Throughout Europe with Excellent Cappuccino

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Pastries at Cafe Konditorei in Vienna

In the past several years I have traveled throughout several European countries and grew fond of really great coffee. I believe that most people have not experienced the aroma and smooth taste of truly great coffee.

It isn’t that I think of myself as a connoisseur or an advocate of beans from specific places throughout the world. I also don’t believe I am a snob because I rather enjoy a cappuccino or a latte than a cup of black Americano.

This story is about exceptionally great coffee with a particular emphasis on cafes and coffee in Europe. Like the one in this photo inside Cafe Konditorei in Vienna, Austria, many European cafes sell delicious pastries along with exceptional coffee. Fantastic coffee, pastries and food are also found at the famous Cafe Central, also in Vienna

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Finding Your Spot!

I bet your imagination wandered when you read the story title! You probably thought to yourself about what spot I am referring to! After all, I have been known to ask similar questions in my blog stories like “Are You Regular?” and also to get a bit provocative as in “Nude in the Sauna.” But this story isn’t like that. However, I hope the title captured your attention so you read on!

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My Abundance of Breakfast Friends

I began my nomadic adventure exploring Europe in October 2014. I recently realized that breakfast is my favorite meal when I visit local cafes. Not only is it my favorite meal but it also has become almost an obsession in what I eat. While in different cafes I have met some very interesting personalities who have helped me understand and appreciate their respective cultures. This story is about my breakfast obsession and the friends I have made as I have crossed Europe and found several mouth-watering breakfast delights.

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Brno Snowfall Reminds Me of Home

img_7635The first real snowfall of the season occurred this week in Brno, Czech Republic. Granted, the snowfall was just a dusting of maybe four inches. As it fell, the view of Špilberk Castle disappeared from my apartment’s picture glass window. Snow covered the branches of the trees and I reminisced about this time of year when winter snowfall would come to Somerset, my hometown in Western Pennsylvania in the United States

I have always thought of January differently than other months. It is a bleak time of year. Yes, the daylight hours are increasing but January also has penetrating cold and blustery winds. It is time when one’s exhaled breath drifts away in a cloud of steam. It follows the celebrations of Christmas and New Years and it seems to me to be a time for resting and recovery from them. By a burning fireplace seems to be the place of comfort.

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“Look Up” – My Brno Exploration

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Holding the Building on Their Backs

Happy New Year, everyone. I hope you have a wonderful 2017 and have begun to work to achieve all of your personal goals for the year.

Today is a cold New Year’s Day and the streets in Brno, Czech Republic (a.k.a. Czechia) are almost empty. I had the opportunity to wander around and “look up” to enjoy the architectural beauty designed into many of the center city buildings.

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Medieval Dragon Legend and Brno Tradition

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Snowy Christmas Day at the Napoleonic Wars Memorial

A few years ago I traveled to the Czech Republic city of Brno. Within a few blocks of my apartment the story of the past 900 years of this part of the world is preserved… not only in stone but also in legends and the cultural traditions of the people there.

Brno is located north of Vienna, Austria. It is a small city of about 500,000 people and is accessible by trains and busses that run between Vienna and Prague. Many tourists just see Brno as a waypoint between these more famous places. Little did I know when I initially arrived that I would find myself staying in Brno’s old town for seven months including a frigid, blustery winter. Living in Brno provided me with a different perspective than a tourist may get.

This blog story is based on a small geographic portion of the city… my neighborhood… and the legends, history and traditions that are preserved there.

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