Europe Trekker - Michelle

Testing Posterous

2012-01-30T17:07:00.001-08:00

Testing posterous right now.

Amsterdam: I did not get lost here, as the Guster song suggests

2010-07-31T01:44:00.001-07:00

I arrived in Amsterdam exhausted, due to my lack of ability to sleep well on a train. I must master that ability! So, I stupidly bought an Amsterdam card, thinking I would be seeing a lot of museums and then, hopped on the 30 minute us ride to my hostel. When I arrived, I dropped my bag off in the luggage room, which was reminiscient of a creepy dungeon-like area that had a motion sensor light that would stay on for literally 15 seconds. To grab things required insanely weird arm waving and I freaked out a group of German girls who were wondering what the hell I was doing. Turning on the light of course.

So, then I, exhausted, sat on the couch, waiting to check in. Fell asleep and awoke to the rude staff member poking me and saying I couldn't sleep there. Dejected, I went to an overpriced internet cafe. So first impression: Mean Amsterdam. I grabbed some food to make sandwiched and found a random nature preserve FILLED with adorable bunny rabbits.

Afterwards, I finally checked into my hostel and took a nap. That night, I explored the Amsterdam nightlife with my hostel mates: 2 Hawaiians and a South African. After trying the infamous white widow at a coffee shop, we went on a Pub Crawl, which led us through different bars in the heart of Amsterdam's Red Light district. The RL district was very meh but I heard that they have fat, ugly ones in the day. Anyway, the Pub Crawl was fun and it set the precedent for the rest of my time in Amsterdam.

The next day, I woke up, checked out of my hostel and checked into my other hostel that was located more in the city center, with a much nicer staff. I was allowed to check in early, so I took a nap. When I woke up, there was a poor girl who had lost her bag on a Eurolines bus. She was only in Amsterdam for a few days to see a concert. I would've been devastated if that had happened to me. My bag is my life! There are no other options. Makes me rethink taking the bus from Bruges to Paris (Thankfully, Eurolines found her bag in Düsseldorf...strange.).

Also in the dorm, I met an Indian English guy, who joined me onthe next pub crawl (because I had bought 2 for 1). He joined me but I also met plenty of other people. Met a feisty ASU grad, who was in some weird competition with me that mainly resulted in him being an uninteresting ass. He was traveling by himself, which makes sense because he was way too into himself. Flying from place to place. Just weird. But I think he was lonely and insecure.

I also met two Irish brothers, John and Antony, and their friend, who all proved to be fun and hilarious. According to them, I'm "fucking class." But wow, other than that, I could not understand them to save my life. Later on in the pub crawl, I had a hilarious dance-off in a bar with a tall Scandinavian, who may have been mute because he just made silly faces the whole time.

The next day, the Irish buddies called me up to hang out. Went to the Van Gogh Museum, where I actually used the Amsterdam card that I paid WAY too much more, considering how little I used it. Then, we went to an Ice Bar, where it was -10C. John (who looked like one of those HS hipsters) was freezing his ass off. Hilarious. But it was cold. I've been in colder weather but I also don't stand around in it, drinking alchool. It's funny that we paid money to stand around and freeze our asses off, but it was also fun too.

We walked around some more and ended up back at their hostel to play Kings with them, as well as a Canadian. They have different rules but it was fun. Good 'ole Irish know how to have fun. I love meeting new people and this trip is proving that to me even more. Amsterdam was a lot of fun but I am exhausted! So, now I am off to Belgium. Ready for a little relaxation and cooling down, especially for the next 9ish days.

14 days done. 12 more days left

Over halfway done!

Berlin ist meine Lieblingsstadt

2010-07-31T01:21:00.001-07:00

Berlin,Zoo,incredible,funny,train,London,travel

Berlin was absolutely amazing. 4 days of whirlwind activity. I arrived mid-day and checked into my hostel-Wombats, located on the east side of Berlin, near the famous TV tower. Wombats,for me, is the definition of comfort. Great chain hostel and it was nice to be so spoiled. Extraordinarily clean. So I arrived and got organized. It's always so lonely those first few minues that I arrive in a hostel. Looking to find a group of people to introduce myself to.

First, I walked around the neighborhood. There were tons of nursery-like shops and strollers but it still maintained its grittiness because the walls were COVERED in graffiti. Practically every single building in that area was tagged. Anyway, I bought some food and walked around for ages, trying to find a park onlyto realize I didn't have a fork. So, I was starving. Walked all the way back to the to-go stand and found a new, better park along the canal. I ate about half of my meal before the notorious Berlin begger woman came up to me. "Speak english?" So annoying but she caught me at a "naive" time and I was basically done with my food anyway, so I ended up giving her half my food.

Then I walked back to the hostel and met 2 Canadians, Michael and Diane, in the Wombat bar. They had been traveling for a while and were actually randomly in the same Croatia hostel earlier in Split. Diane was from Vancouver and was sarcastic, harsh but hilarious. Mike was from Nova Scotia and worked at the bank, who was funding his travel. I didn't completely understand how. We went to a Wild West bar and my tolerance was definitely low. I woke up with a bad hungover. Apparently, when I walked back to my room, one of the hostelmates, a London girl, asked how my night was and I just ignored her and passed out.

The next day, I struggled to make it to a 1pm free walking tour. But I am so glad I did. It was great. Our guide was a performance artist from California who visited Berlin and completely fell in love. During the tour, I hung out with two guys from Indiana. Anyway, the free tour was great. I feel its a more fun, personal interpretation. Her energy was infectious.

