Welcome! We're Betty and Lee! 👋
We've lived in Germany on and off for nearly 30 years with the U.S. military, and we're now retired and calling the Rhineland Pfalz region home. This channel is our way of sharing everything we've learned — and everything we're still discovering.
What You'll Find Here:
🇩🇪 Germany Travel Guides — hidden gems, scenic walks, and local favorites
🌍 European Adventures — from Rome to Istanbul and beyond
🎖️ Military Retiree Life in Germany — health insurance, residency, and much more
🍷 Rhineland Pfalz Living — wine country, castles, and our everyday expat life
Whether you're planning a trip, dreaming of moving abroad, or already here and looking for your next adventure — pull up a chair. We're glad you're here.
Subscribe for Weekly Videos!
📩 Collaborations: travelingexpatlife@gmail.com
🌐 Website: travelingexpats.com
Traveling Expats
Hi everyone! We’ve been a bit quiet lately as we’ve been traveling and spending some wonderful quality time with family. We’re sorry we missed our upload last week, but we’re back on track!
We have a bit of a surprise for you—we’ve actually traveled quite a bit since our last video in the snowy Dolomites! We just wrapped up an incredible series in Gran Canaria (which we can't wait to show you soon), and now we’ve landed in the stunning red rocks of Moab, Utah.
This Saturday, we’re taking a quick "intermission" from the travel vlogs to share a very important video about the "Healthcare Trap" we found while working in Germany as U.S. retirees. It’s a must-watch for anyone considering the expat life!
Thank you for your patience, support, and for being the kindest community on YouTube. We’ll see you Saturday at our usual time!
Warmly,
Betty & Lee
2 days ago | [YT] | 36
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Traveling Expats
We fell a little bit in love with Freiburg im Breisgau this Christmas… ❤️🎄
These photos didn’t even make it into our YouTube video – a few “real life” moments from two retired Americans enjoying this charming market. We ate some delicious Flammlachs (smoked salmon in a roll) but forgot to film it. Trust us, it was quite delicious. 😅
Freiburg is also the perfect base for Christmas market hopping. Not only does it have its own amazing markets, but it’s ideally located for easy day trips — Alsace markets like Colmar and Strasbourg are about an hour away, and you can even take a free train ride to Basel, Switzerland with your Deutschland Ticket.
Best of all, hotels in Freiburg are easier to find and far more affordable than in those nearby hotspots. And Freiburg even offers a direct shuttle to the famous Ravenna Gorge Christmas Market.
We're curious:
Have you visited the Freiburg im Breisgau Christmas market?
Also do you have a favorite Christmas market you think we would enjoy next year?
If you want to see the full walkthrough, food prices, and how we used Freiburg as a Christmas base in the Black Forest, we just posted our Freiburg Christmas Market guide on YouTube. 🎥
https://youtu.be/LmoMFc4hrHA?si=udvJE...
1 month ago (edited) | [YT] | 49
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Traveling Expats
Hey everyone! 🎄✨ We just hit publish on our brand-new Colmar Christmas video, and this place… wow. It’s charming, it’s colorful, it’s festive — but we also found a few surprises you won’t see on Instagram. 😉
We take you with us through the markets, taste some Alsatian goodies, and share the little things we learned along the way (yes, including the parking situation 👀).
If Colmar is on your Christmas wish list — or you just love a good holiday atmosphere — come join us for the adventure! 🎥
https://youtu.be/Myj-W4GBS3s
3 months ago | [YT] | 22
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Traveling Expats
We’ve been racing through our Christmas market tour this week, and even though today’s upload ran just a few minutes past our usual 4pm… the Strasbourg Christmas Market video is officially LIVE! 🎄✨
And wow — Strasbourg at Christmas is something you truly have to see to believe. The cathedral rising above the glowing streets, the beautifully lit half-timbered houses, and the incredible decorations that make every corner feel straight out of a holiday film… it’s one of the most visually stunning Christmas markets we’ve ever experienced.
If you’re dreaming of that classic, storybook Christmas atmosphere, this is the place — and our new video captures the magic from start to finish.
👉 Go watch it now — you won’t want to miss this one! 🎥✨
https://youtu.be/VBtOticFK9Y?si=6GDy_...
3 months ago | [YT] | 44
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Traveling Expats
We had such an amazing time exploring the Christmas markets in Cologne —from the magical Angel Market to the cozy village feel of the Nikolausdorf. If you’re planning your own trip, we hope our tips help you make the most of your visit.
If you’ve been to the Cologne Christmas markets, we’d love to hear about your favorite stalls, foods, or traditions. And if you haven’t visited yet… add it to your list! 🎄
Check out the video here ⤵️
https://youtu.be/cTBmPOHSZ-4?si=xSOzI...
