Every year in May, Europe has a spike of strange fever that leaves the Non-Europeans absolutely skeptical: the Eurovision, a ritual gathering of the kitsch, of the musical improbabilities, of the easy glitter, created in the middle of the fifties when it was necessary to gather Europe around peace and cooperation and dispel the spectre of the war. What about sixty…
Author: Eurofluence
Review: Sir Albert Hotel, Amsterdam
It’s one of the gateways to the one which is nicknamed the Quartier latin of Amsterdam, the cosmopolitan De Pijp district. For a long time, it was the place to stay of the workers and the migrants. It’s now the land of the bohos, one of the landmarks of the artists, the students, and the homosexual community. De Pijp is…
10 things to do in Pest
Budapest: two cities in one, Buda and Pest. So far, nothing difficult, but these two cities joined by History both have their own soul. Pest is teeming with the life of a European capital, Buda invites to strolls in its charming little streets on which the centuries left their mark. Discover a few ideas for itineraries through Pest thanks to…
The chimney-cake: kürtőskalács or trdelník
Winter is the best season to taste this typical Central European pastry. A lot of ephemeral food stands will sell you these cakes in the streets of Czech or Hungarian cities. You can warm up near the wood-fire, above which they are slowly glazed, you can divide them and share them with friends. And if you don’t know any better,…
The Wilson Opera hotel, Paris
It was my refuge when Paris knew some terrible days at the beginning of this year. The Wilson Opera is a little three-stars hotel, so discreet that we could keep the address secret. Its name could make you think that it is located on the Grands Boulevards, but you’ll find it in the little Stockholm street instead, at a stone’s…
The tram line No. 2 of Budapest
The tramway network of Budapest is one of the most important in the world: 155 kilometers of tramway routes! The tram line No. 2 stretches along the Danube and winds between the buildings that made Budapest famous. On the Pest side, be lazy and let yourself be let – the tram No. 2 will allow you to enjoy the finest…
The InterRail pass in question
When you plan to travel in Europe by train, the first thing you think about are the InterRail passes. But are they always essential? What is InterRail? The brand is self-advertised as backpackers-friendly and offers several passes that allow you to travel in all of Europe by train. Buy your pass and then, take any train without paying anything (except…
5 European TV shows to (re)discover
« I need a daily dose of fiction to survive. […] The fiction serves to perfect and make this flawed life a little better. » Pedro Almodóvar. As far as fiction is concerned, Old Europe’s small screen has no reason to be jealous of the fabulous America anymore. Nowadays, European shows – especially British and Scandinavian ones, can hold their own in the…
Eurotrip in Central Europe, day 4: a day in Bratislava
Bratislava is astonishing. If you expect a capital, you’ll be disappointed, if you expect an open-air museum of communism, you’ll be disappointed, if you just expect a Baroque town, you’ll be disappointed. Bratislava is a little bit of the three, and much more. Vienna and Bratislava are the two closest capitals in the world (65 kilometers as the crow files).…
The Sachertorte: a sweet story about a Viennese legend
« Don’t make me feel ashamed, it’s the only thing I ask you… ». The story of the most emblematic Viennese pastry begins with these words. And it’s often the same story. Exactly like the Madeleine of Commercy in France or the Trdelník of Skalika in Slovakia: one day, an earl, a duke or a prince orders to his pâtissier a special…
