Today we woke up early to do breakfast and hop a local train, then couple more to get to the top of Europe's highest peak, Jungfrau. Took us over an hour to get there and then spent time at the top.
Funny because our roomie told us he was too hot in pants there the day before, Randy wore shorts and sandals and I wore pants and sweatshirt but no layers. Brrrrr! It was 2.5 degrees Celsius at the warmest outside. They have and "ice palace" which is just a cool ice cave with some carvings. There were huge tour groups that were soooooo obnoxious! They would tap you on the shoulder in the middle of you taking a picture because they want you to move so THEY can take a picture. Um, no! Anyway, many shared our same sentiments which is quite hilarious that it crosses generations and nationalities and languages.
Then we ate a ridiculously over priced pizza for 24 franks and split a 4 frank small glass of coca cola before a bee flew into it so we couldn't finish it! Then took trains and gondolas to the famous James Bond peak where he paraglides off: Schilthorn. We had perfect weather all day.
One our way we stopped and took pictures in Gimmelwald which is a cute town which tries to hold on to the "the old ways." So it's small, fairly secluded and little tourism for hotels, restaurants, etc. We are staying in Grindlewald which I believe is the biggest in this area?
Made it back off the mountains and decided for the prices here we'll make dinner! We bought a kilo of tortellinis, don't worry didn't eat them all, pesto, salad, dressing, wine, beer, and chips all for 25 franks!!!! Mind you our pizza that we split was 24!!! Tomorrow's our last day :(
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Switzerland or bust!
No seriously soooo expensive here! We knew it would be to some extent but it's ridiculous! Great it's at the very end of the trip.
Woke up on time, surprisingly. Made all the train connections from our hotel to the main station at 5:55, got Starbucks, made our 6:45 to the border of Germany and Switzerland. Made the next connection barely for Interlaken. Arrived at Interlaken around 2pm took another train to Grindelwald where we are staying in the Alps.
Tried to check in at 3:45 but you couldn't till 4:30 so we walked and thought we'd get food. Are you kidding? Like 24 franks for spaghetti and that seemed normal. We had burgers for like 12 franks and if you wanted fries it was and extra 5 franks! The frank is about 25% stronger than the dollar.
We're at a dorm hostel but are sharing a room with a cool couple from Brooklyn AND they're married! what? Unheard of! :) Makes it nice.
Couldn't go anywhere because everything shut down at like 5 so we're going to be early to get up early and hike! :)
Woke up on time, surprisingly. Made all the train connections from our hotel to the main station at 5:55, got Starbucks, made our 6:45 to the border of Germany and Switzerland. Made the next connection barely for Interlaken. Arrived at Interlaken around 2pm took another train to Grindelwald where we are staying in the Alps.
Tried to check in at 3:45 but you couldn't till 4:30 so we walked and thought we'd get food. Are you kidding? Like 24 franks for spaghetti and that seemed normal. We had burgers for like 12 franks and if you wanted fries it was and extra 5 franks! The frank is about 25% stronger than the dollar.
We're at a dorm hostel but are sharing a room with a cool couple from Brooklyn AND they're married! what? Unheard of! :) Makes it nice.
Couldn't go anywhere because everything shut down at like 5 so we're going to be early to get up early and hike! :)
End of Germany
Stayed up till 2am with the friends from Canada so we slept in till noon.
For the record Leisha not only loves bratwurst but also loves currywurst!!! So delicious...
Walked around a couple parks in Munchen and relaxed. Not a lot of "new" things to see there.
Went to Hofbrauhaus for dinner and beer! I wasn't a huge fan of the beer until I had their dark beer. Apparently there's only 2 kinds of beer: light and dark. These 2 German guys in Munchen for a business meeting sat next to us. They were hilarious. Great food, beer, music and company. Again stayed up too late and still had to come back and shower, pack for our 5:55 train into the train station to leave for the last stop...
Switzerland!!!
For the record Leisha not only loves bratwurst but also loves currywurst!!! So delicious...
Walked around a couple parks in Munchen and relaxed. Not a lot of "new" things to see there.
Went to Hofbrauhaus for dinner and beer! I wasn't a huge fan of the beer until I had their dark beer. Apparently there's only 2 kinds of beer: light and dark. These 2 German guys in Munchen for a business meeting sat next to us. They were hilarious. Great food, beer, music and company. Again stayed up too late and still had to come back and shower, pack for our 5:55 train into the train station to leave for the last stop...
Switzerland!!!
Monday, August 22, 2011
Neuschwanstein
Neuschwanstein is the castle that Disney took the idea for the Cinderella castle! It's just outside Munchen in Hohenschwangau, obviously. We woke up super early to catch the 7:00 train from our hotel to the main train station and hopped another train to Fussen (all covered by the eurorail pass). Then a bus from Fussen to Hohenschwangau.
We had to wait a few hours till our tour, the only way to see the inside, so we did some hiking around the area. The castle is in the Bavarian Alps so needless to say the area and scenery is gorgeous!
There are two castles one where King Ludwig II grew up then Neuschwanstein, which he build when he became king. It's only about 30% completed because he was named insane, was stripped of his power, and then mysteriously drowned with his psychiatrist. He only lives there something like 170 days! All construction stopped and was never finished! :(
The inside that is finished is super elaborate. The throne room is the layout of a church with a huge crown shape chandelier with colored glass jewels everywhere. But don't worry the 12 apostles surround him and God is above his head looking down on him in approval. His bed took 15 woodcarvers 4 years to finish the intricate work. He had decent taste I guess.
Bloopers: waiting for our tour to start sitting in front of mini poster pictures of the castle and up walks an adult with a camera...He took a picture of the picture! Then to add to it people saw that and thought "that's a great idea." and did the same! So what did I do? I took a picture of all the people taking pictures of the pictures. :) hahahaha
On the way there we met a couple, Kita and Andrew, from Victoria BC. We met them on the train to Fussen and in talking realized they are staying at the same hotel and rode the same train before Fussen as well. They seem really cool. Had drinks with them back at the hotel that evening when we all got back as well.
We had to wait a few hours till our tour, the only way to see the inside, so we did some hiking around the area. The castle is in the Bavarian Alps so needless to say the area and scenery is gorgeous!
There are two castles one where King Ludwig II grew up then Neuschwanstein, which he build when he became king. It's only about 30% completed because he was named insane, was stripped of his power, and then mysteriously drowned with his psychiatrist. He only lives there something like 170 days! All construction stopped and was never finished! :(
The inside that is finished is super elaborate. The throne room is the layout of a church with a huge crown shape chandelier with colored glass jewels everywhere. But don't worry the 12 apostles surround him and God is above his head looking down on him in approval. His bed took 15 woodcarvers 4 years to finish the intricate work. He had decent taste I guess.
Bloopers: waiting for our tour to start sitting in front of mini poster pictures of the castle and up walks an adult with a camera...He took a picture of the picture! Then to add to it people saw that and thought "that's a great idea." and did the same! So what did I do? I took a picture of all the people taking pictures of the pictures. :) hahahaha
On the way there we met a couple, Kita and Andrew, from Victoria BC. We met them on the train to Fussen and in talking realized they are staying at the same hotel and rode the same train before Fussen as well. They seem really cool. Had drinks with them back at the hotel that evening when we all got back as well.
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Munchen
Why do we change all foreign names to something else? Like Munich is Munchen and Prague is Praha...
Arrived to Germany and got our tickets to Interloken, Switzerland (Tues-Thurs) then from there to the airport in Frankfurt. We leave Friday morning! So weird and so exciting! I miss Molly! A lot of other things too but...lets be honest
Checked into the Holiday Inn :) Outside Munchen but a 20min S-Bahn trip gets you to city center AND is covered by our eurorail. Even better!
Showered and took a few hour nap before starting to see the city...
Saw a church, shocker right? Haha. Then walked through the Residence Museum where the royalty lived back in the day. A lot was destroyed by freakin' Hitler but at least the Nazis preserved many paintings and relics and furniture knowing it'd probably be bombed. Most of Munchen has been reconstructed since then.
Walked through a park which was huge. Randy fell in love...liter STEINS!!! :) There are beer gardens and food in the park so we at dinner there. Both had schnitzel and "country potatoes" which were fried but we were hoping it was something else. Oops!
Finished walking the park and saw the Hofbrauhaus which is supposed to be THE restaurant here and are planning to go once before we leave. Tired, back to the hotel to shower, go to bed to get up early for...Neuschwanstein Castle!!!
Arrived to Germany and got our tickets to Interloken, Switzerland (Tues-Thurs) then from there to the airport in Frankfurt. We leave Friday morning! So weird and so exciting! I miss Molly! A lot of other things too but...lets be honest
Checked into the Holiday Inn :) Outside Munchen but a 20min S-Bahn trip gets you to city center AND is covered by our eurorail. Even better!
Showered and took a few hour nap before starting to see the city...
Saw a church, shocker right? Haha. Then walked through the Residence Museum where the royalty lived back in the day. A lot was destroyed by freakin' Hitler but at least the Nazis preserved many paintings and relics and furniture knowing it'd probably be bombed. Most of Munchen has been reconstructed since then.
Walked through a park which was huge. Randy fell in love...liter STEINS!!! :) There are beer gardens and food in the park so we at dinner there. Both had schnitzel and "country potatoes" which were fried but we were hoping it was something else. Oops!
Finished walking the park and saw the Hofbrauhaus which is supposed to be THE restaurant here and are planning to go once before we leave. Tired, back to the hotel to shower, go to bed to get up early for...Neuschwanstein Castle!!!
End of Hungary
Went to the market that was closed before. Pretty cool. It had everything from crafts to spices and meats to toys and clothes. Walked to the ING building for Randy. Cool design but you couldn't get close, maybe for construction?
Since it was St Steven's weekend celebration we went back to castle hill to go to their festival. Pretty fun. Reminded me of the Scandinavian Festival in that people had traditional professions displayed: blacksmith, sewing, spinning yarn, cooking, wood carving, pottery, etc! Many local students from like 6 years to 18 performed traditional dances, music, and great food.
Left for our train early evening. It was no Soviet train because we had air but it was the next brutal on our list. There were no sleeper car left for Zurich or Munich so we had just the equivalent of airplane seats from 9pm till 6am. Brutal! Slept some...not much though. Of course there were annoying French people right outside our little cabin area talking loud for like the first hour. Then in the middle of the night two girls, probably drunk, decided to sit in out cabin for for stop in Austria somewhere.
Let the count down begin!!! We only have a week left!!!
Since it was St Steven's weekend celebration we went back to castle hill to go to their festival. Pretty fun. Reminded me of the Scandinavian Festival in that people had traditional professions displayed: blacksmith, sewing, spinning yarn, cooking, wood carving, pottery, etc! Many local students from like 6 years to 18 performed traditional dances, music, and great food.
Left for our train early evening. It was no Soviet train because we had air but it was the next brutal on our list. There were no sleeper car left for Zurich or Munich so we had just the equivalent of airplane seats from 9pm till 6am. Brutal! Slept some...not much though. Of course there were annoying French people right outside our little cabin area talking loud for like the first hour. Then in the middle of the night two girls, probably drunk, decided to sit in out cabin for for stop in Austria somewhere.
Let the count down begin!!! We only have a week left!!!
Friday, August 19, 2011
Happy Anniversary from Hungary
Slept in, went to where? Starbucks! Haha Randy must really love me...used their Internet to book our place in Munich.
