Beer, Bretzels, and a Buchmesse: 48 Hours in Frankfurt

It’s mid-October in Germany and I’m surrounded by twentysomethings in a huge convention hall.

No…it’s not Oktoberfest, but instead, the Frankfurt Book Fair.

A group from my publishing postgrad course jet-setted to Deutschland for the weekend to experience some beer, bretzels, and a buchmesse at the biggest trade fair for books in the world.

We set off early Thursday morning via coach from the Brookes campus to Heathrow. Can’t say the five a.m. wake up call was pleasant, but excitement beat out sleepiness as I anticipated my first jaunt to Germany. We had to put the exhilaration on hold for a few hours though, as our flight was delayed thanks to London fog.

Once British Airways got us safely to Frankfurt, we hopped on a train to the city centre. Group rates will get you a discounted price, so if you can gather five people together, you can roll into town for a few euros each.

The Frankfurt Hostel, merely steps away from the Hauptbahnhof (train station), was on the sleezier side of things. Stuck in the middle of what we deemed to be the red light district, the only thing the hostel had going for it was its convenient location. Beyond that, it was hard not to notice the stained sheets and equally stained carpet.

Bed rates range from 18 to 22 euros, with private rooms going for anything between 50 and 88 euros. Shoot for the private ensuite set up if you choose to stay there. Avoid their elevator of death.

A 15-minute walk landed us in the Römer square, a fantastic plaza dotted with shops and restaurants. All forty of us grabbed a drink and I had my first official German pint of apfelwein, an apple cider Frankfurt is known for. We then wandered over to the Paulaner Munchen restaurant for a traditional meal. From schnitzel to strudel, the brewery popped out a fantastic dinner. The service was unimpressive, but waiting on forty rambunctious students would prove challenging for even the best of servers, so this is me giving them slack. It seems to be a chain, so check it out if you come across it.

Friday was devoted entirely to the book fair, a massive collection of publishers from around the world. The exhibition hall itself was impressive, as it seemed bigger than most airports and ran like a city inside. We poured over the stands upon stands of publishers marketing their latest launches and their old faithfuls. We gained insight to the industry and got a taste of business networking, all under one massive roof.

We rocked the fair from 9 to 5, so a quick nap before hitting the German party scene was necessary. A few of us headed out around 7 for a quick bite at a small Italian restaurant and enjoyed some Weizen beers, because what’s Germany without a few pints? Meeting up with the rest of the group, we dominated a local pub off the main square and then headed to a club.

The prices seemed high in Frankfurt, as the club entrance fee was 10 euros, though it got negotiated down to six. Once inside, the drink prices were exorbitant—although as an American in Europe, the exchange rate makes every price exorbitant. Our group danced to electronica until 3 a.m., hopefully having worked off a few calories from the dense German food.

Saturday was spent in Mainz, a smaller city on the west bank of the Rhine. A train from Frankfurt will cost you about six euros return. Good luck navigating the electronic ticket stand, it was all in German.

We caught the tail-end of a lovely morning market in Mainz, full of fresh veg, fruit, and flowers. The Gutenberg Museum was the main goal of the day-trip, which only cost 3 euro as a student. The museum is home to a Gutenberg Bible and many printing presses, though the museum didn’t seem to cater to foreigners. It was hard to find any English translations to the plaques and the only information sheet cost money.

Lunch consisted of a bretzel and wine as a group of us sat in the main plaza watching the world go by. The sun was blaring and the city was bustling, couldn’t have asked for a better day. We made our way back to the airport after 4 p.m. and luckily didn’t have to suffer through another delay. Although Frankfurt was beyond great fun, Heathrow was a welcome sight…And so was my bed when I finally made it back to my dorm, my home sweet home away from home.

Pick up a few German words/phrases before you head to das land der dichter und denker (the land of thinkers and poets). Go HERE for some tips.

Cheers from Oxford: Updates Soon

Greetings from England!

