tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-64192763241839702672024-03-05T20:02:51.786-08:00reisebieneberry lovelyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03059281524577617180noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6419276324183970267.post-15912328237318075392013-05-30T14:30:00.000-07:002014-01-27T05:42:08.795-08:00A trip to the island of Sylt<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5fruZzjPKoGACTEtPeJ_JTminN-_iufUxeWQ_Cn4W93xZMDzKlV6n_m2KDW-gVOpk4IFWYukEIeaRU3VVEleZf5BcqPf7v6KMLcd6KpbMz_1rUeOACabsn-BHkOgxn9RxSNincVyutcs3/s1600/sylt1.jpg" /></div>
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Sylt is one of the popular spots for Germans to spend their holidays. A over 40 km long, unbroken chain of sandy beaches and mud flat makes up the island's coastline. There are many protected nature habitats for fishes and birds to feed and rest. Majority of the houses are decked with traditional north German thatch roofs which gives a very rustic characters to the island. There are also many, many fine restaurants. It also has some of Germany's most expensive real estate, and is also known as a place for the rich and famous. Therefor you can probably say that it has a similar feel to the Hamptons.<br />
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I am in love with this beautiful place. The landscape is unbelievable. Everyday we were greeted with a clear blue sky and refreshing ocean breeze. I felt connected with this island, even though I have not been there for a long time, probably because I am born in north Germany, not too far from Sylt.<br />
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Since the land is mostly flat, one of the most popular tourist activities is cycling. There are plenty of shops where you can rent bicycles. You can probably travel around the island that way within half a day or so. Where bikes are not accessible, it is still very comfortable to reach these destinations at walking pace. There are hiking trails for those who wish to experience nature.<br />
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Another regional icon for Sylt, and perhaps north Germany, is something called <i>Strandkorb</i>. It literally means "beach basket", but are basically the Cadillac of beach benches. Traditionally built with woven wickers, the Strandkorb comes with accessories such as sun shield, collapsible mini-tables, and pull-out foot rests. You can see these little boxes peppered over the island, and they are a very comfortable place for spending a day on the beach.<br />
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<br />berry lovelyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03059281524577617180noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6419276324183970267.post-39047685714204076012012-11-30T13:00:00.000-08:002014-01-27T05:19:07.871-08:00A trip to Hong Kong<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
Let me tell you about my recent experience in Hong Kong. I have been
to many cities in Asia, but none held the mystique and intrigue like
Hong Kong. The "Pearl of the Orient" or "Asia's World City", as it is
called. I have been wanting to travel to Hong Kong for a very long
time. Long before I met my husband, who was born there, but left with
his family when he was a child.</div>
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For him it was the
first time going back after almost 25 years. To my surprise he was
right at home, and his aunts, uncles, and cousins and nephews were
also very enthusiastic towards him, as if he never left. I also felt
very welcomed by my new found family, and they are all very warm
towards us. So, you can imagine I fell right in love with this city.<br />
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Everybody
has images of Hong Kong in his head, the enormous skyscrapers, the high
population density, the ultimate shopping streets, the beautiful
harbor, the peak and other well known landmarks. What I didn't expect
was the beautiful nature, almost empty beaches, long hiking trails in
lush green surroundings, crystal clear waters and almost rural village
live.<br />
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We were lucky to stay longer than the typical 3-5
nights that most people do, and I recommend it to everyone to get away
from Hong Kong Island and visit some of the surroundings, like the many
beautiful islands and the New Territories.<br />
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Of
course, the food was amazing. In Sai Kung for example, you can buy the
seafood directly from the fishing boats and have it prepared at nearby
restaurants. The meal we had there was probably one of the best I have
ever had.<br />
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You can find all kinds regional Chinese
cuisines in abundance. We had everything from Peking duck to
Shanghainese Xiao Long Bao to Hong Kongs own Dim Sum. If you are tired
of Chinese food, which is hard to imagine in Hong Kong, there are still a
lot of choices of every international cuisine at all levels. Not to
forget the beautiful pastry shops, which you can find in any shopping
mall or big name hotels.<br />
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I
also liked to visit the different temples in Hong Kong, there are big
and small ones, old and new, some hidden, some surrounded by beautiful
nature, some crowded with people seeking good fortune.<br />
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Getting
around in Hong Kong was really easy. I have not seen a public
transportation system anywhere which was so efficient, modern, clean and
all that at a reasonable price. Well, every guide book will tell you
this anyhow, but really get an Octopus Card, if you go to Hong Kong. It
makes everything very easy, you can use it for bus, metro, ferry, tram
