Eating and drinking my way around the world!
Restaurant Name: Rugana Restaurant
Address: Nonnevitz 25 a-b, 18556 Dranske, Ruegen, Germany
Specialty: Fish and Pasta
Note: This is an independent restaurant review based on my experience.
Accomodation: Feriendorf Rugana – Vacation Apartment
Address: Nonnevitz 25 a-b, 18556 Dranske, Ruegen, Germany
Note: This is an independent hotel review based on my experience.
Escape to Ruegen, Germany
Travelling off season comes with a variety of benefits including no crowds, lower prices and less kids to name a few. Don’t go crazy now, I love kids – just not so fond of OPK (other people’s kids)! Autumn is my second favourite season, and this year timing had us in a cold country for Fall! We were browsing deals for a short getaway and eventually decided on the island of Ruegen – empty beaches, dog friendly, fresh Baltic Sea air and hiking in appropriate temperatures.
Sometimes short getaways, which we call mini-vacations, are of great value for both mind and pocketbook. Our recent autumn escape to the German island of Ruegen was just that. We threw a few sets of clothes into our backpacks, emptied the fridge into a cooler bag, locked the door and were on our way. An uneventful 300 km drive north from Berlin to Ruegen; 3.5 hours later, we were pulling onto the Wittower ferry boat.
Dog friendly Feriendorf Rugana (read my review) would be our home for the next 3 nights. With just a short 5 minute walk through the forest we were on Nordstrand Beach, making this an ideal location for us and our furry side kick, Fritz.
We quickly settled in, unpacked and got our beds prepared for later before going for a exhilarating walk on the beach. There really is something wonderful about breathing in fresh, crisp, sea air while a cool wind blows through your hair and the cold, dark water laps the shore. Old Fritz bounced his way through the sand, teasing the waters edge before leaping back just out of reach, looking like a puppy again!
Heading back, the white sand eventually shared territory with Ammophila beach grass before we climbed the stairs and made our way into and through the coniferous forest which filled our noses with the scent of pine mixed with sea.
By now it was dark, and following a quick shower, we walked to the resort restaurant Rugana (read my review), after which we called it a day.
Upon waking in the morning, my husband went to buy some buns from the vacation village bakery. I prepared some sandwiches which we packed up and then headed to the beach for a seaside breakfast. The walk through the pine forest awakened our senses. We strolled along the beach, snacking on our sandwiches as we went. A few other off-season vacationers were out and we amiably chatted with the like-minded folks, of whom some admitted to still swimming in these temperatures! Our shocked faces were replied to with something along the lines of you must “embrace the cold to appreciate the warm.” Hmm, no thank you!
Following the beach walk, we hopped into the car and drove 20 minutes to Putgarten at Cape Arkona. You can not actually park in the village, so we drove back out to the parking lot. Read more: How to Cape Kap Arkona, which includes distances, sights, costs etc.
In the quaint village we found a little cafe where we had a weather appropriate lunch of green pea soup with a sausage before hiking up to the lighthouses and Jaromarsburg.
From there we hiked along the cliffs before finding stairs leading down to the shore, allowing us to wander along the Baltic Sea, at the foot of the collapsing chalk cliffs until reaching the fishing Village Vitt where we had an Apfel Saft and water before making the final trek back to Putgarten parking.
On our way back to Rugana, we stopped at the grocery market (open Sunday!!!!) and bought some brussels sprouts, meat, Kirschkuchen and Zupfkuchen, went back to our room for relaxation, wine and food. Following our fresh sea air day, we collapsed early into our beds.
Our second full day, we woke early, bought bread, made sandwiches and hit the road for our planned destination, Jasmund National Park. We passed through some cute villages, and got completely confused and lost. Our google maps kept sending us to a camping place which had a gate to block entry. Finally, a very frustrated gatekeeper told us to follow the signs, not the gps. Poor guy must have been overwhelmed with people expecting to get through that gate!