Walked around more of the Buda side. They have really cool roofs where it's like a mosaic, just looks awesome. We were going to walk though Parliament but I thought it's be a good idea to walk there. It was a lot farther than it looked! So we went and got gelato while waiting for a free tour to start. It wasn't the same company as Berlin unfortunately. She gave good history for 30 min then another lecture on what to drink for 30 min. They didn't live up to our expectations so we jetted out. One thing I did learn that was helpful was that Hungary lost the biggest chunk of land in WWI, Transylvania. Which makes so much more sense back 12 years ago trying to cross the border from Romania to Hungary and Hungary wasn't so nice. Well Transylvania is part of Romania now I believe.
We went to the Parliament building finally and saw a hole bunch of stuff the tour should have covered. There were monuments related to the uprising started in 1956 and those that lost their lives. Walked toward a flea market but it was closed so we will go tomorrow. Walked through a cave church which is exactly as it sounds.
The church met at the cave on the outside until the early 1900's when they were trying to make tunnels to the Danube. To no avail so then they met inside. The communists shut it down during their rule by putting up a wall which came down after the Berlin wall.
Bought some Hungarian wine and celebrated 4 amazing years together!!!
Walked around more of the Buda side. They have really cool roofs where it's like a mosaic, just looks awesome. We were going to walk though Parliament but I thought it's be a good idea to walk there. It was a lot farther than it looked! So we went and got gelato while waiting for a free tour to start. It wasn't the same company as Berlin unfortunately. She gave good history for 30 min then another lecture on what to drink for 30 min. They didn't live up to our expectations so we jetted out. One thing I did learn that was helpful was that Hungary lost the biggest chunk of land in WWI, Transylvania. Which makes so much more sense back 12 years ago trying to cross the border from Romania to Hungary and Hungary wasn't so nice. Well Transylvania is part of Romania now I believe.
We went to the Parliament building finally and saw a hole bunch of stuff the tour should have covered. There were monuments related to the uprising started in 1956 and those that lost their lives. Walked toward a flea market but it was closed so we will go tomorrow. Walked through a cave church which is exactly as it sounds.
The church met at the cave on the outside until the early 1900's when they were trying to make tunnels to the Danube. To no avail so then they met inside. The communists shut it down during their rule by putting up a wall which came down after the Berlin wall.
Bought some Hungarian wine and celebrated 4 amazing years together!!!
Budapest :)
We had an excellent train ride. Had our own cabin and shower in the cabin! What wasn't perfect is when we bought our reservation is they didn't tell us we'd be going through Slovakia which isn't covered by the eurorail. So first the price was €80 then he dropped it to €30! Don't understand but whatever.
Tried to get our tickets to Switzerland but everything was booked so we flipped the trip again. Munich THEN Switzerland, hopefully.
We were staying at a guest house on the top of castle hill on the Buda side. Randy was even joking on the way about hopefully they didnt lose our reservation etc. He looked to me in front of the Hilton and said "we're here." I just laughed and then...we checked in!!! He thought it'd be nice for our anniversary. :) Ahhh I love him!!! Our hotel has the view of the matthias church as is we're right next to it.
Walked around the top of the hill and went to a fair that was starting and who do we see??? The Ukrainians from Berlin in our room!!! We said hi and then walked down and crossed the bridge to Pest "Pesht" to walk around and who do we see??? The gal from Holland in our room at Prague!!! So funny!!!
We visited St Steven's church, the castle on both Buda and Pest sides. Strolled in some parks and then headed back.
Hungary was a communist country until 1989 with the fall of the Berlin wall. Cool how all these places we've visited help connect the dots. They tried to start a revolution in 1956 but the red army suppressed them and it failed.
Tried to get our tickets to Switzerland but everything was booked so we flipped the trip again. Munich THEN Switzerland, hopefully.
We were staying at a guest house on the top of castle hill on the Buda side. Randy was even joking on the way about hopefully they didnt lose our reservation etc. He looked to me in front of the Hilton and said "we're here." I just laughed and then...we checked in!!! He thought it'd be nice for our anniversary. :) Ahhh I love him!!! Our hotel has the view of the matthias church as is we're right next to it.
Walked around the top of the hill and went to a fair that was starting and who do we see??? The Ukrainians from Berlin in our room!!! We said hi and then walked down and crossed the bridge to Pest "Pesht" to walk around and who do we see??? The gal from Holland in our room at Prague!!! So funny!!!
We visited St Steven's church, the castle on both Buda and Pest sides. Strolled in some parks and then headed back.
Hungary was a communist country until 1989 with the fall of the Berlin wall. Cool how all these places we've visited help connect the dots. They tried to start a revolution in 1956 but the red army suppressed them and it failed.
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
End of Prague
Today we woke up but I was still really tired so Randy did breakfast downstairs while I slept a little longer. When he was waiting for me there were two girls in the lobby who looked like zombies and weren't talking to each other so he decided to start conversation. Can you guess yet? They ALSO rode the the soviet train from Krakow to Prague and didn't sleep. Same story essentially: no air, dirty, loud, etc. So apparently it wasn't just us it's that route.
Went to see St Nicholas church that was closed yesterday but it cost money and we've seen so many cathedrals we passed. Off to Starbucks again to "email Beth" ... and maybe get coffee :) Hiked to Petrin Tower which is a Soviet copy cat of the Eiffel tower but very small. Great view of the city from there. Hike down Randy threw a spider on me!!! I about had a heart attack but he killed it! Then off to find some wall that we couldn't locate (saw it from the castle yesterday).
But while searching we walked
though a monastery. Cool Phantom of the Opera type organ music playing.
Walked through a "market" but it was pretty lame in comparison of what we've seen. Then Wenceslas' Square and back to the hostel.
Ate at an authentic Czech restaurant and I had pork knuckle and Randy had a potato cake. Both were good but my pork came with just pork nothing else. Randy's was deep fried and stuff with like ham and seasoning. They didn't speak English even though there was an English menu. Ordered a Pepsi and they brought me a Pilsner, haha! It was funny because EVERY waiter at some point came over to "try and understand." Good food though.
Grabbed out bags and headed to Beth's place one last time before our night train, fingers crossed, to Budapest. We will be there 3 days then hopefully off to Interloken, Switzerland (the Alps) and then to Munich. Not sure if we will have Internet the next week or so.
Went to see St Nicholas church that was closed yesterday but it cost money and we've seen so many cathedrals we passed. Off to Starbucks again to "email Beth" ... and maybe get coffee :) Hiked to Petrin Tower which is a Soviet copy cat of the Eiffel tower but very small. Great view of the city from there. Hike down Randy threw a spider on me!!! I about had a heart attack but he killed it! Then off to find some wall that we couldn't locate (saw it from the castle yesterday).
But while searching we walked
though a monastery. Cool Phantom of the Opera type organ music playing.
Walked through a "market" but it was pretty lame in comparison of what we've seen. Then Wenceslas' Square and back to the hostel.
Ate at an authentic Czech restaurant and I had pork knuckle and Randy had a potato cake. Both were good but my pork came with just pork nothing else. Randy's was deep fried and stuff with like ham and seasoning. They didn't speak English even though there was an English menu. Ordered a Pepsi and they brought me a Pilsner, haha! It was funny because EVERY waiter at some point came over to "try and understand." Good food though.
Grabbed out bags and headed to Beth's place one last time before our night train, fingers crossed, to Budapest. We will be there 3 days then hopefully off to Interloken, Switzerland (the Alps) and then to Munich. Not sure if we will have Internet the next week or so.
Monday, August 15, 2011
Praha...Day 2
Slept in! Finally! Took forever getting out of the hostel. First, we forgot tram tickets, then the map, then which tram to take, etc. Finally made it to the castle. Toured around there for awhile. Had Starbucks, again! And the guy spelled my name right with asking!!!!
Saw an elaborate cathedral, basilica, torture chamber and castle. We liked the torture chamber! There were body cage that looked like something from a movie. It was shackles for your entire body and one was above what used to be a water pit I'm sure maybe with crocodiles? Also many other torturing devices. Randy likes seeing the sword making factory.
It was pouring which is awesome because my so called "rain jacket" is really a rain absorbtion jacket. :( Still walked around though. Crossed the Charles bridge. There's a statue of St Vitus who supposedly was a priest that the queen confessed everything too. The king wanted to know the information but Vitus wouldn't tell so he was tortured but still kept his mouth shut. The story goes they threw him off the bridge and when he hit the water, stars appeared above him. He's not an official saint but people consider him one rubbing statue for good luck. The only original statue is that of a cross with Hebrew inscriptions about Jesus from Isaiah "Holy holy holy is the lord of Hosts." It was fully funded by a fine given to a Jew for mocking the cross, his friends turned him in.
Walked past the Old Jewish cemetery and then back to our hostel to dry off before meeting Beth for dinner. She wanted to meet at the Starbucks where we earlier and the tram stop before that stop who gets on? BETH!!! So funny how that keeps happening.
Went to a cool Italian/American pizza place that actually put decent amount of toppings on the pizza. Hung out with Beth and she took us on a cool night walk of Prague. Hopefully we get to see her again tomorrow before we leave for Budapest!
Got a drink at the hostel in attempts to make up for the English girls the night before...GREAT idea! Met a couple guys from Scotland and a gal from Holland...they were hilarious! Apparently, in Scotland you can rent a kilt and the guy said "yep, only in Scotland can you rent an STD" (since typically you don't wear anything under the kilt). Also, it can apparently be used as a picnic blanket. Then later realized the girl from Holland was in our dorm that night! She left for Budapest in the morning and we leave at night.
Saw an elaborate cathedral, basilica, torture chamber and castle. We liked the torture chamber! There were body cage that looked like something from a movie. It was shackles for your entire body and one was above what used to be a water pit I'm sure maybe with crocodiles? Also many other torturing devices. Randy likes seeing the sword making factory.
It was pouring which is awesome because my so called "rain jacket" is really a rain absorbtion jacket. :( Still walked around though. Crossed the Charles bridge. There's a statue of St Vitus who supposedly was a priest that the queen confessed everything too. The king wanted to know the information but Vitus wouldn't tell so he was tortured but still kept his mouth shut. The story goes they threw him off the bridge and when he hit the water, stars appeared above him. He's not an official saint but people consider him one rubbing statue for good luck. The only original statue is that of a cross with Hebrew inscriptions about Jesus from Isaiah "Holy holy holy is the lord of Hosts." It was fully funded by a fine given to a Jew for mocking the cross, his friends turned him in.
Walked past the Old Jewish cemetery and then back to our hostel to dry off before meeting Beth for dinner. She wanted to meet at the Starbucks where we earlier and the tram stop before that stop who gets on? BETH!!! So funny how that keeps happening.
Went to a cool Italian/American pizza place that actually put decent amount of toppings on the pizza. Hung out with Beth and she took us on a cool night walk of Prague. Hopefully we get to see her again tomorrow before we leave for Budapest!
Got a drink at the hostel in attempts to make up for the English girls the night before...GREAT idea! Met a couple guys from Scotland and a gal from Holland...they were hilarious! Apparently, in Scotland you can rent a kilt and the guy said "yep, only in Scotland can you rent an STD" (since typically you don't wear anything under the kilt). Also, it can apparently be used as a picnic blanket. Then later realized the girl from Holland was in our dorm that night! She left for Budapest in the morning and we leave at night.
