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European Gypsies

Gypsies are ‘travelers’ which by definition means they are likely to be found all around the world. This means that European gypsies are of course a common sight too, and in fact gypsies have a long history with Europe.

One of the most common types of European gypsies are called the ‘Romani’ who are also known as ‘Romane, Rromane, Romany, Romanies, Roms and other version of the word. Though their origins can be traced back to the Indian Subcontinent, the Romani of course originate in some ways from Rome, and they still have their largest concentrations in Europe. In 1932 an Irish Franciscan monk named ‘Symon Semeonis’ met the migrant group known as the ‘descendants of Cain’ outside the town of Heraklion in Crete. This is the first account of the Romani people in Europe. A fiefdom called the Feudum Acinganorum was established in Corgu in 1360, and many Romani serfs used this before moving Germany by 1424 and to Scotland and Sweden by the 16^th century. Though Europe was initially curious of these European gypsies, that curiosity soon turned to hostility and for five centuries the Romani were enslaved in Wallachia and Moldavia until 1856. These European Gypsies have also been subject to ethnic cleansing, abduction and forced labor in Europe. Some European gypsies have received better treatment throughout Europe however, such as in England in 1596 when a statute gave them privileges and rights over other nomads. European gypsies were also responsible for inspiring some movements and the culture has also inspired many works of art – such as the Opera ‘Carmen’.

Today the European country with the highest concentration of Romani people is Bulgaria with 4.67% of the population being Romani. Following close behind is the Republic of Macedonia with 2.85% and Romania with 2.46%.

The term ‘Gypsy’ meanwhile is an English term which comes from the Greek word for Egyptian. This comes from the false belief that the Romani people and some other Gypsies came from Egypt. However many Romani’s find the term to be derogatory.

Romani culture places a lot of importance on family, and is a patriachal society that considers virginity as essential for unmarried women. Their practice of ‘child marriage’ is highly controversial as is the practice of ‘bride kidnapping’ where girls are kidnapped from as young as 12 to be married to teenage boys. This occurs in Ireland, England, Bulgaria and other European countries (though these practices are not universally accepted by all Romani people). Some evidence of Indian heritage remains among these European gypsies including some Sanskrit grammar and vocabulary. Traditionally the Romani occupations mainly focused on singing and dancing as well as jeweler arts. Romanis often adopt the religion of the ‘host’ country, but historically are of Hindu faith.

While the Romani people are widespread across Europe, there are other European gypsies too such as the Irish Travelers of Irish origin found in Ireland and the UK. Their culture is different though it holds some similarities with the Romani people. Often they are highly Catholic and to follow a strict ethos known as the ‘travelers’ code’. Often they will live in caravans and grow up outside of the local educational systems resulting in widespread illiteracy. Like Romani European gypsies, Irish travelers also tend to marry young. Their settlements are very controversial and while some people argue for their right to travel as they please, others see them as a drain on resources who don’t give back to the communities in which they settle. Recently councils in England have been using means of force to remove Gypsies from their property such as in the case of Dale farm. As throughout history, European gypsies remain a source of controversy, but nevertheless add to the colorful history and ethnic diversity of the continent.

Gypsies In Europe

The Biggest Gay Parade in Europe

For gay travel, Europe has a lot to offer and there are many exciting gay scenes and hot spots to visit. However while there are many clubbing areas and other gay tourist spots, nothing beats a gay parade which is a jubilant celebration that anyone can enjoy. But for the discerning gay tourist, where is the best gay parade to visit? Here we will look at the biggest gay parade in Europe, and some of the other close contenders.

The biggest gay parade in Europe is something that is not clear cut – partially as parades will vary in size year on year. However in Europe the best location for gay parades is Berlin – a true hot spot for gay travel and home to some of the largest and most vibrant gay parades in the world.

Sao Paulo in Brazil was home to arguably the largest gay parade in the world according to estimates and had over three million attendees. One of the largest parades in Europe however could have been the ‘Love Parade’ which took place in Berlin, Germany for some years. While it is theoretically an annual event, certain circumstances lead to some years being canceled. Not purely a gay parade, the love parade is however intended to spread love, tolerance and music. Sadly in 2009 the love parade was struck by tragedy when a stampede killed 21 people in attendance; and as a result the parade was called to a halt.

However the best way to find the biggest gay parade in Europe today is to wait for Gay Pride. Gay Pride parades take place in cities across Europe and each hosts huge celebrations. However, as one of the true capitals of the world for gay travel, the Gay Pride parade held in Berlin is perhaps the most impressive and is possible the biggest gay parade in Europe. The Gay Pride celebrations in Berlin include the Berlin Lesbian and Gay City Festival held in Shconeeberg and features musical performances, art, lectures, exhibits and more. On the final weekend of Gay Pride, the Berlin Gay Pride Parade then takes place in the same location starting at 12.30pm on the corner of Kururstendham and is followed by the Pride Rally.

As well as potentially Europe’s biggest gay parade, Berlin is also home to ‘Folsom Europe’ which is Europe’s largest fetish festival and is held in September. Both events are great fun and colorful celebrations that must be visited by gay travelers, but also anyone else looking for a unique and exciting experience.

