What I did and saw: Stuttgarter Weihnachtsmarkt (Christmas market)- Germany is famous for its Christmas Markets. They sell a variety of trinkets as well as food and drink. It was fun to walk through the market and see the Christmas decorations and different stands. Also, when buying "Glühwein" you are served in a nice mug. If you return the mug you will get your downpayment back (of a couple euros) or you can just keep it as a souvenir! I was also to try the currywurst at the market. Porsche Museum- The Porsche car company was founded in 1931 in Stuttgart. I visited their museum in Stuttgart and got to see many of their models and cars. I was even able to visit a short augmented reality display and I was able to sit in one of their cars. Stadtbibliothek Stuttgart (Public library)- The public library in Stuttgart is one of the more impressive libaries I have ever been in. It is free to enter and worth a visit if you are in the area. Palace Square (Schlossplatz)- The "Schlossplatz" is the main square in the center of Stuttgart. They had a variety of Christmas decorations while I was there, and also had an ice skating rink. This Palace Square also had an entry to the Christmas market. Hohenheimer Gärten and Karlshöhe Park- The Hohenheimer Garden is the botanical garden of the University of Hohenheimer, just outside of Stuttgart. Karlshöhe Park is another park located closer to the city center. They are both nice places to walk through and look out at the surrounding German countryside. Where I ate and drank: Mókuska Caffè- If you want a great coffee in Stuttgart, Mókuska Caffè is a great option. They offer a variety of beans with different origins. My coffee was served with a card that showed details such as the tasting notes and origin of the beans. Tiffin- Tiffin is a nice, small cafe with some good options for a small bite to eat, as well as coffee options. Misch Misch- Misch Misch is a nice, comfortable cafe with excellent coffee. They also offer a few food options. It is a nice place to hang out and escape the German winter cold. Carls Brauhaus- Located in the main city square (Schlossplatz), Carls Brauhaus offers good beer and hearty German fare. It is a nice place to sit down for a meal, and it is very conveniently located. Das Backparadies- Das Backparadies is a German bakery serving classic German baked goods. Many places are closed on Sundays in Stuttgart, but Das Backparadies was still open. Ützel Brützel- Due to some Middle Eastern influence, Germany is famous for their doner kebabs. These kebabs are not the same as shish kebabs (what many Americans reference when they say "kebab"). They are döner kebabs (what many Brits reference when they say "kebab"), which is made by taking a large slab of meat, shaving of some slices, and placing it into a pita or flatbread with vegetables and sauces (most Americans would know it better as a "Gyro"). While not spectacular, the döner kebab I had at Ützel Brützel was very good. Where I stayed: Alex 30 Hostel- Alex 30 Hostel was a nice place to stay during my time in Stuttgart. I didn't spend much time at the hostel becasue I was exploring the city for most of my time in Stuttgart. However, the beds were very comfortable, and there were some cool people staying there while I was there. How I got around: I walked and used public trains to get around while in Stuttgart. I also downloaded and used the local "VVS" app to find up-to-date information on the transport system make using public transport there easier. My favorite thing:
Stuttgart had some great coffee, and their library is one of the more impressive ones I have been to. My favorite part of Stuttgart was the Christmas market (and the Glühwein). My least favorite thing: My least favorite thing from my time in Stuttgart was the weather. If I am going to be in below freezing weather, I want to at least see a little snow. It was very cold, but there was minimal snow. For next time: Next time in Stuttgart I would like to visit a few more interesting sites like the TV tower and the SchweineMuseum. I would also be interesed in taking a day trip to nearby Heidelberg.
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I have had the opportunity to spend a good amount of time in the Barcelona area, mostly while teaching English abroad. A typical Catalonian (or Mediterranean for that matter) breakfast would be an espresso drink paired with a pastry. That would then be followed by a "2nd breakfast" (hobbit-style) that would commonly be some type of sandwich with olive oil, cheese, and sliced sausage (fuet, butifara, chorizo, etc.) between two slices of a baguette with the inside slathered in crushed tomato. However, many places in Barcelona offer some great options for a healthy, substantial breakfast. Here are a few of my favorites: My Top 5Flax & Kale/Teresa's- Flax & Kale is a great place to get a healthy, tasty breakfast. They offer a wide variety of options on their menu and serve food throughout the day. They use quality Vitamix blenders and are one of the few places in Barcelona that makes excellent smoothie bowls (many other places in Barcelona use low quality blenders that can't get the right consistency). They have a very vegan and vegetarian friendly menu, and also serve things like eggs for those wanting quality protein. They have a few locations in the city, including Teresa's Juicery that serves a more limited (but still high quality) menu. Brunch and Cake- If a hipster grandma opened a high quality IHOP, it would look something like Brunch and Cake (their motto is "In Grandmothers We Trust"). As you could guess by their name, they offer excellent brunch options as well as cake options. It is a nice mix of healthy options and indulgence options. They serve the same menu throughout the day (like IHOP only better). Milk/Marmalade/Firebug- Milk Bar & Bistro, Marmalade, and Firebug are all cocktail bars by night, but serve an excellent brunch during the day. Milk and Firebug serve brunch everyday, while Marmalade is open for brunch on the weekends. They all offer a very similar menu with a great mix of healthy options and options to scratch the itch of a sweet tooth. Billy Brunch- Billy Brunch serves high quality breakfast/brunch options throughout the day. The meals I have had there have been perfectly cooked and served (and they get bonus points for the name). Black Remedy- Black Remedy is not only a great place to get food, it is also one of the best places on the list to get coffee. They serve excellent variations of filter coffee, and at times will even offer nitro coffee. Honorable MentionHonorable Mention:
