A Harry Potter love story

During our Los Angeles vacation we had two wonderful story telling photo shootings with talented Vanessa Hicks. These are the Harry Potter pictures we took at Universal Studio Hollywood. The story is about the forbidden love of two Hogwarts students who sneak out to meet up.

10 reasons why you need go to Berlin

#1 Ritter Sport Bunte Schokowelt 

Located close to the Brandenburger Tor, you can find a whole store of Ritter Sport chocolate. You can shop your favorite chocolate bar, try their test chocolate or create your own chocolate. While you wait for your own creations of chocolate bar, you get a 10% voucher for the Ritter Sport Café upstairs. Time to try their melted Ritter Sport hot chocolate or a delicious chocolate fondue

#2 Reichstag


Visit the dome of Germanys government building. Admission is free, you just need to sign up for a date. The audio guide is also free and will explain you how politics work in Germany and a bit about German history and laws. 

#3 Berliner Unterwelten

Experience WW2 bombing raids through the eyes of civilians. Berlin was the main target for bombing in WW2. Berliner Unterwelten offers different guided tours through bunkers, subways and rooms showing you vividly the German history. 

#4 Holocaust Memorial

The Berlins holocaust memorial consists out of 2711 concrete blocks. The only difference of the blocks are the different heights. Next to the memorial is an information center where you can learn more about the Holocaust. Please respect the memorial and do not climb or pose on the blocks.

#5 Christmas Market

If you’re lucky enough to see Berlin in winter, you can’t miss a german Christmas market. You can find handcrafted goods, freshly baked waffles, mulled wine and all kind of food here. Besides the festive decorations a Christmas program keeps you entertained. You relax and let the Christmas spirit sink it.

#6 Lost place Teufelsberg 

Another out of the box place is the lost place Teufelsberg. Teufelsberg (German for Devil’s Mountain) used to have the largest listening station of the NSA. Today, the buildings are abandoned and a magnet for street artists. The tickets are 7€ without at 15€ with a guide (as of November 2021)  

#7 Gärten der Welt

You want to travel around the world in one day? No problem. You can find 10 themed gardens and 9 international garden galleries in “Gardens of the world”. Experience the diversity of Europe, celebrate the garden culture of Bali, Japan or China and find yourself in oriental garden counting all the 1.3 million mosaic tiles.

#8 Mall of Berlin

Sometimes you just want to shop. With the largest food court in Berlin, a XXL slide from the second to ground level and 270 shops this is your place to go. 1912 the biggest warehouse of Europe was located here. Because of the popularity the traffic got so bad, the traffic got regulated with a traffic light for the first time ever in Germany. 

#9 Berlin Wall Memorial

If you want to see the wall that used to divide Germany into two you can start to explore the history of the wall on Bernauer Str. 111. It’s 1,4km long on the former border strip. After experiencing the remains of the Berlin Wall you can visit the exhibition center at the other side of the street. 

#10 DDR Museum

The daily life of people living in GDR. DDR Museum advertise their exhibition with ‚Experience history with all your senses‘ and it’s true. It’s a unique way to travel back in time. The tickets are 9,80€ (as of November 2021) and totally worth the price as it’s the most visited museum in Berlin’s.

8 reasons why you need to go to Dublin

#1 Temple Bar 

If you’re the first time in Dublin, you might enjoy staying in the here. At night Temple Bar turns is the center of nightlife. You can find a lot of pubs and cafes here, like the famous The Temple Bar Pub. 

#2 Guinness Store House

Experience the history of Ireland’s most iconic beer. As you make your way through the space, explore the ingredients, history, and culture that tell the Guinness story. Your journey ends at the Gravity bar. Included in your ticket is a voucher for 2 drinks. 

#3 Old Jameson Distillery Tour

No matter if you want to learn about the history of the Jameson Whiskey, want a Whiskey tasting or cocktail making and blending class. This distillery got you covered. You can even print your own Whiskey label in their shop (no ticket needed)

#4 Dublin Castle

Dublin Castle is right in the center of Dublin. Until 1922 it was the seat of the British government. Today it is still used by the Irish government but it’s open to the public.

#5 Trinity College Library

The Library of Trinity College is Irelands largest research library. Not only are you able to visit the Bookf of Kells which were written in 800AD but you’re going to witness over 6 million printed volumes of over 400 years of academic development. 

