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This week goes down as the most decadent ever. From volcanic spas to imperial cuisine, this was the greatest indulgence. Spending the week in Germany, Austria, and the Czech Republic I steeped myself in some of the finest luxury amenities that the region has to offer. How did I work it out? I met up with David C Lee, a friend and publisher of TDINK and Le Phant magazines. David just happened to be doing a series on European luxury when I joined up with him.

Prague’s Evening Skyline

Although David has been reporting this luxury lifestyle for some time, such a tour was a totally new experience for me. It’s not that I haven’t done luxury. It’s that I haven’t experienced luxury on this scale before. After my long winding rail journey from Munich to Czech Republic we met up at Hotel Josef. That was a fine treat indeed, and just the beginning on our week. I usually do standard business hotels so this designer style venue was already a great start.

Shooting up Hotel Josef

We spent the next few days gliding from hotel to hotel, restaurant to lounge, all in search of the finest luxury that Prague had to offer. It didn’t hurt that Prague is a magnificent thousand-year-old city either. And when we got tired we laid out at the remote spa resort in nestled up against the volcanic mountains close to Germany. From early am to early am it was non-stop food and drink….utter hedonism.

French cuisine to luxury spas…this was usually what we woke up to

Once done with Prague we decided to give Vienna a try. After all, we had caught word that this is THE place where European-style luxury in all it’s grandness was born. And so we made our way over…

Praha hlavni nadrazi station

All I can say is that it was fucking awesome. From 5-star cuisine to getting the royal treatment (literally) at hotels designed for European and Arab royalty, our trip through Czech and Austria was UNBELIEVABLE. Just one example? Imperial Hotel…which, no joke, was exactly that…imperial. Not only had the emperor of Japan and the Clintons stayed here, but so had Angelina Jolie, Michael Jackson, and Bruce Willis. And yes, we stayed in the same presidential suite, with even the 24-7 butler service. Effin’ awesome.

Serious luxury. (Photo courtesy of David C Lee and LePhant Magazine)

Most people don’t think about Central Europe when they envision luxury. But let me tell you. This is a region that knows how to live it up…especially for the sophisticated traveler.

There’s something that I love about Germany. Maybe it’s the infamous Germany “efficiency” or just the plain good beer. This past week I gave into my need for civilization again, and took a break that started with Munich, Germany.

Streets of Munich.

My thoughts of Munich. This was a great place to decompress and absorb as much civilization as possible. Coming from Afghanistan it’s always good to soak in the peacefulness, order, and fine living from abroad. This time I took off to a far-off place that I had never set foot in before: Munich, Germany. Being the home of BMW, Bavarian beer, and German opera I thought this would be an excellent opportunity to indulge in sophisticated pleasures. Little did I know, this would be just the start of my European luxury indulgence.

The BMW Museum was quite an experience. Having earlier traveled to Stuttgart, the home of Mercedes Benz, I was expecting BMW’s museum to be a similar feat of sophistication and hedonism. True to BMW values, the museum was a mix of class, luxury, design, and a sense fine legacy situated right next to the Olympic Stadium complex made famous during 1972 and the movie Munich.

The structure of the Museum itself is overt in that it mimics divine presence. The architects of the museum wanted to produce a building that reached up on the sky, while publishing that itself was a piece of German invention. The building is a futuristic reach into human desire for fine design, power, and control…all tenets of German engineering I’d say. And it looks like they did it quite well.

BMW Museum

Like Mercedes Benz in Stuttgart, BMW has its showroom in a building right next to the museum. So, of course, visitors will marvel BMW’s latest models alongside the company’s illustrious and colorful history. This is actually one of my favorite pieces of the museum experience…being able to view the hottest car models, although I myself can only dream of owning a recent-version of a BMW. Quite possibly, my favorite is the BMW 7-series…a sporty, yet elegant sedan that sets the standard for all full size sedans. I admit, it screams of ostentatious $bling, but I have to appreciate it as a beautiful piece of machine. Well done, BMW.

BMW 750i on display

Of course, you can’t pass up the BMW drama without taking a peek at its line of motorcycles. Here, BMW is in a class of its own. Its motorcycles are world-renown for their power, style, and reliability…decades after each iteration of motorcycle is born. My issue with the BMW is that it’s always an evolution. Never is there truly a motorcycle that yells “ground-breaking,” but more like its machines give you a sense that given new models and new improvements, you can always rely on tested quality and pedigree. BMW sets the tone for the motorcycle world with its bike that are consistently different.

F650 and some other street-bike I can’t recognize

Maybe the coolest part of BMW history is its old school motos that date back to the pre-Nazi days of the 20th century. Bikes back then were clunky and rude, but BMW had something going on that was totally classy. And classy they still are. I love the look and emotional impact that old, black BMWs strike me with.

Old school in style.

I gave up riding a while ago, but admiring these machines just makes me wanna put on another leather jacket and light up that ignition. With one of these, you could truly cut through Germany’s cold, crisp breeze with incredible creations that meld physics and love.

Behold: the classic BMW motorcycle.

Of course, you can’t pass up Munich without a tribute to its public symphony. And so I dished out 60 euros to see the show at the Munich Philharmonic. I guess studying classical music as a child really has an influence — I actually found myself taking appreciation of the 130-piece orchestra and the opera singer that truly had some oomf behind her voice. Man, with barely a mic, she filled the every corner of that theater with her voice. Simply amazing. I think I have a new interest in opera.. whod’a known../

Theater for the Munich Philharmonic

So…with a combination of beautiful cars and classical music I made my way through the beginning of my European holiday. I was truly pleased. Soaking in the different elements of civilization at Europe’s finest was exactly what I needed. Little did I know that it was barely the beginning…

I don’t know how they do it. Live without running water, that is.

The other day we were out of water for about 6 hours. It was a serious pain in the ass, not particularly because I needed the water all that much. I could reasonably manage without running water. It was more because since we have a running water system, it should fucking work. Sigh. Maybe my hopes of living in Afghanistan are still too high.

Any house that has running water in Afghanistan probably has the blue plastic tanks on the roof — just like in many other developing countries. However, here, the water pumps just seem to give out all the time. Actually this time it was the valve. But WTF. When I want some running water from the faucet, I should be able to get some. I know, I know. I tell myself that I can get by with some temporary solutions. Shower using hot water from the kettle. Or use the bottled water to wash some dishes. But no, I refuse. I am clearly not over this yet.

Once again, I have come to appreciate — and demand — that proper life conveniences be protected. And no matter how polluted or how inconvenient, it’s just water, damn it. Make it happen!