Prague "Praha" Czech Republic
After the last blog we went to Starbucks, obviously that's what you do in Poland...to kill time. Then the train station in Krakow was super confusing not for the Polish writing everywhere but your platform was really two platforms. For example we needed platform 4 but never said or distinguished which side so you have to be on your toes! Got on our train which Randy nicknamed "the Soviet train." We thought we had a sleeper but it was a really crowded 3 bunk x2 small room. The train car honestly look like it was at least from the 70's and NO AIR! We tried to get the others to keep the window open but it was a no go. Both Randy and I had the top bunks so even hotter! I saw 11, midnight, 1, 2, 3, 4, and at least 4:45 before sleeping probably 2 hours. Needless to say when we got to Prague we were exhausted.
Couldn't check in, too early, so set put stuff down and went to see Old Town. Saw an Astronomical clock that keeps all sorts of time, not just our 12/24 hours. Tried to see a church but it was closed so we decided to head back to the hostel for showers and REAL laundry! Washed everything in a washer and some things in the drier! We smell so much better!!!
Then did dinner near the hostel and back for a drink at our pub downstairs. Much less of a party hostel here, nice change from Berlin so people were just hanging out playing games like chess and settlers! Unfortunately, we sat down next to two British girls who were probably single handedly the most obnoxious people we've met so far! They had nothing interesting to say! Just loud and dumb! For example, they had been to Berlin and managed to spend forever at the zoo but didn't manage to see the Berlin wall or Checkpoint Charlie or a million other sites!! %#^*+!
We decided to go to bed early since they were so interesting and since we didn't sleep the night before.
Couldn't check in, too early, so set put stuff down and went to see Old Town. Saw an Astronomical clock that keeps all sorts of time, not just our 12/24 hours. Tried to see a church but it was closed so we decided to head back to the hostel for showers and REAL laundry! Washed everything in a washer and some things in the drier! We smell so much better!!!
Then did dinner near the hostel and back for a drink at our pub downstairs. Much less of a party hostel here, nice change from Berlin so people were just hanging out playing games like chess and settlers! Unfortunately, we sat down next to two British girls who were probably single handedly the most obnoxious people we've met so far! They had nothing interesting to say! Just loud and dumb! For example, they had been to Berlin and managed to spend forever at the zoo but didn't manage to see the Berlin wall or Checkpoint Charlie or a million other sites!! %#^*+!
We decided to go to bed early since they were so interesting and since we didn't sleep the night before.
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Auschwitz...
Before reading, it is graphic...
Took a small mini van/bus out to Auschwitz I and then to Auschwitz II - Birkaneu. Toured both.
We started at the entry gate of Auschwitz I where men and women/children were separated for selection. All children under 16, pregnant women, those who were sick, disabled, or some how otherwise determined unfit for work were sent to take showers. They were required to take all their clothes off before the shower and then the entered the chamber. The doors closed and locked behind them. Gas filled the chamber and they suffocated to death. Many died within the first couple minutes others took 15 minutes of frantic panic trying to breathe before dying. The corpses were then hauled off to the crematories to be burned. So many people were needing to be cremated that the Nazis created Auschwitz II where the crematories were plural and much larger. We walked through display after display of fragments of the actual quantity of the following: children's clothes, suitcases, shoes, hair brushes, shaving cream, pots/pans, prosthetic legs, etc.
There were photographs actually taken of prisoners and in not one is a person, even a child smiling...If you misbehaved which could be as simple as urinating yourself because you couldn't use the toilet except when you woke up before work and before bed after work there were standing cells where 4 prisoners would have to stand approx 3ftx3ft dark cell all night and then work the next day. The only ventilation was a tiny whole in the top of the cell. There were starvation rooms where you would go for days at a time and many died.
We saw gallows where the Nazis would hang those who had tried to escape but failed and/or those who helped and/or those who kept in contact with the outside world. They were hung and bodies left there in the middle of the camp for all to see as a warning.
There was also a shooting wall for many political prisoners where they were showered, stripped down naked, lined against a wall and shot in the back of the head.
Approximately 1.6 million people were killed at Auschwitz alone. Prisoners were also shipped here from other camps all over Europe, even as far south as Greece. The Nazis chose this site because it was in the middle of no where so people wouldn't know.
Doctors performed experiments on women and children trying to understand the production of twins because that was how they intended to increase the German army. Many died in the process and it was extremely painful.
We also saw piles and piles and piles of human hair. All prisoners, even those after gas chambers, were shaved from head to toe and their hair was used for rugs and things like that in Germany. The tattoo numbers was only done at Auschwitz and was because it became so large it was very difficult for those to be identified at role call and/or if they died. 6 prisoners to a bunk, as in 6 on the bottom, 6 in the middle, and 6 on top. Each barrack, which were old Polish Army barracks, could hold 700-800 prisoners at a time. In the harsh winters around 0-15 degrees prisoners were not allowed extra clothes or anything to help keep them warm. Many were go to bed and wake up wet. These kind of conditions as well as the terrible sanitary conditions led to the wide spread of contagious diseases and death of many.
I'm probably missing a lot but Randy took a ton of pictures to help us remember. I asked our tour guide how she could give this tour every day, wouldn't you get depressed? She said that yes it's sad but it's so important to keep telling to story so that it doesn't happen again.
It just goes to show what can happen when humanity does not find their value from God but from power...something we will never forget!
Took a small mini van/bus out to Auschwitz I and then to Auschwitz II - Birkaneu. Toured both.
We started at the entry gate of Auschwitz I where men and women/children were separated for selection. All children under 16, pregnant women, those who were sick, disabled, or some how otherwise determined unfit for work were sent to take showers. They were required to take all their clothes off before the shower and then the entered the chamber. The doors closed and locked behind them. Gas filled the chamber and they suffocated to death. Many died within the first couple minutes others took 15 minutes of frantic panic trying to breathe before dying. The corpses were then hauled off to the crematories to be burned. So many people were needing to be cremated that the Nazis created Auschwitz II where the crematories were plural and much larger. We walked through display after display of fragments of the actual quantity of the following: children's clothes, suitcases, shoes, hair brushes, shaving cream, pots/pans, prosthetic legs, etc.
There were photographs actually taken of prisoners and in not one is a person, even a child smiling...If you misbehaved which could be as simple as urinating yourself because you couldn't use the toilet except when you woke up before work and before bed after work there were standing cells where 4 prisoners would have to stand approx 3ftx3ft dark cell all night and then work the next day. The only ventilation was a tiny whole in the top of the cell. There were starvation rooms where you would go for days at a time and many died.
We saw gallows where the Nazis would hang those who had tried to escape but failed and/or those who helped and/or those who kept in contact with the outside world. They were hung and bodies left there in the middle of the camp for all to see as a warning.
There was also a shooting wall for many political prisoners where they were showered, stripped down naked, lined against a wall and shot in the back of the head.
Approximately 1.6 million people were killed at Auschwitz alone. Prisoners were also shipped here from other camps all over Europe, even as far south as Greece. The Nazis chose this site because it was in the middle of no where so people wouldn't know.
Doctors performed experiments on women and children trying to understand the production of twins because that was how they intended to increase the German army. Many died in the process and it was extremely painful.
We also saw piles and piles and piles of human hair. All prisoners, even those after gas chambers, were shaved from head to toe and their hair was used for rugs and things like that in Germany. The tattoo numbers was only done at Auschwitz and was because it became so large it was very difficult for those to be identified at role call and/or if they died. 6 prisoners to a bunk, as in 6 on the bottom, 6 in the middle, and 6 on top. Each barrack, which were old Polish Army barracks, could hold 700-800 prisoners at a time. In the harsh winters around 0-15 degrees prisoners were not allowed extra clothes or anything to help keep them warm. Many were go to bed and wake up wet. These kind of conditions as well as the terrible sanitary conditions led to the wide spread of contagious diseases and death of many.
I'm probably missing a lot but Randy took a ton of pictures to help us remember. I asked our tour guide how she could give this tour every day, wouldn't you get depressed? She said that yes it's sad but it's so important to keep telling to story so that it doesn't happen again.
It just goes to show what can happen when humanity does not find their value from God but from power...something we will never forget!
Krakow, Poland
I am going to blog first about Krakow and then about our visit to Auschwitz so that if you don't want graphic details you can choose which post to read...
Our train from Berlin to Krakow was brutal not in the physical sense but it went SO SLOW the entire way there. We travelled roughly a little more than our high speed train from Avingon to Paris (which was right at 3 hours) and this took us 10 hours! Not a lot to say but we had an entire cabin within the first class car to ourselves, that's how many people travel through Poland, at least first class. It was nice though so we were able to just be and not worry about bothering other people. One random thought both Randy and I had travelling from Berlin to Krakow was that there were probably many prisoners transported for longer and in extremely worse conditions to the same place not knowing where they were going or if they were going to return, surreal. The train ride was ok other than it was long, they checked our tickets the most ever since being here in Europe (like 4 different times). When we left Germany everything over the PA system was in German and then English. As soon as we crossed the border everything was in Polish with NO English.
Our hostel is in downtown Krakow and all the roomies were great except one annoying guy who turned the light on every time throughout the night he came into the room: 11PM, 12 midnight, 2AM, 3AM...Who knows?!
Visited Auschwitz (more in the next post) via a tour starting at our hostel which was great and less stressful than trying to figure it out ourselves.
Came back and visited a few churches, the castle and of course...ate at Hard Rock Cafe? Hahaha, no joke! Who knew? It was actually reasonably priced. I ordered chicken strips! Num num but guess what it was not 2 or 3 or even 4 chicken strips it was SEVEN!! Holy crap! I don't think I've ever got that many in an order anywhere! The waitress had excellent English and after some convincing from Randy asked her where she learned.
She said that in Poland you have to learn Polish and English but that the third language you can choose...she chose German but doesn't know why because it's harsh and not very useful, she said. We asked here where to go to see more of Krakow and she gave excellent advice and stories. The first is the church right next to the Hard Rock has a "trumpet player" that plays every hour on the hour but stops half way through. The story goes that he would play a certain hymn from the tower to warn people there was possible danger coming. When the Turks invaded Poland the story goes that he was in the middle of that hymn when he was shot through the neck and stopped playing. Then we visited the Jewish Quarter seeing old cemeteries and synagogues. Most of which stopped operating in 1939 when Germany took Poland.
Back to the hostel to grab our bags and take another night train to Prague, Czech Republic...
Our train from Berlin to Krakow was brutal not in the physical sense but it went SO SLOW the entire way there. We travelled roughly a little more than our high speed train from Avingon to Paris (which was right at 3 hours) and this took us 10 hours! Not a lot to say but we had an entire cabin within the first class car to ourselves, that's how many people travel through Poland, at least first class. It was nice though so we were able to just be and not worry about bothering other people. One random thought both Randy and I had travelling from Berlin to Krakow was that there were probably many prisoners transported for longer and in extremely worse conditions to the same place not knowing where they were going or if they were going to return, surreal. The train ride was ok other than it was long, they checked our tickets the most ever since being here in Europe (like 4 different times). When we left Germany everything over the PA system was in German and then English. As soon as we crossed the border everything was in Polish with NO English.
Our hostel is in downtown Krakow and all the roomies were great except one annoying guy who turned the light on every time throughout the night he came into the room: 11PM, 12 midnight, 2AM, 3AM...Who knows?!
Visited Auschwitz (more in the next post) via a tour starting at our hostel which was great and less stressful than trying to figure it out ourselves.
