Harpoon Octoberfest

Location: Boston, MA

While it isn't Germany we had to deal with the next best thing and hit up Octoberfest at the Harpoon brewery in South Boston.

The Harpoon Lambrac get a *** star rating. All in all the alternative local brew that is about a close in notoriety to Sam Adams gets and only mediocre rating from the two of us. If you are looking for some thing from Harpoon try the IPA or the Heffwizen for nice golden beers.

Below is a crapy cell phone shot of the ompa band playing American pop songs in a very German fashion.

Cheers,

Wired News: IPod Maps Draw Legal Threats

An intresting service while it lasts. I say just the nature or riding a subway provides a practical minded individual to map it out them selves. Well it seems that that is exactly what this chap has been doing in light of a few cese and disist orders received from San Francisco and NYC. Right now he is seeing about getting legal rights to printing these maps up.

We will have to see how everything pans out.

On my last trip I was carying my iPod fathfuly with me. Unfortunatly I sitll have an older Black and white display so I wasn't able to play with this nifty little hack, but totaly see the use.

Definatly one of the better travel companions (that dosn't breath air. I would still pick jill over my iPod) becuse of its entertainment pourposes and storage functionality. Almost all of the photos that are up on http://urbanbackpacker.smugmug.com were caried at one point around on my iPod.

The recent close division in the German population vote for it's new chancellor raises a few questions

The recent close division in the German population vote for it's new chancellor raises a few questions. What is this election commentary regarding a divided country telling us about modern industrialized states with similar values? The US has been dealing with similar difficulties for the last 5 plus years. It seems to me at least that the would have become recently more and more political polarized. We are in a very black and white society when it comes to global politics. While I don't agree with this inflexibility I do see it's prevalence in the world today.

Is this a commentary on the on going debate about strong vs. Weak governments? Or is it conservative vs liberal, shredder vs. Merkel, Democrats vs. Republican.

Are there two Germany's like people say there are two Americas?

Links to the Forbes article:
Click here

SPORER Spirituosen und Weine - Schnaps Liköre Stille Nacht Punsch Kräuterbitter

A nice Salzburg Schnaps shop.

Cheers

Germany gears up for polls - NDTV.com - News on Germany gears up for polls

Germany gears up for polls - NDTV.com - News on Germany gears up for polls

Even more election news.

Its down to the wire.

Backpacking The World

Backpacking The World

These Canadians really get around. It never ceases to amaze me the number of Canadians, Aussies, and Zelanders off on these long walk abouts.

We Americans need to get this all straitened out and keep from overworking ourselves.

Expatica's German news in English: SPD uses dead US soldiers on election posters

With the German election heating up the mud is slinging.

With election day only few days off the political climate in Germany is starting to get tense.


Check out this link to an article on Expatica discussing Schroeder's party the SPD (Social Democratic Party) use of dead US soldiers underscoreing his opposition to the Iraq War and poking at his conservative opponent Merkel who could be not only a female chancellor but also one born in former DDR. Intresting stuff if forign politics are your cup of tea.

I will be posting some back entries including other election posters and some of the debate highlights that between Schroeder and Merkel while we were stillin Munich.

Did you know...

Random Fact:

Provided by the UN and given on the CyberSchoolBus



This brings up a curious topic and deserves a few observation we made with our friends from Cali with the nice import coffee from the Netherlands. Earlier on our travels we observed that our train on the Golden Pass thorough Central Switzerland had toilets that obviously (you could see rail ties whizzing by pardon the pun) dumped onto the tracks..

Now I haven’t used the rail system in the US as extensively as I this I now have in Europe, but I never observed the bathroom so closely as I started to in Europe. I believe the same is true now in the US. For example airlines dump waste out via pressurized toilets. In fact an episode of 6 Feet Under Opened with the death scene pulled off by “Blue Ice”.

Where does your poop go? The UrbanBackpacker would like to know.

