The Social Traveler's world.

Safe Travels to Latvia during Corona / COVID times

noreply@blogger.com (Bjorn Troch) — Wed, 08 Jul 2020 13:55:00 +0000

It's no mystery that the Corona virus is changing the way we travel. Remote places and nature are becoming the go to place for people to travel to in these times of COVID and Corona.

Now if there's something that Latvia definitely has, it's nature and space.

A Guide Map to Latvia

I build a Guide map for you that will point you in the direction of lakes, beaches and forests that are safe to travel to in Latvia. It's based on my own experience of past travels and on recommendations from the locals.

You can find the link to the Google maps list here.
Just click the link above or the image below and it will open in your Google Maps app. Easy Peasy.

Feel free to share it with friends or family that plans to travel to Latvia.

'Safe Travels to Latvia' Interview with Lelde Benke

One of the locals I interviewed and asked for safe travel tips to Latvia was Lelde Benke. You can find the video with the interview below.

'Safe Travels to Latvia' interview with Zane Enina

Also Zane Enina agreed to an interview and she gave me lots of epic travel tips for Latvia. Check out the interview in the video below.

I hope it helps. If you feel like there's a place missing in the guide map then please do let me know in the comments below.

Please follow all local safety guidelines regarding limiting exposure risk to the Corona virus like keeping a distance of 2 meters and wearing a face mask in public transport and inside shops.

You can find all details on regulations in Latvia via the following link.

https://www.latvia.travel/en/article/covid-19-and-travelling-latvia

Safe Travels ;-)

Bjorn

What to do in and around Dresden, Germany?

noreply@blogger.com (Bjorn Troch) — Thu, 06 Feb 2020 18:07:00 +0000

Dresden, the capital and heart of Saxony in Germany completely took me by surprise.
It's a city with two hearts beating as one.

The first heart is basically the old town of the city. It's an absolute gem with its incredibly beautiful architecture that is completely rebuilt in its original state after it got completely bombed during World War 2.

The second heart surprised me even more. When you cross the bridge over the Elbe you end up in the 'Neustadt' of Dresden which is a real pleasure to visit! It's creative, edgy, eclectic and has a vibrant atmosphere that is beautifully fueled by the many students living in this part of the city.

Now let me tell you what you can and yes should do in and around Dresden.

What to do in Dresden?

Wander around the city...

...and write a love poem to the city just like I did as part of my Destination Challenges in Dresden.

I wrote a poem that describes the duality of the city.

Dresden, oh Dresden
A magnificent Phoenix by the Elbe you are. People visit from wide and far. But most special to me, you are!
Born out of Royal imagination you became a wonder of creation. I love both of your sides - the charming and eclectic. It makes you who you are, a city electric!

The city, I came to love.

If you want you can listen to it in the video below. ;-)

I hope you like it and if you feel like writing a poem as well please don't hesitate to post it in the comments. ;-)

Discover the street art in Dresden Neustadt

The Neustadt of Dresden is way more eclectic and vibrant than the old town and the street art absolutely supports that. Let me share some photos with you.

During my visit I gave it a go at street art myself. Not sure if I'm a naturally gifted street artist though. :-)
I'll let you be the judge of that.

Taste the famous Christmas stollen of Dresden

Christmas stollen have a legendary status in Dresden and I got to taste them and help make some!
Definitely taste for yourself. You won't be disappointed.

Cross-country skiing at the world cup track in Dresden

Skiing in Dresden I hear you thinking? Exactly! Once a year Dresden is home to the cross-country world cup championship and they built a proper ski track for it! You can of course watch the races but also give it a go yourself the week after the competition.

I had my cross-country cherry popped by no-one less than 4 time olympian Tobias Angerer. We had a little race in the frame work of my Destination Challenges. Guess who won :-)

Ice skating at the ice rink of Taschenbergpalais Kempinski hotel in Dresden

Every year you can practice your figure skating skills or just have fun with family and friends at the ice rink of the Taschenbergpalais Kempinski hotel in the heart of the old town of Dresden.

In the video I'm trying to be as graceful as possible. :-)

What to do outside of Dresden?

Visit the Moritzburg, home to Cinderella

Did you know there was a Czech Cinderella movie recorded at the Moritzburg? I had no clue!
Apparently it's very popular in Germany to watch with family on Christmas day.

Turned out that I had to reenact some Cinderella movie scenes as part of my Destination Challenges.
So I found myself a Cinderella via Instagram. Big thanks to Sofiya (@zolota.ruza) for joining me and making this all possible.

I suggest you watch the video below. I think we did a pretty good job. :-)

Ice tubing down a real bobsleigh track in Altenberg

You have to do this! Grab some friends or your family, make your way to Altenberg and go ice tubing! A pure adrenaline rush on ice. Sooooo much fun. Can't recommend this enough.

Make a Moravian star in Herrnhut

The star of Bethlehem comes in many shapes and sizes but the Moravian star totally rules by design for sure. You find it all over Germany and beyond during Christmas time.

Here I am at the heart of Moravian star production and I tried to make one myself. :-)

Go snowboarding or skiing in Oberwiesenthal

Grab the oldest Schwebebahn in Germany and make your way up the hill for some fun in the snow with friends and family in Oberwisenthal. Good times!

As you can see there's lots to do in and around Dresden!
If you think I missed something please let me know in the comments below.

What else to do in Germany?

Do you want to discover more things to do in Germany? Well, let me show you what to do in:

Saarland
...

Brabant Remembers: What to do in Brabant to commemorate 75 years liberation.

noreply@blogger.com (Bjorn Troch) — Mon, 16 Dec 2019 13:16:00 +0000

Brabant commemorates 75 years of liberation after World War 2 with its Brabant Remembers initiative. I discovered and explored Brabant by taking on Destination Challenges in this framework.

My journey through Brabant touched me deeply and made me more aware that we should never forget what divisive politics can lead to...

Brabant Remembers: What to do in Brabant

Visit the War Museum in Overloon, Brabant

This museum covers the history of World War 2 in the Netherlands. You can find exhibition about the nazi propaganda in the Netherlands and also a big collection of war vehicles and weapons that were used in World War 2. Absolutely worth a visit.

The museum is also connected to the Liberation route which is basically a cycling track that takes you through the war history and landscape in Brabant. The cycling route literally runs through the museum! Pretty cool if you ask me.

Visit the STILLLEVENS exhibition in Brabant

This exhibition travels around Brabant and tells 75 war stories with miniature figurines. Beautifully done and very touching since there are some heart breaking stories told.

Visit concentration camp in Vught, Brabant

You might know or not know this but there were concentration camps all over Europe where jewish people were gathered and prepared for transport to actual death camps.

A visit to concentration camps should be obligatory because it is a testimony on the cruelty people are capable of.

Visit Breda, the city that was liberated by the Polish army

Breda was liberated by the Polish army and I was lucky enough to be at the official celebration in the heart of Breda. As part of my Destination Challenges in Brabant I got the opportunity to dance the Polonaise next to the mural made by a Polish artist commemoration the liberation by the troops of Colonel Maczek.

Visit the Dilemma maze in Bergen op Zoom in Brabant

Would you risk your life to save another? The dilemma maze presents you with heart breaking choices that people had to make during World War 2. Quite the experience going through the maze and being confronted like this. Be prepared for some moral dilemmas.

Make sure to also pay your respect at the Brittish and Canadian military graveyards that you can find along both sides of the Dilemma maze

You can imagine that this journey through Brabant's war history was quite the emotional roller coaster. I do feel it's imperative though to confront oneself with the autrocities war brings.

How do you feel about it? Feel free to leave a comment below.

What else to do in The Netherlands?

Curious on what's more to discover in The Netherlands? Let me show you what to do in and around:

Gouda
Rotterdam
The Hague

What to do in Innsbruck, Austria in Winter ? Local Tips ;-)

noreply@blogger.com (Bjorn Troch) — Mon, 09 Dec 2019 15:00:00 +0000

Innsbruck, the capital and heart of Tyrol in Austria is a must visit if you're ever planning on going to Austria.

