Best spots in Vienna for a coffee and a cake

If you have a sweet tooth and especially enjoy your cakes and desserts then you must know that some of the best cakes and desserts along with superlative coffee can be had in the Austrian capital city of Vienna. Vienna’s mouth watering contributions to the world of desserts include delectable offerings like Apfelstrudel(apple strudel), Palatschinken(sweet pancakes), fruit filled dumplings called Knödel and of course Sachertorte which is a delicious chocolate cake that  features apricot jam  which was in fact  was invented at the city’s  world famous Sacher Hotel.

Most of these Viennese delights are served at the city’s numerous coffee houses ('Kaffeehaus') which have long served as a gathering place for the city’s erstwhile intellectuals but today these coffee houses which are adorned with ‘Thonet’ chairs and marble topped tables offer visitors and locals a chance to relax and unwind over a coffee and cake.

The coffee houses of Vienna claim to have invented the process of filtering coffee and offer a repertoire of coffees that include beverages like Melange which is a coffee served with frothy milk, Kleiner Brauner, a single espresso with cream, Einspänner which is a mocha coffee that is served in a glass topped with a shot of whipped cream, Fiaker which is a mocha coffee which features Austrian rum, a Mazagran which is a cold version of a Fiaker and many more. It is believed that coffee and café culture has existed in Vienna ever since the second Turkish siege of Vienna in the 17th century.

If you relish a good cup of coffee then a visit to this gorgeous Austrian capital city should definitely be considered as a European vacation option. If however you are planning flying out to Vienna from a US city then your voyage across the Atlantic is bound to include a long haul journey for which you might want to consider business air travel. However if the reputed prohibitive cost of such travel is causing you to pause and rethink your journey, you need not fear for  you can still afford to fly in the premier cabin of an air craft  by tracking down a cheap business class flights to Vienna.

 

Various American and European carriers offer direct and indirect connections from US cities to the capital of Austria and often it is these airlines themselves that announce discount business class airfares to Vienna which they popularize through dedicated newsletters to their frequent flyers and   various social media sites.

If for some reason you cannot track down these cheap business class deals to Vienna, you could alternatively seek out a reputable travel agent who can then help you locate a cheap business class ticket to Vienna   by making use of the exclusive relationship he/she has with various airlines. It also helps to bear in mind that if this travel agent is a high selling agent then he/she is likely to have access to cheap business class airfares to various destinations around the globe for airlines often count on high selling agents for regular, repeat business.

The discount business class airfares to Vienna often represent savings of   nearly 70% over the normal business class fares. Moreover they are not lacking in any way for they afford you all the privileges of regular business class like priority check-in, excess baggage allowance, fast track security and immigration, airline lounge access and of course all the myriad onboard facilities like convertible full flat beds, limitless gourmet food and drink and personalized service.

All the luxuries and conveniences that are provided by your discount business flight to Vienna will go a long way in making your journey an extremely comfortable one so that once you arrive in Vienna you are less likely to lose precious vacation time due to fatigue arising from jet lag. Moreover once you have finished touring the Austrian capital’s many wondrous sights you can stop to recharge your batteries at one of the city’s many great coffee houses, some of which are listed below:-

Café Sacher

Philharmonikerstrasse 4

1010 Vienna, Austria

Café Sacher is located within the iconic Sacher Hotel which is as much a symbol of Vienna as the Giant Wheel or the Schönbrunn Palace. The Sacher Café is famous the world over its calorie laden, delicious chocolate cake, the Sacher Torte  which was invented at the hotel by celebrated chef Franz Sacher. The café serves this delectable treat along with many other delicious Austrian pastries and coffees The Sacher Café has the ambience of a typical Austrian coffee house and it affords gorgeous views of the State Opera House from its conservatory which in the summer is transformed into an open air terrace.

