VON VIENNA, AUSTRIA NACH MUNICH, GERMANY – July 2014

Vienna  (or “Wien” in Austria)

Photo taken by and property of TriniTravelDiva a.k.a NSL-R
Vienna, Austria(July 2014)

Vienna in summer, aahhh!  She is such a magnificent old city with all of her charm and warmth just waiting to welcome you.  The city is exciting at the same time that she is easy going, and you will find that is it easy to acclimate to both.  Sidenote: Don’t worry, because you’ll unknowingly ease into one or the other.  The people I came into contact with were eager to interact and I really had to put my limited German speaking skills to the test, since my husband was not there with me.  People seemed to appreciate their surroundings and their moods reflected the same.   Also, people were willing to offer information about where to go and what to see.  Going for walks or just sitting on a bench and watching Vienna go by, was a favourite pastime of mine because I saw a lot from that vantage point.  Also, being there with family made the journey all the more worthwhile.  Sometimes you need to have experiences through different eyes, especially kids’ eyes, in order to really appreciate them.    

Horse-drawn carriages, Vienna, Austria (July 2014)
Photo taken by and property of TriniTrave;Diva a.k.a NSL-R



It is plain to see some of the cultural influences on Austria.  Mainly, the German language is widely spoken.  Also, Austria has a strong and long-standing history with the various arts.  You can hardly say Vienna without thinking of the Viennese waltz, the Vienna philharmonic, the Vienna boys’ choir, or the great classical musicians and artists who have all left their mark on art and music today.  The architecture also cannot be denied with its gothic and German influenced styles.  Many of Vienna’s buildings were damaged or destroyed during World War II and many of the older buildings were renovated and restored to almost what they were before the war.  Buildings, like the famous St. Stephen’s Cathedral in the heart of the city, was also damages and the renovations somewhat altered the original details.  Vienna would not be Vienna without the horse-drawn carriages.  They are part of the landscape and a big draw for tourists

Photo taken by and property of TriniTravelDiva a.k.a NSL-R  
Vienna, Austria (July 2014)

Having lunch or dinner (which of course should never be attempted without wine) in the garden at Griechenbeisl, one of the oldest restaurants in Vienna was a real treat.  It was really something special.  No one rushes you out the door and you are can truly enjoy the Griechenbeisl experience, which offers an honest taste of Vienna.  I long for more Viennese cuisine, which has influences from surrounding countries, but also has its own regional varieties.  It was some of the tastiest cuisine I’ve ever had.  Imagine having a meal or a drink where the likes of Mark Twain, Beethoven, Brahms came before you, is enough to make one want to have every meal there.  Eating ice-cream is a popular thing to do and in recent years, other food options like pizza, burgers, fried chicken and other fast food chains have all found a place and have become available in Vienna.

St. Stephen's Cathedral, Vienna, Austria
Photo taken by and property of TriniTravelDiva a.k.a NSL-R  (July 2014)

Vienna offers many wonderful sights, which must be seen.  St. Stephen’s Cathedral, which was under construction while I was there, was as commanding a sight as ever, even with all of the scaffolding around it.  The impressive Schoenbrunn Palace, Hofburg Palace and the zoo are just a few of the others sights to see.  There is a giant ferris wheel, which has become a part of Vienna’s skyline and is a popular tourist attraction.  However, walking along Mariahilferstrasse was a much more fantastic experience.  This is the main shopping street in Vienna and it is a haven for shoppers who can choose from designer labels to more affordable bargains.

Written by Screenname TriniTravelDiva (a.k.a. NSL-R) on 8/23/14 . All photos taken by and are property of TriniTravelDiva (a.k.a. NSL-R)

Christmas in New York City 2013

My husband and I spent Christmas in New York City.  We had four glorious days to enjoy and soak up the spirit of Christmas.  Checking out the department store windows dressed up for the occasion, aweing at the Christmas tree at Rockefeller Plaza, walking through this city that knows how to celebrate the holiday season.  This is my most favourite time of year.

We arrived by train at Penn Station and were immediately surrounded by Christmas cheer.  The train station was brilliantly decorated with Christmas trees and other seasonal decorations.  We spent some time looking around and taking pictures.

We walked around the City taking in the decorations.  There were people everywhere and the feeling of good cheer in the air.  We were taking pictures at one display when a person who was dressed in a Minnie Mouse costume snuck up behind my husband.  He did not see her and when he took a step back, she was so close that he ran over her!  It really was her own fault since she was trying to get into our picture.

