Europe

Europe, FAQ, ROMANIA

Romanian Currency: Where to Exchange?

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I’m travelling to Romania in a few weeks and I normally just grab whatever currency I need from the Travelex booth before I get on my flight somewhere (yes, I know it’s not always the most cost effective). Anyway, Romanian Lei is not available from the Travelex booth. So what do you recommend – change in Bucharest airport, or find an ATM? Presumably there will be an awful lot of people all trying to do the same thing? Response: There are also Money Exchange offices all over along the streets. We normally use these, as they tend to have the better rates. Like gas stations in the US, where there is one, there is usually three or four within close proximity. Just compare the rates and choose the one that is best. Not only will ATMs have fees, but your banking / credit institution may charge an additional “foreign transaction fee.” Between the two, these fees combined usually come out to more than what you will give up at one of the exchange offices.

Netherlands
EUROPE, Europe, FAQ, Netherlands

Netherlands: A Country or Group of Countries? Is Holland one of them?

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Q: Does The Netherlands refer to one country or a group of countries, and is Holland one of them? Response: Good one. Yes and No, but yes. Borrowing the line from a popular song “…this is the land of confusion” this is probably a good trivia game question. For those who prefer the short, quick answer: Netherlands is a country. There is NO country called Holland. Holland is a province of Netherlands (actually two provinces: North Holland and South Holland). For those who possess a little more intrigue: The confusion over The Netherlands and the common misconception that Holland is a country, or that it is one and the same place, has some historic roots. Commonly referred to by some as Holland, and yet others as The Netherlands, they are referring to same place, sort of. To start with the basics: Netherlands is a European country that is part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, ruled by the Dutch royal family. The country itself, Netherlands, is comprised of  12 local provinces (Brabant, Drenthe, Flevoland, Friesland, Gelderland, Groningen, Noord (North) Holland, Zuid (South) Holland, Limburg, Overijssel, Utrecht, and Zeeland). The confusion extends into the Caribbean islands as well; Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba are cities of the country of Netherlands, while Aruba, Curaçao, and Sint Maarten are self-governing countries of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Summarized on the blog by cgpgrey: So in the end, there are 6 Caribbean islands, four countries, twelve provinces, two Hollands, two Netherlands and one kingdom, all Dutch. Quite simply, Holland makes up two provinces of the country, Netherlands. So why the confusion? Why do people say “Amsterdam, Holland” but “Rotterdam, Netherlands” when both cities are located in the province of Holland in the country of Netherlands? It is like saying one is going to Seattle, Washington or Arad, Transylvania versus Seattle, USA or Arad, Romania, respectively. Looking into the the history of this common reference, a few excerpts below give a little insight regarding origins and advice,  taken from the site internationalstudents.nl: When the Dutch went out into the world … starting in the 17th century… to establish trading routes, most ships came from the two provinces now called North Holland and South Holland… The Netherlands did not exist at that time yet, so when you would ask the sailor where they were from they would respond with the name of their city-state (province). Most of the time the sailor response would be that he was from Holland. Ever since Holland has been an synonym for the area that would later be called The Netherlands. . . … since there are ten other provinces with each having their own proud history, I would not recommend saying Holland when you are actually trying to refer to The Netherlands. It is just not correct and can even be seen as offensive or insulting, . . . There are many other sources which add to the confusion, including the country itself choosing to use the name Holland on their official sites for promoting tourism (www.holland.com, www.lekkerweg.nl). And many countries have the use of Holland rather than Netherlands historically ingrained into their languages and unchanged to this day. For example; Holandés in Spanish, Olandese in Italian, Hollandais in French, Olanda in Romanian, and Holländisch in German. So a bit of history follows us through the ages and makes for interesting discussion. Speaking of which, why are Netherlanders referred to as Dutch (or are they?), and the Germans as Deutsche? Another post for another day. In the meantime, below are a few [somewhat contrasting] references to get you warmed up: Why are people from the Netherlands called Dutch? Why are the Dutch called Dutch? First of all, we do not call… Dutch People Names of Germany

Aeroflot
Chronicles, Europe, Vagabond

Aeroflot: Try the Russian Airline?

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Recently I needed to get to Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. There was a flight combination that worked well for me, going to New York City then flying out the following day, which would allow me to spend an evening with some friends and family. The next day flight was with the Russian airline, Aeroflot, through Moscow and on to Bishkek. Aeroflot was one I had never flown. Some of my colleagues had, but not I.  A colleague had cautioned me about delayed connections through Moscow, stating it was an airport with not much to do, but the connection times on this route seemed ok. Not knowing much about this airline I decided to try it. (As everyone wished me a good trip, my adorable little niece said “I wish you a shiny plane aunt Miha.” Funny – look what I got.) I was impressed with the Airbus A330-300. Clean leather seats and a TV monitor for each seat. Lots of movies, documentaries and music options. Our Russian crew was nice and accommodating. I moved to another seat after boarding was done and they brought me my previously requested vegetarian meal to my new seat. The flight left NY on time and landed in Moscow early and the meal was very good. However, our connecting plane from Moscow to Bishkek was far away from the terminal. We had to take a crowded bus and enter the plane by stairs out in the rain. Moscow to Bishkek was a short but tiring flight due to the crying babies and loud and restless passengers. The crew was nice and the meal good but the other people in the plane moved constantly, changing seats and bothering each other. Landing in Bishkek we found out that a lot of the checked luggage from NY did not make it. The personnel in FRU (Bishkek airport) was nice but not too helpful. They had to be pushed to make calls to find out where the bags were. Yet, by the time we reached our far away hotel there was a message from them. The bags were in Moscow and arriving the next morning. I learned from fellow passengers that checked bags are often late and this is a common problem many Aeroflot passengers deal with. Another minus I was told is that the catering from FRU (Bishkek) or SVO (Moscow) back to the states is not good. I was told the food going that direction is a nightmare. Something most do not want to taste, or wished they had not. However later speaking with one of my colleagues, they said the food was fine on an Aeroflot flight they took back to the states. For those who are curious, I found here some Aeroflot reviews. I will be on a different flight back to the states, so guess I will find out another day. When the day comes, I will be sure to have a carry on and back up food supply, just in case.

