Holiday Taste of Travel
International Holiday Food At Home
Here we are, December of 2020 and the pandemic is still raging with many months still ahead of us before vaccination of the masses occurs. While some opted to cancel plans for Thanksgiving, Christmas is a much more difficult pill to swallow, so if you’re one of us that is attempting to plan for an adapted holiday, read on.
Pre-Pandemic Holiday Plans
In the Autumn of 2019, my husband and I naively hatched a plan to skip Christmas stateside and instead venture off to the land from which it came. Germany, during December, is supposed to be what holiday dreams are made of and we (along with my mother-in-law) were set on capturing some of that magic for ourselves (in the context of how long this past year has been, it feels like we were just “kids” back then).
Alas, as the months went by and winter became spring, COVID19 became a reality and so did the logistical nightmare of attempting international travel. Not yet aware of the duration of the waking nightmare that has been the pandemic, we scaled back our travel aspirations for a much more modest trip to visit family in the southwest, however, that too was nixed as the months drew on and cases continued to rise.
Pandemic Holiday Comfort
One of my motivations for visiting Germany is to reconnect with my German heritage, being just a fourth-generation American, but with no tradition handed down due to German American sentiment at the time at which my family immigrated. I had grand plans to visiting German Christmas Markets and packing my bags with the traditional decor to fill my home for years to come, but that too will have to wait. Instead, I’ve turned my attention to making some traditional European holiday treats and Germany is at the top of my list!
Meet The Christstollen
I’ve seen these loaves of bread during the holidays, identifiable by their powder sugar-coated crusts, but never knew what they were until I started researching iconic German holiday foods. The Christollen comes in an array of flavors and traditionally varies from region to region across Germany. I, however, have set my sights on perfecting the variety that comes from Dresden because it's filled with dried berries, candied citrus peels, and almonds soaked in rum, as well as marzipan and again coated in the iconic powdered sugar.
I failed royally at documenting the process of making my first batch of this tasty treat, but because of the amount of time it took, start to finish, it was 11:30 PM and I was just trying to get to bed. Having failed to take a picture of the finished product before I had packaged up three of my four loaves, having already cut into the one remaining (you know, to check for poison like any self-respecting baker would do), I hope you'll forgive the after the fact nature of the photo I'm using for this post.
P.S. It was delicious.
Lessons Learned
It can take longer than stated on the recipe, so allow for more time.
The directions in the recipe I followed were confusing concerning incorporating the marzipan, so when in doubt, study the photos!
One batch is intended to divide in half, but if you quarter it, you get great mini loaves that are ideal as gifts!
To try the recipe I used (I will use it again) follow this link.
Questions or Comments? Leave me a note!
A Mental Escape To The Chateau
The Mental Escape We All Need
If there’s anything that most people can agree on these days it’s that we’ve all watched a LOT of television since being stuck in our homes due to the pandemic. With that in mind, if you’re like me and have already burned through all of the more obvious candidates for bingeing, you may need suggestions for that infamous “show hole.”
Image from IMDB
The Premis
Featuring retired Lt. Col. Dick Strawbridge, his wife Angel Adoree, and their two small children, trade-in their two-bed apartment in Essex for a dilapidated 19th-century French chateau. Watch as they utilize a limited budget to renovate 45 rooms, improve twelve acres of land and a medieval moat, as they attempt to create a beautiful venue for weddings and events.
Why you’ll LOVE it
I’m totally biased having also gotten married just a few short miles from the location of this particular chateau (check it out HERE), but this program is not only set in a dreamy landscape, but it’s also full of possibility that is sorely lacking in our lives at the moment. A bonus for me is that Dick is hilarious and Angel has me feeling the itch to make stuff that I have business attempting to stuff inside my small condo. The moral of the story is that if you need a mental break and are already caught up on The Great British Bake Off, check out this show. I watch it on the Peacock App (it’s free), but it’s also available on YouTube, I’m putting the first episode for you to sample in this post
You can also follow a long on Facebook for more details!
Questions or Comments? Leave me a note.