and even to get a coffee.<br />
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We had a wonderful time, and I hope you like all my pictures. I can't wait to go back soon!<br />
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berry lovelyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03059281524577617180noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6419276324183970267.post-20849799978667687812012-07-09T03:53:00.000-07:002014-01-27T05:19:28.100-08:00A trip to Tokyo<div style="text-align: justify;">
In a recent post I wrote you about <a href="http://reise-biene.blogspot.de/2012/06/chinese-egg-tarts-and-trip-to-shanghai.html" target="_blank">our trip to Shanghai</a>. The second part of our trip to Asia brought us to Tokyo, which was a completely different experience. As with China, it was also my very first time in Japan. Tokyo is incomparable to everything I have seen before. It is very busy, but at the same time calm and orderly. The people are very polite, and the taxi drivers are even all dressed up in suits, ties, and gloves. When you are in a big department store, you will see the the staff bowing at you, sometimes even in formation. If you are used to the chaos in China, it might take you some time to readjust to the almost sterile atmosphere that is in Tokyo.<br />
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It is also very hard to find your away around, whether you are Japanese or not. There are no street numbers in Japan, only neighborhoods and blocks. Then add to it the fact that some places are just so huge, you really don't know where you are until it's too late. The biggest train/metro station in Tokyo, the Shinjuku Station, has more than 60 exits, in a huge underground labyrinth. If you end up going to the wrong exit, you won't be able to trace your way back. Sometimes, that's part of the
joy in traveling, isn't it.<br />
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The food in Japan is well known for its total perfection. Everything is beautifully executed and arranged, and has flavors that are unique to the dish. The sushi is, of course, fantastic, whether you are in cheap kaiten sushi joints, or in more upscale establishments in the Tsukiji area. However, there are also food items I find strange, like the chicken sashimi, which I would not incline to try.<br />
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Of course I had to pay a visit to the famous pâtissier Hidemi Sugino. I have heard stories from other bloggers, who had to endure long line ups, only to find out their favorite pastries had been sold out.
Luckily, it was around the corner from my hotel in Ginza. We went around midday, there was still a broad selection to choose from, and the service was very prompt. I have to say, it was the best pastry I have ever experienced. Everything down to the texture and temperature
tasted just right.<br />
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Despite being a progressive hi-tech society, the Japanese are also very traditionally minded. They have some of the most immaculate train and communication systems in the world, and yet you see a lot of Japanese, still observing their traditions. It is not uncommon in the metropolis like Tokyo to see women shopping in their elegant kimonos, or people going to temples, keeping in touch with their spirituality. These two seemingly polar opposites exist in harmony, and gave the Japanese people their unique cultural identity. Unfortunately, I have not had the chance to see the famous Geisha or Geiko while I was there.</div>
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berry lovelyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03059281524577617180noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6419276324183970267.post-75273687252689206122012-06-17T10:19:00.001-07:002014-01-27T05:19:44.746-08:00A trip to Shanghai<div style="text-align: justify;">
It was my first trip to China, and I was totally overwhelmed by this city.The city was very impressive and there were many things to see. On one hand it is very modern, with new ultra-chic skyscrapers being built constantly and endless shopping possibilities, but on the other hand there is still a very traditional side, with old temples and people doing Tai Chi in the park each morning. I took almost 2000 pictures, and it took me some time to go through them all. I have included a small selection here to share my experiences with you.
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My favorite past time was to stroll around the city in the morning. You can see people practicing Tai Chi on the streets, play cards, ballroom dancing in the park or just meet for a chat. Everybody seemed very relaxed and very friendly and curious to me. It was really exciting to see how energetic these people are and how much fun they have even at such early hours.
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The food in Shanghai was also amazing. I love Chinese food and I also know many authentic dishes from my husband and his side of the family. But the choices, variety and quality of the food in Shanghai were simply endless. Whether it is street food or gourmet restaurant dishes everything tasted incredible, and the prices were still very reasonable.
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Opposite to all the hustle and bustle you can still find peace and quiet, for example in one of the many temples. It is nice change in scenery and I enjoyed visiting them very much. If you happen to be at the Longhua Temple around lunch time be sure to try their vegetarian noodle soup. It is extremely delicious.
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I didn't really know what to expect before we went, but I was pleasantly surprised. I hope to return to Shanghai soon for another exciting visit.