#6 Kilmainham Gaol

Kilimainham Gaol opened in 1796 as one of the most modern prisons in Ireland. Many Irish revolutionaries were imprisoned and executed in this prison. You can experience history here and learn about individual stories of inmates.  

#7 Day Trip to Cliffs of Moher and Galway

If you got enough time, I would recommend doing a day trip to the Cliffs of Moher and Galway. Dublin isn’t very big and Ireland beautiful. The Cliffs of Moher are at the west side of Ireland and takes approximately 3,5 hours. We paid for this trip around 60€ ($67). 

#8 Day Trip to North Ireland

Of course, you can do any kind of tours. There are plenty tours like the Games of Thrones tour or a Titanic Belfast experience tour. It is completely up to your references. 

10 reasons why you need to go to Rome

#1 VIP Tour with pre-entrance Vatican Museum

It’s not surprising, that Vatican Museum is a pretty busy place. If you want to take pictures with almost no one in it, get educated and have a delicious breakfast, you might consider doing the VIP tour. The tour starts around an hour before the museum officially opens. As soon as the tour is done, the tour guide drops you off at the café, where the breakfast is included. The tickets cost 50€.

#2 Photo shooting

Selfies are great but booking an actual photo shooting with a professional is better. I always enjoy doing a shooting within the first days, as it’s kind of a city tour. And the pictures are so much more worth than just selfies. You can find photographers on AirBnB.

#3 Pasta cooking class

Cooking like a real Italian. Thankfully there are plenty great chefs who are willing to share their secrets of Pasta and Pizza making with us. It’s a fun thing to do for everyone no matter if you’re traveling by yourself, with kids or as a couple.

#4 Colosseum tour

A must do when you’re in Rome. If you don’t want the busy tours, I can highly recommend doing the ‘Colosseum under the moon’ tour. This tour is after the official closure of the day. Like the name says, your tour starts, when the moon is high in the sky. The ticket is 25€.

#5 Eat Gelato

I had the best ice cream ever in Italy. Do not care about the calories. Calories do not count while on vacation. An Italian friend recommend to not go to the touristy Gelateria. How do I know if the place is touristy? Apparently, if the Gelato is “big” and with so much decorations, it’s to seduce tourists. “Real” Italians know, that their ice cream is good and doesn’t need impressive decorations to get the people in.

#6 Visit Trastevere

This truly Italian neighborhood is worth a visit. Stroll around and explore the narrow alleys or enjoy the plenty cafes and restaurants. With the wealth of the Imperial Age, several important figures decided to build their villas there like Julius Caesar. Nowadays, Trastevere – Latin for beyond the Tiber’ offers many well-known sights like the Basilica of Santa Maria, one of the oldest churches in Rome. But don’t expect to be the only tourist, because this hidden gem isn’t so hidden anymore.

#7 Go to Eataly

Eataly may seem like a big supermarket, but it’s not. Well, not only. Eataly offers plenty of restaurants, food and beverage counters, bakery, retail items, and  even a cooking school. 

#8 Toss a coin into Trevi Fountain

When visiting the Trevi Fountain, you will see a lot of people throwing coins into the fountain. Legends say, if you throw one coin, you will return to Rome. If you throw two coins, you will return and find love. If you throw three coins, you will return, find love and get married. But there are rules how to throw the coins, if you want your wish to come true. You can with your back to the fountain, toss one coin at a time with your right hand over your left shoulder. Almost 1.5 million Euros ($1,7 million) get collected out of the Trevi fountain each year and given to the catholic charity to help poor and homeless people and used to improve the infrastructure in Rome. 

#9 Santa Maria Immacolata a Via Veneto

This church was commissioned by Pope Urban VIII in 1626. It is famous for the into five chapels divided crypt right under the church. You can find the remains of 4000 friars, buried between 1500 and 1870 as they’re used as ornamental designs on the walls. 

#10 St. Peter’s Basilica dome

The entrance to St. Peter’s Basilica and the tombs of the former popes are free. However, if you want to enjoy the view from the St. Peter’s Basilica dome it is either 8€ when you take the 551 steps or 10€ for the elevator. But even if you take the elevator, there are 320 steps left for you. Unfortunately, it is not wheelchair accessible.

13 reasons why you need to go to London

#1 Watch a musical

Just like New York city has Broadway; London has West End. Even if you’re not a big musical fan, I would always recommend watching at least one show. West End has plenty shows to offer. Find their most recent shows at https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/whats-on

#2 Theatre Cafe

The Theatre Cafe is a multi-award-winning stagey coffee shop and probably my favorite café in London. The food is really good and the atmosphere really welcoming. Even the drinks are perfectly themed into the world of theater. Every once in a while, there are different performances of either musical actors or open mic events. 