Emily in Paris - She Should Have Stayed Home
A Netflix Review
As a self-proclaimed Francophile and fan of the series “Sex in the City,” I was elated at the announcement and release of the Netflix series Emily in Paris. Saddled with the dull-drums of the ongoing COVID19 pandemic, a need for mental transportation to “other” places and distraction from the consistently negative atmosphere of the world at the moment, a visually romantic and lighthearted binge session seemed like just what the streaming doctor ordered.
All Cliche no Charm
I’ll be the first to admit that I’m guilty of romanticizing many of the historic cities of Europe by choosing to only engage with the historical aspects of the cities and culture. I want to be Audrey Hepburn in 1950's Rome, and I want to sip wine in Paris with Ernest Hemingway in the 1920s. Another reviewer of this show, stated that “Americans only want to see the Paris of 100 years ago,” and to a great extent, I agree with that sentiment and can find somewhat of a parallel in my hometown of Kansas City.
Not known for being a city of light or romance, however, Kansas City was once a hub for the cattle trade and the resulting reputation of making good barbecue, but while the cattle industry has long since left, the reputation remains. I don’t even enjoy barbecue but still must converse about it with anyone visiting the city or that I meet elsewhere after the name of the city is mentioned and I can only imagine what it must be like for a Parisian?! Anyway, I digress…
While I do have some similar criticisms of the Sex in The City series, some of the obvious story issues such as how Carrie was able to somehow fund a Manhattan lifestyle on the income of a singular weekly newspaper column, are even more glaring in the Emily in Paris series. For example, the seemingly overnight popularity and growth of her Instagram account, or the fact that this early-career person always seems to have the edge on everyone else around her. I don’t know if it was an attempt at personifying American superiority, French indifference, or what, but in my experience, if some 24 years old was continuously making me look inferior at work by touting that they had a masters degree while only having had a year or two of experience, I’d be pretty annoyed too. “Fresh perspective” is one thing, but the savior of an entire company by way of occasional Instagram posts is ludicrous.
Setting aside how I feel about the career/finance issues that have long been noticed in a variety of other successful shows such as Friends, there’s also the issue of fashion and romantic entanglement. Unlike Sex and the City, whose characters were still impossibly chic, managed to have signature styles (for the most part) just a half step between timeless and fashion-forward. Carrie being the exception, the other three characters dressed in a manner semi-reflective of both their career field as well as their level of success within it. However, Emily appears to be dressed like some sort of indulged teenager that is entirely indifferent to either the environment she is in or the message that her outfit sends. For someone that claims to be so “in the know” about what subtle messaging does for a brand, I can only assume by the way her outfits scream “petulant American teenager,” that she doesn’t know what she’s talking about.
Then there are the many many romances. This show (and many other shows and films like it) makes it appear that impossibly handsome Frenchmen are literally on every street corner just waiting to bump into some ridiculous American girl who has just had her heartbroken. Gag me. These characters range in their most glaring of flaws, but at the heart of it, each is entirely devoid of any meaningful personality or at the very least the desire to cast an actor capable of portraying imaginary substance. Good, Bad, or whatever, every romantic interest in this series is nothing more than just a pretty face.
My Scorecard
In conclusion, yes, I did watch the entire season of a show that I knew I hated by halfway through the first episode. Yes, the scenery, colors, conversational cadence, and predictably excellent quality of a Netflix production, was addicting. However, while some of the supporting characters may have been mildly interesting it doesn’t change the fact that the central character is a paper doll and her main love interest is devoid of any real sense of self. No matter how pretty the color of the lipstick, when on a pig, nothing will make it cuter. I give this show a solid “D” grade.
An Angelic Summer Cake
Summer Is Canceled
2020 is a year that I can’t wait to see in my rear-view mirror and not just because of the terrible things that are happening, but also because of the wonderful things that simply are not.
I’ve been extremely fortunate in that I work for a company that has taken the pandemic seriously since day one and has allowed those of that can, to work remotely since the middle of March. However, the decision to send us all home (which I’m continually grateful for) has frozen my mental calendar firmly to that date in an almost groundhog day fashion… causing me to continuously feel confused by the month shown on the calendar.
