Our travel in 2014 2014 was the year that we went from casual travel users to wild-eyed travel addicts. And, following in the footsteps of the late Amy Winehouse we won't go to rehab. We say "no, no, no" (but we do hope for a happier outcome). So, without further reference to dead rock stars here's our 2014 travel year in review: Doha What we liked: The … [Read more...]
Archives for 2014
German Christmas Markets 101
Blonde recently returned from a Viking River Cruise that visited a variety of German Christmas markets along the Danube. She'd long heard about the German Christmas markets and pictured them as being pretty, twinkly and full of hand-crafted decorations to buy. And, for once, she was right. However, due to overwhelming reader education dedication she decided to create a sort … [Read more...]
What’s it really like to go on one of Viking’s River Cruises?
Viking River cruises review You've seen the ads for Viking River Cruises. Attractive, smiling people gliding past the Parliament building in Budapest as they sip fine wines or check their iPads. It looks serene, elegant and as if it would be nice to be part of one of those groups of interesting, friendly people. And it is. And it's a lot more. After three Viking cruises … [Read more...]
Nuremberg with Viking River Cruises
Nuremberg was never on the list of places Blonde thought of visiting. But then Viking River Cruises extended an invitation to join their Romantic Danube itinerary which began in Nuremberg. So Nuremberg moved way up the list! That turned out to be a good thing. The trip was in December and Nuremberg has what is reputed to be the oldest and largest Christmas market. OK, … [Read more...]
Socializing with Viking River Cruises
Several months ago when checking our email for the usual deluge of fabulous offers of free first-class trips around the world (and instead finding male "enhancement" options) we spotted an email from Viking River Cruises. Would we like to be their guest on their second "social cruise" with other "influencers". Are these other people good or bad influences? Which … [Read more...]
Burying dead (stereotypes about) American tourists
Lately we have seen a spate of articles online repeating old stereotypes about American tourists. To our glee most of these articles have had long strings of comments telling the writers that they are wrong. Blonde may have left one or two responses calling the writers lazy and unoriginal but we neither confirm or deny that. But more surprisingly, Brunette is mad as hell and … [Read more...]
Athens walking tour through the centuries and the shops!
A walking tour of Athens with Athens Insiders solved one of our recurring travel issues. We get to a city we haven’t explored before and know the main things we want to see. But we don’t have a good (or any) plan for how to do it all. Then we waste time trying to figure it out, ride public transportation going in the wrong direction and decide a glass of wine would be a good … [Read more...]
Budapest: Statues, Memorials and “Popped-up”
Budapest statues and memorials Heroes' Square Budapest statues and memorial have a long and a very recent history. Budapest was founded in 1873 and it appears that they have spent many of the 141 subsequent years erecting statues, memorials, controversy and, recently, "Popped-Up" art. Rather than write a thoughtful history of all of this artistic activity and … [Read more...]
Our favorite destinations for snorkeling (so far)
Ever since we were little girls we have loved water and then somewhere in our early twenties we both began to try snorkeling. That minor change in our water sport interests has entailed a fortune in travel expenses and "resort wear" necessities, but we bravely snorkel on in search of the next best reef! We have a previous post which (surprisingly) has good advice for anyone … [Read more...]
Baths in Budapest
Prior to setting off on our trip to Budapest Brunette discovered that the city has a long- standing bathhouse culture. Our fate was sealed. Small, water-obsessed brunettes can be formidable obstacles and are best placated. (Now if Brunette’s research had shown that you had to be nude to use the baths there might have been a different outcome. Might have been.) So why does … [Read more...]