#3 Camden Market

One of the biggest and well-known markets in London is Camden Market. It offers all kind of food, art, clothing, souvenirs etc. With more than a million visitors a month, Camden market belongs to the biggest market in the world. Also, if you’re looking for vintage stuff, this is your place to go.

#4 China Town

No matter if you are just a Bubble Tea lover or East Asian food and culture lover in general. Choose from over 100 authentic East Asian restaurants, shops, bars and cafés in China Town in the heart of London, near Leicester Square. If you’re lucky enough you may witness one of their many colorful celebrations. 

#5 Piccadilly Circus

Piccadilly Circus is London’s equivalent to Time Square in New York City and not only famous for the billboards but also the memorial dedicated to the 7th Earl of Shaftesbury. The first billboard was installed in 1900 with an advertisement for Spätenbrau, a brewery in Munich. Piccadilly Circus is surrounded by a lot of shops and restaurants and is always worth a visit. It is referred as circus as it used to be a roundabout. 

#6 Oxford Street

This 2km long street offers lots of shopping possibilities. It’s one of the most important connecting streets of east and west in central London. Because of the traffic, Oxford Street had the highest Nitrogen dioxide pollution ever measured in 2014 and was referred as the most polluted place on earth. Nevertheless, Oxford Street should be always considered.

#7 Leicester Square

As soon as you enter Leicester Square it is pretty hard to miss one of the most well-known attractions around this area. Each hour a Glockenspiel given from Switzerland as a gift announces the full hour to you with little figures dancing around. There are many street artists, theater, shops and restaurants. If you want to follow my first advice, go and check the TKTS tickets booth. You can buy cheaper last-minute tickets there.  

#8 Harrods

One of the most exclusive, biggest and well-known department stores in the world. With 30 departments for luxurious articles, 27 different restaurants and premium services like buying gold, a visit to Harrods might be a bit pricey. But just looking costs nothing.

#9 King’s Cross

If you’re a Harry Potter fan you most likely have this already on your list. King’s Cross is the train station in London. The photo location for a picture jumping through the wall at platform 9 ¾ and a Harry Potter store will probably make your heart beat faster.

#10 Borough Market

Borough Market is one of the oldest food markets in London. I had the best food ever there and it’s always a must do for me. Just go there with an empty stomach and you will be the happiest person.

#11 Warner Bros. Studio Tour – The making of Harry Potter

A walkable tour through the wizarding world of Harry Potter. Ever since its opening in 2012, the Warner Bros. Studio Tour has been the highest-rated attractions on TripAdvisor in the world. With 3,5 hours tour, almost an hour from London with the train and a ticket price of approximately 55€ ($62) (as of November 2021) it takes quite a while and isn’t the cheapest thing to do. But I would recommend it anyway if you’re a Harry Potter fan. However, depending on the season, it might be tricky to get tickets. 

#12 Hyde Park

Always the best option to relax a bit in a big city. Hyde Park offers a big lake where you can swim, row and enjoy the atmosphere as well as horse riding area, soccer pitches and lots of areas to picknick.  

#13 Cereal Killer Cafe

Themed in a 90’s childhood look this cafe offers a full menu of over 100 of your favorite American cereal brands. Not only the atmosphere is just right, the cereals (some served with ice cream) is just delicous.

Edit: Unfortunately due to Covid-19 Cereal Killer Cafe had to shut down. However, there are 2 more in Dubai.

10 reasons why you need to go to Paris

#1 L’Atelier des Lumières

An immersive exhibition of art of two different famous artists. The art is projected against the walls with loud music.

#2 Observation deck of Galerie Lafayette

On deck 8 of Galerie Lafayette is a free observation deck. Unlike the observation deck on the Eiffel Tower, you actually get to see the popular landmark in the Skyline

#3 Sacre Coeur view

Climbing up all those stairs (or just taking the ropeway included in your metro ticket) will be rewarded with a beautiful view over the city.

#4 Stroll alongside the Seine

Take a stroll along the Seine just when the sun is about to set. Local French enjoy their evening sitting, dancing, drinking and eating there. 

#5 Do a river cruise tour

More a touristy thing but I quite enjoyed it. Do a boat tour to see sights out of a different perspective and get interesting information about it on top of it. 