On Christmas Eve, we went to Macy’s and could barely walk through the aisles given the hoardes of people who were there to check out the window displays, shop or visit santa’s workshop, which was set up inside the store.  The line for this was three hours long!  We were out and about with the thousands of other last minute shoppers.  This hustle and bustle is one of the things I enjoy at Christmas time.  Lucky for me I did not have to hustle my shopping since I was not shopping for gifts.  My husband was dumbfounded when he saw two young women walking around Macy’s dressed only in very seductive lingerie.  He was even more taken aback that no else in the store seem phased by this degree of exposure. 

On Christmas day, we had a romantic, but cold walk through Central Park.  We drank hot chocolate to warm up and just enjoyed the moment.  The Park was filled with people from all over out for a Christmas day stroll.   We left Central Park and walked along Fifth Avenue, stopping to peek in at the windows that were decorated and eat chestnuts.

We also saw Chicago on Broadway, which was one of the most entertaining shows I’ve seen in a long time.  The show was sold out and it was great!

We stopped by the NBC studios in time to see Cathy Lee Gifford wrapping up a segment of her show.  The entire staff had gathered to wish each other Merry Christmas.

I love Christmastime in New York City and hope that I can spend it there again.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all!

Written by Screenname TriniDiva (a.k.a. NSL-R) on 1/18/14 . All photos taken by and are property of TriniDiva (a.k.a. NSL-R)

Trinidad & Tobago in September 2013 – Feelin’ Hot Hot Hot!

In September 2013, I was in Trinidad for my wedding anniversary.  My last visit to Trinidad was in 2008 and I had forgotten how beautiful this island and the people are.  I love Trinidad and Tobago, always!

My husband made this trip with me and I was very curious about what his experience would be like.  He longed to go to Trinidad for many years and when we finally got there neither he nor I could believe that he was truly there.  He saw one of the places where I lived, the hospital where I was born and places where I had eaten when I lived in Trinidad.  He loved Trinidad very much and is already looking forward to going back.  His only wish is that the heat would not be as intense as it is. 

Our hotel, in the heart of Port of Spain, has a panoramic view of the ocean.  This great location also offered the best sunsets I’ve seen anywhere.  The colors that the sky takes on during dusk are mesmerizing.  My husband especially enjoyed the view from the pool, where we watched boats and ships as they sailed by.  I enjoyed the same view from the room.  We could get to all major points from this location, many of them by foot (albeit slow due to the heat), or by a short car ride.

My husband loves zoos, and we always go to the zoo in any new city we visit.  So of course, we visited the Emperor Valley Zoo at the Queen’s Park Savannah, which has a great collection of exotic animal exhibits, birds and aquatic life, including a 16-foot anaconda found in the swamps in Caroni, Trinidad.  This is currently one of the zoo’s main attractions.  We also walked around the Savannah (the world’s largest roundabout) and visited the Botanical Gardens where we saw horticulture beyond our imagination.  There were very old trees, very tall trees, brightly coloured plants and flowers, some of them strange looking and ones we had never seen before.

Walking around the capital city of Port-of-Spain brought back so many memories of my childhood.  The sights, sounds and smells were all still there as if I had never left.  The sidewalk vendors are a permanent fixture in Trinidad and tell of the entrepreneurial spirit of many Trinidadians.  They still sell many of the treats I grew up loving and realized that I still love.  My husband tried only minimal local cuisine (not risking upsetting his stomach with intense seasonings and spicy heat that he’s not used to), but I got my fill of the foods I grew up eating, that were so fresh and finger-licking good.  A popular place near the docks in Port of Spain is called the Breakfast Shed.  But, if you imagine order bacon and eggs or waffles and syrup, you can forget about it.  The Shed serves heavy duty meals that are sure to sustain you throughout the day.  It is a good place to get a true taste of the local cuisine (pepper sauce on the side).

Independence day was only a couple of weeks before we arrived in Trinidad and the city was still draped with every size of the national flag hanging from every building, street lamp, tree or pole that was in sight.  The city was beautiful to see covered in the national colours of red, white and black. It gave me a real sense of pride to be there during this time and my husband was proud to be there with me.

We did not make it to Tobago, but we hope to get there on our next trip so stay tuned for part two of this blog.

Written by Screenname TriniDiva (a.k.a. NSL-R) on 10/10/13. All photos taken by and are property of TriniDiva (a.k.a. NSL-R)

Berlin in August 2013– From West to East

On this trip to Germany in August 2013, I celebrated my birthday in Berlin.  This was my first trip to this memorable city with so much to offer and lots to see and do!  My hotel was in West Berlin in the heart of Potsdamer Platz, but I ended up spending much more time on the former East side of Berlin.  With its many restaurants, bars, museums and energetic atmosphere, I could not believe this was the city with a past that was as the history books described.  It was so intriguing, that one day I walked about 4 kilometers into the former East side before realizing how far I had walked.  Berlin was captivating and I got two different but exciting views of the city, one by water and by land. 