Satan's Coffee Corner and Departure Coffee Company both offer tasty food paired with excellent craft coffee. Hammock Juice Station serves some excellent healthy options like smoothie bowls and juices in a cool hammock-laiden space, and is open Monday through Saturday from 10am-5pm. Like Hammock, Casa do Açai is another one of the few places that makes quality smoothie bowls. La Esquina serves a very nice brunch on weekends as well as good espresso-based coffee drinks, and they are conveniently located close to Plaça de Catalunya. What I did and saw: Free Walking Tour- As mentioned in a previous post, free walking tours are a great way to see a city. Sandemans is a quality tour company that has recently begun doing free walking tours in Porto. Although the weather wasn't great, I was still able to see a good amount of the city and learn about some of its history. Ponte de Dom Luis I- The Dom Luis I Bridge connects Porto with the Vila Nova de Gaia (where most of the Port is made) area. It crosses over the Douro River and was made by a disciple of Gustave Eiffel. It is a beautiful bridge and worth seeing (and crossing) when in Porto. Igreja do Carmo (and other "Igrejas")- The Igreja do Carmo is one of many beautiful churches in Porto (Igreja is Portuguese for Church). All of them are free to see from the outside, and most of them are free to enter. Clerigos Tower- The Clerigos Tower is the high bell tower of the Igreja dos Clerigos (Church of the Clergymen). It is an iconic spot in Portugal, and the top of the tower provides some nice views of Porto. However, due to Porto's climate, the rainy/cloudy weather might obstruct some of the view. Praça dos Leoes- Praça dos Leoes is a beautiful plaza located between the University of Porto (who wear uniforms inspired the Hogwarts uniforms) and the Igreja do Carmo. There are also many other nice town squares (or "praças") throughout Porto such as Liberdade Square. Rua Tapas & Music- I went to Rua Tapas to check out some nice, local live music. Where I ate and drank: Zenith Brunch and Cocktail Bar- Zenith Brunch and Cocktail Bar offer great coffee and great food. They have a number of healthy options as well as many options that aren't so healthy but are very tasty. Moustache Coffee House- I visited Moustache Coffee House to escape Porto's rain. They serve excellent craft coffee and have great, comfortable seating. Cafe Progresso- Cafe Progresso blends old and new very well. They are a historic coffee shop and roastery, but they have also kept up with the new trends in coffee. They serve excellent coffee and have some great food options. Pedro dos Frangos- If you are looking for a quality meal for a good price, Pedro dos Frangos is a nice option. Their chicken is excellent. Santini Gelato- As I have said before, if I am going to eat something unhealthy I want it to be worth it. The gelato I had at Santini was definitely worth it. Peter Cafe Sport- Located along the Cais da Ribeira (Duoro Riverfront) area, Peter Cafe Sport serves good "francesinhas." The word literally translates to "little french girl," but the sandwich is a mix of a meats and cheeses that is covered in tomato beer gravy and eaten with a knife and fork. Espaço Porto Cruz- Port wine is a famous sweet, red fortified wine that is made in the Duoro River Valley. I visited Espaço Porto Cruz along the riverside because I got a free drink there from my hostel. They serve great Port and offer food tasting options as well. They also have a rooftop area that looks out from the Vila Nova de Gaia area across the river towards the city of Porto. Where I stayed: Pilot Design Hostel- There are a number of highly rated hostels in Portugal, and Pilot Design Hostel deserved their high ranking. They staff was very accommodating (they moved my group of friends around so we could be in the same room) and the price was good also. It is a comfortable, good place to stay in Porto. How I got around: While in Porto I walked to get around to most places, but Porto has a good metro system that I used to get to the airport. My favorite thing:
Porto had some very interesting architecture and had a cool, industrial feel to the city. People who are more into Port wine or Harry Potter might have other things they would prefer about the city, but I particularly enjoyed the cafes and coffee shops mentioned above. My least favorite thing: My least favorite thing about Porto was the weather. Also, Porto doesn't offer quite as many options as places like its countrymate Lisbon. For next time: Next time in Porto I would like to check out the famous Livraria Lello, and I would like to do the Porto Bridge Climb. I would also like to try a variety of foods at Mercado Bom Sucesso, and I would like to eat at Cervejaria Gazela (they would unfortunately closed for vacation last time I was there). When traveling around the world you will encounter different currencies. Credit cards can be a nice work around for this challenge, but many times you will need to transfer money abroad from one account to another. While teaching English abroad I have needed to transfer money from my between accounts so I can continue to use my credit cards to earn bonuses. Transferwise is the best way I have found to transfer money. They use a fair exchange rate (you can use sites/apps like XE currency data to check for yourself) and they do not charge high fees like many other banks and organizations. If you use this link you can even get your first transfer (up to £500) totally free!
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About MeWelcome to the Healthy Explorer Blog. If you like travel stories have a look around my blog and check out my podcast— maybe you'll find an extra spark for your own adventures.
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