Came back and visited a few churches, the castle and of course...ate at Hard Rock Cafe? Hahaha, no joke! Who knew? It was actually reasonably priced. I ordered chicken strips! Num num but guess what it was not 2 or 3 or even 4 chicken strips it was SEVEN!! Holy crap! I don't think I've ever got that many in an order anywhere! The waitress had excellent English and after some convincing from Randy asked her where she learned.
She said that in Poland you have to learn Polish and English but that the third language you can choose...she chose German but doesn't know why because it's harsh and not very useful, she said. We asked here where to go to see more of Krakow and she gave excellent advice and stories. The first is the church right next to the Hard Rock has a "trumpet player" that plays every hour on the hour but stops half way through. The story goes that he would play a certain hymn from the tower to warn people there was possible danger coming. When the Turks invaded Poland the story goes that he was in the middle of that hymn when he was shot through the neck and stopped playing. Then we visited the Jewish Quarter seeing old cemeteries and synagogues. Most of which stopped operating in 1939 when Germany took Poland.
Back to the hostel to grab our bags and take another night train to Prague, Czech Republic...
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Berlin...Auf Wiedersehen
Not that I know much German but glad my mom taught me many key phrases and numbers! Most know some English here but if not those phrases have been just enough to squeak by...
Today we started at Dunkin Donuts!!! Like I said before I don't think we are gonna lose weight but with all the walking probably didn't gain any either.
Searched for some Soviet world time clock but couldn't find it...darnit Rick failed us again.
Next went to the German History Museum...VERY interesting but I don't know if I'm just exhausted or a sugar crash but had a hard time staying awake. Spent about 3 hours there. Much more interesting than the Louvre in both of our opinions.
Ate something, bratwurst or hot dog or something, at a street fair stand.
Walked to Lady Victory...we couldn't remember all the details from yesterday but we think the gold pillars are all battles that they won. The lady faces Paris to again thumb their nose at the French.
Tried to find Wilhelm's church. Again per Rick Steves it's supposed to be one of the only ruins left in the city not patched back together. Finally when we did find it there's stuff all around it so you couldn't see it from the outside and the inside was closed when we arrived! Boo!
Right by the church they were having some sort of world fair so we hung out there a bit.
Back to the hostel, which I forgot to mention our view is the Soviet's TV tower...went to the supermarket to get food and snacks for tomorrow a we travel by train for 10 hours to Krakow, Poland. Great Mexican burritos, and cheap, for dinner.
Randy and I are exhausted. 6 weeks is probably too long but luckily only 2 week left and we can slow down some. :) We are getting too old for this.
Today we started at Dunkin Donuts!!! Like I said before I don't think we are gonna lose weight but with all the walking probably didn't gain any either.
Searched for some Soviet world time clock but couldn't find it...darnit Rick failed us again.
Next went to the German History Museum...VERY interesting but I don't know if I'm just exhausted or a sugar crash but had a hard time staying awake. Spent about 3 hours there. Much more interesting than the Louvre in both of our opinions.
Ate something, bratwurst or hot dog or something, at a street fair stand.
Walked to Lady Victory...we couldn't remember all the details from yesterday but we think the gold pillars are all battles that they won. The lady faces Paris to again thumb their nose at the French.
Tried to find Wilhelm's church. Again per Rick Steves it's supposed to be one of the only ruins left in the city not patched back together. Finally when we did find it there's stuff all around it so you couldn't see it from the outside and the inside was closed when we arrived! Boo!
Right by the church they were having some sort of world fair so we hung out there a bit.
Back to the hostel, which I forgot to mention our view is the Soviet's TV tower...went to the supermarket to get food and snacks for tomorrow a we travel by train for 10 hours to Krakow, Poland. Great Mexican burritos, and cheap, for dinner.
Randy and I are exhausted. 6 weeks is probably too long but luckily only 2 week left and we can slow down some. :) We are getting too old for this.
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Berlin...gutentag!
We arrived around 10AM and got to our hostel easily! The best directions yet! They have Starbucks everywhere here! and Dunkin Donuts, KFC, Subway, McDonalds, Burger King, etc...and they are sooooo much more organized than the Greeks, Italians and French! Such a relief! Everything was open like people actually work here!
Trying to decide what to conquer a girl from Canada suggested a "free" walking tour where you pay what you want at the end. GREAT suggestion! We started at the Brandenburg Gate. It is one of the few buildings salvaged from WWII. At the top is a lady with a chariot. When Napolean took over Prussia he took this sculpture and put it in the Louvre in Paris 1806. When Prussia took it back the city 1813 they took the statue and put her back naming her Victoria and placed her in Paris Square (essentially thumbing their nose at the French). Saw the Reichstag Building which is now where the politicians meet. When the politicians refused to give Hitler power as chancellor a mysterious fire broke out in the building. Hitler blamed the communists and found someone to take the fall which allowed them to lift Hapeus Corpus. All opposing politicians disappeared shortly there after.
Walked to the Jewish memorial, cannot put into words what this looks like but the architect was Peter Eisenman, a Jewish American.
Stood atop the supposed bunker for Hitler where he killed himself instead of surrendering. It's just a nasty parking lot where it was told the locals take their dogs there to do their business as a symbol of "remembrance."
Then to Unter den Liden street. Here we could see the TV towers the Russians placed there during their occupation. We learned that after Hitler, Stalin took control of Berlin and since there were mostly women left after WWII he said "the women of Berlin are yours," allowing thousands upon thousands of rapes and killings! The Russians didn't like the Palace on that street so they bulldozed it down!
The now tax office building was originally built by the Nazis for their Air Force base essentially. Then Stalin took it and painted a socialist idealist painting on the front in 1951 showing what life is like, ideally! Then in 1952 workers stormed the plaza in front of the building in protest of poor wages and working conditions. Stalin sent in tanks and opened fire without warning on thousands of unarmed citizens! The soldiers that didn't open fire because the people were unarmed were executed shortly there after. Then off to Checkpoint Charlie...
During the Russian occupation this is where the main checkpoint was for the allies, the Americans. Right near here is a remaining sector of the wall! You can see the wall as well as there are markers all over Berlin on the roads and sidewalks to show where the wall used to be. The story goes that Stalin left East Berlin and other occupancies and left the countries to fend for themselves. The "government" of East Berlin met secretly to try and decide what to do. They were going to make it impossible to get visas for West Berlin, etc. The next morning there was a press conference. Their main spokesman hadn't been to the meeting the night before but received meeting minutes, although he didn't read them. During the conference he got stumped on a question looked the notes and read out loud that they were releasing restrictions of travel to West Berlin. After a log series of questions and answers he told people on live TV that it was effective immediately so people packed their bags and ran to the border. The police weren't expecting this so they had no other choice. People chipped away at the wall an ran tractors into it etc.
History of the wall...during the occupation of the Red Army there was one night when the army went around the city and put up the first wall with barb wire. Realizing it wouldn't stop most people the walls "improved". Eventually there were two walls. In between the walls was called no man land and if you were there you were a free target to be shot. If not shot there were spikes in the sand to pierce your feet and THAT didn't work there were trip wires that would literally make you explode.
Crazy to think the wall hasn't been down really all that long!
There's Humbolt University and it was outside of the library the Nazis did the big book burning.
Before chancellors (like 17 and 18th centuries) there were Kings and Queens. Frederick wanted peace for the nation. Even after defeating nations just to stay afloat as a county built them a cathedral in a purely Protestant area of Europe. Th French also had one but the Germans were annoyed the French did but they didn't so they built the same church directly across the square but made the dome one meter taller.
Outside the old museum is "an old cathedral." I think it was Frederick again that visited a lot of Europe and realized it was missing something...an old possibly gothic aged cathedral to be a power house so he built a fake one. He specifically designed it to look older than it is...
Dinner...well we really are both German but were in heaven! I had schnitzel and a potato soup with a heff. Randy had bratwurst and a salad with a heff.
Our dormmates are from the Ukraine where one is a physicist, which he was sawing is not very respected in their country. Which is crazy because he's been researching you know things like alternative CANCER treatments!!!
Trying to decide what to conquer a girl from Canada suggested a "free" walking tour where you pay what you want at the end. GREAT suggestion! We started at the Brandenburg Gate. It is one of the few buildings salvaged from WWII. At the top is a lady with a chariot. When Napolean took over Prussia he took this sculpture and put it in the Louvre in Paris 1806. When Prussia took it back the city 1813 they took the statue and put her back naming her Victoria and placed her in Paris Square (essentially thumbing their nose at the French). Saw the Reichstag Building which is now where the politicians meet. When the politicians refused to give Hitler power as chancellor a mysterious fire broke out in the building. Hitler blamed the communists and found someone to take the fall which allowed them to lift Hapeus Corpus. All opposing politicians disappeared shortly there after.
Walked to the Jewish memorial, cannot put into words what this looks like but the architect was Peter Eisenman, a Jewish American.
Stood atop the supposed bunker for Hitler where he killed himself instead of surrendering. It's just a nasty parking lot where it was told the locals take their dogs there to do their business as a symbol of "remembrance."
Then to Unter den Liden street. Here we could see the TV towers the Russians placed there during their occupation. We learned that after Hitler, Stalin took control of Berlin and since there were mostly women left after WWII he said "the women of Berlin are yours," allowing thousands upon thousands of rapes and killings! The Russians didn't like the Palace on that street so they bulldozed it down!
The now tax office building was originally built by the Nazis for their Air Force base essentially. Then Stalin took it and painted a socialist idealist painting on the front in 1951 showing what life is like, ideally! Then in 1952 workers stormed the plaza in front of the building in protest of poor wages and working conditions. Stalin sent in tanks and opened fire without warning on thousands of unarmed citizens! The soldiers that didn't open fire because the people were unarmed were executed shortly there after. Then off to Checkpoint Charlie...
During the Russian occupation this is where the main checkpoint was for the allies, the Americans. Right near here is a remaining sector of the wall! You can see the wall as well as there are markers all over Berlin on the roads and sidewalks to show where the wall used to be. The story goes that Stalin left East Berlin and other occupancies and left the countries to fend for themselves. The "government" of East Berlin met secretly to try and decide what to do. They were going to make it impossible to get visas for West Berlin, etc. The next morning there was a press conference. Their main spokesman hadn't been to the meeting the night before but received meeting minutes, although he didn't read them. During the conference he got stumped on a question looked the notes and read out loud that they were releasing restrictions of travel to West Berlin. After a log series of questions and answers he told people on live TV that it was effective immediately so people packed their bags and ran to the border. The police weren't expecting this so they had no other choice. People chipped away at the wall an ran tractors into it etc.
History of the wall...during the occupation of the Red Army there was one night when the army went around the city and put up the first wall with barb wire. Realizing it wouldn't stop most people the walls "improved". Eventually there were two walls. In between the walls was called no man land and if you were there you were a free target to be shot. If not shot there were spikes in the sand to pierce your feet and THAT didn't work there were trip wires that would literally make you explode.
Crazy to think the wall hasn't been down really all that long!
There's Humbolt University and it was outside of the library the Nazis did the big book burning.
Before chancellors (like 17 and 18th centuries) there were Kings and Queens. Frederick wanted peace for the nation. Even after defeating nations just to stay afloat as a county built them a cathedral in a purely Protestant area of Europe. Th French also had one but the Germans were annoyed the French did but they didn't so they built the same church directly across the square but made the dome one meter taller.
