Photo Blog Series: Drinks around Europe

Social drinking is definitely a part of the European culture, but unlike college students in America, the goal isn't to get drunk.  Rather, you are supposed to appreciate your drink.  Brian and I are very skilled in doing that and have enjoyed trying local drinks as we've traveled throughout Europe.  Here are our all-time favorite drinks that we will miss from Europe. 

Sekt (sparkling wine) and Hofbrau bier at the Hofbrau Haus in Munich, Germany

British ales with Emily and Jon in Bath, England

Gluhwein at a German Christmas Market in Augsburg, Germany

Hot Apfel Punch at a German Christmas Market in Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany

Wine in the Tuscan region of Italy

English Cyder in the Cotswolds

Beer and Bombus (a combo of Coke and red wine) in Croatia

Bellinis on the Grand Canal in Venice, Italy

Sangria in Barcelona, Spain

Beer vending machine in Germany

Brian's favorite British ales

Photo Blog Series: Our Favorite Markets in Europe

One of our favorite things to do when we visit a new city is to go to a local grocery store or a food market to truly get an idea of the country's culture.  It's fun to see that in Britian, there is half an aisle completely devoted to baked beans; in Spain, you have to weigh and price your own veggies and fruit before going to the check-out; and in Germany, there is an entire section devoted to my favorite chocolate of all time, Kinder Schokolade.  We usually try to visit the food markets around a mealtime to get an authentic, inexpensive lunch or dinner.  It's definitely one of our top tips for anyone traveling on a budget or for anyone who wants to get away from typical touristy restaurants.  Below are photos from interesting markets we have seen throughout Europe.  Make sure to stop in one if you are visiting one of these places!

Beautiful fruit at La Boqueria in Barcelona, Spain

Borough Market in London, England, with our friend Theresa

Sangria at Mercado de San Miquel in Madrid, Spain

Cheese-stuffed spicy peppers at Naschmarkt in Vienna, Austria

Brian and Kim in a food and flower market in Nice, France

Brian and Chris with exotic fruit at Viktualienmarkt in Munich, Germany

Photo Blog Series: Our Best Shots Part 2

Continuing from yesterday, here are more of our favorite photographs that we have taken on our travels to more than 20 countries throughout Europe. 

Fountain in front of the Pantheon (Rome, Italy)

Inside the Berliner Dom, the city's largest cathedral (Berlin, Germany)

A sky so perfect, it looks fake (Zermatt, Switzerland)

Hiking along the Italian Mediterranean Coast (Cinque Terre, Italy)

Icicles hanging from icicles in a German Christmas Market (Augsburg, Germany)

Beautiful fountain in the French Riviera (Nice, France)

A striking scene at the American Cemetary (Normandy, France)

Log cabin in the snow along the Romantic Road (Bavaria, Germany)

Ferris wheel and ice rink at the Berlin Christmas Market (Berlin, Germany)

Water crashing along the coast (Cinque Terre, Italy)

Overlooking the Matterhorn on a beautiful Swiss day (Zermatt, Switzerland)

The sun shining in the harbor (Oslo, Norway)

Suspended in motion on a Swiss train ride (Switzerland)

One of the magnificent fountains of Piazza Navona (Rome, Italy)

Autumn leaves (Oslo, Norway)

Wind turbine in the setting sun (Germany)

Introducing the Photo Blog Series: Our Best Shots Part 1

Over the past two years while living overseas, we have had the opportunity to capture some amazing pictures.  Brian and I both love photography, and being surrounded by the beauty of Europe has allowed us to become better photographers and to capture special moments and scenery from our travels.  As we wrap up our time in the UK, we wanted to show our favorite photos.  Each day we will post a series related to our travels and living in the UK.  We start today with our all-time favorite photos, the ones we would hang in our home.  We hope you enjoy looking at them as much we enjoyed taking them.

The "postcard shot" in the Abbey Gardens near our home (Bury St. Edmunds, UK)

Springtime in the Abbey Gardens (Bury St. Edmunds, UK)

"Dude, wake up, they're taking our picture!"  =)  (Flatford Mill, UK)

F-18 taking off at the Farnborough International Air Show (Farnborough, UK)

The River Avon overlooking Pulteney Bridge (Bath, UK)

Footsteps in the snow of the Abbey Gardens (Bury St. Edmunds, UK)

Momma and baby seal on the Norwich Coast (Norwich, UK)

Flowing water along the Ring of Beara (Ireland)

Morning tea and newspaper at the Treasurer's House (York, UK)

Beautiful English bridge in the gardens (Yeovil, UK)

Exploring the southwest British coast (Tintagel Castle, UK)

Stained glass windows in St. Vitus Cathedral (Prague, Czech Republic)

One of many collections of oranges (Faro, Portugal)

Loved the pattern on this path (Faro, Portugal)

A mesmorizing sunset in Spain (Madrid, Spain)

My Family Comes to Europe, Contd.

After an amazing time in Germany, my family and I took a train to Interlaken, Switzerland, to tackle the Jungfrau Mountain.  This was on my dad's lifetime to-do list, and after some investigating, I could see why.  Branded as "the top of Europe," Jungfrau is reached by taking a 2.5-hour train ride to the highest railway station in Europe.  It is considered a Unesco World Heritage site, and the complex at the summit features an ice cave and an observation deck.  We spent a good few hours up there on a beautiful day in Switzerland.

Beautiful view of the Alps from the Jungfrau

My family and I on top of Jungfrau in Switzerland

From Interlaken (which is a very cute Swiss city by the way!), we took yet another train to Lucerne.  My dad is a huge train nut, so training between locations was part of the highlight for him.  I have to admit that I love the trains too.  You get to see so much beautiful scenery, AND I don't have the anxiety I always feel during a flight! 

Brian met us back in Lucerne after working during the week, so we could all make the journey up to Mount Titlis, also in the Alps.  To get to the peak of this mountain, you take a train from Lucerne to Engelberg and then take a series of cable cars to the top, including Rotair, the world's first revolving cable car.  Once there, you basically have a winter playground to have fun in.  We ate lunch, took photos, explored an ice cave, and did the Ice Flyer over the glacier.  Once again, we were blessed with an amazingly perfect day so we had incredible views across the Alps.  On the way back down Mount Titlis, we stopped at the Snow Fun Park to play with snow toys that none of us had even done before because we're all Florida babies.  The highlight of the day was doing a snow tube down a track with my dad and then doing a 3.5-kilometer tobaggon run back down.  All of the snow fun definitely brought out the kids in all of us!

With my family on top of Mount Titlis

The Titlis Rotating Cable Car that takes you to the peak

Snowball fight between siblings!

My dad trying to get in position for a shot he wanted of the Alps -
I was scared he would fall!

On the Ice Flyer - the sun was shining!

Brian with one of the snow toys to go down the hill
(blue, of course, to match his orange pants).  Go Gators!  =)

Cathy saw snow for the first time and made her first Snow Angel

On the tobaggon run - too much fun!

Unfortunately, my family had to leave that night to head back to Florida, but Brian and I stayed in Switzerland for an extra couple of days to explore Lucerne and Zurich more before returning to England.  Switzerland is definitely a beautiful country - we just wish it weren't so expensive!  =) 

A beautiful day in Lucerne

Overlooking Zurich

My family cut it close coming out for this final visit, but we are so happy it worked out.  This was our final trip on what has been an amazing two years in England, and it definitely was a good one.