I've been 3 times already and let me show you what friends and followers on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter told me to visit and do and what I discovered while tackling Destination Challenges in this city tucked in between the Austrian Alps.

Here's a little YouTube overview video

You can find a Google Maps list with all recommended places in Innsbruck at the end of this post.

Innsbruck in Winter activities

The Bergisel Olympic ski jump in Winter

The ski jump in Innsbruck is world famous and was used in the winter Olympics of 1964 and 1976.

I paid a visit a few times already and adrenaline just starts pumping every time I walk through the gates. Let me show you in the video below how it looks and feels like to sit on the launch seat of an Olympic ski jump...

Below some Bergisel photos for your viewing pleasure ;-)

Would you dare to launch from a ski jump like this?

The top of the Nordkette in Winter

Innsbruck lies at the feet of the Nordkette mountain and it amazed me how easy it is to get to the top of the mountain from the center of Innsbruck. You just dive into the 'Congress' underground stop and hop on a train that will get you on your way to the top.

Curious how that looks? Just watch the very beginning of my travel video about Innsbruck below. :-)

The views from the top of the Nordkette are also absolutely worth it as you can see below

The old town of Innsbruck in Winter

The old town of Innsbruck is an absolute gem with beautiful architecture, narrow streets and of course its world famous Golden Roof.

Wanna have a sneak peak? Just let me show you around Innsbruck in the video below ;-)

Places to visit in Old Town Innsbruck

The Golden Roof
The city tower aka Stadtturm
The riverside
The Hofburg museum
The Hofkirche
The Tiroler Landesmuseum
The Tirol Panorama

I listed all these places in a custom Innsbruck Google Maps list especially for you. You can find it at the end of this post. ;-)

The world famous Golden Roof of Innsbruck

The City Tower spiraling staircase

View from the city tower of the Golden Roof

The Hofkirche / Royal Ch

The colourful view from the Innsbruck river side

Viewpoint pavilion next to the Panorama museum

View from the Pavilion

Part of the mural inside the Panorama museum
depicting the fierce battle against Napoleon that took place in Innsbruck

a golden Christmas market ;-)

That of course comes with some Glühwein ;-)

The Swarovski Kristallwelten

Did you know that Innsbruck is home to the world famous Swarovski Crystals? I had no idea!

I decided to pay a visit to their Kristallwelten which is in itself a real experience. The whole place is a work of art. There are 17 rooms that emerge you into a world of crystal.

Let me show you how that looks in my video and some Insta photos below ;-)

Dit bericht bekijken op Instagram

Een bericht gedeeld door Bjorn Troch (@thesocialtraveler) op 16 Dec 2019 om 6:51 (PST)

Skiing and snowboarding around Innsbruck

The Stubaier Glacier / Gletscher

Ever wanted to slide down a glacier? You can totally have a go at it on the Stubai Glacier! It's only a 25 minute drive away from Innsbruck so definitely worth considering!

I gave it a go as well and managed to crash and turn right in front of the camera. Let's just blame it on Murphy's Law shall we... ;-)

Kühtai, the valley of snow and fun at 2020 meters altitude

This lovely ski resort is not only known for snow fun but also for its Igloo hotel that is rebuilt every year. I didn't find time to hit the slopes here but I did check out the igloos!

Would you sleep there? Let me know in the comments :-)

Axamer Lizum, an Olympic ski heaven at a stone's throw from Innsbruck

I jumped out of bed in Belgium, made my way to the airport and was snowboarding down the Olympic slopes of Axamer Lizum by noon!

Don't believe me? Just watch ;-)

Visiting the city and the slopes around Innsbruck with The Ski + City pass

I managed to visit all the landmark places, museums and the ski areas and slopes around Innsbruck just by using the Ski + City pass! Quite convenient to be honest.

You can find more info about everything you can do with it here

Innsbruck Google Maps list of places

All mentioned places above and recommendations on where to go in Innsbruck for drinks and food by the locals can be found in my custom Google Maps list created especially for your traveling pleasure.

You can find it here: https://goo.gl/maps/XN2AgxdgfxqHdfp99

Have fun in Innsbruck and let me know in the comments how it all went and if you think something is missing on my Google Maps list. ;-)

Viel Spass

A road trip in Ireland based on recommendations from friends, followers and locals

noreply@blogger.com (Bjorn Troch) — Mon, 08 Jul 2019 12:28:00 +0000

I made my way to ireland after my Destination Challenges adventures in Wales. Rose, my van, and I explored Ireland and its Hidden Heartlands for about 10 days. Truly and absolute pleasure.

Let me share with you what we did and where we went on our little Irish road trip adventure.

We arrived at the port of Dublin and headed North direction Drogheda where our first challenge awaited us.

Take the Boyne river 'Game of Thrones' boat tour !

I made my way to the Battle of the Boyne visitor centre where we found the Boyne Boats docking place. It's there that I met up with Ross the owner of Boyne boat tours whom gave me my challenge.

My task was to find 5 people to join me for a 'Game of Thrones' boat tour! Now we were just outside of the city of Drogheda so I decided to head to the nearest hostel and try to find people to jump on board.

Luckily I immediatly found people to join me.

Watch our little Game of Thrones boat adventure in the video below. :-)

Go kayaking on the lake of the Cavan lakes.

Such a beautiful experience exploring the Cavan lakes by Kayak! I picked up my kayak at the Cavan adventure centre and they send me on a challenge to find an old Viking castle aaand to try and take a selfie with a sheep!

Now let me tell you that finding a Viking castle was easier than taking a sheep selfie. You can watch me try in the video below... :-)

Discover the craftmanship of the Hidden Heartlands.

While making my way across the Hidden Heartlands I saw generation old crafts and traditions maintained, modernized and thriving! So good to see people supporting and continuing this.

I paid a visit to a woolmill and a coffee barista academy where I was challenged to try and make a scarf and properly roast coffee. Not as easy as it sounds!

Watch my scarf knitting attempt at the McKernan Woolen Mills and coffee roasting effort at the Coffee Culture Barista Training Academy in the video below.

Visit the Malzards Irish Pub near Kilkenny

Please do pay a visit and say hello to Fred Malzard from me! Seriously, this man was so welcoming and warm. He runs a generations old Irish pub with so much love and passion. It's a proper Irish pub and the heart of the social life in the neighbourhood.

Fred challenged me to learn to play Hurling and to also pick up some Irish Dance moves. My god, soooooo much fun. Watch my Irish pub adventures with fred in the video below!

Go Sea gardening at the Copper Coast Geopark

Did you know that Seaweed comes in all types of shapes and flavours and is also very healthy? I had no idea! But then Marie the Sea Gardener invited me into her world and we went sea weed forraging at the Copper Coast Geopark together.

Watch our sea gardening video below.

Pay a visit to the Dunhill Castle

I ended my road trip adventure around Ireland by paying a visit to the historic Dunhill Castle! I even made little celbratory Irish Dance :-).

Ireland Google Maps List

I listed all above experiences, places and more in a custom Ireland road trip Google Map. Click the map below or just here and it'll open straight in to your Google Maps app so you can use it as a guide or inspiration for your own Irish adventure!

If you think places or experiences are missing please let me know in the comments and I'll see if I can add them to the list.

Happy travels!

What to do in Saarland, Germany ? Local tips 😉

noreply@blogger.com (Bjorn Troch) — Mon, 27 May 2019 13:35:00 +0000

Saarland is known for it's coal mining industry but I didn't have to dig deep to find some epic places to visit! I've been 3 times already to take on Destination Challenges and the region always managed to surprise me.

Let me share with you what I discovered with the help of friends and followers on Facebook and Instagram.

Saarland is heaven for art lovers

Everywhere you look you'll find art! Let me show what I found.

Weltkulturerbe Völklinger Hütte aka Völklingen Ironworks

This former steel factory is declared UNESCO world heritage and at the same time part of the European Route of Industrial heritage. It's home to lots of art exhibitions and of course also explains its former function and importance to the region.