In a normal year, a series of events would have already occurred by this point in July, and a series of events would also be on my immediate horizon that, well… simply haven’t, and aren’t going to this year. Questions like, “what day is it” seems to be forever on my tongue as the days, weeks, and months have become strung together with no distinguishing events to catapult my measure of time further into the year.
The above is not news to anyone, we’re all in this together, but we’re all getting through it slightly differently.
Let Me Eat Cake!
On the subject of the pandemic, diet and exercise are topics not far from anyone’s mind. Like a pendulum, I have swung from one extreme to the other and then back again, all while attempting to establish a sense of equilibrium, a challenge considering that nothing is normal, everything is always changing, and let’s face it, eating cake is comforting.
If you're like me and had travel plans that were canceled due to a travel ban, you might be organizing your socks or some other mundane thing in place of dwelling on the disappointment of it all. Alternatively, if sock organization has already been completed, perhaps you're game to try something that you've always wanted to do but haven't?
For example, I’ve always wanted to make a classic Angel Food Cake. I’ve avoided attempting this cake because of the special pan that is required (cabinet storage is in short supply in a condo), but desperate times call for desperate measures. Throwing storage concerns to the wind, I bought the pan and took the plunge.
This is a blog post that documents my first attempt at making a cake that’s as synonymous with summer as is swimming pools and outdoor barbecues.
Step #1 - Sift EVERYTHING
Step #2 - Separate a THOUSAND eggs and carefully fluff them up
Step #3 - Sift again and “FOLD IT IN”
Any Schitt’s Creek fans in the house?
Step #4 - Scrape the bottom and work FAST
Step #5 - Add half the batter and spread evenly before adding second half
Step #6 - Bake until golden and splitting
Step #7 - Invert and let cool for at least two hours
Step #8 - Run a knife around all edges and sides before removing from pan
Step #9 - ENJOY!
In Yummary… I mean Summary
This was easier than expected to make, separating the eggs was the only tedious part but you’re well supplied with yolks for making custard later ;)
I used the recipe from Bon Appetit but most recipe’s seem to be relatively similar.
I may not be attending backyard barbecues this summer, but I am enjoying a little slice of summer with this cake!
Leave me a comment below!
Trip Planning During Covid19
Planning When Nothing Is Certain
We’re now half-way through 2020 and what feels like a lifetime of uncertainty related to Covid19. Regardless of your feelings or opinions about how to address the pandemic in your day-to-day, the fact remains that government-mandated restrictions remain. For those that had plans for big life events or experiences in 2020 holding our breath and crossing our fingers has become the only sport available to watch.
A New Set of Rules
Typically when I plan our trips abroad there are certain key factors that I just don’t challenge the wisdom of and that list starts with avoiding Europe in August. However, due to an unrelated scheduling challenge for my husband this year, the only window of time long enough to go anywhere in 2020 just so happened to be in August which I was NOT thrilled about at the start of the year. However, as everyone around the world is now used to saying, “then COVID happened.”
Trip Planning During Covid19
As much as I wish I could be an authority on the subject it’s simply not possible to build a house on shifting sands, so for those that keep asking me what is going on with my summer travel plans, this post is a chronicle of my experience while attempting to plan during a time of the unknown and unknowable.
Timeline
Back in January of 2020, we purchased roundtrip tickets on British Airways from New York to Athens Greece. As I’ve mentioned in a previous post we often purchase inexpensive flights from our hometown to more major cities offering more competitively priced international flights, so in this case, it was Southwest Airlines to the rescue!
January was a blissful time of new resolutions and nieve planning for the new year, but what it also did was to create a protective bubble around our newly booked trip to Greece which was done pre-COVID. That said, “then COVID happened” and put everything into flux. Our financial investment in both our flights and accommodations are safe because of our booking date, but then comes a variety of other things to consider and potential complications to tackle.
COVID Considerations
Government Regulated Travel Restrictions
Government-Mandated COVID Mitigation Rules
Above impact on desired activities
Travel Regulations
At the time of the writing of this post, I’m paying very close attention to International tourism regulations from Greece, the European Union, and the United States. Thankfully the EU is being very communicative about regulatory changes and making those changes available on various government websites.