 Berlin’s greets you with its past “in your face!”  Reminders and remnants of the Berlin Wall are everywhere.  Museums also display pieces of Berlin’s history.  Just walking along the street is filled with information and invitations to view the city’s past.  Staying in the heart of Berlin at Potzdamer Platz allowed easy access to all vantage points, attractions, bars and restaurants.  Through all the excitement, I found Berlin to have a laid back atmosphere.

There is so much ground to cover of the city’s past before you can even begin to enjoy Berlin’s present, which makes Berlin this very diverse city a great place for history buffs.  As I crossed the Brandenburg Gate freely from West to East, I was reminded of the time when this was not possible for Germans and felt almost transported back into the past.  I imagined the East side before the Wall was torn down.  I also imagined how people who lived on the former East went about their daily lives, knowing just over the Wall were relatives and friends from whom they were forcibly separated.  There is a cobblestoned path throughout Berlin, which follows the exact path of where the Wall once stood, and following this path puts into perspective the dramatic division of Berlin.

 The city’s historic reminders pulled me in.  I walked past the Tears Palast, which was the last station where loved ones on the West side said goodbye to those who were going to the East side.  I did a boat ride on the River Spree and saw the city palace and Berliner Dom, which is about 100 years old.  I also spent the day at the Berlin zoo, which is the biggest zoo in Europe.  And it was easy to see why Berlin is the greenest city in Europe and the greenest capital city in the world.

Berlin today is very modern and is under heavy construction.  There are restaurants, bars and trendy lounges, cafes, stores and shopping malls springing up everywhere.  In addition, some of Berlin’s original buildings which were damaged during war were also under restoration construction.  Sad that many of those original buildings were completely destroyed.

Berlin is a very diverse city, both in race and cuisine.  People from all around the world work in Berlin and the food is also representative of this diversity.  I found Indian food, Thai food, French food, Italian food and of course German food in Berlin.  I had dinner inside the amazing Sony Center and watched the light show at night.  It was pretty cool to see.  I walked along the famous Unter den Linden Strasse, went to KaDeWe, a huge shopping center in Berlin with endless floors of merchandise.  I took a photo at Checkpoint Charlie, visited the Reichstag, saw the famed TV Tower, the Rote Rathaus, the DDR Museum.

I sailed by Chancellor Angela Merkel’s office building, which is known as the Washing Machine and the other German politicians office building, which is known as the Ironing Board.

I jumped on a “hop on hop off” tour bus to get a feel for the city, but mostly to see where all of the monuments and attractions were located.  I was then able to go back and find them on my own schedule.  While wandering through Berlin you will be sure to encounter the Berlin buddy bears, which are scattered throughout the city and are the Ambassadors for the city.

All in all, my Berlin experience was amazing.  I was excited to visit this city but was not sure about what to expect.  I can affirmatively say that my travel experience was greatly enhanced by a visit to this city.

 

Written by Screenname TriniDiva (a.k.a. NSL-R) on 10/9/13. All photos taken by and are property of TriniDiva (a.k.a. NSL-R)

Rocking with Reggae at Linganore Winecellars in Mt. Airy, MD - July 2013

Banner at Linganore Winecellars vineyard

The Linganore Winecellars sprawling vineyard and wineries, located in Mt. Airy, Maryland, was the setting for a very popular annual Reggae Festival.  The festival, which included wine tasting, drew crowds from all around the metropolitan area and the country (mostly the East Coast). There was wine sampling galore and music provided by some of the area's most popular reggae bands.  Hundreds of festival goers got to the venue early in order to claim prime real estate to set up tents, umbrellas or whatever would provide some shade from the scorching temperatures that Mother Nature chose for the day.  Hundreds more of friends and family began arriving soon afterwards to get the festivities started.

 

It was my first time at the festival, but there were hundreds and hundreds of repeaters. Everybody seemed to know their way around very well and, maneuvered through the tents and crowd expertly.  The atmosphere was very relaxed and most people were generally having a good time.  (Others had already had their fair share of wine sampling! LOL!!)

 

A variety of music was provided before the bands took the stage, there were food tents for those who chose not to pack a cooler with goodies, and arts and crafts tents to indulge the creative side.  Parking was free and easy to navigate, and the festival entrance fee allowed for sampling as much wine as could be tolerated.  There was also souvenir glass to take with you.  (Be warned, you'll be sure to make some new friend while standing in the wine sampling line, as you won’t be the only one waiting to be served.  Just be patient, once you get to the front, no one can force you to move until you're satisfied.)

 

Despite the heat and humidity, this was a great way to spend a Saturday afternoon.  Hundreds more went back to the vineyards the next day to do it all over again.

 

Written by Screenname TriniDiva (a.k.a. NSL-R) on 7/28/13. All photos taken by and are property of TriniDiva (a.k.a. NSL-R)