I've arrived at Oxford Brookes University and have been getting everything organized this past week. I have a cup of Starbucks coffee in hand, a SIM card on the way, and everything else I need to start up this term. Modules begin today, but despite the inevitable barrage of work, I'm going to attempt to travel this semester. You can look forward to more entries here on Prepare for Landing; I have high hopes for getting my travel on! I'm thinking about the following locales (red is definite, blue is hopeful):

• Frankfurt, Germany
• Glasgow, Scotland
• London (encore)
• Wales
• Various spots around England
• Bologna, Italy
• Spain, Portugal, Morocco
  
• Czech, Austria, Switzerland
• Turkey

I realize blue far outweighs red, but a girl can dream, right?! If you have any suggestions, shoot me a comment or e-mail...oh, how I love comments or e-mail. In the meantime, I'm writing a blog for the ISAS (International Student Advisory Service) at Oxford Brookes. You can catch it here:

http://www.brookes.ac.uk/student/services/isas/blog2.html

Teeing Off: The Art of Albuquerque Disc Golf

Think hot air balloons, green chili, and … disc golf?

Think Albuquerque (or as it is known around my circle of friends, da ‘burque). It’s the main point of reference for people who have never been to New Mexico and is often confused as the capital city (re: Santa Fe). Located three hours north of my hometown, ABQ is where many Las Cruces kids escape for college. Home to the University of New Mexico and some of my very favorite people, Albuquerque offers a random assortment of entertainment for all ages.

And by random, I’m referring to disc golf. It’s a sporting revolution that is sweeping parts of the nation, but it’s mostly sweeping my family and friends as my brother has recently become obsessed with this bizarro sport.

It’s golf. It’s Frisbee. It’s a combo of both and courses are popping up all over the nation.

The art of disc golf is in its simplicity. You throw a disc toward a basket and there you have it: you’ve started your first round. Albuquerque is very progressive in terms of its supply of disc golf courses; four PDGA* approved courses exist in this New Mexico city.

Roosevelt Park, a leafy green space ranging over 5,000 feet of land, has 18 newly revamped holes. There isn’t much room for high-flying mistakes, as the park seems to be covered with non-disc-golf-playing civilians. If you’re an amateur, you might want to stick to one basket and practice your toss instead of running the risk of knocking someone out. Unless you go for that sort of thing…

The Ladera Park is far less green and far more frustrating when it comes to playing a round. Stuck in the middle of the desert, the whole course is dirt with the only spec of grass being across the street at the real golf course. My fears of scorpions and rattlesnakes made this round of play an intolerable one, especially while wearing flip-flops. The tees and holes were hard to find and Mark lost a primo disc in the tangles of some desert terrain.

If you’re interested in rocking some disc golf in the land of enchantment, or any state, check out the PDGA Web site. There’s also an Albuquerque Disc Golf blog here. Search "disc golf" on youtube.com for some examples of this up and coming sport.

*Professional Disc Golf Association, and no, I’m not kidding…

New York, New York: So Good They Named It Twice?

Everyone seems to love it, yet I can’t find an ounce of awe in New York City.

People’s eyes light up when they hear the words New York City. Glamorized images of Fifth Avenue, Times Square, and the Statue of Liberty cross their minds and most are overcome with a desire to visit the city. But when I hear New York City, I think of traffic, smog, and the occasional Mets fan who actually thinks the Mets matter.

Back when I lived in upstate New York, the city was only good for cheap flights to Europe and Yankee games. Other than that, it was a waste of time. At that point I was speaking as a country girl, but now that I’ve traded in my country roots for a blatant love of city life, I still feel a certain detachment from the NYC hype.

A weekend excursion this summer sustained my anti-NYC feelings, but I did lighten up a bit when it came to accepting the city for what it is; I warmed to the fast-paced groove on the packed out sidewalks, I craved the grub from the myriad of curbside pizza places, and I felt humbled by the grandiose skyscrapers surrounding me.

