Located in the upscale Potsdamer Platz neighborhood within walking distance of the Brandenburg Gate, the Grand Hyatt Berlin is a great hotel choice in Berlin. I must admit, my favorite (points) hotel in Berlin has always been the Westin...
Singapore Airlines: Cheap Last-Minute New York – Frankfurt Tickets
After New York last week, John and I had to fly to Frankfurt to meet with a shipping transport company. We had planned to use miles, but Thursday turned out to be a particularly busy travel day so nothing...
Best City for a Night Out is…Hamburg?
I’m not much of a nightlife person, preferring to be in bed by 9pm, but in my travels to over 125 nations I’ve certainly experienced my fair share of nightlife. Which world city is best for a night out?...
German Court Rules Kuwait Airways Can Deny Boarding to Israelis
A German court has ruled that Kuwait Airways can refuse to transport Israeli citizens without running afoul of German anti-discrimination law. The case involved a man who had purchased a ticket from Frankfurt to Bangkok via Kuwait City on...
Berlin Voters: Keep Tegel Airport Open
We don’t know when Berlin Brandenburg Airport will finally open, but it’s now slated for 2019…only nine years late. Even when it finally does, Berlin voters have expressed a preference to keep Tegel Airport open. The original plan was...
Air Berlin Bailed Out by German Government
Air Berlin filed for bankruptcy protection today after Etihad Airways pulled the plug on future funding. The German government quickly stepped in to provide a bridge loan so that Air Berlin can continue operations as it searches for a...
The Trip Home from DC…Washington to Los Angeles via Frankfurt
As if our busy inauguration day was not enough, John and I detoured to Germany on our way home from Washington. A number of factors were to “blame”. A prefect storm brewed—procrastination and sold out flights with the specter...
Lufthansa and Etihad Merger Won’t Happen. Here’s Why.
Reuters broke news this morning that Etihad is considering up to a 40% stake in Lufthansa with mutual plans for merger under consideration. Stranger things have happened, but I find the merger scenario very unlikely. Why a Lufthansa – Etihad...
Review: Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge Frankfurt
Perhaps familiarity does breed contempt, but the Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge in Frankfurt was a welcome relief from the oft-crowded network of Lufthansa departure lounges nearby. Located in Terminal 1 in the B-Gate Area (non-Schengen), the lounge is...
My Two Hour Visit To A German Emergency Room
Lucky had a pretty bad experience at a German hospital earlier this week so I thought I would provide a different perspective. Unfortunately, I’ve had experience with German hospitals as well and you can rest assured that not all...
Airplane Food Delivered to Your Door!
I have a confession to make about airline meals. While most curse United Airlines for the “unchanging” “nasty” “disgusting” “tried” breakfast entrée pictured below, it is one of my favorite meals and if I had the chance to order...
How I Learned That I Could Never Be A Farmer
My wife’s suggestion seemed innocent enough: let’s visit my cousins on the farm for a couple days before the wedding. I was at the farm once – in the winter of 2013 – and it seemed like an okay...
The Food I Won’t Leave the Country Without!
I am currently 35,000 feet in the air crossing the Atlantic ocean, on my way to Germany for an extended stay. Most of my trips to Germany are short–just one to two weeks in length–but this time I will...
10 Days in Europe
The last few days have been hectic—travel from coast to coast, the Freddies, final exams, and a term paper. Thankfully, that is all behind me now and I will be taking a breather for the next week and a...
Your Driver’s License is not an ID Card!
ID Card (noun) – a card bearing identifying data (as age or organizational membership) about the individual whose name appears thereon. Betcha thought this was going to be a post about the TSA. It’s not. It’s about Budget Rent-A-Car. And...
Review: Park Hyatt Hamburg
When my brother and I decided to drive up to Hamburg for a weekend, there were many considerations that shaped our travel plans. Hamburg, Germany’s second largest city, is a nice change of pace from Frankfurt and it was...
Non-Rev Adventures on United Airlines, Part I
While it pains me to even tell you this story, I trust you can enjoy a chuckle at my expense (maybe one day I will too…) and avoid a very carless mistake. A couple weeks ago, I had a...
Return to Germany!
The last two months have been great—only two airplane trips in early June and most of the time spent at home in Los Angeles with family and friends. Still, I have not been in Germany since March and boy...
Looking Back on a Remarkable Year in Frankfurt
There are good years and then there are good years. This has been a good year. I said my goodbyes yesterday and have left Germany, another chapter in my life now complete. For those who did not know, I...
Nuremberg Christmas Market
As we enter the Christmas season and my final days in Germany, I thought rather than jetting off to some exotic or dangerous country this weekend I would take a day to check out a new German city and...