As it stands the US is under a level 4 travel ban on non-essential travel, which doesn’t mean that we can’t leave but does mean that we can’t get travel insurance. The EU is slowly opening up, and fortunately for us, Greece is at the forefront of the relaxing of those regulations due to the low number of COVID cases they have been able to maintain. However, as of today Greece still requires mandatory COVID testing and multi-day quarantine of all arriving tourists. In addition to testing upon arrival, Greece is also heavily enforcing social distancing guidelines which at present is keeping indoor bars and restaurants closed, and has capped entry to many of the historical sites.
With that being said, the Greek Tourism Board has strongly implied that they expect the current restrictions to be lifted in July, and the EU is slated to release the updated guidelines July 1st, but they have not made implications such as what Greece has.
Travel Regulation Resources
The following list of websites is what I’m paying close attention to in terms of the probability of my trip, and my secondary consideration is checking with my airline to stay up to date with how they are complying with travel regulations in addition to being enrolled in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP).
International Flights
As mentioned above, a secondary thing to remain mindful of is how the airlines are reacting to changing regulations. A great example is one such change that has already occurred to my potential trip and the city of my layover.
My flight in August was scheduled to depart from NYC and then land in Madrid Spain before continuing on to Athens Greece. However, the partner airline that we were booked on (in this case Iberia Airlines) which then would have been departing from Spain, was canceled. The cancelation of the second leg of our flight was not a major issue, and actually was a blessing in disguise! We received the cancelation notice and immediately called customer support at British Airways where a representative immediately took our call, rebooked both legs of our flight on a British Airways flight plan through London, and had the whole process completed within ten minutes from the start of our call.
Where the above scenario becomes important, is that the cancelation of the original second leg of our trip is that it was due to restrictions between Spain and Greece, so it’s important to try and stay aware of the many moving pieces related to travel within the EU.
Needless to say, I'll be waiting with bated breath for the announcement promised for the beginning of July.
Want to join the conversation? Leave a Comment Below.
Hot British Buns
British Food Or Something Like It
Let’s face it, when you think of the United Kingdom, great food probably isn’t the first thing to come to mind. Tea, Haggis, Fish & Chips, and Shortbread aren’t all that is consumed there however, and not everything involves beans and sausage.
Man Can Not Live On Deep Fried Mars Bars Alone
When I’m traveling abroad, one of my favorite parts of the travel experience is trying new things, which includes the foods of whatever country it is that I’m visiting. Granted, traveling can sometimes be stressful and in those moments a familiar taste from home can go a long way toward calming anxiety, but as a general rule, I like to eat things that wouldn’t be typically available to me back home.
Enter the deep-fried mars bar.
On my very first trip abroad at the ripe old age of twenty-eight (I won’t tell you what year this was), my girlfriend and I flew to Scotland to visit a friend of mine that I had met while earning my undergraduate degree. Upon meeting us at the Edinburgh airport, the very first thing he did was take us to try a deep-fried mars bar. I was deeply skeptical at first but ultimately enjoyed this gooey goodness beloved by locals in Edinburgh, and while it wasn’t a very “high-brow” thing to try, it helped me to open the door to international food experiences.
Photo borrowed from wikimedia
Foods To Try The Next-Time You Visit The UK
Start with a cup of tea and all the yummies that typically come with a high-tea service!
Cakes, scones, finger sandwiches, and clotted cream…
Visit a Pub
I’m not really a beer drinker, but when in an actual English Pub… pass me a pint!
Pub Food Can Be Surprising
You MUST have Fish & Chips
I know it might sound weird, but don’t be shy with the vinegar!
British Scones
The scone has not traditionally been my favorite piece of pasty to consume with coffee, or really at any occasion. Dense, crumbly, overloaded with sugar or other fillings, my face gets tired of eating them after just a few bites. However, British scones are something entirely different, and are more like a buttermilk biscuit in texture, although slightly moister, and also slightly sweet without the addition of any sugar topping or extra “dressing.” I am obsessed with British scones and probably ate my weight in them while there.