My brother Mark and I hitched a scenic ride on the train from Albany-Rensselaer straight to Penn Station. A few hours in the comfortable coach flew by and views of rolling green hills turned to graffiti brick walls in no time.

Picking a hotel in New York City can be a challenge, so be sure to have hotels.com and tripadvisor.com both up and running while selecting where to stay. The candid traveler photos will be your best friend and could save you a nightmarish experience. We booked The New Yorker Ramada a few months in advance for a reasonable rate of about $150 a night. The location was perfection, as it was across the street from Madison Square Garden and Penn Station.

This midtown Manhattan hotel, like others, may fool you with a glamorous lobby, but the rooms are no where near impressive. The space was passable, however, and the views 26 floors up were spectacular.

We took to the streets the moment we arrived and found our area was bustling with a variety of restaurants. The food can range from oober expensive to cheap dollar meals, so your best bet is to walk around and try to find an interesting/affordable posted menu.

Halal Pizza & Bakery Inc, 521 8th Avenue (between 36/37th Streets), was an absolute God-send. This 24-hour walk up pizza place has amazing New York style pizza for about 99 cents each. It beat the Pizza Tour of Vancouver with Alicia & crew tenfold. If you’re looking for a sit-down slice, look no further than a few doors up… you’re surrounded by glorious pizza in this city.

A set menu meal was also had at a charming new fusion Asian/Indian restaurant on 8th Avenue. Spring rolls for appetizers, tikka masala for the main course, and a delectable mango mousse for dessert totaled $20, a steal for dinner in midtown Manhattan.

We met up with friends on Sunday and roamed Times Square where we caught a glimpse of the MTV studios, stopped by the Virgin Megastore, and took in the onslaught of outdoor ads above our heads. Mark got in a hilarious row with a misinformed Mets fan after he spotted all of our Yankee hats. Then we made our way down to the subway and tried to figure out the system.

For a few dollars we zipped underground from midtown to lower Manhattan to see Ground Zero. Seeing this area was emotional on many levels, and the site itself was huge and piled high in construction. The mood was quiet and somber as people looked through chain-linked fences to see what remained of the World Trade Centers. A sign was posted of what the new Freedom Tower will resemble and there are mixed feelings about the design. Here’s a live web cam of the area so you can keep track of its progress.

We made the trip to NYC for a concert at Madison Square Garden. Dispatch, a folk/rock/reggae trio from Vermont, had broken up in 2002. They announced in January 2007 their intent to reunite for one night only to raise money and awareness for Zimbabwe. Within a half-hour of the pre-sale, they sold out the first night’s show. They added another night and then another, for which we snagged two tickets, with all the proceeds going to Zimbabwe charities.

MSG was brimming with loyal fans and the energy reverberated all the way to the last row (yes, unfortunately that’s where our seats were). With the strum of each note and the pound of each beat, the concert was an amazing display of familiar songs and impressive showmanship.

After the concert, the crowd poured out of the arena and surrounding shops were busting at the seams. We hit Halal Pizza and retired to the Ramada. The next day we made the trek across the street to Penn Station and grabbed a train back up to Albany. If you have a chance to visit Albany, hang out around St. Rose to get the college feel. Many thanks to my friend Alana who let us stay at her fantastic apartment near the college. Take in a slice at I Love NY Pizza on Central and grab a drink at one of the many bars this drinking town has to offer.

The two-day tour of NYC ended with me giving it a few more notches on the likeability scale, but it still ranks pretty low in my all-time favorite cities. There’s just something about NYC that lacks appeal, though my trip there was full of fun. For young people, we may revel in the nightlife, but we can’t afford it in this overpriced city. Two days in NYC and I almost had to take out a second mortgage on my non-existent house. Maybe when we make our millions I'll rank it higher, but until then, New York verges on unaffordable for this college student.

The Other New York: Revisiting Upstate

I grew up in a place most people think is mythical.

