Astounding Austria

September 2, 2016Leave a comment

I’m in love with traveling, so much so that I’ve failed to post lately! Austria required my full attention. It’s alpine landscapes and vast cities sucked me in. I was fortunate to experience lots of variety in the cities I traveled to in Austria. Since I’m so behind where I currently am in my trip I’m starting with a single post of all the towns I visited in Austria: Vienna, Grunau, Salzburg and Innsbruck.

VIENNA:
There is lots about my experience in Vienna that wasn’t ideal. I was coming down with the cold that had been circulating through the crowded buses and busy hostels. On my third night in Vienna I awoke to the girl sleeping in the bed under me shrieking about being attacked by bed bugs in the night. She even had the evidence squished on her bed (YUCK!). I was motivated to quickly find alternative accommodation and Airbnb came to my rescue providing a clean private room just a short walk away. This little splurge for my last two nights in Vienna was definitely the nicest place I’ve stayed while traveling solo and had a washing machine which I eagerly took advantage of. With access to unlimited tea and a kitchen I also tried to remedy my oncoming cold with a few home cooked meals. Doing something as routine as cooking a meal felt nice.

There are so many wonderful sights in Vienna- Belveder Palace, Schloss Schonbrunn, St. Stephan’s Cathedral. The food was excellent I couldn’t get enough goulash, tidbits from Nashmarket or the original Vienesse torte.

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Though the city was beautiful, one of my favorite days was the day I joined a biking-wine tour of the surrounding countryside of Wachau Valley. It started out a gray day and dumped buckets on us as we prepped for our ride by covering ourselves in gray plastic ponchos. Already delayed over an hour, we were delayed yet again when half our tour group road off in the wrong direction. The apologetic guide left me and four others with a bottle of peach schnapps as he darted out into the rain after the rouge tourists. Half a bottle later we were all feeling warmer and in much better spirits when the guide returned. Apparently the group that had gotten separated were less then confident on a bicycle and would be taking a taxi to meet us at the first winery. The 5 of us remaining plus the 2 guides sped off in the rain. Having surrendered to the fact we were going to get wet, splashing through puddles in the crisp air ended up being a lot of fun! Arriving at the first winery I was surprised to find, unlike Napa, each “taste” was roughly half a glass of wine. The group that had taxied to the winery didn’t seem to be big wine fans either and decided to meet us back at the train station later that evening- why they signed up for this tour in the first place I’ll never know. But this left the same amount of wine for half the people so nobody was complaining. At one winery we climbed over 100 stairs on a nearly vertical hill to reach a private patio overlooking the river. The sun began to break through the clouds and we sat with full glasses looking down into the valley, inviting passing villagers to join us for a glass- and server all of them actually did. The owner brought out an additionally bottle of homemade apricot schnapps- a specialty of the region. The air was fresh and damp, mist hung over the mountain tops, the valley surrounding us was so green. We took a barge across the river, the sun was truly shining now. The bike ride back was nothing but smooth winding roads. We stop to pick apples and pears from and orchard. The guides, apparently sticking to no strict timeline, let the tour slip into the evening. By the end we were dry and full and happy, in a perfect state to doze on the train ride back to Vienna.

GRÜNAU:
This was the mountain escape I had been craving. After exploring a variety of concrete jungles I was ready to soak in some nature. I lucked out with four perfect days of sunshine.

Day 1: Hike to a waterfall, only about a 3 hour round trip with 7 other BusAbouters. Minimal bush-wacking required (through spidery bushes ah!) but totally worth it when we reached the waterfall. Standing under the mouth of the waterfall and being soaked by the glacial water was FREEZING but so refreshing after the hike. This hike also made me really thankful for my Tevas purchase, perfect for climbing through water and rocks without hurting my feet and I didn’t need to worry about them not drying out afterwards.

Our terrific host Gerhard- Owner of the Treehouse!

Day 2: A 42 kilometer bike ride to a glacial mountain lake with 4 friends from the hostel. I was completely exhausted by the time we arrived and already dreading the hilly ride back but after a meal (aka soup and orange juice- still feeling under the weather) and a jump in the lake I was ready to take on the ride home. It seemed to go a lot faster, as it usually does when you know where you’re going, and the mountain scenery was to die for.

Day 3: I literally slept all day, waking up only for meals. This is what my body truly needed and with the sound of the river outside my balcony door I was very content. The small, family-run hostel I was staying at felt more like a home then a hostel. The owner Gerhard prepared home cooked lunches and dinners everyday for all of the guests at the Treehouse. If you ever come through Granau I would highly recommend this accommodation. This day of rest did the trick and by the next morning I was feeling ready to take on the world.

Day 4: Three hostel-mates and I decided to embark on an all-day hike to the top of Mount Kasberg. It ended up taking us about 6.5 hrs, covering 11.5 miles round trip, with a 1200 meter vertical elevation gain to the summit. We were rewarded with a waterfall along the way and the most stunning of views from the top. We even made it home in time for dinner- there’s nothing like a hot meal waiting for you as motivation to hustle!

SALZBURG:
Famous for its salt mines, the Salzburg Festival, being the setting for the award winning film “The Sound of Music” and being the home of Mozart, Salzburg was an excellent stop. This was an incredibly scenic town, placed in a valley with Fortress Hohensalzburg looming over the town from one side and a bright yellow monastery across the way on a slightly lower hill. My favorite thing I did was explore the catacombs located in St. Peter’s cemetery. Though this may sound creepy, it was so interesting to see how the catacombs were built into the cliff face, and the small windows, placed in the mountain face, provided ideal views over the old town. The rest of my time in Salzburg consisted of lots of rain, so I did what any great tourist would do and joined a Sound of Music tour- not only because it was the cheapest one offered, but because the killer sound track I knew they were bound to play. There is nothing like belting “Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens…” out at the top of your lungs with a bunch of other insane tourists to make you feel better on a gray day. But in all seriousness this tour was a great way to see several of Salzburg’s surrounding lakes and some other more distant scenic locations where the movie was filmed, including Schloss Hellbrunn. In the evening I sat in the town square with a warm coffee watching a screening of an opera with many others too cheap to buy a ticket to the Salzburg Festival’s current evening offerings. I think it is lovely the city still works to engage the rest of the community in this art and culture by providing free alternatives. With a break in the rain it was nice to be out under the stars in the fresh night air.