I visited the site together with Sofie from Wonderful Wanderings a fellow Belgian Travel Blogger and we put together a video for your viewing pleasure ;-).

Here are also some photos from the urban art exhibition we visited.

The Urban Art Walk in Saarbrücken

The city of Saarbrücken really embraces art in all shapes and forms.
We discovered lots of street art in the heart of the city as you can see in the video below.

Here's also the photos from the Urban Art Walk we took in Saarbrücken

The Saar Polygon

This landmark and larger than life work of art can be seen from far and is build upon a pile of quarry debris. You can find it at Bei Fußenkreuz in Ensdorf. Worth a little uphil hike ;-).

Photo by Sofie from Wonderful Wanderings

Saarbrücken Stengel promenade

The city of Saarbrücken is an absolute architectural gem and it's architect Stengel who is mainly responsible for that. His typical modern baroque style shaped the city.

I discovered his work everywhere in the city on the Stengel Promenade walking tour.

The Saarland museum modern gallery

Another addition to the rich art experiences to have in Saarland is the Saarland modern art museum in Saarbrücken!

The graffiti wall in Saarbrücken

The origin of street art aka graffiti has its own wall in the city of Saarbrücken as well. Check it out, the art work changes on a regular basis.

Saarland's mining history

The region of Saarland has been at the heart of the coal mining and steel industry and that still shows.

Musée les mineurs in Wendel

You can learn all about the mining industry at Musee les mineurs in Wendel. It's located in a closed down coal mine.

Here's a video of our visit

Saarbrücken Christmas Market

I've been to quite a few Christmas markets in my life but this was definitely one of the most social and coolest! You literally watch Santa Claus fly over your head...

Saarland Google Maps list of places

All mentioned places above and recommendations on where to go for drinks and food by the locals can be found in my custom Google Maps list created especially for your traveling pleasure.

You can find it here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/KwGesfFmL2TU1FUE8

Have fun in Saarland and let me know in the comments how it all went and if you think something is missing on my Google Maps list of Saarland. ;-)

Happy travels!

Road Trip Calendar 2019

noreply@blogger.com (Bjorn Troch) — Tue, 27 Nov 2018 13:59:00 +0000

Rose, my beloved T2 Westfalia van, and I are celebrating our 5th Anniversary with a 3rd 'Rose on the Road' road trip calendar!

This time it's filled with photos from our road trip adventures around Europe from this year. We cruised through France, Spain, Italy, Austria, Germany, Belgium, The Netherlands, Poland and Latvia.

We picked our best photos for you to enjoy a whole year long.

Why buy a road trip calendar ?

Because you love road trips

Are you also a fan of the open road and the random adventures that come with it then this calendar will make you itch to hit the road again.

Because you love those cute hippie vans

Rose is an absolute rock star. Driving this vintage T2 Westfalia van around the world has been an absolute pleasure so far and Rose literally puts a smile on people's faces when we cross them on the street. Are you also a fan of the iconic design and wouldn't mind starting your day with a smile then this calendar is for you.

Because you are looking for some road trip inspiration

Never been on a road trip but you always wanted to? Well, slap Rose and I against your wall and I guarantee you that by the end of next year you planned your first or next big road trip. ;-)

Because you enjoy following our adventures and you want us to keep going

Rose is cute and all but she's also old and thus heavy maintenance. I can't even count the amounts of times she's been at the mechanic and don't get me started about her drinking! She drinks like a fish, gazoline that is. :-)

The money earned with the calendar goes to necessary repairs and some gas money.

How does the road trip calendar look like?

You of course want to have a calendar preview. Well, below you find the photos used in the calendar.
Due to popular demand every calendar now also has an area where you can write on. Every month will also include a little story related to the photo.

January - Occitanie, France

February - Luxembourg

March - Saarbrücken

April - Italy

May - Trentino, Italy

June - Tyrol, Austria

July - Italy

August - Wörthersee, Austria

September - Tarn et Garonne, Occitanie, France

October - Latgale, Latvia

November - Freudenberg, NRW, Germany

December - Spessart, Germany

How much does the road trip calendar cost?

You have Rose and I in your home for only 25 euro, delivery costs included to anywhere in the world.

How many road trip calendars do you want to sell

100 calendars are made and we hope to be able to sent them to every corner of the world. 25 have been sold already so looks like we are on the right track. ;-)

How to order your road trip calendar

Easy peasy. Transfer the money online and don't forget to mention your delivery address ;-)

It's possible via paypal.me here

or via bank transfer: Bjorn Troch - IBAN: BE56 7370 0374 8788

or via the button below if you want to pay by credit card.

THANK YOU

Your support really means the world to us and we are excited to keep sharing our road trip adventures with you for years to come.

Find us on social media and become part of the adventure :

YouTube | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

More road trip related fun stuff

Send a vintage road trip postcard to a friend

A postcard from the Road to a friend, anywhere in the world! ;-)

noreply@blogger.com (Bjorn Troch) — Sun, 21 Oct 2018 15:48:00 +0000

Put a smile on your friend's face and help Rose, my van, and I continue our road trip adventures around the world at the same time! Because who doesn't like to receive a postcard from a friend...

📸 A 'Rose on the Road' postcard

The postcard will be graced with a photo of Rose from somewhere along the road. Find all possible choices at the end of this post ;-)

Taking care of Rose

Now as you can imagine 40 year old Rose needs some tender love and care on a regular basis, she does break down once in a while and as if that's not enough, she drinks like a fish (Gazoline that is 😯).

To fund future travels we created some road trip photo gifts especially for you.

'a Postcard to a friend' is one of them.
A personalized 'Rose on the Road' post card sent ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD.To your home or to the home of your travel crazy friend.

Here's how it works

1. Choose a postcard below.

2. Send an email to contact_at_thesocialtraveler.net with:

Your postcard choice.
The text you'd like to put on the card.
The name and address of your friend.

3. Transfer 10 euro via Paypal or Bank transfer.

Paypal: paypal.me/thesocialtraveler
Bank transfer: Bjorn Troch - IBAN: BE56 7370 0374 8788

Please add message 'Postcard to a Friend' and their address again.

We'll take care of the rest. ;-)

Choose your postcard

The road trip adventure of Rose and I started almost 5 years ago in Canada and it's been an absolute roller coaster of a ride so far. Many of you have been following our adventures from the get go and even joined us or met up along the way.

So far we've been to Canada, US West coast, Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Belgium, France, Spain, Italy, Austria, Germany, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Poland and Latvia...

Rose on the Road in Tyrol, Austria

Rose on the Road in Baja California, Mexico

Rose on the Road direction Death Valley, California, USA

Rose on the Road in Dresden, Germany

Rose on the Road in Spessart, Germany

Rose on the Road in Trentino, Italy

Rose on the Road in Jasper, Rocky mountains, Canada

Rose on the Road in Ontario, Lake Superior, Canada

Rose on the Road in Latgale, Latvia

Rose on the road in Baja California beach, Mexico

Rose on the Road in Montreal, Canada

Rose on the Road in Newfoundland, Canada

Rose ON the frozen Yukon river in Dawson City, Canada

Rose on the Road in Ontario, Canada

Rose on the road 101, Oregon, USA

Rose on the Road in Saskatchewan, Canada

Rose on the road in Toronto, Canada

Rose on the Road in Victoria, Vancouver Island, Canada

Rose on the Road in Occitanie, South of France

Postcards to friends from around the world

I'll use this section to post all smiles of your friends faces receiving your postcard. I'll also make an album of postcards received on my Facebook page here ;-)

Thanks for your support already and please do stay tuned for more adventures to come.
If you've been part of our journey one way or another please tell us how and where in the comments. We'd love to hear from you. ;-)

Waves from the road
Bjorn and Rose

Velnezers lake aka Devil's lake 😈 in Latgale, Latvia.

noreply@blogger.com (Bjorn Troch) — Mon, 20 Aug 2018 12:29:00 +0000

Velnezers lake also known as Devil's lake can be found in Latgale, a region in the East of Latvia.

