Grand Finale: 3 Country Swing through Europe

Typical cobblestone street in Strasbourg

It is with bittersweet feelings that I post this entry about the final leg in my "12 trips by 12 months" adventure in 2012.  For my grand finale, work took me on a two week journey through Europe, with meetings in Frankfurt (Germany) and Strasbourg (France) that I tacked-on with an extended personal weekend in Amsterdam (Netherlands).  With two weeks, this was the longest trip I've taken thus far.  I went into the trip anxious that I'd get homesick, especially coming on the heals of spending quality time with family & friends over Thanksgiving.  However, as usual, my European colleagues quickly made me feel at home in Europe.  It's hard to cover all the experiences I accumulated over the course of two weeks in three countries, so to make it straightforward, I'll bucket this entry into the three countries visited.

If only I got this with a German flag

Part I - Germany:  As usual, my visit to our company's headquarters outside Frankfurt (in Darmstadt) is all business.  So, I don't have a lot of pictures for this leg, because I'm usually in all day meetings and surrounded by suit-and-tie management, so I don't usually take out the camera.  That said, it was with great surprise when on the evening I was invited to attend the holiday party for our team in Germany, I walked into a hut in the town center modeled after a ski hut and saw senior management partying with the "normal" folks as if it were a frat party!  While I was expecting a formal sit-down dinner, we rented out this hut-themed bar with DJ and the only thing that was served for dinner was German Goulash stew and all-you-can-drink liquor -- pure liquid diet.  Although unexpected, it was a pleasant surprise seeing people usually so "buttoned-up" let loose, and break the stereotypes that are often expressed by those outside our German HQ about our German colleagues.  It was yet another example of how people hold certain perceptions of another culture, yet we have more similarities than we do differences -- funny how alcohol and music can bring people together!  All the booze that was being poured at this party was only a sign of things to come for this trip...

Part II - France:  While most of my business partners sit in our German offices, the manager whom I report to sits in Molsheim, which is just outside Strasbourg, France.  Since Strasbourg is a 2 hour drive from Frankfurt, my manager decided to save me from the hassle of a bus ride and was kind enough to come pick me up via car and drive me back to France with him.  This leg of my trip was really to spend some time with my immediate team, since I'm the only one sitting in the U.S.  As such, my manager planned some team building time for us, which usually entails good food and plenty of wine!  Although I have previously been to our Molsheim offices, this was the first time I actually got to spend time seeing the sights of Strasbourg, and given the timing around the holidays, my visit coincided with the famous Christmas Markets in Strasbourg. While there are Christmas Markets across all European towns/cities this time of year, Strasbourg is known to go all-out in trying to label itself as "Capitale de Noël." I never realized what a bigger deal Christmas is in Europe than it is in the U.S. Basically, the concept of Christmas Market is a bunch of stands selling gifts in brightly-lit streets, as well as "Vin Chaud" (French) or "Glühwein" (German), which is hot wine sold at these markets to keep you warm from the cold of walking through the Christmas Markets. As I learned on this trip, not all Vin Chaud are the same! Some vendors put too much sugar in their hot wine, so that it actually tastes too tart. But, if you find a stand with a good recipe, it can make all the difference in taste. Most people get Vin Chaud rouge (red wine), but I tried the Vin Chaud blanc (white wine) this time, and I actually found it better tasting than the red. If you're ever in the Alsace region (French/German border), definitely give Vin Chaud/Glühwein a try!  But, it's only good the colder it feels outdoors...

 

The other thing that sticks out about Christmas Market is how many lights decorate the many small cobbled-stone European streets. The closest resemblance I ever seen is in the European modeled Disney World's Epcot "World Showcase," so it was surreal seeing real streets being decorated like this. I still can't get over how tiny the streets are in Europe and how old their buildings are compared to the infrastructure we have in the U.S. The other thing that was surprising were the crowds and huge turnout Strasbourg gets for its Christmas Markets! Folks travel from all over Europe to come see the lights and do shopping; in fact, it's really hard to get a hotel in the Strasbourg area this time of year and the hotels definitely price gauge, too! Good thing my weekend was on the company...

The best part of this leg of the trip was definitely spending quality time with my team, enjoying fine dining and drinking -- French style, of course. Compared to when I first started this job 18 months ago, it's noticeable that I've quickly come to like wine, cheese, and even foie gras! My boss took me to my new favorite restaurant in Strasbourg --  L'Hacienda Restaurant.

Foie Gras, Seared Scallop over
Sauerkraut,Beef Tartare

"Pluma de porc Iberique Pata Negra"

Dessert: "Cafe Gourmands"

Our team event was bowling, since we wanted to find an activity indoors to stay warm.  Since I was staying in Strasbourg for the weekend, each of my colleagues took turns to show me around so that I wouldn't feel lonely.  They went out of their way to make me feel comfortable, even going as far as inviting me to their homes to meet their kids and family.  It's really awesome having such a great family of colleagues, and we take great pride in how diverse our team is and how truly global we are.  In my team alone, we consist of French, German, Mauritian, and Chinese-American!  It makes for great conversation and exchange of stories & culture...You realize we have more similarities than differences...The team really took good care of me! 