Café Mozart

Albertinaplatz 2

1010 Vienna, Austria

This old world café which is named after one of Vienna’s most famous residents offers an ambience which screams old Vienna adorned as it is with classic Thonet chairs, mirrors behind the bar, private booths and glittering chandeliers. The café’s menu offers many mouth-watering treats (some of which commemorate the famous composer) that form a perfect accompaniment to the café’s repertoire of 15 different coffees.

Café Hawelka

Dorotheergasse 6

1010 Vienna, Austria

Yet another historic coffee house of Vienna  that dates back to the 1930’s and is famous for its ‘Buchteln’ which are Viennese dumplings that are stuffed with jam and topped with powdered sugar which go especially well with the cafes many coffees.

Café Central

Herrengasse 14,

1010 Vienna

This coffee house is a veritable institution in Vienna as it has attracted the likes of Sigmund Freud, Trotsky and many others. Do make it a point to visit Café Central for its delicious Viennese coffees and cakes and it fantastic sense of history.

Chennai is a city that has vibrant economy

The Southern Indian city of Chennai is a city that has an extremely vibrant economy. The city actually hosts much of India’s automobile and automotive components industry. Global and domestic auto firms like Hyundai, Ford, BMW, Mitsubishi, Komatsu, The TVS Group, Ashok Leyland, Nissan-Renault, Daimler Trucks, Apollo tires all have a strong presence in Chennai though in addition to the automotive industry Chennai also hosts several other industries like software services, hardware manufacturing, healthcare and financial services. 

All this energetic economic activity has ensured that Chennai has become an established destination in Southern India for overseas travelers.  If you are heading to Chennai from the US then your trip from a US city is likely to be a long trek which extends over eighteen to twenty hours. Such a journey necessitates business class travel if you are to stave off mind numbing jet lag and fatigue.

However business flights to Chennai need not be as expensive as most people believe for you can actually purchase discount business seats to Chennai which are often promoted by airlines like Air India which often have special offers like companion free schemes for their business class cabins. These cheap business class flights to Chennai actually work out well if you are planning to travel with a colleague on work or are planning to visit Chennai in the company of other family members. Moreover these discount business class fares come loaded with all the privileges and amenities of regular business class seats like airline lounge access, dedicated and fast track check-in, seats that convert into fully flat beds (invaluable for the back breaking journey) and elevated service and food and wine on board.

Most people believe that you get to know a destination well through its unique food and cuisine. Almost every destination in the world has its own inimitable specialty in the form of a particular eatery or a store and often that renowned store becomes a must-stop for any visitor to the city. One such store in Chennai is Grand Sweets and Snacks. This sweet and snack shop was founded by G. Natrajan in 1982 and it has quickly became the place to go to in Chennai for sweets and savories.  Once you have safely landed in Chennai you must make sure that you include Grand Sweets and Snack in your visit to Chennai itinerary.

Grand Sweets employs mainly women cooks because the founder thought them to be more responsible and devoted to their tasks. This tradition continues until today and the store which is located at Gandhi Nagar in the Adyar district of Chennai is manned mainly by women staffs who welcome customers with complementary dhonnais which are filled with mixed rice or akkaravadasal (a mixture of rice and sugar). Dhonnais are cups made of semi-dried leaves which are stitched together. These Dhonnais keep the customer satiated as they wait for their orders of podis(coarse mixtures of dried spices which are used as accompaniments for various Southern Indian dishes like Dosa and Idli), Thokkus( chutneys and relishes), murrukus( crunchy savories which are made of lentils and rice and are spiral shaped), Thenga Pollis( a sweet made of split chickpea and flour), thatais( yet another crunchy snack) adhirasams( a traditional sweet made for the Hindu festival of Deepavali) and various other delights which are freshly made onsite or the store’s factory at Perungudi.

Grand Sweets runs like a well oiled machine and it attracts huge crowds daily who seem to  clamor for its myriad sweet and savories that are listed on its two hundred and fifty item strong menu.  Once you have tasted its many delectable morsels you are sure to become a fan as well and perhaps will want to bring home some goodies for your friends and families to taste as well.