Lunch is NOT optional
In the States, we’re used to being able to get what we want when we want it, but that’s not always the case elsewhere. On more than one occasion, we found ourselves immersed in a tour, or traveling from one destination to the next, and postponing in favor of a “late lunch.” Unfortunately, that’s not really a thing, at least not in Scotland. If you haven’t eaten by 2 pm, you’re basically out of luck and will have to make do with whatever you can find.
Exhibit A: The only thing left to purchase at 2:30 PM, was a tiny sandwich and carrot fingers as part of a child’s snack pack at local coffee shop.
Sticky Toffee Pudding
Among my favorite things about Scotland, is the miracle that is Sticky Toffee Pudding. What an American would describe as a “cake sitting in a sauce,” is a very moist Date Sponge Cake, set in a custard sauce, and covered in a warm toffee sauce. I had this years ago when I visited, and it was just as good as I remembered.
Top 5 Foods To Try in The United Kingdom
Sticky Toffee pudding
Fish and Chips w/vinegar
Deep-Fried Mars Bar
Meat Pies (I recommend the haggis)
British Scones
Have you tried any of the things on this list, and if so, what did you think?
Did I leave anything off that should make the top five?
Leave me a Comment Below!
Baking My Way
I’ll admit, I have multiple books about baking. Beautifully bound hardbacks, full of photographs that make my mouth water, but don’t get used for baking. I might not be alone in this, and for all I know, the publishers never actually intended these publishing masterpieces to get anywhere near flour.
The Scent of Joy
My love of baking began as a child, memories of which are shiny happy feelings of time spent with my overly burdened mother, who despite being the primary caretaker of all eight of her children (which she also home-schooled), still found time to regularly make homemade chocolate chip cookies with each of us.
I don’t recall baking other things with her, at least not in the vivid way that I recall the cookies, but despite the overriding amount of noise I recollect from my childhood years, baking cookies with mom is a memory and feeling that all seven of my younger siblings and I share, that we each treasure.
Fast forward a couple of decades, and I still enjoy baking, but only in the past couple of years has it once again become the happy escape from chaos, that I remember it being with my mother. Somewhat “egged” on by shows like The Great British Bake Off, and more frequent travel to the pastry loving countries of Europe, I’ve become braver with my bakes.
What started with the classic Toll House recipe found on the back of their bags of chocolate chips, has grown to include French Macarons, Butter Croissants, Creme Brulee, Lemon Tarts, Swiss Rolls, and more. If I’m not baking to relieve stress, I’m probably watching a show about baking, or YouTube videos on how to perfect a particular baking technique.
My husband, while not having an avid sweet tooth like myself, has fully embraced my baking obsession. Living in an open concept condo, he has little escape from my baking shows and unending film of flour that coats our kitchen countertops. A beacon of patience and support, he recently purchased me a copy of a newly published book, that might just change my baking destiny.
Bread Between The Lines
I’ll admit, I have multiple books about baking. Beautifully bound hardbacks, full of photographs that make my mouth water, but don’t get used for baking. I might not be alone in this, and for all I know, the publishers never actually intended these publishing masterpieces to get anywhere near flour.
However, I read my copy of Poilane and was moved, deeply moved. How many times in your life do you expect to say that about a cookbook?!
After reading it, I felt a weird sense of responsibility, almost an obligation, to Apollonia Poilane herself, to use the recipes contained within the beautiful pages. So I decided to do just that, try and bake my way through it.
I Love Bread
While I’ve not had much success in the past, I’ve been working towards developing “bread” skills in recent months. Yesterday, a cool Sunday in November, I decided to try my hand at a breakfast recipe in my copy of Poilane.
I first posted this image on my Instagram account, and tagged the Poilane bakery in Paris. To my shock, they responded to it almost immediately with a heart emoji… a true modern love story.
I Read, You Saw, I Baked
I made one mistake in this recipe, which was that I didn’t allow enough space for the bread to rise in the pan before hitting the aluminum foil, leaving a slightly more compressed texture than it should have had. However, the texture was soft and spongy, despite my error, and left me feeling VERY impressed with myself for having made it. My husband and I sliced up some cheeses and cured meats, and ate most of it for dinner :)
My first attempt at black pepper Pullman Loaf!
