One of London, England's most iconic land marks, Piccadilly Circus bares a similar significance as Time Square doess to New York City. Not actually a circus, the word is derived from the Latin word, meaning circle. This is common nomenclature for circular wide open spaces in shopping districts (Time 'Square', Piccadilly 'Circus'.... get it?). Dating back to the early 1800's, this junction has played a major role in the city's shopping and entertainment industries for almost 2 centuries now. It has also, in it's own right, become a popular meeting place and tourist attraction - sometimes even a meeting point for tourists! Definitely worth checking out if in the area.

Story and Photos by: Mittie Roger

When I went to Budapest, I (sadly) only had a weekend (wedged between two other trips) to taste the Paris of the East. My hotel room was on the Pest side of the Danube River, a niche in a fortified building, a cockroach riddled, pock-marked veteran of the 1956 revolution. Outside my window, clotheslines hung above city traffic and constructions. I had to get my priorities in order. How would I see so much in so little time? I cursed myself for having the plane ticket to Athens. I was already smitten with Hungary.

First thing is first. I had to eat. Ok, so in this regard I’m biased. I will always choose eating and drinking local fare as my number one unless I’m in England (sorry UK!) It’s a great way to chat with locals and get a genuine taste of the flavors of the culture. I found an underground spot where steamy aromas filled the cheap, dimly-lit eatery, and ate till I nearly exploded.

What visit to London would feel complete without a visit to Buckingham Palace. Originally built as a large townhouse back in the early 1700's for the king of Buckingham, the palace has gone through many royal hands and changes in appearance. In it's modern state, there are several areas of the palace which are open to the public to visit. Every 2 days, you can also watch the ceremony of the "Changing of the guards", from the gates of the palace. It's quite a pleasant area to enjoy a nice sunny day. Adjacent to it you will find some enormous parks, including Green Park, Hyde Park and St James park, which together cover over 50 hectars. Definitely an important site to explore of anyone's visit to London, England.

The City Hall of Hanover, Germany is quite a remarkable piece of eclectic architecture. It's 12 year construction was completed around the beginning of the first world war, and cost nearly 10 million marks to complete. One of the most interesting components of the castle like building's construction was the curved elevator which takes you to the top of the dome, where an observation deck can be found! This is open to the public and free of admission fees.

I've never been to a city that embraces one of the greenest means of commuting as much as Amsterdam does! Bike riding is extremely abundant, and nearly every local will use one as a means of transport if the commuting distance is sort enough. Surprisingly, even with the abundance of bicycles on the road, theft is still quite high. The city fishes dozens of stolen then dumped bikes out of it's canals every week. If unclaimed, they are then resold at reasonable rates. This is a good choice for obtaining a bike if you are planning an extended stay. If you are planning a short visit, there are many places to hire a bike for a few hours, if you'd like to tour around the city centre. Parking (as you can see above) can be hectic, so if you're planning on any stops on your site-seeing voyage, it may be best to stick to transit or my second favorite "2 feet and a heartbeat". As a pedestrian, due to the high number of cyclists, please be extra mindful of the bikes passing when crossing the streets. 

For more Tips on biking, please visit this link.