Disney 1/2 Marathon to benefit the Arthritis Foundation

Disney ½ Marathon to benefit the Arthritis Foundation:

UrbanBackpacker Jill is running the Disney Marathon taking place at Walt Disney World in Florida on January 8, 2006.  The race snakes through the major parks at the Disney World Resort making for an interesting race backdrop.

Jill is currently running with the Joints in Motion Team and raising money for the Arthritis Foundation.  Her target goal is $2,500 and she can use any and all of the support that she can get.  Jill has set up a Blog including her training schedules and up dates on her training over the next several months.  

If you wish to make a donation please visit the Joins in Motion home page or Jill’s Training Blog.

• Follow This Link to visit Jill’s personal web page and help me in my efforts to support Arthritis Foundation, Massachusetts Chapter


• or Follow This Link to visit Jill’s training Blog

I know that these are tough times many people have been making large donations to the Hurricane Katrina relief effort, but if you could find room for any donation no matter how small it would be appreciated.

Moblie blogging how to...

Location: Boston, MA

Subject:     I figured since it is sort of an interesting topic and I keep getting questions about it Mobile Blogging seemed worth an entry.

To get started you will need:

• 1 blog


• 1 mobile phone with MMS or SMS capabilities


• Access to 1 computer to configure every thing you will need to get going.

Personally I have had most success with MMS posts.  I seem not to be able to get just simple text to work.  That said an MMS message without a picture is generally treated as text only by most service providers.  While traveling abroad you should first check with your US based carrier and verify what types of services you will have in your destination country.  If you plan on getting prepaid service while traveling you will need to reconfigure the phone settings with Blogger after you have your new phone.  This may be a bit tricky and could take up valuable text messages just to get started.

1. First be registered with Blogger

1. You will need to send Blogger a text message off of your mobile phone to the following address                  .  Bloger will return a key that you will use to link your phone number/email with your blog.

1. Enter your code on the following page http://www.blogger.com/mobile-start.g to link it with your blog.

1. Now any message sent off your phone will be posted with in a few second to your blog.  

This feature is good for quick notes do not expect at all that you will be able to do long books with just a phone.  There are still limits to technology.

For info on Blogger read On the Go with Blogger: click here

Site overhaul comming soon...

I am currently working in between work and life on getting the front end overhauled.  I figure I know enough not to be biting off of other peoples templates and have a few tricks up my sleeves.  In keeping with the spirit of this site I will provide descriptions on how I use the various API’s and as well as the my code if any one is interested in using the same template.

Rants about Swiss Internet

Location: Boston, MA

Subject:     Now I am pissed and think that this deserves a back entry into the Blog.  While staying Luzern Switzerland we were finally starting to feel the bit of the exorbitantly high Swiss standard of living.  Before arriving in Switzerland we were warned about ridiculous charges for things like laundry at 12 chf (Swiss Franc for the latest exchange to the dollar click here) a load.  

Our Hostile in Luzern, Backpackers Hostel was charging 2 chf for 15 mins of internet time.  In a mad dash to get some of our posts up and update our readers I had my session just shut off.  This killed two drafts that I had just spent good francs on.

This got me pissed!

Sleaping in Hostile Situations

Location: Boston, MA

Subject: I feel after speaking with friends about our latest trip that some coments are needed regarding hostiles and sleeping accommodations when traveling.

The concept of hostiles began in Germany in the ___________ . As you can imagin Germany has some of the most hostiles out of any country in the world. It is safe to say that in any major town you pick off the map chances are you will find a hostile of some sort.

What are the advantages? Hostiles tend to be cheep and affordable. In order to keep up with an ever competitive tourist environment many hostiles tend to offer a verity of accommodations ranging from dorm style rooms with 6 or more people to a room to single bedrooms with private bath and shower facilities. And most of all they are tend to be cheep no frills places to rest your head for a night.