It got the nickname Devil's lake because it's surrounded by legends and mystery. There are stories about people disappearing in the forest, about not a bird that sings and that it's bad luck and dangerous swimming in the lake.

It's said that people don't know how the lake came to be. Some say it's because of a meteor impact, others claim it's because of an earthquake. One thing's for sure though, it's not like any other lake you've visited before.

As mysterious as it is it's also absolutely beautiful! The water is crystal clear and the silence surrounding it makes it the perfect place to find some peace and quiet.

This Devil's lake was the playground for our first Destination Challenges in Latvia. Muhahahaaaa 😈.

Paul (Passport Diary) and I were tasked to find it and take a walk around and that's exactly what we did...

Vlog of our visit to Devil's lake

Paul and I made our way to mysterious Devil's lake with our vans and enjoyed a little hike in the forest and around the lake. Watch it all in the video below ;-)

Photolog of a visit to Velnezers lake

Below you find a little photolog from our visit to Devil's lake.

This is the Destination Challenge card we received in the morning.

Paul and I trying to get our fear under control ;-)

That wasn't so bad at all ;-)

Off to the next adventure in Latvia

Favorite Instagram photo at Velnezers lake

Rose (@thesocialtraveler) and Emma (@passportdiary) sure know how to pose for photo's :-)

Follow our adventures on Instagram in the moment via stories and become part of the adventure.

Dit bericht bekijken op Instagram

Een bericht gedeeld door Bjorn Troch (@thesocialtraveler) op 20 Aug 2018 om 12:25 (PDT)

Destination Challenges at Devil's lake - Facebook Log

The best way to take part in Destination Challenges is definitely via Facebook. Make sure to connect and help tackle future challenges ;-)

Where we stayed in Latgale

The Klajumi horse ranch
Paul and I stayed here for 3 nights and had an absolutely fantastic time.
Everything at the farm is organically grown and that results in delicious meals!
The cabin we stayed at was an oasis of peace. Perfect place to recharge the batteries ;-)

Awesome places to visit in Germany: North Rhine-Westphalia

noreply@blogger.com (Bjorn Troch) — Sat, 07 Jul 2018 14:35:00 +0000

NRW aka the North Rhine-Westphalia region in the West of Germany is known for it's historical cities like Cologne and Dusseldorf but it has so much more to offer.

I discovered that while I was tackling Destination Challenges in the region...

Awesome places to visit in North Rhine-Westphalia !

Ride the Schwebebahn in Wuppertal.

This is probably the coolest public transport system in the world. The schwebebahn glides over a river and connects Wuppertal in a beautiful way. Turns out it's also one of the safest public transport systems ever. One day they had a little incident with an elephant on the schwebebahn though...

Learn all about that and more here...

Discover the legend of Siegfried the dragon slayer at Drachenburg castle.

You'll find this fabulous castle in koenigswinter on the Drachenfells rock in North Rhine-Westphalia. The way to get there is kinda cool. You just hup on a little train and make your way to the top. The castle is completely renovated and is for me definitely one of the most impressive ones I've ever seen.

Discover it with me here...

Explore the cutest fachwerkhaus town you've ever seen in Freudenberg

Half timbered houses is the proper English term for fachwerkhausen if I'm not mistaken. I'm a big fan of them and strolling around the streets of Freudenberg was an absolute pleasure.

All the houses have the uniform black and white style and are the perfect place to spend an afternoon with loved ones ;-)

Let me show you what I mean here...

Climb massive art installations in the Ruhr district

The Ruhr district is known for it's industrial activity but it does harbor some amazing art installations that are worth a visit. Some are pretty daring I have to say.

The Tetraeder in Bottrop, North Rhine-Westphalia from the photo is an experience in itself. You get to the top of the hill where you'll find a massive pyramid structure that you then can climb via some see through stairs.

Not for the faint of heart to be honest but totally worth it :-)

Let me show you what else I found in the Ruhr district of NRW...

Recharging your batteries at Eifel national Park

Right at the border with Belgium I found this oasis of peace aka the Eifel national park of North Rhine-Westphalia. Ideal for a hike with family and loved ones through the untouched forest. I explored together with Ranger Sasha who not only was informative but also incredibly funny.

More about our forest adventures...

Run with European bison aka Wisent

I had no idea you could find bison in 'the wild' in Europe but I did found some Wisent (European bison) near Rothaarsteig in a place called Wisent Wildnis.

Find a video about my Wisent adventure here...

Active and attractive Sauerland

Looking for an active holiday place ? Sauerland has it all. Beautiful lakes and rolling hills ideal for water sport, mountain biking, skiing,... Wasn't really expecting to find this in North Rhine-Westphalia.

Let me show you a bit more of Sauerland here...

Discover the castles of Münsterland

I had no clue that there were so many castles to be found in the Münsterland region of North Rhine-Westphalia. There are hundreds of them! You gotta catch em all ;-)

I even ended up sleeping in a castle that day. Awesomeness :-)

Join me on a castle hunt here...

Take a step back in time and be a Roman for a day

Romans by the Rhine? Jup! There's many settlements you can find in the North Rhine-Westphalia region but one of the coolest one is definitely to be found in Xanten. They rebuild an entire village on exact scale. Learned a bunch about the Romans and had some fun along the way.

Can't get enough about Romans by the Rhine? There's more...

Visit Aachen, home of Charlemagne

Aachen used to be a real powerhouse with Charlemagne as the main man. The guy was king of the Franken, became a Roman emperor and was known as the great European uniter.

More about Charles the Great and Aachen here...

What else is there to discover

I hope this post gave you some more insight in what's there to discover in North Rhine-Westphalia. If you think there are places missing please do let me know in the comments below ;-)

Be part of the adventure

I've been discovering North Rhine-Westphalia while tackling Destination Challenges with the help of Friends and Followers on social media. Become part of the adventure as well on one of the following social networks Facebook | Instagram | Twitter 👊😎

More places to visit in Germany

Christmas markets in Germany

Nationalpark Eifel ranger walking tour

noreply@blogger.com (Bjorn Troch) — Fri, 06 Jul 2018 13:22:00 +0000

Looking for a nice place to recharge your batteries? Nationalpark Eifel in the NRW region at the border with Belgium and Germany is the perfect place to disconnect from everyday life and reconnect with nature and yourself.

I went on a ranger walking tour through the nature park with ranger Sasha and had such a fun time ! You can do all kinds of fun activities while making your way through the forest. Just follow the path and at the very end of it you'll be rewarded with a stunning view over the Rursee lake.

Join Sasha and I for a walk through Nationalpark Eifel in the vlog I made for you below...

Photos from my walk through Nationalpark Eifel

Ranger Sasha was a perfect guide through Nationalpark Eifel. Enjoyed my time exploring the park with him a lot! Good guy :-)

Ranger Sasha and I ready to explore Nationalpark Eifel

Los geht's

Learned all about the local flora

and of course the Fauna

Expected width of a tree in Nationalpark Eifel

Gnome view of the forest

Sound of the forest

Mind the wolves (only there for decoration btw, no wolves around)

Gnome view of a friendly beetle

Naps are important!

metal rose there part of an elaborate geocaching game

Holy Mary is to be found at Nationalpark Eifel

How beautiful is this view of the Rursee?

They sure have some serious trees here! :-)

Auf wiedersehen!

Favourite Nationalpark Eifel instagram photo

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Een bericht gedeeld door Bjorn Troch (@thesocialtraveler) op 8 Jul 2018 om 11:33 (PDT)

Are you on Instagram as well and you'd like to follow my adventures in the moment via Instagram stories? Be part of the adventure here.

