If you’re feeling like channeling your inner chef for dinner tonight, check out this recipe for farfalle with lamb ragù, ricotta and mint. Bon Appetit!

Photo credit: Farfalle Ragu with parmesan, avlxyz.

Glühwein is spiced, mulled wine that is served around the holidays. Glühwein is most popular in German speaking nations, but is often served all across Europe in various forms and cultural adaptations. It is a Christmas market staple, and often times hot Glühwein comes with a keepsake mug from the market stands. Glühwein is easy to make and will brighten up any home with a bit of European holiday cheer. It goes great with pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving, too!

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup water
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 orange
• 10 whole cloves
• 1  bottle red wine

1. Bitterballen

Bitterballen are savory deep fried meatballs that are rarely found outside of the Netherlands. They are often eaten during a night on the town. With a beautiful golden-brown color and a crispy exterior, bitterballen will undoubtedly be a favorite.

2. Stroopwafels

The Dutch give a leg up to the traditional waffle by layering two thin waffles with a layer of a unique syrup-like filling in the middle. The Dutch have been making stroopwafels for several hundred years. Be careful, these caramely delights are so good that it is often difficult to have only one.

3. Raw Herring

Raw Herring is perhaps the most authentic foodie experience in Holland, but it is not for the faint of heart. Raw herrings are served commonly at food stands around Holland. It is often served on a plate salted with pickles or on a sandwich. It is proper Dutch technique to lift the herring off the plate, tip your head back and carefully lower it into your mouth. It might be an acquired taste, but once you learn to appreciate it, you’re hooked.

Photo Credit: bitterballenmetmosterd, Marco Raaphorst; Stroopwafels from the local Saturday market, Rotterdam, Nenyaki; We chez Caro, Harlingen, Broodje avec Harenc, cocoinzenl.

Well, we’re in luck. India might be on the other side of the globe, but PDX offers flights that take travelers in one of the most direct routes possible. Delta Air Lines offers flights through the Amsterdam gateway to Mumbai, India. While in India, take advantage of the opportunity to learn about some of the country’s most interesting cultural contributions.

Yoga

While yoga has evolved in the US to include styles like aerobic yoga and even aquatic yoga, the practice traces it origins back to ancient India. Yoga is more than just  a series of poses, it is a complete spiritual, mental and physical exercise. Yogis across the world find their center through the meditative practices of yoga. Today, yoga is associated with Buddhism and Hinduism, but people across all denominations enjoy the descipline’s physical, mental and spiritual benefits. While in Mumbai, be sure to visit a yoga studio and meet some true life yogis to see what traditional yoga is all about. Namaste.

Indian Cuisine

If you’ve ever had traditional Indian food, you know that the cuisine is much different from any other Asian dining experience. Characterized by its diverse spices and flavors, Indian food is gaining popularity across the world. Spices like cumin, turmeric, coriander and curry are common flavors that are used in Indian dishes. Indian food is incredibly diverse, and each region in India claims its own style and flavor of traditional dishes. In Mumbai, a bite-size delicacy called panipuri is a popular snack. Don’t leave Mumbai without sampling the diverse cuisine of the Maharashtra region, or taking a cooking class!

Bollywood

Bollywood is the name given to the culturally unique film-industry based in Mumbai, and is one of the largest film-producers in the world. The name is derived from a combination between Mumbai’s former name, Bombay, and Hollywood. Bollywood films are inspired by cultural aspects of Hollywood movies as well as traditional Indian culture, theater, music and dance. Most Bollywood films have musical elements, where characters sing and dance in a way that is unique to the Bollywood film industry. When in Mumbai, check out a masala film (literally meaning mixture of spices), which is usually about 3 hours long (with intermission) and includes comedy, tragedy, action and romance.

Photo Credit: Masala Dabba, jo-h; Yoga Journal Conference, Lululemon Athletica; It ain’t Bollywood without a little song and dance, tajai

Photo credits: Som Tom Spicy Papaya Salad, Ken Funakoshi; Pork sliders, Jocelyn McAuley; Cheese stall, kattebelletje

Where to get your sweet tooth fix in Amsterdam, Tokyo and Portland?

Photo credits: De Kas pie, Jacob Boetter; Anko pie, fleterjcm; Random Order pie, Kristen Taylor

This is part three of our Amsterdam itinerary series, with the first two sections concentrating on Amsterdam history and the outdoors. Here on Museum Day we’ve got a full schedule so it’s best to start early.

Where to stay

Even though Amsterdam’s city center is quite compact, the Museum Quarter is on the southern edge of it, so get an early start on museum day by staying at the Amsterdam Marriott. This large 4-star hotel has an excellent location just around the corner from Museum Square, and also very close to the Leidseplein entertainment district.

First stop: Van Gogh Museum

Aside from the Anne Frank House, the longest queues in Amsterdam can always be found in front of the fabulous Van Gogh Museum, which is why it’s ideal to get here a bit before the 10am opening time. Coming in the afternoon also means dealing with large crowds once inside, so start the day here so you can more fully appreciate the works within.

This museum has hundreds of Van Gogh’s most famous works, including one of the three ‘Sunflowers‘ paintings he’s known best for. There are also paintings by some of his late 19th Century contemporaries, which helps contrast his own works with others from the era. It’s actually not a huge place since its focus is somewhat narrow, so in 60 to 90 minutes you can see the best of it and be on your way.