#6 Disneyland Paris

Easy to get there with the RER A (red line) in about 40 minutes is Disneyland Paris. During the pandemic you need to buy a ticket in advance and book the date you are planning to go. Also you need to be vaccinated, recovered or tested within 72 hours.

#7 Versailles

Just as easy to get here with the RER C (yellow line) and about 40 minutes in the opposite direction than Disneyland Paris. If you have the time and you are interested, go and visit Versailles. If you’re a European citizen the entry to the palace (not the garden) is free as long as you’re under 26. If you’re not a European citizen it’s free when you’re under 18. 

#8 Quartier des Halles

My favorite part of Paris is Châtelet – Les Halles. Not only does it offer great shops and restaurants but is also right in the heart of Paris, located near Louvre and Notre Dame.

#9 Catacombs

If you like spooky, historical sights, the catacombs might be for you. You shouldn’t have Asthma nor be claustrophobic since the catacombs are 65 feet deep and it takes 131 steps down and 112 steps back up. It’s cold down there so be sure you pack proper clothes. 

#10 Check for movie premiers 

Paris is a world metropolis. It is not unusual you run into a film set or a movie premiere. Usually, movie premieres are at the Grand Rex Theater. We ran into the set of Brazilian Netflix series and the movie premier of Dune. Just keep an eye open. 

Do’s and Don’ts – Paris Edition

#1 Don’t order water

Unless you want sparkling water, do not order water but a “Carafe d’eau”. It’s tap water but it’s free

#2 Learn basic French

Most of the French speak English, but don’t expect anyone to speak it. You will come further if you know some basic French phrases. 

#3 Say Bonjour and Au Revoir

When entering or exiting a store, say Bonjour and Au Revoir. It shows good manner and is common in France

#4 Take the metro  

Taking the metro is the fastest and easiest way to get around Paris. Paris has a really good metro system and there are metro stations literally everywhere

#5 Don’t throw away your metro ticket

Keep your metro ticket until you’re done using the metro. There may be police checks for tickets. If you throw your ticket away you obviously have no prove you bought a ticket anymore. Even dogs need a ticket, if they don’t fit into a strictly defined bag size 

#6 Take your time in restaurants

When you’re eating in a restaurant don’t expect to be out within an hour. French take their time and so does the restaurant. Plan around 2 hours in a restaurant. 

#7 French dine very late

French eat lunch around 12 a.m. to 2 p.m. hence they eat dinner very late. Usually French dine at around 20 p.m. That’s also the reasons many restaurants open late 

#8 Wear proper clothes

You probably already heard the phrase ‘Paris. The city of fashion’ and it’s true. Parisian are always put well together. If you don’t want to stick out as a tourist, wear proper clothes. Flip Flops and caps don’t belong into Parisian streets. 

#9 Tipping

Check the receipt. In some restaurant there is a so called “Service Compris” with 15% on it which is basically the tip. 

#10 Order a menu 

Many restaurants in France offer menus. It often contains a starter or dessert, main and a drink. It’s cheaper when you order the menu than the actual dish. However, the menus give you 3 main options to choose from. 

5 unique cafes in Tokyo

#1 Owl Nest Café

Japan has to offer multiple animal themed cafes. We chose the Owl Nest Café. They have 8 owls and 4 hedgehogs. You pay 1000 Yen (about $9) for an hour and a drink, if you want to feed them, additional 500 Yen (about $4,50). (Prices may have changed). Each owl has its own profile with information about them like their name, age and whether you can feed or pet them. The owls got treated very well (unlike some other, cheaper owl cafes). The owls have breaks in different rooms and even days off.

#2 Moomin Bakery & Café

Moomin was a huge hit in Japan. Japan even has the first Moomin theme park outside Finland. So it is no wonder, they host two Moomin Cafes. In a circle changing period you get accompanied by different Moomin plush toys, sitting at your table. 

Drinks

On weekdays you’ll get a free drink with your food. You can choose between Coffee, black tea, orange juice, grapefruit juice, apple juice and milk. On weekends and national holidays, it costs additional 200 Yen. As desert I had the Moomin Marshmallow Cream Soda for 1000 Yen.

Food

Lunchtime is between 11 a.m. and 4.45 p.m. Included in your meal is an all you can eat bread buffet as well as a soup. The food combos are quite interesting and honestly, I didn’t like it all. I ordered the Moomin plate with rice, beef and demi-glaced sauce with Dutch cocoa, pasta, salad, vegetables and scrambled egg. My husband had the Quiche & Pasta. If you ordered the Quiche, watch out. There are little fish hidden in the pasta. 