Outside the old museum is "an old cathedral." I think it was Frederick again that visited a lot of Europe and realized it was missing something...an old possibly gothic aged cathedral to be a power house so he built a fake one. He specifically designed it to look older than it is...
Dinner...well we really are both German but were in heaven! I had schnitzel and a potato soup with a heff. Randy had bratwurst and a salad with a heff.
Our dormmates are from the Ukraine where one is a physicist, which he was sawing is not very respected in their country. Which is crazy because he's been researching you know things like alternative CANCER treatments!!!
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Paris...Day Three
Woke up on time, not early...packed our bags for our night train to Berlin. Minus underwear, everything we own is dirty. Everything smells from only being hand washed at best! :) Fun! At least it's much cooler so our added B.O. is minimal...ate crepes again!
Got off the metro/subway and were trying to decided where we were and what direction to go...Randy need a restroom when I said " Maybe there is a Starbucks and we can ask, get coffee and use their bathroom." When we turned around it appeared! I was stunned and SO EXCITED!
Started with the Pantheon which was built in 1790. It was here in 1851 that Foucault hung his pendulum to prove that the earth rotated. We got to see it in action. We briefly saw the crypts downstairs, one of which included Louis Braille. Recognize the name? He "invented" Braille for the blind and visually impaired.
Next we visited Saint Chapelle's where there were huge lines but because of or pass go to walk right in. It's very small and two levels. The top most elaborate was for royalty and the bottom was for the staff. It supposedly was built to hold the relics of part of the cross and the crown of thorns. They are no longer housed here but in Notre Dame where they are only allowed to be viewed on Good Friday and like the first Friday of the month. In the main chapel there are 14 main stain glass windows that tell the Biblical story starting at Genesis to th resurrection. The back round stained glass is the story of the Apocalypse. Oh, also gothic style, so guess what? I LIKED IT!
Ended touring at the Orsay which is an art museum and neither of us are art people but you HAVE to go there! Saw Monet, Rembrandt, Manet, Renoir, and many others...we were done so left and ate at an Italian Restaurant before going back to the hotel to grab our stuff.
Went to the train station to catch our night train to Berlin. Wish we spoke French again because our train wasn't there or something so has to catch another train to Metz THEN we can get our sleeper train! Brutal when you're beyond exhausted! Randy met this nice lady though from Australia here for a convention on working with the Deaf! She apparently works with the Aborigenese (sp?) in Australia who have a high incidence of deafness. Unfortunately I didn't talk to her and read my book because they started out with politics! :(
We had our own room with two bunks and comfy beds comparatively speaking. Slept as good as I have which was decent.
Got off the metro/subway and were trying to decided where we were and what direction to go...Randy need a restroom when I said " Maybe there is a Starbucks and we can ask, get coffee and use their bathroom." When we turned around it appeared! I was stunned and SO EXCITED!
Started with the Pantheon which was built in 1790. It was here in 1851 that Foucault hung his pendulum to prove that the earth rotated. We got to see it in action. We briefly saw the crypts downstairs, one of which included Louis Braille. Recognize the name? He "invented" Braille for the blind and visually impaired.
Next we visited Saint Chapelle's where there were huge lines but because of or pass go to walk right in. It's very small and two levels. The top most elaborate was for royalty and the bottom was for the staff. It supposedly was built to hold the relics of part of the cross and the crown of thorns. They are no longer housed here but in Notre Dame where they are only allowed to be viewed on Good Friday and like the first Friday of the month. In the main chapel there are 14 main stain glass windows that tell the Biblical story starting at Genesis to th resurrection. The back round stained glass is the story of the Apocalypse. Oh, also gothic style, so guess what? I LIKED IT!
Ended touring at the Orsay which is an art museum and neither of us are art people but you HAVE to go there! Saw Monet, Rembrandt, Manet, Renoir, and many others...we were done so left and ate at an Italian Restaurant before going back to the hotel to grab our stuff.
Went to the train station to catch our night train to Berlin. Wish we spoke French again because our train wasn't there or something so has to catch another train to Metz THEN we can get our sleeper train! Brutal when you're beyond exhausted! Randy met this nice lady though from Australia here for a convention on working with the Deaf! She apparently works with the Aborigenese (sp?) in Australia who have a high incidence of deafness. Unfortunately I didn't talk to her and read my book because they started out with politics! :(
We had our own room with two bunks and comfy beds comparatively speaking. Slept as good as I have which was decent.
Paris...Day Two
We woke up earlier than yesterday but still late...Ate crepes for breakfast this morning, so delicious!!! Went to get our Paris Museum Pass. Also bought our tickets for Krakow (Auschwitz) only paid €6 total with our Eurorail pass.
Then off to the Louvre! Spent 4 1/2 hours there but was pretty much maxed out at 3 1/2 hours. We saw the Mona Lisa, which was a lot smaller than expected. Also, saw Napoleon's apartment which was slightly elaborate :) Not much nicer than our 23rd Street house but a little...Randy and I cant figure out why then French are so disorganized when it comes to things like lines, flow of people, security...It's almost a free for all pretty much everywhere.
Exhausted and cranky we walked all over the place for dinner only to eat at a Buffalo Grill again! I am excited for NOT having to find a different place for food every meal!
Went to the Arc de Triumphe...We saw the tomb of the unknown soldier where the flame was burning but no soldiers, weird. Hiked 248 steps to the top and watched the sunset across Paris and the Eiffel Tower. The arc is the largest scale in the world and was modeled over the Arc of Titus in Rome. It was a gift to the soldiers after the war monumenting their freedom. The soldiers marched through it upon their return.
Walked back to the Eiffel Tower for night pictures. Apparently at 10 pm there are sparkling white lights for a few minutes all over the tower. Not my favorite but the tower is much prettier at night I'd say.
Then off to the Louvre! Spent 4 1/2 hours there but was pretty much maxed out at 3 1/2 hours. We saw the Mona Lisa, which was a lot smaller than expected. Also, saw Napoleon's apartment which was slightly elaborate :) Not much nicer than our 23rd Street house but a little...Randy and I cant figure out why then French are so disorganized when it comes to things like lines, flow of people, security...It's almost a free for all pretty much everywhere.
Exhausted and cranky we walked all over the place for dinner only to eat at a Buffalo Grill again! I am excited for NOT having to find a different place for food every meal!
Went to the Arc de Triumphe...We saw the tomb of the unknown soldier where the flame was burning but no soldiers, weird. Hiked 248 steps to the top and watched the sunset across Paris and the Eiffel Tower. The arc is the largest scale in the world and was modeled over the Arc of Titus in Rome. It was a gift to the soldiers after the war monumenting their freedom. The soldiers marched through it upon their return.
Walked back to the Eiffel Tower for night pictures. Apparently at 10 pm there are sparkling white lights for a few minutes all over the tower. Not my favorite but the tower is much prettier at night I'd say.
Paris...Day One
We got a late start. Randy and I are losing steam. Couldn't find anything affordable around our hotel for lunch so did Subway again.
Visited Notre Dame. Again, a gothic church and I loved it! Randy searched for the hunchback but to no avail! :( Then we went to the Eiffel Tower where we waited, and waited, and then waited some more. Two girls tried to cut but I tapped them on the shoulder and pointed to the end of the line. They said "just two?" And I was annoyed but the couple behind us went off on them and got them behind us. Unfortunately they still cut like 3 people back! We are sick of the European way of thins: cutting in lines, not moving out of the way for people to be polite, etc. My shoulder are stiff!
You probably did, but did you know the the Eiffel Tower was originally supposed to be a temporary building? It marked the 100 anniversary of freedom and was the entrance for that year's World Fair (now called World Expo). At first many people thought it was hideous but became iconic so it stands today. We went to the very tippy top! Another thing marked off our bucket list.
At the top we met a guy from Orange County who thought Greece was next to Rome! Hmmm...
Went to the Moulin Rouge to take pictures. They still have dinner and shows but it's like €150 each. Right across the street was Starbucks and Buffalo Grill where we ate dinner (best we can figure it's a French chain of American BBQ).
Visited Notre Dame. Again, a gothic church and I loved it! Randy searched for the hunchback but to no avail! :( Then we went to the Eiffel Tower where we waited, and waited, and then waited some more. Two girls tried to cut but I tapped them on the shoulder and pointed to the end of the line. They said "just two?" And I was annoyed but the couple behind us went off on them and got them behind us. Unfortunately they still cut like 3 people back! We are sick of the European way of thins: cutting in lines, not moving out of the way for people to be polite, etc. My shoulder are stiff!
You probably did, but did you know the the Eiffel Tower was originally supposed to be a temporary building? It marked the 100 anniversary of freedom and was the entrance for that year's World Fair (now called World Expo). At first many people thought it was hideous but became iconic so it stands today. We went to the very tippy top! Another thing marked off our bucket list.
At the top we met a guy from Orange County who thought Greece was next to Rome! Hmmm...
Went to the Moulin Rouge to take pictures. They still have dinner and shows but it's like €150 each. Right across the street was Starbucks and Buffalo Grill where we ate dinner (best we can figure it's a French chain of American BBQ).
Saturday, August 6, 2011
Arles
Some days I feel like I'm on the Amazing Race! Woke up early to try and catch the train early enough to Arles so we could return to Avingon this evening for our train to Paris. Ate breakfast fast, ran to the bus stop and saw our bus 11! Ran to catch it before it left, made it to the last stop to catch our bus to the TGV (one of the train stations), barely made that connection. Ran inside the train station only to figure out we were at the WRONG train station. The one we needed was back where bus 11 dropped us off first and we would have made the 9:50 train...only now we had to wait till 11:45! Walked through Avingon some more, seeing a church that was closed yesterday and found my pin for this city. Went to the correct train station this time, had to go to the bathroom. It cost €.50 so we handed the lady several 5 cent coins and one 20 cent. She flipped out on me in French! I have no idea what she was saying! Best I could figure is she wanted a 50 cent piece and not multiple coins! Even after she let me go she was still yelling at me or about me, who the heck knows, in French. Good news, my bladder was happy even if she wasn't.
Arles was not as exciting as Rick Steves made it sound. I guess maybe if you hadn't already been to Rome? There was a colosseum from the Romans in 90 AD, a small version of the huge one in Rome. They still have bullfights today but none until the 9th (today's the 6th). They also had a Roman Forum, small scale to Rome. We saw a cloister but the church was closed. Visited a theatre built in the 1st century BC and an art museum, weird! Hopped a train back to Avingon to grab our bags, head to the TGV station (we quadruple checked) for our train to Paris.
We traveled the length of Texas essentially in 3 hours by high speed train! It's raining and "cold" also it was like 9:30pm when we got here so...
Found our hotel, easiest and fastest thus far (minus the hotel in Santorini where they picked us up from the port). Our hotel somehow had it down as one person even though we selected two on the website. We took it anyway, bed is smaller than a double but bigger than a twin. He said "it's for people who are in love."
Starving we went walking and found SUBWAY!!! And they had CONDIMENTS!!!
Arles was not as exciting as Rick Steves made it sound. I guess maybe if you hadn't already been to Rome? There was a colosseum from the Romans in 90 AD, a small version of the huge one in Rome. They still have bullfights today but none until the 9th (today's the 6th). They also had a Roman Forum, small scale to Rome. We saw a cloister but the church was closed. Visited a theatre built in the 1st century BC and an art museum, weird! Hopped a train back to Avingon to grab our bags, head to the TGV station (we quadruple checked) for our train to Paris.