INNSBRUCK:
(Note: I visited Innsbruck after Munich so this is not the correct order of my trip- I’m just covering Austria here) My first impression of Innsbruck wasn’t great, there was lots of construction and the city looked extremely industrial from where I was dropped off. After making it to my hostel though I was much closer to the old town and was beginning to see the cities charm. This clean, well located hostel wasn’t busy and I even enjoyed the 4-bed door to myself for one night, which was a nice change. I did a lap around the old town, spotting Innsbruck’s famous Golden Roof, then visited the Swarovski Kristallwelten during my first afternoon. This crystal world was filled with different contemporary art installations all using Swarovski crystals- I most enjoyed the ones with strong commentary on consumer culture, excess and materialism (though it seems to have the exact opposite mission as Swarovski’s business goals). The outside was just as beautiful as the exhibits inside the crystal world and my friends and I sat in the sun watching the crystal clouds installation glitter with the alps standing tall in the background. The next day I paid a quick visit to Innsbruck’s Alpine Zoo- the highest altitude zoo in the world. All the animals seemed to be out and running around and I especially enjoyed the friendly bobcat who walk right up to say hello to me. Next I was excited to do a little hiking from the top of the surrounding alps that dominated the landscape. I took the Nordkettenbahnen cable car up to the top of the mountain. Hiking along these alpine trails was one of the most breathtaking moments I’ve had on this trip. The town of Innsbruck looked so small below me. Sheep skillfully traversed the hills around me, their neck bells ringing like chimes as they walked. Once I got away from the main path to the closest summit, the solitude was amazing. Standing on this impressive mountain I felt like I was on top of the world. Thousands of miles from home, finding my way, soaking in the moment, one breath of fresh air at a time.

Picturesque Prague

August 11, 2016Leave a comment

After the comfort and convenience of staying with family in the last two cities Prague took some warming up to. A new city, new language and new currency seemed like a lot of change. My hostel was a bit out of the way, requiring a tram ride to get to city center. The dingy part of town my accommodation was in and the beds stacked three high in my 12 bed dorm made me feel even less at home.

After getting settled (in a middle bunk, whew!) I met up with 3 other people from BusAbout- Amanda, Andy and Kate. We explored from Wenceslas Square down to the Astronomical Clock at old city center. From there we wandered to the river towards Charles Bridge walking through the silhouettes of buildings towards the most gorgeous sunset. After soaking in the last rays of sunshine we went on a hunt for dinner and some of the renound Czech beer. We were not disappointed- finding a place with taps built into the center of the table. It was nice to make some new friends in this city. Prague was growing on me.

The next morning I was determined to walk to Prague Castle through the vast Letenské park lands and castle gardens. I loved wandering through the shady greenery, getting amazing views of the city every few minutes. The park was much steeper then I expected, making what looked like a short distance on the map feel much longer. But remembering that I had nothing pressing to do and no where to be I took a breath and did my best to enjoy the journey. I wandered, sitting on benches looking out over the city speckled with red and blue copper roof tops. Reaching the castle on the hill was always my goal, I could tell I was getting close when I entered the gardens by the Summer Royal Palace. I walked through the gardens with a wonderful view of St. Vitus’ Cathedral right across the way. I entered the main castle walls through the Powder Bridge, which was wonderful luck because there was absolutely no line. Only when exiting through the main castle gates did I realize how fortunate I had been. I bought a ticket, feeling sneaky for continuing to take advantage of my student discount, which gave me access to 6 of the main castle attractions. The only one I found exceptionally notable was St. Vitus’ Cathedral. It was even more immaculate on the inside as on the outside. Its stained glass was made of the most beautifully saturated colors from across the spectrum. I’ve seen a lot of churches and cathedrals in these past weeks, but these windows were by far my favorite. I later discovered my favorite window was designed by one of my favorite artist Alphonse Mucha, who had spent much of his time in Prague. Glad to see my artistic taste has some consistency!

It started pouring and when all the exhibits closed around 5:00 I decided to head back to the hostel. Expecting a quite night of writing I went down to find a seat in the hostel’s cozy bar and was immediately waved over by another group of travelers. All 7 of them were also traveling solo and we swapped stories about our different travel experiences and the benefits and drawbacks of being on our own. One thing I love about staying at hostels is how friendly and welcoming everyone generally is. It’s easy to find other people to explore the city with or to give you tips for your upcoming destinations. I ended the evening with plans to meet another woman, Laura, the following morning for a free walking tour of the old town.

At the walking tour the next morning I was glad to have a buddy, the town was already extremely crowded and loosing our group in the crowd was a frequent occurrence. We luckily had an exceptionally hilarious, engaging tour guide- providing a good incentive for not wandering off. We covered a lot of ground seeing the astronomical clock, the Jewish quarter, Charles Bridge, one of Motzart’s many concert halls, Charles University and much more. After the tour I felt the need to be on my own and said goodbye to Laura and another hostel mate who had joined us. I Crossed Charles Bridge fully which was quite the battle, noting not to do that again for the rest of my visit. It felt like a battle of dodging selfie sticks and meandering tourists. I could hardly see the life sized statues that famously lined the sides of the bridge. I made my way back up to the castle intending to finish the last two exhibits my pass from the previous day still allowed me entry to. But the line at the main entrance was massive, and with no easy way to access the side entrance, I opted to head straight to the monestary and Petrín tower on the hill. This was an excellent choice, it was far less crowded and gave me the best view of the city I had experienced so far (which is really saying something considering the hills at the park). It was nice to be up above the trees looking down at the castle and the beautifully designed city below.