Plus, I left with a better understanding oh how in transition Berling really is and how much it has changed, is changing and how different it will be in the future. Even the differences between the East and West are small but still very noticeable. Seeing the Berlin Wall and Death Zone was incredible. and learning about the Revolt. Wow.

That night, I went on a pub crawl with Diane and Mike. According to Diane, no one was hot enough. She was brutal. But it was hilarious. I was just cracking up the whole time.

The next day, I hung out with Simone the Londoner, an Australian transplant living in London and their Estonian-English friend, Arina. I honestly had a blast with them and they were SO funny. Simone and the Estonian had never stayed in a hostel before so they were learning and the Aussie was just laughed. They also all seemed to have successful careers - graphic design, MTV and Project Manager. It made me envious of life in London, living a cool,hip, quirky life, being able to afford weekend getaways to Berlin.

We ended up going to the Berlin Zoo, which was a huge highlight. I saw a panda bear being fed. The funniest part was when he sat just like a couch potato watching tv, butt down and legs splayed, while eating a pretzal. Then, we saw the big cats, which the Woodland Park Zoo definitely lacks. It was strange though. ALL the cats were pacing, resless and bothered. It made me think something was on the brink of happening and they just wanted out.

Funny thing: The lion was growling and freaking out, so naturally, everyone was crowded around him.Then, he turns around, lifts up his tail and pees on the crowd, specifically on a poor little boy, who actually didn't seem to mind much! Funniest thing. Funny German boys.

Another funny exhibit was the polar bears. One was waving his head back and forth while walking up and down, repeatedly, without variation. I call it the Polar Bear Dance. I want to upload it with some techno music in the background.

I spent the rest of the day with the 3 girls from London. We went to a bar called White trash but we were all nearly about to pass out. Cool thing though: Simone said that I made her think Americans weren't half bad. She was pretty nice actually. Told me a lot about what to see in London, including the coast and even offered to show me around London when I arrive. But we'll see what happens.

The next day, I went on my own to see the East Side Gallery, where artists paint the last remaining pieces of the Berlin Wall. Amazing to see but its strange because you forget what the wall represented for around 50 years and you just focus on the art. Maybe that's what the ywanted. Then, I saw Checkpoint Charlie, which was interesting. But I felt bombarded by those beggar women. They just keep asking "Speak English." no. Go away. Lass mich in Ruhe!

Then, I met up with this Argentinean musician who had lived in Berlin for the past 6 years. Very interesting person and we talked about our personal lives, experiences and the philosophy towards arts. Artists are battling the doubled edge sword of becoming popular and having to define yourself.

After 4 hours, I finally called it a day and headed back to my hostel, thinking I was leaving the next night. I double-checked my ticket, as I had done a million times and then it clicked. I had booked train travel for the 7th, which it becomes at 12:00/0:00 and my train was leaving at 0:30, aka THAT NIGHT. I could not BELIEVE I made that mistake. To change it would've cost over 100€! So, I pakced in a rush, booked a night in a hostel in Amsterdam and rushed to the night train.

While taking the train to Amsterdam, I met a Kölner, who was coming back from a Young Democrats confernce in Berlin. We talked until 2am about different things. He had traveled in India for 6 months. Trains there are totally different from Geramny's clean, safe, efficient ones.

In my cabin was just one VERY NICE mother. She was coming back from meeting her best friend in Prague. She was so excited and you could tell she was loving life, especially the traveling life now her kids were growing up. She reminded me of my mom. Funny incident though: I had the top bunk and was absolutely CLUELESSon how to get up there. Because there was NO ladder! We were just cracking up. There must be some TALL German women out there but I am not one of them. Fortunately, I was able to sleep on the bottom bunk. The lady in my cabin also shared my belief about how awesome Seattle is, with everything you want 2 hours away.

My Dresden Visit: Dresden rocks

2010-07-31T00:32:00.001-07:00

Dresden,hiking,bastei,incredible

It's Friday and my mother's birthday -54. I've got to wish her Happy Birthday.

Anyway, Dresden was great. The hostel had a great map made by locals and it had a list of cool places to visit. Left me wanting to see more of Dresden.

In my hostel were 2 kids from Hong Kong and a Chinese guy, Xing, who had just finished his studies in Vancouver. He spoke perfect English without an accent, so I thought he was a second generation for sure. Nope. He was doing 80 days throughout Europe with an unlimited EURail pass for $799 for something. Very cool and a great deal if you're taking a lot of trains. Apparently, Sky Europe also has really good deals right now.

Anyway, we got to talking and he happened to also be going hiking in Saxony Switzerland, which was my original plan. So, we went together. After checking his bag at the Neustadt Bahnhof, we hopped on the next regional train to Rathan and headed out. It was all gorgeous country with the typical little villages. There waseven a cute small ferry at Rathan to bring us across.

First, we attempted to go on the longest trek of 3 hours. But we couldn't find the trail. So, we just ended up hiking upsome random ones to where, I'm guessing, the climbers go. There were these giant limestone rocks and boulders pushed together. It was incredible.

After we couldn't find the pathere to where I wanted to go (Bastei), we turned around and follow the main trails. First, we saw a waterfall, which compare to our Pacific Northwest standards, was a bit lacking. Except every once in a while, it would spout out A TON of water, frightening the person take the picture. :)

Then we hiked up a boulder-filled trail to Bastei, hearing the constant rumbling of thunder over our heads. By the time we got to the Bastei Brücke, the sky had turned a dark, ominous, gray color and you should see the strikes of lightening and thunder rumbles growing closer as it headed to our location at a speedy rate. 17 miles, 5 miles and right after we passed over the bridge, we heard and saw lightening over our heads. It was invigorating. It was especially exciting watching a German father bound on and off the trail, like a little boy. Synonymous to a young deer dashing back and forth.