Having only recently discovered the existence of this bakery, it’s now my goal to bake my way through the entirety of the book, prior to making my way to Paris, to actually visit Poilane Bakery. Over the next nine months or so, I’ll have to step-up my cardio game.
Have you read this book or something else that I should know about? Perhaps I should continue documenting my process of baking my way through this book?
Leave me a comment below!
Croissant Baking Adventures
We’ve all seen them behind the glass, golden, flaky, rounded semi circles of goodness. Some with chocolate, others with shaved almonds, or the classic buttery friend that we all know and love. The croissant is truly an achievement of mankind.
Part One
You’ve seen them behind the glass, golden, flaky, rounded semi-circles of goodness. Some hide decadent chocolate centers, others have shaved almonds, but all buttery achievements of humankind.
Lamination
I’ll be honest, this is another example of The Great British Bake Off, manipulating me into learning new baking skills.
I’ve found the idea of making puff pastry (dough lamination) too intimidating to try previously, but I finally worked up the courage to give it a shot last night, as is evidenced by the photos above. Far from perfect, the texture was slightly more bready than flaky, the semi-circles lost their curves, and the layers were just overall too thick. However, despite those obvious issues, I was pleasantly surprised with how they turned out!
Lessons Learned
I think that most of my issues stemmed from not stretching out my triangles of dough, before rolling them into their final shape. While there are layers in the finished product (the lamination), the individual layers are just too thick, resulting in the slightly bready texture. However, I think that I’ll be able to correct this per the above.
Stay tuned for my second attempt in PART TWO!
Questions, comments, or advice? Leave them below!
A Macaron and The Great British Bake Off
Watching the Great British Bake Off, is such a joy for me. It helps me unwind, and the co operative, pleasant attitude of the contestants, sorta recharges my introverted (i.e. People can suck) batteries. What it also can do to me, is make me brave enough to try making things I’ve never tried to make before.
When a show becomes an obsession
Usually, it’s a mannerism or a catchphrase, but sometimes it’s an over-inflated sense of confidence. Maybe that’s just me, and only in this one instance, but man… I dove in.
Watching the Great British Bake Off is such a joy for me. It helps me unwind, and the cooperative, pleasant attitude of the contestants, sorta recharges my introverted (i.e. People can suck) batteries. What it also can do to me, is make me brave enough to try making things I’ve never tried to make before.
Example one, the example of all examples, was committing to making french macarons for my wedding reception before I’d ever even tried to make them. I blame the show for making them look easy.
Lesson One:
Don’t believe everything you see on television.
This is a Macaroon, NOT a Macaron.
Lesson Two :
Get real excited and go buy a book WAY out of your league.
Lesson Three:
Spend HOURS in front of your oven, praying for silly things like “feet,” and glossy level tops, and then proceed to pitch your first three to five batches in the trash.
Lesson Four:
After buying stock in your local egg whites farm, determine to make at least two cookies per guest, and then suddenly realize that a single finished cookie, is TWO cookies, and you only get eight finished cookies out of each batch. Double your egg purchase, and start drinking a lot of wine.
Lesson Five:
Congratulations, you’ve achieved Ninja level macaron skills, and the neighbors that ate the multitude of practice cookies, now only see cookies when they see you coming. All future gifts will be macaron themed.
Give yourself a HUGE pat on the back, you made 300 macarons in four different flavors when you could have just gone to Costco.
Questions or Comments? Leave me a note in the comments!
A Luggage Philosophy
If Instagram has taught us anything, it’s that having the perfect outfit for the already enviable locations that you’re visiting, is an added perk to traveling abroad, but who’s going to carry it?
Fashion show in exotic locations, or hassle-free travels?
If Instagram has taught us anything, it’s that having the perfect outfit for the already enviable locations that you’re visiting, is an added perk to traveling abroad.
However, those six pairs of shoes won't get themselves up the four flights of stairs in your beautiful, but historical, walk-up Airbnb rental in Italy. So, difficult decisions will need to made, and pairing down your ensemble is only half the struggle.
I’m a big advocate for using the metro/rail systems when traveling in Europe, which while often underground, requires climbing a lot of stairs to navigate to the appropriate platforms. In addition to the metro challenges, there are also the aforementioned stairs in your Airbnb.