That evening I decided it was time to try one of the European pub crawls everyone was so fond of. I met with my friend Amanda and two of her friends, and we were greeted by two more familiar faces from BusAbout when we arrived. The first hour included unlimited beer, wine and absinth shots. First off, absinth is gross- it tasted like mouth wash and will never again touch my lips! Then the growing group proceeded to 4 more bars/clubs with a free shot at the door of each one. In good company we danced and drank the night way ending at a club 5 stories high with a different theme of music on each floor- my personal favorite, the “Oldies” floor, throwing it way back!

The next afternoon I made it out of bed to meet Amanda for our 1pm Kutna Hora tour, just to find out the tour company had over booked and couldn’t take us along. Settling to go the following day, we decided to instead head to dancing house. This architectural masterpiece literally looked as if it was moving, swaying with the wind along the river. It was the perfect sunny day and the area surrounding dancing house was full of nothing but cute, cheap restaurants and parks and it was so empty compared to the crowded streets of old town. I said goodbye to Amanda and crossed the bridge on my way to Lenon Wall. It was a beautiful day to be strolling along the river. Lenon Wall, located near the castle side of Charles Bridge, was crowded but worth the walk. I had a good time looking at all the positive messages written on the brightly colored wall influencing people to “keep your head up” and “build bridges not walls.”

I strolled back towards the adorable dancing house area, my mind set on exploring a nearby monestary. Stopped for an ice cream from Angelato, hands down the best one I’ve had in Europe so far (Italy here I come). Crossing back over a different bridge I noticed music and detoured down the stairs on the side of the bridge to a little island in the middle of the river. There was a band warming up, possibly for a performance later that evening. People were in paddle boats on the river, others sat on the shore watching the water, reading, tanning, listening to the music, feeding ducks, walking their dogs. Such a relaxed and peaceful environment out of the crowds and rush of city center. After sitting on the grass for some time I continued to the monastery, which turned out to be nothing extraordinary from the outside, but was completely deserted providing me with an exceptional view from the huge front balcony. I stood there in the evening sun enjoying the solitude.

Friday rolled around quicker then expected, I couldn’t believe my time in this beautiful city was already coming to a close. In an attempt to squish everything in I headed to the Mucha Museum before the day trip to Kutna Hora. I’ve always admired this Art Neauvou artist’s dreamy, romantic work, especially his use of line and color. The women, flowers and ornate framing which dominate his subject matter are all so beautiful and intricately crafted. This is also where I discovered my favorite stained glass window at the Vitas’ Cathedral (and my favorite of all the many stained glass windows I’ve seen on this trip) was designed by Alphonse Mucha.

I’m glad I enjoyed the art exhibit because honestly the tour to Kutna Hora was a bit of a let down. It was pouring out, as I made my way to meet the Kutna Hora tour group, making me even more annoyed that if everything had gone as planned and I would have been on the tour yesterday in perfect sunshine. Our tour guide had a thick accent and curtly directed us to the bus. I was excited to see it would be an intimate group of 3 others, Amanda and myself. My excitement fell when our guide spent the remainder of the drive talking in a quiet monotone voice, ignoring questions from the other members of the group, and unsuccessfully attempting a bit of humor which I interpreted as rather sexist. Our driver also clearly though he was meant for NASCAR and spent the drive zooming into oncoming traffic trying to pass cars, then veering back into the correct lane at the last moment. The cathedral, while not entirely constructed of bones as I imagined, was still chillingly immaculate. Thousands and thousands of human bones, turned into artwork brought life to the tiny cathedral. Apparently, believing the land this cathedral was built on was sacred, people flocked from all around to be burried on this cite. The land was so full of bodies there was no room for more, so in an attempt to make more space the bones were removed from old graves and made into decorations for the inside of the church, creating room for new bodies to be buried in the surrounding graveyard. Strange logic, but I guess it worked out. We arrived back in Prague in one piece, our angry driver having several near misses causing him to throw his hands up at many terrified pedestrians. In retrospect I’m glad I had the perfect day of sunshine to explore a new area of Prague instead of wasting the great weather on this less then fabulous tour. Maybe everything does happen for a reason.

Given how much I had grown to love Prague I was very excited to see more of the Czech Republic. Next stop Cesky Krumlov!

At Home in Berlin

August 2, 20161 Comment

When I reached Berlin I breathed a sigh of relief, I’d be in the same city, staying with family, for a whole week. No moving around, no racing to catch a bus, no transferring accommodations, no locking my belongings in a locker, no shower shoes. I’d be staying with my grandmother’s half-brother’s granddaughter, Eileen. Her smiling face was there to greet me upon arrival even though my bus ran an hour late.

Eileen is the definition of a #gogettergal! She traveled to the US when she was only 18, living long-term with a family in California as an au pair, and perfecting her English (honestly she could fool you into thinking it was her first language). Now fluent in not two, but three languages, she’s taking on a rigorous course of study with a dual degree program in Berlin. As business students, we had lots in common and even found ourselves swaping resume tips over dinner one evening (not sure whether that makes me want to laugh or cry).

Eileen welcomed me into her home having only met me once before. She visited my family in San Diego over four years ago on the same day as my senior prom. Being the self-absorbed high schooler I surely was, she came along with me to get my nails done and to pre-prom photos at the Four Seasons with a hundred of my closest friends and their shutter happy parents. It’s a maricle she ever agreed to letting me stay with her during this trip.

