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Countries, Europe, Ireland, UK

Ich bin feminine Hamburger

11th August 202312th August 2023 funtime65

All you single ladies, all you single ladies we bring you the safest cities in Europe… ich bin feminine Hamburger.

All courtesy of Kipling… no, not them but the other ones who make exceedingly good luggage.

And that party city jewel of the North Sea, Hamburg, comes top of their crop for single ladies to go a-travelling.

Power to your Elbe

The Solo Female Traveller City Index tells us that Hamburg scores for group activities, attractions, accommodation and more.

They tell us the best ways to explore Hamburg is by foot or bicycle along its picturesque canals.

And if you really want to be ein Hamburger.

Then walk or bike through the Old Elbe Tunnel, the most visited attraction in Germany’s second city.

Speicherstadt is the world’s largest warehouse district and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Where my own fraulein was happy to be on the other side of the lens for once.

Blankenese is recommended as a non-touristy spot.

A charming village spot to spend a few hours exploring solo.

And spotting fishermen’s houses, seaside view restaurants and outdoor theatre shows.

Munich Shefest

Now I can vouch for the second city on the list, also German, as I set off on my own for Oktoberfest in Munich.

And was taken under der wing of a busload of Aussies and Kiwis.

Out of Oktoberfest Munich is still, probably more, an easy city to get around.

With a network of trams and buses with the average one-way trip costing £3.11.

Making it straightforward to visit the city’s iconic spots, including Munich’s iconic Nymphenburg Palace or New Town Hall.

Queen of Scots

Our own wee capital city, Edinburgh, in our own wee Scottish country is also highlighted by Kipling.

They quite rightly want you to get your walking shoes on and hike up Arthur’s Seat for stunning views.

Wandering through the UNESCO heritage site of New Town.

Or take a stroll through the world-leading Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh for 72 acres of beautiful scenery.

Of course my girls, one an adopted Scot and Daddy’s Little Girl, a native Edinburgher, join me in talking up our wee home.

So Faro, so good

Now most of us will just see Faro in the Algarve fleetingly, zipping through the airport.

Thankfully my Portugalophile friends Surinder and Carole are always quick to remind me of Faro’s charms.

Faro promises beautiful beaches, a buzzing nightlife and historic sites to explore, including its charming Old Town.

One of Faro’s best-kept city secrets is The Capela dos Ossos, ‘the Bone Chapel’, an ancient building made from the skeletons of 1,200 monks.

Travellers wishing to learn more about Faro’s history can also explore the Municipal Museum which features a range of archaeological attractions.

For a bit of beach time, head to Praia Da Ilha Deserta for 6km of unspoiled sands.

And because all women love to shop (or is that just my Scary One?) then the Forum Algarve or Rua de Santo Antônio is the place to go.

Dublin’s femme city

And we all know that it in Dublin’s femme city the girls are so pretty.

And Kipling agree and this is what they say about our old stomping ground.

Well, they want us to get on your guided bike and take in the castle… well, every good city has one.

Trinity College and the Guinness Storehouse are also must-visit destinations.

While they also suggest the Archaeology Museum, Natural History Museum and Museum of Decorative Arts.

In fact we’ll take it from here and point you to the definitive guide to Dublin… that’ll be us here.

Exceedingly good Prague

You can find the other Solo Female Traveller top tips right there on Kipling.

And we’re glad to see our favourite Prague is on there… and we’d recommend good walking boots and a spare liver.

But here’s an idea, work your way through the list… starting with Ich Bin Ein Hamburger.

Countries, Europe, Food & Wine, UK

Herr of the dog

23rd October 202123rd October 2021 funtime65

Ja, it’s the Herr of the dog.. an Oktoberfest followed by a Pilsener piss-up.

Welcome to my boozie world.

Oktober in Edinburgh I’d forgotten in my 13 years in Ireland turns itself over to resemble the famous Munich Beerfest.

Or at least the party in Princes Street Gardens in the shadow of Edinburgh Castle does.

And that’s where I was with my neighbour (in our Bavarian pigtails of course) clinking steins, dancing on the wooden benches to the oompah band.

And echoing the invitation from the bandstand which all of you who have been to Munich for the Beerfest will know.