But the strange thing was it didn't rain while we were on the trail. In fact, the rain didn't hit until we were waiting for the train back to Dresden. And then, it was pouring. The ride back was like going through a car wash with landscape facades.

Then, Shane went his way. I went mine, as in back to the hostel to shower and nap the rain off. Then, I set out to the explore the Altstadt, Frauenkirche and general gorgeousness of Dresden, including the sunset from the river. I really enjoyed the palace as well. Apparently, there was a flood in 2002 that destroyed a lot of Dresden (hard to top WW2 bombings though!...That was a bad joke).

Then, I walked back through the Neustadt, which lit up at night with energy, with the young population people-watching a chilling. Definitely the youngest city I've been to (The local map actually said it was one of the youngest cities in Germany). For the night, I drank a few beers with two new hostel-mates, 2 good 'ole Austrians. They were studying social work in Dredesn the next semester. Very interesting guys and funny too, especially with their dynamic, considering that one was from Lower Austria and the other from Upper Austria (the BETTER part of Austria by far... in my own personal experience of meeting kick-ass Austrians).

The next day, nothing interesting happened. Elton John was playing in Dresden and that reminded me of a few of my friends who love that entertainer. I waited around for 4 other people going to Berlin so I could possibly purchase a cheaper Schönes Wochenende ticket. But no luck. Everyone was going to Leipzig! So, now I'm sitting on a rather warm train, heading to Berlin. Can't wait to change when I get to my hostel. I just want to jump in a lake. But it is a lot better than rain! :)

Oh and I bought a new purse (because the zipper on my old one was totally broken). Spent 15€ on it and I really like it. Keeps everything separate so I know immediately where everything s. Also, its yellow! 1st souvenier and it is... from Tibet. part of a Woman's Skills Development project.

19 days left. 19 days to visit 4 new countries. 4+ new cultures. And I'm excited. Hope it's great! Other travellers are so friendly when I finally put myself out there and say "hi!"

In Bruges

2009-07-11T22:36:00.000-07:00

(My last blog broken up into 4 pieces)

Bruges was very nice. On the first day, I walked through the entire town/village and found my hostel. When I arrived, the first person I made friends with was also the very first Kiwi. But he wasn't native since he was born in South Africa but had lived in New Zealand for 10 years. He was actually celebrating the 10 year anniversary while traveling. We sat down for drinks in the hostel with a guy from Napa and then 2 New Yorkers who had just started their trip.

Unfortunately, the woman got in an accident while on a bike ride earlier that day. She fell so hard that she needed 6 stiches. I was just bummed for her since it had happened at the beginning of her trip. Anyway, she was interesting. She was a high school teacher in NYC. So I asked her what it was like to teach in the urban schools because I always hear mixed messages. She said it doesn't matter where the kids are coming from, income-wise. They're all going through the same stuff, teenager-wise, so the teaching isn't that much different. Honestly, she just seemed like a bad-ass. Fell, 6 stiches, still going.

The next day, I rode my bike up to the North Sea, which was awesome.

It was such a peaceful bike ride and felt great. It was also great seeing the North Sea but I didn't go in the water because it was just plain cold. Fortunately, in the time I was there, the cold and clouds that had been following me since Dresden burned off to reveal a fantastic sun. Oh right! It's the summer in Europe!

I biked into a beach community and walked along the boardwalk. It was one of those beach towns with the beach shacks to protect beach dwellers from the wind.

I still find those so funny. After eating my mandatory Belgian waffle and fries (unfortunately, missed out on the mussels because of price) and then taking a siesta on the beach in the sun, I hopped on my bike to ride around a bit more before heading back home.

My ass was absolutely KILLING me. I could barely bike without wincing. In fact, I could barely control my bike. At one point, I was going through narrow road construction and lost control of my bike. I avoided a grandfather, a grandmother, and a 7 year old boy but unfortunately, bumped into a poor 4 year old girl. Even though it was just a tap, she just BAWLED!! (probably out of fear) and I felt awful! I said Sorry and excuse me in as many languages as I could think of. Miscuzee, entschuldigung, es tut mir leid, Escuze moi, Day so lay. Everything was just rapid apologies. Unfortunately, they spoke Flemish and just stared and smiled. I motioned that I would offer to buy some ice cream but the grandfather and grandmother didn't seem too upset. I think they could see how apologetic I felt and waved me on.

Hitting a small child signaled my riding days were over for the day. So, I rode back, which was unbearable for my ass. At times, I wasn't sure if I would make it back to Bruges.

And then, I randomly ended up there. So relieved. I spent the evening chatting with the Kiwi, a Californian and two Londoners, where we talked like... guys? vulgar, sharing stories and just hilarious. (Although, at times, I was slightly shocked with what I heard. But I "learned" a lot, like if a guy takes you out, don't pick the most expensive sushi restaurant unless it's a more committed relationship). The guys, especially the Californian, worshipped this asshole guy. I can't remember his name but he wote a book about his adventures called, "I hope they serve beer in hell." Listening to them talk was interesting. It was like a sense of pride with guys to say, without question, that you're an asshole and do what you want. That would never work with a female because we would just be a bitch. Plus, we have a conscience and would guilty if we were mean. At least I would feel guilty.