Romania
Europe, FAQ, ROMANIA

Is there really a place called Transylvania? If it is, where is it located? And have you been there?

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Yes there is. I have been there a few times and Mihaela, who is from there, is visiting right now. Transylvania is a large province that takes up much of western Romania. If you ever have a chance to visit, you certainly should and now is the time to do so. Once a communist country in Eastern Europe, Romania now has open borders and the tourists are coming in. Within the province of Transylvania are historic cities and villages like the fortified citadel of Sighisoara, founded in the 1100’s and birthplace of Vlad Tepes (Dracula). Sibiu, another beautiful city in the Transylvania region was awarded “Europes Cultural Capital” in 2007. You can visit the castle in the town of Bran, commonly referred to as “Dracula’s Castle” (although it was not, and the prince of the royal family whom it belonged to lives in the outskirts of Boston, MA today. It was not Dracula’s castle, however he sought refuge from the Turks there at one time, and it is the one seen in the movie “Bram Stoker’s Dracula.” The whole country is dotted with old forts and castles and a mix of architecture and history from centuries of different occupations. It is easy to get around by train or car, and certainly worth the visit. I know – the simple answer was just a “yes” but why not share a little info? Hope this helps. There are number of pictures and information available on our web site, just click here to go to the Romania home page and then view the galleries under each post. Feel free to email if you want more info. Video regarding Prince Charles’ place in Transylvania, Romania:

Mykonos
Europe, EUROPE, FAQ, GREECE

What to do and where to stay in Mykonos, Greece?

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I am planning a trip to Mykonos this August and I would appreciate any information or tips about what to see there and where to stay. Response: We stayed at a place a little up the hill – but very easy commute – to Mykonos center. the name of the place is Hotel Jason and I have provided some links below where you can read additional reviews check pricing. We did find Mykonos to be a little more expensive than some of the other islands (not terribly, just a little more). Book ahead because August is busy. We went in late September and there were not a lot of rooms available on the island. If you are going to be there a while, I might recommend you also travel to and stay at some of the other islands within a couple hour ferry ride away, or even further. For example; Paros and it’s little neighbor Antiparos is not far away and nice. This would also be approximately a half way point if you then wanted to continue on to the famous Santorini. http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g189430-d309918-Reviews-Hotel_Jason-Mykonos_Cyclades.html www.hostelbookers.com www.hostelworld.com

Luxembourg
Europe, FAQ, Luxembourg

I have 7-day holiday. Where should I go?

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Trier (Germany), Luxembourg, Metz ( France ), Maastricht and/or Cologne? After a 2-week business trip in Frankfurt, my company grants me a 7-day holiday before I need to fly back. A friend suggested these cities to me: Trier Luxembourg City Metz Maastricht Cologne My travel plan is undecided except the last day , when I will take a Rhine cruise from Cologne back to Mainz. Then from Mainz to Frankfurt Airport. Which cities should I go in the other 6 days? Please give me suggesions, thanks Response:  Luxembourg and Trier are not far from each other. You could spend a day in Luxembourg walking the town, hitting the underground La Grunde and walking through the Casemates. Luxembourg is cool because even with all of it’s foreign companies and modern living, the fortress is very old and the caves are only open during the summer months. There are also some great restaurants in the old stone caves. Belgium and the beer gardens if interested is very close. From Luxembourg you could also take a river tour and see and learn about the Robber Barons and their castles, former toll sites along the river and them hop off at your next location for a day or two. A full day to two days at a few different locations would be good so you get to see more, and it is all easy to get to via train.

Bran Castle Transylvania Romania
Europe, FAQ, ROMANIA

What is Transylvania now Called?

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Question: What is Transylvania now called? I know it’s a part of Romania, but what is the newer name? We were told it’s still called Transylvania, and it’s a Hungarian speaking region of Romania Response: It is still called Transylvania. It is a large western province of Romania dotted with fortified churches, castles, and historic places. Transylvania is also host to some of Romania’s most interesting cities, like Timisoara, Arad, Sibiu, Brasov, and Sighisoara, to name just a few. It is not Hungarian speaking, however does have a few Hungarian villages, some of which speak primarily Hungarian.    

EUROPE, Europe, FAQ, Lodging

Youth hostels in Europe?

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Is there an equivalent to Youth hostels in Europe? Basically I need something cheap (but hopefully not too shabby) in late July/early August for Munich and Amsterdam. Does anyone have any suggestions or ideas? Response:  You might experience a little more demand and therefore higher prices and lower availability during those months, however if you know your dates for each location, check the following: http://www.hostelworld.com http://www.hostelbookers.com http://www.airbnb.com Also, you might try registering and looking into http://www.couchsurfing.org There are some great people, kind and interesting, offering a room for a night (or few).

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