Of course my boss (our leader) is the one with Mickey Mouse ears

Koninklijk Paleis in Dam Square

Part III - Netherlands:  The final leg of my two weeks in Europe ended in Amsterdam!  (We have a customer service center in Amsterdam for my company, but I couldn't tie work into this part of the trip, so this was on my own dime, in case anyone was wondering, hehe...).  I decided to take advantage of my time in Europe for business and add-on a personal trip since I already made the trans-Atlantic flight; it's only an hour flight from Strasbourg.  I had gotten the idea to go to Amsterdam from a previous colleague who had done the same, since people often have to make their connecting flights through Amsterdam.  Hearing all the crazy stories about Amsterdam and all the hype surrounding its tolerance of Marijuana and legalized prostitution, I must admit, I was a tad nervous about being in the city solo.  What you quickly learn is, like most things, Amsterdam is far from what its reputation makes it out to be.  Honestly, I didn't see anything that more shocking than I had already seen in New Orleans or Phuket, even the Red Light District!  It's really all become entertainment for tourists to see...

Rembrandtplein

The first thing that struck me about Amsterdam was how hospitable everyone is!  Sure, my colleagues in Germany and France are always welcoming, but I have to admit that bumping into everyday strangers on the streets, I found the Dutch to be a lot nicer than what I've encountered in either Germany or France.  It also helps that practically everyone in Amsterdam speaks English; I definitely found this city to have a lot of English-influence, which made it easier to get around!  When I think of Amsterdam, I'll always remember the following:  Canals, Bicycles, and Beer!

I had read that Amsterdam consists of more canals than Venice, and it sure does live up to the billing.  I've never been to a city with so many tiny waterways running through it.  While I had already gotten used to the tiny cobblestone streets from my time in Strasbourg, Amsterdam brings it to a whole new level.  The canals add another level of complexity, making the streets even tinier to navigate.  Subsequently, with such a tiny area with a large population, it's hard getting around with a car.  So, you quickly notice how many bicycles there are running through the streets -- it's the primary means of transportation for people living in Amsterdam.  I definitely saw more bicycles in Amsterdam than I did when I visited China.  Because the bike paths blend in along with the sidewalk, there was definitely more than one occasion I almost got hit by a bicycle.

Typical view of a Canal

How do you find which bike belongs to you!?

Thirst Quenching - so refreshing!

Munich will always be known as the beer capital of the world with its Biergartens.  But, Amsterdam is a great beer city, as well, being the home of Heineken and Amstel.  I have to say, the Heineken on draft in Amsterdam tastes so fresh and way more delicious than getting it in the bottle at home.  The best part is how cold the beer is served.  Although the pints are not as big as the Liter mugs in Munich, I have to say, the cold and crisp taste of the Heineken makes Amsterdam my preferred city to enjoy a beer.  Less than a month ago, I had the pleasure of visiting the Coors brewery in Denver, Colorado.  Similar to how I was able to visit the wineries of Napa Valley versus Bourdeaux earlier this Fall, I somehow managed to find myself at another beer brewery -- of course I had to visit the Heineken brewery in Amsterdam.  Unlike the Coors tour, the Heineken tour is not for free -- it costs you €17 to get in.  As a result, you do notice a lot more "bells & whistles" during the tour.  There's more interactive "exhibits" during the tour, such as a simulation ride as you view a film clip of how Heineken is brewed.  I also found the crowd in the tasting lounge to be a lot more rowdy with more buzzed people than there was at the Coors site.  Nonetheless, the "Heineken Experience" is definitely worth a visit for any beer-lover!

This looks familiar!

 

Not only is the beer great, but I found Amsterdam to be a great drinking city overall.  Again, I was very fortunate to have had a friend of a friend, Kim, (now my friend, too) living in Amsterdam to show me around.  Not only did Kim give me great tips in how to plan out my museum visits and sight-seeing as efficiently as possible, she took me to two drinking holes that turned out to be such jewels and are the type of gems that only locals would know of.  First place is known as the oldest bar in Amsterdam -- founded in 1619.  This place brews its own homemade Schnapps liquor; Kim and I got the Appel-Kaneel, which was dangerously delicious.  Take note that in Amsterdam, beer is used as chasers, instead of water, haha...

Appel-Kaneel with Beer chasers

Within 5-10 minutes later...

Second place Kim took me to is famous for its "jenevers," or Dutch Gin.  Another dangerously delicious drink...So tasty, you want more, but it's potent.  Again, the place was super tiny and wicked packed with standing room only.  The bartender fills-up your shot glass to the brim, so full you can't lift it up; everyone has to bend down to the table to take a sip before being able to pick-up the glass.  However, I leave it up to you to try to pronounce the name of this pub; all I have to say is, thank goodness I didn't have to hail a cab and say the name of this place to a taxi driver, haha...

How to pronounce?!

Strawberry Jenever

Conclusion:  As I look back on the last two weeks in Europe, I'm reminded how extremely grateful I should be on so many fronts.  I'm so lucky to have found a company that has afforded me so many great opportunities and experiences.  I'm grateful to have seized the opportunity to develop a global network of colleagues and newly found friends.  I'm fortunate that even when my friends from home aren't around to keep me company on the road, they're able to connect me to their network of friends (thanks Lucia/Kim!).  This was truly a satisfying trip in many regards, with many great experiences that I'm able to bring home with me.  

A great finale to my 12-by-12 in 2012 journey that entailed a mix of camaraderie and a test of my own individuality that is reflective of how I've evolved in the past year through my many adventures... A big thanks to my colleagues in Europe and Kim in Amsterdam!

Me & Kim

Stay tuned for my closing post in the coming days for my official "sign-off" to 2012...

(Left-Right):  Dario, Me, Franziska, Frederic