Quick note on the hostel. It was fine. Well-stocked. However, the shower was hilarious. I had to pull on a chain to run the water. If wasn't pulling on the chain, the water would stop running. This resulted in me standing with one arm almost always raised while I took a shower with one hand. definitely a funny experience. But I know that it's not that bad. At least there was running warm water. It wasn't as bad as my Amsterdam hostel, where , for some reason, had unbearably freezing water when I took a shower.

So that was my last night in Bruges. Unfortunately, I didn't see the famous tower from In Bruges but I did get to see the North Sea, try some tasty Belgian beers and meet some interesting Americans, albeit most of them were Americans, who were probably inspired to go there from the movie.

2009-07-07T03:45:00.000-07:00

Currently, Im in Amsterdam, waiting for my hostel to accept checkins. Their website says 2... I have to wait till 3... and I think I might have pissed them off because I took a slight snooze in the lobby. Whoops. My bad. Im kinda tired. The past 15 or so hours have been a bit funny. Around 9pm, I randomly decided to double check my night train to Amsterdam from Berlin... realized it said 7.07... meaning it departs at 7.07 at 00:32... meaning tonight...well last night and I had to do a late check out of Wombats and kinda sorta race to the train station. I meant to book it for leaving the night OF 7.07... actually meaning 8.07. Oh well, only out 21 euros that I paid for Wombats and didnt stay there... and then, I had to frantically find a cheap hostel in Amsterdam for one night. Staying pretty far out of town at the hostel where I cant sleep in the lobby.... and check in is at 3. Also, I dont know Dutch.... its surprisingly similiar to German but not quite.. >P

Anyway, its been great. After Stuttgart, I hopped in a organized hitchhiking ride thing to get to Dresden. It cost 25 euros.. MUCH cheaper than the train and was super interesting. Two Polish people were driving back from an interview, there was a Ukrainian girl sitting next to me studying in Nurnberg and then a guy from Cameroon visiting his friend in Dresden. Very international.

Coming to Dresden was great. My hostel was in the New City, so it had a younger vibe. In my hostel, I met a guy who had just finished studying in Vancouver but was from China. We went hiking in the Saxony Switzerland area the next day, which was GORGEOUS. Theres these gorgeous limestone mountains and theres a bridge from the Crusades, I think. Ill post pictures when I get a chance. What was really cool was a thunderstorm was happening right above our heads the whole time, yet there was no rain. Craaazy! After that, I explored the old city - very cute and picturesque.

Then, I took a train to Berlin. Great city. and I really liked the hostel too.. oh Wombats. Clean sheets. yay. There were these very nice Londoners w/ a Australian transplant in my room. We hung out for a little bit, went to the Berlin Zoo one day where I saw a DANCING POLAR BEAR. Pictures will be uploaded. Future Youtube viral video? Possibly! I also went on a free walking tour and met some kids from Indiana. The Free Walking tour was fantastic and made me kinda sorta fall in love with Berlin. Its such a city in transition and its imperfections...all the graffiti, etc... make it so interesting. Its just amazing how itll look so much different in 10 or 15 years from now. I also met an Argentinean who was in a band and he was very interesting. We went out for coffee and talked about art and culture and just... ya.

Then, I took a night train to Amsterdam. There was an extremely nice Dusseldorf mom in my room who was just VERy excited. She had gone on an adventure with one of her friends and they went to Prague for the weekend. I also met a guy going to Cologne and we talked for a bit.

So ya, meeting people everywhere. But Right now I just kinda want to sleep. it is cool how even though Im traveling alone, I'm not REALLY alone.

Just thought Id quickly update. Ive been keeping a more descriptive better handwritten journal. This is just a quick update because the ticking clock here is making me ansy.

First Drive on the Autobahn

2009-07-01T23:46:00.000-07:00

Oh! and Today was my first time on Autobahn! yay! Everyone does drive fast but it reminds me of New Jersey or Mt.Vernon. Though it's not often that I hit speeds between 140 and 180 (88-99mph). would've been nice to feel that in in sportscar. Makes me want to do a roadtrip in a nice car. Or just rent cars and go fast.

The German countryside was also very nice. Green and lost of hills, like Austria and...the USA. There are so many vineyards though. I talked to the Cameroon about the US and his country. Apparently, Senegal has respect for Bush. I wonder what he did.

Well, I'm glad I made those changes in my itinerary. I'm really looking forward to Berlin. I hope my hostel in Berlin is great. Especially for meeting people but that's its reputation. I think I'll be meeting a lot of people in Berlin, Amsterdam and London. When I break it down by cities, its like I don't have enough time. But really, I have 21 days = 3 weeks. 3 weeks = 7 cities, 5 capitals.

I've got to go back to Germany.

First night in Dresden

2009-07-01T23:39:00.000-07:00

I just arrived in Dresden and I'm so happy to be outside of Stuttgart. I ended up finding a ride to Dresden for only 25€ through a ride share with a Polish couple (the guy was there for a translation interview), a lady from Ukraine going to Nürnberg and a guy from Cameroon studying Agriculture in Stuttgart and visiting a friend for a month in Dresden. Collectively, we spoke Polish, Ukraine, English, German, French and Spanish. The ride was great. I was extremely nervous too. Everything worked out perfectly. They were super nice, drove fast and it was so diverse! I'm happy I did it. Plus, it saved me 105€.

Also, I recalculated. I only lost 65€ yesterday from my wallet. Not bad at all. I also opted to cut out Baden-Baden and the many days in Köln and Düsseldorf. Instead, I switched those days to more time in Berlin, which I'm sure is where I'll need it. Instead, I'll be taking a 69€ sleeper train to Amsterdam. Those DB Fahr tickets are amazingly helpful. If I have time, I want to use them to purchase my super cheap ticket from Köln (or Düsseldorf) to the Frankfurt airport.

