Princess Elizabeth Land

While Lucas island is a charming island on Antarctica full of penguins administered under the Antarctic Treatry System, the island itself was only mapped in 1936-1937 by  Lars Christensen Expedition and called “Plogsteinen” (the plow stone), later being renamed.

Lucas Islands model, however, is not referring to Princess Elizabeth Land. Instead, it is a land of economics, linking money supply and prie and output changes, driving on rational expectations theory. The quantity theory of money will indeed be useful when planning your trip to  Antarctica, as the budget tips and tricks for your next travel will not be money neutral. To have an effective proposition on money budgeting, please consult the article on budget travel tips.

Stockholm, Sweden

Stockholm is well known for its subway art, as well as ABBA and Vasa Museum. But what about Stockholm school of thought? Stockholmsskolan, led by Wicksell and Keynes, believes in Scandinavian happiness levels can be achieved by adjusting travel budgets to your pocket. So, when going on your next trip, save some money before it gets hot and travel spending comes around!

Travel to Mars by Overshoot

Did SpaceX intend to overshoot to Mars? While the talk around Tesla is always an interesting one, overshooting to Mars can become a reality pretty soon. Overshooting, however, in near future, cannot be the best solution. To travel and really get to Mars, the real exchange of travel expense and experience novelty will need to be balanced out with the previously assumed, so the travellers are stable with their wants, needs and expenses. After all, the way to Mars is a long one!

Swan Island, Tasmania

While Swan Island, a part of Waterhouse island on the coast of Tasmania is known for its seal parties and little penguins, and less for swans themselves, the island has a vast variety of seabird and wader species. Swan model, however, focuses on bringing the travellers out of work depression (Read: why travel is necessary for your mental health) by balancing external and internal positions of economy.

Baikal, Russia and Mongolia –  the Largest Freshwater Lake in the World

Baikal is the largest freshwater lake by volume in the world, and travelling to Russia just to visit the rift valley lake in Siberia is worth it. While freshwater reserves are important to any country and will determine the future climate in the world, the Sweetwater school of rationality would reaffirm that, opposite to Saltwater Keynesian economics, travel spending and failures from time to time can be either a bust situation, or a solution to a problem. So remember on your next trip – not a person can have valuable travel experience without being taken aback by some of the travel experiences.

Matching, United Kingdom

Escape to a countryside sometimes is just what you need. Matching near Harlow in United Kingdom will give you not only a pleasant fresh breath of air, but also knowledge, as not afar from Cambridge. The economic thought being the matching theory, or search theory, maintains that travellers form mutually beneficial relationships over time, be it solo traveler finding a travel companion in hostel in Hanoi, or a senior traveller travelling Spain with common interest in museums friends group.

Vienna, Austria

From Mozart chocolate balls selling in Saltzburg to Viennese Midsummer concerts in the Schönbrunn Palace, Austria is full of discoveries for both foodies and culture travellers. Austrian school of economics, also, maintains, that music movements and developments are made by individuals. Geniuses like Mozart are responsible for movement forward, and economics is no exception.

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How Hungary produced the “World’s most expensive wine”

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While many choose Hungary for its budget travel opportunities, Hungary has earned a title if the country with the world’s most expensive wine. With nearly 100 varieties and 22 wine regions, one of the most established wine vocabulary and industry flourishing since the 16th century, Hungary is now known not only for its Kékfrankos, but also as one of the most luxurious wine producers.

The Essencia 2008 magnum decanter was certainly the world’s most expensive wine put up for sale in 2019. But how did Hungary come to be a country of wines?

The Rich History of Winemaking in Hungary

Hungary is a wine country. The rich history of Hungarian wine can be traced back to the Roman origins. Not only they are famous for Roman temples of Ridicule; they also had a very varied food and dining culture, later reflected in countries which were once of Roman influence.

Food and dining in Roman Empire, or simply the ancient Roman cuisine was full of traditions, partially arrived from the ancient Rome’s earliest times, and inherited from Greeks and Etruscans, whose Symposium was for most part a drinking party – drinking wines. From vin ordinaire to regional varieties in Roman comissatio, the wine culture was brought to its regions, Hungarian and Magyar lands as well.

Throughout history, Hungarian wine making saw its golden ages as well as dark times, and only in recent years the Hungarian winemaking is again on rise.

The Celts inhibiting Hungary during the third century BC brought the viticulture to the land. Later, Hungary’s terroir, composed of multiple microclimates, allowed the industry to flourish, and after Magyar invasion of Hungary in 896, Tokaj wine yards, where the most expensive wine of today is made, was awarded to dynasty that would later rule the Kingdom of Hungary. By 17th century, Hungary advanced in winemaking as to merit the first vineyard classification system in the world, and by 16th century, the lore of fearless warriors of Hungary, fuelled by “Bull’s Blood” – the red wines – sounded loud and far.

