Tag Archives: weekly blogger round-up

Weekly Blogger Round-Up; Ice Skating on the Eiffel Tower – Blogger Highlights 2014 – French Holidays and Traditions

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I missed last week’s blogger round-up from lack of organisation and general post-move sluggishness but this week I have three great posts to share with you. First, Mary Kay from Out and About in Paris takes us ice skating on the Eiffel Tower and I’m very jealous not to be there myself! Next Anda from Travel Notes and Beyond has published her blogger highlights for 2014 (including my tips and tricks for cycling in Germany) so you’ll have lots of new blogs to discover, from stunning photos of Yellowstone National Park to surreal places you never knew existed. And to finish off, our gifted storyteller Margo Lestz from The Curious Rambler has just published a book on French holidays and traditions, month by month. Enjoy!

Ice skating on the Eiffel Tower! One of the coolest experiences in Paris

by Mary Kay from Out and About in Paris, an American by birth, Swiss by marriage, resident of Paris with a Navigo Pass for the metro that she feels compelled to use

out_and_about_eiffel_tower_skatingOne of the coolest winter activities has returned to Paris — ice skating on the first floor of the Eiffel Tower! In between your camel spins and double Axels, warm up with a cup of hot chocolate or sip a glass of champagne while admiring the view of the Champ de Mars and the golden dome of Les Invalides. For an extra special evening, time your visit to coincide with the twinkling of the Eiffel Tower’s lights. This magical sight happens every hour on the hour, for five minutes.

If you’re in shape, take the stairs to the first floor 57 meters (187 feet) above the city of Paris. Admission to the rink and the use of skates is included in the 5 euro ticket price. Otherwise, you can take the elevator to the second floor and walk back down to the first floor. Read more

Travel Blogger Round-Up: Highlights for 2014

by Anda from Travel Notes & Beyond, the Opinionated Travelogue of a Photo Maniac, is a Romanian-born citizen of Southern California who has never missed the opportunity to travel.

rhein_radweg_2_mapHello everyone and welcome to my 2014 Travel Blogger Round-Up. Another year has passed in tumultuous and competitive world of travel blogging. While there are thousands of wonderful posts out there that stimulate your curiosity and spur your desire to travel, I’ll introduce you to some that have caught my eye in 2014. Read more

French Holidays & Traditions

curious_rambler_new_bookby Margo Lestz from The Curious Rambler, who lives in Nice, France where she likes to bask in the sunshine, study the French language and blog

If you are intrigued by French culture and curious about the history behind French traditions, this book is for you. In it, you’ll find a selection of short stories, written in a lively style, which often reveal little-known, but always fascinating facts about French customs. If you have ever wondered how French Easter eggs are delivered, or why the French walk around with paper fish taped to their backs on the 1st of April, you can find the answers to these questions plus much more in this book. Read more

Weekly Blogger Round-Up: A Florentine Pig – An Australian in Paris and Provence – Snapshots of Europe

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 I’m back from Lisbon (but there will still be more posts) so am resuming my weekly blogger round-up, beginning with a wonderful story about a Florentine pig from Margot from The Curious Rambler.  Next, Andrea from Rear View Mirror, is celebrating her second anniversary on the road with a wonderful photo giveaway that I’m sure you won’t want to miss. And to end up, The Good Life France tells us the story of an Australian from Queensland who finally saw her dream come true with a visit to Paris and Provence. Enjoy!

The Bronze Pig of Florence

by Margo Lestz from The Curious Rambler, who lives in Nice, France where she likes to bask in the sunshine, study the French language and blog

closeup-of-pigI’m back in Florence studying Italian and my courses seems to be going better this time. I’m not confusing Italian and French anymore (at least during the first week). We rented a beautiful little apartment in a 15th century palazzo which has painted ceilings, huge windows, and terracotta floors. Florence is full of these wonderful old buildings and it’s such a pleasure to stay in one of them.

While I’m in Florence, I thought I’d take a break from writing about France and write about some of the curiosities of this city. Hope you enjoy the story of the Bronze Pig. Read more

Snapshots of Europe

by Andrea from Rear View Mirror (formerly Destination Europe), a fellow Australian who, after 6 years of living in France, has given up her Paris apartment to live a nomadic life slowing travelling around Europe, experiencing each destination like a local.

budapest-parliament-1-300x200It’s coming up to the two year anniversary of me handing in the keys to my Parisian apartment and hitting the road to travel full time. Two years of living out of suitcases, countless hotels, Airbnb apartments and one barely habitable hostel.