Destination Challenges at Nationalpark Eifel - Facebook Log

It's my Destination Challenges in NRW that pointed me in the direction of Nationalpark Eifel.
Friends and Followers help me tackle challenges around the world. Be part of the adventure and join the community on Facebook as well. Everybody is welcome ;-)

Drachenburg, legendary castle of dragon slayer Siegfried

noreply@blogger.com (Bjorn Troch) — Thu, 05 Jul 2018 11:57:00 +0000

Ever heard the legend of Siegfried the dragonslayer? He became invincible after slaying a dragon and bathing in its blood. He only had one weak spot on his body because part of his skin was covered by a leaf while he was bathing in the dragon's blood. This would also lead to his demise.

Now the place where all this happened was on the top of Drachenfells rock which you can find in Königswinter. On this hill you will also find the magnificent Drachenburg castle. Absolutely one of the most impressive castles I've seen in Germany.

I discovered it via my Destination Challenges in the NRW region.

Watch my vlog about it below and discover some more photos of this stunning place.

Drachenburg photo log

I didn't know about the existence of this impressive castle so I had a beautiful day discovering and learning everything about Darchenburg castle.

Absolutely loved the garden of Drachenburg castle

Drachenburg Instagram photo

Below my favourite Instagram photo from my visit to Drachenburg castle. If you like to follow my social travel adventures in the moment make sure to check out my Instagram Stories and become part of the adventure ;-)

Dit bericht bekijken op Instagram

Een bericht gedeeld door Bjorn Troch (@thesocialtraveler) op 5 Jul 2018 om 1:51 (PDT)

Destination Challenges at Drachenfells - Facebook log

I discover places by tackling Destination Challenges with the help of friends and followers from around the world. Find out below how I found my way direction Drachenfells.

Become part of the adventure as well and join the community on Facebook. Everybody is welcome ;-)

Where I stayed in Bonn

Ever stayed in a treehouse hotel? It's so awesome! I got the chance in Bonn where I stayed at the V Hotel. A funky and modern hotel with yes, rooms in trees :-)

Book your stay at the V-Hotel here and support me on my future travels ;-)

Freudenberg: The cutest half timbered houses town in Germany

noreply@blogger.com (Bjorn Troch) — Wed, 04 Jul 2018 12:47:00 +0000

I'm a fan of fachwerkhaus aka timber framing houses!

They have a certain charm about them and via my Destination Challenges in NRW I discovered a whole bunch of them on a cute little hill in Freudenberg, Germany. Really the perfect spot for a romantic stroll through its narrow streets.

Let me show you how it looks. I took some photos ;-)

Instagram photo of the day

Rose striking the pose in the streets of Freudenberg :-)

Dit bericht bekijken op Instagram

Een bericht gedeeld door Bjorn Troch (@thesocialtraveler) op 5 Jul 2018 om 12:01 (PDT)

Are you on Instagram as well? Please follow the adventures of Rose and I in the moment via our Instagram stories. You can find us here @thesocialtraveler

Destination Challenges in NRW - Facebook Log

Tackling Destination Challenges always happens via the social networks I'm using. Join the community and become part of the adventure ;-)

Where I was staying in Siegen

Pfeffermuehle hotel in Siegen

Planning a visit to Siegen? Book your stay at the Pfeffermuehle hotel here and support my blog ;-)

Looking for Wisent aka European Bison 'in the wild'? I found some in Germany

noreply@blogger.com (Bjorn Troch) — Wed, 04 Jul 2018 08:22:00 +0000

Little did I know that there were still bison in Europe...
My Destination Challenges in the NRW region made me realize I was very wrong.

The European bison is actually referred to as Wisent and I found them at the Wisent Wildnis am Rothaarsteig. It's a big nature area where the bison can roam and be admired.

Check out the video about my visit to the Wisent Wildnis below

FUN outdoor activities to do in Sauerland, North Rhine-Westfalia

noreply@blogger.com (Bjorn Troch) — Tue, 03 Jul 2018 07:08:00 +0000

Looking for nature and fun outdoor in the NRW region? Then Sauerland is the place to be !

My Destination Challenges in Sauerland helped me discover the beautiful lake 'Möhnesee' aka 'Westfalisches Meer' and the hills of Winterberg where I went mini golfing and mountain biking at Erlebnisberg Kappe.

It's needless to say that I spent an active day.

You can watch everything in the following YouTube video and photos below.

Paddle boating at Möhnesee

The lake is perfect for spending time with friends and family on the water. There are several places where you can rent a kayak, paddle boat, motor boat or a sail boat. My challenge here was to cross the lake in a boat of my choosing.

I thought a paddle boat would probably be the easiest and fastest but boy was I wrong. They only had a paddle boat for 4 people and you can imagine that you have to paddle a bit harder to make it across :-).

That's not a smile on my face :-)

The glowing hills of Sauerland

Driving Rose on the winding roads of Sauerland hills was pure joy. You feel like gliding through the landscape. Ideal if you like to cruise through nature.

Fun at Erlebnisberg Kappe

I made my way to Winterberg where I found the 'Erlebnisberg Kappe'.

It's like an amusement park that offers all kind of activities. There was a BMX and luge circuit which gets the adrenaline pumping and I got challenged to a full blown mini golf competition. :-)

I lost...

My adversary at Erlebnisberg Kappe

Mini golf geometry

Yup. I lost... Will have to train some more :-)

To forget about my horrible defeat we decided to go mountain biking in the area around Erlebnisberg Kappe.

Man... was I out of shape. The fun part of mountain biking is definitely the racing down the mountain through the forest! You can watch us in action in the YouTube video at the top of this post ;-)

Everything went downhill from here ;-)

Instagram Photo of the day

Rose, my van, is sooo photogenic. Here she's striking the pose in the forests of Sauerland.
You can find more photos of her on Instagram via #RoseOnTheRoad

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Een bericht gedeeld door Bjorn Troch (@thesocialtraveler) op 4 Jul 2018 om 1:19 (PDT)

Destination Challenges in NRW - Day 2 - Facebook Log

Find all Destination Challenges stories in one place here.

Where I stayed in Sauerland

Close to Erlebnisberg Kappe I found the hostel below.

The coolest public transport system in the world: The Schwebebahn in Wuppertal

noreply@blogger.com (Bjorn Troch) — Mon, 02 Jul 2018 09:06:00 +0000

Little did I know that Wuppertal had such a fun surprise in store for me.

Wuppertal is the home to a suspension railway referred to as the 'Schwebebahn'. It's basically a 13 km metro system that floates mainly over the 'Wupper' river.

It's said to be the safest and in my opinion also the coolest public transport system in the world.

Let me take you for a ride in the video below ;-)

Tuffi the diving Elephant

There's been one funny incident with an elephant on the Schwebebahn. In 1950 a circus director wanted to promote his circus arriving in town by taking an elephant on board of the Schwebebahn. The baby elephant panicked and jumped out of the Schwebebahn ending up in the river below.

Luckily the elephant survived with some minor injuries and since that day it was called 'Tuffi' which means 'Waterdive' in Italian :-)

This is the spot where Tuffi the elephant jumped out of the Schwebebahn in Wuppertal.

Wuppertal Schwebebahn in photos

Hold on tight while you glide

Instagram photo of the day

Dit bericht bekijken op Instagram

Een bericht gedeeld door Bjorn Troch (@thesocialtraveler) op 2 Jul 2018 om 11:26 (PDT)

Destination Challenges in NRW - Day 1 - Facebook Log

Find all Destination Challenges in one place here

Where I stayed

I stayed at the MK Hotel which is a brewery combined with a hotel. My kind of place alright.
Check out my hypertour of the hotel below.

Book your stay here as well and support my blog ;-)

Wildschönau valley things to do in Summer in Tirol, Austria

noreply@blogger.com (Bjorn Troch) — Mon, 14 May 2018 13:34:00 +0000

The Wildschönau is valley an absolute pearl in the Tirol mountains of Austria. Such a beautiful and charming region. Couldn't get enough of the landscapes!

I explored the region while tackling Destination Challenges in the Wildschönau valley :-)
Here's what I came across in this beautiful part of Tirol.