On top of picking me up and insisting on helping me carry my stuffed backpack, she had a complete packet printed out for me of all the top sights I should see in Berlin, as well as a metro card covering all the transportation I’d need during my visit. Back at her adorable flat she made me dinner and we talked late into the night. I was in heaven.

The next morning I woke up feeling so relaxed. After sleeping in, I found a smoothie and coffee waiting for me in the kitchen (Eileen!). I lounged around the house, wrote, planned my day, tried to clear a little space on my phone for more photos.

I finally got my butt into gear to venture into the city before meeting Eileen to go “babysit.” I say that in quotes because her mother, who I had never met, messaged me the night before letting me in on the secret that what Eileen thought would be a night of watching children was actually a surprise party. I felt so honored to be included in this surprise. That evening Eileen was thoroughly shocked by her friends and family and I felt really cool for having been let in on the secret. We spent the night dining and drinking cocktails under the stars with her girlfriends. Everyone made such an effort to include me even though we had never met before and I didn’t speak German. Luckily I’ve found major topics at girl’s nights to be fairly universal.

The rest of my week was scattered with gatherings of Eileen’s family and friends. Casual get togethers in charming backyard settings. Seeing the trendy apartments of these urban families was exciting. I loved how even for apartment buildings there were ample grass areas- shared backyards and nearby garden spaces everywhere. Interacting with children who don’t speak the same language as me was funny, but between my funny faces and their expressive body language we communicated just fine. One evening we had dinner overlooking a lake at sunset with Eileen’s wonderful parents. Later in the week I met my great half-uncle, Jurgen. My parents have always spoken so highly of their stays with him; meeting him in person put life to all the stories they had told me. His home was full of momentos from his travels, including a series of portraits of people he had seen along his way. These times getting to know my family were definitely the highlights of my trip to Berlin.

I did see some of the more traditional tourist sights as well. You can’t walk anywhere in Berlin without seeing the constant reminders of the country’s history. Brandenburg Gate, Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, Tiergarten, The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, the Topography of Terror, Checkpoint Charlie, Potsdamer Platz, Mauerpark, the Berlin Wall. I experienced an aerial view of the entire city when Elieen surprised me with a ride in the Die Welt (The World) balloon. This attached balloon hovered over city center giving me the perfect overview of Berlin.

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Inspired by the many WWII monuments I decided to join a tour to the nearby Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp. This was the most powerful thing I’ve experienced on this trip. To walk on the ground where these horrors took place, to see the living conditions and hear of the medical experimentation performed on prisoners. And to think the war ended in 1945, only a mere 71 years ago. It blows my mind to think what recent history this is. Germany is doing an excellent job of making sure this history is not forgotten, that people are educated in what took place and that history will not repeat itself. Spreading this knowledge is the best way to encourage tolerance and spread peace for the future.

Visiting Potsdam was a much more uplifting experience. I enjoyed seeing the elegance and grandeur of Sanssouci, Schloss Cecilienhof (where the Potsdam Conference took place), the expansive gardens and charming town. We even had the luck of witnessing a Diner en Blanc gathering where the Potsdam community all dressed in white and brought out tables and picnic dinners to dine together in the street.

I also loved the Sunday market in Mauerpark. It made me wish I had a big empty suitcase to fill with all the treasures I wanted to buy! Vintage breadbox- yes, clearly a necessity! A group gathered for karaoke, a live band backing the brave singer. I strolled along one of the longest remaining pieces of the Berlin Wall watching the artists at work. Children swung on swings that had been placed near the length of the wall. People of all ages sat in the sun, casually relaxing next to this wall that had once been a symbol of fear and separation.

Amsterdam

July 27, 20161 Comment

Amsterdam is a mad house. I nearly got killed by three bikes and a tram before I even reached my hostel. The smell of marijuana drifted from the park adjacent my hostel’s entrance. I needed to be buzzed in through two doors before I even reached the reception desk. Up in the 6-bed, all female dorm room I found my bedding shrink wrapped in a plastic package. Welcome home Kendal!

After making my bed and locking up all my belongings I forced myself outside pushing aside my first impressions of Amsterdam. After all this was the city so many of my friends raved about, praised for being one of the most tolerant places in the world, with innovative solutions to some of the world’s most controversial social issues.

Later that evening I met with a group of people from BusAbout, the company I’ve been using for transportation. Our crew member from the day’s trip had offered to give an evening tour through of the Red Light District which gained a lot of interest from passengers. The night was full of energy, you could feel the city rev up as the sun went down. We grabbed a quick bite at a noodle joint near Dam Square then off to see the famed Red Light District.

The streets felt dirty and grimy, perpetuated by the mounds of trash floating in the canal next to us. By 9:00pm men of all ages already stood along the sidewalks. Red curtains, elluminated by red lights hung in the windows. It was still early enough only a handful of women stood behind the glass doors of these little rooms. Some standing, vigorously working to attract business, others leaning back in their chairs, seemingly disinterested, on their phones. The streets had nicknames like “skinny lane” (which was actually physically very narrow) where the high-end, thin prostitues were rumored to be. Walking the same streets much later that same night women were illuminated in every window. I felt very conflicted, these women were being seen as objects, and sex as a good to be bought and sold. Their looks their currency in this upsidedown industry. Seeing these women as humans, as daughters, as mothers I felt sad. I hope they are here by choice and not for lack of options. I highly doubt that is true in all cases, but I’m glad that as a legalized industry in Amsterdam the city mandates better conditions for sex workers and enforces safety measures that benefit these women no matter why they are there.

My new found friends from the evening tour and I bar hop the rest of the night away. A friendly and insistent, but harmless, pair of men in town on business buy us drinks one after the next using their company credit cards. The older of the two men starts the conversation talking about his daughter (who is the same age as us) and ends the night pernouncing one of us will be his next wife. Very, very strange- and on that note it was time to leave.