#3 Robot Restaurant

Located in the red-light district this show used to be a sexual show. After becoming a quite popular tourist attraction, they changed it into a kid-friendly show. Personally, I think the show is overpriced. It’s 8000 Yen per person (around $70) without food or drinks, the show takes 90 minutes including two 15-minute breaks. I heard the food should be worse than plane food. 

#4 Maidreaming Maid Café

Japan has more than 200 maid cafes and counting. We encountered the most maid cafes in Akihabara. As you enter, they give you head bands to wear. The entrance fee is 500 Yen (ca. $4,50) and you have to order one thing per person per hour. Besides that, you pay extra for everything. Pictures with the maids aren’t allowed unless you pay for them . 

#5 ALCATRAZ E.R. (unfortunately closed 31st May 2018)

Located near the Shibuya Crossing it is fairly easy to get there. We didn’t need a reservation but if you really want to go there, I would recommend one. You’re sitting in prison cells on the floor. The waitress, dressed as a nurse, will bring you your pills (rice crackers). 

Drinks

ALCATRAZ E.R. has all kind of unique drinks. Most of them contain alcohol (the legal drinking age in Japan is 20). You can get drinks in a baby bottle, in test tubes, in blood transfusion bags or even in a head. They are really turning your drink into something unique. One drink comes with a filled condom which they cut open and squeeze it into your drink, another one comes with a slap in the face. 

Food

Just as unique as the drinks is the food. You can have roast beef vagina shaped, breast shaped rice or a red omelet in shape of a liver or a brain. As dessert they offer red jelly on top of a pad. If you’re not into funny looking food, they also normal looking food. Enjoy!

Do’s and Don’ts – Tokyo Edition

#1 Do learn basic Japanese

Japanese are grateful if you’re speaking or trying to speak their language. Simple Words like “Sumimasen” (engl. Excuse me); “Konnichiwa” (engl. Hello) or “Arigato” (engl. Thank you) already makes a huge impact. It shows that you’re not only interested in their culture but you’re also respecting it.

#2 Get in line

Japanese are really structured and well behaved. They are queueing for almost everything following the principle of comes first served first. When you are in the metro station you will notice marks on the ground. Stand left or right, because the middle aisle is for everyone exiting the train. 

#3 Let people exit the train

Let people exit the train before even thinking of getting on. If you don’t want to stick out negatively, follow the rules. 

#4 Stand of your left-hand side

In Japan rules left-hand traffic. If you’re on an escalator stand on the left side so others can pass you by.

#5 Take off your shoes

Many restaurants and shops kindly ask you to take off your shoes, some even offer slippers. When entering fittings rooms you are always asked to take them off and leave them in front of your cubicle.  

#6 Don’t stain clothes

If you want to try on clothes before buying them, employees may ask you to put some sort of bag above your head so you don’t smudge the clothes. 

#7 Slurping

Get rid of your etiquettes and slurp. It is totally fine to slurp your Ramen. It is said that slurping enhances the flavor of the food and shows, that you’re enjoying the food. 

#8 Don’t blow your nose

It is incredibly rude to blow your nose. If you have a runny nose, do it like the Japanese: Dab your nostrils.

#9 Don’t speak on the phone

You won’t see a single person on the phone in the metro. It’s considered disrespectful to everyone around you. Silence your phone and speak quietly to your companion.

#10 Don’t eat or drink 

Just like talking on the phone, you shouldn’t eat or drink on the train. It is also considered to poor manners to drink or eat while walking. You are not appreciating the food properly. It is believed to have its roots in World War II when food was treasured and not something anyone had. 

#11 Don’t smoke

There are designated smoking areas. It is prohibited to smoke outside these areas. However, some restaurants allow you to smoke inside.   

#11 Don’t stick your chopsticks into the rice

When you’re done eating, do not stick your chopsticks into the rice. It’s a well-known ritual for death and funerals in Japan.

#12 Handing food 

If your companion can’t reach something, do not hand it with the chopsticks. Instead, hand them the plate so they can get it themselves.

#13 Don’t tip

Unlike other countries, tipping is considered incredibly rude to tip someone. If you want to honor their service, just tell them. They value respect more than tipping.

#14 Don’t eat everything

It is polite to leave some food on your plate. If you eat everything, you imply, that the food wasn’t enough and you’re still hungry.