No surprise, then, that many Europeans develop a certain geographical myopia. Look beyond the capital cities and — particularly as you move away from Europe’s Atlantic littoral — the gap between Europe and the New World becomes a veritable chasm.

The United States in the European imagination

North America is the terrain of movies. The real America, the communities beyond the cinema screen and the newsreels, hardly feature in the imagination of many Europeans and, insofar as they do, they seem rather scary places — we remember Columbine and Sandy Hook. The U.S. is a far-off land and one that many of us who live in Europe feel uneasy about.

In most European countries, Guantanamo certainly gets more publicity than the entire state of California. Many Europeans would just not know who Harry Reid or Joe Biden are. But we all know who Edward Snowden and Bradley Manning are, and chances are that Europeans you’ll run into on your travels will regard both men with a certain awe for their courage and determination. That’s not to say we totally endorse what they have done, but their audacity in confronting totalitarian tendencies commands respect.

Travel with an open mind

The beauty of travel is that, for those who dare, it is a chance to meet people who think differently. Very differently. It turns one’s mindset inside out and gives it a thorough shakedown. Travel is a chance to confront the demons that frame our everyday life. We meet people whose take on the world is diametrically opposed to our own.

Only a small percentage of the residents of central and eastern Europe have ever crossed the Atlantic to visit the US. Those that have are invariably surprised to discover that the US is full of interesting landscapes populated in the main by mellow and interesting people.

Disconnect from everyday life

The trick of course is to leave your prejudices at home, but it takes something more. Discovery is about stepping out of your lifeworld and escaping from the frame of reference that shapes your thinking back home — escaping even from the web, social media and your regular news channels.

The choice that confronts travellers is stark. The connectivity and immersion in the web that gives texture to your everyday life might be the biggest barrier to appreciating the communities you visit. At one level, travel has never been easier. But real travel has never been harder.

The post Confronting Demons: Why Real Travel has Become More Difficult appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

That Croatians raised a modest cheer at midnight last Sunday was perhaps the greatest surprise of the week. Croatia smiled and fireworks brightened the skies over Zagreb to mark the moment when the country became the 28th member of the EU.

Snubbed by Merkel

In fact, the crowds had been out in Zagreb much of Sunday afternoon and evening. There’s nothing like a good party to mark acceptance as member of a club worth joining. The great and the good from across Europe were invited to come to Zagreb and share Croatia’s moment in the limelight.

Most gave their various excuses. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said yes, but then changed her mind at the last moment. This left a conspicuously empty space at the top table. German attitudes towards Croatia have cooled since autumn 1991 when Berlin and Bonn moved a little too quickly to recognize the fledgling state when it declared independence from Yugoslavia — so upping the stakes, some said, in Croatia’s vicious spat with neighboring Serbia.

Signing up to the European project

In the absence of Merkel, journalist turned diplomat Vladimir Drobnjak, who led the Croatian team negotiating with Brussels, was left to hold the fort. By all accounts Drobnjak did a grand job talking up the EU project as the accession hour approached. Folk in the square, ordinary citizens of Zagreb who have traveled in by tram from the suburbs to be part of the magic moment, politely applauded. And there was genuine good spirit.

Past or future?

But was that joy born of excitement at joining the EU? It was perhaps more a sense of relief that Croatia could now eventually lay to rest a few ghosts. In a quarter of a century, Croatia has reinvented itself. But the path of change has been a rocky one.

One by one key political figures have been sidelined by allegations of war crimes or corruption. For example Ivo Sanader, who served as Prime Minister of Croatia from 2003 to 2009, fled the country amid accusations of war profiteering. He was arrested in Austria and sent back home to stand trial. Last fall he was sentenced to ten years for taking backhanders from an Austrian bank.

Croatians hope that accession to the EU closes a troubled chapter in national history. But that does not necessary equate with unqualified enthusiasm for the great European project. Just after Easter this year, Croatians had the chance to elect twelve members of the European Parliament. Here was a chance for Croatians to help shape a better, brighter future for their country. Just a fifth of the electorate bothered to vote. To be exact: 20.8%.

The post Croatia becomes the 28th member of the European Union appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

We have over the past twelve months spent time in and reported from some twenty countries across Europe. The year has seen a lot of changes. We are pleased to see some governments across Europe beginning to levy heftier taxes on aviation, and we hope that 2010 will see more following in their wake. Higher plane fares within Europe will be a big incentive to encourage more responsible traveling. Britain has taken a welcome lead in this. We applaud the decision in Scotland to subsidize ferry fares on longer routes to the Hebrides – another important step in encouraging travelers to think twice before hopping on a plane.

