Link Goodies #9

Travel

1) London is definitely becoming a place that is shedding its horrible rep with food. I mean, how can you not want to book a plane straight to London after seeing these 21 London Street Foods you Need to Eat in this Lifetime.

2) I finally got my photos back from my trip snorkeling in Iceland,  but until I post about it, here are 10 Weirdest Things About Icelanders.

3) There are tons of abandoned places in Germany.  Here are 18 of them.  Like abandoned places?  Here is an entire abandoned town I've been to.

4) World's Strangest Festivals.  I've been wanting to go to La Tomatina forever!

5) If the title of this article doesn't draw you in, I don't know what will.

6) The German language definitely has its funny words, but here are 18 words you won't believe exist.

Cute

7) Okay I'm not quite sure this should be under the cute category because some people might think it's ugly, but this animal looks ridiculous/cute(?) so I had to share.

Freelance Writing

8) As a freelance writer, I'm always on the lookout for a good article dealing with freelancing.  Here are 10 Great Apps for Busy Freelancers.

9) Considering starting your own business?  Who isn't, right?  Here are 5 things to consider.

Shopping

10) I'll take one of these in every color!

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I Attended a Penn State Game in Dublin

Yes, I attended a Penn State Game in Dublin.  If it sounds odd, that's because it is.  When I found out my alma mater was playing in Dublin, I screamed with excitement.  One, because I've been away from America for two years and seeing a game would make me feel like I was home again, and Two, because Dublin.  I promptly booked tickets through RyanAir and asked one of my school mates who now lives in London if she wanted to go as well. 

Now I'm not a football fan by any means, but there's something about supporting your college football team that makes even the most non sports lover a foaming, screaming, freak. The game had a great turn out playing University of Central Florida.  The game was exciting because Penn State was winning up until the last quarter and then UCF got in the lead.  Penn State won with a field goal in the last few seconds! 

I was happy we won because then we'd get to see a bunch of happy Penn Staters out at the bar later that night.  And we did.  They were everywhere.  It was very strange seeing Penn State fans all over Dublin.  They were even in the woods when we veered out to see the Wicklow Mountains. Although the Irish didn't understand American football, there were plenty of them out to see the game and they were very interested in learning.  Similarly, the next day at Croke Park, there was a game of Gaelic football that I wouldn't understand.

The Penn State Game

Wicklow Mountains National Park

I didn't just go to Ireland for the game.  I wanted to see the Irish countryside.  B, his parents, myself, and my friend, Danielle all packed into a rental for a day trip around the countryside.  We decided to go to the Wicklow Mountains National Park.  The countryside was beautiful as was expected.  

We spent some time at the "Monastic City" which is the remains of an early christian monastic settlement near Glendalough Valley.  We walked through the old cemetery, cathedral, and round tower.  We spent hours just driving around taking in the views and we also stopped off at The Woolen Mill Outlet which I suggest.  The gray wool poncho I am wearing in the pictures is something I bought during my trip and I wish I would have bought another one as they are more expensive online.

Kilkenny Castle

We decided to go to Kilkenny to see the Kilkenny Castle and explore the town.  It's quite a drive from Dublin but the town is a lot smaller and quant.  It happened to be a heritage day and so our entrance to the castle was free.  After doing a self guided tour, we had dinner downtown and also stopped in at a local candy shop for treats and some Irish toffee.

Book of Kells

I didn't get to do a whole lot of sight seeing but I did get to see the Book of Kells.  It's located in the Trinity College Library.  The line was pretty long but it went fast.  Admission is 10 euro.  You get to see the old library and the Book of Kells.  It's a very intricately detailed book with a Gospel manuscript in Latin containing the four Gospels of the New Testament.   The library is pretty impressive and it's what I imagine as my dream library with rolling ladders a dark wooden bookshelves.  A girl can dream. 

Other Stuff I Did in Dublin

This trip was different than most of my other trips mostly because I was with a group of other people.  I didn't do as much sightseeing as I would have liked but it was nice to get to travel with a group for a change.  We did a lot of drinking in Dublin.  For a non beer drinker, I sure had my fill of Guinness.  When in Dublin...  We also did a haunted walking tour.  I wouldn't do that again, but I heard the haunted bus tour is a lot of fun.  

We partied in Temple Bar which is an area of Dublin that is known as the party side of town.  It's full of tourists, but it's a must see.  The nightlife in Dublin is fantastic.  I read somewhere that 50% of Dubliners were under 25 so of course there is a thriving nightlife.

