Christmas Markets and Traveling in Germany

On November 21, 2016 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Germany, Travel Tips18 Comments

We had heard a lot about how wonderful the Christmas markets would be before we ever left the United States to spend some time here in Germany. Even though the markets are just now being put together in Frankfurt and will be opening this Wednesday, we have already been to several Christmas markets as we have travelled the past couple of weeks. Obviously we will share posts on all of the food, wine, Glühwein, and various souvenirs, but we thought that we would share some things that we have observed that we were not told about and were not prepared for.

The markets seem to be around all of the major attractions in the various cities and towns. While this can be awfully convenient in some respects, it does detract from the ability to truly absorb the sight that you are trying to see and photograph. Having all of the stalls in front of a cathedral or palace doesn’t make for ideal picture taking and sometimes one of the giant Christmas trees blocks the view completely. Add to it the extra crowds that come to the market on top of those visiting the attraction and it can feel quite claustrophobic.
Market outside of the Dom in Cologne
There can be multiple Christmas markets all going on at the same time in various parts of the city. It probably isn’t true of some of the smaller villages, but in the larger cities there can be many different Christmas markets. At this point, we have seen up to eight markets in one city, Köln (Cologne) and are not sure how many we will have in Frankfurt, but we have walked past two getting set up just in the old town area. In theory, it should keep down the crowds because they have multiple to choose from, but as far as we can tell, people go from one market to the next, so it doesn’t keep down the number of people you have to traverse through.
Setting up the Market in Old Town, Frankfurt
The items sold are not often unique, hand-made, items, but tend to be the same items sold at each of the various markets. Obviously the markets are commercial, so it isn’t too surprising, but if you are hoping to find that perfect gift that can’t be found anyplace else, you will have to do some searching. It isn’t that there aren’t some truly special items that you can’t find anyplace else, but you will just have to take some time to figure out what is from a local artist and what is mass-produced.
Market outside Cathedral in Vienna
Not all Glühwein is the same. You have to be careful, some places will add rum or other liquor to the delicious, warming treat, making it even more likely to take you to a happy place. Often you can ask to have something added, but other times it is just added for you. Be careful, it can sneak up on you if you have a couple of glasses, but it will definitely put you in the holiday spirit.
Glühwein Mugs
People don’t pay any attention to where they are walking. We see the same effect in airports and train stations, where people walk without looking where they are going, but they are especially bad in the markets. Perhaps it is all of the shiny lights making them look anywhere but in front of them, so don’t be surprised to have several people walk right into you as you make your way through the crowds. Don’t get us started about the parents with strollers who fall into this category, it is as though they use their children as battering rams to move through the crowds.
View from inside Alten Limpurg

As we mentioned, we have already enjoyed some wonderful markets and are definitely looking forward to ones that are about to start here in Frankfurt. We will likely avoid them on the weekends, when the crowds will be even worse, and we wouldn’t be surprised if by the time Christmas actually gets here, we are a little tired of having to walk through the markets to get to some of the places we like to go. Unfortunately, the market in the town square is directly outside of our favorite watering hole, Alten Limpurg, and you can no longer even see the fountain and buildings from within restaurant.

Five Must Pack Items for Travel Abroad

On August 5, 2016 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Travel Tips1 Comment

Obviously there are some things that you simply cannot travel without such as your passport, camera, and cell phone. We’d like to talk about a few items that we have found to be just as important, but perhaps aren’t talked about quite as often. Certainly it is possible to purchase some of these items while you’re on the road, but if you plan ahead and bring them with you, you will be happier in the long run.

An Electrical Converter Kit – Having a high quality converter kit is an absolute must. We have bought some less expensive converters that were specific for our destination, only to find out once we arrived that they didn’t work very well. Since then, we’ve found a high quality converter that can convert to multiple wattage and it has never failed us. In some countries the outlets can vary from hotel to hotel, so knowing that we have whatever converter we need provides a huge piece of mind.
Power Converter
Charging Chords and Cables – This one is pretty obvious, but it is important to remember chargers for every device that might need one, not just your cell phone and computer or tablet. Perhaps you have a fitness tracker that needs to be charged or you have a camera with rechargeable batteries. Think of the frustration you would feel if those devices stopped working and you couldn’t take photos or impress your friends by telling them how many steps you took on you trip. Kidding aside, there are many common devices these days that need to be charged. We also recommend taking extra cables if you have them. Charging cables seem to be one of the most common items to get left in a hotel room when travelling from place to place.
Chords and Cables
A List of All Medications and Vaccinations – This is one of those things that you hope that you won’t need to use, but if for some reason you need to seek medical attention when you are travelling, having a complete list of every medication that you are taking will be important information. You should also have your doctor fill out your official vaccination form. Even if you are not travelling to a country that requires it, having the form with you can be handy if you take a spontaneous trip to some place that does require it. The medication list can also be useful should you encounter an overly suspicious customs agent that scrutinizes a bottle of pills in your carry-on bag.
Vaccination Forms
A Multi-Port USB Device – Having a multi-port USB device can be convenient for a couple of reasons. First of all, it will allow you to charge multiple devices while plugged into a single outlet (using a single power converter ☺). It also allows you to connect several devices together in order to share data across those devices, which is quite useful when trying to copy photos from a camera or phone onto a tablet so that you can share them with the world.
USB Device
A First-Aid Kit – Once again, you hope that you never need it, but having a small kit with band-aids, gauze, aspirin, and medicinal wipes is always a good idea. It can be as simple as tossing a few necessary items into a plastic bag to go into your suitcase. Depending on where you are travelling to, it might be a good idea to toss in a small bottle of aloe as well, just in case you get sunburned.