Next thing I know my 7:30AM alarm is going off. One of the drawbacks of getting a last minute online ticket to the Van Gough Museum is you’re stuck with the worst times. I make it to the museum by opening time and am thankful to be able to skip line that is already stretching around the building.

I spend about an hour in the exhibit before my exhaustion overcomes me and I know it’s time for coffee. After staring out the window and getting a much needed injection of caffeine I’m ready to fully enjoy the art. I spend hours looking at every piece and reading the captions about the artists life and the other artists who inspired Van Gough’s work. They even had a special exhibit on him slipping into insanity and cutting off his ear. To clarify it was the whole ear, leaving only a small portion of the lobe behind (Yikes!).

Earger to get out into the fresh air around 2:00pm I exited the museum and wandered Museum Square. Taking in all the excitement around the “I Amsterdam” sign. I walked to a local market, marked on the map my hostel gave me. Being outside walking the market strip, the sun on my face, looking at the goods for sale, I’m happy.

The following day I rented a bike. Given the great experience I had in Belgium I was excited to be on a bike again. I was nervous about riding the busy city streets so I ride Vondelpark for awhile before deciding to follow Amstel River out of town towards a hopefully less crowded countryside.

I ride along the river run until the adorable crooked houses with their roof-top hooks are far behind me. I see house boats of all types, people swimming in the river, people floating on inner tubes, vast parks. The whole way the bike path is flawlessly kept providing a nice smooth ride. The landscape becomes more rural as I approach a thatched windmill.

I stop at a sign reading “Rembrandt Hoeve” that is decorated with a pair of clogs. Feeling brave I decide to go check it out in hopes the building is the clog and cheese factory my BusAbout guide had mentioned would be part of a countryside bike tour he was advertising. Looking for the entrance I walk behind the house. There is a barn lined with cows, including two new calves. After petting the cows and taking way too many pictures, I walk through the back door of this mystery barn. I enter a tiny room and a tour group of 30+ Indian tourist turn to face me. I feel embarrassed but am welcomed into the tour and am lovingly referred to as “the American” for the rest of my visit. The crazy farmer leading the tour is the owner of the family run farm and exuberantly shows us how a wooden clogs are made and explains the cheese pressing process as he hands out samples. I can’t even explain how much energy this man has, providing a very entertaining tour. At one point he even borrowed/took my phone and began taking selfies left and right! It was quite the experience and I can say I’m very glad I made the stop.

After riding back into the city I met with my BusAbout friends for dinner. Their trip was coming to a close and they were headed back to Austrailia and the realities of school and work. Back to stability, to not living out of a backpack, to not sharing hostel rooms. I wouldn’t have traded them places but those comforts sounded really nice!

My last stop in Amsterdam was the Anne Frank house. It left me in a very reflective state about the horrible things humans have done, and continue to do, to one another. Being in the space where the Frank family hid for so long helped me imagine their fear and frustration. A quote from Anne in 1943, “I long to ride a bike, dance, whistle, look at the world, feel young and know that I’m free.” I left feeling more grateful than ever for my freedom. I left with a vow to no longer take this freedom for granted.

On my own: Bruges, Belgium

July 22, 20162 Comments

Bruges, Belgium is the first city I’ve traveled to entirely on my own during this trip. My mom and I had a hurried goodbye in the Paris metro station at around 7:00am on Saturday morning and just like that I was completely alone. Part of me wanted to go skipping down the hallway overjoyed with my complete and total freedom! The other part of me wanted to stand there petrified with no more mom to turn to.

I successfully made my metro transfers and even met two backpacker on their way to catch the same bus as me. The bus ride was comfortable and many friendly hellos were exchanged between passengers. There was room for me to have a row to myself, which I was slightly disappointed about since I was looking forward to meeting people. Our trip from Paris to Bruges took about 5 hours with one stop for a bathroom break at an all-in-one supermarket/cafe/drugstore/pharmacy/gas station. I wandered around browsing some magazines in French and taking advantage of the generous 10 minute allotment of free wifi. Back on the bus I dozed and awoke as the bus pulled over along a canal to let us off.

The tiny town of Bruges was still bigger than I had imagined but it carried all the medieval charm I had read about. The tiered rooves, windmills, the big trees and little walkways along the canal, cobbled streets, grand churches with towers overlooking the city. I couldn’t wait to get out and explore.

Found my bus!

First glimpses of Bruges

It was too early to check into my hostel bed so I rented a locker and joined a free walking tour of the town the hostel was offering. The main thing I remember about the 1:30pm tour was how hot and crowded it was the entire time. I felt as if I was witnessing each of the 5 million tourists that visit this tiny town annually, here all in one afternoon. There wasn’t space to breathe. We bumped into each other, doing our best to avoid bikes, vespas, and the many horse carriages. Every once in awhile a car would even shove its way through the narrow, crowded, windy streets and everyone would suck in their stomachs and press up against the nearest wall.

The second most memorable part of the tour was seeing some of Bruges’ many swans and learning how they got there. Apparently the town keeps them as a symbolic punishment they received for killing a man with the surname Longneck. The king insisted the people of Bruges maintain swans in the town as a reminder of what they had done to his friend. He also made the people of Bruges destroy their town wall leaving them completely vulnerable and moved all trade to the neighboring town of Antwerp ruining Bruges economically- but the swans part is much more facinating.

Swan in the canal

Swans everywhere

Literally everywhere

Where’d they go?!

After standing in the heat for 2 hours and getting a good overview of the town I decided to check into my room and get out of the midday heat. The room was everything I expected, a bunch of tiny bunk beds with little curtains. Unfortunately I was on the rickety top bunk, surely waking my bunkmate up every time I had to climb down to retrieve something I had forgotten. During my entire stay everyone in the room was quiet and respectful, the beds were clean and comfortable, and the dorm showers were, well, not completely disgusting. Only one incident occurred where a girl in my 16 bunk dorm room had caught a guy from a few beds away using her bath towel- very awkward, but glad he didn’t grab my towel!