Some definate things to keep in mind are the following:

1. Often times you will be sharing space with other people. Therefore be considerate of roommates and house rules such as lights out times and curffues. You do want to have some security with your valuables so bring a lock and cable. If lockers arn't provided chain your stuff up and keep it safe. As the old saying goes lockes keep honest people honest.
2. In you want to skimp on sheet rentals (many places will charge extra for this semmingly necessary sleeping items) you can travel with your own.
3. Use the front desk staff to call ahead and arange your next night when changing locations. This will often times be free and will save you some serious headaches later.
4. Bring a social attitued. You will be in close quarters with other travelers basicaly all with the same goal in mind. Haveing fun. Use this to your advantage. Pick your fellow travelers brains and see what you may be able to find out about local happenings. Many times you can feel out attractions and places from some one who saw it earlier that day. As a bonus these people will often be your drinking and card buddies on nights you may just what to stay in and have a low key evening. Many hostiles are complete with thier own bar.
5. Stock up on any free food or included breakfast. Make sandwitches for lunch, stuff your pockets with rolls. Do what ever to keep from spending way too much on food. At the same time do remeber to try local things when ever posible. It may be your only chance ever to do so.
   

smugMaps: Urban Backpacker Map tours now avaliable

smugMaps: combining the power of Google Maps with 32,000,000+ smugmug photos

I have managed to get a number of our photos from our trip up online.  I am also working on adding Geo Cordinates to a number of pics to give a better tour of this past trip as well as some previous ones.      

Check out the photo album at: http://www.smugmug.com/community/Urbanbackpackers

Just a few admin notes

Location: Boston, MA

Subject:   Sine I have had a bit of time this weekend I was able to get going on some of our photographs.  Right now I am running a few galleries on SmugMug.com and have set up links off the main page of the UrbanBackpacker Blog.  Look for more to come.  I am working on splitting the site into 3 sections: One for mobile phones and other devices, another for low to medium bandwidth connections, and finally a high band width version hopefully with some Google Earth uses going on.

Back in the USA

Location: Boston, MA

Subject:     How do you know your back in Boston?  People are already asking how the Sox are doing before even clearing through customs.    

After a slow crawling customs line and a quick welcome home from the Agent at the head of the line we were back on US soil.  A quick shot over to baggage where we watched them simply tow our bags up through a hole since the conveyer belt wasn’t working.  Out to the Silver line (really a bus) and a transfer at South Station to the Red and we were back in Cambridge again.

We were only able to get down a little bit of our travels so please refer back in a week or two once I am able to get in and do some serious work on everything.

Cheers,

Turtle

Euro Youth Hostal

Location: Munich, Germany

Subject: The Euro Youth Hostile München, Germany

With close proximity to the train station (only 3 blocks from the side entrance) makes this an ideal spot to stay if sailing through Munich on your way to other destinations. It also falls just at the start of the cities main drag. Rooms are cheep, at the time of our stay it was around €22 a night and per person of course. There is a price scale based on room arrangements starting with group style doom rooms, triples, and privet doubles. If you are afraid of crowded sleeping situations try shooting for the mid range of pricing and chances are you may luck out with a privet room. Reservations are recommended for the dorm rooms since this place is well recommended by many other guide books including Lets Go, Lonely Planet, and even Deysukia’s our Japanese friend from Rotenberg book as well. The last is an interesting to note since many Asian groups are there including a chap from Tokyo and Korean sporting a Red Sox cap that I was chatting with while waiting for the showers.

During the evening the bar on the first floor can get quite happening and serves Augustiner a good local brew from the monks a few blocks away with a fantastic bier garden. Generally the bar seems to have only guests but you do see the occasional local stroll in like the old German grandmother who shared a table with me and smoked away at her cigarettes. The staff is young so expect a young vibe around the place. There are couches and some coin operated internet cafes. While breakfast is offered for a few it is best to simply go foraging around Munich itself.

If the place is filled check any of the others on the strip. You have places like Wombats in a modern looking building; this is the same ownership as the one in Wien (Vienna). On top of that there are few other hostiles along the way and a few budget hotels located on the opposite side of the rail station by the Doutch Touring bus stop and offices.

Website: http://www.euro-youth-hotel.de/

E-mail: info@euro-youth-hotel.de

Address: Senefelderstr. 5
80336 München

Phone: 0049 89 599088 11
Fax: 0049 89 599088 77