We also took advantage of the great seafood in Dublin.  The first night we took a 30 minute train ride to Howth for some seafood right near the train station.  I even got to experience an Irish breakfast.  Beans for breakfast isn't so bad.  Not great, but not bad. 

What I Didn't Do in Dublin

I only had really two and a half days in Dublin and unlike other trips, I really felt like I have some unfinished business left there.  There are a ton of things I didn't get to do. If I could go back, I'd buy more Irish wool, go to Dublinia which is a viking museum in the Christ's Church, the Guinness Storehouse, The Jameson Distillery, and I'd see more of the countryside.  As an English major I really wanted to do the literary pub crawl and see the Dublin Writer's Museum to look at works by writers I learned about in school like Joyce, Yeats, and Wilde.  I guess what I'm saying is I'd love to go back.  

Have you been to Dublin?  Tell me all about it in the comments!

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So You Want to Own an Authentic Swedish Mora Clock?

Source   Since I posted about my genuine Swedish Mora Clock purchase in June, I've received quite a few emails with inquiries about where they can find one.  Because I'm so impressed with my dealer and because I think everyone should be able to take home one of these beautiful clocks I'd love to share some information about how you can own one.      Now the dealer gets them from a dealer in Sweden and you won't find these prices anywhere else.  She lives in Germany so you would have to come pick up the clock yourself or make some arrangements to have it shipped, but I am very content with the Mora Clock that I picked out.   If you are seriously interested in purchasing one of these clocks, send me an email to  therococoroamer@gmail.com and I will forward you the information of my dealer! Have fun picking out the clock of your dreams!
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How to Buy Lederhosen

Monthly Inspiration: How to Buy Lederhosen   Last year during the Oktoberfest season, I posted an article called, "How to Buy a Dirndl."  You know, the female garb traditionally worn in Bavaria? Well I noticed that this time of year, being so close to Oktoberfest, that this article is currently my most popular post...ever.  Wow! I also had a lot of emails asking me to do a post about Lederhosen, or the male counterpart to a dirndl.  So here you go!   I've been to two Oktoberfests so far and will be going to another one this year.  But Oktoberfest isn't the only time that Bavarians wear their trachten (traditional garb).  There are summer festivals, fall festivals, beer festivals, music festivals, you name it.  You can wear trachten at all of them.  Today I'm going to show you the different kinds of lederhosen you or your significant other can buy.  In my case, I was helping B shop for his lederhosen and there are actually a lot more styles than you think.     Lederhosen literally means leather pants, but the pants aren't the only part of the outfit.  You have your pants, dress shirt, sock, shoes, and sometimes a hat and jacket.  You can get as fancy as you want here folks.   The Pants

Traditional lederhosen are made of leather.  So right off the bat, they are going to be expensive.  The great thing about the lederhosen is that leather keeps its appearance of looking clean and peasants would be able to wear them over and over without washing.   The main styles I have noticed are the suspenders that make the shape of an M on the front or suspenders that simply have one piece of fabric crossing in between.  I prefer the latter.  You can also wear them without the suspenders, essentially just leather shorts.  They come in three different lengths; short, long, and just below the knee.  I don't see a lot of long ones and I definitely prefer the ones below the knee.  To me, the short ones look hilarious on adults. The colors in leather can also vary from tan to black and I prefer darker colored leather.   The Shirts

The shirts are often plaid or plain.  I actually love flannels so pairing them with the lederhosen is such a great look.  There are so many different color combinations to choose from and probably the best way to choose is by coordinating with your significant other's dirndl.   The Socks

During the warmer months you'll want to pair some wool socks with the lederhosen.  You find them rolled down, short, long, or even this style in the middle. I actually like the longer look, but either way the socks are a big part of the overall aesthetic.
The Shoes

You'll need to finish off the look with a nice pair of leather shoes.  There is a traditional style but that doesn't mean you have to go out and buy them.  Any nice looking pair of leather shoes will do.  B made the mistake of wearing skateboarding shoes with his the first year and trust me, it doesn't look good.  If anything, stick with a black or brown color.
The Extras

All images via bavaria-lederhosen.com

Now that you have all the basics you are all set to go to Oktoberfest or any other fest in Bavaria.  But there are some extras that you can add if you are so inclined.  There are jackets, sweaters, hats, vests, belts, and so on.  All of these extras just help to make the outfit more fancy.  But wearing the basics is fine too.  The funnest part is finding what you like to come up with your unique outfit! I think the best way to find your set is by going to an actual store and my favorites are Moser and Pollinger.