Prost

Die Kruge Hoch

Ein Prosit, ein Prosit
Der Gemütlichkeit
Ein Prosit, ein Prosit
Der Gemütlichkeit

All of which means ‘Raise your glasses, a toast to wellbeing’.

Followed, of course, by Oans, zwoa, drei, gsuffa! or one, two, three, drink.

The best Beerfest of course is the original in Germany and I was there for the 175th in 1985 and again in 1986 with a Topdeck busload of Aussies and Kiwis.

And I have left it all this time because I think they might still remember me, the Scot who got up on the bandstand and sang ‘My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean’.

The Beerfest is probably Munich’s greatest export and alas was cancelled this year.

We’ll be back with pigtails on and slap the thighs even louder next year.

Czech this out too

In the Strahov Monastery Brewery in the Czech Republic

And so heavy of head but bright in spirits (that’ll be the schnapps) I Czeched in with my old pals from the Czech Republic.

For a catch-up on how they’re progressing.

And the good news is that they’ve got the red carpet out for us again.

Now I know this from old from clinking glasses and crying Na Zdravi in Prague and Hoptown Zatec.

And all spots in between.

This time around we were treated to the delights of Pilsen too.

Now the Pilsner brewery is one of the top ten most visited tourist attractions in the country and no surprise.

Let’s workshop it

Look at the head on that: Zatec, Czech Republuc

The good folk of Pilsen advise the Pilsner Urquell Draft Beer Workshop, where you can master the correct principles of beer tapping, taught by experienced barmen, during this three-hour course.

The Brewery even offers you the chance to rent a place for yourself in a traditional “šalanda” (a room where beer workers once ate and rested)

And with the kind and wise soundings of our tapman showing us how to do it I glugged my favourite Czech beer down.

It had all started at the Edinburgh Oktoberfest so it was a Herr of the Dog with a Pilsner chaser.

I really am the first among Urquells!

Asia, Countries, Deals, Europe, Oceania

Aussie, Aussie, Aussie Day oi oi oi

26th January 20211st August 2021 funtime65

G’day my Antipodean friends and good to see you’re able to celebrate it publicly. Aussie, Aussie, Aussie Day oi oi oi.

Which no doubt Smutley, Brownie, PC, Roscoe, Brad et al will mean getting shitfaced.

I never got to Australia but Australia got to me in the Eighties when I did back-to-back Oktoberfests in Munich.

I had booked me a seat and a bed (which were pretty much the same thing) on a ten-day Topdeck bus trip to Bavaria.

But innocent abroad that I was I neither knew that Earl’s Court in London was an Aussie enclave nor that Top Deck was an Aussie firm.

Aussies in Aberdeen

Forward fast three months and the Hilton district of Aberdeen was also an Aussie enclave.

When Smutley and Brownie turned up and asked to stay for the weekend…. and stayed for a year.

And they brought their pals too much to the pleasure of the female student population of Scotland’s Granite City.

Aussies abroad

Now Aussies show us the way when it comes to travelling and Topdeck know what’s most important to them.

That it’s cheap and cheerful, and my two Oktoberfest trips at just £84 were the best value holidays I have ever purchased.

Now knowing that you’ll want to get back out on the road when all this virus eases up Topdeck have you covered.

European odyssey

Of course we can’t jump in a Topdeck machine to go back and get 1985 prices but they are offering 25% off.

Spirit of Europe is an 11-country, 24-day odyssey starting and ending in London coming in from £2,193 down from £2,924.

You’ll see England, France, Monaco, Switzerland, Italy, Austria, Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic, Germany and the Netherlands.

Japanese promise

All roads lead to Japan this year with the Olympics, or at least this one road we hope.

Japan Highlights is a 12-day tour leaving and returning to Tokyo, down from £3,278 to £2,485.50.

Indian treasures

While if India is more your thang… Namaste India is a ten-day trip, starting and finishing in New Delhi, down from £1,429 to £1,071.75.

And if you should ask the whereabouts of the person you first meet on the bus and he says he’s from Perth…

Then it’s Perth, WA, not Perth, Scotland… ‘and we’re all from Australia or New Zealand, mate.’

Happy Australia Day, mates.

And while we’re here a rousing call to arms from the original Aussie singing superstars The Seekers and I Am Australian.

And tell me too your fave Aussie bands and singers.

So, altogether now… Aussie, Aussie, Aussie Day oi oi oi