We traveled the length of Texas essentially in 3 hours by high speed train! It's raining and "cold" also it was like 9:30pm when we got here so...
Found our hotel, easiest and fastest thus far (minus the hotel in Santorini where they picked us up from the port). Our hotel somehow had it down as one person even though we selected two on the website. We took it anyway, bed is smaller than a double but bigger than a twin. He said "it's for people who are in love."
Starving we went walking and found SUBWAY!!! And they had CONDIMENTS!!!
Friday, August 5, 2011
Avingon
We woke up early to go to the train station in Nice to get tickets for Avingon. On the way ate a Suisse which was delicious and essentially one of those twisty sugar coated donut but it didn't taste deep fried, much lighter and airier. At the station the lady kept telling us €19 a piece but we'd read that in France with our eurorail pass it should only be €3 reservation fee. One of many times I wish I knew French. She kept telling us in French even though we said we didn't know French and eventually paid the €38 total for us...later in Avingon we paid our regular €3/each, more on that later. Met a couple ladies from Vancouver, BC, and they had 4 full sized rolling suitcases and 2 large shoulder bags between the two of them! Yuck
The trains in France are so much nicer and quieter than Italy! It's incredible, at a couple points we thought they turned off the train to coast but it was only the AC...On the train ride there we did a lot of planning for the rest of our trip: Barcelona, Paris, Berlin, Prague, Krakow (Auschwitz), Budapest, Munich, Frankfurt...only later to realize that when we plan to be touring Auschwitz is ON OUR ANNIVERSARY!!! Guess we'll wait to celebrate in Budapest after the fact.
Arrived in Avingon, trying to read a map when someone who works for the station actually asked us IN ENGLISH if we needed help AND was helpful, and correct. Then went to the ticket counter to book our train to Barcelona, only there are no openings for like 4 days! So Randy and I had to go and figure out what the heck to do! I speak SPANISH! Not Italian, definitely not French or German so...why am I bilingual? We decided no Barcelona. :( Something would have to give and we're excited about all of them! We would either waste days here in Avingon/Arles to make it there or travel from Paris back to Barcelona to either Berlin or Prague neither of which are remotely close! So tomorrow we have a ticket out of Avingon to Paris AND we only paid the €3 for reservations! The positive note is now it looks like we won't be touring Auschwitz on our anniversary :)
We have a guest house, it's like an apartment above a restaurant. The owner spoke minimal English but the people we've seen most that work here or something don't at all!
Visited the Palace of the Popes and the bridge "to know where" as Randy called it but the St. Benezet Bridge. The bridge was built in early AD and flood after flood happened on the Rhone River causing it to fall, so they rebuilt. One time there were people buried in the bridge when the flood came it washed dead bodied down river! In 1600's the government decided NOT to rebuild it again and so it stands today.
Did you know Avingon used to be Vatican City for a few centuries? The pope wanted a safer place than Rome so they bought Avingon. For a long time there were schisms between Avingon and Rome as to who really was the Vatican. I can't remember when but I believe it wasn't fully resolved until after the French Revolution.
Ate spaghetti for dinner which the spice/seasoning on the meat reminded me of my Mimi's spaghetti and got home sick. Our waitress of course didnt speak English and I think she was annoyed that we didnt speak French. I need Lydia!!!
The trains in France are so much nicer and quieter than Italy! It's incredible, at a couple points we thought they turned off the train to coast but it was only the AC...On the train ride there we did a lot of planning for the rest of our trip: Barcelona, Paris, Berlin, Prague, Krakow (Auschwitz), Budapest, Munich, Frankfurt...only later to realize that when we plan to be touring Auschwitz is ON OUR ANNIVERSARY!!! Guess we'll wait to celebrate in Budapest after the fact.
Arrived in Avingon, trying to read a map when someone who works for the station actually asked us IN ENGLISH if we needed help AND was helpful, and correct. Then went to the ticket counter to book our train to Barcelona, only there are no openings for like 4 days! So Randy and I had to go and figure out what the heck to do! I speak SPANISH! Not Italian, definitely not French or German so...why am I bilingual? We decided no Barcelona. :( Something would have to give and we're excited about all of them! We would either waste days here in Avingon/Arles to make it there or travel from Paris back to Barcelona to either Berlin or Prague neither of which are remotely close! So tomorrow we have a ticket out of Avingon to Paris AND we only paid the €3 for reservations! The positive note is now it looks like we won't be touring Auschwitz on our anniversary :)
We have a guest house, it's like an apartment above a restaurant. The owner spoke minimal English but the people we've seen most that work here or something don't at all!
Visited the Palace of the Popes and the bridge "to know where" as Randy called it but the St. Benezet Bridge. The bridge was built in early AD and flood after flood happened on the Rhone River causing it to fall, so they rebuilt. One time there were people buried in the bridge when the flood came it washed dead bodied down river! In 1600's the government decided NOT to rebuild it again and so it stands today.
Did you know Avingon used to be Vatican City for a few centuries? The pope wanted a safer place than Rome so they bought Avingon. For a long time there were schisms between Avingon and Rome as to who really was the Vatican. I can't remember when but I believe it wasn't fully resolved until after the French Revolution.
Ate spaghetti for dinner which the spice/seasoning on the meat reminded me of my Mimi's spaghetti and got home sick. Our waitress of course didnt speak English and I think she was annoyed that we didnt speak French. I need Lydia!!!
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Viva la France!
We left Italy on Wednesday...with no concrete plans took the regional train to the border of Italy and France in Vertimiglia and then hopped on their regional train along the coast to Nice. Only down side was the trains aren't fast regionally so it took a while but we had virtually no lay over time at the border which probably made up for it in the end. And it was free with our Eurorail pass! Got to Nice, France at about 7pm and began looking for a place to stay. Everything along the beach was either really expensive or booked. After 2 hours we finally found a hostel near the train station for €59 a night! That's the cheapest in Europe so far!
Ate at a TexMex place for dinner which made me think of Texas which made me think of Oklahoma which made me think of Kyla! I miss her!
Good thing the room was cheap because we scheduled today (Thursday) as a relax on the beach day renting two chairs and an umbrella. Swam in the Mediterranean Sea! There was this huge gal next to us couple chair over who kept spraying herself with sunscreen at least every 10 minutes! We decided we didn't really need to wear sunscreen since we got a lot of her mist! Jk we wore sunscreen and still burnt. Mostly my white stomach and lower back, not as bad as Randy though! Thank God for olive tone skin and a base tan from RED. There were many older women (50-60+) who just let it all hang out! Literally! So gross! I had to try and stop laughing and/or cringing because Randy would look and it's not like they were pretty! LOL poor Randy
Tomorrow and Saturday we do Arles and Avingon then on to Barcelona.
Ate at a TexMex place for dinner which made me think of Texas which made me think of Oklahoma which made me think of Kyla! I miss her!
Good thing the room was cheap because we scheduled today (Thursday) as a relax on the beach day renting two chairs and an umbrella. Swam in the Mediterranean Sea! There was this huge gal next to us couple chair over who kept spraying herself with sunscreen at least every 10 minutes! We decided we didn't really need to wear sunscreen since we got a lot of her mist! Jk we wore sunscreen and still burnt. Mostly my white stomach and lower back, not as bad as Randy though! Thank God for olive tone skin and a base tan from RED. There were many older women (50-60+) who just let it all hang out! Literally! So gross! I had to try and stop laughing and/or cringing because Randy would look and it's not like they were pretty! LOL poor Randy
Tomorrow and Saturday we do Arles and Avingon then on to Barcelona.
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Cinque Terre...ending
Great night's rest last night! Got up around 9, showered and got the most delicious pastry. It was a croissant with apricot filling...Tomorrow we are planning on getting the same thing! The we all hiked from Vernazza to Corneglia which was brutal. So many stairs up and down and up and down again. Ate gelato when we got there, of course! Couldn't find Rick Steves recommended place so went somewhere else, still good though. Took the train to Monterosso, ate lunch. Randy and Victoria has lasagna pesto and I had lasagna bolognese. Monterosso is NOT a small costal city it's more of a beach resort spot so we didn't spend much time there.
Randy and I hiked back from Monterosso to Vernazza which some call "treacherous" per Rick but we didn't feel like it was at all! Some portions were narrower but not unsafe. I sweated so much that I still burnt my shoulders and neck a bit even though I wore sun screen. Some what pointless I guess.
Saw so many nasty old men in speedos! Tried to get Victoria to let us introduce her to them but she refused! I did read in Rick's book that some women fall in love with guys here and stay! :)
After we got back Randy decided to hike up a hill for sunset. Us girls opted out, too tired and sore. We stayed at the water front for a while people watching then on our way back to our room grabbed a couple pizzas. They were so good! Thin crust, cooked in a fire, fresh topping! Mmmm! Ate pizza, showered and now bed...
Randy and I hiked back from Monterosso to Vernazza which some call "treacherous" per Rick but we didn't feel like it was at all! Some portions were narrower but not unsafe. I sweated so much that I still burnt my shoulders and neck a bit even though I wore sun screen. Some what pointless I guess.
Saw so many nasty old men in speedos! Tried to get Victoria to let us introduce her to them but she refused! I did read in Rick's book that some women fall in love with guys here and stay! :)
After we got back Randy decided to hike up a hill for sunset. Us girls opted out, too tired and sore. We stayed at the water front for a while people watching then on our way back to our room grabbed a couple pizzas. They were so good! Thin crust, cooked in a fire, fresh topping! Mmmm! Ate pizza, showered and now bed...
Monday, August 1, 2011
Cinque Terre...beginning
It was a terrible day until about 2:30pm. Didn't sleep at all last night because our room was so hot with no fan or AC so you has to open the window. So many mosquitoes! All I heard was them buzzing around me. I hid under my covers best I could but no sleep for Leisha. Randy was munched on all night but he slept! He even had blood spots from we guess where he killed them in his sleep?
Since I didn't sleep we left early for the train station which was further away then we'd been told so barely made the train. Then it was delayed 20 min, which meant we were late arriving to Genova for the connecting train to La Spezia to meet Victoria. We ended up getting another train but it arrived 2 hours after we told Victoria we'd be there. Then we tried to find WiFi to email her but nothing. Decided to get lunch, worse pizza I have ever had even in the States. Got a sandwich down the street and people here dont understand condiments! They only had mayo and she put like 3-4x's the amount of mayo needed...
Got into La Spezia 2 hours late and over an hour after Victoria was supposed to be there. We didn't see her at our meeting point so we hopped on a computer to email her, got our passes and tickets for the Cinque Terre and went to the platform to wait for our train. The train before ours was a train coming from Turino and like 1 1/2 hours late from it's original destination. Then low and behold!!! VICTORIA got off that train! Her train was really late as well. It all worked out. Started the Cinque Terre.
Beautiful towns on the cliffs. One walkway between cities was closed because if a landslide. We did the Via dell' Amore, the walk of love. Did not put a lock on the gate though. People put locks on gates and bridges for good luck in their relationship. Much cooler than carving your initials into a tree. Saw some vineyards and people watched. Decided to stay both nights in Vernazza (middle town) and when we got off the train a guy met us, asked if we'd like to see his apartments, we did. We liked so we bought. Great deal, €100 per night total so €33 each-ish. As great if not better than hostels. Another truth by good ol' Rick.