But this was not the whole trip; I will tell you about our next destination in another post.</div>
berry lovelyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03059281524577617180noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6419276324183970267.post-31986337980955483272011-02-26T11:23:00.000-08:002014-01-27T05:19:55.580-08:00A trip to Vienna<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This Valentine's Day we made a trip to Vienna, which was also our first trip since we got married, so I guess it counts as a honeymoon, too. A romantic place, it definitely is. It is very charming, not hectic, and you can still feel the imperial grandeur. During the four days we stayed, we were able to see and experience a lot. There are beautiful museums, palaces and other landmarks. Everything is easily accessible on foot or a short ride with the subway. <br />
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Vienna is also a great place for good food. There are of course the classics, like the <i>Wiener Schnitzel</i> and the <i>Tafelspitz</i>, but you will also find top restaurants that offer a new Austrian inspired cuisine. Then, of course, there are cakes, strudels and other delicacies. Everybody knows the <i>Sacher Torte</i> and the apple strudel, but there are many, many more calorie-laden dreams to be discovered.<br />
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Like most big cities, Vienna has a beautiful outdoors market. It's called <a href="http://www.wienernaschmarkt.eu/" target="new"><i>Naschmarkt</i></a>, which is loosely translated as munchies-market. The <i>Naschmarkt</i> is open from Monday to Saturday, and offers a beautiful selection of fruits, vegetables, meats, cheeses, breads, sweets, chocolates, and much more. There is also a big section with herbs and spices, as well as several Mediterranean food choices. If you get hungry while shopping there are also a number of small restaurants, which offer everything from Wiener Schnitzel to Sushi.</div>
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Vienna is also known for its <i>Kaffeehäuser</i>, which literally mean coffee shops, but it is much more than that. They are really more an icon of the Viennese lifestyle. People spend hours or even the whole afternoon here, meet with friends or just read a newspaper or magazine, which are usually provided. Everything is still very traditional, with servers bringing you coffee on a silver platter. There are a lot of different choices of coffees and they all have different names from what you are used to. My coffee of choice for example is a <i>Mélange</i>, which is similar to a cappuccino.<br />
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Our first <i>Kaffeehaus</i> stop was Café <a href="http://www.demel.at/en/index_en.htm" target="new">Demel</a>. The Demel is a very traditional Kaffeehaus with a long history delivering its sweet creations to the Austrian Royal family. There has been a long dispute between Café Demel and Café Sacher of who owns the rights to the original Sacher Torte. It even went to court and Café Sacher won the rights to sell the original Sacher cake. Of course you can get a Sacher Torte in any Vienna Kaffeehaus, and so we decided to try the famous cake here at the Demel. I have heard from many people before that Sacher Torte is not really that great and usually very dry. Unfortunately these rumors were true, and I wasn't too impressed with the taste. But this is just something you have to try once when you are here. The Demel is close to the Hofburg, and has a shop on the ground floor, and several cozy rooms on the upper levels. </div>
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Another well known Kaffeehaus is <a href="http://www.cafesperl.at/" target="new">Café Sperl</a>, which is not very far away from the Naschmarkt. Before our trip I was reading a lot of good things about this place, unfortunately it turned out to be quite the opposite. It was very busy, but still looked cozy. There were couches and in one section there were billiard tables. However, the servers weren't very friendly, and the bigger disappointment were the coffee and cakes. We had an Apfelstrudel and some kind of specialty bar. The strudel was was cold and tasted like it has been sitting there all day long. While the bar was not very special, it was actually dry and boring. My drink was a Maria Theresia coffee, which is a coffee with orange liqueur and brandy topped with whipped cream. It was so sweet, I couldn't even finish it.</div>
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So, after these two disappointments we almost gave up on going to Kaffeehaus altogether, but then we found <a href="http://www.palaisevents.at/cafecentral.html" target="new">Café Central</a>. The travel guide I was reading found this Kaffeehaus comparable to Disneyland, and we were prepared for another disaster. But to our surprise, it was great, and it wasn't Disneyland. The room was very elegant with beautiful arches. The cake selection was great and the servers were friendly. There was a good mixture of Viennese people, tourists and business people. We had a <i>Cremeschnitte</i>, a cream-filled pastry, and a chestnut cream roll. We liked it so much, we went there again the next day for an early dinner, which was also very good.</div>
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Not a typical Kaffeehaus, but a Patisserie is <a href="http://www.oberlaa-wien.at/" target="new">Kurkonditorei OBERLAA</a>. They have a wonderful cake selection, and also make their own chocolates. They are also very famous for their macarons, which they call <a href="http://www.oberlaa-wien.at/content/view/178/71/lang,en/" target="new">Laakronen</a>. They come in 10 different flavors and they all tasted wonderful. Oberlaa has several locations in Vienna. On our first day, we first went to the one on the Naschmarkt for some macarons. Then two days later we had tea and cake at another one near Stephansdom. We had a Mango-Chocolate Cake and a Chestnut Mousse Cake, both were fantastic.</div>
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Vienna is a beautiful city for a short trip. We didn't mind coming during the colder season, since most attractions were not yet overrun by tourists at this time. The cold temperature also let us enjoy the <i>Gemütlichkeit</i> at the Kaffeehäuser. My favorite culinary discovery was the chestnut-cream cake. I already found some good recipes, and hope to make one soon and show you the results.</div>
berry lovelyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03059281524577617180noreply@blogger.com0