Author Archives: jayandtanya

Bad König: In Search of the Bath King

Posted on April 27, 2016 by jayandtanya

In our hometown of Portland, Oregon, we have a local plumbing supply store icon, George Morlan, otherwise known as “The Water Heater King”. So, we were intrigued to discover an old town nestled in the countryside of Hesse called “Bad König” … Continue reading →

Posted in Europe, Germany | Leave a comment

Going Down the Drain in Paris

Posted on April 13, 2016 by jayandtanya

Ah, Paris. The City of Light, of romance. The most popular city in the world for people seeking love, joy, beauty and the chance to tell their friends that, yes, they were in Paris last week. OK, that’s all fine. … Continue reading →

Posted in Europe, France | 1 Comment

The Witches of Idstein

Posted on April 5, 2016 by jayandtanya

Idstein is a pretty little town about 20 minutes by car from Wiesbaden. It is charming and appears to be a very popular location for the construction of upscale condos, providing residents with an easy commute to Frankfurt. The new … Continue reading →

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Würzburg is not a mountain of sausages

Posted on March 26, 2016 by jayandtanya

Jay is a linguist at heart. He loves words, especially those not of his native English. He loves the funny ways he can pronounce them and give them meanings that are most likely only funny to him. Tanya says he’s a geek. She’s right, of course, … Continue reading →

Posted in Europe, Germany | 4 Comments

Esslingen am Neckar: Another UNRAD

Posted on March 22, 2016 by jayandtanya

In our ongoing quest to find worthwhile “under the radar destinations” or UNRADs, we recently uncovered a cute little gem of a town just 14 km south of Stuttgart. While little Esslingen was once a major trade center in the … Continue reading →

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The Jazz Cruise 2016

Posted on March 7, 2016 by jayandtanya

Earlier this year, we spent seven days at sea with some of the finest jazz musicians in the world. Immersing ourselves in the music and the jazz family practically non-stop all day and night for a week was definitely a … Continue reading →

Posted in USA | 3 Comments

Images of Key West, Florida

Posted on March 2, 2016 by jayandtanya

What images come to mind when you hear the name “Key West”? For us, in no particular order, we’ve always thought Hemingway, hurricanes and of the end of a long road extending into the Gulf of Mexico from mainland Florida. … Continue reading →

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Catching up with an old friend in the Dominican Republic

Posted on February 18, 2016 by jayandtanya

Tropical breezes, sunshine, laid-back lifestyle…what more is there to want? A college buddy of Jay’s, whom he hadn’t seen since at least 1989, has lived in the Dominican Republic for the last five years. We decided it was high time to … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments

Fasching in Wiesbaden

Posted on February 12, 2016 by jayandtanya

Fasching, Karneval, Fastnacht…different regions of Germany have different names for these annual days leading up to Lent. But the overall concept is the same…partying, costumes, drinking and parades. Wiesbaden had its own parade last Sunday and while the crowds seem … Continue reading →

Posted in Europe, Germany | 2 Comments

Trabants, Ostalgia and Refugees

Posted on January 13, 2016 by jayandtanya

A few weeks ago, I was walking down the street in beautiful downtown Görlitz, the easternmost city in Germany. I saw this vehicle parked along the curb and I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. Could it be? Was it … Continue reading →

Posted in Europe, Germany | 7 Comments