Best described as a charming village with one stoplight* and a school K-12, Morris is full of memories and this summer I had the chance to revisit my childhood hometown.

Ask any of my friends and they’ll tell you they’ve heard all about the legendary village. Where a ten-minute walk to the post-office can last an hour because you run into so many people you know; where your culinary entertainment comes in the form of an ice cream store, pizzeria, or coffee shop; and where there are only two seasons: winter and construction.

Upstate New York has thick leaf laden woods, stretched out rows of corn, and strong wooden fences along miles of farmland and rolling hills. In the few months snow takes a vacation, it is the most beautiful place in the world.

I spent fourteen years in Morris, a driveway’s length away from the school and minutes away from all the downtown action. It’s a place where everyone knows everyone and you wouldn’t want it any other way. Winters consisted of shoveling snow, sledding, and snowball fights, while summers were laced with bike rides, walks through the woods, and laying poolside.

Before a jaunt to New York City for a concert, my brother and I ventured back to Morris, in the heart of the Butternut Valley. If you’re flying into upstate, consider the Albany, Binghamton, Syracuse, or Buffalo airports, depending on your final destination. We snagged a cheap deal to Albany, the state capital, for $99 one-way from El Paso via Southwest. Sign up for the Click ‘n Save e-mail updates for spotlight destinations and deals on flights.

We stayed with great friends of the family in Morris for two nights (many thanks to the Birdsall and Bourgeois families!). Hotel accommodation is hard to come by if you’re looking to stay in a small town. Bed and breakfasts are the way to go if you want to avoid the cities. Here’s a useful site full of B and B’s in New York.

Any town you go to in upstate will have a resident pizza place and Morris is no exception. Though we didn’t go this time round, if you’re in the area, you need to check out Nina’s Pizzeria. We’ve been told it has gone downhill, but back in the day it had superior pizza (plus, it’s all good to me considering I live in the Southwest, where acceptable pizza is hard to come by). Order anything, you can’t go wrong: from the BBQ Rib Pizza to the hot wings, pepperoni rolls to the garlic knots, this local legend has it all. We rocked the very similar New York Pizzeria in New Berlin, a neighboring town, and it lived up to all glorious expectations.

Upstate is all about the day trips. Pick a home base and plan on driving to nearby points of interest—the most important one being Cooperstown, home to the Baseball Home of Fame. I use it as a point of reference when people ask where I’m from because this tourist attraction is merely 30 minutes away from Morris and world renowned. You can easily spend a day here wandering in and out of baseball themed shops, eating at little cafes, or taking advantage of photo-ops at Otsego Lake or Doubleday Field.

Or you can pull a Vic and go see a terrific tarot-card reader. I’m not the feng-shuing, incense burning, Ouija board playing type, but trust me on this one…the psychic was incredible. For forty dollars she can unfold your future and shed light on your present. E-mail me for further details.

If baseball isn’t your thing (shame on you), but you still want a dose of sports, you can visit the Soccer Hall of Fame in Oneonta. The 40,000 square foot museum was reconstructed in the 90's and I was there in June 1999 when it opened its doors. Haven’t been back since, but at the time it was full of memorabilia and interactive activities.

Our stay in Morris was a pleasant one as we caught up with friends around a bonfire and revisited old familiar sites. We left on a Friday for Utica, an hour north of the village, for a Moe concert at the Saranac Brewery. If you can manage to catch a show there, it’s worth it as the venue is fun and the brews are tasty. Otherwise, I would suggest skipping Utica—or any other major city in upstate. Except for Albany, which proved to be a nice stop in our tour of NY.

It was great to visit, but I’m glad to keep upstate in my past. Next stop: New York City, a place I love to hate.


*Morris now has two stoplights, sparking my qualm about its apparent rise in modernity.


(Pictured right: my old house, The Grove, in Morris, New York)


These videos were made for Alicia, who sadly couldn't make it to Morris, but has always wanted to experience that small town feel. Video 1 of Morris:



Video 2 of Morris: