Categories
travel guide Vietnam

What to Eat in Vietnam: Famous Vietnamese Foods

When you think of Vietnamese cuisine you wouldn’t consider it one of the healthiest in the world, would you? But you’d be wrong; with a lot of fresh veggies, herbs, rice and noodles as staples , the Vietnamese cuisine surely fits into the healthy choices.

The Vietnamese cuisine has both Chinese and European influences. Stir-frying in a wok and using chopsticks is common all over the country. Soy sauce is mostly used in the north, while fish sauce is mostly used in the south.

The best food is always found on the street. Don’t be afraid to experiment and try new things.

Banh Mi

It’s a French roll (baguette) stuffed with a variety of things, including ham, liver pate, cheese, sardines and pickled carrots.

Bo Kho

This is a beef and vegetable stew, served with a large baguette.

Goi Cuon

The famous summer rolls which are made with shrimp or pork, rolled in rice pepper with herbs and served with peanut sauce.

Pho

This is the famous noodle soup. The meat of choice is beef or chicken. Noodles are also added to the soup (either chicken or beef broth) and so are herbs such as mint , basil and lime. Bean sprouts may be added , too. The best places to eat it are in the northern parts of the country.

Banh da cua (Crab Noodle Soup)

This is an excellent alternative to pho. The broth is made with crab meat, tomatoes and vegetables. The topping is pork, though (ham or pork meat wrapped in betel leaves).

Bun cha ca (Fish Noodle Soup)

The broth is made with fish, tomatoes , vegetables and herbs. Noodles are also included in the soup and the toppings can be fish cake, fish meat and pork.

Com suon (Vietnamese grilled pork with broken rice)

This is a popular dish and contains marinated grilled pork served with rice and fried egg.

Bun Bo Nam Bo

It’s another popular dish, made with vermicelli noodles, topped with sliced beef and a lot of fresh vegetables. On top of those there’s fried onion and some broth.

Mi Quang

The dish is made with rice noodles , served with boiled egg , shrimp, meat , some broth and basil.

Oc luoc (Boiled snails)

Hello, bizarre food! If you are hungry in the middle of the night, this is the dish of choice. They are boiled with various strong seasoning, so don’t worry about the taste.

Muc nuong (Grilled dry squid)

The squid was dried before grilling. It is served with chili sauce and you must accompany it with beer.

Banh xeo (Vietnamese crepes)

The crepes are filled with shrimp, pork, onions, mushrooms and beans sprout. The best places to eat it are in the southern part of the country.

Nom hoa chuoi

It’s some sort of a salad and is made with banana flowers, which are sliced and served with green papaya, carrots, chicken and sprinkled with fish sauce.

Goi Du Du (Green mango and papaya salad)

It’s both an appetizer and side dish. Green papaya and carrots are found in the salad, sprinkled with the perfect sauce balancing the ingredients.

Bun dau mam tom

This is a tofu and noodle dish, served with mam tom sauce.

Che

It’s served for desert and is a pudding made with sticky rice ,bean jelly, fruit, coconut milk and ice.

Photo credits: Banh Mi , Bo Kho , Goi Cuon , Pho , Banh da cua , Bun Bo Nam Bo , Mi Quang , Snails , Banh xeo , Che

Categories
Germany Planning a Trip Transportation

Getting from Berlin to Munich

Both Berlin and Munich are major travel hubs in Germany, offering plenty of connections to the rest of Europe and the rest of the country. Munich certainly appeals to those looking to experience Oktoberfest, but the city also offers plenty of other things to do. On the other hand, Berlin is known for its history and night life.

Quick summary

The cheapest way and also the slowest way to travel between Berlin and Munich is by bus. Single fares start at €43 but you’ll be traveling for about 9 hours. Trains take less – 6h – but the savings fares start at €69 one way (and depend on when you travel). Flights can be as cheap as €50 one way but you need to add the cost and time of getting to/from the airports and the city centers, too.

Flights from Berlin to Munich

There are two airports serving Berlin and both direct flights to Munich.

Schönefeld (SFX) is the base of low cost carriers serving Berlin and is hub for EasyJet and GermanWings. The airport will be merged into Berlin Brandenburg Airport in early 2013, so plan accordingly. Flights to Munich are operated by GermanWings and take 1h. In mid-September 2012, the single fare starts at €50.

Tegel International Airport (TXL) is the main airport serving Berlin, a hub for Air Berlin, Germania and GermanWings. In early 2013, Tagel is supposed to close and Berlin Brandenburg Airport will take its place. Flights to Munich are operated by Air Berlin and Lufthansa. In mid-September, the single fare starts at €85 on Air Berlin.

Munich is served by Munich International Airport (MUC), the second biggest airport in Germany and seventh biggest in Europe. It is hub for : Air Berlin, Augsburg Airways, Lufthansa, Air Dolomiti, Air Independence, BinAir, Condor, Hamburg International and TUIfly.

Plan in advance (up to 6 months) and you’ll be finding cheaper fares on Air Berlin. Hence, in mid-December 2012, you’ll pay from €60 one way for flight from Tegel.

Read more about:
>>cheap flights to Berlin
>>cheap flights to Munich

Buses from Berlin to Munich

The bus is certainly the cheapest option for traveling between the two cities, but it’s the slowest, too. It takes about 9 h to cover the distance. Berlin Linien Bus offers direct buses , departing Berlin daily at 8:15 a.m. The single fare is €43. On the way back catch the bus from Munich at 9:45 a.m. The same fares apply.

>>read more about Bus Travel in Germany

Trains from Berlin to Munich

Bahn.de lists the connections between Berlin and Munich. Berlin is served by five train stations, but Hauptbahnhof is the most important , serving the high speed trains and connections to the rest of Europe.

Munich’s main station is located in the city center , west of Marienplatz. Deutsche Bahn uses Munich as a major hub.

There are direct trains, leaving about every hour to two hours from Berlin, but there are also plenty of connecting trains available. The direct trains take 6 h and the single saving fare starts at €69 but depends on the time of departure and how far in advance you make the purchase. The standard fare starts at €121. Both fares are valid on high speed trains.

>>read more about Train Travel in Germany

Driving from Berlin to Munich

You can certainly rent a car and drive the 588 km (shortest route on A9) between Berlin and Munich in about 6 hours (depending on traffic).

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Photo credits : Munich airport , Berlin train station

Categories
Portugal travel guide

What to Eat in Portugal: Famous Portuguese Foods

Sharing the Iberian Peninsula, the Spanish and Portuguese cuisines have many similarities, but they also bare great differences. Both have been influenced by the Greek cuisine, though, but the Celtic, Moorish and Beriberi ways of cooking can also be found in the Portuguese dishes. The Portuguese dishes are closely related to the Mediterranean cuisine.

A rule of thumb is to stay away from the touristy places and choose a restaurant which is popular among locals. That’s where you’ll find the best foods. Cooking is simple and the ingredients used are fresh and local.

Açorda

It is the classic Portuguese dish, featuring a simple broth which is thickened with bread and egg. Garlic is used for seasoning and, in costal areas, seafood may be added to it.

Bacalhau

It is salted, dried cod. To be used, it’s soaked in milk or water then cooked in many ways (about 365 ways to be exact). Sardines, octopus and anchovies are also popular and used in cooking.

Chouriço

It’s a pork sausage with distinct garlic and paprika seasoning in it. It’s eaten alone, or cooked with vegetables, beans or eggs.

Cozido

It’s a slowly simmering meat (or sea food) dish, cooked with vegetables in a special pot.

Sopa seca

You can find it in northern Portugal and features leftover bread, meats, vegetables, added in layers and moistened with broth.

Caldeirada

It is a stew made with a variety of fish, shellfish, tomato, potatoes and onion.

Caldo verde

This is a green soup made with green cabbage, mashed potatoes and served with sausage.

Tripas à moda do Porto

It is tripe with white beans and , if you are not familiar with tripe, you can pretty much put in the bizarre foods category. The recipe dates from the 14th century.

Leitão assado

This is roasted suckling pig and is a dish popular in Central Portugal.

Feijoada

This is a meat stew made with beans (kidney or butter) and is popular all over Portugal.

Gazpacho

It is a cold soup made with fresh tomatoes, chilies, cucumber, onion, garlic and vinegar.

Wine

Wine is the traditional Portuguese drink. Port wine is a fortified wine, but “green” (young) wines are also very popular here.

Arroz doce

This is a desert, a rice pudding seasoned with cinnamon and lemon.

Pão de Ló

It is a sponge cake which can be flavored with a lot of things, depending on the region: lemon, cinnamon, orange juice or Porto wine.

Photo credits: Acorda , Bacalhau , Chourico , Caldo verde , Feijoada , Gazpacho , Port Wine , Arroz doce , Pão de Ló , Tripe ,Caldeirada ,Cozido

Categories
travel guide Turkey

What to Eat in Turkey: Famous Turkish Foods

The Turkish cuisine is one of the greatest cuisines in the world. While influencing plenty other cuisines in the countries the Ottoman Empire formerly occupied, the Turkish cuisine reflects the country’s history. The varied climate allows for almost everything to be grown within the country.

Contrary to what you might have experienced, Turkish cuisine is not spicy, unless you visit the Southern part of the country, which has a strong Middle Eastern influence. Lamb used to be the most important meat eaten, but now it’s too expensive. The eggplant remains the most popular vegetable, enjoyed in various forms.

Turks don’t eat pork, because of the religion. But you can find beef, lamb , fish and poultry in the dishes, although the vegetarian specialties are also incredible.

Meze

Just like their Greek “sisters”, the meze is a selection of food served as appetizers. Borek, cacik, octopus, dolma, fava, hummus and kofte are just some of the foods you’ll be able to enjoy as meze. Some of these are also served as a main meal.

Dolma

In Turkish, Dolma means “to be stuffed”. The vegetables used for dolmas are unlimited but the most popular version is the “stuffed grape leaves” or Yaprak Dolmasi . Greeks call them dolmades .

Dolmas generally use: tomatoes, bell peppers, cabbage leaves and eggplants. The stuffing contains, aside from rice, nuts and raisins, but it varies from region to region. Dolmas made without meat are served cold; while dolmas made with meat are served warm.

Kebap

Kebap (kabob) means any kind of meat grilled alongside with vegetables. There are plenty of kebap varieties in Turkey. The most popular meat used was lamb, but now it’s been replaced with beef or poultry.

The Sis Kebap is the traditional way to grill meat, in which pieces of vegetables are added among the pieces of meat.

The Doner Kebap is made from the meat which grills on a vertical skewer.

Kofte is a kind of kebap but is made with minced meat to which seasoning is added and they resulting mixture is shaped along a skewer and grilled. But you can also call them the Turkish meatballs because they can be grilled in a meatball shape, too.

Adana Kebap is a very spicy kind of ground meat, grilled on the skewer.

Taze Fasulye

These are green beans cooked with tomato (or tomato paste) and onions.

Karnıyarık

The egg plans are fried, after being filled with a mixture of minced meat, onion, tomato, garlic and parsley.

Borek

It is layers of dough (phyllo) which are filled with spinach, cheese (feta) or meats.

Bulgur Pilavı

It is a side dish which resembles rice, but it’s cooked bulgur (which is wheat). It’s cooked with roasted onions, bell peppers , tomatoes and mint.

Hamsi

It’s probably the most popular fish eaten in Turkey and there are 50 ways to cook it.

Cacık

It is the Turkish version of the Greek tzatziki . The cucumbers are also grated and mixed with yogurt , garlic and mint, but the mixture is more watery than the Greek one.

Lahmacun

It is the “Turkish pizza”: a thin layer of dough is spread with minced meat, tomatoes , onion, parsley and red pepper.

Baklava

It is the most famous Turkish desert: layers of filo pastry are spread with melted butter, pistachios or walnuts, and a lot of honey. When they are baked, the baklava is soaked in a sweet fluid. You can try helva, too.

Lokum (Turkish delight)

Once it was eaten to aid digestion, now it’s just a very common sweet, with a range of varieties.

Kahve / Coffee

Anyone knows the Turkish coffee, a small cup which packs a punch. The grounds sit on the bottom and the coffee is served with a glass of water on the side.

Photo credits: Meze , Dolma , Kebap , Borek , Lahmacun , Hamsi , Baklava , Lokum , Turkish coffee

Categories
Germany Planning a Trip Transportation

Getting from Berlin to Prague

Berlin is the capital of Germany and also its biggest city. It is also an excellent travel hub, offering connections to the rest of the country and the rest of Europe. Many travelers choose to head to Central Europe as well and one of the most beautiful cities to visit there is Prague, the capital of Czech Republic.

Prague might have lost its “hidden gem” status but that doesn’t mean you won’t be able to enjoy the city without falling for the touristy things. One thing to consider is showing up in Prague in spring or fall, when the tourists are generally avoiding traveling. Pack warmer clothes and something to fight the rain, though.

Quick summary

The short distance – 356 km – between Berlin and Prague doesn’t require a flight but there are low cost flights available by way of Cologne. To save money, you can catch a bus (and sometimes booking in advance means you pay €5 one way). Or you can catch a train and pay from €29 , if you book in advance. Both trains and buses take about the same to travel between the two capital (about 4 ½ h).

Flights from Berlin to Prague

There are two airports serving Berlin and both offer connections to Prague, via Cologne , Warsaw or other European hubs.

Schönefeld (SFX) is the base of low cost carriers serving Berlin and also gets a lot of traffic from Central-Eastern Europe. It is hub for EasyJet and GermanWings. The airport will be merged into Berlin Brandenburg Airport in early 2013, so plan accordingly. Flights to Prague are operated by GermanWings and they connect via Cologne. In mid-September 2012, the single fare starts at €90.

Tegel International Airport (TXL) is the main airport serving Berlin. It is hub for Air Berlin, Germania and GermanWings. In early 2013, Tagel is supposed to close and Berlin Brandenburg Airport will take its place. Flights to Prague are operated by LOT via Warsaw , Swiss via Geneva and several other companies, all with connections in various European capitals. In mid-September, the single fare starts at €247 on LOT.

Prague is served by Ruzyně International Airport (PRG), located 20 km from the city center. It is hub for the following airlines : Czech Airlines, Smart Wings, Travel Service, Wizz Air, ABS Jets and Grossmann Jet Service.

>>book a cheap flight to Berlin

Buses from Berlin to Prague

Eurolines operates direct buses between Berlin and Prague. There are two departures per day (7:30 a.m. and 3 p.m.). The travel time is 4 ½ h to 4h 45 min and the promo fare is €5 one way. The standard single fare is €39.

Student Agency Bus also operates direct luxury buses between Berlin and Prague. Youngsters (under 26) and senior (over 60) benefit from discounts and so do students with valid IDs. Passengers are allowed to carry one hand luggage and one standard luggage in the luggage compartment (other luggage costs €8 per piece). Single fares start at €30.60 (discounts for RT tickets). There are daily departures from Prague at 7:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. and there are also additional buses on Wed, Mon and Fri. The travel time is about 5h. All buses have toilets on board. Hot drinks are included in the price and each seat has radio player.

Trains from Berlin to Prague

Bahn.de lists all connections by train between Berlin and Prague. The direct train takes 4h 40 min and there are departures almost every 2 h from Berlin. If booked in advance, the single savings fare is €39. The standard fare starts at €63.80.

On the way back, catch the direct trains from Prague on the same schedule (about every two hours). The single fare starts at €29 if booked in advance.

Driving from Berlin to Prague

Both Germany and the Czech Republic are part of EU and Schengen Area, which means you won’t be paying surcharges for taking a rental car across the border. However, make sure to ask the rental agency if you can take the car across borders.

The shortest route between Berlin and Prague is 356 km on A13 and E55 and takes about 4 h. Please note that the route has tolls.

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Photo credits : Berlin Airport , Prague train station

Categories
Croatia travel guide

What to Eat in Croatia: Famous Croatian Foods

The Croatian cuisine dates from the Ancient times and there are notable differences between the foods eaten on the mainland and those from the coastal regions. The mainland cuisine has Slavic origins and a lot of influences from the Hungarian, Austrian and Turkish cuisines; on the other hand, the cuisine found on the coastal regions has Ancient Greek, Ancient Roman, modern day Mediterranean and French influences. While on the mainland you’ll find the garlic, black pepper and paprika used a lot , on the coastal regions you’ll find oregano, olive oil, rosemary and cinnamon.

Lignje

Squid – either breaded or fried – served with boiled potatoes and blitva (swiss chard) in olive oil.

Filana paprika

This is a simple yet very tasty dish: green peppers, filled with a mixture of meat and served with tomato sauce. The side dish is mashed potatoes. Try the dish hot, in colder days.

Brodet

It’s the Dalmatian fish stew served with polenta. The dish in an excellent dinner choice after a day at the beach.

Štrukli

These are large dumplings, filled with cottage cheese. They are served with fried bread crumbs. Try them with sugar on top.

Kalja

This is a present dish made with lamb, veal, potatoes, carrots and cabbage. Simple and hearty meal.

Lamb on a spit

The Croatian lamb has an incredible taste and the way it is cook on the spit makes it a wonderful choice even for those who turn the nose when they hear the dish is made with lamb.

Pašticada

This is another Dalmatian dish, consisting of beef stew cooked in red wine and served by gnocchi.

Fritaja (Omelet) with asparagus

It’s a must-try during summer; the simple dish features eggs and freshly picked asparagus.

Palatschinke

It’s the same as the Hungarian palacsinta and is basically crepe (pancakes) with a sweet filling (generally gems).

Goulash

It’s the same as the Hungarian gulyás; it’s a soup or stew made with meat (pork or beef usually), vegetables and noodles, seasoned with paprika. In some parts of Croatia, dear is used instead of beef and the bacon is an important part of the Croatian variety of Goulash.

Black Risotto

This is sea food risotto which gets the color from the squid’s ink. Cuttlefish is also added to the dish.