The Biggest Gay Parade in The World

Free Wifi in Europe

Europe is a highly modern continent and one of the ways in which it demonstrates this is with its adopting of new technologies. It doesn’t take much searching to find free wifi in Europe for example, and most of the big cities, certainly in Western Europe, do provide free connections that mean you can get on with work, surf the web and download media all while on the move without having to get charged from your service provider.

Cities like Paris, Berlin and London are great for finding free wifi in Europe (Paris is particularly good), but these offerings still pale in comparison to one particular city in Europe: the city of Tallinn.

Tallinn is the capital of Estonia, and if you really want free wifi in Europe this is where you should go. In fact Tallinn provides free wifi for practically its entire city and you will find orange and black stickers on shop windows all over Tallinn promoting this fact. But not only do the shops and businesses provide this free wifi in Europe, but so too does the city itself.

Just to show how hot on free wifi in Europe Tallinn really is here are some facts. First of all Tallinn airport was the first airport in the world to offer free wifi across the airpot. In many other European and Western countries you still need to pay for internet usage at kiosks. Meanwhile even some of the buses offer free wifi (as well as flat-screen TVs and electrical outlets). The city is among the top ten in the world for free wifi, and in total there are over 64 wifi hotspots available completely free.

This is not the only example of Tallinn and Estonia being incredibly technologically advanced. Many people refer to Tallinn as something of a second ‘Silicone Valley’ and internet startups are one of the largest contributors to the Estonian economy (50% of which comes from Tallinn). Among these startups are the immensely popular Skype – the video conferencing software that is perfectly suited to free wifi in Europe.

Perhaps most amazingly of all though, Tallinn was also the home of the world’s first ever online election which truly may pave the way for the rest of the planet. Free wifi in Europe then is only the start of Tallinn’s digital pioneering, hopefully other countries will follow suite soon.

European Wifi

Euro History

Since the end of WW1, the Euro has been the dream of many a politician; the idea being to bind the member states of the EU together with a single currency that would facilitate trade and tourism and prevent war.

In some respects the Euro was a success, and certainly the ambition of having a single currency between multiple countries has been achieved. However in light of the current Eurozone crisis it’s hard to say whether this success is likely to continue, or even whether it should have begun in the first place. While this is a matter of opinion, and there is still everything to play for, the history of the Euro has no doubt been a colorful and fascinating one. Here we will look in more detail at the history of the Euro from its inception to the current challenges it faces.

1999

1999 is an important day for the history of the Euro and marks its inception.

2001

Greece joins the Euro

2002

Coins and notes are now introduced

2007

Slovenia joins

2008

More countries join the Euro: Malta and Cyprus. This is also the point in the history of the Euro when things started to become more complicated and the growing financial crisis leads the EU leaders to agree a 200 billion Euro stimulus plan to boost the economy.

2009

Slovakia joins. Meanwhile Estonia, Denmark, Lithuania and Latvia join the ‘Exchange Rate Mechanism’ which brings the currencies and policies in line with the Euro to prepare for joining.

The EU orders France, Spain, Ireland and Greece to reduce budget deficits (which is the difference between spending versus tax).

Concerns grow about the debts of some EU member states. Greece admits to debts of 300 billion Euros – the largest in modern history. This is 113% of their GDP which is double the agreed Eurozone limit. This is a difficult time in the history of the Euro.

2010

A report condemns inconsistencies in Greek accounting procedures and revises the budget deficit to 12.7% from 3.7% – four times the maximum allowed by EU rules. This is later fixed to 13.6%. Concerns grow regarding other heavily indebted countries – Portugal, Ireland and Spain. The Euro falls against the dollar and the pound.

The Eurozone agrees a safety net of 22 billion Euros to help Greece. Greece are told to cut spending and this results in riots and protests. The EU agrees to provide up to 30 billion in loans. Eventually in May the Eurozone members provide Greece with a 110 billion bailout package funded by wealthier members such as Germany. The Euro continues to fall and the Irish Republic comes under scrutiny before receiving a bailout package of 85 billion Euros. Rumors mount that Portugal will be the next bailout in the history of the Euro.

2011

Estonia joins the Euro as the 17^th member state. The Eurozone meanwhile sets up a bailout fund – the ‘European Stability Mechanism’ worth 500 billion. In May Portugal receives a bailout of 78 billion. Rumors mount that Greece will need to be the first country in the history of the Euro to leave the currency, but a new series of austerity measures (spending cuts) wins approval from the EU. They receive another bailout of 109 billion Euros.

European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso warns of contagion of countries outside the Eurozone. Yields on bonds from Italy and Spain rise dramatically and Germany falls to all-time lows as a result of investors needing huge returns. The European Central Bank commits to buy Italian and Spanish bonds. Spain and Italy restrict spending.

Evangelos Venizelos, Finance Minster for Greece, accuses the EU of using Greece as a scapegoat for their incompetence. Growth in the Eurozone’s private sector shrinks for the first time in 2 years. US and UK politicians urge the Eurozone to try to prevent the spreading of its financial difficulties. Franco Belgium bank Dexia receives a bailout.