So, I arrived in Dresden. Looks like a nice town. Wish I had more time to explore it. But I hardcore want to go hiking tomorrow. Maybe I'll wake up early and walk around? Or do that when I get back. It stays light here till about 9:30pm, so it definitely seems do-able. Going to go try and find the common room in this hostel. It's so clean!

In Stuttgart & I cant wait to leave

2009-06-30T07:15:00.000-07:00

Currently, I am in Stuttgart, which cost way too much money to get to, way too much money for the hostel and could've been VERy expensive if I wasn't using this one site connecting drivers w hitchhikers. I actually DON't know how much that will cost but I'm assuming under 100 euros.... much cheaper than the train.. and hopefully cheaper than 60, which is price of the regional trains.

Its hard to enjoy this trip when I'm keeping myself under a budget. So when crappy things happen, my stomach just TWISTS. like having to pay way too much for the train (and wishing I had done the Rick Steves thing and bought a train pass... or just that I was german and could buy my tickets FAR in advance... 29 euro fares are such a tease).

There's really not that much to see in Stuttgart. I'm struggling to remember why I wanted to come here so bad. I did see the Mercedes-Benz Museum, which was kinda cool. Unfortunately, I somehow lost my wallet when I was leaving, didn't realize it till I had walked to an internet cafe 40 minutes away and so i HAD to backtrack BACK to the Mercedes Benz Museum. I looked where I ate lunch. Not there. I looked where I checked my bag. NOT THERE. So, my adrenaline is kinda pumping and I'm sweating heavily.. partially from speedwalking in the sun BACK to the museum and from nerves and trying to think of my other options. Then, it was at the information desk but unfortunately, the 100 euros in my wallet was gone. That's two days of my budget... roughly. Oh well.. c'est la vie. I'm just happy to have it

Oh and Munich was FANTASTIC. LOVEd Munich... and people in Frankfurt are extremely nice. Went there to drop off my 2 bags. SUPER nice people. oh my gosh.

Stuttgart - June 29, 2009 - The entry after my wallet was lost and then found...without 100€

2009-06-29T22:49:00.000-07:00

Finally, I'm in Stuttgart and I have time to update my journal. Although being here makes me wish I had reversed my destinations a bit. Maybe Wien-Munich-Stuttgart and had just held off on Frankfurt for one more day to instead use it as a jumping point for Dresden. Enough about would've, could've, should'vs. This is what I've been up to.

Saturday: I hopped on the train to Munich with the generous help of Clemens. Uneventful train ride. I sat by a nun for part of the way, which I interpreted as a good omen. But I wonder if I could've saved money by getting right to the Germany-Austrian border and buying Schönes Wochenende ticket for Bavaria. Oh well.

So, I took the train to Munich and mostly studied and did my homework for my final. Because, even though the study abroad program was done, I still had to complete that. Oh fun times. When I arrived at the train station, I immediately tossed my stuff in a locker. It was so embarrassing to travel with so much stuff and it was all so ungodly heavy. The weight was not distributed whatsoever. (I still find it amazing that I was able to pack everything that I kept in a room for 3 months into a backpack, a duffel and a laptop bag).

Then, I arrived in my hostel, which was a block from the train station. There was a school group, so I felt ungodly uncomfortable. But everything was made better when I heard friendly American voices. They turned out to be from Boston - Casey and Adam. I initially thought they were brothers but apparently, they were just friends who had grown up together. One of their mothers paid for both of them to go travel around Europe for 6 weeks. Lucky friend for sure

Anyway, they were extremely friendly and invited me out. We went to a Persian restaurant, where I ordered a dish that I apparently had to prepare when I got it. I had bread, pita and this soup with potatoes, lamb, onions,etc that I had to mash with a mallet and then eat it with a fork...or bread. Wasn't quite sure but it was delicious. I also smoked hookah for the first time with the 2 boys from Boston and we talked about...mostly Boston. Then, we walked to the English Garten and I finally found the Biergarten that I could not find last time in my fruitless search. This time, it was fruitful and the fruit was beer. We sipped beer and talked about our passions.

Casey and Adam were amazingly driven. It made me wish I knew exactly what I wanted, like them i.e. what makes me happy that I could do it for the rest of my life. Even traveling makes me homesick for Seattle. Still, I do appreciate all the differences and the variance in my life. But I'll also appreciate being back home, where everything is simpler . Where I don't have to pay 2 € for an hour of internet, what I withdraw is what I withdraw without a hidden conversion fee, I know where to buy locks, I can use my debit card to pay for things and everything is just easier. I miss that.

Lately, I feel like I can't enjoy my experience because I'm too worried about spending money. I cannot stick to a budget to save my life. In Vienna, I stuck to a relatively good budget but still spent money on frivolous things and enjoyed myself. And now I'm hurting. I should've more hard on myself in the beginning. I should've planned earlier to take advantage of the cheap Bahn tickets but c'est la vie. Now I'm doing the Mit Fahrer thing and I might do couchsurfing in Köln and Düsseldorf coming back. Still not sure if I'm going to Trier or Baden-Baden. With the price of the Bahn, it now seems out of the way. But maybe I can get a good deal if I buy my tickets now. I could visit DB Bahn tomorrow??