Ate dinner by chance at a place Rick Steves recommends..Blue Marlin. Excellent food but on Italian time. Randy had some fresh fish from today's catch and I tried the "tortellini" which was actually ravioli stuffed with ricotta and spinach topped with a creamy walnut sauce. Best pasta by far that I have had while over here!
Since I didn't sleep we left early for the train station which was further away then we'd been told so barely made the train. Then it was delayed 20 min, which meant we were late arriving to Genova for the connecting train to La Spezia to meet Victoria. We ended up getting another train but it arrived 2 hours after we told Victoria we'd be there. Then we tried to find WiFi to email her but nothing. Decided to get lunch, worse pizza I have ever had even in the States. Got a sandwich down the street and people here dont understand condiments! They only had mayo and she put like 3-4x's the amount of mayo needed...
Got into La Spezia 2 hours late and over an hour after Victoria was supposed to be there. We didn't see her at our meeting point so we hopped on a computer to email her, got our passes and tickets for the Cinque Terre and went to the platform to wait for our train. The train before ours was a train coming from Turino and like 1 1/2 hours late from it's original destination. Then low and behold!!! VICTORIA got off that train! Her train was really late as well. It all worked out. Started the Cinque Terre.
Beautiful towns on the cliffs. One walkway between cities was closed because if a landslide. We did the Via dell' Amore, the walk of love. Did not put a lock on the gate though. People put locks on gates and bridges for good luck in their relationship. Much cooler than carving your initials into a tree. Saw some vineyards and people watched. Decided to stay both nights in Vernazza (middle town) and when we got off the train a guy met us, asked if we'd like to see his apartments, we did. We liked so we bought. Great deal, €100 per night total so €33 each-ish. As great if not better than hostels. Another truth by good ol' Rick.
Ate dinner by chance at a place Rick Steves recommends..Blue Marlin. Excellent food but on Italian time. Randy had some fresh fish from today's catch and I tried the "tortellini" which was actually ravioli stuffed with ricotta and spinach topped with a creamy walnut sauce. Best pasta by far that I have had while over here!
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Milan
Took a 9:50 train from Venice to arrive at Milan around 12:30. A bone to pick with a French family sitting near us on the train...They talked sooooo loud! When they were talking it was nearly impossible to read or so anything! The one kid had head phones in and the parents were just loud! Maybe it's a French thing? Lydia?
Apparently here you can't buy bus tickets on the BUS you have to purchase them at the Tabbachi (tobacco) shop...after figuring that out it was pretty easy to find our place. Another private room and bath, clean, AND half the price of Venice! The hostess is from Michigan getting her masters in architecture here. She was super helpful and loves to talk. FREE bottle of wine with our room and towels.
Went and saw the duomo, which we learned means church so...realized I really like gothic era architecture. Hiked the 250 steps to the top to see even more detail to the church. A couple girls were complaining on their way up as we were coming down in stilettos and mini skirts!
Did you know Milan used to be the capital before Rome? Walked through another castle which was cool...Saw a sculpture of Leonardo di Vinci, he helped Milan become a major port through canals. The famous Last Supper is here but hard to get tickets to see. Walked along the fashion area and was funny because there was Prada and Loui Vouttion and then McDonalds in this super nice old building area.
Ate more gelato! I don't think we are going to lose much weight at this rate! Tomorrow we leave bright and early for the Cinque Terre!
Apparently here you can't buy bus tickets on the BUS you have to purchase them at the Tabbachi (tobacco) shop...after figuring that out it was pretty easy to find our place. Another private room and bath, clean, AND half the price of Venice! The hostess is from Michigan getting her masters in architecture here. She was super helpful and loves to talk. FREE bottle of wine with our room and towels.
Went and saw the duomo, which we learned means church so...realized I really like gothic era architecture. Hiked the 250 steps to the top to see even more detail to the church. A couple girls were complaining on their way up as we were coming down in stilettos and mini skirts!
Did you know Milan used to be the capital before Rome? Walked through another castle which was cool...Saw a sculpture of Leonardo di Vinci, he helped Milan become a major port through canals. The famous Last Supper is here but hard to get tickets to see. Walked along the fashion area and was funny because there was Prada and Loui Vouttion and then McDonalds in this super nice old building area.
Ate more gelato! I don't think we are going to lose much weight at this rate! Tomorrow we leave bright and early for the Cinque Terre!
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Venice Summary
Yesterday we got a late start, 11:00 by the time we woke up and got out the door. Took the water bus down the Grand Canal to the end of Venice. Got off and walked our way back seeing neighborhoods and many non tourist specific parts to Venice. Beautiful...Randy's on the hunt for the BEST gelato around so we pretty much have to try them all! They don't serve Randy sized scoops here though.
Today...looked up the BEST gelato place per Rick Steves and took us forever but we finally found it! It was La Boutique and delicious but even smaller scoops! Visited San Marco's Bascilica and for another church it was beautiful. All mosaic pictures and lots of gold everywhere! Apparently the sea captains donated their "booty" for the church.
Very artistic town so we saw many random art exhibits, thought of Jason. One artist, Oksana, from Poland had this huge mosaic made up of millions o wooden eggs all individually painted with Easter themes and symbols.
Another free exhibit was a music history museum where we saw lires, flutes, oboes, violins, mandolins, harps, etc dating as far back as 600 AD!! So cool!!
Kyla, saw some moron wearing an OSU Beavers shirt today!
Randy forgets sometimes that he doesn't like sparkling water...no the bottles look the same except for small print that either says "naturale" or "frizzante" Today, he bought frizzante so he shook it and shook it until there were NO MORE bubbles! Haha, quite comical to watch.
Watching all these people with huge roller luggage 1-2 bags makes me so glad we have relatively small backpacks!
Off to Milan tomorrow for a night then meeting up with Victoria, fellow friend and teacher at Highland Elem, to hike through the Cinque Terre...Then on to FRANCE or SPAIN or somewhere.. :)
Today...looked up the BEST gelato place per Rick Steves and took us forever but we finally found it! It was La Boutique and delicious but even smaller scoops! Visited San Marco's Bascilica and for another church it was beautiful. All mosaic pictures and lots of gold everywhere! Apparently the sea captains donated their "booty" for the church.
Very artistic town so we saw many random art exhibits, thought of Jason. One artist, Oksana, from Poland had this huge mosaic made up of millions o wooden eggs all individually painted with Easter themes and symbols.
Another free exhibit was a music history museum where we saw lires, flutes, oboes, violins, mandolins, harps, etc dating as far back as 600 AD!! So cool!!
Kyla, saw some moron wearing an OSU Beavers shirt today!
Randy forgets sometimes that he doesn't like sparkling water...no the bottles look the same except for small print that either says "naturale" or "frizzante" Today, he bought frizzante so he shook it and shook it until there were NO MORE bubbles! Haha, quite comical to watch.
Watching all these people with huge roller luggage 1-2 bags makes me so glad we have relatively small backpacks!
Off to Milan tomorrow for a night then meeting up with Victoria, fellow friend and teacher at Highland Elem, to hike through the Cinque Terre...Then on to FRANCE or SPAIN or somewhere.. :)
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Buna Sera Venice!
Before we left Florence, we walked around more just looking at the market where you buy fruits, another where you buy meats, and there's a bridge where you buy you jewelry. Randy didn't buy me anything though :(
Almost flawlessly found and boarded our train to Venice. It was a speed train so it was only 2 hours with two stops in between. So pretty!!! I have already taken so many pictures! I can also see why people find it so romantic even besides the gondolas. Walked around and got lost, on purpose just looking and observing. Ate dinner next to this older couple from Holland. He's teaches at a university and she was a librarian who got laid off a few days ago based on "reorganization"...sounds familiar! They told us all about the stories behind the euro currency. for example, did you know that the bills all have different bridges on them that don't exist anywhere because the E.U couldn't agree on hat should be on them. All the coins are universal buy country specific, similar to the state quarters. And...since those bridges didn't exist, Holland's king is building the bridges on the bill currency so THEY have them! :) They were so fun.
We are in Fort Knox! You start with the yellow key, that opens the gate...then orange gets you in the stairwell...silver, gets you into the hallway and finally green gets you into your room! Pretty safe I'd say. No roommates! Nice change of pace! Bought some groceries and are tucked in early (10:30). We are on someone else's network...
Almost flawlessly found and boarded our train to Venice. It was a speed train so it was only 2 hours with two stops in between. So pretty!!! I have already taken so many pictures! I can also see why people find it so romantic even besides the gondolas. Walked around and got lost, on purpose just looking and observing. Ate dinner next to this older couple from Holland. He's teaches at a university and she was a librarian who got laid off a few days ago based on "reorganization"...sounds familiar! They told us all about the stories behind the euro currency. for example, did you know that the bills all have different bridges on them that don't exist anywhere because the E.U couldn't agree on hat should be on them. All the coins are universal buy country specific, similar to the state quarters. And...since those bridges didn't exist, Holland's king is building the bridges on the bill currency so THEY have them! :) They were so fun.
We are in Fort Knox! You start with the yellow key, that opens the gate...then orange gets you in the stairwell...silver, gets you into the hallway and finally green gets you into your room! Pretty safe I'd say. No roommates! Nice change of pace! Bought some groceries and are tucked in early (10:30). We are on someone else's network...
Onward...
The host and his girlfriend at the place we did schedule but the next night were awesome! Jonathan and Ella are so passionate! He gave a intense passionate explanation over the map of Florence! Haha...we still chuckle now...they had a cute little dog which made me miss Molly
We are leaving Florence. Visited the Duomo yesterday which was crazy! By far the most impressive building I have ever seen thus far. Pictures won't even do it justice. Visited a couple churches and walked around castle walls. I actually did not crave pasta/pizza for dinner last night so we attempted to go to the Hard Rock but it was almost a 2 hour wait at 9pm! no thank you! So we went to a Trattoria near our place an ha delicious Penne Pesto and Randy had Pizza. It rained here and we wanted to kill people with umbrellas! I got hit in the face by one gal.
Our roomie last night was "sue" from South Korea.
Now on to Venice, then maybe Milan on our way to the Cinque Terre. It may be a week before we have Internet again so stayed tuned.
We are leaving Florence. Visited the Duomo yesterday which was crazy! By far the most impressive building I have ever seen thus far. Pictures won't even do it justice. Visited a couple churches and walked around castle walls. I actually did not crave pasta/pizza for dinner last night so we attempted to go to the Hard Rock but it was almost a 2 hour wait at 9pm! no thank you! So we went to a Trattoria near our place an ha delicious Penne Pesto and Randy had Pizza. It rained here and we wanted to kill people with umbrellas! I got hit in the face by one gal.
Our roomie last night was "sue" from South Korea.
Now on to Venice, then maybe Milan on our way to the Cinque Terre. It may be a week before we have Internet again so stayed tuned.
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Pisa, Florence...
