Austria
In Search of the Origin of “Silent Night”
Silent nights are an uncommon occurrence in The Big Apple, but on a frosty evening in late November, a group of people are gathered at a Colonial-Era churchyard cemetery on the grounds of New York City’s Trinity Church. There’s a nip in the air, but it has zero effect on the feeling of warmth and […]
The Sound Of Music And Rain In Salzburg
When the airport of a city or town is named after a local but deceased celebrity, upon arrival in said city one can expect a challenge in avoiding the posthumous paraphernalia and celebration of the eponymous home-grown hero. For example, touching down at Liverpool’s John Lennon airport, one can expect to be inundated in the […]
There Is A Coffee Heaven, And They Call It Vienna
Who would of thought that a bag of questionable pellets, originally thought to be camel dung, could transform a city into a coffee culture hub? Neither did the Viennese, nor myself, until The Toronto Star let me in on the secret. With over 300 coffee shops, Vienna has mastered the art of the bean (I’m wondering if […]
Ahhhh . . . Swimming In Austria’s Beer Pools
Benjamin Franklin taught us that “beer is proof God loves us and wants us to be happy.” I wonder what he would have said after a visit to the Starkenberger Brewery in Tarrenz, Austria. Housed within the walls of a 700-year-old castle, are seven pools full of beer. That’s worth a dip. The 13-by-13-feet square […]
Why Every Skier Must Get To Europe
It’s no secret I choose skiing as my winter escape, so naturally I gravitate towards ski destinations this time of year. Recently, Travel & Leisure put together a collection of 16 of the world’s scariest (ahem, gnarliest) ski slopes, convincing me that Europe may just be where it’s at. In particular, France appears three different […]
Igloos, Raves, and Snowbombing: The World’s Top Ten Winter Parties
For us in the northern hemisphere, the cooler mornings mean winter’s right around the corner. Every year at this time, I’m bombarded with visions of chest deep powder runs through Rocky Mountain champaign, followed quickly by après beers turned all night jam fests. Needless to say, I couldn’t be more excited to share this Times […]
Travel Motivation From The Big Screen
In a manic episode of escapism, and don’t ask me why, I happened to grab the movie “Sound of Music” off the shelf. In a recent post, I shared not seeing “Lord of the Rings.” I must apologize yet again; I haven’t seen this classic in its entirety, until last night. What struck me wasn’t the music, or […]