Get to know the 5 countries in the Europe Expedition of ‘Motorcycle Diaries’  

For the 3rd anniversary special of ‘Motorcycle Diaries ni Jay Taruc’, the show will take its viewers to the other side of the world –– the west. Having visited Southeast Asia and South Asia for the show’s first and second anniversary specials, Motorcycle Diaries is now ready to share its Europe Expedition — the show’s biggest trip since it started airing in 2011.

 

This year’s anniversary special is cut into 5 parts, with each episode sharing the sights and cultural stories from one or two of the countries visited. Together with his friend and fellow motorcycle rider Joey Almeda, Jay Taruc will discover Germany, Austria, Italy, France, and the Vatican City.

 

Here are some facts about the 5 European countries that Jay’s motorcycle was able to lay its wheels on:

Germany is known for being the world’s leading beer nation. With pubs and breweries on almost every street, it is no wonder that Germans are among the world’s top alcohol drinkers, with 54% of the population preferring beer over other alcoholic drinks. 

 

The Oktoberfest, Germany’s most famous beer festival, is also known to bring tourists to the country. Every year, 6 million festival-goers are expected to take part in the 2-week-long festival beginning at the end of September and concluding during the first few days of October.

One of the most famous tourist spots in Austria’s capital and largest city, Vienna, is the Mozarthaus, the home of the great composer.

 

The place has been converted into a museum that lets visitors explore the great man’s musical struggles and victories, and has been open to the public since 1941. Trivia: Mozart never composed more music anywhere else!

Austria is also known as the home of KTM, a motorcycle manufacturing company. Of course, Team Motorcycle Diaries couldn’t leave the country without seeing where these well-built motorcycles were made! The photo above shows the aerial stunts done by the group FMX4ever, who are loyal to the KTM brand. 

Aside from its vast array of scrumptious dishes, Italy is also home to some of the most breathtaking structures and views. The Leaning Tower of Pisa is a bell tower built in the year 1170. Because of the loose soil that it was built on and the 200 long years that it took to complete the construction, the tower settled at a slant and is still leaning to this day. An estimate of 3 million visitors go up the stone steps of the tower each year!

Asolo, a town in Northern Italy that may not ring a bell to many, is also known as “The City of a Hundred Horizons” due to its picturesque mountain views. 

It’s almost unavoidable to talk about France and not mention the majestic Eiffel Tower, the most expensive European monument with a value of £344 million and the greatest symbol of the country of France. 

 

The tower was originally meant to be an entrance to the 1889 World’s Fair, built in honor of the 100th anniversary of the storming of the Bastille. Currently, the tower is 125 years old and a destination for 7 million tourists every year –– 75% of whom are from other countries. 

The smallest independent state in the world, Vatican City, is home to the famous St. Peter’s Square, situated in front of St. Peter’s Basilica where the Pope administers various religious services.

 

Five different countries in a span of 14 days. Although our riders only went to five of the continent’s 50 sovereign states, the Europe Expedition gathered enough proof of Europe’s beautiful sights and cultural diversity –– characteristics that make any place, big or small, worthy of being explored. 

 

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Photos from Team Motorcycle Diaries and Jay Taruc’s Instagram

 

For more on Jay and Joey’s Europe Expedition, catch ‘Motorcycle Diaries’ every Thursday, 10 PM on GMA News TV. You may also follow the action on the show’s official Facebook and Twitter accounts using the hashtag #EuropeExpedition. –– Elise Maog/BM, GMA News