Jean Nguyen

  • Germany

    Hamburg

    March 7, 2016 - By 

    Despite being Germany’s 2nd largest city, Hamburg doesn’t offer a whole lot for tourists, but as Germany’s largest port, Hamburg houses a pretty spiffy financial district, and more famously the seedy red-light district.  We only dropped into Hamburg briefly for a couple hours on our way to Amsterdam from Copenhagen, primarily to fulfill a childhood dream of mine: to eat a hamburger in Hamburg.  Really. We found street parking near a subway and took the metro into the heart of Hamburg. First, the main square: Then we walked over to Buck’s Sports Bar in the financial district to try their well-reviewed…

  • Denmark

    Copenhagen

    March 6, 2016 - By 

    Originally, we hadn’t planned on visiting Denmark. In fact, there was only one reason that brought us there, and I will share that reason at the end of this post. As soon as we added Copenhagen to the map, I was thrilled. This meant that we were not only going to Scandinavia, but we were also going to perhaps the hippest Scandinavian city! (And we we’d be stuffing our faces with world-famous Danish pastries too!) Sure, Stockholm ranks high on the “cool city” meter, but even many Swedes settle near or in Copenhagen due to its vicinity to mainland Europe…

  • Denmark

    Kronborg Castle

    March 3, 2016 - By 

    It’s super easy to get castled-out in Europe, especially Denmark.  There are too many damn castles everywhere!  But Kronborg Castle caught my attention because of its location.  With its strategic location on the northeastern tip of Zealand in Elsinore (just an hour’s drive north of Copenhagen), sitting at the narrowest sound between Denmark and Sweden, it had to have a fascinating history.  And it definitely did.  For only kr 90 ($13) each, we were able to explore much of Kronborg at our own pace. Due to the number of rooms and galleries that were available to the public, Kronborg quickly became our favorite castle…

  • Denmark

    Budgeting in Denmark?

    February 27, 2016 - By 

    No amount of warning could have prepared us for the Scandinavian reality of price hikes.  We knew everything was going to be expensive, but it wasn’t until our first day in Denmark that we grimaced at the numbers and regrettably made the conversions in our heads from Danish kroners (kr) to US dollars as we paid for everything.  Instead of enjoying our first day in Denmark, we ran obligatory errands and forced ourselves to hunker down at a McDonalds (free wifi and power outlets!) to get our bearings. On our day of arrival to Denmark, we found a free stellplatz in Haderslev on our…

  • Germany

    Bremen

    February 24, 2016 - By 

    I wonder how often Bremen is overlooked by Cologne and Hamburg, because I had never heard of it until I looked at a map for a place to stay in Northern Germany en route from Cologne to Copenhagen. As soon as I saw the charming buildings online, I knew I had to stop by. It resembled a cross between Munich and Rothenburg, an enchanting blend of neo-gothic and charming medieval architecture. Bremen was and still is a major port city as it is situated along a river that empties out into the North Sea. Our morning spent in Bremen was…

  • Germany

    Cologne Cathedral

    February 23, 2016 - By 

    Let’s face it. There really isn’t a whole lot to do in Cologne.  It’s just another big city (Germany’s 4th largest) with plenty of shopping, restaurants, and museums.  And a handful of bridges and a zoo.  We also happened to be in Cologne on a Sunday, which is the worst day to explore any city in Germany because everything is closed. First things first.  We spent our first night about 3 km north of the cathedral along the river, just down the street from the zoo, at a €10/night stellplatz (Reisemobilhafen Köln). Surprisingly, there were quite a few RVs when we…

  • Luxembourg

    Luxembourg City

    February 22, 2016 - By 

    After our pleasant stay in Rothenburg, we knew that the Cologne Cathedral was next on our must-see list. However, upon looking at the map, we decided to make a quick detour to Luxembourg City, Luxembourg, because why not? If a brief stop in Luxembourg, which wasn’t incredibly out of the way, meant seeing an additional country, then we were game. We also read that the cheapest gas in all of Europe could be found in Luxembourg. As we sluggishly drove our RV through the rolling hills between Western Germany and Luxembourg, we nervously kept an eye on the dropping gas…

  • Germany

    Rothenburg ob der Tauber

    February 22, 2016 - By 

    Despite having a mouthful of a name, the historic town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber was tiny. But it didn’t matter that it was tiny. What mattered was how irresistibly adorable it was, and the fact its medieval façade wasn’t simply a show to lure tourists. This was the stereotypical Bavarian town, and I couldn’t wait to see it. To our surprise, there was even a convenient stellplatz across the street from the south end of the walled town. With impeccably clean bathrooms, water (100 liters for €1), waste disposal, electricity, and a location just a stone’s throw away from…

  • Germany

    Neuschwanstein Castle

    February 21, 2016 - By 

    Here is a weird fact: the only three things I knew about Germany before my arrival were Oktoberfest, WWII, and the Neuschwanstein Castle.  I sampled a tiny bit of Oktoberfest while in Munich, I shuddered at the Dachau Concentration Camp, and now I fulfilled my dream of walking in a magical winter wonderland at the Neuschwanstein Castle. I read that if you visit the castle in the winter, when the forests and rooftops are dusted with snow, it would be a magical experience.  Because we were already spending February in Germany, I knew we HAD to go.  Winter also meant the…

  • Germany

    Munich

    February 19, 2016 - By 

    I never knew that Munich, nevermind Germany, exploded with culture. Even in mid-February, the opposite time of year from the world famous Oktoberfest, locals and especially tourists filled the air (primarily beer gardens) with the boisterous festivities known to Bavarian culture. I’ve already mentioned that I’m not fond of beer, but in Munich, beer is not a beverage but a staple, like bread. Beer in Munich is not only integral to their culture—it is the reason why people visit. To avoid beer in Munich would be like avoiding pizza in Italy. Blasphemy! Two of the closest options to Munich where…