My top bunk.

After a nap I decided to wander the city some more and seek out the best spots to visit tomorrow. After 6:00pm the town was much quieter and much less crowded, the air was cooler, and the colors of the evening sun on the buildings was fantastic. The houses’ reflections on the canal were disrupted with every passing swan. Happy people were dining outside at every restaurant. It was so peaceful to wander the almost empty streets. I stopped in Market square to listen to a violinist and sketch the clock tower. I had no where to be and nothing to do. It was a wonderful feeling.

The next morning I locked up my things, filled up on the free hostel breakfast and set off with high hopes for fitting many things in in my one full day in Bruges. First to the Church of Our Lady to see Michelangelo’s Madonna and Child. By 9:30am the streets were already filling up. Learning that the church didn’t open until 1:00pm on Sundays I browsed the entrances to a few other museums in town, but feeling I had enough of that in Paris, I opted to go find the chocolate factory and museum. Though the museum was unimpressive, the chocolate demo and samples were fantastic. Smooth and rich- better then anything I’ve tried back home. These chocolate makers were quite talented, each flick of their wrist making the chocolate into identical mini masterpieces.

I went back outside to fight the crowds for a glimpse of Michelangelo’s Madonna and Child. In the cool, quiet of the church I could have sat for hours looking at her gentle marble face, but the constant flow of shuffling tour groups through the church was disruptive. Time to get out of town.

I unsuccessfully haggled with the man at the bike rental shop, but the ride was worth every penny. I followed a canal out of town towards the neighboring village Damme. The air in my face, a scenic route, and a smooth bike trail shaded by trees was the perfect combination. Since my words won’t be able to properly do this ride justice here is a slide show of my ride and some of the many animals and houses I saw along the way.

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After returning the bike and enjoying a nice dinner, I left the restaurant to find a huge group of people gathered in a central square used as a fish market during the day. Music was playing, wine was flowing, and everyone in the center of the square was dancing the tango. They moved so fluidly, smiling and laughing, switching dance partners occasionally. Men dancing with women, women dancing with women, men dancing with men. The gathering had a very “come as you are” feel. Some people were dressed very casually, others in dress shoes and flowing skirts. I loved seeing this community come together over a shared interest in dance. I sat and watched them for over half an hour, enjoying the environment. I felt very much included and welcomed even as an outsider knowing little to nothing about the tango. Perching on a low cement barrier surrounding the dance floor I sat, very content, not worried about accommodating anyone, or what anyone else thought of me sitting alone.

Paris Reflections

July 18, 20161 Comment

This has been a crazy week. My time in Paris held so many emotions. I felt excited about being in a new place and having a whole new city to explore. I felt calm as I embraced the relaxed pace of Paris, wandering along the winding river and strolling the walkable gardens. I felt amazement at the vast museums and over-the-top architecture. I felt nervous every time I tried to order food or ask for directions. I felt terrified hearing of the tragedy that occurred in Nice on Bastille Day. I felt sad that my travels with my mom were coming to a close.

After the familiarity and comfort of London, everything in Paris was new. After figuring out the metro system to get to our Airbnb and climbing the four extremely long and windy flights of stairs to our studio apartment I felt like we had just conquered the world. That evening we summoned the energy (and gathered the courage) to venture out to find dinner and a canal tour. We were successful on both accounts, though we did opt for dinner in a venue where pointing to food items was acceptable. The next couple days were a marathon of sight seeing:

The courtyard of the apartment we stayed in

Selfie on the canal tour

First glimpse of the Eiffel Tower

Day 1: Louvre, Arc de Triomphe, Eiffel Tower

Mona & me! Just imagine me being jabbed with 5 selfie sticks while taking this

Arc de Triomphe

Eiffel Tower

About to go up the Eiffel Tower

Inside the Louvre

Day 2: Notre Dame, Musée d’Orsay, Jardin Des Tuileries

Notre Dame

Sunset in the garden before fireworks

Inside Notre Dame

Day 3: Sacré-Coeur in Montmartre, Moulin Rouge, Pantheon, Jardin Du Luxembourg

Montmartre

Pantheon

Gardens at sunset, my favorite

Paris was a truly magical place to visit, everything was so grand yet so intimate. Each curved street held hidden treasures- galleries, chocolate shops, a courtyard garden, a famous falafel joint (the que was literally around the corner)! I could feel the romance in the warm summer air as I watched couples strolling hand-in-hand through the park and dancing to salsa music along the river. A drunk little Italian man stopped us in the streets and sang his praise for Americans insisting on taking a picture with us before planting a big kiss on my mother’s cheek. And if not welcomed warmly, we were at least treated with patience and kindness by ever waiter/waitress we interacted with as we bumbled through our orders.

As wonderful as my visit was it will always be tainted with the horrible event of Bastille Day 2016. 84 people dead, many others wounded just miles from me in Nice. It left me feeling upset with humanity, deeply sad for the victims and their friends and families, and more confused then ever. What do terrorists think they are changing by murdering innocent people? How has our world been transformed into a place where celebrations like this are seen as an opportunity for violence rather then sacred days of remeberance? It is wrong to need to worry that there is a target on your country every time a community comes together.

We can all do our part by spreading tolerance and love. A large part of why I want to travel is to better understand others by seeing how they live. I know during this trip I’m mostly covering Western Europe, which is only the tip of the iceberg of difference from the US, but the more we know the more open minded we can become. By working to understand one another better we take a small step towards peace.