History of Euro

Eurozone Crisis

It seems in the news at the moment that everywhere you turn there’s some form of crisis. The most well known of these is currently the economic crisis, which is something we are all feeling the effects of strongly, but as well as this there’s then the environmental crisis, the energy crisis and now the Eurozone crisis. So what is the Eurozone crisis, and is it something you need to be concerned about?

            The Eurozone is a term used to describe the region of countries using the Euro (currency). This then includes many of the countries of the EU such as Germany, France and Greece, but not all of them (countries like England and Poland still use their own currencies). The Eurozone ‘crisis’ then refers to the plunging value of the Euro caused by the economic crisis and amplified by the multitude of countries using the system. The problem is, that while one country might be coping well with the financial hardships, others that are fairing less well (such as Greece) can end up pulling the value back down making it a vicious cycle and one that is hard to escape from. Germany has been shouldering much of the brunt of the economic turmoil and handing bail outs to Greece, but this not yet enough

Other causes of the Eurozone crisis include too much debt from the member states, a lack of competition between the countries, the differing mechanisms of the various economies tied to one currency, and disagreements coming from the lack of a single authority and so many different member states each with vested interests – a ’17 headed hydra’. Criticisms have been leveled at the very idea of a single currency which some skeptics see as unstable and unfeasible.

This Eurozone crisis however is not a problem that is contained to Europe; rather it is one that affects the rest of the world through investments, debt and trade and that is risking serious global economic decline. I is in every one’s best interests to solve this crisis as soon as possible. Many meetings have been held between the member states of the EU to this end, but as yet no satisfactory solution has been found.

Europe Crisis

European Dress Sizes

Certain areas of Europe are particularly known for their dresses and their fashion in general. Take France for instance which is the birthplace of many a great dress design, or Italy which many designers also call home. Thus it’s no surprise that many people will want to pick up European dresses while traveling, or will order them online. The only problem is European dress sizes, which are different from those in the US and which many people shopping online will not know.

Making life more difficult is the fact that European dress sizes vary between say Germany and France and are completely different in the UK than they are in mainland Europe. Fortunately help is at hand, and below you can find a guide to European dress sizes compared to US and UK dress sizes.

            By observing this chart it is possible to recognize which European dress sizes will fit you as well as which UK dress sizes. Note however that UK dress sizes are notorious for changing depending on which manufacturer produced the clothes – if you are a ten in one shop you won’t necessarily be in another. Note as well that the sizes in Belgium and France are slightly larger than in Germany, and slightly larger again in Italy (a 40 in France is a 44 in Italy). Make sure when buying UK or European dresses online that there is a good return policy.

Another point of interest is that European dress sizes are set to change with the introduction of EN 13402 which is an optional new system developed by the EU in order to create more consistency among European dress sizes. This is based on cm and measures the physique in several dimensions, though it is not currently in widespread use.

Choosing European Hotels

Choosing a hotel is an incredibly important part of any journey. Even if you’re the kind of holiday maker who doesn’t intend to spend too much time in the hotel you will still find that feeling safe and warm in the room makes a big difference to how much you enjoy your stay. However many people still take the process for granted and incorrectly assume that European hotels are much of a muchness.

There are certainly things to look out for to make sure you make the most of your European travel. Here we will look at a few things to look out for with European hotels to help you choose one correctly.

Price: The price is of course an important selling point. You will likely have a budget and be restricted by this to an extent. At the same time though the price can sometimes reflect the quality of the hotel (you get what you pay for in other words) – so make sure that you look at the star rating of the hotel too and the other facilities on offer and then choose the cheapest of the hotels you like.

Location: Obviously this is very important for any hotel. It is not enough to just look for European hotels in the city you are visiting, but also hotels with good transport links, good amenities and facilities nearby and in short distance from the sites you wish to visit. You also want to make sure the area is pleasant, safe and clean. Look on Google Maps to get a good idea of the area and use route planners online to find the distance between your location and the sites you want to see. Read reviews and lookout for indicators of the area too. If you are staying in a big city, then European hotels near metro stations and underground stations will generally be very useful as these usually provide links to all the major sites.

Parking: Many people will travel around Europe with a car and this will mean then that they require somewhere to keep it. Look into then whether or not there is parking in your hotel – and choose one that offers somewhere free to keep your vehicle off road. If you’re parking in the street or paying for parking then other European hotels might be more convenient and cost effective.

Sharing: If you are staying hostels rather than European hotels, then you risk having to share with other travelers. For some people this will be off-putting as they will want to keep themselves to themselves and as they will worry about thieves. For other travelers it will be a bonus to get to socialize and meet other people. When booking your European hotels make sure to look at whether or not you’ll be sharing with other people.

Opening Hours: if you plan to be out all night partying then yo don’t want to stay somewhere where the last check in is 11pm. Likewise it is important to know the closing times of European hotels when you are arriving – particularly if you are running late.

Choosing European Hotel