These are just a few things that we’ve found to be useful during our various travels. Perhaps there are some things that you’ve found to be useful when you travel, we’d love to hear what they are.

Words of Wisdom

On July 12, 2016 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Photo Challenge, Travel Tips5 Comments

We have been fortunate to have had many great mentors throughout our lives who have imparted words of wisdom to us that have molded our thoughts and actions. Most of the best advice that we’ve received apply to all parts of our lives, whether with family, work, or travelling. Usually they are amazingly simple and yet very powerful when applied consistently. With this week’s Discover Challenge – Piece of Advice, we decided not to share a single piece of advice that we’ve received, but instead we’ve listed our top five words of wisdom and specifically how they’ve related to our travels. Hopefully you’ll find them to be as useful over time as we have found them to be.

Treat others as you want to be treated (the golden rule) – Wouldn’t the world be a better place if we treated EVERYONE that we met in the same manner that we hope and expect to be treated. Sure, we learned this rule as children, but it is probably the most important piece of advice that hopefully all people can learn. Whenever we travel someplace, anyplace, we want to learn about the customs and traditions of the locals. We respect their religions, beliefs, and social expectations. Having an understanding and respect does not mean that you have agree with or do things that conflict with your own personal beliefs, but you must have empathy and understand where they are coming from. You would be surprised how much better your experience will be if you are friendly and honestly express your desire to understand the culture of the place that you are visiting.
Talking to an Old Woman in Bolivia
Make decisions quickly and act upon them – This doesn’t mean that you don’t do your due diligence and get as many facts as possible before making a decision, but too often people become paralyzed by fear of making a mistake or spend so much time thinking about the decision that the opportunity passes them by. We have a lot of military in our family and the motto for an officer on the battlefield is that the only bad decision is no decision, this is surprisingly true of life in general. Will this lead to some mistakes? Sure, but you don’t grow and learn without making a few mistakes. More often than not, just deciding to go someplace and making it happen has led to some of our best experiences. If you wait for all of the stars to align and the moment to be perfect, you’re likely to miss out on some of the best experiences of your life.
Our First Trip to Europe was Planned in a Few Weeks
Never stop learning – Learning is growth and the moment that you stop learning new and interesting things is the moment that you stop truly living. Obviously it is hard to go through life and not continue to learn new things, but don’t just learn through osmosis, actively seek out and find new things to learn that might interest you. Pick a country that you’ve never heard about and learn as much as you can and then go visit there. Understand the history of a place, what has influenced its culture, the leaders of the past and the regional forces that shape their current beliefs and society. Learn as much of the language as possible and use it when you visit.
We’ve Learned to be Better Travelers
Strive for continuous improvement – None of us are perfect and those people who think that they are should be avoided like the plague. In all aspects of life, we periodically seriously reflect on our current state and consider how we can improve in our relationships, work positions, health (mental and physical), as well as our travel goals and expectations. Even during our travels, we will ask ourselves if we’re seeing the most relevant and interesting sights that mean the most to us or are we just following a list from a guidebook? Are we talking to the locals and getting the best advice on places to see and food to eat? We’ll come home from a trip and talk about our experiences and what things we could have done better and use that information on our next trip.
Lunch at a Moroccan Restaurant
Step out of your comfort zone – It is easy to get complacent and accept the normal routine, whether at work or in your personal life, but some of the most rewarding opportunities come from pushing your limits. That might mean doing an activity that makes you uncomfortable, like zip-lining, parachuting, or just spending the night in a forest. We’re not suggesting that you pursue dangerous activities, but just that you try something that perhaps you’ve never previously considered. It might be going to a country that makes you uncomfortable, but it could be as simple as trying food that you’ve never heard of. Growth comes from new experiences that most likely reset your image of what you’re capable of doing or achieving.
India Definitely Stretched Our Boundaries

There isn’t anything earth shattering here, just simple concepts that, when followed consistently, will improve your life and our case, our travels as well.