Truffles

When visiting Istria, don’t forget to try the dishes made with truffles. They are typically served on pasta, but they can also be the main ingredient in the dish.

Orehnjača

It’s a desert, basically a roll filled with walnuts. Poppy seeds can also be used.

Mlinci

This is a dried flat bread, which is either boiled in a soup, a stew or simply fried in poultry fat. And it’s often served to accompany the main roast.

Photo credits:Mlinci by Icebone, Truffles by heatheronhertravels , Black Risotto by jomme , Goulash by traveldot , Palatschinke by VLKR , Pašticada by nurettin , Lamb by leiabox , Štrukli by nocas , Lignje by BLDUMMY

Categories
Germany Planning a Trip Transportation

Getting from Munich to Salzburg

Salzburg , Austria reminds almost everyone about the movie The Sound of Music. Actually, it’s quite tempting to burst into singing Do,Re,Mi when you visit the castle, but there’s more to this lovely city than just a movie. Salzburg is the birthplace of Mozart and , aside from visiting the castle, you can also visit the fortress and many museums.

Although you can easily spend a week in the city, many travelers decide to visit Salzburg as a day trip from Munich. If you don’t plan to take the tour bus, here’s how to get between the two cities on your own.

Quick summary

Given the short distance between the two cities – only 145 km – there is no reason to even think about flying. So, you are left with taking the train, the bus or driving. With buses connecting only the Munich Airport to Salzburg, you are left to traveling by train, unless you plan to drive a rental car. Make sure to book the tickets in advance to get the cheapest possible option.

Trains from Munich to Salzburg

Bahn.de lists two connections per hour, daily, between Munich and Salzburg. The travel time is between 1 ½ h and 2 h, depending on the type of train. The single savings fare starts at €19. The standard fare starts at €64.

On the way back from Salzburg to Munich, you have at least 1 connection per hour available. The single savings fare starts at €38. The standard fare starts at €61.60.

Buses from Munich to Salzburg

It’s highly unlikely to take a bus between the two cities. The reason is that there’s only a shuttle bus connecting Munich Airport to Salzburg, but the price is higher than the train ticket. Plus, if you are in central Munich already, there’s no point to travel to the airport to catch the shuttle bus.

Driving from Munich to Salzburg

Both Germany and Austria are part of the European Union and the Schengen Area, which means you won’t be paying surcharges for taking the rental car across the border. However, you need to ask the rental company if you are allowed to do that.

On A8, the travel distance between the two cities is 145 km , which can be tackled in about 1 ½ h. Please note that the route has tolls

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Photo by kainet

Categories
Germany Planning a Trip Transportation

Getting from Munich to Prague

Munich is the capital of Bavaria, particularly known for Oktoberfest beer celebration. It also has many interesting museums and a stunning architecture. Whether you are traveling to Munich for Oktoberfest or for any other reason, you need to know the cheapest way to get here and some details so that planning your trip gets a bit easier.

Prague is one of the most popular destinations in Europe. It used to be a cheap place to visit in the Czech Republic but things have changed. Some say it’s very touristy, while others say it’s just stunning. I’ll leave it up to you to decide. Prague has a lot of places to visit and things to try out.

Quick summary

Given the short distance between the two cities (about 400 km), there’s no need to fly between Munich and Prague. In fact, there aren’t any direct flights available and all routes go through Warsaw. The cheapest option is traveling by bus. For about €30 you’ll cover the distance between the two cities in 5 h.

Trains from Munich to Prague

Bahn.de lists both buses and trains between Munich’s Hauptbahnhof and Prague’s central station. There’s a direct train leaving Munich daily at 7:02 p.m. The travel time is 5 h 49 min and the standard fare is €65.90 one way.

Buses from Munich to Prague

On Bahn.de you can also choose a bus to get between Munich and Prague. The bus departs Munich at 3:45 p.m. and the travel time is 5 h. The savings single fare is €29.

Eurolines also offers direct buses between the two cities. There are two departures per day from Prague (7 a.m. and 6 p.m.). The travel time is 5 h 15 min and the single fare starts at 500.- Kč / €19.60 [promo offer]. The standard single fare is 790.- Kč / €31. On the way back to Prague, the bus leaves Munich at 7 a.m. daily.

Driving from Munich to Prague

Both Germany and the Czech Republic are part of the European Union and the Schengen area, which means you won’t need to pay surcharges for using the rental car to get from one place to another. However, you should ask the car rental company if you are allowed to take the car across the border.

The shortest route between Munich and Prague is 381 km and takes about 4 hours to drive. Please note that the route has tolls.

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Photo by wili_hybrid