Discover the cute little churches of the Wildschönau valley

I don't know about you but I'm a big fan of the charming churches in Austria. You find them sprinkled all over the Wildschönau valley. Gotta catch em all ;-)

Rose fitted right in :-)

Picnic by the river

Just park your car somewhere by the road and spend time by a mountain river. They are perfect for a picnic and ideal to cool you down on a hot Summer day. I personally just like to watch the water roll over the many rocks. Quite meditative :-)

Hike one of the many Wildschönau valley hiking trails

There's a whole network of hiking trails that run through the landscape as vains through your body. Just head out there and spend some time exploring the mountains with friends and loved ones. ;-)

Visit Thierbach, the smallest town of the Wildschönau valley

There's less than a hundred people still living there but the place has a functioning school with around 18 students. How cool is that! Definitely worth a little visit :-)

Rose visiting the smallest town in the Wildschönau valley

Favorite Instagram shot in Wildschönau

Dit bericht bekijken op Instagram

Een bericht gedeeld door Bjorn Troch (@thesocialtraveler) op 14 Mei 2018 om 12:15 (PDT)

Are you on Instagram as well and you'd like to follow my social travel adventures in the moment? Then feel free to tag along and become part of the adventure here

Destination Challenges in Wildschönau - Facebook Log

Friends and followers help me tackle Destination Challenges around the world. Become part of the adventure as well and join our community on Facebook. ;-)

Where I stayed in Wildschönau

I was staying at charming Landhotel Tirolerhof. Let me show you around in the video below ;-)

If you decide to stay here as well please book here and support me on my travels

Kitzbühel epic Summer holiday activities 😎 Tyrol, Austria

noreply@blogger.com (Bjorn Troch) — Mon, 14 May 2018 12:26:00 +0000

I had so much fun in wonderful Kitzbühel and its surrounding lakes and mountains. The region decided to put me and friends and followers to the test with some 'Destination Challenges'.

Now one in particular wasn't easy. I now refer to it as 'The Dirndl and Lederhosen challenge' :-).

Read all about it below.

Kitzbühel Summer holiday activities

Do a photo shoot in Lederhosen & Dirndl by Schwarzsee lake

I had so much fun doing this!!! For my Destination Challenges I had to find a girl that would do a traditional photo shoot with me in Dirndl by Schwarzsee lake. Well as you can imagine I was a bit worried if this would work out but it actually did! The power of social media never disappoints :-)

Lea from Escape Town saw me reaching out on Facebook and she came to the rescue. She jumped into her favorite Dirndl dress and took the train from Innsbruck to Kitzbühel just to help me out.

How cool is that! Make sure to check out her website and leave her a little message ;-)

It resulted in a fun and epic photo shoot by Schwarzsee lake. Check it out below...

'Let's throw this bow into the lake for absolutely now reason...' :-)

This might be a little bit cheesy... :-D

Noooooo..... :-DDD

PUSH... PUSH ...PUSH...

Did you know that when Lederhosen can stand by themselves they're considered ideal :-)

Visit the old town of Kitzbühel

The old town of Kitzbühel is so cute. You'll find some beautiful historical buildings and of course lots of shops with traditional clothes and food.

If you are lucky you might even bump into Austrian celebrity Hansi Hinterseer just like I did. Make sure to google some of his songs and play them while going through the photo shoot above again.

Let me know how that went in the comments ;-)

Enjoy the view from Hahnenkamm in Summer

Unfortunately Rose, my van, and I were quite unlucky since we drove up to the highest point of Kitzbühel aka the Hahnenkamm an it was covered in mist. Obviously the view was limited but I heard that it's absolutely spectacular on a clear and sunny day. I'll have to go back!

Segway your way through the valley

Ever been on a Segway? I was always a bit sceptical about it but it's actually fun to glide through through the Kitzbühel landscape like some lazy guy from the future :-)

The weather wasn't super but I still had a fun day with some nice views and laughs. I really will have to come back to explore the area when it's bathing in the sun.

Check out Segway Station Kitzbühel if you want to give it a go as well.

Hi mom! Waves from Kitzbühel

Watch my little Segway adventure in the video below ;-)

Have you ever been floating through the landscape on a Segway? I'd love to hear how you liked it. Feel free to tell your story in the comments ;-)

Destination Challenges in Kitzbühel social media Log

Favorite Instagram photo in Kitzbühel

Driving up to the top of ... with a 40 year old VW Type 2 Westfalia is quite the challenge and then arriving to a misty top with basically zero view is the summum of humour I think. 😅

Are you on Instagram as well? Feel free to give the photo a big fat like, follow my adventures in the moment via Instagram stories and please don't hesitate to say hello. Be Social ;-)

Dit bericht bekijken op Instagram

Een bericht gedeeld door Bjorn Troch (@thesocialtraveler) op 16 Mei 2018 om 12:47 (PDT)

Destination Challenges Facebook log

Facebook is where I reach out for help on my Destination Challenges and post the story of the day as well. Connect and be part of the adventure :-)

Where I stayed in Kitzbühel

I was lucky enough to stay at the Alpen hotel by Schwarzsee lake. It has absolutely stunning views and wonderful rooms.

Here's a hyperlapse video from the Alpen Hotel

You can book it here if you are planning a trip to Kitzbühel

Hiking in Valle di Ledro, Trentino

noreply@blogger.com (Bjorn Troch) — Fri, 11 May 2018 14:14:00 +0000

Valle di Ledro is a hikers paradise. You can hike around the lake, into gorges and up to wonderful flower fields with a million dollar view over Ledro Lake.

Hiking my way around Valle di Ledro triggered my love for hiking once again. Let me show you which hikes I went on...

Hiking around Ledro Lake

Wanna empty your head and recharge your batteries? Lago di Ledro aka Ledro Lake is the perfect spot! There's a hiking trail that goes all around the lake and the views along the way will stop you in your tracks. ;-)

The hiking trail around beautiful Ledro Lake

Yup. There's also some castles to admire ;-)

Don't forget to stop and enjoy the views...

Told you, beautiful views!

Hiking 'Gorg d'Abiss'

We also discovered a beautiful gorge leading to a gorgeous waterfall. You just follow the 'Gorg d'Abiss' trail and you get there. Go explore and don't foget to take some pictures along the way.
Feel free to share your most beautiful shots/instas here in the comments ;-)

Steven Herteleer inspired by Gorg d'Abiss

Impromptu shoot in Gorg d'Abiss, Valle di Ledro

BAM! Nailing the 'Hero pose' at gorg d'Abiss in Valle di Ledro :-)

Hiking to the Dromae fields

This hike is a little harder but totally worth it! The views along the way are absolutely incredible and you'll spot wild flowers unique to the region on your way up. Not only that, there's also some remaining WWI trenches to discover...

View over Lago di Ledro from the hiking trail leading up to the Dromae fields

Wild flower on the hiking trail to the Dromae fields

Yup, it's as steep as it looks :-D

These wild flowers are quite peculiar. They change color when they're polinated.

Happy faces all around after finally making it to the Dromae field :-D

Wild flowers and a wild view over Lago di Ledro. WOW effect ;-)

It's a MATCH with Lago di Ledro & the Dromae fields.

A perfect place for goodbyes. Thank you Steven Herteleer, it's been fab working with you!

Destination Challenges in Valle di Ledro - Facebook Log

We discovered all these hiking trails with the help of friends and followers while tackling Destination Challenges in Valle di Ledro. Find out below how that went ;-)

Canyoning in Valle di Ledro
Things to do in Rovereto

Where we stayed in Valle di Ledro

We stayed in a lovely cabin by the lake at Camping Al Lago. Very relaxing and right by the lake!
I made a HYPERTOUR of the place ;-).

How to make pasta like an Italian mama in Trentino

noreply@blogger.com (Bjorn Troch) — Thu, 10 May 2018 14:39:00 +0000

Making pasta the traditional way in Trentino was my final Destination Challenge and I can assure you that my respect for the Italian mamas went skyhigh after learning how it's actually done.

We learned to make Tortelloni with cheese and nettles at Baita S. Lucia da Fritz with the help of Chef Claudio. He showed us how it's done.