Okay, back to describing my trip. After getting a nice buzz at the Biergarten, we headed back to the hostel to see what was up. Absolutely nothing. We went down to the bar and no was there. So after ordering a round, we talked to the bartender and a Munich guy, Martin, and busted out the Wii for some good 'ole international Wii bowling. (I can't always be exploring and trying new things. Isn't traveling about playing wii bowling with 2 boys from Boston and some Germans?) Sebastian, the bartender, and Martin kicked ass but I did a nice 3rd place. However, the Boston boys let down the American male race. Overall, it was a fun time and I liked how the hostel had that available. Adam used his failed Wii bowling prowess to hit on some German high school chicks, who were extremely rude. I tried talking to them too and they basically shunned me.

The next day, I took a train to Garmisch-Partenkirchen for some hiking. The funny thing was it was practically on the border of Austria. Something to consider when booking a trip aka backtracking. But it was absolutely gorgeous there. Reminded me of the Cascades but ... more civilized. There were so many happy cows & nice people on the trail too to help me out. But I just hate the incessant question, "Are you alone? GASP!!" ... yes, of course I'm alone. Get over it

So, I hiked Wank Mountain - FUN! Saw the two villages and then I went back to the hostel to finish up the three essays for my final. There was a crazy, literally crazy Slovakian in the hostel - about 40 years old. He was talkign to me, told me I voted for him, not Obama and then said he was Bill Gates's son. At one point, he was speaking Slovakian and then, he was punching and kicking the air angrily... a bit too close to my laptop. While finishing my essays, I watched Brazil beat USA in soccer. Bummer but I didn't expect much. The Germans who were also watching didn't seem to be too enthused.

On the 28th, I took an overpriced train to Frankfurt. My original cheap plan would've worked but I didn't wake up early enough and it would've required to much getting on and off. With my bags and their weight, I thought that would be too much work. Now, I'm not so sure. But that's easier to say when I just have my backpack. I arrived in Frankfurt, checked my huge bag and took the u-bahn to the storage place. I was exhausted and breathless when I arrived but they were extremely nice and helpful. Unfortunately, I had to pay a deposit of 58€ and I'm not quite sure how I'm going to get that back since they mentioned something about account number... yeah.

Then, I left Frankfurt and took the train to Salzburg (another overpriced ticket) and arrived in the midday to walk to my hostel. It was incredibly quiet there, like no one was there. In the 1st night, I met a Berliner who hated Stuttgart and had way too many stereotypes about USA. I was trying to explain how they were only stereotypes but he refused to listen. Frustrating. I fell asleep earlier that night than I had in a while - 11:30pm. The hostel is frustrating because they overcharge for everything and its 25€/night. Breakfast is 7€! Even the tv, they charge for! Arriving in Stuttgart, I could see there wasn't much. I'm regretting coming to this town.

Today, June 30th, I explored what Stuttgart had to offer aka the Mercedes-Benz museum. Apparently, I'm not as interested in cars as I previously thought. I wish I had a guardian angel to tell me this was a horrible idea. I should've just shifted everything and stayed extra days in Munich and Berlin or something. So I went to the museum, saw cars and left. Decided to walk to an internet cafe and realized my wallet was missing. So I frantically walked back to the museum (20-30 minute walk), tracing my steps. I looked where I ate lunch - not there. Where I left my jacket - not there. By then, I was on the verge of tears ant trying to figure out my plan of action for what I should do if I lost my wallet. Fortunately, the information desk had found it. I almost died of happiness but as a strong lesson to me, my money of 100€ was not there.

With my budget, that news was devastating. That's 2-3 days of awesomeness. On the brightside, I am getting a much cheaper ride to Dresden tomorrow. Not sure how much it will cost. But I know it won't be 111€ (ICE train) or 60€ (regional train). I am missing Nürnberg but c'est la vie. What's there anyway? So, from 2pm-6pm, I'm doing a rideshare thing to Dresden and then, it's hello Dresden, you former DDR city, you.

I can definitely tell its tourist season here. I'm hearing so much American English, its not even funny. But it helps when meeting people because I can just join in and ask where they're from. Good convo starter. (althought slightly a bit odd). I'm sitting in a park in Stuttgart right now, while writing this. There's a whole bunch of frat boys drinking near me. Talking about jizzing in girls faces. Gross, dudes!! Why are American guys disgusting sometimes?

Seeing them all together makes me kinda miss being with people. A lot. If I was with someone, the wallet thing would have never happened. I'll be more aware now.

my itinerary so far

2009-06-23T13:27:00.001-07:00

Starting to plan my trip!

This is what I have booked so far

June 27th - June 29th: My hostel in Munich

July 3rd - July 6th: My hostel in Berlin - Wombats City Hostel

July 13th - July 16th: My hostel in Paris - Lucky Youth Backpacker Apartments (yes, DURING Bastille Day because I'm missing Independence Day. Might as well celebrate w/ the FRENCH)

July 16th - July 19th: My Chunnel Pass from Paris to London, my hostel in London and my Ryan Air flight to Dusseldorf

July 22nd: My flight home from Frankfurt

My, what large gaps I have. I also have NO idea if I want to travel to Amsterdam or not. I was going to book the hostel but had difficulty finding a good one at a good rate. I have a list of my destinations day-by-day... but we'll see how well I stick to it. The large cities so far are ABSOLUTES though.

Viennese Woods

2009-05-10T15:12:00.000-07:00

This may be one of my last few weekends left in the program for me to explore Vienna. Next weekend, Kate is coming down from Poland (Woo!!), then I might go to Croatia, then its Cinque Terra, then Prague, then I might go to Innsbrook, then Salzburg and then Voila! Done! like that!

