Europe
Big Jugs in Germany at Oktoberfest
Discover all you need to know about drinking from some Big Jugs in Germany at Oktoberfest.
Walking in to the gigantic tent, you would think that you had stepped back in time 200 years – there are wall to wall wooden benches filled with men in form-hugging lederhosen and women in dirndl. An oompah band plays atop an elaborate stage shaped in the likeness of an old wooden sailing ship, the combined stale stench of beer, sweat and roast chicken assaults your nostrils.
A single syllable word suddenly rings true above the ear shattering sound of thousands of steins crashing together in unison.
Prost!
Big Jugs in Germany at Oktoberfest
In fact you wouldn’t have stepped back in time but you would be standing in the Augustiner-Festhalle beer tent in the heart of the world’s largest festival – Oktoberfest. Even if you have never been to Munich during Oktoberfest then this one word instantly evokes images of Lederhosen’s, songs of merriment, drunken revelry and strong armed Fräuleins touting large jugs.
Oh and don’t forget the gigantic beer steins too…
Oktoberfest was first held way back in 1810 in celebration of King Ludwig the Firsts marriage to Princess Therese at the appropriately named fields Theresienwiese (“Theresa’s meadow”), although the locals have since abbreviated the name simply to the “Wiesn”. The city of beer loving Bavarian’s enjoyed it so much that 2 years later they decided to hold it again. And again. And again.
Now celebrating its 178th year (cancelled 24 times due to various mass illnesses and wars) it attracts between 5 and 7 million tourists from around the world. Unsurprisingly it’s our drunken cousins across the ditch, Australian’s, who show up in the greatest overseas numbers. In fact, with no Australian embassy located in Munich, an official must travel down from Berlin for the entire of the festival to hand out temporary passports to the Australian’s that lose them.
It’s no surprise that the festival is so popular and the beer is so good considering that there are over 1250 breweries located withinGermany. However, only Munich brewers are allowed to sell their finest at Oktoberfest every year in their own tents (tents being a loose word for gigantic wooden structure holding up to 10,000 revellers).
These are no mere mortal beers either.
The average alcohol content being over 6 percent can quickly turn any self-styled beer connoisseur on to their ass. Luckily after the first day I had quickly learned my lesson that you cannot take them lightly…
Big Jugs in Germany at Oktoberfest
Thankfully Oktoberfest is more than beer chugging and memory loss.
The share size of the spectacle blew my mind (and our bank accounts). The family atmosphere is great to see and all the locals bring along their children to the event to have fun on the various rides and activities from Ferris wheels to crossbow shooting.
The first day we managed to fly into Munich early on Thursday morning so grabbed the last remaining un-reserved table in the Augustiner-Festhalle tent. Unfortunately the beer was absolutely delicious and I didn’t heed my own advice before sitting down at the table and quickly consumed a few too many steins without eating enough of the roast chickens and pork knuckles.
Needless to say I went home early and missed the best parts of the evening with dancing on the tables and more raucous singing.
Friday morning led to some bleary eyes and sore heads. I am pretty sure my brain was trying to force its way out of my skull until I downed a few panadol. We tentatively made our back to the Wiesn and squeezed our way in to the Winzerer Fähndl tent where they were serving the sweet tasting Paulaner brewed beer.
The first stein went down quite gingerly but considering that this is the largest tent holding 8,450 inside and another 2,450 people outside this quickly changed. The atmospheres are so addictive that you quickly find yourself on the benches singing wildly out of tune along with the others.
Unfortunately by not having reserved tables we were booted off our one at 4pm for the locals. And when you can’t sit down at a table then they won’t serve you another beer. The upside was that I wasn’t too drunk to enjoy the rides and activities outside and won some inexpensive prizes at the shooting galleries.
Just one last thing, if you decide you want to go along and want to join in the festivities then don’t buy the cheap ass nasty costumes like we did. Seems like a good idea at the time but I felt like I was disrespecting the traditionally dressed up men in leather lederhosen’s. We never actually had anyone say it was disrespectful or bad taste, but they just didn’t look quite right.
Thumbs up but looking a little worse for wear…
Europe
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Europe
Paris on a Budget: Best Cheap Eats in Paris
While Paris used to be regarded as an expensive city, you can now enjoy Paris on a Budget. Use our guide to find the Best Cheap Eats in Paris.
Although Paris has a reputation for being one of the most expensive cities globally, the rumors are now unfounded. In 2012, Paris dropped ten places in the Mercer cost of living survey. And with the Euro looking weak, now is probably a good time to find cheap flights and discover the city of love on a budget.
Eating in Paris can catch a lot of tourists out. Avoid the expensive restaurants serving fancy dishes like salmon wellington and snooty maître d’s on the Champs Elysees and follow our guide for the best cheap eats in Paris. Spend less on food and possibly splurge on friendly hotels in Paris instead!
Girl eating croissant in Paris
Best Cheap Eats in Paris
Head to the Marais
Famous for its selection of ethnic eateries, the trendy Marais area of Paris is perfect for picking up a quick snack.
Check out L’As du Falafel, where you can grab a flatbread bursting with golden fried balls of falafel, smothered in hummus and accompanied with red cabbage. For €4 to take away, you can’t argue with that. Simply head to Chez Hanna down the street for equally tasty food at similarly low prices if it’s too busy.
Enjoy an Oriental baguette.
Vietnamese food is popular in France, and nowhere can you see the fusion of two cultures more clearly than at Saigon Sandwich in the Belleville district of Paris. Their specialty, banh mi, is light and crusty French baguette filled with flavors of South East Asia.