Caernarfon Castle: Then and Now

July 7, 20162 Comments

The proud red dragon flag whips in the wind over my head. I stand outside the impossibly large doors to the Caernarfon Castle. Inside, filled with other tourists, it feels more like an amusement park than a historical site. It’s hard to wrap my head around the fact that this structure was not created for my entertainment. It had a purpose, a strategic position on the harbor, battles had been fought and lives had been lost all on the ground where I stood.

Caernarfon Castle

Caernarfon Castle courtyard

Though tourists and locals alike flock this site everyday, it is very different from the manufactured castle San Simeon (Hearst Castle), and far older than Monticello or Mt. Vernon- or anything else I had seen in the US. As I walk the stone hallways I find it hard to imagine this cold, stone building with its vast rooms as someone’s home. Reading of the kings and queens who filled the castle’s halls, I reflect on representations of royalty I have watched and read about. It all seemed so much more romantic on the screen. This huge structure that dominated the town, literally surrounding it in a wall, was a sign of power. A cold stone symbol of dominance and extravagance. The wall that entirely surrounds the town still stands to this day, but with unguarded boarders visitors flow freely through the gates. How different it must have been.

The houses boardering the wall surrounding the city

Looking down from one of the castle’s turrets this is part of the city enclosed in the wall

The river along the castle wall

I wander the hallways, climbing narrow staircases to look out from the tallest peaks, enjoying the grand view rather than patrolling the seas for unwelcome enemies. Ah to be living in the 21st century, ah to be a tourist.

Cold hallways

Goodbye Ireland, Hello Wales

July 3, 2016Leave a comment

We recently left Ireland, the land of amazing dairy (creating equally great lattes), and set off to the UK starting in Caernarfon, Wales. I still don’t completely know how to pronounce that city’s name- Welsh is proving very difficult. Take a look at this town’s name we saw as we passed on the train!

Literally did not even get the entire name in my photo it is SO long!

It was truly a unique time to be in Ireland because this year marks the 100th year since their fight for freedom during the Irish Revolution. We saw this anniversary, along with the excitement surrounding the Irish team’s (short lived) success in Euro 2016 celebrated through outpourings of Irish pride all over the south of the country, from larger towns like Dublin and Galway to more rural places like Kilkenny and Dingle.

The second half of our time in Ireland was my favorite; we spent it in more rural areas, soaking in the Irish countryside. Before visiting I imagined all of Ireland to be a crazy quilt of different green patches sewn together over rolling hills. Serine and breathtaking.

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Now that I’ve seen a bit of the country for myself, not Hollywood’s version, I realize there is a lot more to Ireland than that, but the “greenness” of everything still shocked me!

As I reflect on my visit here are a few quirky notes on Ireland of things that stood out to me as being different from the US. I broke them up, in no particular order, into “the good” which are the things I wish I could take back to the US with me and “the bad” which are things I’m happy to be leaving behind.

The Good:

Farm fresh dinner from McSwiggan’s, voted the best in Galway

Kind, generous, American loving people (this is, of course, a generalization but what I personally experienced). A big shout out of thanks to all the patient bus drivers who helped us find our way
Excellent access to wifi in most places- Cork even had city wide wifi
Restaurants having a list of their suppliers on the menu (this way you know exactly where your meal is sourced from- what a concept)
Delicious food fresh off the farm
How amazingly green everything is
The crafts and music of local artists

A loom of a local craftswoman

Musicians practicing at the pub
When you enter your hotel room, you place the key in a slot above the light switch for the lights to work (saving electricity by turning all lights off when you leave the room AND you never need to worry about loosing your keys)
How people were encouraged to pitch in to keep their city clean! Ireland even instituted a “Tidy Town” award that goes to the cleanest town

Clean up, clean up everybody do their share!

And the Tidy Town award goes to… Galway!
Tea everywhere at all times (with the best milk you’ll ever taste)
Tea time at Cupan Tae

The Bad:

Lots of smoking everywhere; we couldn’t really sit outside without being absorbed in a cloud of smoke
A downside to the charming windy streets is smelling the exhaust of cars just inches away from you
Few towels in hotels/b&bs, not a big deal, but a bummer if you have long hair to dry (aka no wash clothes or hand towels)
The bipolar weather- it’s not safe to go out without a raincoat and umbrella even if it’s sunny
Me hanging out with Fungi, Dingle’s resident dolphin
Old plumbing in most places had me questioning, will the toilet flush? Will there be enough water pressure to wash my hair?

I probably sound incredibly spoiled but this is so you all can be prepared when you visit and I can have a good laugh looking back at the thoughts of my younger self. Now I’m off to enjoy the beautiful Welsh seashore- expect more on Wales soon!

Live Music in Ireland

June 27, 2016June 27, 20162 Comments

I have been feeling so inspired by the live music performed in Ireland. On a nightly basis every pub on the street will have signs announcing their live music offerings. We happen to be in the right place at the right time last night and heard a really great couple perform. The woman performed violin and vocals and her husband played the accordion. For a taste of what I’m talking about, listen to the clips below- the first an upbeat jig, the second a ballad.

I love how so many people in Dingle, Ireland still know how to play an instrument. In the family we are staying with, all three children play the piano and the mother plays violin in a local orchestra. Reflecting on my own experience in the states, my only musical education (to my mother’s dismay) was playing the saxophone for one year as a middle school elective. Neither of my parents actively play an instrument, although both took lessons as children, and my sisters, who both took piano and guitar lessons growing up, chose not to continue with their practice. Very few of my friends play, though we all seem to have taken lessons of some sort as children. How come so few of us carry this practice through to adulthood? Whenever someone does bring a guitar to a group event everyone seems to enjoy it and joins in nodding their heads to the beat.

I think one contributing factor may have been the fact that electricity didn’t reach parts of the Dingle Peninsula until the late 1960s! Without television (which was adopted widely in the US in the 1950s) learning and playing music was a wonderful form of entertainment. And today, with a world of unlimited, personalized entertainment at our fingertips who takes the time or has the attention span to master an instrument. I applaud all of you who do!

