Vibrant and bustling, Paris is, in every sense of the word, monumental. Paris is also arguably the most beautiful city in the world. With two World Heritage sites, 141 museums, over 450 parks and gardens and at least 170 places of worship, it comes as no surprise that Paris tops most every traveler’s list.
Truth: The first time I came to Paris, I was overwhelmed. The Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, Notre-Dame and the Louvre were all great places to start! But, because each new neighborhood also came with new, exciting discoveries, I left Paris that first time feeling sad that I ran out of time to explore deeper.
Fast forward 20-something years. Countless returns later, I’ve grown to
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People build statues of heroes. The Greeks built statues of Hercules and Adonis. The British built statues of Nelson and Churchill. The Egyptians, Colossi of Memnon. We Americans build statues of our heroes, too. Like George Washington, Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King, Jr.
Heroes usually only get statues when they’re dead. And, when a person travels hundreds or thousands of miles to see a statue, sometimes looking isn’t enough. Sometimes, he or she wants to touch it. And it’s always lucky to touch a hero statue.
But should you?
The short answer is most of the time. As long as you are respectful of local customs and traditions and it’s not prohibited by local law, I say do …
A few minutes’ walk from the Cologne Cathedral stands the House of 4711. Home to the original 4711 Eau de Cologne, this beautiful perfume boutique is located on the corner of Glockengasse, directly opposite the Opera House. The building itself is striking. Granted, it took me more than a few minutes to find it (what, with the Black Forest Cake and Cathedral stops!), but it was well worth the effort to discover the history behind the storied cologne.
Pulling back the large glass and gold doors, I was struck by the sheer number of bottles on display. Products for sale also include soaps, scented candles and even teeshirts and gift wrapping service is offered for purchases.
Friendly, helpful and eager …
Located under the U-Bahn track in Prenzlauer Berg, you’ll find Konnopke’s Imbiss. An institution in East Berlin, this small food stand has been serving up currywurst since the Konnopke family began selling sausages and frankfurters here in 1931. Over the years, the business has grown from a simple table to a wooden booth and then ultimately into a permanent stand with electricity, water and propane gas.
So, what is currywurst? Currywurst is a hugely popular and traditional German fast food found at food stands all across Berlin. The dish is comprised of steamed, then fried pork sausage, which is cut into pieces and slathered with curry ketchup and curry powder. Usually served with french fries, I decided to go with
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