Under such circumstances the extra baggage allowance that your cheap business class fare to Chennai affords you will stand you in good stead and thus strengthen the case for tracking down the cheapest business class flights for your voyage to the home of Grand Sweets and Snacks, the Southern Indian city of Chennai.

Top Five Museums in Geneva

If you are an avid museumgoer, then the Swiss city of Geneva is a destination that you should make a point to visit, for this picturesque Swiss city which is located on the banks of Lake Geneva hosts more than forty private and public museums.

However Geneva can be accessed only via a trans-Atlantic long haul journey from the US and if you are at all planning a visit to this stunning city you might want to consider undertaking your travels in business class especially if you are planning a short visit with a tight attraction-packed schedule that allows for no wastage of time due to tiredness or jet lag.

You might think that business class airfares cost an arm and a leg and are thus beyond your reach but this is not always true for Cheap Business Class Flights to Geneva certainly exist, only you have to know when and how to look for them. Often the very airlines that provide air links between US cities and Geneva announce business flights discounts in order to promote their service to that particular destination. These business class deals are advertised via dedicated newsletters or social media tools though they do tend to sell out quickly.

If you are not tech savvy or have no access to the internet (incidentally the World Wide Web was invented and developed in Geneva at the CERN laboratories in the late 1980’s) then perhaps you could consider using the services of an airfares consolidator who can always help you get a deep discount business class ticket to Geneva through the exclusive consolidator contracts that he/she has with various airlines. Mention must be made that though these consolidator fares are often 70% less than regular business fares they are in no way lacking and are loaded with all the perks of normal business class.

Travel on such a cheap business class seat will ensure that you will arrive in Geneva in great sight-seeing ready shape and you will be ready to embark on your museum trail almost immediately for you would have a chance to rest and relax on the fully flat bed that your discount business class fare to Geneva is guaranteed to afford you.

Your museum trail will but naturally include the ‘best’ or rather the most interesting museums in Geneva which are listed below:-

International Museum of the Red Cross and Red Crescent

This museum constitutes one of the most popular attractions in Geneva as it traces the history of the world’s first humanitarian organization which continues to be relevant until today. The exhibits at this museum highlight the importance of Human Rights, the history of conflict in the current century and the humanitarian work that the Red Cross has done in wars and natural calamities. These exhibits take the form of multi-media displays which are particularly effective in conveying the organizations message.


The Barbier-Mueller Museum

The collection at this museum was begun by Josef Mueller in 1907 and  it is now maintained and expanded by his surviving heirs. The museum has exhibits of sculptures, fabrics and ornaments from around the world for it endeavors to preserve these ‘treasures’ which were sourced from primitive ,hitherto isolated communities. Accordingly the museum has truly fascinating  displays of statues and idols from Oceania, pre-Columbian art from Latin American and ancient masks and shields from the Dark Continent i.e. Africa.

The Patek Philippe Museum

If you love watches but can only dream of owning a Patek Philippe time piece, then this museum should be a must-do on your list as it catalogues the history of this great watch making company. The museum has a fascinating collection of time pieces that date back to the 16th century along with exhibits from the company’s more modern creations as well as  music boxes, pistols and other arte-facts which are guaranteed to keep you enthralled for hours.

International Automobile Museum

If it is cars that tickle your fancy rather than watches then Geneva’s International Automobile Museum should be on your itinerary for at this museum you will have the chance to peruse an eclectic collection of mainly European cars that range from prototypes to race cars and antique classic cars,though the museum also has a section for motorbikes. The International Auto museum is the site of the largest annual car show in Europe every year.

Museum of Art and History

This colossal museum traces the evolution of western culture and international civilizations with a huge collection that is composed of nearly 7000 works of art and other objects. Displays here include the works of legends like Van Gogh and Renoir.  The Rath Museum which is located on Place Neuve is associated with the Museum of Art and history and  has exhibits of Swiss art along with traveling shows from all over Europe.