So what other countries can you see Lederhosen?  Austria, Switzerland, and parts of Northern Italy.  Ever wonder why Pinocchio wears lederhosen?  It may be because of a mashup of regions and cultures that they decided to dress an Italian character in traditional Bavarian garb.   Here's to hoping that your trachten shopping is made a little easier and if you're not going to Oktoberfest or a fest at all this year, hopefully you found this information interesting.  This year,  Oktoberfest runs from September 20 through 5 October. If you are looking for more information on the subject of Oktoberfest I have some more posts coming over the next few weeks and you can also check out some of my older posts below:
How to Buy a Dirndl | Oktoberfest | Oktoberfest Through Instagram  
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The Modern Nursery in 5 Different Styles

I'm not expecting, but if I was, I'd love to decorate a nursery that reflects a more modern look and style.  With the 5 examples of modern nurseries I've recently featured on Furniture Fashion, I think you'll enjoy going beyond decorating in pink or blue.  Click the link below for the full article!
The Modern Nursery in 5 Different Styles

Source
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Freelance Writing Services

Although I've been freelancing for over a year now, I never even thought to advertise this service on my blog.  I'm not sure how I could have let that slip my mind, but I'm here to tell you what services that I offer in case you are interested in having something written or edited for your blog, company, or website.   Now that I am finished with grad school, I feel it is a great time to advertise that I am accepting new clients and open to working with people on all types of projects.  My prices are reasonable and you can see what I have to offer below.  You can find the same information below on my Contact/Hire Me tab and if you'd like to get in touch you can send me an email therococoroamer@gmail.com.  

In addition to running this blog, I am also available for freelance writing services.  I am available to work on single projects, collaborations, or regular contributions. Some of the writing I can do includes:

• Article Writing: For companies, magazines, blogs, etc.  I'd love to help you generate content that people will love.

• Proofreading/Editing: Have a physical or online document that needs some proofreading for grammar and style?  Let me know. I can't tell you how many times I've come across professional websites that not only need help with grammar, but also style. I can also help with resume writing tips, overall aesthetic, as well as help with cover letters.

• Guest Posts: Do you want a guest post from me? Do you want to guest post on my blog?  Let's talk.

• Sponsored Posts/Reviews: Have something you think my readers would love to know about?  I can offer sponsored posts or review your business/product as long as it is something that fits with my blog.

• Other Writing:  Don't see something listed here?  I can probably write about it so drop me an email and we can discuss.

• Travel:  We all have our niches, which tend to make great articles, I love to write about travel.  I live in Europe and travel quite often, see my Travel Bucket List. 

• Vintage/Antique/Flea Markets: I am an avid treasure hunter all over Europe.  I love to write about this stuff!

• I also like to write about International Culture, DIY, Home Decor, Furniture (antique and new), Non Profit Organizations, Organizations, Business, Social Advocacy, Supervising, Foster Care, Hotels, The Military Community, Healthy Living, Fashion, Education, Personal Development, Learning a Language, Writing, Blogging, Music/Concerts, Architecture/Interiors, Europe, USA, Animals, Shopping, Relationships, Social Media, Marketing.

The above niches are my favorite things to write about, but I can write about almost anything.

• Bachelor of Arts in English
• Minor in Media Studies
• Master of Human Relations
• Courses in Editing, Media Ethics, Creative Writing, Business Writing, etc.
• Proficient with Blogger and Wordpress formats, Mac, Windows, Excel, and Photoshop.
• I am the owner of The Rococo Roamer, feel free to peruse old posts to see my writing.
• I have done various freelance projects to include sponsored posts, content, and regular contributions for a Modern Interior Design Wordpress blog called, Furniture Fashion. 

Anyone can write content, but not everyone can write great content.  My writing is clear, concise, and fun to read.  I am easy to work with and open to questions.

If you'd like to hire me, send me an email at therococoroamer@gmail.com and we can discuss ideas and prices!  

Thanks and I look forward to hearing from you!