Today, you can visit the Tokaj vineyards in Hungary to see where the most expensive wine is made, which was praised centuries ago by the King of France Louis XIV as “Wine of Kings, King of Wines” when about Tokaj’s aszú dessert wine.

Wine of Kings, the Tokaj’s Aszú Essencia

Just like the French kings, Tokaj’s dessert aszú is praised all over the world still today. Made entirely from juice of aszú berries, not diluting any of its sweetness, the Royal Tokaji Winery, located in Mad, is making the comeback of praise for Tokaj’s quality wine. What makes it so expensive, though, is the fact that it takes a kilogram of perfectly ripe aszú grapes to produce just a teaspoon of wine.

In 2019, the Essencia was placed on the market at $40,000 for just a bottle of wine. Only 20 bottles of the wine exist, and after releasing the 18 bottles of wine in 2019, only 2 are still left for the Hungarian-based wine artist James Carcass.  

New Tendencies in Winemaking

While wine is by no doubt one of the musts when visiting Hungary – here are some Budapest free activities to spend your time in the country’s capital while on the travel in between the wine regions – the new tendencies in winemaking are encouraging travellers to try wine everywhere they go. From Norwegian Honeywine Suttungs mjød to Latvian pear and cherry wines when visiting Riga Art Noveau for its architecture, there is an upspringing wine culture in both traditional European wine regions as well as in traditionally wine-importing countries.

Where to go for Wine Tasting in Europe

Go to Champagne in France to taste the prestigious Veuve Clicquot and Tattinger wines.

Visit Piemonte in Italy to taste the rich whites, like Erbaluce and Cortese.

Go to Bordeaux, France to sip on Saint-Emilion and Pomerol.

Take a trip to Duoro Valley Wine Region in Portugal and taste the portwine in Vila Nova de Gaia cellars in Porto.

Taste the vibrantly coloured Tempranillo in La Rioja Wine Region is Spain.

Got some Cash? Other Expensive Wines to Try in 2020

Domaine Leroy Musigny Grand Cru 2012 – $14,450

Screaming Eagle Sauvignon Blanc – $5,850

Chateau D’YQUEM – $117,000

Ampoule from Penfolds – $168,000

Scharzhofberger Riesling Trockenbeerenauslese – $13,615

 

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Why You Should Plan a Trip With Your Mother Every Year

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You think you need 5 doses of sanity to get through family holidays, let alone travel the hottest travel destination in 2020 with your mom alone?  Whatever your fear is – you will be left starving at the vegan unfriendly steak houses, or your mom only cares about arts and crafts, and there will be no option to see the modern art museum everyone is talking about, there is still a reason why you should plan a trip with your mother every year. And, maybe take on boat your beloved doggie.

Get Out of Comfort Zone

If your mom decides to visit your new university town for Christmas, or you go all the way to your home country to visit your family, the comfort zone levelling is not there. For the ultimate travel gains, both of you, your mom and you should break free from your comfort zones, and  go on a trip where both of you can truly enter a new reality with different rules than back at home.

Breaking free from comfort zone will truly reward you later in life, and you will learn about yourself – and your mom! – so much more.

Spend time together

Now take back to the last time you actually spent quality time with your mother. Was it just before your graduation? Was it back home around Christmas time when you both rolled the gingerbread dough and the kitchen smelled like a whole lot of spices just from the Santa home? Maybe it is time to sip on some Portuguese wine or take an evening walk by Alicante beach, to catch up what’s going on in your lives and what’s important for both of you.

Learn About Each Other

Learn about each other in ways you never did in your own environments! Does she enjoy egg coffee? Maybe your mom never knew you actually do enjoy knitting and want to learn weaving the reed baskets or making an umbrella by yourself. Maybe you did not know yourself you have a talent in  shūji or Japanese calligraphy, up until now!

This is a time to rediscover your strengths and weaknesses, likes and dislikes, and make the mother-daughter–son relationship bloom again!

Cross Out Bucket List Items

Do you also have that fish-SPA on the bucket list, but none of your friends is

into natural SPA or Vietnamese massages? There are always those bucket list items you and your mom will share because – just because you are of one blood. Cross the endless list of bucket lists in each other’s New year resolutions lists from 5 years ago and go on a trip together!

Make Special Memories

Make your special memories by taking on your way your family dog whom you have not seen in years! Make the time spent with your mom a time of discovery, new beginnings and new experiences. From going on a swim with pigs in the Philippines to riding sleights by deers in Rovaniemi for Christmas, make your holiday and trip a new memory to remember.

10 Mother-Daughter Trip Ideas for Your Next Get-together:

  • Cycle from Dijon to Beaune in France
  • Hike and Shop in Denver, Colorado
  • Go on a Street Art Tour in Houston
  • Relax and Sip Rose in Calistoga, California
  • Enjoy Beauty and the Beach in Croatia and Albania
  • Follow the Route of Game of Thrones in a Car in Spain

Are you ready for a trip with your mom?

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