Olympic Museum

Geneva’s Olympic Museum commemorates the spirit of the Olympic Games. This museum is located on the banks of Lake Geneva and it catalogues the history of evolution of the games from the times of the ancient Greeks to present day.

Tokyo’s unusual attraction – The Tsukiji Central Wholesale Market

Several travelers believe that in order to get a finger on the pulse of a destination you have to visit its markets. Tokyo, the capital of Japan is no different in this respect for one of its prime tourist attractions is its Tsukiji Central Wholesale Market which is actually a wholesale market for the distribution of fish, meat, produce and flowers in Tokyo. The Tsukiji Central market however is largely known as a fish market due to the popularity of its Tuna auctions.

Japanese are the biggest consumers of seafood in the world and in fact the blue fin tuna which is now an endangered species of fish is a highly coveted delicacy in Japan. It is for this reason that the tuna auctions that are routinely held in the Tsukiji market attract much worldwide attention and draw hordes of tourists who wake up at the crack of dawn on their vacations to be on hand for the auctions. Nowadays because of the controversy following the depleting stocks of tuna and the incapacity of the aging market to accommodate the crowds, attendance at these tuna auctions are limited but even then the tourists keep on coming to take in the hustle bustle of the market and to shop and eat at its many stores and restaurants.

If you’ve always had the desire to visit Tokyo and have not yet booked your vacation for the year then perhaps you might want to consider doing so now. While you’re scouting for air fares on the internet you might want to be cognizant of the fact that the journey to Tokyo from the US is one long trek. If you have only limited time for your vacation, you might want to avoid losing precious vacations days to jet lag and fatigue by deciding to travel business class to Tokyo. Business class seats to Tokyo supposedly cost a pretty penny but there are ways on securing them cheap.

You might at first want to check with all the airlines that fly to Tokyo from the US for often these airlines choose to offer sales and promotions in the form of discount business class fares to Tokyo. Sometimes these cheap business class tickets to Tokyo which are not lacking in anyway also include a night or two free hotel accommodations in Tokyo, quite useful in a city which is deemed by most to be one of the most expensive places on earth.

If however you have missed out on these tempting discount business class airfares to Tokyo, you need not fret as you could always turn to an airfares consolidator who often has a slew of business class deals due to exclusive consolidator contracts with various airlines.

Once you have manage to procure the ideal discount business class seat to Tokyo and have arrived at your destination, you must pencil in the Tsukiji market for your must do itinerary. The number of visitors to the auctions is limited to only 140 a day and visitors who wish to witness the spectacle have to apply at the Osakana Fukyu Center which is located at the Kachidoki Gate of the market at 4.30am to gain entry to the hallowed portals of the inner market. The visitors are then let in on a first come, first served basis. The admittance kicks off at 5am when 70 people are let in and the second batch is subsequently let in between 5.40 and 6.15 am.

However there are a number of rules on conduct you have to follow when  you are at the market like no photography, no wearing of high heel shoes, no bringing young children or large suitcases along, no smoking anywhere in the market and no causing any impediments to the professionals at work in the market.

Visitors are allowed to access the busy wholesale area of the market after 9am and they are actively encouraged to visit the many stores and restaurants which are located on the outer ring of the market. The restaurants here serve some of the best sushi in Tokyo and it makes sense to then have a sushi breakfast here on the day that you choose to visit the unusual but wonderful attraction of Tokyo’s Tsuijiki wholesale market.

Rio de Janeiro Destination Guide

Rio de Janeiro which is the second largest city in Brazil is an immensely popular tourist destination.  When one thinks of Rio one can’t help but think of its more than fifty gorgeous beaches of which Ipanema and Copacabana are perhaps the most famous. Hence any thoughts of Rio immediately conjure up images of bronzed bodies, refreshing caparinhias, the thumping beats of bossa nova music and last but not the least the world’s greatest party which takes the form of the annual Rio Carnival.

The Rio Carnival is a fabulous four day festival of music and dance which is typically held forty days before the festival of Easter during the months of January/ February every year. This raucous festival is known to attract 500,000 visitors every year and if you haven’t yet made to Rio for Carnival then perhaps you should include this trip on your own personal bucket list of 100 things to do before you die. 

