Feeling Like a Local in Würzburg, Germany

On November 3, 2020November 3, 2020 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Germany1 Comment

One of the weekend trips that we took when we were in Frankfurt was to Würzburg. Although we had only been living in Germany for a little over a month, this particularly getaway made us feel as though we were becoming locals. It is a short train ride from Frankfurt to Würzburg and we arrived right around lunchtime. We found a tiny little restaurant that obviously catered to several regulars who were chatting with one another, reading newspapers, and simply relaxing. The owner offered us a seasonal beer, which of course we had to try, and we had an appetizer platter with blood sausage, potatoes, and cheese.

From there we started walking around the town, which was decorated for the holidays. We stopped to listen to a local band playing holiday music and entered a raffle to support the local school. Children were running around and playing, making us smile at their excitement for the season. Even though we entered the raffle just to support the local community, we actually ended up winning a bottle of Riesling wine. Later we found a restaurant that was over 600 years old where we enjoyed a trio of soups and a holiday meal.

The Christmas markets were in full swing and we spent time on both days enjoying them. We walked through the town feeling welcomed by everyone we met. We found a restaurant called the Weinstube that placed little plastic monkeys on the wine glasses. We couldn’t help but play with them to make a heart with them holding hands and their tails curling above them. We went to the Residenz, which is the palace in Würzburg, but the highlight for us was just feeling like we were part of the local community as we strolled the streets and shopped in the Christmas markets.

Enjoying Food During Our Travels

On March 25, 2020 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Food, Travel Tips7 Comments

Eating local food when traveling is a wonderful way to experience the culture and try dishes that can’t be found where you live. We try to go to as many places and try as many different types of foods as we can during our trips, even if it means stopping at several locations over several hours. We have shared these experiences over the past few years and decided to take the time and review them once again. These are some of our favorite food locations that we’ve visited during our varied travels.

The Food of Hanoi, Vietnam
Phở
The Food of Cochabamba, Bolivia
Pique Macho
The Food of Iceland
Ling with White Wine Cream Sauce in Iceland
The Food of Prague, Chech Republic
Deer with Bread Dumplings in Prague
The Food of Budapest, Hungary
The Original Goulash Stew in Budapest
The Food of Tuscany, Italy
Fresh Zucchini Ravioli in Italy
The Fusion Food of Lima, Peru
Asian Soft Taco
The Food of Romania
Stuffed Cabbage and Grape Leaves with Polenta in Romania
The Food of Scottsdale, Arizona
Carnitas Burrito Served Enchilada Style
The Food of Strasbourg, France
Hearty Dish
The Food of Ecuador
Lamb with Rice and Potatoes
The Food of New Orleans
Crawfish Etouffee
The Food of Panama
Lobster Thermador
Eating in Egypt
Mixed Grill
The Food of Amsterdam
Clams and Linguini
The Food of Carlsbad, California
Seafood Skewers – Incredibly Delicious
The Food of Heidelberg, Germany
Pork Stomach in Germany

Eating Food in the Countryside of Vietnam

On March 4, 2020 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Food, Vietnam4 Comments

We took a couple of day tours outside of Hanoi that included a local lunch, which is a great way to eat simple meals that are traditional to the region. Obviously, you can get wonderful local food in the city, especially street food in Hanoi, but eating in the countryside can give you a completely different experience. The variety of food that we were able to try was almost overwhelming, especially during our tour of Perfume Pagoda where we basically had a banquet meal.

Almost every meal that we had in Vietnam had fruit of some sort, but bananas were often eaten as dessert. Beef, pork, chicken, and fish were all represented, but we also had goat stew and an egg omelette dish as well. It is typical in Vietnam to add peppers or a spicy pepper sauce to any dish so that you can control your own heat level. It was interesting that the meals that we ate in the countryside were different than those that we ate in the city. Since these were part of a tour, they were obviously meant to spotlight the food of the province, which we truly enjoyed.

We always encourage people to get out to smaller towns and villages when visiting a country. Trying the food in those locations is as much a part of the experience as seeing people in an authentic setting. Having the opportunity to try so many various dishes was definitely a highlight of our time exploring the countryside of Vietnam.