Over the past year, travelers have benefited from Switzerland joining the Schengen group of nations and Slovakia adopting the euro. Iceland‘s financial misfortunes in late 2008, with a slump in the value of the Icelandic króna, suddenly made the island nation much more attractive for travelers from North America and mainland Europe. In ailing economies in eastern Europe, and particularly in the Baltic States, tourism has been a key element in the fragile recovery now underway.

New travel opportunities

Citizens of some Balkan states are today much less well traveled than their parents. But that looks set to change with the new European Union visa regulations that came into effect last weekend, ushering in a more relaxed visa regime for visitors to the EU from Serbia, Montenegro and Macedonia. For Serbia, this is a tangible reward from the EU to the Belgrade government for playing the great game of European integration. Olive branches from Brussels are being offered to Minsk too, and we predict that 2010 will surely see some thawing of the relations between Belarus and the EU. That will perhaps in time make life easier for travelers bound for Belarus, which remains one of Europe’s most inaccessible and yet most intriguing countries.

Rail links and politics

A new train service would not normally be greeted as a major diplomatic event, but when the new service links Serbia with Bosnia via Croatia then folk do take notice. The Belgrade to Sarajevo route was severed during the conflicts of the nineties. Now it is back, with a very welcome once daily train from the Serbian to the Bosnian capital. The new service started in mid-December.

If train services are a mark of political cooperation, then we must mourn the demise of one of Europe’s key night train links – the daily service from Berlin to Kaliningrad. It ran for the last time ten days ago. The withdrawal of this train now leaves Russia’s Baltic exclave at Kaliningrad even more isolated.

Airlines that left the skies

Finally, a thought for all the staff and passengers affected by over a dozen airline bankruptcies in Europe in 2009. Casualties included the national flag carriers of Lithuania (FlyLAL) and Macedonia (MAT); discount carriers such as Sky Europe, Fly Globespan, and My Air; and niche carriers serving particular markets such as Sky South and KD Avia (with hubs at Shoreham and Kaliningrad respectively).

We shall be back next month, but meanwhile warm best wishes for the holidays from us both.

The post 2009 Retrospective: Highlights and lowlights of European travel appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Americans abroad: Will you be watching the festivities? Whether you live abroad or will simply be traveling, we’d like to know whether or not you’ll tune in on Tuesday to the historic event happening in Washington.

If yes, please tell us where you plan to watch the ceremony. Which city? In a bar, community center, church, or other location?  Will you get there early? At home alone? In your hotel room?

If no, please tell us why not. Not interested? You can see highlights on YouTube? The line will be finally be short at the Eiffel Tower?

Tomorrow we’ll be posting a list of spots where you can watch the inauguration in Europe’s major cities. So please, leave your comments below! Thanks!

The post Americans abroad: Will you be watching the US Presidential Inauguration? appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Listed below are a few suggestions for election night viewing parties in Paris, London, Rome,  Amsterdam, and Berlin, among other cities.

AMSTERDAM

US Election Party hosted by Amsterdam American Business Club: An all-night event taking place at the Hilton Hotel Amsterdam, including panel discussions with Dutch and American politicians, snacks and an early morning breakfast.  Tickets required.  Apollolaan 138, 1077 BG Amsterdam.

Boom Chicago Election Night Party: A wild and crazy evening of comedy and poll watching at this central Amsterdam laugh-house.  Tickets are required (and you might bump into EuroCheapo staffer Christopher Franco if you go!).  Leidseplein 12, 1017 PT Amsterdam.  Tel: +31 20 53 07300.

Molly Malone’s Irish Pub: Just looking for a big bar with a giant TV?  Look no further.  Free entry.  Oudezijds Kolk 9, 1012 AL Amsterdam.  Tel: +31 20 6241150.

ATHENS

Democrats Abroad Greece: Election Night Party at the Athens Hilton, 9 pm until dawn, with a buffet, music, and video. Ambassador Speckhard is scheduled to speak. Contact pressofficer@democratsabroad.org for details.

BARCELONA

Democrats Abroad: Election Watch Party from 9:30 p.m. to 3 a.m. at Luz de Gas, Sala B, calle Muntaner 246. Contact pressofficer@democratsabroad.org for details.

Hillary, our budget travel pal from from Less Than A Shoestring, emailed us the following update for election parties in Berlin:

“There are two big open events in Berlin: one at the Amerika Haus starts in the early evening and goes only till 1 a.m.; the second starts at 10:30 p.m. and goes till the race is called, with Democrats Abroad Berlin at Babylon (Mitte). The former is free (but reservations only, and they’re totally booked); the second is 3.50 euros in advance, 5 euros at the door (but also likely to sell out quickly).”

BRUSSELS

The Renaissance Brussels Hotel is hosting an election event, sponsored by the American Club of Brussels amd The Bulletin.