So I did what I've been wanting to do for a while. EXPLORED the Viennese Woods.

So, I packed my lunch (unfortunately, my cheese had gone bad....but since cheese IS mold, is eating the mold on it safe?), some snacks, filled my water bottle and I was off! The only information I had was which metro line to take and then, after that, I had to rely on

my sense of direction, intuition and trees with

green and white paint on them. They're surprisingly easy to figure out and, while I might not have gone the way I had originally planned, it all worked out in the end. I also took a few adventurous "wrong" turns... but ultimately ended up in the same spot and found my path back to the green & white paint... which said they led to Hütteldorf. I recognized the name so I figured I couldn't go wrong with that.

After wandering around, I came to a clearing, which later turned into ... a parking lot. Ooh ya.. TOTALLY natur-y. But really, it was pretty awesome.

There's a wicked high tower

you can walk up and get this gorgeous view of...everything.

This isn't everything but it is a cute, little village that I could see. It was great to be so high and.. "far" from the city noise and concrete. Fresh air! I then fell asleep in a meadow and found a random water fountain... which an old German man informed me was "the best water.. it comes from the mountains!" It was pretty freaking good water. The Viennese. LOVE. their freakin water. Then, I followed the trail markings to Hütteldorf until I found a tram that would bring me back into town.

Overall, I really enjoyed the day. I felt incredibly self-reliant and... although I didn't wander far... if AT ALL off the beaten track, I felt proud of myself that I figured it out all my own. It was also great to just get out and about and spontaneously wander around in an area that isn't full of people, cars, noise, etc. I'm hoping to go back. Maybe head up again after class sometime.

Travels to Budapest

2009-05-04T16:13:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, I traveled to Budapest with seven other people from the Seattle group. It was my second go-around at almost the exact same time of the year (give or take 2 months), yet Budapest still appeared slightly different and I saw a different side to Budapest. First, the sun was shining. oh Hurray!!

On Friday, we took a 8:30 train to Budapest, due to arrive around noonish. Once we arrived and figured out which direction we were facing, we came to the quick realization that we had a) no forints and b) no map. Rae only knew what street the hostel was on. Fortunately, an American hotel gave us a map that (barely) happened to have the street on it. And off we walked. In the blistering sun, feeling like pack mules with our backpacks full of clothes, toiletries and bottles of rum (There was a 5€ deal at Zeilpunkt). The walk felt eerily like we had been transported back to Communist Budapest. The road was dusty and it was in a more...typical Hungarian neighborhood. Classic old cars left over from Communist time lined some side streets. Someone even drove by and shouted something at us in Hungarian. It felt surprisingly unlike the Budapest I knew last March.

When we arrived at Hostel Florian, the hosts were Chinese and spoke only Hungarian and Chinese. In fact, as a group + the hostel hosts, there were 6 languages that could have been spoken (German, English, Spanish, Italian, Hungarian and Chinese) and we could barely communicate. Fortunately, we did, thank god for hand gestures! (The next day, the Chinese daughter greeted us, who spoke fantastic English). Maybe it was the heat but walking into the courtyard of the hostel reminded me of Mexico. Dirt courtyard, plastic chairs. I'm surprised I didn't see a chicken scuttle across the ground. We didn't have high hopes coming to our rooms but I was quite happy with it. Four beds per room. Comfortable. High ceilings. Works for me. Only 9€ a night too!

We dropped off our bags and explored the city. Woo for cheap finds on food ($5 Chinese sweet and sour chicken! works for me! and English menu!! dinner: $5 Pancakes filled with meat!!), as well as early sightseeing (Free view of St. Stephan's Church in Budapest :-O--much different than St.Stephans in Wien). I finally saw the OTHER side of the Parliamentary Building, plus Donau Insel, which included more than enough teenagers making out. On the Donau Insel, we found some old roman ruins??. All in all, a good first day in Budapest.

DAY TWO - The EPIC day of Walking!!

By my calculations (and the use of Google Earth), we walked easily over five miles just exploring Buda, specifically the Castle quarter. We started by walking up Castle Hill and then walking by the infamous palace seen in all the postcards. But first, we heard the sounds of Iron Maiden in a park and went to check it out. Turns out it was only cover bands. Still would've been sweet to check out. Then, we checked out the palace. Didn't go in but I DID have a funnel cake like delicacy! That was delicious except it took forever. Some people cut in front of me and this aggressive English man who goes, "I believe there is a queue," to which I piped in a surprisingly squeak "Thank you!" Afterwards, we went to the Fishermen's Bastion and past The Church of Our Lady aka Matthias Church. It had uneven spires, like St. Stephan's, but I still preferred it. Afterwards, we walked past a wedding, where the bride had arrived in a carriage. And also, we saw a hobo-like guy sit down on a bench and there was a kitten on his shoulder!!

Then, we tried to get into the Great Synagogue but it was closed :(. Next, we found *as advertised* cheap Hungarian food. It definitely was. I had a pork chop, goulash, and a yummy dessert for less than 1800 ft, or less than $10, all in my efforts to spend the extra cash that I had exchanged/been ripped off from. After dinner, we enjoyed the night and sat on the bank of the Danube, looking at the gorgeous palace and trying to get the perfect pic.