If you are already tempted and are making plans and are suddenly scouring the internet for fares, you might want to consider looking for a cheap business class airfare to Rio de Janeiro.  The travel time to Rio from various cities in North America and even Europe extends over ten hours and when faced with such a journey it makes sense to consider a discount business class fare to Rio de Janeiro. 

Business class travel is not entirely unaffordable for there are times when airlines themselves offer discount business class airfares which are quite attractive and loaded with all the perks of regular business class though you could also consider approaching an airfares consolidator for the cheapest business class ticket to Rio de Janeiro. These airfares consolidators almost always have a wide array of cheap business class tickets to several worldwide destinations that they procure from the airlines themselves due to the consolidator contracts that they have with them.

Carnival always commences on a Saturday and terminates on a day known as ‘Fat Tuesday’. This sumptuous celebration is almost immediately followed by the Catholic period of austerity and abstinence known as ‘Lent’ which commences from Ash Wednesday. 

The Portuguese colonists brought the practice of celebrating carnival to Brazil in 1850.  The celebration of Carnival until then was inherently a European affair which had been in existence since the time of the ancient Romans and Greeks who celebrated the advent of spring with many festivities that gave rise to the carnival.

The Portuguese celebration of carnival in Rio enticed the city’s native African and Amerindian people and soon the event came to be celebrated with cross-dressing events, street parades, masquerades and more. The carnival was considered to be a time when social boundaries and roles were reversed or even obliterated. The Rio Carnival was at first very European in its ethos but as the African population of Rio took carnival to its heart, the entire genteel character of Carnival changed as it came to incorporate the Samba which is the vigorous musical dance form which hails from Brazilian state of Bahia. Since then the Samba parades have been the biggest attractions at the Rio Carnival only now the Samba parades have moved to a specially built Sambodromo away from the streets.

The Sambodromo which is located in downtown Rio and can accommodate 70,000 people is now the epicenter of the carnival for it is here that the Samba Parades are now held. These samba parades however are no longer ceremonial parades but constitute a serious competition in which Rio’s premier Samba schools compete. These Samba schools are community dance halls where residents of a particular ‘favela’ (an indigenous shanty town of Rio de Janeiro) gather to dance and foster the feeling of community. All of Rio’s nearly seventy samba schools participate in the carnival. These schools are organized into six competitive leagues and only those schools that feature in the Special Group, Group A and Group B are allowed to parade in the Sambodromo. The other schools are free to participate in the various other street parades which take place at the Rio carnival.

 This parade is meticulously planned and executed as each Samba school creates and executes a performance that showcases its chosen theme, song, color, style and costumes.  These themes are either chosen from periods of Brazilian history, from nature or the elements. This theme is then brilliantly illustrated by the Samba schools pageant which usually includes various sections of elaborately costumed participants and ornately decorated floats. Sometimes these floats many of which are motorized have special guests on top like gifted samba dancers who are clad in splendid bejeweled colorful costumes and who nowadays have come to symbolize the Rio Carnival.

Aside from these iconic Samba Parades, the Rio Carnival also includes various other festivities like the Carnival Street bands which are a feature of various Rio neighborhoods.  It is estimated that there are more than three hundred Carnival street bands in Rio and these street bands usually get together to play their music on the weekends preceding the Carnival and they often inspire folk to dance the samba to their tunes.

Aside from the Carnival Street Bands, Street parties are also a regular feature of carnival these street parties feature much revelry in the form of open-air dances, feasting and alcohol. In addition to these parties, Carnival balls are also held at the various upscale hotels in Rio like the Copacabana and the Gloria Hotel to celebrate the event of the greatest party on earth, the Rio Carnival. So if you are getting ready to join in the fun, then you better track down a cheap business class ticket to Rio de Janeiro which will enable you to travel in comfort and conserve all your energy for the many festivities of the Rio Carnival.