When we left Rome, we hopped a train to Pisa. Got off the train at 8:30PM, walked about 2km to the Tower of Pisa, walked backed to the train station and barely made the next train at 10:30PM to Florence. It was a bit chaotic to try and find the right train on the reader board in Rome but after that it was better, not easy, but better. When we got to Florence it was after midnight and we tried to find the bus that they told us to take to the hostel and it didn't exist at the train station...So we finally gave in and paid for a taxi. At the hostel, they had our reservation for the NEXT night. Furious we looked up our confirmation email and it was our first OOPS! We did book the following night...so the hostel pointed us to a close hostel down around the corner less than a mile. On the way there we walked down homeless alley! So scary! Luckily I was with Randy...nothing happened but neither of us felt safe. We found a nice hotel instead that was closer and offered them much less and they took it so their room was booked! :) Praise the Lord! Yesterday slept in, and went BACK to the hostel to drop off our bags and walk stroll around the city. Had spaghetti for lunch and ravioli for dinner. Randy had some cool roast beef salad of sorts of lunch and something neither of us can remember the name, pasta with olives for dinner. Gelato in the afternoon! Watched the sunset from Piazza di Michelangelo. We saw, what I would personally say is my FAVORITE building so far...the DUOMO in Florence, Italy. WOW! After dinner we walked around this corner and BAM! It looked fake, so detailed so elaborate, so big!
Today we're finishing Florence and tomorrow leave for Venice...we think :)
Oh, and I lost my journal...I think on a train...so I started a new one that the first line reads "Dear journal, I lost you on a train somewhere near Pisa! I am going to attempt to recall the past week..."
Today we're finishing Florence and tomorrow leave for Venice...we think :)
Oh, and I lost my journal...I think on a train...so I started a new one that the first line reads "Dear journal, I lost you on a train somewhere near Pisa! I am going to attempt to recall the past week..."
Pictures!
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Rome
We arrived in Rome yesterday around 8:30 their time in the AM. dropped our bags off at our hostel, Hotel Yellow, which reminds me of Taylors in Eugene or the Ram in Salem at night. Great roommates though! First day walked around for a long time trying to find a Tourist Information center to get our Roma Pass, which gets us into everything cheap and/or free. fnally found it near e Castel S. Angelo! Apparently, I developed a heat rash really bad from Greece and my ankles started swelling and eventually have huge blisters on the bad of my ankles. you've never seen cankles like my cankles right now. Randy helpled me to get back to rest and ice my legs. Unfortunately, no ice so we took his clean underwear and soaked them in cold water and wrapped them changing them every 1/2 hour. Randy was a great caretaker! Helped make sure I could get showered, clean the area, etc. Also, went out that niht to get me pizza and pepsi! He's a keeper! Our roommates are from Berlin, Turkey, Wisconsin, and California.
Day two, Ive decided I must be part Italian because I love the food and understand Italian because its so close to Spanish! Had lasagna for dinner and so did Randy...we were in heaven! We toured the Colloseum, Forum, Palatino, the Spanish steps, Campo de Fiori, Piazza Navona, Pantheon, Fontana di Trevi, Piazza de Venezia, the parliment, and many other cool places. Everywhere you walk are cool old buildings. My camera battery almost died. After visiting the Colloseum, made me want to read the book of Romans again since it was built in the first century AD. Ankles are still swollen but feel much better! Tonight on the way home the metro (train) was closec fr construction...brutal, luckily we figured out the bus. Tonight's roomies are from Toronto area. Oh! almost forgot...we were standing in line to the Forum and the family in front f us had two girls one said " well, she's in Eugene all summer." So we started up conversation and they are from Portland! Crazy small world.
Tomorrow - we tour the Vatican in the morning, then that evening take a train to Pisa to quickly see the tower then back on the train to Florence then Venice.
Day two, Ive decided I must be part Italian because I love the food and understand Italian because its so close to Spanish! Had lasagna for dinner and so did Randy...we were in heaven! We toured the Colloseum, Forum, Palatino, the Spanish steps, Campo de Fiori, Piazza Navona, Pantheon, Fontana di Trevi, Piazza de Venezia, the parliment, and many other cool places. Everywhere you walk are cool old buildings. My camera battery almost died. After visiting the Colloseum, made me want to read the book of Romans again since it was built in the first century AD. Ankles are still swollen but feel much better! Tonight on the way home the metro (train) was closec fr construction...brutal, luckily we figured out the bus. Tonight's roomies are from Toronto area. Oh! almost forgot...we were standing in line to the Forum and the family in front f us had two girls one said " well, she's in Eugene all summer." So we started up conversation and they are from Portland! Crazy small world.
Tomorrow - we tour the Vatican in the morning, then that evening take a train to Pisa to quickly see the tower then back on the train to Florence then Venice.
Greece Summary
We stayed in Athens two nights, seeing the Acropolis, Parthenon, the Acropolis Museum, and Syntagma Square. Saw the changing of the guard at Syntagma Square and took pictures of demolition from the riots a few weeks ago. All was fairly calm while there though. We were going to take the early 7am ferry to the Greek island of Santorini but even though we left at 5:30 am they were all sold out! So we bought tickets for the 3:00pm ferry and went back into Athens with our packs snd everything. It was a blessing in disguise! We were able to see Ancient Agora and some other smaller sights around there. Randy really likes the food; I, however am not a huge fan! Its really bland. The best items i've had were Gyros and Soulvaki which is like a skewer of sorts. Randy had a milk pie one day which was a croussant with "warm thick milk" inside. Finally made it to Santorini that evening!
Santorini is the island in Greece which is most typical in pictures for the white buildings with blue roofs. Our hostel is really more like a hotel! We had a suite the first night for like $40 with s refrigerator for my Pepsi and a balcony with an awesome view! First full day did a tour of the island in a day which was cool but stressful in a group. We went to a monastery where the priests were ages 24-44 years old and made wine and shoes to support their living. Visited some cool small villages like Pirgos. Then off to the volcanic island to hike to the top of the active volcano. Then swam near the hot springs of another island in the Agean sea. Felt good to cool off. Its so hot there. On the island it was about 90 degrees and in Athens closer to 100. At one of the island stops of Santorini met a guy who lives there 1/2 the year for free lance photography. He's from Great Britian. He was telling us the primary income on the island is tourism and the second is wine. Saw the sunset at Oia and climbed the 248 steps to the city from the port. When we left the second day we had the opportunity to try both the red and white wines. Our hostess and the hostel was awesome and obviously has found her nitch. When we left she gave us a bottle of white wine, which Randy almost single handedly finished himself! Before our ferry left the second day we rented a quad to see other parts of the island we didn't have a chance to see. That was fun and relaxing. Rode the ferry back to Athens. Got there at about 12:30am, took the bus to the airport and arrived there around 1:30. Then our plane didnt leave for Rome until 7:00am. Tiring day to say the least.
Santorini is the island in Greece which is most typical in pictures for the white buildings with blue roofs. Our hostel is really more like a hotel! We had a suite the first night for like $40 with s refrigerator for my Pepsi and a balcony with an awesome view! First full day did a tour of the island in a day which was cool but stressful in a group. We went to a monastery where the priests were ages 24-44 years old and made wine and shoes to support their living. Visited some cool small villages like Pirgos. Then off to the volcanic island to hike to the top of the active volcano. Then swam near the hot springs of another island in the Agean sea. Felt good to cool off. Its so hot there. On the island it was about 90 degrees and in Athens closer to 100. At one of the island stops of Santorini met a guy who lives there 1/2 the year for free lance photography. He's from Great Britian. He was telling us the primary income on the island is tourism and the second is wine. Saw the sunset at Oia and climbed the 248 steps to the city from the port. When we left the second day we had the opportunity to try both the red and white wines. Our hostess and the hostel was awesome and obviously has found her nitch. When we left she gave us a bottle of white wine, which Randy almost single handedly finished himself! Before our ferry left the second day we rented a quad to see other parts of the island we didn't have a chance to see. That was fun and relaxing. Rode the ferry back to Athens. Got there at about 12:30am, took the bus to the airport and arrived there around 1:30. Then our plane didnt leave for Rome until 7:00am. Tiring day to say the least.
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Good Bye Greece and HELLO Italy
More details to come later but an update is we just arived in Rome about 2 hours ago. Off to the Vatican...
Excited for Italian food and CLOUDY weather! Greece was way too hot and humid.
Excited for Italian food and CLOUDY weather! Greece was way too hot and humid.
Monday, July 18, 2011
We've made it to Greece!
We had great luck for our transportation to Greece. First, our flight was supposed to be 10 1/2 hours to Amsterdam but was just over 9 hours! I (Leisha) did get sick though :( Threw up 3 times...twice on the plane and once at the airport in Amsterdam. I think it was just motion sickness because now I'm fine. Then our flight to Athens was on time. When we hopped off the plane, we literally bought a bus ticket and were riding our bus into town within 10 minutes. Once we got into Athens, however, is a different story!
We asked several people at bus stops how to get to the street where our hostel was and the first person told us one bus...he was wrong. Once we got off we'd basically made a circle. Some tourists "familiar with Greece" gave us a map and pointed us in a direction...also wrong...FINALLY we ended up in some cool alley ways with little restaurant cafe deals and one of the owners KNEW where to go and gave clear directions AND showed us on the map. 3 hours later we arrived at the hostel.
It's clean and pretty nice for what you get. We're at the Pella Inn in Athens. The roof has a view of the Acropolis and other major landmarks. So once we got here we decided to do dinner on the roof. What we didn't know is that in Europe people don't really get up and going before 8/9 o'clock and you eat lunch around 3 and dinner around 9! It was 11 before the BBQ was done on the roof and we were starving. Met some nice people though. Leo is from Argentina, just turned 30, and gave himself a birthday gift. He's been to Madrid, Barcelona, Italy, now Greece. Michael and his brother are from Toronto, Canada, taking a vacation together before Michael starts college this year. Laura and her boyfriend are from Barcelona taking a few days vacation before they do some archeology type work somewhere here in Greece.
Dad, they have STARBUCKS here! :) Haha, it's so hot though it honestly didn't sound good this morning but I took a picture. So random to be walking down streets clear across the world and then see Starbucks, it wasn't even really in a high touristy area.
It's 8:00 AM here, going to go start our first REAL day!!!
Unfortunately, I don't know how to upload pictures yet but maybe from Randy's phone...
We asked several people at bus stops how to get to the street where our hostel was and the first person told us one bus...he was wrong. Once we got off we'd basically made a circle. Some tourists "familiar with Greece" gave us a map and pointed us in a direction...also wrong...FINALLY we ended up in some cool alley ways with little restaurant cafe deals and one of the owners KNEW where to go and gave clear directions AND showed us on the map. 3 hours later we arrived at the hostel.
It's clean and pretty nice for what you get. We're at the Pella Inn in Athens. The roof has a view of the Acropolis and other major landmarks. So once we got here we decided to do dinner on the roof. What we didn't know is that in Europe people don't really get up and going before 8/9 o'clock and you eat lunch around 3 and dinner around 9! It was 11 before the BBQ was done on the roof and we were starving. Met some nice people though. Leo is from Argentina, just turned 30, and gave himself a birthday gift. He's been to Madrid, Barcelona, Italy, now Greece. Michael and his brother are from Toronto, Canada, taking a vacation together before Michael starts college this year. Laura and her boyfriend are from Barcelona taking a few days vacation before they do some archeology type work somewhere here in Greece.
Dad, they have STARBUCKS here! :) Haha, it's so hot though it honestly didn't sound good this morning but I took a picture. So random to be walking down streets clear across the world and then see Starbucks, it wasn't even really in a high touristy area.
It's 8:00 AM here, going to go start our first REAL day!!!
Unfortunately, I don't know how to upload pictures yet but maybe from Randy's phone...
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
EUROPE...
We leave in about a week and a half for a vacation of a lifetime! We'll start in Greece and end in Germany traveling through Italy, France, and Barcelona to get there...we're super excited and we will try and post fairly frequently updates from our trip here, maybe even with pictures!
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