Affordable Oslo… sounds like an oxymoron doesn't it?  Scandinavian countries are expensive.  Norway may just top the list.  

So what can you do so you can afford to visit this picturesque and lively capital?  For one thing, get outside.  The Norwegians love outdoor activities… so join them and wander in Oslo's parks for free.

Use public transportation not taxis.  Start by getting the shuttle train in from the airport.  You can buy a 24 hour pass for the public transportation system.  You should also look into the Oslo Pass.  

The Oslo Pass will give you free admission to more than 30 museums and attractions in Oslo as well as free public transportation and ferry rides for the duration of the pass.  There are discounts on dining and shopping.  It even includes a lunch cruise tour…. how's that for a free lunch!  This is an all day tour by bus and boat that shows you the main sights around Oslo and includes a seafood buffet.   

If you like beer, then Belgian beers should draw you to visit this little country.  The Visit Belgium website says there are over 450 different varieties of beer.  

Beer is more than just a drink here… this country cultivates beer connoisseurs.  It's true… Belgians take their beer seriously.  Many of the beers have specific beer glasses in which that beer, and only that beer, may be served.  Just like some wine glasses, each glass is made to enhance the flavor of the beer it is designed for.

Certain beers may be paired with food, just like wines are, and some beers are aged for years in their bottle.  Almost all Belgian beers are "conditioned" in the bottle not in kegs, so it will be different than if you go into a British pub to get a local beer on tap or if you visit one of the growing number of micro-breweries in the U.S.
Many of Belgium's beers are made in small quantities and don't travel well, so you'll just have to go to Belgium to try them.

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If the coffee shops stretched your tourist imagination, the Amsterdam Red Light District won't.  

"It WON'T??"  I can almost hear all you men out there.  "Wait a minute… that gets my imagination going…!"    

Well, it may boggle your mind to have all "that" out in the open and legal, but your imagination?  No…  The Amsterdam Redlight District leaves very little to the imagination.  It's all right out there in front of you.  It's a frenetic, hardcore sideshow of humanity, and it's unlike any other place that has been on your tourist map… we're pretty sure of that!

You may have heard about this district before we told you…  but is it a place for tourists?  

We're not talking just any beer here… we're talking Czech beer… lager to be specific.  Lager was born here.  It was in the town of Plenz (Pilsen) that the first light golden lager was produced.  Pilsner has become a generic term for similar lagers wherever they are brewed.

Pilsen is still brewed in its birth town which is about 50 miles (80 km) southwest of the Czech capital of Prague.  The Plzensky Prazdroj Brewery's best known brew is Pilsen Urquell.

Of interest to drinkers of the American Bud or Budweiser, the original Budweiser Budvar is brewed 100 miles (150 km) south of Prague.  The little town's name is Ceske Budejovice… Budweis in German.  There have been legal fights between the two beer producers, and as far as we know currently, they can both use the name as long as they don't step on each others toes.

Do you know the difference between Amsterdam coffee shops and brown cafes?  They both sound like places where you could stop for a bite to eat, though you might not be sure why one is brown.

This is one destination where you could be in for more of a surprise than you planned for if you just wander in for a cup of coffee.  In Amsterdam coffee shops are totally different from cafes, restaurants, and even bars.  Walk into one, and you're apt to get a buzz just from the smoke… and we're not talking cigarettes here.

In Amsterdam coffee shops are where the Dutch and tourists go to buy and smoke marijuana…. pot.  What???

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Bavaria might epitomize what you think about when you think of Germany… oompah bands, Lederhosen, beer, sausages and lots of fun.  There is a lot more to this region than that.   You may be surprised to know that it is a very pretty and fun part of Germany to visit.  It is justifiably one of Germany's more popular tourists destinations.

There are just lots and lots of things to do in this region of Germany… from famous castles like Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau to beer festivals like Oktoberfest in Munich.

Munich is the capital of Bavaria.  It will take you two, three or more days to see it… Munich deserves a page of its own, and we'll give that to you later.   Read more

Irish Pubs are as much a part of the local scene as the iconic tiny green fields bordered by stone walls.  Whether you're a beer lover or not, you should visit at least a few Pubs during your visit.

When we traveled in Ireland with family, we stopped at a Pub for lunch.  Our nieces were young at the time, and they wanted to know if it was OK for them to go into a bar…. Don't think of them as bars.   

The term pub is short for "public house".  The locals go there to hang out and socialize.  Children are served food and soft drinks.  Sometimes there is a special section, and they may be asked to leave earlier at night than the other patrons.  The legal drinking age is 19 in Ireland.

The Oberammergau Passion Play (Passionsspeili) is probably what put this little town on the map.  The story is that the townspeople pledged to do the play every ten years in grateful celebration for being mostly spared from the bubonic plague in 1633!  It's been performed every ten years ever since with only a few exceptions.  Talk about a long running play!

The spectacle was first performed at Easter.  Now the performances go on for about five months, but still, it only happens every ten years… at the end of the decade in the year that ends with zero, so 2010, 2020, 2030, etc. 

You must experience Venice.  Don't listen to anyone who tells you it isn't worth visiting, that it's a tourist trap, that it smells. 
Venice is romantic whether you go with a lover or a friend.  It's one of those cities that is charming and small and begs to be explored.  There are no streets, at least for cars.  The only way to get around Venice is by foot or a boat of some sort.  Doesn't that take you back in time and bring out the romantic in you?  Don't settle for stories from your travel friends or pictures in a book, go and experience Venice for yourself. Read more

Grand Paris!  Think of a romantic trip to Europe, and the City of Lights springs immediately to mind!  And why not?  It's a beautiful city.  Easy to navigate.  And the sights!  Well, there is no shortage of sights.  And because of the combination of tourist attractions, food, and romance, it is one of the most popular destinations in the world. Read more