THIRD DAY:

We trekked north to the area I knew a bit better and went to the park where the Szenchenyi baths are. There was a carnival thing going on with a stage where Hungarian singers did covers of American songs, like "New York, New York." Going to the baths was absolutely fabulous. 2 full hours. Went into the boiling hot sauna... 95 C, which is by far, the hottest sauna I've ever been in. and it felt fantastic to wash off the dirt and grime that had accumulated since my last shower (The showers...and the bathrooms at the hostel left something to be desired). Then, we took the train back home. 2 Hungarians sat in our cabin for the Hungarian portion and I talked with one for his 90 minute train ride about his experiences of living in Hungary during the Communist time and now. He was a non-commissioned general in the Hungarian army and definitely seemed to prefer Communist Hungary. "It was better!" An interesting talk to say the least. I also learned that the Rubik Cube was invented by a Hungarian, not by a Russian as I had previously thought! A kid was sitting outside my cabin and repeatedly solving one. It was INCREDIBLE to watch.

Traveling to Budapest was great the second go-around. I was somewhat familiar with the city, the subway, how to say "thank you" but there was still plenty to explore... as would be expected. There are still unexplored parts of Seattle! It is definitely cheaper than Vienna and I do have to say... I do like Budapest a lot. Yes, it is in Eastern Europe but I didn't feel like I had been blasted into the past. Hard to compare to Vienna in luxury but I (almost) prefer it because of the prices and how cheap it was in comparison. Not sure if I could have eaten the same, seen so many FREE sights and the baths would have been much more expensive in Vienna. Needless to say, when I finally came back to the dorm and collapsed on my bed in a smelly, exhausted heap, I must admit that I had that overwhelming feeling of being home and how glad I was to be back "home".... at least temporarily.

Back from Munich - April 13th, 2009

2009-04-13T22:23:00.000-07:00

Here is a post that I wrote after going to Munich over Easter break with a group of people from my study abroad program.

What I've Liked About Europe

the yummy food at the Heuriger in Vienna
train rides and how night trains work
walking through Schönbrunn & being blown away by its immense size
the nature and meadows behind the Munich palace
the random nature. You're in a city and then you're in a forest, deceptively tricked in being seemingly far from all urban encroachment
Seeing Vindabona in Vienna and imagining
the Hofbräuhaus in Munich, especially the acoustics as the entire interior fills with the chanting and thumping of people "Ole, ole, ole!"
the yummy beer available in Augustiner Keller
Taking the impression that 3 Swiss men held about young Americans and turning the impression upside down. Additionally, making them laugh by saying jokes auf Deutsch. Being funny in multiple languages would be an amazing accomplishment! I felt more like myself when I was cracking jokes with the Swiss than I had since arriving.
the friendly girl named Rachel in the Munich hostel
the attic room in the first hostel that I stayed at in Vienna.
the Prater in Vienna
hiking to the Heuriger
sitting in the English Garten in Munich and seeing the surfers. It was such a random, unique sight. But it makes me wonder: Was the spot formed for the surfers? Or did it bring the niche surfer community to Munich?
Random street performers (but I like those everywhere)
The first full day that I was in Vienna, I was randomly exploring and walked up Mariahilferstrasse to see a full-on demonstration that took up the entire length of the street (about a mile). They were protesting against capitalism and racism. I saw the riot police and it brought back memories of watching the WTO Riots on the television screen. Yet, here, they were not throwing tear gas but merely making sure it was a peaceful demonstration. I continued to see similar protests throughout my entire stay in Vienna. The riot police (and subsequently the city) allowed the demonstration to happen. I cannot say with absolute certainty that the same would have happened in my city
Witnessing the INSANE FC Bayern München fans and following them from the train station to the stadium, as they yelled chants. That's true fan spirit
The possibility of seeing the FC Bayern football game but mostly just liking the journey to the stadium.

Night Before Vienna

2009-03-26T01:08:00.001-07:00

In... 7 hours, I am waking up to get dressed and stuff last minute things in my bag for my epic study abroad trip. Here's my itinerary so you all in LJ land will get the jist. I'm stoked, nervous, and know I'll be tired by the time that I actually do fall asleep in my hostel. SO!

8:00am: wake up, stuff last minute things in my bag, shower, etc.
9:15am: Drive to Airport... gotta be there 2 hours early (who actually does this? pssh but international, gotta roll wit 'em, yo!)
11:55am: Zoom zoom TO ...oh god.. O'hare: The notoriously delayed airport
5:55pm: Land in O'Hare and... chill. read a book, pray my flight isn't delayed
8:35pm: Red eye to FRANKFURT

March 27th, 11:05am: Oh my geez, DEUTSCHLAND.....and then I nap in the Frankfurt airport b/c that is the only socially acceptable place to fall asleep on a bench with bags draped around you. Oh and at some point, I'll take a train into Frankfurt to grab some food and get ready for my train ride aaat...
8:00pm: Train Ride: Frankfurt to Vienna West Bahnhof (Near zee hostel

March 28th, 6AM: Arrive in BEAUTIFUL Vienna... exhausted.. sleep deprived

...and I can't check into my hostel until like...2pm. So my plan: Stop by, ask to drop off my bags, beg, plead, etc. Just get rid of my bags and then go sit in a coffee house and konk out.. or something of that sort. Whatever. I'll figure it out.

For those that don't know, I am studying abroad for Spring quarter in Vienna. The program goes from March 29th - June 26th and consists of intensive german courses and some culture classes as well. Then, I'm shipping a bag home and backpacking around Europe until July 22nd. Already, I plan on meeting up with Kate from BU and some other people who happen to be in Europe. I'm scared, I'm stoked, I'm nervous. My heart is beating like a hammer. Doesn't really matter. Tomorrow, I'm on a plane, east, to the parts of Europe that I have yet to explore. :) I'll keep ya posted. Or try.