Questions

So, once someone finds out that you have either lived overseas or visited multiple places overseas, there is one question that is almost always asked.  "What was your favorite place to visit?"  I'll be honest, this is quite the difficult question since there is such a variety of things to see for a plethora of reasons.  All of it really depends on what you like and want to see as an individual.  For me it is an exceptionally hard decision.  I basically decided upon 5 countries that I think you should visit if you have limited time.  And choose your own adventure based on what your preferences are.

1. Austria.  Austria is, in a sense, very similar to Germany in culture, food and history.  Though, at least in the portions I've visited I've found Austria to have something special in beauty with the lakes, valleys and mountains that it possesses.  It also has spectacular sites to visit including Hallstatt, Innsbruck and the Grossglockner High Alpine Road.  If you are a big nature person and enjoy hiking/biking/driving in the mountains or skiing, then Austria is a fantastic choice.

2. Spain.  I have been to Spain twice.  While in Spain I have visited Barcelona, Pamplona (Running of the Bulls), Consuegra, Toledo, Madrid, Malaga, Zaragoza and Seville.  (Not including Gibraltar and Morocco which were visited while I was in Spain).  The atmosphere in Spain is festive in general, running late into the night every night.  You can also participate in a multitude of enjoyments from festivals, fantastic food, flamenco shows or simply just relaxing in the countryside or beaches.  So I would say that if you prefer partying and fun in the sun then you can't go wrong with Spain.

3. Ireland.  Ireland was a blast, especially due to the natural beauty of sites such as Giant's Causeway and Carrick`a`rede.  Not to mention the awe inspiring castles that are around.  As for cities, Belfast and Dublin are both great places to see.  Whether you're interested in trying the food and drinks (Guinness/Jameson) or the historical side of things (Book of Kells) it is well worth a visit.  So, if you prefer seeing nature and sites, but don't care for the strenuous hikes than Ireland is a good choice.

4. Scotland.  Scotland has man of the same benefits of Ireland, though in some cases I think it may be more "touristy".  Definitely has the beauty (Loch Ness) and is rich in castles as well.  And you can't go wrong with either the food or drink, since most people know that scotch comes from Scotland and they make fantastic Shortbread cookies.  The special feature that Scotland added, with at least our home base in Aberdeen, was an in depth look into ghost stories and myths.  So if you want nature, history and myths, then Scotland is the place to go.  Did I mention you can "purchase" a small plot of land and become a Scottish lord?

5. Italy.  Everyone I know is a fan of Italy, for a variety of different reasons.  Perhaps the top reason is simply the food and wine, some of the best is in the region of Tuscany.  It is also as rich as, if not more so, the rest of Europe in history with the plethora of monuments, cities and structures including Florence, Pisa and San Gimignano.  Basically, if you like food, wine and history then Italy is a must.  Oh, if you're a car enthusiast, did I mention that Ferrari, Lamborghini and Pagani  all have sites to visit?

Obviously I didn't really narrow it down much, though these are not the only places I've visited.  In reality, I think anywhere in Europe is worth a visit to expand horizons and experiences.  I'd suggest looking for what you want to do and start there.  There is always something else worth seeing nearby.  Safe travels!

Awesome Austria

As always, it's taken me too abysmally long to get to writing this post. Basically, back in May I decided to go for a road trip into Austria. This was actually the first trip that I had completely planned on my own, and I was the only person going.  It even unexpectedly turned into a 5 country trip (counting Germany). I left work on a Wednesday and drove down to my first stop at Hotel Lindwurm, Bad Goisern, Austria. Before you enter Austria, make sure you buy your Vignette (Toll Sticker) to be able to drive in the country. They are easy to acquire as the stations near the border all carry them. Now the Lindwurm hotel was in a beautiful location in the valley between mountains and was a perfect spot to spend the night with many photo opportunities in the drive up to the hotel. The staff even complimented my car as I pulled up in my Mustang, and provided me a delicious dinner before bed.

The next morning after breakfast I drove off to the first major site that I had wanted to see in Austria, the Hallstatt Salt Mine. Hallstatt is one of the most beautiful places that I've had the chance to see, a small town nestled next to a lake in a scenic valley. 

 The salt mine itself offered a great tour through the first 3 levels of the salt mine, including wooden slides between each level that were great fun, a beautiful light show with history underground, and a quick train ride out of the mountain to conclude the trip. Honestly one of the most enjoyable experiences I've had in Europe. I wrapped up my time in Hallstatt by enjoying lunch with an amazing view of the valley at the restaurant next to the mine.

As I left Hallstatt, I started towards the real reason I wanted to come to Austria, the Grossglockner HighAlpine Road. Honestly, if you have any kind of car you enjoy driving, (like a Mustang ;-) ) then you have to take at least one mountain pass. And this was was amazing. After a fee, it provided 40 kilometers of breathtaking views driving through the Alps on my way to my next bed time destination of Lienz, Austria. I still fondly think about Grossglockner.

In Lienz, I didn't do a hole lot since this was mainly a break to make sure I didn't drive too much while trying to get some relaxation in on my trip. I stayed at the Best Western in Lienz, which while very nice wasn't really that special. I ate dinner at the Goldener Fisch, which was the restaurant in another hotel. The food was good but the service was a little on the poor side. That's about all there was to Lienz besides some walking around for me.

The next day I spent driving towards Innsbruck, Austria on a route that unexpectedly took me through a portion of Italy. The entire drive, while not a fast drive, was gorgeous running though valleys and low mountains providing an amazingly scenic and an unexpected joy to look at the nature.

At Innsbruck, I stayed at the Hilton there, and was the standard level of service from Hilton. More expensive and a little nicer. I spent the first evening walking around Innsbruck and I came to the conclusion that all of Austria is gorgeous and surrounded by breathtaking mountains. In Innsbruck there were many restaurants to try, I tried a few on Maria-Theresien-Strasse but can't remember the names... They were all good choices. 

Besides walking around the big attractions that I visited were the Hungerburg Funicular, which is a lift to the top of the mountain, two stops, that provides an astounding view of all around. You have to spend a little money but it is absolutely amazing and if you do only one thing in Innsbruck, this is it. If you have enough time you can also hike up and down the mountain under where the lift goes. It looked like it would be a challenging hike, but nice in the summer.  The other big site I saw was the Alpine Zoo. It was very pleasant and nice, and how can you go wrong at a "Alpine" zoo? Though, if you're on a schedule you can skip this and be missing a whole lot.

The next day I started my trip home, and my drive took me through Luxembourg, which while it had some nice scenery there really wasn't anything special to see. My GPS also started to accidentally take me into Switzerland, which I immediately bolted since I didn't have the Vignette you have to pay before hand. I jumped back into Luxembourg and drove an uneventful trip home. Even though on my own, this was one of my favorite trips (like all of them). Austria is a must see and beautiful. Enjoy your travels!