I’ve been fortunate to visit most of Europe’s capitals, wander quaint villages, swim in turquoise waters, go zip lining in a national park and hiking through gorges. I’ve found my way to the top of mountains and dipped my toes in glacial lakes. My hard drive is at capacity with sunset photos and even the occasional sunrise. Read more

Visit to Paris and Provence

Written by The Good Life France, an independent on-line magazine about France and all things French, covering all aspects of daily life including healthcare, finance, utilities, education, property and a whole lot more.

Les-Baux-de-Provence-CC-Carolyn-AnskyMany of us dream of visiting France, especially Paris, the most visited tourist destination in the world, and Provence, high on the wish list of places to visit for so many, we talk to a lady whose dream came true…

We meet Carolyn Ansky from Queensland, Australia who says “for years I played the Marianne Faithful song ‘At the age of 37… she realised she’d never been to Paris”. I felt that at the age of 54 it was now or never for me. Read more

Weekly Blogger Round-Up: Food shopping in Europe – Bridges of Ljubljana

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In this week’s round-up, Carolyn from Holidays to Europe takes us on a quick food shopping tour of Europe while Adelina from Pack Me To provides an excellent explanation of the beautiful and fastastic bridges of Ljubljana in Slovenia, one of my favourite cities. Enjoy!

A Quick Guide to Shopping Etiquette in Europe

by Carolyn from Holidays to Europe, an Australian based business passionate about sharing their European travel expertise and helping travellers to experience the holiday in Europe they have always dreamed of

french-boulangerieWhether you are on an escorted coach tour or travelling around Europe independently, at some point during your holiday you are going to need to buy something from a shop. It might just be a snack at a convenience store, a gift for a someone back home, or you might even need to stock up on groceries. Whatever it is you’re buying, it’s good to know some basic shopping etiquette and what to expect in stores and at the markets in Europe. Read more

The Beautiful and Fantastic Bridges of Ljubljana

by Adelina from Pack Me To, a Chinese American who’s been traveling for as long as she can remember and has lived in the Netherlands and Hungary. She loves telling stories, and eating and exploring her way around the world

adelinawong.caWandering about Ljubljana, you’d be immediately struck by how many bridges there are connecting parts of the inner city. You’d probably think that there is nothing special about the bridges – they just connect medieval Ljubljana to modern Ljubljana, more a means to an end. However, if you look closely, you can easily tell them apart. Each of them have unique features and have their own stories to tell. Read more

Weekly Blogger Round-Up: Mussels & Bread

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This week’s blogger round-up is all about food. Paula McInerney from Contented Traveller reports on eating mussels in Brussels, which it’s a very popular food in France as well. We buy them on the Sunday market. And it’s the Fête du Pain in France, so I have two posts for you: first we have an historical explanation by The Good Life France then the ever-active Mary Kay from Out and About in Paris gives us Paris’ take on the bread festival including the best baguette competition. Enjoy!

Mussels in Brussels

by Paula McInerney from Contented Traveller. When they are not living in Australia, she and her husband Gordon travel the world, trying out houseboats, tatami mats, cave houses and over water bungalows, with serendipity as their watchword

mussels-in-brusselsI had to use the phrase Mussels in Brussels because it is a term that we have heard often and one that is quite amusing in a strange way. When we hear of a countries signature dish, we want to try it and we did.

I think that we fell for Brussels pretty much straight away and wondered at why so many people are so sceptical of this city as a destination. These are 2 posts where I stand up for Brussels as being a new hot spot for travellers Brussels: the new hot spot for travellers  and Brussels – a little taste leaves me hungrier. Add to the mix that you get to try the mussels in Brussels and you cannot go wrong in my opinion. Read more

Celebrating Bread in France

by The Good Life France, an independent on-line magazine about France and all things French, covering all aspects of daily life including healthcare, finance, utilities, education, property and a whole lot more

bread-2Bread, as everyone knows, plays a big part in the daily life of the French people – in fact 12 million people a day in France visit a bread shop.

From baguettes to boules – the long thin sticks of light bread, to the round tasty balls of bread, bread in France is part of the daily fabric of life.