Finally, thanks to his directions, we found the parking lot for the forest area which boasts Germany’s largest chalk cliffs, parked and started our hike. More info about our Jasmund National Park experience, trek, costs and more.
After our hike, we went to the tourist town of Sassnitz. Maybe because of the season, we were not impressed. The fishing town with big fish industry was dull and repressed looking. Instead of going to visit the local attractions – a butterfly house and a submarine museum – we took a quick look at the beach and and were outta there.
The next stop was Prora. With the interesting history, it was fabulous to see the haunting empty buildings which stand in stark contrast to the chic, newly renovated block. For those who have never heard of it, Prora was built during the second world war with the intent of a beach resort paradise for Germans. The holiday resort stretched 4.5 km along the waterfront, offering spectacular views. Of the planned 20,000 beds, not one was ever slept in. Today, developers are reconstructing and building the resort into dream waterfront living – it is a work in progress.
Unfortunately, our next stop, the Granitz Hunting House / Jagdschloss Granitz was already almost closed, so we decided to call it a day. On the way back to Rugana, we stopped at Karls Bauernmarkt, offering a little something for everyone. It has country style shopping, a self serve restaurant which charges by the 100 gram, a fish eatery, a big play area with slides and rides, and country style souvenirs like homemade jam. Oh, and they have a display of coffee pots lining the walls – 27,390 to be exact, a Guinness World Record.
After arriving back at our apartment, showering, drinking a few glasses of wine and dinner at the restaurant Rugana, we collapsed exhausted into bed.
Our last day of mini-vacation we ate breakfast, stripped the bed, packed up, checked out and went for a final walk to the beach to bid adieu before the drive back to Berlin.
Links:
…..⇒ Guide to Kap Arkona – How to Cape Arkona
…..⇒ How to Nationalpark – Jasmund National Park
….⇒ Stay: Feriendorf Rugana
…..→Eat Rugana Restaurant
Location: Europe > Western Europe > Germany > Northern Germany > Mecklenburg – Western Pomerania > Baltic Sea > Ruegen
Restaurant Name: Ristorante Rosati
Address: Bismarckstrasse 88, 10627 Berlin, Germany
Specialty: Italian food, Region of Ischia
Note: This is an independent restaurant review based on my experience.
Visa: If you are not on a schedule, 2 weeks is NOT long enough in Vietnam – it does not cost a whole lot more, so why not apply for the one month visa. Since February 2017, you can get a 1 month, 3 month or 6 month e-visa online which simplifies the process. Visa extension is extremely difficult, so do not cheap out!
Please note, many countries can not apply online, rather they must apply in advance. Check this easy information map by Gorden Cheng to see which visa policy applies to your country.
Getting In / Arrival – Airlines will not let you board your flight to Vietnam if you do not have a ticket back out again. Were you hoping to wing it? Again, make sure you have a ticket out of Vietnam, even if you book a cheap bus ticket out or flight where the date can be changed or cancelled if you need to change dates/stay longer.
Before getting in the customs immigration lineup, make sure you have completed your landing visa at the counter to the left. Then proceed to immigration line.
Pre- visa internet application is not always necessary, but probably safer. We spoke with many people who come and go often and never do it. They simply arrive, get application papers which we saw on the counter, and fill out at the airport arrival area. Make sure, if you choose to take the risk, to have passport photos with you to speed the process. We saw a lot of people waiting to get photos taken and processed.
Tip: book flights at least 4 days out for best prices!?
Airport bathrooms are extremely dirty and do not have toilet paper. Always carry a packet of kleenex tissues for this purpose!
SIM Card: Swap out your SIM card for a Vietnamese SIM for easy phone access, ordering Uber, google maps, etc. Make sure your phone is unlocked or it will not work. I use a cheap, unlocked, second phone to do the job. That way you can have a travel phone with all the apps you may want to have / need, ie. Skyscanner, Maps, Uber, etc.