Next stop: Rijksmuseum – The Masterpieces

Just across the grass field from the Van Gogh you’ll reach Amsterdam’s national and largest museum, which has been more modest in scope since a huge renovation project began in 2003 and won’t be complete until 2013. Currently, the Amsterdam Rijksmuseum instead features its “Masterpieces” collection in one of its completed wings, and fortunately it’s still well worth a visit.

The building has housed this museum since 1885, and is modeled like a palace, making the architecture itself as much of the attraction as the valuable artwork inside. Inside you’ll find several hundred of the collection’s finest and most famous pieces, most notably Rembrandt’s ‘Nightwatch,’ which is the best known of all the huge paintings by the Dutch Masters. When the full museum reopens in 2013 this could be an all-day stop, but with the Masterpieces you can fully appreciate it in about 90 minutes or less.

Lunch stop: Leidseplein restaurant district

After a five-minute stroll from the Rijksmuseum you’ll come to the wonderful Leidseplein (Leidse Square), which is lined with cafes and bars, and the small pedestrian streets branching away from it are literally lined with more than 100 small restaurants. Either for lunch or for dinner, this neighborhood is like the world’s best international food court, except instead of plastic tables each restaurant is self-contained, with both indoor and outdoor seating.

You can choose from Argentine steaks, Tibetan, Greek, Italian, Indonesian, French, Ethiopian, and dozens more possibilities, and most of these places are quite reasonably priced as well as being comfortable.

Next stop: Hermitage Amsterdam

After lunch you can use your iAmsterdam Card to jump on one of the frequent trams that connects Leidseplein with Waterlooplein, which is where you’ll find the Hermitage Amsterdam. As you may know, the world famous Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg, Russia has such an enormous collection of masterpieces that it only displays a small portion at any given time, so in the last few years they’ve opened this new outlet to show off highlights of what isn’t presently at the main museum.

Housed in a historic 17th Century building since 2009, this is Amsterdam’s newest world-class collection of art, and also one of the largest. There are two permanent collections plus a host of temporary exhibits, featuring more than just classical Russian art. True lovers of this period could stay for half a day or more, but you can see a lot in just an hour or two.

Next stop: De Nieuwe Kerk (New Church)

While Amsterdam’s slightly-older “Old Church” in the Red Light District remains a big draw for its religious history, the “New Church” actually dates back to 1408 and is used for special exhibits instead. Facing Dam Square, which is a 10-minute walk or a shorter tram ride from the Hermitage, this is an ideal place to end the sightseeing day. The building itself is historic and far larger than the Old Church, so it’s worth a look on its own, but even better the space always contains a special exhibit of some kind, often something relating to the city’s history or a contemporary issue.

End of the day: Shopping and dinner

Around the corner from the New Church you are at one end of pedestrian-only Kalverstraat, which features about a full kilometer of the city’s finest shopping. You’ll find all the trendy international stores here, alongside many one-off local shops featuring the latest Dutch fashions and design items.

In the center of this shopping district you’ll pass through a lovely small square called Spui, which is lined with restaurants and cafes, including several traditional Dutch places where locals dominate the crowd.

Photos courtesy of Tom Townsend; Leipseplein, JDinBawlmer

1.  World Customs App – iPhone

Especially if you’re a business traveler, it’s important to familiarize yourself with the local cultures and customs. The World Customs App provides a breakdown of key cultural tips right at your fingertips. And the best part? It’s free!

2.  Trip Journal – Android and iPhone

What was that great restaurant you went to that one night in that one place? In order to share your very best travel stories with your friends, it’s good to remember names and locations of the places you visited. The Trip Journal allows you to very easily document the names of locations, route your trip and share photos and tips with your friends and family.

3.  Gate Guru – iPhone

We’ve all been there. You barely make it through security with enough time to grab a bagel and get on the plane, but where do you go? If you’re not familiar with an airport, finding the perfect morning snack or quick dinner can try your patience, but happily Gate Guru removes the guessing game and keeps your patience (and blood pressure) in check. This location aware app will show you all the restaurants, clothing/tech/duty free stores and other amenities conveniently located in your departure terminal. So hold on to that patience and use the security line to find your next preferred foodie station.

4.  Zagat – Android, Blackberry and iPhone

One of the most trusted restaurant guides is not only available on iPhone and Blackberry but is making its way to Android this year as well. Zagat shares location, cost, ambiance, and reviews – a prized feature for dining in your foreign destination.

5.  Currency Converter – Palm

Not all of us are math whizzes who can easily calculate the exact conversion rate from dollars to euros, yen or rubles. Happily the Currency Converter is a quick solution, leaving you more time to decide between those two designer bags you’ve been eying.

6.  Transclick – Blackberry

With 16 languages programmed into Transclick, you’ll have a convenient translator right in your pocket or purse. Can’t find the proper train station? Break out that blackberry, submit your phrase and in minutes you’ll be one your way to your destination of choice.

7. Sit or Squat – iPhone

Laugh if you must that this made it to our top 7 list, but when you have to go, you have to go and it’s best to not stress when you’re looking for relief. This app not only informs you of the closest restrooms, but gives reviews of each location. Whether you’re looking for a quick solution or swank decor, Sit or Squat will help get you there.

Every year, the Dutch dress in their finest orange paraphernalia – the royal family colors – to celebrate the queen with song, dance, food, boating down the canals and local vendors. We’ve collected some favorite photos of the event and wonder: do you have your own photos or videos to share?

Photo credits: has_s, FaceMePLS, flabbergast_ed, has_s, has_s, ComunicaTI, Quantz, Radio Nederland Wereldomroep, Michell Zappa