Let me guide you through the different steps.

Step 1: Prepare the Nettles

Find yourself some nettles in nature, give them a good wash and take the sting out of them.

Don't forget to wear some protective gear against the Nettle sting!

Start pulling the leaves off and rinse them in water

Then you boil them to take the sting out of them.

Step 2: Make the pasta

This seems easy but I can assure you that it requires technique and strength. You make a little volcano of flour and add then egg yolk in the heart of the crater. 2 eggs per 100 grams of flour and add a pinch of salt.

Then you gracefully and firmly knead the pasta dough until it looks a bit like the ball you see below ;-)

CAUTION: Try not to sweat too much on your pasta :-D

That's as graceful as it gets with me... :-)

The result after half an hour of working that pasta dough.

You then wrap it vacuum and put it in the fridge for 30 min.

Step 3: Mix the nettles and cheese.

While your pasta is cooling down in the fridge you have time to mix up the nettles with the ricotta cheese. Just cut the nettles in small pieces and try not to include your fingers. :-) Then mix it all up with the ricotta cheese and knead it into a beautiful nettle cheese ball ;-)

Chop it reaaal goood.

Ricotta cheese anyone?

Mix it baby!

Step 4: Rolling rolling rolling

Now you take your pasta dough out of the fridge and after you admire how beautifully smooth it looks you go to work with an old school dough roller!

Little by little the pasta dough flattens and you just keep going until you can lay it over a newspaper and are still able to read the text. That's when you know the pasta dough is ready to be cut into squares so you can start your pasta origami moment.

This is how beautifully smooth pasta can look.

Pasta dough roller ready!

Also the rolling requires some technique.
Add pressure from straight above as much as possible and let your hands glide over the roller.

Once it gets fine enough try rolling back and forth like this.

Step 5: Pasta origami

Now that the pasta is flat enough you can start cutting out little squares and fold them into tortelloni. Don't forget to add the nettle cheese filling and use egg yolk as glue to glue the pasta together.

Works like a charm ;-)

Cutting the pasta into squares

Fold it like a boss!
Chef Claudio needed to show me a few times before I got it finally right.

Tadaaaa! A beautiful tortello made with love!

Ready for the oven!

Big thanks to Chef Claudio for showing us how it's done!

Prepare it with some garlic sauce and enjoy!

We offered these guys some of us hand made pasta and the assured us that it was super tasty :-)

Now it's your turn! Please do try recreate Tortelloni with nettles and cheese and let me know how it all worked out ;-)

Looking forward to your beautiful creations.

More about Trentino...

Canyoning in Trentino
Things to do in Rovereto
Hiking in Valle di Ledro

More about cooking

How to make bread in the Sahara desert
How to make paella in Catalunya
How to make Baleadas in Honduras
How to make pink soup in Latvia
How to make Lapin Tournaisiens in Tournai

Canyoning in Trentino: Valle di Ledro Valley

noreply@blogger.com (Bjorn Troch) — Thu, 10 May 2018 12:54:00 +0000

Looking for a proper adrenaline rush in Trentino? Go canyoning the Nero river in Valle di Ledro.
WHAT. A. RUSH!

Steven and I surely stepped out of our comfort zone here. We jumped from cliffs, rappelled down waterfalls and slide down the rapids back to the Ledro valley.

Luckily we had a great guide with us that showed us the ropes with confidence and a smile. Big thanks to our guide Andrea from Mmove through nature for giving us an experience of a lifetime!

I did canyoning in Catalonia before but this was definitely a more advanced level... :-)

Let me show you how it all 'went downhill' in my photo reportage below...

The group was absolutely pumped and ready to go wild down the Nero river

Protective shoes and gear are a must in order to make your way down safely.

3... 2... 1... JUMP! Jup I was next :-)

Watch your steps: slippery and wet ;-)

Jup. We all jumped. So much fun!

Watching people rappel down the rio Nero waterfall

Steven Herteleer rappeling down rio Nero in Valle di Ledro Trentino

Canyoning like a BOSS

Steven Herteleer and I went canyoning as part of our Destination Challenges in Trentino.
Now this was a Challenge alright! :-)

Did you ever go canyoning? Please do tell us about your experience in the comments.

Things to do in Rovereto
Canyoning in Catalonia

Things to do in Rovereto, Trentino

noreply@blogger.com (Bjorn Troch) — Mon, 07 May 2018 12:33:00 +0000

Rovereto is the gateway to Trentino and offers a wide variety of culinary, cultural and historical activities. Steven Herteleer, my travel buddy, and I were put to the test for 2 days of Destination Challenges in the city.

This is how we discovered the city and its region. Let me show you what we found...

Forte Pozzacchio, the fortress in the rock

The first place we discovered was a fortress build inside a mountain a little bit outside of Rovereto. A true architectural marvel at the time and built by the Austro-Hungarian empire. Construction never finished though since WWI started and stopped the construction dead in its tracks.

The unfinished fortress is now open for visitors and worth a visit since it has an epic view over the little Dolomites.

Take that perfect Instagram shot of the wonderful San Colombano hermitage

Steven and I saw this impossible work of architecture embedded in the mountain while driving to Forte Pozzacchio and we just had to stop to take a shot! An absolutely unique place.

Here's my instagram shot

I almost couldn't believe my eyes when I saw this church embedded in the side of a mountain just outside of #Rovereto 😍 Such an architectural masterpiece and not that easy to go pray on Sunday I imagine. 😊 #DestinationChallenges #TrentinoChallenge #VisitRovereto #VisitTrentino #EURoadtrip

Een bericht gedeeld door Bjorn Troch (@thesocialtraveler) op 7 Mei 2018 om 1:46 (PDT)

And here's the one Steven took. Did I mention he's a world renowned photographer... :-) ?

Little game for tonight to see if there’s some creativity out there : can you invent the caption of this image, explaining why this church is here? Funny answers most welcome!!

Een bericht gedeeld door Life Stories 📷 (@stevenherteleer) op 8 Mei 2018 om 10:34 (PDT)

The Bell of the fallen in Rovereto

Probably the most peace-full place in Rovereto is the Campana Dei Caduti. :-)

It's a place dedicated to peace and remembers us every day that war is a bad idea with the 'Bell of the fallen'. The bell was forged from bronze from the cannons used on both sides in WWI.

How cool is that! It rings a 100 times every day and reminds people around the world about the horrors of war.

The 'Mart' aka the Museum of Modern Art in Rovereto

Aside from peace you'll also find the Mart aka Museum of Modern Art in Rovereto. I absolutely loved the architecture of the museum. It's inspired by a very famous building in Rome.
Can you tell which one?

Do you notice the resemblance with a famous and historic building in Rome?

A cool feature the museum has is the Mart museum bot which you can just chat with via Facebook messenger. It'll guide you around the museum in no time. Modern indeed.

Have some Grappa at the Marzadro Distillery

Did you know that Grappa is similar to Champagne and Tequila? Their name is linked to a region. So grappa always comes from italy. It's a distilled liquor based on olives and it has a serious kick so drink it with care! Rovereto is home to grappa distillery Marzadro where we learned everything about the distill process.

Have a proper Italian coffee

When in Italy you have to try the coffee! They are absolute masters in the art of coffee making and that's no different in Rovereto. We paid a visit to the Bontadi coffee museum and learned a great deal about how coffee machines evolved and perfected the making of coffee over the years.

There's one famous Italian actor in this photo. Do you recognize him?

Visiting the War museum

The war museum of Rovereto can be found in a medieval fortress and teaches you all about the history of war in Italy. There's a huge collection of weapons from middle ages to modern times.

Wining and dining

Oh the food! Italians do know how to enjoy a good meal. They take their time at the table and the eye for detail and flavor is on point. Rovereto has a fine collection of quality restaurants for you to enjoy. Go on, dig in ;-)

We've been adventuring for 2 days in Rovereto and from there we made our way to Valle di Ledro where we'd experience some of Trentino's wonderful nature!