Since 1996 a festival of bread has been held to celebrate the art of making real, traditional French breads. Taking place across France the festival runs for a week each May starting on the Monday before the 16th May – which is the Saint’s day of Saint-Honoré – the Patron Saint of bakers. Read more

Follow Your Nose to the Annual “Fête du Pain” (Bread Festival) in Paris

by Mary Kay from Out and About in Paris, an American by birth, Swiss by marriage, resident of Paris with a Navigo Pass for the metro that she feels compelled to use

best_baguette

Mmmm! If you’re planning to attend the annual “Fête du Pain” (Bread Festival”) in Paris, just follow your nose to the large tent in front of Notre-Dame Cathedral from May 8 to 18. It’s where French bakers and pastry chefs invite visitors to learn about one of France’s most revered professions. Not surprisingly, the celebration coincides with the name day of Saint-Honoré, the profession’s patron saint. Read more

Weekly Blogger Round-Up: Navigating Europe’s main airports – Riviera medieval festival – Packing Tips –

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 This week’s Blogger Round-Up is all-Australian, starting with Carolyn from Holidays to Europe with practical suggestions as usual, this time on how to get to and from Europe’s major airports. Phoebe from Lou Messugo gives a detailed description of a mediaeval festival on the French Riviera while Jo Karnaghan from Frugal First Class Travel gives more packing tips, based on other bloggers’ suggestions (including mine).  Enjoy!

Getting to and from Europe’s main airports (part 1)

by Carolyn from Holidays to Europe, an Australian based business passionate about sharing their European travel expertise and helping travellers to experience the holiday in Europe they have always dreamed of

Airport sign.After a 24 hour (or longer) flight to Europe from Australia, the last thing you probably feel like doing is working out how you are going to get from the airport into the city, and I don’t blame you! I’ve been there and somehow miraculously found my way from Paris’ Charles de Gaulle airport to my apartment via public transport and let me tell you, it was no fun – especially with one husband, two kids and assorted luggage in tow and only a miniscule understanding of French. Read more

Medieval Festival – Knights Templar on the Côte

by Phoebe from Lou Messugo, a traveller, francophile, expat, mum and foodie now living in Roquefort les Pins where she runs a gîte after many years of travelling and living in Asia, Eastern Europe and Australia.

Biot_templiers_6For three days every year in early April the lovely village of Biot (pronounced Bi-otte not Bi-oh as you may think if you know anything about French pronunciation) goes back in time to the 13th century.  The setting couldn’t be more perfect as the old centre of Biot is a fortified medieval hill village, perched just a couple of kilometres inland from the Mediterranean sea, commanding sweeping views out to sea one way and over to the mountains the other, creating the perfect backdrop for this historical event. Read more

Travel Bloggers Share Even More Great Packing Tips

by Jo Karnaghan from Frugal First Class Travel, an Australian who loves to travel – especially in Europe – and who has gradually learned how to have a First Class trip on an economy budget, without missing out on anything!

Hi Frugalistas!

travel_scalesMy travel blogger friends are back with more great packing tips.  Take it from the experts, and you too can pack like a travel pro!  Your key to successful one bag packing is here…..

Vanessa (@turnipseeds) at Turnipseed Travel is a crafty one.  She’s got two great recommendations for travelling successfully with just a tiny carry on bag:

“Burp” the extra air out of your toiletry bottles before you fly so they have room to expand with the air pressure of the plane.  Otherwise you’ll have a messy leak!  Read more

Weekly Blogger Round-Up: Colmar in Alsace – Zadar in Croatia – Saint Valentine’s Day in Paris

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In this week’s Blogger Round-Up, Carolyn from Holidays to Europe takes us to Colmar, which is one of my favourites places in Alsace, with its picturesque canals while Chasing the Donkey gives us an insider’s tour of Zadar in Croatia with it’s famous Sea Organ. To finish off, Mary Kay from Out and About in Paris gives us lots of unique ideas for Saint Valentine’s Day in Paris. Enjoy!

A Short Guide to Colmar, France

by Carolyn from Holidays to Europe, an Australian based business passionate about sharing their European travel expertise and helping travellers to experience the holiday in Europe they have always dreamed of

colmar-franceWith only a couple of days in the Alsace region of France, I didn’t have much time to spend in Colmar but in the few short hours I was there, I quickly realised why it is such a popular town with tourists from all over the world – it is absolutely gorgeous!