-Brittany Ruth @ The Rococo Roamer Linking up at:
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My Second Year in Europe

During the recap of year one living in Europe, I talked about how it all began and the journey making it to Bavaria.  I talked about my worries about having to make new friends, a new job, adjust to a new country and starting graduate school.  As today marks my second year living in Europe and more specifically Germany, I am happy to report that year two was even more enjoyable and productive that year one.  I'm still with my current job but have been promoted a few times, I've made a good little group of friends, though it's still hard to fine a lot of good ones and expats come and go, and I finished grad school which seemed to have just blown right by.    Now I've been more serious about my blog with a new design and have begun really getting into freelance righting with a lot of other side project hopes.  Year two in Europe has been amazing and I want to recap all of the travel I've done in the past year, mostly to reflect on for myself, but also to highlight some of the trips that readers may have missed.   Germany
I live in Germany and do get a lot of travel around Bavaria.  But the downside is that since I do live here, I tend to plan trips elsewhere because I know that I can always do the last minute stuff here.  That's probably why I haven't been to Berlin yet.  But I am going to try to make plans to take care of that this year.  Here are some of the main highlights of my trips in Germany.   1) Oktoberfest (second year)- Last year at Oktoberfest was a lot of fun.  I'm going again in a few weeks and I will be posting a lot of Oktoberfest inspired posts throughout the month of September.     2) Ludwigsburg Pumpkin Festival- I really liked this festival.  I love pumpkin everything and the food at this festival was amazing! Hope I can go again this year.   3) Wiesbaden Christmas Market- Wiesbaden is such a nice upscale area to visit and the Christmas Market was pretty awesome.   4) Heidelberg-  I really liked Heidelberg because there is so much to do here from the Castle to the Konigstuhl, to the Christmas Market and University.  Such a pretty and historical place to visit.   5) Helicopter Views over Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau Castles- Okay so I technically wasn't here for this one although I have seen both castles.  These aerial images are ones that my husband took in a helicopter, I just had to share them again because I think it was a unique opportunity for him.   6) Passau Christmas Market- Passau is a nice town only about two hours from where I live. The Christmas Market was nice and we took Louis to this one.   7) Regensburg Christmas Market at the Thurn and Taxis- I'm in Regensburg pretty often, but this time I was here for the Christmas Market.  I would love to one day go inside the Thurn and Taxis and see the beautiful Rococo and Baroque interior.   8) Garmisch- Garmisch is another place that I've gone to several times and I know I'll go back.  There is so much to do here and I dubbed it the most Bavarian town in Germany.   9) Partnach Gorge- The Partnach Gorge is a place near Garmisch and it's a beautiful spot to get some photos.   10) Nurnberg Flea Market-  I frequent the Nurnberg Flea twice a year.  It disappointed me a bit when I went in May but I need to give it another chance.   11) Homburg Flea Market-  The Homburg Flea was a quick stop we made before my graduation ceremony in Ramstein.  I wish I had more time here because it looked like an awesome flea.   12) Nymphenburg Palace-  This palace is in Munich and it's where I took my friend Destiny to visit while she came to visit me in Germany.  

Italy
I did some traveling in Italy last year when we B and I did our honeymoon cruise that included Venice and Bari.  But those weren't the experiences that I enjoyed most about Italy and since then I have done some solo travel in Southern Italy and I enjoyed it a lot more.   1) The Port of Naples- I went to Naples for a weeklong class and although The Port of Naples was a little rough and I had been advised not to visit alone, I thought it was fine.  I basically went to eat, because come on it's Naples.   2) Capri- Capri was another trip I did while taking my class for grad school. I did this with a group tour because I had to take a ferry over to get there. Capri was by far my favorite stop on my trip.  It's beautiful.   3) AnaCapri- AnaCapri is on the same island as Capri and I enjoyed a short cable car ride to the top of the mountain.   4) Pompeii- I loved traveling to Pompeii, especially on my own.  I got lost quite literally walking around the ancient city and it was a lot of fun.   5) Sorrento- In Sorrento I happened upon a Dali Exhibit that I just had to see.   6) Downtown Naples- During my last night in Naples, a nice classmate of mine and her friends took me to downtown Naples where I had some amazing food.   7) Milan- Milan is a place I'd traveled to more recently this July with my friend Destiny.  I wasn't a huge fan of Milan, but I did enjoy seeing The Last Supper and getting lost with my friend.  