So next time I go to turn on Netflix, I’ll need to stifle the internal guilt I feel for my lack of musical abilities, and maybe even browse for a good guitar teacher in the Bay Area while watching Orange is the New Black.

Headed South: Dublin to Cork

June 25, 2016June 25, 2016Leave a comment

Since I last wrote in Dublin I’ve had the chance to explore 3 more Irish cities: Glendalough, Kilkenny and Cork. I want to share with you the highlight reel of my favorite moments in each of these places.

DUBLIN:

The Book of Kells at Trintiy College- before seeing this library turned museum I had no appreciation for the work that went into making a book; with the technology we have today it goes largely unnoticed having no direct effect on my everyday life. Four scribes and 6 artists contributed to the making of this book, dyes were used from countless plants and other natural sources, 185 calf skins were used to make soft durable pages, and every stitch of the book’s binding was sewn by hand.
Inside St. Patrick’s Cathedral before sung service
Attending a sung service at St. Patrick’s Cathedral- As the choir sang evening light poured through the stained glass windows, glowing vibrant colors onto the stone walls of the cathedral. Truly an breathtaking sight.
Attending the Riverdance 21 performance (and walking out after to witness the Irish locals after their Euro 2016 win). We bought tickets spur the moment when passing by the Gaiety Theatre off of Grafton Street earlier the same day. That night at the show, in a theater that wouldn’t have even fit half of one of my largest lectures at Berkeley, I was amazed by traditional Irish dance! I had never seen it performed in a professional group like this before (I’d seen it once at a 5th grade talent show and once by a friend of my parents). The dancer’s feet moved like lightning and the live music (fiddle, concertina, clarinet, drums, and more traditional Irish instruments) was flawless. Through different scenes the show contrast traditional Irish dance to Russian folk dance, Spanish flamenco, and American tap dance showing the similarities and differences of each unique style.
Speaking to an Irish woman at a vintage tea shop- I need you to picture a pink haired, pierced face, short, grandma like Irish woman. We ran into her at this amazing vintage shop at the bottom of Smithfield Square (which also, conveniently had a small tea room). She told us her life travels and asked us all about ourselves and pointed us in the direction of Capel Street, another fun area with lots of charity shops and authentic Irish culture.
Getting lost and wandering way farther up O’Connell Street then we meant to- We ran into this magical basin park where there were literally tiny fairy houses built into the sides of the walls and trees. We also stumbled into a cafe named the Music Shop and were greeted at our table by the owner, Johnathan, a friendly man in a red velvet jacket who also owned the candy store on the corner and the Castle Hotel above the cafe. He was born and raised in Dublin and the third generation to run his family’s business. He discussed his upcoming wedding and his pride that Ireland had legalized his marriage to his partner. He asked us our feeling about Trump and the upcoming election and my mother hid her face in embarrassment.

Fairy neighborhood

Fairy house in the basin park

Fairy house

Beautiful buttercups

GLENDALOUGH (located in Wicklow National Park popularly known as the setting for the movies Braveheart, P.S. I Love You, & Leap Year):

Seeing yellow buttercup flowers- this was the first town I witnessed after Dublin and was a refreshing change from the city. Everything was in full bloom and these tiny yellow flowers scattered across grassy meadows really stood out!
Mom & me at the lake in Glendalough!
Walking to the Upper Lake- Rain had been on and off all day but as soon as we reached the lake the wind and rain really picked up. Luckily equipped with rain coats and an umbrella (Yes we are tourists, but at least we are prepared tourists) we had a chance to watch the wind dramatically whipping the water before heading somewhere (ANYWHERE!) dry and warm.
The Round Tower in the sacred monastic grounds- for safety the monks would go into the 110-foot-tall tower when the Vikings attacked. The door was located 12 feet off the ground, to be accessed only by ladder for protection.

KILKENNY:

Climbing the tower at St. Canice’s Cathedral- after being amazed by the tower in Glendalough I was ecstatic to learn there was a similar tower in this town that had access to the top! Though this round tower was only 100-foot-tall it was still quite the climb. I entered the narrow tower door by a ladder taking me to the door 12+ feet off the ground (did I mention it was raining again?), climbed 8+ more flights of wooden ladders inside the tower before reaching one last stone set of stairs to the top. I crawled out into the open air to take in the view- it was totally worth it! See the grand view of the countryside below.

Round tower of St. Canice’s Cathedral

Rain in my face! Ah!!!

Round tower of St. Canice’s Cathedral
Tasting at Smithwicks (pronounced smid-icks, I think, still not 100% sure
Smithwicks

given the strong accents)- their original red is on point and their staff friendlier then ever.

CORK:

Witnessing everyone watching football (ie.soccer) in the streets- even the store keepers from across the way were standing at their doors peering to view the TV at the pub window. One man in his door kept frantically checking his watch as the game approached its end.
Visiting the English Market- opened in 1788 locals and tourists alike still enjoy this covered market and its variety of offerings- fresh vegetables, meats, herbs, breads, fruit, spices, and pastries. And (fun fact) apparently this was one of Queen Elizabeth II’s final stops on her most recent trip to Ireland.

Everyone drops what they’re doing when a match is on!

Entering the English Market
Dinner at the Gourmet (Burger) Bistro- this tiny restaurant off of Bridge Street was a delicious find! Their award winning dishes use organic, locally grown ingredients, and they don’t change extra for changing a side of fries to a salad- win, win, win! Take a leaf out of their book American burger joints.

Now that you’re all caught up, time for bed! Five nights of sharing a room with my mom and I haven’t gone crazy yet (only joking mom)! Off early tomorrow to Ring of Kerry and Dingle, fingers crossed for sunny skies.