The beautiful apartment buildings that we Americans all drool over in photos, typically don’t have elevators or have elevators too small to put your luggage in. Again, this results in hauling your luggage up a LOT of stairs. Even the smallest roller bag, can be cumbersome to carry when gripping a railing and ascending a mountain of stairs.
So, before you pack your bag, let's talk about what kind of trip you’re taking, and how much you’ll be changing locations.
My husband and I travel a decent amount, but I often joke with him that we’ve yet to take a true vacation in the seven years we’ve been together because our trips are marathons of activity. We typically spend no more than three days in a given location and typically travel between twelve and sixteen days, which results in a lot of jumping around, and therefore more stairs than I can shake a stick at. Therefore, I prioritize ease of travel, over Instagram ready wardrobe changes.
Luggage is a tool, and there’s an appropriate tool for every job.
As I mentioned above, I happily pack minimally, in favor of keeping my hands free when traveling. What this translates to, is using a backpack. No, not the backpack you carried in college, and no, not the backpack you’d carry into the wilderness, but an honest to goodness travel backpack. Usually in the category of luggage or travel bags, rather than as a “backpack,” these bags are sized for travelers that want to carry their bags onto their flights. Appropriately sized for most overhead bins, it’s yet another way to ease travel day stresses.
I’ve been carrying a bag from Osprey, since 2015, called the Porter. This bag has been upgraded a little since I purchased mine, but the basics of the bag are all still the same, and it’s still available on the Osprey website, HERE.
How do you pack enough for two weeks into a backpack?
Even when I’m not traveling, and have access to my entire wardrobe, I still do laundry at least once per week, so that I can wear my favorite pieces again and again. The HUGE advantage of staying in Airbnbs, in addition to the cost savings, is the access to a washing machine. Pack less, rewash, and your little backpack will become your best friend.
So serious is my belief in the above packing philosophy, that when my husband and I opted for a destination wedding, I chose a wedding dress that I could easily roll and pack into that backpack, and I have no regrets to this day.
What does a two week wardrobe in a backpack look like? That’s a subject for another post ;)
Questions? Leave them below!
Basque Piperade
Memories live in food, and Basque country makes for sweet sweet dreams in deed. Try this recipe that I’ve come to know and love, and let me know what you think!
Memories live in food.
Have you ever eaten a meal that can transport you to a specific place in your memory? This dish does it for me every time.
Full of savory, sweetness, I love this dish with toast.
The first time I had this, I was in Spain, but being that it’s a Basque dish, have also served with French dishes.
The best recipe I’ve found, and have used several times, can be found HERE.
Give it a try and let me know what you think :)
A Beginners Guide to Travel Planning
Believe me, I get it. Student loans, rent, credit card debt, there’s ALWAYS going to be a million reasons why it’s not the “ideal” time to take that trip to Paris, but you only live once, and I promise that a year from now you’ll find a whole new crop of reasons why it’s not the ideal time.
I plan to see Europe, after I…
Have you ever caught yourself amid that statement? I’m certainly guilty of getting caught up in the minutia of everyday responsibilities and obligations, often blaming my lack of action towards obtaining a goal, on my finances.
Believe me, I get it. Student loans, rent, credit card debt, there’s ALWAYS going to be a million reasons why it’s not the “ideal” time to take that trip to Paris, but you only live once, and I promise that a year from now you’ll find a whole new crop of reasons why it’s not the ideal time.
“But I don’t know how to plan a trip like that.” I believe this to be at the real heart of why people don’t travel, a feeling of intimidation about the distance, and culture. The good news is that this part isn’t as hard as you might think.
How to plan a trip to Europe
Selecting A European Destination
For your first trip abroad, I recommend that you start by making a list of all the places that you’ve ever dreamed of going to. Don’t limit this list for any reason (cost, language, distance, etc.), and make a note of why you’re interested in each place (I’ll tell you why, next).
*Personal Note: My first trip abroad, was to the United Kingdom, to visit friends.