Thanks for supporting our channel—we truly appreciate you! 🙏💛
3 months ago | [YT] | 17
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Traveling Expats
🦃 Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! 🍂✨
We just wanted to take a moment to say how truly grateful we are for this amazing community. Your support, your comments, your kindness, and the joy you bring to our channel mean the world to us. Thank you for being here, for watching our videos, and for sharing this journey with us. We appreciate you more than you know. ❤️
And… we have a little surprise! 🎄✨
To kick off the holiday season, we released our first Christmas Market video of 2025 TODAY—a bit earlier than our usual Saturday posting schedule. We just couldn’t wait to share the magic with you!
We hope you have a warm, joyful, and delicious Thanksgiving. 🍁
Thank you for being part of our adventure. 💛
— Lee & Betty
3 months ago | [YT] | 58
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Traveling Expats
🎉🥳 We Did It – 5,000 Subscribers! 🥳🎉
Wow… we honestly can’t believe it. When we started this channel, we never imagined we’d reach 5,000 amazing subscribers from around the world. 🌍💛
We couldn’t have done it without YOU — our amazing viewers who tune in each week to watch our videos and the wonderful support you give us in the comments, likes, and shares. 🙌 You’ve truly made this journey special.
What started as a way to share our travels and adventures in Germany (and beyond) has turned into such a wonderful community. Your support keeps us inspired to keep exploring, filming, and creating videos we hope you love.
✨ Here’s to the next 5K! We have some exciting trips, hidden gems, and cultural deep-dives coming soon — so stay tuned. 🚂🍺🏰
And hey… not too bad for two technically challenged old people figuring this all out along the way, right? 😉🎥💻
💬 Drop a comment below — where should we go next? What kind of videos would you love to see us make?
From the bottom of our hearts: THANK YOU for 5,000! 🥂
#5KSubscribers #YouTubeMilestone #ThankYou
6 months ago | [YT] | 75
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Traveling Expats
Hey everyone! 👋 We need your help with our next video from the Hanseatic city of Bremen. We’ve got a few different thumbnail options, but we can’t decide which one works best.
Do you think we should go with:
1️⃣ Night Time Pic of Schnoor Street #1
2️⃣ Night Time Pic of Schnoor Street #2
3️⃣ Night Time Market Square
4️⃣ Day Time Schnoor Street
Which thumbnail would YOU click on first? Let us know in the comments — your feedback really helps us out and makes our videos better. 💛
7 months ago | [YT] | 18
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Traveling Expats
🎄✨ Christmas Markets in August? Yes! Here’s Why… ✨🎄
I know, I know… it’s still technically summer ☀️—but believe it or not, now is the BEST time to start planning your Christmas market adventures!
Hotels fill up fast. Train tickets get snapped up. And the most magical markets are already on travelers’ radars.
We’re starting to make our list and checking it twice, and we need YOUR input!
❄️ Which Christmas markets are must-visits this year?
❄️ Do you have a hidden gem that most tourists miss?
❄️ Should we return to an old favorite or discover someplace new?
Drop your recommendations below 👇 because your ideas might inspire not just us, but thousands of other Christmas market lovers in our community. And who knows—you might even see your suggestion in an upcoming video! 🎥
If you want some inspiration, check out our Christmas Market Videos from last season:
Vienna: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0yrsG...
Erfurt: https://youtu.be/JIkFad9Pl8s?si=IBCS5...
Leipzig: https://youtu.be/9mJuJHLRaGA?si=lTTLw...
Dresden: https://youtu.be/LzjSeyCrq_o?si=9yzGK...
Mainz: https://youtu.be/kJgB3dAGnUo?si=i8EZT...
Christmas Market Playlist:
www.youtube.com/playlist?list...
7 months ago (edited) | [YT] | 14
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Traveling Expats
🎉 750,000 VIEWS! 🎉
We can hardly believe it—three-quarters of a million views! 😲💥
Thank you to every single one of you who’s watched, liked, shared, and commented on our videos. You’ve helped us grow a supportive, curious, and adventurous community—and we’re beyond grateful.
From charming small towns to bustling cities, Christmas markets to castle tours, and all the laughs, cake and coffee in between—you’ve come along for the ride and made it unforgettable. 🌍📹
🛫 We’ve got even more exciting destinations and stories to share, and we’re just getting started!
👉 What kind of travel video do you want to see next? Drop your ideas below—we read every comment!
Thank you again for being a part of this journey. 💬 Let’s keep exploring together—1 million, here we come! 🚀
#750kViews #TravelingExpats #OnTheRoadTo1Million #YouTubeMilestone #TravelCommunity
7 months ago | [YT] | 41
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