Blog – Page 2 – Wayfaring With Wagner

In Germany

Music City Hamburg – Beatles to the Reeperbahn Festival

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I’ve now lived in Hamburg for 2.5 years and I fall more in love with the city every day. Even though it’s Germany’s second-largest city behind Berlin (yes, even larger than Munich), it’s still an under-the-radar destination for many people outside of Germany. I’m always singing the praises of Hamburg to everyone I meet. I really do think Hamburg has it all – yummy food, excellent beer, great coffee, lots of water, family-oriented neighborhoods, historical locations, efficient public transportation, and a work-life balance. The Prince and I are really lucky to call this city home, and I’m excited to highlight Hamburg’s musical past, present, and future.

Before making it big worldwide, the Beatles made their debut in Hamburg. Even today, their legacy continues to exist through a dedicated Beatles-Platz (Beatles Square) as well as the quotes and stories from the Beatles themselves and those that knew them while in Hamburg. However, the Beatles aren’t the first or last band to make it big in Hamburg – the Reeperbahn Festival, founded in 2006, has been producing well-known artists since its inception. Artists that performed at the Reeperbahn Festival before their big breakthrough include three of my favorites – Ed Sheeran, Bon Iver, and Milky Chance.

In Switzerland

One Day in Zurich – A Walking Tour of Old Town

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When I headed to Zurich for a weekend the beginning of April, I had low expectations. I had only previously spent an extended period of time in Geneva and did not like it at all. So when I saw cheap flights to Zurich, I was quite hesitant – would I actually like the city or would it be like Geneva all over again? Much to my surprise and happiness, I fell head-over-heels in love with Zurich. I think it’s due to the German nature of the city but every corner I turned was even more picturesque than the last. It also helped that German is spoken in this region of Switzerland, making it infinitely easier for me to communicate compared to Geneva. Because I only had a weekend in Zurich (and decided to take a day trip from Zurich to Lucerne), here’s a guide on how to spend one day in Zurich!

In Blogging

Happy 5th Birthday, Wayfaring With Wagner

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5 years ago last week, I sat down and wrote my first blog post. I had no intention of having this blog for more than a few months and assumed only my family would read it 🙂 Now it is 5 years, and one blog name change, later. It’s amazing to think of where I was in life 5 years and all the changes that have occurred since then.

In Germany

2 Days in Berlin Itinerary

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Berlin is one of the most complex and historical cities. It was the first major city I ever visited in Europe back in 2007 and still remains one of my favorites. For being only an 80-minute train ride away from Hamburg, I hadn’t been back to Berlin for almost 4 years! After attending a conference in the city a few weeks ago, I decided to stay an extra day and reminisce by doing some of my favorite touristy activities. Although I’ve now visited about 8 times since 2007, the city never gets old to me – constantly changing and reinventing itself. If you only have 2 days in Berlin, this is the perfect itinerary to introduce you to Berlin and the most popular landmarks.

In Fairy-Tale Destinations

Visiting Tübingen in Wintertime

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With the allure of a chocolate festival, I made my way to the southern Germany town of Tübingen (also known as Tuebingen or Tubingen to English speakers). While this town was named one of Germany’s most photogenic towns, it holds a special place in my heart for an entirely different reason – it’s where I studied abroad 6 years ago! Tübingen was actually home to the first “Beer Time With Wagner” blog when I was still on the WordPress free platform. Even though the blog initially died out after a month, it made a reappearance in 2013 and the name stuck until I rebranded a year ago. It was wonderful to finally be back in Tübingen in wintertime – filled with lots of yummy cafes, snowy side streets, and a sense of coziness.

In Travel

Tips for Dealing with Motion Sickness

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Confessions of a 27-year-old travel blogger – I still get horrible motion sickness. For most of my life, I’ve always had to deal with motion sickness, although to varying degrees. It doesn’t matter the mode of transportation – plane, train, automobile, boat – I get it with any sort of movement (even during 3D movies and motion simulator rides). As a child, I would get it quite badly. Considering that my family frequently took long road trips, I learned early on how to manage it. It got much better throughout my teenage years but steadily became worse again in my 20s. I distinctly remember being on a transatlantic flight a few years ago and just running to the bathroom multiple times. I don’t think I was ever happier to land and get off the plane. Thankfully, throughout the years, I’m come up with tips for dealing with motion sickness, avoiding triggers, and planning strategically!

In Fairy-Tale Destinations

8 Romantic Places in Germany

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With a country full of castles, fairy tales, and even a Romantic Road, how could Germany not be romantic?! I’m a sucker for Valentine’s Day and can’t resist visiting as many romantic places in Germany as possible (including a getaway last weekend to Bamberg). Whether you travel with your significant other, your family, or even just great friends, here is a list of 8 extremely romantic places in Germany that you must visit!* The best part? Most of these are totally doable as weekend trips in Germany (thank you Deutsche Bahn and an amazing transportation system!).

*romantic places is also interchangeable for absolutely adorable, colorful, and quaint German towns

In Romania

Things To Do in Sibiu, Romania

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High on my bucket list – but never achievable – was the country of Romania. While living in Bulgaria, I tried to make it to Romania. You’d be surprise how difficult it is getting between the capital cities of Sofia and Bucharest! Thus, when I saw tickets for less than 100 Euros round trip (for both me and the Prince!), I snatched them up and off we went for a (long) weekend road trip through Transylvania. Out of all the places we visited, Sibiu was the biggest and best surprise! Here are some our favorite things to do in Sibiu, Romania along with basic information to help your trip run smoothly!

In Personal

Looking Back on 2017

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What a year it has been! 2017 is going down in the books as one of the best yet. On a personal note, this has been a year of highs for me. The Prince and I turned 26 years old in January and February and at the end of this year, we celebrated two years together! It seems like only yesterday I was inviting him to Scotland and our love story began – can’t wait to see what the future holds for us in 2018 (hint, hint to the Prince!). Our flat is pretty much complete (we might have gone to IKEA again yesterday – it never ends!) and it feels great to have a place to call home. Since 2009, I haven’t lived in one place longer than 9 months. Come visit – we absolutely adore our flat and neighborhood, and enjoy hosting people!

In Fairy-Tale Destinations

A Magical Day Trip to Kaysersberg, France

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I know that Colmar, France is considered the inspiration for Beauty and the Beast but the writers clearly didn’t pass through the Alsace town of Kaysersberg, France! I arrived in Colmar on a Saturday morning and immediately dropped my bags in my hotel before catching a bus for a magical day trip to Kaysersberg, France. Due to multiple recommendations and an overabundance of Pinterest photos, I knew that I had to visit this adorable town. While the bus schedule was a bit confusing (more about that below!), Kaysersberg was less than an hour bus ride from Colmar. If you’re ever in the Alsace region, you must take a day trip to this fairy tale town.