Now that you’ve got your list (free of reservations and limiting factors), you should compare all the notes you made for each place, to see if there are similarities between places (it may reveal the experience you’re secretly hoping to have).
*I made a list a couple of years ago, containing five or six places, but three of which had similar reasons (climate and architecture). This group of three similar places revealed what I was seeking in my next destination, and made the narrowing process much easier.
With your first round of eliminations made, it’s now time to compare the nuts and bolts of each place. Using criteria such as accessibility, airport connectivity, weather at the time of year you plan to travel, and then ease of access to travelers (language and/or political openness).
If that all sounds like a lot, don’t stress, I’ll break it down.
Accessibility & Public Transport
If planning a trip to another country feels stressful, driving and parking in another country are on a whole other level. While some countries have similar rules of the road, dealing with a car in most big European cities should be avoided at all costs.
Unlike the US, light rail is a staple for most urban European cities and is an inexpensive, effective way to get around. I would advise that you choose a place not only with a rail system but also stay somewhere near a station for that rail system (you can use Google Maps to help you with this). If big cities aren’t what you’re wanting to see, perhaps choose a town that’s still on the rail line but is smaller and outside of the urban hustle and bustle.
Airport Connectivity
This can have an impact on the cost of your trip, so it’s something to consider. Let’s use Paris as an example.
Did you know that Paris has two major airports? When searching for flights, you may be tempted to search the route between your closest airport and the largest airport near your destination (makes sense). Let’s say that route for your dates, returns a price of $900 round-trip, for a standard coach seat. Alternatively, you could search instead, from your home airport to the intended Country, rather than the specific airport, and find that flying into the smaller airport costs much less! Another alternative you might discover is an airport in an alternative city, a few hours away, which maybe half the cost. *Tip - Flights to Europe from the US, typically have you landing in the morning hours, which allows you time to then connect with a train. Alternatively, stay the night in your arrival city, and head out to your target city the following day!
Ease of Access
A benefit of being an American traveler is that there are relatively few hoops to jump through when we want to travel. However, starting in 2021, Americans will need to register with the ETIAS system and pay a small fee, in addition to obtaining a valid passport. This new system is not the same as a visa but will remain valid for three years, regardless of the number of trips to Europe, taken during that time.
Beyond the EU, some countries do require a visa, which can be as easy as submitting a form online, or as complex as sending written forms by courier, to an appropriate consulate. Be sure to check on requirements before booking your flights, by visiting the official government travel site, HERE.
Lastly, don’t worry too much about language barriers, particularly in large cities in Europe, speaking English is something that most service industry people can do, as it’s a trade language around the world. As a rule, I think it’s courteous to keep a cheat sheet on hand, for saying basic things, such as “please and thank you,” in the native language.
Other Resources
Often when I’m planning trips, or even formulating ideas for future trips, I watch travel shows, from well-known guides, like Rick Steve’s or Anthony Bourdain. YouTube can also be an awesome resource, which can allow you to see a place as experienced by other travelers.
Google Flights, is a wonderful tool for finding flight deals as I discussed above, and you can even set alerts for routes that you like, and it will send you an email if the prices go up or down.
Scott’s Cheap Flights is an awesome resource for finding out about flight deals in general, even with the free level membership. The only downside is that it’s not airport specific.
Accommodations
As a rule of thumb, I advise booking a traditional hotel for the day that you arrive in a new country, and also for the last day in a country. I’m never “at my best” after getting off of an overnight flight, so navigating to some random Airbnb and then figuring out the check-in process, is just more difficult than I want to deal with. Book a hotel, where even if the country you’re in is not English speaking, they’ll know how to help you get to a hotel in that city. The next day, when fully rested and showered, migrate to the more affordable Airbnb option. Likewise, being in a hotel the night before your departure can save you a headache on the day you leave. Example - Checkout is at noon, but you don’t need to be at the airport until 3 pm? No problem, it’s usually fine to leave your luggage with the hotel staff for a few hours. Alternatively, you have an early morning flight and don’t want to deal with getting to the train station with all your luggage, have someone at the hotel front desk, call you a taxi. The cost is worth the mitigation of travel day stresses.
Do you have questions or need advice? Comment below!