England
I loved England!  It is actually in my top three favorite places I've visited and I hope to go again because I have so many other places just in London that I'd love to see.   1) London- I visited London over New Year's and also to see my friends Danielle and Alexa.  London was so much more fun that I thought it would be and I hope to visit again next year.   2) Windsor Castle- Windsor Castle was part of a day tour that I took and I enjoyed being able to get away from the city and explore the countryside as well.   3) Stonehenge- Though it was very rainy and windy that day, I was so glad I got to see the iconic Stonehenge.   4) The Roman Baths in Bath, England- Bath was the last stop on my day tour in England and I wish I had some more time to explore Bath.  This post is about The Roman Baths.  

Slovakia
1) Bratislava- Bratislava was a short day trip that I had taken with some friends.  I wrote about 10 things you can do in Bratislava and my favorite thing was The Blue Church and eating the National Dish.  

France
I've been to France already during my first year in Europe, specifically Paris and Strasbourg, but this time I wanted to see more of the German/France border so I went to Metz and Colmar.
1) Metz- Metz was a trip I took for my birthday with B.  I mainly went to go to the Metz Flea Market and it is one of my favorite fleas now.   2) Colmar- Colmar is a trip I took with my mother and aunt and I absolutely love this town.  It's my favorite place in France so far and I think you can see why if you take a look at my post.  

Spain
Spain has been a dream of mine since taking Spanish since 5th grade. I finally got to go to Spain this year and three different times at that. I particularly loved Southern Spain and Mallorca.  I hope to take B somewhere in Spain next year.
1) Madrid-  I had a 10 hour layover in Madrid and although Madrid is landlocked it's a lovely place to visit. I even considered teaching English in Madrid, but unfortunately I don't think that is going to happen.  I went to Madrid, Cadiz, and Seville as part of a weeklong class I was taking for grad school.   2) Cadiz- Cadiz was a surprise gem that I found during my trip for school. I even got to stay with a host family along with my classmate, Aubrey.  Our host family gave us a private tour of Cadiz.   3) Seville-  I took a train for the day in Seville and although Seville is really to big to only see in a day, I think we got to see some of it by taking a hop on hop off tour that I usually wouldn't otherwise have taken.  The tapas and The Plaza de Espana were my favorites.   4) Barcelona- I went to Barcelona in July with my mother and aunt and loved seeing all of the Gaudi influence. Although Barcelona was a little crowded for my taste I did have a good time there and I loved La Boqueria.   5) Palma de Mallorca- I went to Palma de Mallorca with my friend Destiny and it was probably my favorite place in Spain.  The nightlife and food was amazing and we had such a fun girl's trip.   6) Soller, Mallorca- Soller was a day trip my friend and I took on the last day of our girl's trip to Mallorca and we took a vintage train ride to this little gem.  

Switzerland
1) Zurich- Zurich was part of a 5 hour layover I had while traveling with my mother and aunt. Zurich is beautiful and clean, but I'm glad we didn't spend too long there because it was really expensive.  

Czech Republic
I love The Czech Republic, especially since it's such a good surprise.  I've also been to Karlovy Vary and Kutna Hora and this year hopefully I will make it to Cesky Krumlov.
1) Prague- I've already been to Prague last year, but I knew I'd be back.  This time I played tour guide for my mother and aunt on a day trip.    

Iceland
Iceland was my dream trip and I finally made it for my two year wedding anniversary.  It was the most expensive place I've been to, but so so worth it.  I guess now I need to find a new dream destination.   1) Gardur- Gardur was as small seaside town B and I stayed in on the first night of our arrival to Iceland.   2) Puffins- I had to see the Puffins in Iceland and I got that opportunity!   3) Reykjavik- Reykjavik is the big city in Iceland and I had so much fun here!   4) The Golden Circle- I really wanted to do The Golden Circle drive by car on our own and in this post I outline how you can do that.  Such a good tour of the Iceland countryside.   5) The Blue Lagoon- The Blue Lagoon was a perfect way to end our trip in Iceland and it's right by the Keflavik Airport.   6) Snorkeling Between the Tectonic Plates in Silfra-What a cool experience!  And in freezing cold water!  

Ireland
1) Dublin, Penn State Game, Wicklow Mountains- I did this trip with B, his parents, and my friend, Danielle.  Dublin is a good time and there are so many more things I would have loved to do there.  

  I cannot believe again, how much traveling I did this year, but I hope that my last year in Europe is just as productive and fun-filled.  If you'd like to read about my first year in Europe you can click here.   Have you been to any of these places this year or are they on your travel bucket list?


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