There are only a few options (poulet, boeuf, Maison, and unique), but for €3 ago, you could happily sample them all.
Find French food on the cheap.
Believe it or not, there are some restaurants specializing in French cuisine that won’t see you stumbling into your overdraft. Les Temps des Cerises is one of them.
Described by Yelp as a “Dive Bar,” nothing could be further from the truth. Run by a cooperative, it attracts a distinctly bohemian crowd. The menu is small, but the food is prepared from ingredients that sing with freshness and high quality.
Eat like a local celebrity …
Rumour has it that Pierre Herme, one of Paris’s most celebrated pastry chefs, visits the Belleville restaurant Le Baratin. The prices are surprisingly low for the delicious Argentinian fare.
Time Out Magazine recommends the tuna carpaccio with cherries or the spicy basque lamb. Pop in at lunchtime for the prixe fix menu. At €18 for three courses it’s hard to complain.
… or eat like a local office worker
Bistro Victoires is a favorite amongst Paris’s locals. It doesn’t look like much from the outside, and the wine list leaves a lot to be desired, but when you sit down to enjoy some of the best steak frites in Paris, all else will be forgiven.
Portion sizes are enormous, and the waiters often remind patrons that if they order a starter, they won’t be able to tackle the main course. Despite being a famous location steps away from the Palais Royal, it still manages to be a hidden gem.
What are your tips for finding the best cheap eats in Paris?
Europe
Travel Tip: Train to Pisa from Florence
Whether you spend a half-day or full day in Pisa, we recommend that you Train to Pisa from Florence. It’s the fastest and cheapest way to get there.
Traveling by train is one of the best ways to see the beautiful countryside of Italy. The train from Florence to Pisa takes about an hour, and the journey is stunning. The route takes you past vineyards and medieval villages, through tunnels and over bridges, with breathtaking views of the Tuscan hillsides. You can even see the Leaning Tower of Pisa as the train approaches the station.
Upon arrival in Pisa, you can explore the historic center and visit the famous cathedral, before enjoying a leisurely lunch overlooking the River Arno. With its stunning scenery and convenient location, a train trip from Florence to Pisa is a great way to spend a day in Italy.
How to get to Pisa from Florence
You have a couple of different options for your own half-day trip to Pisa from Florence depending on how you like to travel. But if you are like us and enjoy travelling around Italy by public transport, then you will definitely want to train to Pisa from Florence.
Train to Pisa from Florence
Florence and Pisa are less than 100 km apart and the easiest way is to train to Pisa from Florence. The entire trip one-way takes approximately an hour depending on your route with no transfers.
Trains leave from Florence S.M.Novella for Pisa Centrale a few times every hour. The closest train station to the leaning tower of Pisa is Pisa San Rossore, but it’s not worth the extra time or transfer required. Pisa itself is small and it takes less than 30 minutes to walk to the leaning tower from Pisa Centrale.
Plus you get to explore more of the city such as the River Arno lined with beautiful stately homes.
If you want to book online then a one-way ticket by train to Pisa from Florence will cost from €7.80 (US$10.40) in 2nd class. It is important to make sure that when you are searching online via the Italian train booking site, Trenitalia, you search for “Firenze” rather than Florence.
The train schedules are very easy to understand so we recommend booking your ticket from the self-service machines on the train platform. The return journey is just as easy in reverse. Just watch that you don’t miss the last train around 10pm most days and carry cash with you for the ticket.
Finally, validate your ticket before boarding the train. We forgot a couple of times but used the typical “I’m a stupid tourist” line to get out of any fines.
Bus to Pisa from Florence
Another option is to catch the bus to Pisa from Florence.
There are two main bus companies, Terravision and Autostradale, run regular buses to and from Pisa Airport and Florence Airport into the Florence city centre, they don’t actually go into Pisa itself. The train to Pisa from Florence is so reliable, fast, and cheap, that you may not want to consider this option.
However, there are some advantages to taking the bus. You will see a lot more scenery from the window of the bus, and it’s definitely cheaper; sometimes you can find fares as low as 4 Euros, especially on Fridays.
Driving to Pisa from Florence
If you have hired a car or scooter in Tuscany then you might look at driving to Pisa from Florence. However, even though the distance is less than 100km, the trip will still take approximately 1 hour.
Aside from the fact that the train to Pisa from Florence typically takes less time than driving, you also have to avoid the crazy Italian drivers. Not to mention trying to find a carpark in two of the most popular cities in Italy. Impossible.
Guided Tour to Pisa from Florence
If you have been enjoying the sunset in Florence and all the city has to offer then you might want to take in a guided tour to Pisa from Florence. Not only do you get a great guide to learn all about the history of the area, you also don’t have to worry about getting to Pisa from Florence.
You might want to check out this guided tour around Pisa or get a little bit more adventurous and try out a segway tour in Pisa. Perfect for the family and it will keep the kids entertained between stops.
If you have a whole day, and haven’t managed to fit in a hike around Cinque Terre, then we recommend looking into the Pisa and Cinque Terre day tour. Lasting roughly 12 hours, you will travel from Florence to Cinque Terre, with a 2 hour stop in Pisa to see all the main sights.
We also reckon guides help you get the best photos, as they have seen all the poses.
Tell us below if you have taken any funny photos in Pisa!
We have been wearing out our jandals (Kiwi for flip-flops) on our travel adventures around the world since 2009. We think our blog is thought provoking and a little witty. But we have been proven wrong before. Find out more about us here...
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