Thanks to its history as a major trading post and river port in the 16th Century, Colmar is one of the prettiest cities in France. Wealthy merchants built spectacularly colourful houses alongside the canal, and even today, centuries later, they ooze charm. With a mix of French (the window shutters) and German (half-timbered facades) architecture, the houses of the former trading areas of Colmar are a reminder of the heady days when wine from the neighbouring Alsatian vineyards was shipped along the canal. Read more

What to see in Zadar

By Chasing the Donkey,  a Mum & wife, now Australian expat who packed up her very typical Aussie life in May 2013 and shifted it along with her Croatian Husband and Son to rebuild the old house they inherited in Croatia & make it their home.

sea_organ_zadarBe sure to to make a stop in Zadar if you plan to explore Northern Dalmatia, it’s a great destination to spend  time in, its a great choice to use as a base to see Plitvice, Paklenica or Krka National Parks. So, what should you see while you’re in Zadar?  We’ll there is no doubt that you’ll enjoy drinking coffee overlooking the Grand Roman Forum that is over 2,000 years old and the Church of St, Donatus among the many sights – but I guarantee you’ll end up being drawn to 2 of Zadar’s most unique attractions. The Sea Organ & the Greeting to the Sun. Read more

Love is in the air: lots of unique ideas for Valentine’s Day in Paris

by Mary Kay from Out and About in Paris, an American by birth, Swiss by marriage, resident of Paris with a Navigo Pass for the metro that she feels compelled to use

valentineWhether you’re single, married or divorced, there’s a lot happening in Paris on February 14:

Feel like a star – For Valentine’s Day, the RATP is offering you and the person of your choice a FREE glamor shot. Five Harcourt Studio photo cabins will be available from 12:00 – 6:00 pm at the following stations: Gare de Lyon, Denfert-Rochereau, Villejuif-Louis Aragon, La Motte Picquet-Grenelle and Jaurés.

One minute to “spread the love” at the Louvre: At precisely 14h14 (2:14 pm) on February 14, a flashmob will gather in front of the pyramid at the Louvre to kiss their lover, best friend, stuffed animal, dog or bicycle. Couples, families, friends – everyone is invited to share a minute of love. KISS Flashmob in Paris event page. Read more

Weekly Blogger Round-Up: Galette des rois – The Cake of French Kings

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For this week’s Blogger Round-Up and as a follow-up to my last Friday’s French post, I thought I’d find three different posts about the galette des rois or the French cake of kings, an increasingly popular tradition in France which starts on or about January 6th (feast of the Epiphany) and continues right up until the end of the month. Susan from Days on the Claise explains how to make your own galette, Mary Kay from Out and About in Paris reports on turning the tradition into a fund-raising initiative for maladies orphelines while Janine from The Good Life France gives us a very complete description of the galette and its various traditions. You might also like to read my own post on the subject written a couple of years ago. Enjoy!

Galette des rois, à peu près

by Susan from Days on the Claise, an Australian living in the south of the Loire Valley, writing about restoring an old house and the area and its history and running Loire Valley Time Travel.

galette_roi1Now, I know that this is stepping dangerously into Walt’s territory, but since we are approaching Epiphany, I’m going to talk about making galette des rois.

Well, sort of. I’m going to tell you how to make a quick and easy version, that, although it won’t be in the same league as Walt’s and your local pâtissière’s, is still a very acceptable addition to the post-Christmas table — and the real thing is getting very expensive, so homemade is an economical option! Read more

King Cake (Galette des Rois) and the meaning of “Maladie Orpheline”

by Mary Kay from Out and About in Paris, an American by birth, Swiss by marriage, resident of Paris with a Navigo Pass for the metro that she feels compelled to use

galette_roi_orphelineIn spite of having been married to a native French speaker for many years, I’m not fluent in French. But since we raised our children in a bilingual home, my comprehension is usually fairly accurate. All of this is just a roundabout way of admitting that I felt really foolish after incorrectly translating maladie orpheline on Twitter. Here’s the tweet:

Best pastry chefs in Paris sell King Cakes to fight childhood illnesses. Jan 4. Place Saint-Germain des Prés:quefaire.paris.fr/fiche/76201_la…

In a hurry to help spread the word about a fund-raising initiative by some of the top pastry chefs in Paris, I didn’t take the time to google maladie orpheline. Instead, I rapidly translated it as “childhood illnesses” and waited until my walking French dictionary returned home from work. “I’m confused about something.” Read more

Galette des Rois – The French Cake of Kings

By Janine Marsh from The Good Life France, an independent on-line magazine about France and all things French, covering all aspects of daily life including healthcare, finance, utilities, education, property and a whole lot more.

galette-des-roisThe 6th of January is a special day in France, it is the 12th day of Christmas, the date of the Epiphany and most importantly the day when all over France the cake known as galette des rois is traditionally served.

This flaky cake known as the King’s Tart is a piece of French gastronomic history which goes back several centuries.

The cake is made of a seriously buttery puff pastry, filled with almond paste, baked and often decorated beautifully with candied fruit. Patisseries and boulangeries compete to create the most magnificent of cakes and supermarket shelves will be heaving with boxed galette des Rois from the end of December. Read more

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