Unique Places to Visit – Chocolate Museum in Köln (Cologne), Germany

On August 18, 2020August 18, 2020 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Germany4 Comments

When we visited Köln during our time in Germany, we decided to take a tour of the Schokoladen Museum (Chocolate Museum). The museum is situated right on the Rhine river in the Rheinau Harbour next to old town and not far from the cathedral. The three story building is shaped like a large ship with floor to ceiling windows providing wonderful views of the river and city. Lindt is the official chocolatier of the museum and the highlight of the tour is tasting and buying the freshly made chocolate. There is even an opportunity to create a personalized chocolate bar with nut and candy toppings and fillings chosen by you.

Candy Bar Tree and View of the Rhine River

The self-guided tour takes you through the history of chocolate making with displays that contain the machines and molds that were used in the 1800’s to the modern era. The museum itself is a working chocolate factory where you can watch the process from beginning to end. There are a variety of spectacular chocolate creations to admire throughout the museum.

Obviously, it is great place to visit with children with all of the moving objects, chocolate displays, and sweets to eat, but it is fun for adults as well. A small botanical garden with cocoa trees and a replica of an old-time chocolate store add to the museum’s charm. There is also a restaurant on-site where you can sit and enjoy a nice meal while watching the boats that make their way along the river.

All of the information provided in the museum is in both English as well as German, making it friendly for tourists as well as locals. If you have a couple of hours and want to do something indoors, the Chocolate Museum is certainly a worthwhile destination. You may just have to keep your sweet-tooth in check, otherwise you might end up leaving with a month’s supply of chocolate delights.

Top Things To Do When Visiting Vientiane in Laos

On July 28, 2020July 28, 2020 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Laos3 Comments

We spent a few days in Vientiane, which is the capital of Laos, during our trip to Southeast Asia. Although it was a short trip to the country, it was certainly full of fascinating sights and an opportunity to gain insight into the culture. We had a guide for the entire time that we spent in Vientiane, which was great since it allowed us to learn more than we would have just visiting on our own. It also gave us the opportunity to hear firsthand stories about the changes that the country is undergoing and how the citizens feel about those changes. We’ve listed here some of our top recommendations for anyone who gets a few days in Vientiane.

Two Reclining Buddhas in Laos (They are Farther Apart then It Looks)

Buddha Park – Also known as Xieng Kuan or Spirit City, Buddha Park is something that is truly amazing. With over 200 Buddhist and Hindu statues of various sizes, the park will allow you to immerse yourself into various figures and the stories behind each of them. Even though the park is only a little over 60 years old, you will feel transported into something that could be centuries old.

Pha That Luang – Built in the 1500’s, Pha That Luang is a giant golden stupa that contains a holy relic that is believed to be the breastbone of the Lord Buddha, making it a great national treasure of the Laotian people. It is also the site of a Buddhist festival in November that attracts thousands of people to the city of Vientiane for the celebration. Walking around the golden architecture of the stupa, which is Buddhist shrine, is one of our favorite memories of visiting Vientiane.

View of the Temple Ceiling of Wat That Luang Neua

Taking a Walking Tour of the Wats (Temples) – To say that there is a different wat or temple on every corner of the streets of historic Vientiane would not be an exaggeration. The Airbnb where we stayed was even located across the street from a wat. Most of them are open to the public for at least part of the day and each of them was unique in its own way despite some similarities. Some of our favorite wats were Wat Ho Phra Keo, Wat That Luang Neua, and Wat Si Saket, which is also a museum.

Patuxai (Victory Gate) – In the heart of Vientiane is Patuxai, or Victory Gate, which is Laos’ version of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. Just like the arch in Paris, going to the top of Patuxai provides amazing views of the city of Vientiane, which is the capital of Laos. The arch is made up of five levels that represent both the principals representing the coexistence of nations as well as the five principals of Buddhism. Regardless of the meanings of the five levels, today there are markets on each level as you climb to the top offering you the opportunity to buy local items and tourist trinkets.

Watching the Sun Head Toward the Horizon

Walking Along the Mekong River – When visiting Vientiane in Laos, one thing that should be on your itinerary is spending time along the Mekong River. There are many restaurants on the road that sits along the river as well as Chao Anouvong Park, the main park in Vientiane. There are also a few rooftop restaurants that are only a block or two away from the river that offer great views of the city as well as the river. We had been told before visiting that we should be sure to see a sunset over the Mekong River and we were definitely glad that we did. At night, the area around Chao Anouvong Park that is near the inner city, turns into a night market with street food, family activities, and vendors selling locally produced items.

The COPE Visitor Center – Although we weren’t originally planning on visiting the COPE Visitor Center, it turned out to be an enlightening experience. Part museum and part informative on the work that the COPE project does to help people who have been injured by the unexploded bombs that litter the countryside of Laos. Like visiting holocaust museums, it contains both disturbing images as well as an acknowledgement of the ravages of war.

Mekong Fish in Coconut Sauce Served with Sticky Rice

Enjoy the Food of Vientiane – The food of Laos has been influenced by its neighboring countries as well as the French who once occupied the country. Fresh fish from the Mekong River can certainly be found on many of the restaurant menus as well as Laab, which is considered the national dish of Laos. We also enjoyed a couple of different styles of sticky rice and a variety of fried noodles with beef, chicken, and pork.

Although Laos and its capital, Vientiane, might not be on everyone’s typical itinerary for visiting Southeast Asia, it certainly worth spending time there. We definitely enjoyed seeing all of the fascinating sights that were in or around Vientiane. It was just a short flight from Hanoi, Vietnam where we were staying, and three days seemed like a perfect amount of time to spend there.

Have You Considered Taking a Virtual Tour?

On June 29, 2020February 9, 2021 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Blogging, Travel TipsLeave a comment

While nothing can ever replace experiencing a location for yourself, there are many places that offer people the opportunity to take virtual tours. In this digital age with advanced technologies, companies and museums are able to take hundreds of photographs and combine them together such that all of the people are removed and you can explore the location as if you were completely by yourself. Especially in today’s world with limited travel opportunities, it can be a way to continue to discover new places.

The Parthenon in the Acropolis of Athens, Greece

Standing in Front of the Louvre in Paris

Generally speaking, we have only used virtual tours prior to going to a location in order to give us a sense of what we might see when we get there. No virtual tour can truly give you a sense of the size of location or let you see it under specific circumstances like at sunset. As much as a virtual tour might let you walk in the Acropolis in Athens or stand before the Great Pyramid in Giza outside of Cairo, going there yourself is always going to be a better experience.

Of all of the places that you can see using a virtual tour, museums are probably the best experience. You can stand in front of your favorite painting for as long as you want or walk around a famous sculpture without having to maneuver your way through the crowds. In many cases, the images of the artwork are almost as good as seeing it for yourself. It still won’t truly give you a sense of the overwhelming sense of walking through museums like the Louvre, the Vatican Museums, or the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities in Cairo, but it is better than flipping through pages in a book.

Enormous Statues Inside the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities

In the same way that many of us grew up reading articles in National Geographic or watching travelogue shows to get us excited about traveling, future generations will like take advantage of virtual tours to control the experience for themselves. Hopefully it will serve as inspiration and not a replacement to the actual experience itself. What are your thoughts on virtual tours, would you recommend them to others?