We even got a new travel buddy for a day: Melis. She studies in Rovereto and was a big help for us in tackling our Destination Challenges. A random road trip adventure was the least we could do to thank her for her help.

Destination Challenges in Rovereto Facebook LOG

Destination Challenges get tackled in the moment via friends and followers on social media. Here's the Facebook log from our challenges in Rovereto. Don't hesitate to join the community and help me tackle Destination Challenges around the world ;-)

Steven and I stayed at the lovely B&B Casa Del Pittore in Rovereto.
Loved the vibe of the place! I made HYPERTOUR of the place for you ;-)

Visiting Carcassonne: Medieval gateway to the Pyrenees

noreply@blogger.com (Bjorn Troch) — Thu, 26 Apr 2018 10:31:00 +0000

Our last stop on our Destination Challenges adventure in Occitanie was Carcassonne and boy did this place blow my mind!

It's home to the most stunning medieval citadel and castle I've ever seen. It's so well preserved that you really feel like stepping back in time and oh did we step back in time!

We met up with a proper medieval knight and he taught us all about his life and ways.
Let me show you how that went...

Carcassonne Citadel and Castle

I made a little timelapse from the balcony of my hotel to share this incredible view with you. ;-)

We could notice some yellow lines on the castle from afar. Now they're there because of an art project from artist Felice Varini.

I kinda like how they dared to combine modern art with medieval heritage. It's also pretty cool that the lines form concentric circles from a certain viewpoint at the entrance as you maybe already noticed in the title image of this post ;-)

It's inside the medieval citadel that we found knight Jean-Francois Vassal who taught us about the ways of the medieval knights. We found out that many hollywood movies about medieval times are filled with mistakes. One big myth for example is that a sword is heavy and that's absolutely not the case for obvious reasons. Swords had to be light and easy to handle and swing at your enemies.

Not only gave he a little course in sword fighting he also taught us about the values and virtues of being a knight. Loved learning about all this at his Centre d'Histoire Vivante Medievale or ILC. If you ever visit Carcassonne please do get in touch with him and he'll introduce you in the medieval world like no one else.

That's not how you hold it... :-)

Budget Traveller Kash facing the fierce blade of Jean-Francois

Some more medieval weaponery

Had to be done ;-)

Protecting the castle in the heart of the Medieval citadel

Teaching the kids some medieval history in a fun way :-)

An absolutely stunning place!

Apart from the medieval citadel Carcassonne has another UNESCO world heritage site and that's the watergate and ways below. Also from back in the medieval times.

It's also here that the adventure for Kash and I in Occitanie ended.

Kash really is a beautiful soul and it's been a real pleasure tackling Destination Challenges with him! Definitely check out his Budget Traveller blog for some epic budget travel tips. Worth it! ;-)

Carcassonne Instagram shot of the day

Een bericht gedeeld door Bjorn Troch (@thesocialtraveler) op 29 Apr 2018 om 10:31 (PDT)

Destination Challenges in Carcassonne - Facebook Log

Kash and I discovered all the places in Carcassonne with the help of our communities on social media. Find out in the posts below how that went and please do follow my page and become part of more social adventures around the world ;-)

Where we stayed in Carcassonne

We got the chance to stay at Hôtel des Trois Couronnes which has an incredible view over the medieval citadel and castle.

If you ever decide to go you can BOOK RIGHT HERE

More about Occitanie

How to become an Astronaut in Toulouse

Auch: Hometown of D'Artagnan & Circus

Tarn et Garonne: a hiking and cycling paradise

Albi: A hidden gem in the South of France

Visiting Albi: A hidden gem in the South of France

noreply@blogger.com (Bjorn Troch) — Wed, 25 Apr 2018 14:59:00 +0000

WOW! That's what both budget traveller Kash and I shouted when we saw the silhouette of Albi with it's majestic cathedral emerge on the horizon.

I honestly didn't hear about the city before and I really wonder how that's possible since it's such a beautiful place with a rich history in the pastel trade.

Our Destination Challenges here sent us on a quiz quest around the city...

Vlog of our day in Albi

Watch how Kash and I discovered Albi with the help of our friends and followers ;-)

Market hall

Our first stop was this beautiful food market where you can find all kinds of delicious local products! It's here that we went in search for 'le petit jaunot', a local anis based speciality.

Le petit Jaunot: An anis based local speciality

Collegiale Saint-Salvi

Here we learned that the tower was used as a watch tower to spot enemies from miles away. Not something you often see integrated into a church / cloister.

a cloister court really is always an oasis of peace.

Did you know that in Occitanie the hight of the tower in your house symbolizes your wealth? Below a picture of a house in Albi which clearly had very wealthy owners.

Palais de la Berbie

Definitely one of the most impressive buildings in Albi and it has an exceptional view over the Tarn river! Perfect place for a romantic stroll ;-)

Can you spot Kash :-)

Quite the view right!

I especially loved the beautiful garden on the right.

The Albi Cathedral

It's the largest brick cathedral in the world and an absolute architectural marvel! That goes for the exterior but also of the interior. Especially the ceiling is exceptionally beautiful.

How majestic is this entrance!

Albi Instagram shot of the day

In the Albi Cathedral you'll find basically a smaller church that is used for ceremonies and weddings.
Probably the most beautiful spot in the cathedral.

Een bericht gedeeld door Bjorn Troch (@thesocialtraveler) op 27 Apr 2018 om 10:18 (PDT)

Destination Challenges in Albi - Facebook Log

Kash and I discovered all the places in Albi with the help of our communities on social media. Find out in the posts below how that went and please do follow my page and become part of my social adventures around the world ;-)

Where we stayed in Albi

Maison de Julia is probably one of the nicest B&B's I've ever stayed at. An absolute gem at walking distance from the city center of Albi.

If you ever decide to go you can BOOK RIGHT HERE

More about Occitanie...

How to become an Astronaut in Toulouse?
Auch: Hometown of D'Artagnan & Circus
Tarn et Garonne: a hiking and cycling paradise

Carcassonne: Medieval gateway to the Pyrenees

Tarn et Garonne: a day at a hiking and cycling paradise

noreply@blogger.com (Bjorn Troch) — Tue, 24 Apr 2018 12:01:00 +0000

'Living like a god in France' is the literal translation of a Dutch saying and it popped up into my mind on several occasions when I was exploring the Tarn et Garonne region in Occitanie, the South of France.

A perfect place to go hiking and cycling, eat great food and drink beautiful wines with friends and family. A great way to discover it is by hiking Camino de Santiago which runs straight through the region and connects hot spots and cultural highlights.

Our Destination Challenges here brought Budget traveller Kash and I to the following places...

Vlog of our day in Tarn et Garonne

Moissac.

The cute little town of Moissac is home to a wonderful abbey and an ingenious bridge for boats!
It's a must stop for Camino de Santiago pilgrims and that shows all over the city where you see pilgrims passing through on their grand adventure to Santiago de Compostela

Inside the Abbeye St-Pierre

Budget Traveller Kash hard at work

Here you see hotel Moulain de moissac with on its left the wonderful boat bridge.

It's called pont de Napoleon and provides safe passage over the Tarn river for boats.

Auvillar

From Moissac we made our way to Auvillar by bike to discover a gem of a town. Such a quiet and lovely place! Perfect to escape the hustle and bustle from every day life and just eat well and enjoy down time with friends and family.

Organic and delish food awaits you!

Across the town you find little statues of St. Jacques the patron of Camino de Santiago

oh the views...

I'm a big fan of half timbered houses. They have so much charm!

The one and only St Jacques

This circular market place especially stands out.

And of course you'll find shades of pastel spread around town.

Back to Rose we went! Yup that's a tandem bike alright :-)

Bye bye Tarn et Garonne! It's been a pleasure :-)

More about Occitanie...

How to become an Astronaut in Toulouse?
Auch: hometown of d'Artagnan
Albi: Hidden gem in the South of France
Carcassonne: Medieval gateway to the Pyrenees