germany – The Oaxacaborn Blog

You know when you find a new blog and you just can’t stop scrolling through pages and pages of archives? La Petite Cuisine, written and photographed by Susanne Schanz, is one of those blogs. It’s just full of gorgeous images! And if you can read German (alas, I can not), she posts the most delicious-looking recipes. Definitely one to add to your blog readers/bookmarks this Christmas season!

Images © Susanne Schanz, via this post on La Petite Cuisine Images © Susanne Schanz, via this post on La Petite Cuisine

Summer Vacation Tour

TRAVEL :: Heidelberg, Germany with Amanda: A Stop on the Summer Vacation Tour

August 9, 2012November 1, 2012 Gina @ Oaxacaborn

So far on this virtual travel series, we’ve explored two cities in Germany — Frankfurt and Hamburg, thanks to Sylvia (Artsy Ants) and Alyx (Every Day is a New Adventure). Today, we add a third to the list, as Amanda tells us all about living in Heidelberg!

AMANDA IN HEIDELBERG, GERMANY

A bit more about Amanda
I grew up in Ohio and moved to Florida a couple months after I turned 23. I lived there for three years and didn’t really plan on leaving. Then I met my husband, a medic in the Army, who was stationed in Georgia. I moved there the month after we got married. To our surprise, a month later, we found out we had orders to Heidelberg, Germany. Three months later, we were living here. So far, we have explored Heidelberg and several cities in Germany, and we plan to visit several more. We also plan to visit other countries, although we haven’t gotten to do so yet. I blog about our life and travels abroad at Overseas Adventures. Today, I’ll tell you a few of my favorite things about living here.
Continue reading “TRAVEL :: Heidelberg, Germany with Amanda: A Stop on the Summer Vacation Tour” →

Guest Blog, Summer Vacation Tour, Travel/Moving

TRAVEL :: Frankfurt, Germany with Alyx: A Stop on the Summer Vacation Tour:

June 5, 2012November 1, 2012 Gina @ Oaxacaborn

Today’s virtual travel destination is Frankfurt, Germany. Alyx is a Nebraska girl who blogs (very humorously, I might add) at Every Day is a New Adventure, and she’s going to take us on a little tour!

ALYX in FRANKFURT, GERMANY

Hello, Oaxacaborn readers! I am so excited [and honored] to be here with you guys!

A quick introduction: I’m Alyx, and I currently live in Germany and blog over here.

I’m so happy that Gina asked me to share what I love about Frankfurt with you, because believe me – there’s quite a bit! I’m going to share my top 5 favorite things about the city in a minute, but first I just wanted to tell you why I’m here!

I’m actually teaching English in a tiny town about 45 minutes outside of Frankfurt, but I visit frequently and lived there a couple years ago while I was doing an internship. Germany is one of my favorite places in the world, and I’ve grown quite attached to Frankfurt because it is where I have spent a majority of my time in the country.

So, without further ado, my Five Frankfurt Favorites:

I love the Main River so much. There are biking/running paths that run right next to it, and there are always people sitting on the grassy banks during the spring and summer. It’s just such a fun, relaxing, and beautiful place.

Most of Frankfurt was leveled during WWII, but the Altstadt (German for “old town”) makes you feel like you’re back in old Germany. It’s amazing, because it’s a five minute walk from the super busy Zeil, which is Frankfurt’s main shopping area (and obviously a very modern area). It almost feels like you’re leaving one world and entering another.

Okay, so I sort of feel like I’m cheating with this one because you can get it everywhere in Germany, but the most delicious Spaghetti Eis I have ever had has been in Frankfurt. My favorite Eiscafe is actually right in the Altstadt, so it’s a win-win.

The nice thing about Frankfurt is that, even though it’s a very industrialized city, there are still plenty of places where you can escape the hustle and bustle of city life and relax for a bit. Just realize that, in the winter, the parks are not going to as beautiful as they will be in the summer (as the picture above shows).

I really love climbing to the top of some of Frankfurt’s tallest buildings and looking out over the city. It’s beautiful in a way that is different from most German cities, and I think that’s one of the reasons I like it so much. The building this picture was taken from is actually pretty small compared to many of the skyscrapers in the city, but still offered a pretty good view.

So there you have it – my five favorite things about Frankfurt! If you have any questions for me about expat living, Germany, German, or just life in general, pop on over! I’d love to meet you!
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This post is a part of the Summer Vacation Tour, a virtual travel series hosted here on Oaxacaborn.com. To ‘travel’ to other locations while I’m taking a brief break from blogging, click here. (Want to be featured in the future? Email me!)

Guest Blog, Summer Vacation Tour, Travel/Moving

TRAVEL :: Hamburg, Germany with Sylvia of Artsy Ants: A Stop on the Summer Vacation Tour:

May 27, 2012November 1, 2012 Gina @ Oaxacaborn

I’m delighted Sylvia from Artsy Ants is here with us today! She and her sister, Simona, who also blogs at Artsy Ants, have been an incredible encouragement to me since the start of my blog — they are always leaving the sweetest comments. And, Artsy Ants was the first blog ever to put up a Oaxacaborn button! I’m so thankful for their support, and really excited to share Sylvia’s city with you all. I must say, I didn’t know any of these things about Hamburg, and it was a real pleasure to read what Sylvia had to say and look at the beautiful pictures she shared. Take it away, Sylvia!

SYLVIA FROM HAMBURG, GERMANY

A little more about Sylvia
I am a wife, mama, writer, maker of stuff and lover of everyday beauty living in Hamburg, Germany with my husband, 2-year-old boy and soon to be born baby girl. I was born just outside Hamburg, but grew up in Hamburg and spent most of my life here. I stayed on different continents and in different countries for some months, but when I got married and started a family it was Hamburg, again! Right now we live in the heart of the city, trying our best as a family to stay connected to the natural world despite of our urban surroundings. Although Hamburg is the second-largest city in Germany, most people think of Berlin, Frankfurt or Munich first when planning a visit to Germany. But Hamburg is so diverse and has so much to offer, so I wanted to introduce my favourite city in the world to you with some photos and a few interesting facts!

Summer Vacation Tour hosted by Oaxacaborn - Hamburg Germany as told by Sylvia of Artsy Ants

Sylvia’s top five things to love about Hamburg

Hamburg is a green city, 14% of the city area is made up of green spaces and recreational area. You can go to the beach, hike through forests, take walks in extensive city parks and spend your days on huge playgrounds, all in one city.
There are so many streams, rivers and canals in Hamburg that it has 2302 bridges – more than Venice and Amsterdam combined.
You do not need a car in Hamburg, the public transport system (consisting of busses, trains, subways and boats!) and a public bike system help you get around the city.
Hamburg is a foreign trade center and has the second largest container harbour in Europe, one of the many reasons for it’s international flair!
Hamburg is a city without skyscrapers. The typical skyline of Hamburg consists of the towers of churches and the TV tower.

3- Summer Vacation Tour hosted by Oaxacaborn - Hamburg Germany as told by Sylvia of Artsy Ants

Sylvia blogs with her sister Simona, who left Hamburg for love, at www.artsyants.blogspot.com. Sylvia is also on Twitter @artsyants.

This post is a part of the Summer Vacation Tour, a virtual travel series hosted here on Oaxacaborn.com. To ‘travel’ to other locations while I’m taking a brief break from blogging, click here. (Want to be featured in the future? Email me!)