SIM cards can be bought at the airport or at any official store. You simply point to your phone, they show you some options, you choose and pay, they install. Easy! Note: You will need to show your passport for registration. The speed is fast and the card is quite affordable. There are basically 3 carriers: Mobifone, Viettel, Vinamobile and Vinaphone. We used Mobifone, simply because it was the first one we saw at the airport; it worked seamlessly. Tip: Make sure the card functions before walking away!
SE Asia air travel in general is extremely stressful; people are very pushy and do not understand the concept of a line or waiting their turn. This is a cultural difference, so be aware and have patience!
Currency: The currency used in Vietnam is Vietnamese Dong. That being said, they will often accept USD$, but be prepared to pay a considerable amount more due to a poor exchange rate.
Bank ATM machines in airport did not work when we arrived in Ho Chi Minh city – none of them ?. So many travellers were frantically running from machine to machine trying to get money. Tip: Have some backup cash, just in case. Not a large amount, but enough to get to the next bank machine.
Language: Vietnamese – It seems most locals speak NO English, not even in tourist places – everything works with pointing, calculators and smiles. Remember, you are in their country – either learn how to speak Vietnamese or have patience. Be happy when you find the few who do speak some English and remember a little praise goes a long way, as does a smile.
Transportation: We found the Uber system to function fantastic! Alternatives include taxi, bus, airplane, train and of course, buy or renting a motorbike. We met a few people who bought a motorbike at the beginning of their trip and sold it to the next tourist at the end!
Emergency Dial:
– 115 – Ambulance/First Aid
– 113 – Police
– 112 – Search & Rescue
– 114 – Fire
Embassies and Consulates: EmbassyPages.com – Complete listing of worldwide representations with clickable links to address, contact numbers and names, email and website.
Tip: Take smart phone pictures of your health insurance, passport, visa, credit cards, drivers licence, health card and Embassy contact info. Save to an emergency folder (and cloud) so you have quick access to everything.
General:
– be friendly and patient and you will discover wonderful people
– Food is mostly Pho (delicious soups), noodles, rice and seafood/fish
– Prices are very good
– Beautiful scenery and landscapes
– Cities are advanced and offer every need and travel level (backpacker to luxury)
– Lots of history, therefore many museums – however, be prepared for their side of the story
– Visa problems (addressed above) – prepare for a longer stay if you have the possibility, otherwise you must leave
– Carry serviettes / wet wipes / tissues with you – so many restaurants do not have them, or make you pay for them! Also handy for washroom break.
– Credit cards are NOT widely accepted
– Keep someone you trust back home updated as to your whereabouts. A quick Whatsapp or messenger update is a great way to accomplish this without driving everyone nuts.
I have said it before, but it bares repeating. In general, southeast Asia airport bathrooms are extremely dirty and it is common there is no toilet paper. Air travel in this region is extremely stressful; people are crazy and pushy - they butt in lines, push, walk through you, pick noses, belch, and more. Ok, got that off my chest! The main thing to remember is this is an adventure. Cultural differences is what keep the travel bug alive. If we were all the same, there would be no need to travel!
Links:
→ Ho Chi Minh, Saigon / Photos
→ Phu Quoc Island / Photos
…..⇒ Extreme Budget Tips – $10/day Phu Quoc
.….⇒ Stay: Gia Thanh Guest House
…..⇒ Eat: AceroLa Bar and Restaurant
…..⇒ Eat: Bia Ruou Restaurant & Micro brewery
…..⇒ Eat: Bun Cha Ha Noi / Bún Chả Hà Nội
…..⇒ Eat / Bar: Langchia Hostel & Bar
…..⇒ Eat: Quan An Mien Trung (at the night Market)
…..⇒ Eat: Quan Oc Binh Dan Restaurant
…..⇒ Eat: Quan Ra Koi / Quán Ra Khơi
…..⇒ Eat / Bar: Rory’s Beach Bar
…..⇒ Eat: Thu Phuong Restaurant
→ Southeast Asia Travel Guide