BUDAPEST

From BC: I’ve called AmCham, the embassy, and a few companies. There isn’t another party that I can find. However, I’ve also called a few sports bars and Champs will play the elections on its TVs starting at 10:45 (after the champions league match). The bar technically closes at 1am but I hope it will remain open if there is a crowd. A few of us will be at Champs at 10:45. Just ask the bartenders what table is the US election party.

COPENHAGEN

The US Embassy and AmCham are having an event at the Marriott. It’s only from 10pm to 2am, so all the results won’t be in by the time the event is over. Info is at http://amcham.dk/events.php?sec=events&id=249

The American Expats in Copenhagen Meet Up is hosting a party at Cafe Globon, too – http://www.meetup.com/american-27/calendar/9059973/.

The social democratic party have election nights in all major towns in Denmark. The Facebook site for the Copenhagen event: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=43546658752

DUBLIN

The Button Factory is having a party, which is now sold out.

Democrats Abroad Ireland will be hosting an Election Night party at Cafe en Seine on Dawson Street in Dublin. Contact pressofficer@democratsabroad.org for details.

FLORENCE

Democrats Abroad: Watch Night Party from 6 p.m. – 4 a.m., at Saschall. There will also be a Victory Party for Thursday, November 6, 8:30 – late (location tbd). Contact pressofficer@democratsabroad.org for details.

LONDON

Yates Wine Bar:  Billing itself as “the biggest bi-partisan election night party in London,” the Yates Wine Bar in Leicester Square is open through 4 AM GMT and is providing coverage via CNN and FOX.  There’s a buffet and drink vouchers, but tickets are required.  Yates’s Wine Bar, Leicester Square, London.

MADRID

Democtat’s Abroad Election Watch Party (11 p.m until early morning): Círculo de Bellas Artes; Calle Alcalá 42. Madrid (metro: Banco de España). Live music, dancing, live election returns coverage. Contact pressofficer@democratsabroad.org for details.

MUNICH

Democrats Abroad: Election Night Party at Bushing Garden. Program: 7:00-10:00pm; Dinner for early guests with a special “Obama Menu” and a music program. From 9:00pm-till sunrise, there will be a party with music and dancing. Contact pressofficer@democratsabroad.org for details.

PARIS

“La Nuit Americaine” All-night event organized by the City Hall of the 3rd Arrondissement to “explore and understand the United States,” while tuning in to election results. (They’ll even be screening “Little Miss Sunshine,” “Crash,” and “Vertigo” before serving breakfast!).  Free entry.  Mairie de 3eme, Salle Odette Pilpoul, 2 rue Eugene Spuller, 75003, Paris.  Tel:  +33 15 30 17503.

Americans Abroad for Obama Party: 11:30 p.m.  Free entry. Palais Maillot, 2, Place de La Porte Maillot, Paris.

Harry’s Bar New York: What better place to soak up election drama than at the bar that created the Bloody Mary? Harry’s also hosts a famous expat straw poll.  Free entry.  5 rue Daunou 2nd Mº Opéra, Paris, 75002.

PRAGUE

“Democrats in Prague”: Election Night Watch Parties in two locations, The Globe Bookstore and Jama Restaurant. Contact pressofficer@democratsabroad.org for details.

ROME

American International Club of Rome: A bi-partisan, bi-lingual extravaganza at the Parco dei Principi Hotel Conference Center.  Political commentary and speakers sprawled across 4 convention halls.  Tickets required. Via G. Frescobaldi, 5, Rome.

From Roman correspondent Annie Shapero:

“Democrats Abroad” Party in Termini Station: The group is throwing a party from 1 AM – 5 AM in Rome’s main train station (exact location will be emailed). The catered event includes an all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast and American-style coffee. The event costs €20 (€15 for food, and €5 for the group). For more information email events.rome@democratsabroad.it.

STOCKHOLM

All-night election watch with dinner, discussions and entertainment at the Scandic Hotel Anglais, Humlegårdsgatan 23, Stockholm, from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. Contact pressofficer@democratsabroad.org for details.

VIENNA

The Democrats Abroad are having a party in the 19th District, the Lion Rampant Pub, Billrothstrasse 16: http://www.democratsabroad.org/sites/default/files/DAAElectionNight2008.pdf

Tell Us

Do you plan to watch the elections from abroad? Tell us about it. And please list any other parties you know about below!

Editor’s Note: We have listed several Democratic-leaning events above. Most of this information has been provided by Democrats Abroad. Find more information, including more parties, on their website. We have looked hard for Republican events as well, but to no avail. If you know of any, please let us know.

The post UPDATED: Where to watch US election results in Europe appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.